NYC Best Bites

Opening Estelle, Meatpacking District, NYC

A friend and I attended the opening of Estelle in the Meatpacking District earlier this year. We sampled their delicious Red Run margie ($20, with smoky citrus, blanco tequila, mezcal, aperol, habanero, blood orange, lime) at the bar, then headed into the small, noisy dining room, trying to track down servers carrying a little food to go with our libations. Inside, we tracked down a quarter of a burger and their odd Gilda, including sliced chorizo, not as I had experienced it in the Basque Country. I have no recommendation, as we didn't sample enough to give one. Estelle Meatpacking District 18 9th Avenue New York, NY 10014

By |2026-03-27T08:47:31-04:00April 13th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch at Le Jardinier, Midtown, NYC

During my last visit to Le Jardinier, my extravagant friend ordered every dessert for the finale of my birthday dinner. I returned for lunch with a friend whose nearby office made it convenient to meet. We shared everything: a two-course prix fixe ($78), an entree ($48), and two glasses of wine, split to go with each course. Continuing the experience, the staff was, as always, amazingly accommodating. Given my friend's gluten intolerance, they placed two baskets of fabulous bread on the table—one regular, the other gluten-free. Next came our incredibly creamy carrot amuse-bouche mousse, one regular with brioche crouons on top, and one gluten-free without. We began with pan-seared Maine [...]

By |2026-03-27T08:47:40-04:00April 10th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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LOX at Café Bergson, Museum of Jewish Heritage, NYC

Prior to our guided tour of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, something I'd highly recommend, some of our ex-expat group stopped into LOX at Café Bergson, on the second floor of the museum, one of the only kosher restaurants in Lower Manhattan, serving Ashkenazi Jewish-inspired cuisine. I had their original bagel and lox with vodka dill lox, seasonal tomatoes and whipped cream cheese ($23), one other had their (way too thick to have absorbed the eggs) challah French Toast, served with warm butter and warm maple syrup ($36), another the split pea soup with challah croutons ($19) and another their signature challah open sandwich [...]

By |2026-03-27T08:47:47-04:00April 7th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Balthazar, SoHo, NYC

Balthazar is one of those places that’s best when they know you. It’s a bustling French brasserie from Keith McNally. Lucky for me, my friend is a regular, and a server recognized her and brought each of us glass of bubbly—on the house. We enjoyed that while nibbling their crusty bread, which is absolutely worth the calories. My friend loves their salade niçoise with freshly seared tuna, arugula, green beans, and marinated tomatoes ($37). She orders it every time she comes for lunch, since it’s no longer on the dinner menu. I went with the decadent warm goat cheese and caramelized onion tart ($23). And of course we had to [...]

By |2026-04-05T14:13:22-04:00April 4th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Return to Hudson Grill + Botanical Garden’s Orchid Show

The rain didn't dampen our spirits as a large group of us headed to the Bronx Botanical Gardens to see their orchid show. We started our visit with lunch at the always good Hudson Garden Grill, spreading out across three tables. I ordered the Hudson Garden Burger, which the waiter offered with either salad or fries, but he neglected to mention the $4 extra for fries. The short rib brisket patty came topped with white Cheddar, tomato, romaine, and roasted garlic aioli on a brioche bun ($26, plus $4 for the fries). Another had the tri-colored cauliflower crudo ($23) with dates, cashews, spring greens, and sunflower butter in a lemon [...]

By |2026-04-10T12:42:29-04:00March 29th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Our Rescheduled dinner at Uncle Lou, Chinatown, NYC

Our original Les Dames d'Escoffier New York Chinese New Year date fell during the 2026 blizzard and had to be rescheduled. We still filled three tables with Dames and their guests. We had everything on this menu! Here are some photos of the group, plus the wontons in chili oil, the Peking duck components, the stuffed eggplant and the large shrimp in lobster sauce. I recommend a visit to Uncle Lou! Uncle Lou Chinatown 73 Mulberry St New York, NY, 10013 unclelounyc.comChin

By |2026-04-05T14:17:52-04:00March 24th, 2026|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Los Mariscos, Chelsea, NYC

My friend, who lives nearby and frequents Chelsea Market, recommended the seafood tacos at Los Mariscos, a spot more easily found on 15th Street than in the market. I went recently with the folks I was on a Greet with. As I've mentioned before, as a member of Big Apple Greeters, I have the pleasure of meeting, welcoming and sharing my passion for New York City. Recently, I had the joy of guiding three young folks from Leipzig, Germany, on a tight budget.  Los Mariscos was perfect as their tacos were under $6! When we walked in, there was a line in this tiny place. I hovered over one of [...]

By |2026-03-04T15:24:49-05:00March 21st, 2026|Big Apple Greeter, Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Brunch at Da Andrea, Greenwich Village, NYC

Although Da Andrea is in my hood, I've had never been to their highly recommended brunch. I went recently with a friend heading to Carnegie Hall afterwards. We had lots of time, so I requested that the three courses that we would be sharing be served separately, starting with their brunch-only flatbread, made as I used to make on my grill, topped with prosciutto and fresh arugula ($24). Crispy crust with a salad! My dining partner started with a mimosa, I with a bloody Mary ($11 each). We sipped those awaiting our food, catching us as we needed!  The flatbread then hit the spot. Next, we enjoyed creamy polenta with [...]

By |2026-03-02T10:05:30-05:00March 18th, 2026|Big Apple Greeter, Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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A Return Again To Novita, Chelsea, NYC

I returned to Novita, one of my favorite places, for a birthday celebration. It was my first time there without the perfect restaurateur, Michelangelo, but Marguerite, who’s been with them for more than a decade, took great care of us. Their bread service is not to be missed, as I love the chewy crust on the sliced bread that we nibbled while sipping our Nebbiolo Gattinara, Travaglini 2021 ($90). Next, we shared their crab cake with only enough bread crumbs to hold it together, along with cubes of mango in a spicy citrus vinaigrette made hot with wasabi ($24)! Marguerite split each course of our pastas, so please note that [...]

By |2026-02-27T09:45:23-05:00March 15th, 2026|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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New Oasis Cafe, Chelsea, NYC

When I met my friend, Liz Williams of the Les Dames d'Escoffier Collection at the SoFAB Research Center at Nunez Community College, who came to town from New Orleans to see her grandson and, of course, his parents!  I always try to find a new spot for us to meet. Little did I think it would be a block away. A new building had sprouted on the SW corner of 14th and 6th, with a new wellness restaurant called Oasis Cafe. We're glad to get it in the hood, as The Well, a wellness cafe on 15th Street, had recently closed. There's coffee and pastries, along with meal options, including vegan [...]

By |2026-02-27T08:00:29-05:00March 12th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch with a View at MAD Museum’s Robert, Midtown, NYC

We decided to meet our friend from Sarasota, who was in the city to see her grandkids, for lunch at Robert restaurant in the MAD museum. We sat by the window overlooking Columbus Circle, enjoying the views. I ordered their special three-course $65 prix fixe meal, starting with their butternut squash soup attractively presented with maple creme fraiche drizzled over and pepitas for crunch, plus their salmon with a sweet-spicy ginger sauce with jasmine rice and bok choy and shared my dessert of Oreo raspberry cheesecake with a mint coulis and orange foam.  Other than the salmon being slightly overcooked, everything was good, attractively presented and served professionally. One friend [...]

By |2026-03-08T11:06:00-04:00March 8th, 2026|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Laurels Cafe and Bar, East Village, NYC

On my way to play pickleball, I've walked past, but never really noticed The Laurel on the corner of Second Avenue and 14th Street. It's a bright casual venue in the East Village to meet for brunch My dining partner started with a peach Bellini ($11) and the omelet ($16) of the day filled with tomatoes, bacon and goat cheese. I enjoyed their spicy Bloody Mary ($14) and indulged in their crispy fried chicken breast sandwich with chipotle aioli on a brioche bun, topped with coleslaw and pickles ($22), served with salad and fries, which was so filling that I took half home for dinner! I'd recommend brunch at The [...]

By |2026-02-21T09:45:05-05:00March 6th, 2026|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Inside for Dinner at Indochine, East Village, NYC

Last time I dined at Indochine, I was so impressed not only by the restaurant's food but also by its service. We were dining outside, being bitten by mosquitoes. Our server actually went down the street to buy insect repellent for us. Now that's hospitality! Hospitality as described in "Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect" by Will Guidara. This time, we headed down to the NoHo restaurant not for a show at The Public, but for restaurant week, when they offer an amazing $60 3-course menu featuring many of their popular items. Unfortunately, the hospitality was lacking from the moment we were seated, as [...]

By |2026-02-21T09:44:59-05:00March 3rd, 2026|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Our Delayed Holiday Gathering, Novita, Flatiron, NYC

One of our organizing team members couldn't attend our annual holiday luncheon at an iconic, holiday-decorated venue because she was a snowbird at her Florida home. We decided to book it at Novita, a local fave of mine, in February, when she was here. Michelangelo, the perfect restaurateur, is there to greet you as a friend.  It's that kind of place where you always feel welcome. While waiting for my friends to arrive, I had dreams of spring, sipping my Aperol spritz ($22) as I arrived about half an hour early. Silly me, I had errands to do in the hood before meeting my friends, and ended up arriving at [...]

By |2026-02-21T09:44:46-05:00February 28th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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La Masseria, Theatre District, NYC + Two Strangers Carry A Cake (Across New York)

During our sub-frigid winter, I chose restaurants within a 5-minute walk of our theatre. This time, the classic La Masseria is across 48th Street from where we saw the delightful two-character musical, Two Strangers Carry A Cake (Across New York)—one of those shows where you leave smiling. To start our meal—along with our bread service—we picked at their crispy, lightly fried zucchini strips, Chef Pino-style. I'd recommend it as a nice way to start our meal. Works nicely with a Montepulciano ($17). One friend enjoyed the whole branzino with roasted potatoes and diced veggies, caponata-style ($55), while another enjoyed calf's liver sautéed with onions & blueberry vinegar ($41.50). Both good. [...]

By |2026-02-21T09:44:38-05:00February 25th, 2026|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Chinese New Year Celebration at Dim Sum Palace, Hell’s Kitchen, Theatre Row, NY

Over 30 of us gathered at Theatre Row's Dim Sum Palace to celebrate the Chinese New Year. My ex-expat group had negotiated a Chinese New Year menu ($100 pp) in a private area of the restaurant, which started with shrimp dumplings, vegetable spring rolls and pork soup dumplings, served on our table's lazy Susan. In the next round, we shared their palace mixed appetizer, featuring spicy cold cucumber, crispy garlic spare ribs, and cold jellyfish and squid, plus Peking duck. The food just kept coming, including Hong Kong-style Dungeness crab, lobster with ginger and scallions, steak with asparagus, baby lamb chops, whole flounder, snow peas with garlic, baby bok choy, [...]

By |2026-02-22T19:51:02-05:00February 22nd, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Happy Hour at Docks Oyster Bar, Midtown, NYC

A group of us gathered at Docks Oyster Bar for their 3-star happy hour. We had a front corner in the restaurant's bar area that felt like our own. I sipped their happy-hour blood-orange Cosmo ($19), which I'd recommend, while others sipped bubbly or wine ($9). By the time I arrived, part of the group had already arrived and were eating oysters, spicy tuna rolls, and shrimp shumai dumplings with chili-garlic sauce ($14) from the extensive happy-hour menu, along with drinks.  We ordered more food and drinks, with my favorite being the Thai chili calamari at $9. I recommend Dock's three-star happy hour! ***Happy Hour details as of 02/04/2026 Hours:  [...]

By |2026-02-22T19:52:18-05:00February 20th, 2026|Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Toloache, Midtown West, NYC + Just in Time

When we learned that Jonathan Groff would be playing his final performance in the Broadway musical Just In Time (Circle in the Square Theatre) as Bobby Darin on Sunday, March 29, 2026, we had to get tickets. He's the one I loved playing King George in Hamilton so much that, while watching it on Disney+, I'd rewind and watch it again. And again. If you haven't seen it yet, grab some tickets to this delightful musical about Bobby Darin's life and music. We grabbed a bite at Toloache, a perfect spot when going to Circle in the Square, as it's around the corner. While waiting for our friend to arrive, we started with [...]

By |2026-02-22T19:54:01-05:00February 17th, 2026|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Back to Cull & Pistol for Lunch, Chelsea Market, NYC

During my "Greet" with a new friend from Cumming, GA, we stopped for lunch—specifically a lobster roll—at Cull & Pistol in Chelsea Market. A "Greet" is a free, informal tour of an area in New York City led by a volunteer from Big Apple Greeters, a nonprofit organization that has welcomed NYC visitors since 1992. I'm a new volunteer sharing my love of the city with newcomers. My new friend had the hot butter version ($40); I requested mine chilled ($40). Both were delicious, as were the shoestring fries. I washed my down with some Sauvignon Blanc ($16), my new friend, with a Pilsner ($9). We each were happily satiated. [...]

By |2026-03-02T10:06:23-05:00February 14th, 2026|Big Apple Greeter, Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|1 Comment
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Happy Hour at Martiny’s, Gramercy, NYC + the Career Accelerator Legacy Awards

Seems we all had the same idea: arrive at Martiny's before our 6 pm reservation to chat with some of the others. The door on this freezing night was locked and remained so until exactly 6 pm. We had read—and wanted to try—this place as Martiny's is currently ranked the 15th Best Bar in North America & 24th Best Bar in the World. Most of us ended up at Pete's Tavern around the corner for a drink before our reservation at Martiny's, which we headed back to at 6. Last time I had been at the three-story 1800 carriage house on 17, it was The House restaurant. Today, Martiny's is [...]

By |2026-02-22T19:58:08-05:00February 11th, 2026|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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