THE most fun place for a party and other New York City, NY Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: CARMINE'S

There's always a wait at Carmine's, even since the theater district location added an entire floor. I go regularly with a group of food-frenzied friends who won't even consider an alternate restaurant. Be warned: every dish serves six hungry people. Their stuffed salmon is incredible, so's their Flintstone-sized porterhouse steak grilled and garlicky. Other favorites are the meatballs and spaghetti, chicken marsala, stuffed artichoke, and incredible desserts -- warm chocolate bread pudding, Italian cheesecake, and tiramisu top the list.


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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Address: 200 W. 44 St. and 90 St. & Broadway
Directions: Theater District and Upper West Side
Website: www.carminesnyc.com

Restaurant Name: Carnegie Deli

New Yorkers are fiercely loyal when it comes to delis, and the most famous -- The Carnegie, Katz's, Second Ave. Deli -- each has fans. These are not pretty restaurants, they're old and decrepit. And the Carnegie even has cramped communal seating. Forget about details, the Carnegie is a deli lover's shrine. Order up a pastrami sandwich on rye (just ask for a "pistol") and wash it down with a Dr. Brown's black cherry soda, and keep your portable defibrillator handy. It's worth the $3 sharing charge to split one of these monster sandwiches, they'll give you extra bread and you can each make a full meal. If there's room, their cheesecake is wonderful too.


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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Address: 854 7th Avenue (at 55th Street)
Directions: Midtown Manhattan/Theater District
Website: http://www.carnegiedeli.com

Restaurant Name: Tocqueville

A very adult restaurant. The cuisine is a mixture of French, American, and Asian influences that can only be described as sublime. Tocqueville caters to sophisticated New Yorkers who know where the best can be had.


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Theme: French
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: 212-647-1515
Address: 15 East 15th St.
Directions: Union Square / Flatiron
Website: www.tocquevillerestaurant.com

Restaurant Name: John's, Bella Napoli

New York is famous for pizza, but not all pizza is "top of the list." John's Pizzeria has three locations: the original, on Bleecker St. in the Village, and outposts in the theater district (on West 44th Street), and near Lincoln Center (on West 64th Street). While there are fans of Lombardi's and Grimaldi's, my favorite is John's, with it's thin crust and light toppings. I like the 44th St. location because it's in a renovated church with wonderful New York murals. However, they do not serve single slices, it's the whole pie or nothing. Lombardi's and Grimaldi's serve terrific pizza, too, but not as light as John's.

If you just need a single slice, go to Bella Napoli, also in the theater district, on West 49th between 6th-7th Avenues. Their "Mama's" pizza, a thin-crusted square pie with imported cheese, is fantastic. And their plain cheese pie is reminiscint of the great pizza served in New York way back in the fifties. Yum!

There are also a zillion pizzerias called "Ray's" in New York -- there's Original Ray's, Famous Original Ray's, Ray Barri, Ray's Famous, and others. Interestingly, they're not related. I find them all to be disappointing -- overly laden with gloppy, poor quality cheese, and thick soggy crusts.
Leave Ray's to the unknowing tourists.

Favorite Dish: What else? Pizza!

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Theme: Pizza
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: multiple locations (see note)
Directions: multiple locations (see note)

Restaurant Name: Veniero's

Veniero's is an institution. On the eve of any holiday, the line stretches out to the street. There's also a small cafe.

Favorite Dish: Their mini pastries are incredible. I love all their cheesecakes, particularly the Italian cheesecake and the Amaretto cheesecake. The almond torte is sublime. And I never leave without a box of pignoli cookies.

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Theme: Bakery
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: (212) 674-7070
Address: 342 East 11th Street
Directions: Between 1st and 2nd Avenue
Website: http://www.venierospastry.com