NYC Restaurant Reviews

Our New York City restaurant reviews

Vietnamese Sabai Thai, Gramercy-Flatiron, NYC

My sister was in town wanting something Asian for lunch. I recalled a friend raving about the new Thai restaurant, Sabai Thai on Park Avenue South. We decided to give it a try. We began with the Tom Yum Soup ($17), even after learning that the menu described three tiger prawns were unavailable and that seven large shrimp would be served in their place. That seafood came with king mushroom chunks in a broth flavored with lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. The nicely flavored soup came with a little spice kick. I liked that. My least favorite was the Poh-Pia Sod, their fresh rice paper wrapped spring rolls filled [...]

By |2021-08-16T13:14:06-04:00August 10th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Tri Dum West, Upper West Side, NYC + Almost Opening Night Merry Wives

I had secured opening night tickets to the Delacorte Theater to see the adaptation of Shakespeare's Merry Wives. For non-New Yorkers, the theater is outside in the middle of Central Park. We decide to try a Chinese restaurant on the Upper West Side that was only half a mile walk from the theater. That's because I've been looking for restaurants that are a mile or less from the stage to recommend for The Public Theater's Patron program. As we were seated at Tri Dum West on Columbus Avenue, our server placed some pickled radishes to nibble while persuing the menu. We first chose our apps, of course getting some dumplings, [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:27:32-04:00August 8th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling|0 Comments
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Happy Hour at 1803, Tribeca, NYC

I met my friend at 1803 in Tribeca for its happy hour. Inspired by New Orleans and named for the year of the Louisiana Purchase, 1803 offers fare you might enjoy in the French Quarter. Although they had balconied seating, we opted to dine outside. We started with martinis to wash down the half-dozen charbroiled oysters ($15) served with sliced bread to sop up the Cajun butter. So good, I would have eaten another order! Not so the baked cheese-filled jalapeños ($9) topped with shredded tomatoes. What I liked better was the blacked Cajun shrimp ($9 for 5) with spicy aioli. Also good is the mini cheddar burger ($12) with [...]

By |2023-09-02T19:39:51-04:00August 6th, 2021|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling|0 Comments
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Newly Opened Dame, MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, NYC

The British restaurant Dame, one of the new hot eateries in the Village, offers a limited food menu. The two lengthy wine menus list what the owners think James Bond and Austin Powers would drink. We chuckled when Ayla, our fab server, described how they keep the pretty mussels for the dilled heirloom cucumber dish, pureeing the ugly ones for its garlicky sauce ($17).  We also enjoyed the three large grilled prawns in a light sauce with Sungold tomatoes ($22). I'd suggest the restaurant skip the langoustines (or find a meatier shellfish) to put on the kedgeree. The seafood didn't add anything to the flavorful curried rice and smoked fish [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:27:50-04:00August 4th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling|0 Comments
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Terra, SoHo + Salomon Arts Gallery Exhibition Donald & Victor: Under the Influence

After visiting the Whitney Museum, we started walking on the Hudson River Parkway south toward Tribeca. Before dining, we were stopping in at the closing party of the Salomon Arts Gallery exhibition "Donald & Victor: Under the Influence." The show contained paintings by artist (and podiatrist, as we learned when we spoke to him) Don Hershman and photographs by his late partner Victor Arimondi. After the event, we ate at the bar of Terra, a cozy wine bar serving small plates. (Sidewalk seats are also available.) We sipped Montepulciano ($16 for a large pour) as we ate. The dish not to be missed is their stewed calamari ($14). Squid cooked [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:27:58-04:00August 2nd, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling|0 Comments
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Merchant River House, Hudson River Esplanade, NYC

Who knew how good beer-battered and deep-fried avocado could be? I sure didn't until we ordered it as an appetizer at Merchant River House. A perfect place to enjoy a sunset over the Hudson. We sat outside at this restaurant along the Hudson River Esplanade enjoying the view and this decadent appetizer ($14) drizzled with wasabi aioli drizzle. I highly recommend. Our salad of kale and roasted beets ($16) wasn't as interesting. We did enjoy the red and golden beets, caramelized pecans and crispy shallots leaving most of the fibrous kale. Once we noticed the chicken parmesan pizza served to the adjacent table, we switched our selection to that ($16). [...]

By |2021-08-06T08:20:54-04:00July 31st, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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A Classic Greek Meal at Periyali, Gramercy-Flatiron, NYC

The celebration was for three of the four of us with June birthdays. We returned to Periyali, a neighborhood Greek restaurant. To start, we split a few appetizers including the crispy squid with a leafy salad ($16) and garlic sauce. That same sauce accompanied chunks of red and golden beets ($15) and the giant beans ($15).  Our Villa Antinori ($80) Riserva, Chianti Classico, 2016 — mostly Sangiovese with a touch of Merlot to soften the edges — went well with all our selections. One of our group ordered the scallop special ($44) with greens and potatoes; the rest of us savored their amazing wine-marinated char-grilled octopus ($18 app, $34 entree [...]

By |2021-07-26T07:35:38-04:00July 29th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Upscale Indian Fare, Sona, Flatiron, NYC

I had been hearing about Sona, one of NYC’s Indian fine-dining restaurants in my hood. So when my friend offered to take me there for my birthday, I was elated. Asking my server for a spicy drink, I ended up with the chili margarita made with Milagro silver tequila, Ancho Reyes Ancho Chile Liqueur, spiced honey and garnished with a Bird’s Eye Chili. I mention the garnish, as our server suggested splitting it open to get more heat in my drink. I did so resulting in my kind of super-spicy drink ($18). I was happy already. For apps, we had to try the softball-sized puff pastry bowl that passed by [...]

By |2021-08-06T08:23:04-04:00July 27th, 2021|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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A Mexican Floating Restaurant at Pier 81, La Baraca, NYC

About 10 years ago, I introduced the Bite of the Best community to The North River Lobster boat. This year, the Circle Line added a new floating restaurant serving Mexican fare. Like the lobster boat, La Baraca sails multiple times per day from Pier 81 on the Hudson River at 41st Street. You'll need to purchase a pass ahead of time. The vibe is relaxed, many of the drinks are tequila or mezcal based and the food is classic south of the border. After boarding and being seated by one of the staff, we settled in and perused the menu. My sailing partner sipped the classic margarita served on the [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:28:07-04:00July 23rd, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Dagon, Upper West Side, NYC

I had been hearing good rumblings about Dagon, a new — since COVID — Mediterranean restaurant on the Upper West Side, named for the god of agriculture and earth. In fact, Steve Cuzzo of the New York Post named it "The Best New NYC Restaurant of the Pandemic." It's restaurateur Simon Oren's (Nice Matin, Bouillon, Marseille, 5 Napkin Burger) newest spot, with the kitchen run by parter and chef Ari Bokovza (formerly at Claudette) Be careful if you order their Kubaneh ($12), a traditional Yemenite bread similar to monkey bread but not sweet. It's addictive. With that, we had our flash-fried cauliflower ($17) with shishito peppers and olives with a [...]

By |2021-07-26T07:05:16-04:00July 21st, 2021|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Back to The Lightship Frying Pan, Chelsea, NYC + Classic Harbor Cruise

After twenty of our group of ex-expats took the Classis Harbor Architecture Tour, some of us walked the few blocks north from Chelsea Piers to The Frying Pan for something to eat and to continue the fun afternoon.  Our tour had taken us around Manhattan island as we sipped bubbly while the tour guide, a member of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA),  provided insightful narration covering New York’s iconic landmarks, modern architecture and engineering masterpieces. Their new way of ordering is great for a large group wanting to split the bill. Each person scans, orders and pays from the QR code unique to each [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:28:23-04:00July 19th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Great Pizza at Ignozio’s, Dumbo, Brooklyn

The four of us met at the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge to walk across it to check out some locations for one of our fall ex-expat events. We stopped at the not-yet-fully-open TimeOut market for a tour of their facilities, then headed to Ignazio's, a pizzeria on the corner of Water Street almost under the Brooklyn Bridge for lunch. We shared the large lightly dressed three-apple miso salad ($11) with arugula, mixed green, apples, olives and a large slice of Auricchio provolone cheese. Ordering our thin-crusted large ($28) pizza with fresh mozzarella and plum tomatoes, we each added a topping ending up with meatballs, caramelized onions, mushrooms and [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:28:30-04:00July 17th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling|0 Comments
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San Carlo Osteria Piemonte, SoHo, NYC

We arrived at San Carlo Osteria Piemonte during happy hour. Nico, our adorable server who was a friend of my friend, convinced me to try the Mezcal Negroni, an Italian cocktail, during happy hour ($10). I liked the smoky twist. My friend had his martini. He poured a glass of the Tuscan Le Palaie Bulizio, 2013, while we nibbled the unusual eggplant meatballs served over flavored tomato chunks ($15 for four fried croquettes) and the grilled Spanish octopus ($23) with a flavorful chickpea and diced veggie salad. Nico suggested two of his favorites pasta dishes for us to share and split them for us. We had half homemade meat ravioli [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:28:39-04:00July 15th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling|0 Comments
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Puglian Fare at i Truilli, Gramercy-Flatiron, NYC

On a late spring evening, I met a friend I hadn't seen since the pandemic began. We sat outside in the back of i Truilli in their spacious covered garden.  It's an Italian trattoria that focuses on Puglian fare since 1994. I ordered their Manhattan ($15) served so icy that it frosted the cocktail glass.  With that, I nibbled their sun-dried tomato topped focaccia served along with the sliced bread. Our waiter knew we were sharing the portions and kindly split each dish in the kitchen. We started with their hearty portion Dora's lasagne ($25).  The lasagne arrived at room temperature with the meat between the layers actually cold. Our [...]

By |2021-06-14T12:12:30-04:00July 13th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Japanese-Italian Kimika, Nolita, NYC

Not being familiar with the Japanese-Italian fusion fare Chef Christine Lau is serving up with her all-female led kitchen at Kimika, I had done my research. I wasn't thorough enough. I didn't realize for midday weekends they only offered a brunch menu. Our waitress Ailin was lovely, steering me toward the Amalfi swizzle ($14). This cocktail — a blend of Ten to One rum, house-made limoncello and Chinola (passion fruit liqueur) sprinkled with crushed pink peppercorns — was reminiscent of a refreshing beach drink. We started with di palo's burrata ($22) fried pizzette. It's ethereal fried dough quarters served with oozing burrata and a bowl of marinated tomatoes. The combination [...]

By |2021-07-11T15:00:58-04:00July 11th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Neighborhood Experience at Chez Nick, Upper East Side, NYC

I ended up uptown for dinner at my friend's favorite neighborhood place, Chez Nick's, which opened in February 2020 as the pandemic closed the world. The restaurant is co-owned by three chefs — Bobby Little, Chad Urban, and Nicholas Bayse — with lots of NYC kitchen experience including Ai Fiori, Marc Forgione, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Robertas, and more recently Batard, where the trio met. The three are meeting their goals of bringing Michelin-starred techniques and service to their neighborhood dining experience where guest satisfaction comes first. I sampled the Pina Verde, one of their unique smoky spicy cocktails made with mezcal and Ancho Reyes Verde (a spicy liqueur crafted from [...]

By |2021-12-12T09:22:58-05:00July 9th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Caliente Cab Co., West Village, NYC

I headed over to Caliente Cab Co. with a friend whose machatunim AKA inlaws own it. First, of course, were their fresh chips and guac ($18 for two) plus a Serrano Margie. That drink is made with Cazadores tequila blanco, agave and muddled serrano peppers ($14) with a salt and chili pepper rim. I forgot how good their housemade chips were; I first tried them at their other restaurant Tortaria. The friendly owners wanted me to sample all the highlights of their menu. The food just kept coming. We sampled the Tower of Ceviche ($17) with shrimp, squid and octopus marinated in lime juice with diced tomatoes, chilies and avocadoes. [...]

By |2021-07-17T05:01:34-04:00July 7th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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City Winery at Pier 56, Hudson River Park, NYC + Ex-ExPat High Line Tour

Our ex-expat group met at King Nyani, the giant bronze ape in Bella Abzug Park, earlier this summer to begin our High Line art installation tour. Julie and I researched the current High Line art installations. From the Plinth on the Spur to the newly installed Retainer, we shared what we had learned about the ever-changing art. We exited the High Line at 14th Street to dine in the Hudson River Room at City Winery. We were seated at one long table. Everything looked amazingly fresh. A few ordered the Kale Caesar ($14, +$8 for added chicken), a few others tried Sophia's Poke Bowl ($18) with tuna, quinoa, kale, carrots, [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:28:57-04:00July 5th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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La Grande Boucherie, Midtown, NYC

Hadn't seen one friend since the start of the pandemic — other than on Zoom — as she had moved to Florida. She was in town for an engagement and so we met midtown for lunch at La Grande Boucherie. I'd been to other Boucherie  French restaurants. This one is quite grand, hence the name, with an expansive, Art Nouveau-style space with year-round outdoor dining in the glass-enclosed outdoor space  (40-foot ceilings) in the atrium between 53 and 54th Street.  I found it reminiscent of Brussels' (Belgium) Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, the first enclosed glass shopping area designed by architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer completed in 1847. With their timeless French bistro classics [...]

By |2021-07-11T12:58:39-04:00July 3rd, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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E.A.T. Take Out and Cafe, Upper East Side, NYC

After playing bridge, a friend and I walked up to 91st and Madison to E.A.T., one of Eli Zabar's establishments, for a light lunch. I decided on a salad plate finding it difficult to choose from the wide variety of fresh salads. I settled on tarragon chicken salad, roasted veggies and artichoke hearts; my dining companion chose the whitefish and the endive and fennel salad. The portions are plentiful, although pricey (2 salads for $24; 3 for $29), plus a plate of sliced bread, slightly toasted with fresh butter and strawberry jam. I washed mine down with one of their two white offerings, a citrusy 2018 Sancerre, P Cherrier ($18), [...]

By |2021-07-04T18:19:20-04:00July 1st, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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