New York Restaurants for Solo Traveller

[bibs]

thanks for the Toto tip , will definitely give them a visit soon

do they get as crowded as ippudo ?

 

[changy]

Originally Posted by FidelCashflow

I think $50-60 is the most I would spend on a meal if it was amazing - but I'd probably only spend that much 2 or 3 times in my whole trip and I'd probably each cheap for like $15 at a few other places to try and balance it out. I'm not really into wine at all.

I'm really into Moroccan, Indian, south western, and Italian food. Any suggestions on those fronts?

Ok, then you can't go to half the places in this thread unless you stay away from drinks. Some other considerations, in descending price

- Lupa
- Basta Pasta
- Yakitori Totto
- Chicken and Rice
- Caracas Arepa Bar
- Xi'an Famous Food

New York has terrible indian and south western food; you could go to Bricklane and try the curry, but it's really not that good

If you come after July 5, restaurant week starts, $24 lunch and $35 dinner at pretty nice places, including some Michael White restaurants. However, the quality is compromised at some places.

 

[scientific]

Originally Posted by changy

New York has terrible indian food;

wut.

 

[Axelman 17]

Originally Posted by FidelCashflow

I think $50-60 is the most I would spend on a meal if it was amazing - but I'd probably only spend that much 2 or 3 times in my whole trip and I'd probably each cheap for like $15 at a few other places to try and balance it out. I'm not really into wine at all.

I'm really into Moroccan, Indian, south western, and Italian food. Any suggestions on those fronts?

Indian
- agreed there arent great options here, it isnt really a strength of NYC. If I had to go somewhere I would go to either Tiffin Wallah for vegetarian or Saravanas / Chennai Garden. These are all in curry hill, really not worth the trip though

Moroccan
- another area that NYC isnt great in. Cafe Mogador in the east village is probably the best of the bunch. One suggestion would be to check out Cafe Gitane in the Jane Hotel in the west village. The food isnt as good as Mogador but its in a pretty cool location and the room is a very pleasant place to sit and have a casual lunch

Italian
- much better options for Italian and lots in your price range
- Porsena - Sara Jenkins new spot - great pasta and reasonably priced, in the east village
- Frankies 17
- Supper
- if you want to do a meal at the higher end of your budget, Barbuto, Lupa dell anima, Caffe Falai would all work
- make sure to hit some pizza places like Keste, L'Asso or Co

Other
- try the pork dishes at Hakata Tonton
- stop in for a sandwich at No. 7 Sub in the Ace Hotel or Salume in Soho
- Russ & Daughters on the LES for smoked fish
- Ceci Cela in Soho for croissants
- sit at the bar at El Quinto Pino for Spanish tapas in Chelsea

 

[RunningMan]

+1 Frankies Devi indian - on the more expensive front but unique Pizza/Ital Otto - Batali's casual joint - a bit touristy but worth going once For less formal and cheaper eats you might want to check out some of the food trucks. (you can eat outside) http://www.nycfoodtrucks.org/ Co.

 

[poorsod]

If you sit at the bar in Hung Ry you can see the guy make noodles from scratch.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I am boycotting Ippudo until they learn to shovel the snow from their door north to the end of the sidewalk. It remains a slushy snowy **** for like months after it snows. You need a snowmobile to get past it. I hate people who don't shovel their sidewalks.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by poorsod

If you sit at the bar in Hung Ry you can see the guy make noodles from scratch.
Went there on gdl's rec. Very, very good. The kind of place that redeems Asian food in North America.

 

[untilted]

if u find yourself in midtown, maybe after visiting rockefeller center, and crave some CHEAP indian and are comfortable trying out food carts, go try the famous Biryani Cart @ 46th street and 6th avenue, southwest corner. Was voted as one of the best street food carts in the city in some contest, $3 kati rolls, $6 chicken biryani, etc. Try the PWCD roll, eggs and veggie, pretty interesting.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/biryani-cart-new-york

if you want to have a real sit down indian meal, go to Taramind. My indian colleagues have reached consensus that it's one of the best offerred in the city. Not too bad price wise, $20-$35 entrees. http://www.tamarinde22.com/

And for dinner (especially for a tasting menu on budget), go to Degustation (like the other poster recommended). http://www.degustationnyc.com/

Great value, get the 10 course tasting for $75 (much more value than 5 for $50). You can see chefs prepping food right in front of you, every seat is a bar seat.

Otherwise, do try one of the ramen places like Toto. If you decide to go to Ippudo instead, go at a really weird time like 3pm in the afternoon, otherwise be prepared for a 1hr to 2hr wait.

Shake shack ain't bad for a cheap meal and experience. Again, go at weird times to avoid the line.

Enjoy the city.

 

[PeterMetro]

Originally Posted by gomestar

few things beat a bagel from H&H for breakfast.

One of which is a bagel from Ess a Bagel

 

[FidelCashflow]

Originally Posted by untilted

if u find yourself in midtown, maybe after visiting rockefeller center, and crave some CHEAP indian and are comfortable trying out food carts, go try the famous Biryani Cart @ 46th street and 6th avenue, southwest corner. Was voted as one of the best street food carts in the city in some contest, $3 kati rolls, $6 chicken biryani, etc. Try the PWCD roll, eggs and veggie, pretty interesting.
...
And for dinner (especially for a tasting menu on budget), go to Degustation (like the other poster recommended). http://www.degustationnyc.com/

Great value, get the 10 course tasting for $75 (much more value than 5 for $50). You can see chefs prepping food right in front of you, every seat is a bar seat.

I will def. try Biryani Cart and Degustation. Both sound pretty neat in their own way.

 

[cromulated]

good picks here, esp. luke's lobster, momofuku and frankie's spuntino.

others that are good for solo dining: the calexico taco truck in soho; la esquina; any of the great joints inside eataly; the clinton st. baking company; the bar at DBGB...anything with a bar, basically.

 

[FidelCashflow]

got back from NYC, thanks for all the reccomendations. I loved Cafe Mogador for Moroccan food - particularly their bastille which is a phyllo pastry stuffed with chicken cooked in lemon and covered with cinnamon and icing sugar.

I was also a big fan of Delicatessen NYC http://www.delicatessennyc.com/ - funky cafe that made amazing lobster rolls and the next door Macbar http://www.macbar.net/ that served the most amazing Mayan Chipotle mac n cheese (the cool thing is they share a kitchen, so you can order anything from one restaurant at the other)

NYC did not dissappoint in the food department - even the street carts with Philly Cheese Steaks and kebab rolls were great.

 

[changy]



got back from NYC, thanks for all the reccomendations. I loved Cafe Mogador for Moroccan food - particularly their bastille which is a phyllo pastry stuffed with chicken cooked in lemon and covered with cinnamon and icing sugar.

I was also a big fan of Delicatessen NYC http://www.delicatessennyc.com/ - funky cafe that made amazing lobster rolls and the next door Macbar http://www.macbar.net/ that served the most amazing Mayan Chipotle mac n cheese (the cool thing is they share a kitchen, so you can order anything from one restaurant at the other)

NYC did not dissappoint in the food department - even the street carts with Philly Cheese Steaks and kebab rolls were great.

 

[Aneil4lom]

got back from NYC, thanks for all the reccomendations. I loved Cafe Mogador for Moroccan food - particularly their bastille which is a phyllo pastry stuffed with chicken cooked in lemon and covered with cinnamon and icing sugar.
I was also a big fan of Delicatessen NYC http://www.delicatessennyc.com/ - funky cafe that made amazing lobster rolls and the next door Macbar http://www.macbar.net/ that served the most amazing Mayan Chipotle mac n cheese (the cool thing is they share a kitchen, so you can order anything from one restaurant at the other)
NYC did not dissappoint in the food department - even the street carts with Philly Cheese Steaks and kebab rolls were great.

Mac Bar looks amazing. Hopefully I'll get a chance to check it out. Other than that, I'm going to Papaya Kings for hot dogs and Schnitzel n things for Schnitzel.
I'll post some pics next month.