NYC Restaurant Reviews

Our New York City restaurant reviews

August, Upper East Side, NYC

After hearing that August's outside dining was on a first-come basis at the upper east side restaurant, we arrived a tad early for our reservation. We started with cocktails ($18 each). I had their version of an Old Fashioned made with their house-infused pear whiskey, bitters and agave, garnished with a huge piece of orange peel. My dining partners had their refreshing gin cucumber cooler with ginger and lemon. One friend had the farm-fresh pea soup ($17) with shrimp, drizzled with crème fraîche and sprinkled with chives. I shared their crab cake ($19) and frisée and fennel salad with a creative mango tartar sauce. With that, we shared the Green [...]

By |2021-07-04T18:17:37-04:00June 29th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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A Return to La Palapa for a Birthday, East Village, NYC

I always enjoy dining at my friend Barbara Sibley's La Palapa Mexican restaurant on St. Marks Place in the East Village. The place is always hoppin' and her authentic food is delicious. We started with pitchers of Margies ($33 regular; $36, the skinny version) and their hand-crushed guacamole, medium with fresh chips. I requested chopped jalapeños to spice up mine. One friend tried their Sangria ($13). We shared all of the south-of-the-border dishes — from a roasted poblano chile ($22) stuffed with housemade queso fresco and topped with spiced tomato salsa to a shredded brisket and 3-cheese quesadilla ($7) with chicken tacos with avocado, tomatillo salsa and spicy chile de [...]

By |2021-07-04T18:14:32-04:00June 27th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch at Orsay, Upper East Side, NYC

After bridge one day, a friend and I decided to have lunch at Orsay, a French restaurant on the Upper East Side. We didn't have a res. In the typical French way, the hostess said she'd try to fit us in yet couldn't give us a table in an area open to the outside. She said that the space wasn't available. Our waiter brought us slices of French bread that had the most amazing crisp crust. I had to pace myself as I could have eaten a basket full along with the fresh butter served with it. So good. I tried their burrata with Dutch asparagus, pickled ramps and mache [...]

By |2021-07-04T18:11:03-04:00June 25th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Estiatorio Milos, Hudson Yards, NYC + Goodbye to King Nyani

My Connecticut friends had an errand to do at Hudson Yards, so we decided to celebrate her birthday at very spacious Estiatorio Milos as neither had eaten inside since the start of the pandemic. The Greek seafood restaurant with fresh fish flown in from the Mediterranean daily has stunning views looking out over the Hudson River and the Vessel. We started with Milos special stack of lightly fried zucchini and eggplant tower layered with tzatziki and accompanied by kefalograviera cheese (large, $31), their assortment of grilled King Trumpet, Shiitake, Oyster, Portobello, Hon Shimeji and Hen of the Woods mushrooms ($31) and grilled sliced octopus over pureed fava bean, sprinkled with [...]

By |2021-07-11T12:57:14-04:00June 23rd, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Miss Korea BBQ, Koreatown, NYC + Pin Cushion Art Installation in the Fashion District

Before lunch at Miss Korea BBQ, I stopped by The Garment District Alliance information kiosk to see how it had been transformed into a giant pin cushion composed of 50+ bales of curly willow, nine wisteria bales, and hundreds of silk flowers and butterflies. There's also an enormous bronze needle and large button in this public art sculpture, one of the many ever-changing art installations on the streets of Manhattan.  The giant pin cushion, created by Patricia Gonzalez and Carlos Franqui of Floratorium, will be there through the summer. The 8-foot bronze "Garment Worker" by Judith Weller nearby is currently a permanent installation.       If you go see [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:29:11-04:00June 21st, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Neighborhood Antonucci Cafe, Upper East Side, NYC

Renowned Italian restaurateur Tony May mentioned that Antonucci Cafe has the best chef in NYC. How could I not try it? That and I've been looking for restaurants that are a mile or less from The Delacorte to recommend for The Public Theater's patron program. With our sliced bread, we were served a delicious baked tomato sauce with warm goat cheese. An additional portion will add $5 to your bill. We split a crispy sauteed soft shell crab with ramps ($24), followed by housemade orecchiette a pork sausage ragu with ricotta and fennel ($28) and a flavorful fava bean and arugula salad ($ 22) with slivers of aged pecorino. The [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:29:21-04:00June 19th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling|0 Comments
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Brunch at Aurora SoHo, SoHo, NYC

I returned to Aurora SoHo this time for Sunday brunch on a spring day nice enough to eat outside in their socially distanced structure — divided by plexiglass stantions — on Broome Street. We each partook in their cocktail specials. My bloody Mary and my friend's bellini costs $12 during brunch with refills only $5. My dining partner had the cooked chicken over mixed greens, with shaved vegetables and avocado chunks in a balsamic vinaigrette ($18) with a side of regular fries ($10). I indulged in their Creekstone Farms skirt steak cooked medium rare topped with two sunny-side-up eggs and served with truffle Parmesan fries and fresh arugula ($30). I'd [...]

By |2021-06-29T12:26:13-04:00June 17th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Well Kitchen & Table, Union Square, NYC

The Well, a 13,000-square-foot tranquil wellness retreat right near Union Square had opened just before the pandemic, closed like most everything else and re-opened in April with a new business plan. No more membership. It now includes a full-service spa with steam and sauna plus a sleek organic restaurant featuring thoughtfully sourced ingredients. I stopped by with a friend for lunch. We each started with a glass of white wine. I had their Boden Funk, Riesling 2018 ($13), my dining partner the Bugey, Chardonnay 2018 ($12). My dining partner started with the green soup made from market veggies all drizzled with herb oil ($10). I requested the server bring an extra [...]

By |2021-06-20T11:56:44-04:00June 15th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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An Local Institution: Donohue’s Steak House, Upper East Side, NYC

Trying to keep the restaurant reviews on BiteoftheBest fresh keeps me from developing relationships with neighborhood haunts as I don't return that often to local places. One of my upper east side friends shared her favorite local place, Donoghue's Steak House, a midtown institution with devout regulars. Donoghue's is a neighborhood place you know about, not one you discover visiting their website. There isn't one. It's been around since 1950, offering good, fresh pub food.  It also was featured on Billions — season three, fourth episode on Showtime —  when some of the show's characters met at this locale to decide how to handle one of the other characters. My friend [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:29:33-04:00June 13th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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The Pop-Up: Thaimee Love, West Village, NYC

Thaimee Love is a pop-up restaurant in the West Village from Thai Chef Hong Thaimee. She serves market-driven Thai comfort food. I was looking forward to sampling, especially after visiting Chiang Mai, her city, just before the pandemic lockdown. Take note if you go that they have no liquor license. There is a liquor store up the street, which is where we got a Gruner Veltliner thinking it would go nicely with the cuisine. It did. We couldn't decide among the three small plates offered and so chose the sampling Ruam Mit Platter for two ($28). It included slices of fried yams and Kabocha squash — "Chiang Mai Fries" — [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:29:42-04:00June 11th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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A Neighborhood Italian Establishment: Gene’s, Greenwich Village, NYC

It felt like I had entered a time warp when I walked into Gene's, an old-school white-tablecloth Italian restaurant on West 11th Street. My neighbors recommended it as they are regulars. Once we sat down, our brusque waiter deposited a basket filled with breadsticks and sliced seeded Italian bread, a bowl of chilled butter and a relish tray with carrot and celery sticks and huge radishes. With the old-world feel, we thought martinis ($16) would be apropos as our cocktail. They fit the mood. We started with a Ceasar Salad ($15.95), requesting anchovies, no croutons, and cheese on the side (my dining partner doesn't eat dairy). The kitchen was out [...]

By |2021-06-20T11:48:34-04:00June 9th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Dinner at JoJo, Upper East Side, NYC

I had only been to JoJo in a duplex townhouse on the Upper East Side for lunch. It's  Jean-Georges' first restaurant named after his mom's childhood nickname for him. We decided to share the Gruner Veltliner, Fritsch, Vom Donaulöss, Julian Haart, Mosel, DE 2018 ($61). One friend started with their escarole and strawberry salad, requesting the gorgonzola on the side ($ 18), another had the lightly fried hopper shrimp with bottarga and lemon aioli for dipping ($20). The latter is what I'd order if I returned instead of the warm seafood salad that I had tried. That combo of squid, shrimp, clams and whitefish came with chunks of avocado in [...]

By |2021-06-20T11:45:57-04:00June 7th, 2021|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Spanish Food at La Nacional, Chelsea, NYC

I never noticed the Spanish cultural center in the brownstone on West 14th. It's both the restaurant La Nacional and a gathering place open to all reflecting Spanish traditions and contemporary culinary practices. We headed there early one evening and sat outside in their structure as it was a warm evening. Their happy hour had not yet been instituted. I sampled their Candelas Expresso Martini  ($10) combining freshly brewed Candelas espresso, vodka and a dash of coffee liqueur. My dining partner had their red sangria with red wine, triple sec, peach schnapps and fruit. I highly recommend their jumbo shrimp ($16 for 8) with lots of garlic and guindilla pepper [...]

By |2021-06-06T08:26:08-04:00June 5th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|3 Comments
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Lunch at Via Quadronno, UES, NYC

We stopped for a light lunch at the height of asparagus season at Via Quadronno, a neighborhood spot on the Upper East Side. We each had ordered the tall plant of the lily family. One sampled the steamed and chilled green stalks with a hard-cooked egg topped with a vinaigrette ($17).  The others enjoyed them topped with fresh a hearty portion of lump crab meat ($23). Both were delicious although I'd highly recommend the crab topped one. I'd definitely recommend a visit. Via Quadronno Upper East Side 25 E 73rd Street New York, NY 10021 (212) 650-9880 viaquadronno.com

By |2021-06-02T07:35:27-04:00June 3rd, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch at Tavern on the Green, Central Park, NYC + American Museum of Natural History

The first stop for my visiting grandkids was the dinosaur exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History as my 5-year-old grandson wants to be a paleontologist. After whizzing through all the exhibits, we walked in Central Park towards the newly restored Tavern on the Green about 67th Street. We were some of the first guests to dine there when it reopened and opted for the crystal room as it was too windy to sit on the patio. I had a Bulleit Old Fashion ($15) and the kids ordered juice ($4 each). Our helpful waiter suggested getting the kids' orders in early. Smart. Eloise (almost 2 1/2) ordered the kids' [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:30:07-04:00June 1st, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Barn Joo, Union Square, NYC

We arrived during happy hour, yet the Añejo Old Fashioned that I wanted was not on the menu. That drink, though, was delicious and good enough to go back for. Barn Joo makes theirs with Herradura añejo, bourbon, ancho chili, choco bitters ($17). The hot and spicy chicken wings are meaty and flavorful, although our six-piece order only contained five (6pcs for $14). They also offer these wings flavored with salt & pepper, soy-garlic or citrus. My dining mate recommended we share the Japchae. I learned that Japchae translates as "mixed vegetables." It was a noodle-less dish when first invented in the 17th century. Today the stir-fried dish contains glass [...]

By |2021-06-02T07:46:06-04:00May 31st, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Mission Ceviche, Upper East Side, NYC + Central Park

After a visit to the blooming conservatory gardens, we walked downtown through Central Park, stopping at the Met for a quick trip to the roof to see Alex Da Corte’s Enchanting Commission for the rooftop. He created a kinetic sculpture featuring Sesame Street's Big Bird with an aesthetic of Alexander Calder’s standing mobiles. The installation will be on view through October 31, 2021. We were able to get a reservation for dinner at Mission Ceviche, a Peruvian place on Second and 72 Street at the last minute, although we needed to dine inside. We perused the Pisco-focused cocktail menu as that's the classic white brandy from Peru. My dining mates [...]

By |2024-07-21T11:13:21-04:00May 29th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings, Rooftop|1 Comment
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Last Time at The Comfort Diner, Midtown, NYC

When working at Parade Magazine years ago, my editor and I stopped by The Comfort Diner for a quick bite to eat. It's around the corner from their offices. The restaurant had a fun vibe. It was quick, the food was good and was reasonably priced, especially considering its location! When I met a friend there recently for breakfast, the only thing that was the same was the prices. We sat down at 12, had to flag down the waitress to order, did so by 12:15 and didn't get our food until well after 1 pm! The huevos rancheros were the worst rendition I've ever had ($11) with a tortilla [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:32:15-04:00May 23rd, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Balthzar is Back.. and Worth It, SoHo, NYC

Balthazar, the bustling, romantic brasserie serving traditional French fare, reopened recently. It's as elegant and casual as it was. Food is the best I've sampled since restaurants reopened. Thought it de rigueur to order the French aperitif Lillet blonde as my cocktail while perusing the menu. My dining partner started with their stacked Bibb lettuce salad layered lightly with their shallots, chives and Dijon vinaigrette ($19). For entrees, the Dover sole with a sauce of browned butter, capers and parsley, came accompanied with Swiss chard and the sauce Normande ($39). My Faroe Island salmon ($36) arrived medium as requested in a saffron broth with perfectly prepared spring vegetables — snap [...]

By |2021-05-24T07:00:39-04:00May 19th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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Rosa Mexicano, Lincoln Center, NYC + Brian Clarke at MAD

The Museum of Art and Design (MAD) offered an immersive exhibition of more than 100 works of stained glass, compositions in lead and related drawings showcasing British artist Brian Clarke's work. There were more than twenty free-standing, glass screens animated by the changing light on display through the end of April 2021. After the exhibit, we headed a couple of blocks north to Rosa Mexicano for brunch. While deciding on what to order, we shared a pitcher of their white sangria ($45). We were starving (not literally) so none of us could resist the mild guacamole ($15) and chips served already prepared as during COVID Rosa's does not do it [...]

By |2021-10-31T09:31:39-04:00May 17th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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