New York City Restaurant Tips by 850prc

Europa Cafe: Good and fast breakfast option, all over NYC Europa Cafe Review

There are Europa Cafes all over NYC, and they're a good choice for a quick and reasonably inexpensive breatkfast. This is a place for coffee, muffins, scones, bagels, etc. They also serve a limited menu of hot breakfast specials and options, including breakfast sandwiches (faux Egg McMuffin type stuff), pancakes, eggs to your order, and the like. If you're a southern boy (or girl), you'll miss grits on the menu, but that's pretty much de riguer up above the Mason-Dixon Line. They do serve "breakfast potatoes" with a lot of their platters, and they're kind of unremarkable. Let's just say they work harder on the eggs, sausage, etc.

I thought the scones were especially good, a perfect pairing with a steamy cup of coffee.

Like I say, there are Europa Cafes all over NYC. The one we visited was at 6th Avenue and West 46th Street.

Address: 1177 6th Ave (Ave of the Americas)

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: SW corner, intersection of W 46th and 6th Avenue. (but, there are Europa Cafes all over NYC)

Phone: (212) 575-7272 (6th avenue)

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Breakfast

B B King Blues Club and Grille: Have a meal (and some music) with Lucille....

Blues legend BB King has a bar and grille/club over on 42nd street. The real draw to BB Kings is actually the live music scene. They draw in a wide variety of acts, some famous and some not-so-famous. Occasionally, there will be a pretty big name act performing, usually in the evening. There are also weekend brunch events, some even featuring the Harlem Gospel Choir - which I am sure is heart-pumping inspiration. So, if you're going to be in the area for a while, check the BB King website to see what the show schedule is.

We went for a lunch show, and specifically chose to see STRAWBERRY FIELDS, one of the city's better Beatles tribute bands. The music was very entertaining, and the food was pretty good. Like any music club, the food is generally somewhat overpriced, and there is usually a "per person minimum order amount", sometimes based on "per set" instead of the show itself. Figure all of that out before buying tickets. I will tell you this - meeting minimums is usually pretty easy, because (again) the food is overpriced somewhat. (Kind of like eating at a theme park - food is OK, but prices are higher than usual. Nothing to stress over, just expect it. :)

BTW, I mention Lucille up above in the description. Lucille is the name BB King gave to his beloved guitar, and many of the food items are associated with "Lucille". "Lucille's collard greens", etc.

Favorite Dish: My daughter had the spicy shrimp, and since she's small, she couldn't finish it. I tried them and they were very tasty. Personally, I chose to go "dessert" and had a slice of warm pecan pie with ice cream. It was very tasty, and hit the spot. I hadn't had pecan pie in a while. Bonnie had a caesar salad.

We all had several cups of coffee, as we'd arrived early to insure good seats at the show.

Speaking OF the shows, most of them are first-come, first seated. And, they do not seat partial parties, so everyone has to be there if you have a reservation for x number of people. There are Ticketmaster options to buy tickets online. BUT.... call the place and find out HOW popular a particular show has been. If it turns out that getting in is easy, there is no need to pay all of those ticketmaster nickel and dime fees and convenience charges. Remember, EVEN if you've bought tix in advance, they are NOT reserved. If you were to show up 10 minutes ahead of a Mark Knopfler show (something that would probably attract more fans), you might not get in. Sure, you'd get your money back, but.... that's not what you wanted, right?

I'd just plan on getting to the club early and buy your tix at the door.

Address: 243 W 42nd Street

Comparison: about average

Directions: Between Broadway/7th and 8th avenue, on west 42nd Street. (across from Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum)

Phone: (212) 997-4144

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 3

Theme: Other

Website: http://bbkingblues.com

Famous Original Ray's Pizza/Theater District: For a quick slice of local pie, see Ray's...

There are many many many many places in NYC to find yourself a pizza, or a slice of pizza. Some are fancier than others, while some may just be a tiny little hole in the wall. I called up a place over on 9th avenue to ask if they had tables, and the guy said "Yes, I have three tables in the back." Most pizza parlors in the area deliver, but we didn't use any delivery services... can't rate them at all.

We ended up having a slice at Original Ray's Pizza (one of their NYC outlets) one afternoon. Going TO NYC, I'd kind of planned to not do Rays... I'd heard a lot of the locals panning the place, basically saying that they were all about tourists and nothing about pizza quality. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, I'd say. BUT, one afternoon, as we were walking back to the hotel, we were thinking of a quickie lunch somewhere. Passing a Ray's, the pie looked pretty good - maybe it was just kismet or something, must have been IN the mood for pizza. Soooo, we went inside.

It was pretty good. Nothing spectacular, but there is an old saying in life.... When pizza is good, it's terrific, and when it's mediocre, it's still pretty good. Ray's is "pretty good", shall we say. So, if you have the hankering for some pizza pie, and you see a Ray's, it's a passable choice.

Address: 737 7th Avenue

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: 7th Avenue, between 48th and 49th Street. NOTE, there are Famous Original Ray's outlets all over the city.

Other Contact: (orders) rayspizzany.com

Phone: (212) 956-7297

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Pizza

The Cafe @ Times Square: Cheap and tasty breakfast option near Times Sq.

There are lots of places to get a quick breakfast in NYC, especially in the Midtown West area. There are even street vendors who can sell you anything from a bagel to the first order of biryani for your day. <g> Just kidding.

But, here's a really really good suggestion. Nothing fancy, just decent food and friendly counter service. And, the cost is one of the best values we found. You'd pay about 40% more at the Europa Cafe just down the street. (we ate there too and liked it, see the tip below)

They serve meals other than breakfast, and I'm sure you're dealing with the same situation.... decent, simple food at a very reasonable price. We only ate breakfast, so that's what my tip is based on.

Favorite Dish: Bottom line is this.... muffins, scones, breakfast sandwiches, meats and such. Excellent hot coffee, tea or various juices in deli counters. And like I say, the prices are the best in the area. You can have yourself a nice little brekkie for about $5 per person.

Save your money for dinner. :)

Address: 159-161 W 46th Street, between 6th and 7th Av

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: West 46th Street, between 6th and 7th avenues. For some of you old-timers, they say this place used to be called Deli Plus.

Phone: (212) 391-7351

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Breakfast

Cafe Champignon, Chelsea: A REAL find in Chelsea

For me, the holy grail in dinner restaurants is to find some obscure and quiet place - preferably very small - with excellent food. Add in friendly and attentive waiters and it's the sort of place that could become "your place" in a town. We found such a place on our 2010 visit to New York City.

We'd decided that we wanted to find somewhere in Chelsea/Midtown South, somewhere a bit away from the main tourist areas. I used one of my favorite NYC resources, menupages.com, to search for our restaurant. Narrowing down the "French" choices in the area, there were two choices. One of them, Cafe Champignon, seemed to be very small and had an intriguing menu. PLUS, every single rating they had on menupages talked it up as if it were right out of my playbook.... "my favorite place", "a real find", etc. You can now add US to that list, we loved the Champignon.

Besides having excellent food and an entertaining wine list, the SERVICE was amazing. Our waiters Nagim and Raj took a genuine interest in us, both as customers and people. We enjoyed several extended chats, and they brought us a few additional wine and port samples along the way, just because they "knew we'd like them". It was strange, but it was our first time EVER in the place, and it still felt so familiar and comfortable. My wife, without really knowing that "our place" was one of my holy grail goals in searching small, local restaurants, said the magic words to me as we sipped our dessert coffee..... "if we lived up here, this might be our place". THAT is what we have here folks.... a small, quiet and unassuming little neighborhood French restaurant with excellent food and great service. Prices are quite reasonable as well.

The next time you're in NYC and want to eat in Chelsea, why not try "my place"? Say hello to Nagim and Raj. (see photo below)

BTW, they also serve Breakfast, which would be an amazing way to start a day, especially if you're maybe heading downtown to the Statue of Liberty or the Staten Island Ferry. Stop in for brekkie at the Champignon.

Note... go to menupages.com and search Midtown South/Chelsea. Narrow the choices to French and then select the Cafe Champignon. That's the best way to read their menu. The website listed below encompasses a catering business that the owners of the Champignon also run.

Favorite Dish: Examples of appetizer choices....
country paté with cornichons & dijon mustard
sautéed scallops, shrimp & calamari with garlic, tomato, black olives & parsley
escargots sautéed with garlic, parsley, tomato, butter and white wine
(Sara had them and said they were very good)
portobello with fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, tomatoes drizzled with aged balsamic & extra virgin olive oil

We also ordered the house cheese plate, a good appetizer choice.

For dinner, my wife had the Champignon Ravioli stuffed with wild mushrooms and ricotta cheese in a mushroom cream truffle sauce.

My daughter "ate light", choosing one of her favorites, the caesar salad.

Me? I chose the Roasted Duck Breast with fig port wine sauce, swiss chard & roasted potato with mushrooms.

One other entree item that was consistenly rated well on menupages was a house favorite, the hanger steak grilled to your order with bordelaise sauce and fries

Desserts were excellent, as was the after-dinner coffee. And as I said, Nagim decided we needed to all sample their port and brought three glasses to our table, accompanied by his electric smile. Super guy.

Address: 202 7th Avenue

Comparison: about average

Directions: Just a bit south of the W 23rd Street and 7th Avenue intersection.

Other Contact: Fax: 212-929-6002

Phone: 212-366-4410

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 5

Theme: French

Website: http://www.champignoncatering.com/

The Pig 'n Whistle, 47th Street: How about some hearty pub fare for dinner? Pig N Whistle Review

If you're spending a few days in the Big Apple, and you (a) might like to eat a more informal and inexpensive meal some night and (b) you dig pub food, then you HAVE to find yourself one of the city's many Irish pubs and strap on the feed bag. There are a myriad of choices, you'll see what I mean if you go to menupages.com and type in "pubs". Let's talk about one we visited in the theater district (Midtown West) during our spring 2010 trip.... the Pig 'n Whistle over on 47th street.

I kind of scouted out the Pig well before we arrived in NYC. I'd noted that one of their locations (I think there are two) was over on 47th street, only a block from our hotel AND very close to a theater for which we had tickets one evening. So, one afternoon around 530, we slid over to the Pig for dinner and we were not disappointed.

Friendly, comfortable, a nice menu, fair fare prices <g>... you'll find it all here. In some ways, it' has a little bit of that "Cheers" feel, from the old TV show, although Cheers didn't serve food.

So, if Irish pub food sounds like your cup of tea (which you can find here too), check out the Pig. And a BONUS tip here, something new that you can learn without reading or rating anything else.... I've also - in the past - visited O'Brien's Irish Pub, over on 46th street. They have pretty good food, and it's a great place for a later evening pint or two.

Favorite Dish: The Pig has a nice menu - appetizers, sandwiches, pub specialties and even steaks and chops. And of course, there's a full bar and a nice selection of beer and ales on tap.

Bonnie chose one of her all-time favorites for dinner - CHICKEN POT PIE, and she said it was true comfort food.

Sara also went with traditional pub grub, picking the Irish fish and chips. I had a bite or two, and it was very tasty, well done and quite authentic.

Me? When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right? Well, that means when in the pig, have something that has the word pig in the name. I chose the PIG BURGER, which was a huge hunk of meat, cooked perfectly to my medium well request. Add monterey jack cheese, carmelized onions and peppers, and some great steak fries, and it's pub perfection.

Bonnie and I went with a brew or two with dinner, she opted for the ubiquitous Bud on tap. I chose the Harp Lager, and it was very nice, kind of medium bold and satisfying. I had a couple and would have had the third had we not needed to depart for the theater.

For a full idea of the Pig 'n Whistle menu, check out their excellent website. Nice and informative. Heck, it put them on my radar several weeks ahead of our trip.

Address: 165 West 47th Street

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Between 6th and 7th avenues.

Phone: 212 302-0112

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Pub/Brewery

Website: http://www.pignwhistlets.com

Trattoria Trecolori: Superb pre-theater choice for Italian Trattoria Trecolori Review

I "found" the Trattoria Trecolori via general internet search. I was looking for pre-theater dining suggestions, and there was a site that listed "8 great pre-theater restaurant choices". After looking them over, the Trattoria Trecolori sounded like a winner. After some initial confusion based on the website having the trattoria's OLD address (the new one was two blocks to the north), we zipped over for dinner. What an excellent choice.

This is just a good and classic Italian place.... not too pretentious or stuffy, but definitely high-quality cuisine. And, much of their menu is geared to a large number of early patrons who are headed out to the theater.... translation, you can get an excellent meal, and the service will insure a pleasureable experience that doesn't come across as rushed.

As you'd expect they have an excellent wine list, and there are several moderately priced choices that matchup well with whatever you order.

Favorite Dish: We started with one of their shared appetizer plates, the Trecolori. This featured a variety of cured meats, cheeses, olives, peppers and caper berries. There are also seafood-themed appetizer plates that more than suit a couple.

My daughter had one of the caprese salads, with its fresh tomatoes and scrumptious mozzarella di bufala.

Pasta options are plentiful and varied, including such exotic choices as linguine Neri alli monsignore, featuring Homemade black (squid ink) linguini with shrimp, scallops, squid, clams, and mussels in marinara.

I chose the scarpariello, consisting of diced chicken breast sautéed with sweet Italian sausage in a garlic, rosemary, olive oil and white wine sauce. Absolutely enthralling - I enjoyed every bite.

And.... then cometh the dessert tray. My daughter chose one of the cannoli and Bonnie had the homemade caramel custard flan. I went with the light and yet so rich ricotta cheesecake, accompanied by fresh strawberries and raspberries.

This is a GREAT pre-theater choice. I'd also think that a late dinner, well after the crowds have disappeared onto the great white way, would be an excellent plan. I'd be sure to have some cafe correto to close the evening....or maybe start it?

Address: 254 West 47th Street

Comparison: about average

Directions: Between Broadway & 8th Avenue

Phone: 212-997-4540

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 5

Theme: Italian

Website: http://www.trattoriatrecolori.com

Havana Central Times Square: Say "Cuba Libre" instead of "rum and coke" Havana NY Restaurant & Bar Review

I must admit that I was first attacted to Havana Central by the marvelous neon sign reaching a couple of stories into the air at the building's edge. It had that "old time" historic NY restaurant look to it, the sort of place that's been in business for a long, long time - usually with good reason. So, I went to menupages.com and eventually to the Havana Central website and it sounded great. And although it turns out that THIS restaurant has only been in business for about five years, I can imagine Havana Central having long-time staying power. The food and atmosphere is excellent.

I do enjoy Cuban food and living in Florida, I'm somewhat familiar with it. However, being a north Florida resident, it's a once-in-a-while thing for us. That being said, Tallahassee has had some good Cuban places.

Havana Central has it all - an extensive menu, excellent service, a terrific bar and atmosphere atmosphere atmosphere. I can imagine this place in 1950s Cuba.

Look the menu over and pick something that suits your fancy. But I'd certainly recommend starting with their empanada sampler plate, which brings you three empanada styles of your choice. Mix and match and enjoy.... they go great with a rum punch or a mojito.

Muy bueno, an excellent pre-theater choice, with its location in the heart of the theater district. If Cuban cuisine tickles your imagination and tastebuds, enjoy.

Some nights, they have live Latin music. I'm sure it'd be great, adding to the already bueno ambiance.

And if you really want to marvel at humans doing important work well, watch the bartenders. We had an upstairs table, at the edge of the balcony overlooking the main dining room. The bar was a beehive of activity, truly amazing. It's actually a bit of a thrill to place your own order for cocktails and then watch from above as they magically blend all the ingredients. Lots of fresh fruit and juices, excellent rums, etc. Ahhhhhh Cuban bars. Oye amigos.

Note : We ate at the Times Square Havana Central. There are also restaurants at Union Square (22 E 17th Street, between 5th and Broadway, Tel 212-414-4999) and on the Upper West Side (2911 Broadway, between 113th and 114th Streets, Tel 212-662-8830)

Favorite Dish: I had vaca frita as my main.... it was grilled skirt steak that had been marinaded overnight in lime and lemon juice, garlic and onions. It was accompanied by a perfect cilantro rice and it absolutely hit the spot.

We also had the empanada sampler, and we chose chicken, shrimp and "Cubano", meaning it was stuffed with pork loin, cheese and pickles... like a fine Miami Cuban sandwich. :)

My drink? The rum punch is a good mood enhancer. Don't drink two, though... unless you want to worry about stumbling over to your theater reservations later. There are many great mojitos and margaritas, and the restaurant has an impressive selection of rum. Want a classic rum and coke with a bit of lime? Be sure to say "Cuba Libre" and smile.

Address: 151 West 46th Street, NYC

Comparison: about average

Directions: Between 6th and 7th Avenue

Phone: 212-398-7440

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 5

Theme: Other

Website: http://havanacentral.com

Amish Fine Food/Grocery Store: Deli, Bakery and Coffee Shop, midtown

Amish Fine Foods Grocery and Deli is a little bit of everything. It's a terrific little market, and I can guarantee you that if I lived in the area, I'd shop there everyday. Great veggies, and coffee, too.

They also have a very nice delicatessen where you can buy all sorts of fresh and tasty sandwiches, calzones, rolls, foccacia and pizza. Many items are available for free local delivery, although you'd have to check with Amish to know for sure which ones.

And breakfast over at the Amish store is an excellent and cheap choice. The AM specialty (it's listed on their website at THE most ordered breakfast delivery item) is the homestyle natural oatmeal, with brown sugar and fresh fruit - tasty and filling for $3.99. They'll also custom-make an omelet to your order. Basically what you do is walk around the store getting whatever extras you'd like with your breakfast - coffee, etc. Then, you buy everything and have a seat over near the deli area. I highly recommend the store-squeezed fresh tangerine juice, a bargain at 99 cents.

Favorite Dish: Let's just post a few excerpts from their menu for example...

Roast Beef Sandwich, $5.95
roast beef, greenery, cheese, roasted tomatto, onion and a touch of fontina cheese

Chicken calzone, $5.95
chicken, ricotta, mozarella and parmagiana

Funghi foccacia, $3.25
marinara sauce, mushrooms, mozzarella, provalone and parmigiana

Pizzas...
White, no sauce, M $8.95 L $12.95

Margarita $6.95 $10.95

Quattro Formaggi $9.95 $13.95

Amish $9.95 $13.95
(pastrami, mozzarella and black olives)

Among the pizza toppings available for custom pies are artichokes, asparagus, basil, black olives, blue cheese, brie, broccoli, corn, eggplant, fresh garlic, fresh tomato, fontina cheese, mixed veggies, mushrooms, onions, roasted peppers, roasted tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, tofu

Premium toppings include
anchovies (yuck!), avocado, chicken, meatball, pastrami, pesto, pineapple, pepperoni, prociutto, sausage, smoked mozzarella, tuna

Address: 731 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

Comparison: about average

Directions: On the WEST side of 9th avenue, between West 49th and West 50th streets. NOTE..There are two OTHER Amish Fine Food stores in NYC...
240 E. 45th Street, 212.370.1761 AND
17 Battery Place, 212.871.6300

Other Contact: 1.866.AMISH 49

Phone: 212.245.2360/212.765.5443 (Fax)

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Website: http://www.amishfinefood.com

The Breeze: Thai-French fusion...scrumptious indeed

The French colonized much of Indochina in the mid-19th century. And although they never actually conquered Thailand (Siam), the influence of grande cuisine were firmly planted in the region. The Breeze, over on 9th Avenue (the Clinton area) of NYC, is a terrific modern pairing of Thai and French specialties. And, if that's not enough to get your mouth watering, consider that the prices are quite reasonable as well. I recently hosted an informal little business dinner here for three people. We all had two drinks, plus appetizer, entree, dessert and after-dinner coffee.... and my bill was a whopping $128. IN-credible.

Don't miss the Breeze. Not fancy, not pretentious. It's a place that you can enjoy an perfect pairing of world cuisines in a most informal setting. GREAT service, too.

Comment : We revisited Breeze in April of 2010 and it remains excellent. Cannot recommend this quirky/funky little place enough. Well worth one of your precious evenings in Manhattan.

Favorite Dish: You can check out their entire menu at www.breezenyc.com. But, among the items I enjoyed were:

A fried mushroom dumpling appetizer, kissed with a black truffle-cream foam. Ummm Ummm.
My entree was the Duck a la Paris, a tender and tasty sliced duck breast accompanied by Thai-style dumplings filled with butternut squash and spicy seasonings. For dessert, I had the fried ice cream with raspberry-wine reduction sauce. One of my business associates went for the simpler fresh mango ice cream, and I had a sample.... wonderful, refreshing, can't think of enough adjectives.

Go to the Breeze, you will not be sorry.

Address: 661 9th Avenue, (Clinton), NYC

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: It's on the west side of 9th Avenue, between W45th and W46th streets, at the edge of Clinton. It's only about four blocks from Times Square.

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 5

Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim

Website: http://www.breezenyc.com