NYC Restaurant Reviews

Our New York City restaurant reviews

Chop-Shop, Chelsea, NYC + Jean-Michel Basquiet exhibit

I returned to Chop-Shop for its proximity to the Landmark Starrett-Lehigh building in Chelsea, where Jean-Michel Basquiet's family put his art on display. I had to order their nicely spiced green papaya salad with shrimp cashews and watercress ($14) again. Yes, that good. It didn't disappoint. I still wish they'd trim the watercress stems a tad. My dining partner enjoyed the poached Norwegian salmon with a ginger scallion sauce over steamed baby bok choy ($24). Although delicious, we agreed that the rice-flour-dusted, lightly fried, spicy Thai branzino filet ($24) was the thing to have. It was so delicate and flavorful with the fillet served atop the skin, all in a [...]

By |2022-06-02T07:24:14-04:00May 28th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Miramar, FiDi, NYC + Governor’s Island

Miramar, which means  "sea-view" or "sea sight," is located by the New York sea: The Hudson River. We sat outside at Miramar, enjoying the spring weather after a trip to Governor's Island. We sipped a Villa Rosa, Gavi di Gavi, Piedmont, Italy ($38) while we started on the layered eggplant and ricotta Napoleon ($12) topped with mozzarella in tomato sauce. Also good is their Mediterranean mezze ($16) with falafel, baba ghanoush, hummus and tabouli served with warm pita bread. One dining partner tried the New Zealand mussels ($18) in an herbed red wine sauce. Another had the diver scallops ($14) with greens, another their chilled seafood salad ($18) with octopus, [...]

By |2022-06-02T07:19:29-04:00May 26th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Smith, Midtown, NYC

We met at the Midtown location of The Smith, a casual American Brasserie, for lunch as its location worked for the group coming from different parts of the city. We laughed as we all ordered the same lunch entree with dressing on the side! Their citrus, goat cheese salad topped with grilled salmon is so yummy, thought I'd write about that one dish. Worth the visit. Ask to sit in the bright, quieter front area by the windows. Great for catching up with friends. The Smith Midtown 956 2nd Ave (at 51st) New York, NY 10022 212-644-2700 thesmithrestaurant.com

By |2022-06-02T07:13:16-04:00May 24th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Katzs Delicatessen, Lower East Side, NYC + Faith Reingold at the New Musuem

Who knew you could reserve a table at Katz's Delicatessen! I didn't until I called to see if they'd take a group of ex.expats for a pre-meal before a tour of the Faith Reingold exhibit at the New Museum. We were able to reserve a table for 13 through their catering department by paying a deposit of $10 per person. Since the closing of Carnegie Deli, Katz's is the most famous remaining Jewish-style one. It's been around since 1888. Although many of our group had never been to this iconic delicatessen before, they knew of it from film. The most classic appearance was in the 1989 romantic comedy When Harry [...]

By |2022-05-24T06:43:48-04:00May 22nd, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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Miss Korea BBQ, Koreatown, NYC + A Reading: Charna Rivka

A building mate invited me to LAByrinth Theatre company's Annual Barn Series reading at 59 E 59 Theater for a sneak peek at a new play, Charna Rivka, written by David Deblinger. I found the start of the cold reading quite engaging with the ending in need of additional work — like many readings. Interesting though. After we headed down to Koreatown, ending up in Miss Korea BBQ this time ordering only their Dolsot Bibimbap ($21.95) with spicy pork, as last time the meat cooked at the table on the BBQ was overcooked. That Bibimbap dish of rice with veggies came sizzling hot in a stone pot topped with a [...]

By |2022-05-24T06:44:41-04:00May 20th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Inside Park at St. Bart’s, Midtown, NYC

We stopped by the cafe at St. Barts on their terrace under their "winter tent" to get a bite to eat after attending a funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral. We started with drinks so that we could toast our friend. One friend ordered their Vintage Negroni ($16) made with gin, Campari and vermouth, another sipped a glass of Rubio Sangiovese ($16) and I sipped their Woodford Old Fashioned ($19), one of the best ones I've had recently. The food didn't live up to the drinks. One friend tried their chicken sandwich ($23) with bacon and lemon aioli on multi-grain bread, not the menu-listed roll; she chose a salad instead of [...]

By |2022-05-21T09:41:50-04:00May 20th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Brunch at Upland, Flatiron, NYC

It's been a long time since I dined at Upland, chef Justin Smillie’s California-inspired cuisine in the Flatiron District. Generally, this Stephen Starr location was a reliable and crowd-pleasing restaurant. Would it still be? We stopped in for their Sunday brunch, starting with a cocktail. My dining partner had their Green Marjorita ($16) a smoky, yet not too sweet margarita made with Milagro Silver tequila and Del Maguey Vida mezcal plus arugula, fennel and lemon. I'd recommend. Skip the plebeian bloody Mary that tasted merely like spiked tomato juice. Brunch items are worth the trip. We shared the flavorful "Eggs In Hell,"  ($19) with  two poached eggs cooked in a [...]

By |2022-05-21T09:45:51-04:00May 18th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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AnTalia NYC, Midtown, NYC + Fran Lebowitz

We chose the Turkish restaurant AnTalia for its proximity to Town Hall where we were seeing the irreverent humorist Fran Lebowitz. As traditional in Turkish meals, we started with a mezze. That's a selection of small dishes served with bread, traditionally pita. We chose their tzatziki (chopped cucumbers with garlic and dill in yogurt), the pureed grilled eggplant and — my favorite — the spicy veggie dip made from tomatoes, green peppers, walnuts and pepper sauce (three for $21). One dining partner tried their classic vertically grilled lamb gyro ($22.50) served with tomato sauce, yogurt and pita, that needed more bread (+$1.75). Another had their whole char-grilled branzino (Mediterranean seabass or [...]

By |2022-05-24T06:46:19-04:00May 16th, 2022|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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The Terrace at the Edition Hotel, Theatre District, NYC

My friend made the res as she had a special table to request at the Terrace located on the 9th floor of the Edition Hotel, chef John Fraser's all-day restaurant. Weather permitting there's a cozy terrace and garden lush with plants and ivy. I returned to The Terrace again in the spring yet three years after promising to do so. I had to sample their signature Old Fashioned (although at $24 is mighty pricey) with Woodinville bourbon, stone fruit and a hint of chocolate from the cocoa nib bitters. We shared their empire Caesar salad with ($22) Castelfranco (a type of radicchio), baby romaine, anchovies and large sourdough croutons. Very [...]

By |2022-05-21T10:25:35-04:00May 12th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Brunch at The Smith, East Village, NYC + Suffs at The Public

It was my first time at the East Village location of The Smith but won't be my last. We met there for brunch as it was close to The Public where we were seeing "Suffs," the new amazing musical about the American women’s suffrage movement. Brunch was as good as the show! Our just-out-of-training server, Logan was perfection. Attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. We started with brunch cocktails, I had a spicy bloody mary ($13), my dining partners each had a mimosa ($15). I'm usually a huevos ranchero breakfast person when it's offered, yet I had to sample the unusual sounding Benedict Johnny. It's cheddar cornbread served in a ~6-inch cast-iron [...]

By |2022-05-21T10:03:35-04:00May 10th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Return to L’Adresse, Midtown near Bryant Park, NYC + Beatles Cover Band

A return to L'Address as promised, this time for dinner before heading to see the Beatles Cover Band at the Palladium. That performance elicited a flood of memories from that era. We sang along, knowing most of the words. At dinner, we started with two appetizers to share with the table. I'd recommend the mezze ($25) platter with beet hummus, tzatziki, spicy feta, fire-roasted Campania tomatoes and grilled naan sprinkled za’atar. Be sure to check the menu listing for what's included, as the items on the mezze were different than on their website. So was the price. Unless you request it well cooked, skip the mushroom grilled naan flatbread topped with [...]

By |2022-05-08T09:04:54-04:00May 8th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Boqueria Restaurant, Flatiron, NYC + Affordable Art Show

We selected Boqueria for its proximity to Metropolitan Pavilion where we were heading to the "Affordable Art Show." I had been to their theatre-district restaurant location for brunch and would suggest that if you need a bite before a matinee. In the smaller Flatiron location, we sat in the bar area so that we could order from the Happy Hour menu. I sampled their HH Shishito pepper-infused tequila Margie ($11) that was not too sweet, not too spicy. With that, we ordered a few tapas, including their hearty version of patatas brava ($6). That's crispy potato chunks sitting in tomato salsa and heavily drizzled with garlic aioli. I'd recommend that [...]

By |2022-05-08T09:13:19-04:00May 6th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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BXL Cafe, Theatre District, NYC + Birthday Candles

We decided on a late lunch at BXL, a Belgian cafe, before heading to the American Airline Theatre to see Debra Messing in Birthday Candles. We just walked through the alleyway across the street to the theatre a block away. Three of our four ordered mussels mariniere, menu-described as "cooked in white wine and shallots ($30). One seasoned moules-eating diner described them as plump but in need of flavor saying they were cooked in water, not wine and with onions (as you can see in the photo) and not shallots. I tried their steak frites. The meat was cooked as I requested, but it was not the quality of meat [...]

By |2022-05-08T09:10:52-04:00May 2nd, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Honeybrains, Flatiron, NYC

When I learned about Honeybrains the registered dietitian in me smiled. I laughed, though, realizing I heard about it while at the ultra-upscale Daniel's for a sous vide birthday party. I stopped by this fairly new healthy chain at their Flatiron location. The made-from-scratch food is good, fresh and reasonably priced. I liked the tender grass-fed beef that comes with basil mashed potatoes, salad greens and garlicky broccoli ($14.80) and their amazingly tender and juicy free-range chicken served over basil mashed potatoes, sautéed cabbage and fresh arugula ($13.50). I'd also recommend their sourdough bread spread with yogurt then topped with Atlantic smoked salmon ($13.50) and fresh dill. Also flavorful are [...]

By |2022-05-08T09:16:32-04:00April 30th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Dos Caminos, Theatre District, NYC + Take Me Out

We chose Dos Caminos as it was close to the Helen Hayes theater where we were heading to see "Take Me Out," about the personal and professional complexities of baseball, America’s favorite pastime starring Jesse Williams (Grey's Anatomy), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), and Patrick J. Adams (Suits). I started with their "El Camino" margarita ($14) made with only Milagro Blanco tequila,  Triple Sec and lime juice. We both had their eggs rancheros requesting them poached instead of fried ($18) along with crisp tortillas, beans, smoked ham and queso fresco.  My first bite indicated that they had pre-plated the food as the beans were at room temperature. With my second [...]

By |2022-05-08T09:18:30-04:00April 28th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Bryant Park Grill, Midtown, NYC + Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures

Eighteen of our ex.expat group stopped at Bryant Park Grill for lunch before our two private docent-led tours at the New York Public library. They set up a large table near the rear of the restaurant with the park as our backdrop. To ease the often chaos at the payment of the bill for a large group, we requested one bill for every four diners. They happily accommodated. They also delivered all of our food at the same time. Impressive. Some of the tasty meals included their Tuscan tomato & white bean with shaved parmesan cheese, toasted croutons, dill & truffle oil ($11.50); wild mushroom ravioli with a grilled artichoke, [...]

By |2022-04-23T11:00:33-04:00April 23rd, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling|0 Comments
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A Return to Jane, Soho, NYC + Out of Time

After my last visit to Jane restaurant in SoHo, I received an email from Olivia, their Assistant General Manager, who provided me with her personal reservation link. Saying, "That way I can make sure you are being extra well taken care of." Interesting personal-touch marketing, I thought. When I was heading with some friends to see Out of Time — a collection of monologues by five award-winning Asian American playwrights, performed by actors all over the age of 60 — at The Public, I decided to book Jane restaurant using Olivia's link. We arrived during happy hour with two of us ordering HH drinks, the Vinho Verde ($7) and Negroni [...]

By |2022-04-23T11:18:58-04:00April 17th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Sweetbriar x 2, Kips Bay, NYC

Sweetbriar in the Park South Hotel had been on our radar to meet for dinner since it opened in April as we wanted to again eat  Chef Bryce Shuman's upscale comfort food. Bryce hailed from Betony and Eleven Madison Park, where he garnered three stars from the New York Times, One Michelin Star and was named 2015 Food and Wine Magazine "Best New Chef." That and he is a friend of my dining partner. Bryce includes many of his hit menu items from his popular pandemic barbecue pop-up Ribs n Riesling. With sweetbriar focused on live-fire cooking of their seasonal veggies and meats, I thought it fitting to sample their [...]

By |2022-04-25T11:27:09-04:00April 13th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Piccolo Cucina, Upper East Side, NYC

A group of us who had been on a Les Dames d'Escoffier International culinary trip to Italy met for dinner at Piccolo Cucina on the Upper East Side.  Marisa May had selected Piccolo Cucina because Matteo Bergamini —  former chef at both San Domenico NY and SD26 — was this Italian restaurant's Executive Chef. NB: Sadly Tony May, Marisa's dad who was also at the dinner, died last week. As we were sipping our drinks, our waiter placed the Italian bread and dips on the table for nibbling. We then shared their frito misto ($21.95) with a variety of fried fish and vegetables, their eponymous salad ($17.95) with baby spinach, [...]

By |2022-04-09T18:22:00-04:00April 9th, 2022|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|3 Comments
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The Peruvian Restaurant Inti, Hells Kitchen, NYC + Space Dogs

We stopped into Inti, a Peruvian restaurant, on our way to the far west location of MCC Theatre to see the new musical Space Dogs about the canines that were sent into space. We decided to share the classic Banquete Inti ($43) that consisted of a tender rotisserie whole chicken, French fries, fried plantain, rice, beans and a green salad topped with avocado and sliced tomatoes. Cilantro sauce and peanuts also came with the meal. It was way too much food for the two of us! We did, though, decide to try their picarones for dessert. We were glad we did. These traditional Peruvian doughnuts — made with squash and sweet [...]

By |2022-04-09T18:22:11-04:00April 7th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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