Affordable must eat's in NYC

Next week im in NYC for 5 days and nights. Staying at Hotel Plaza Athenee.
Im looking for suggestions on where to eat, at a moderate price.
Any suggestions?

You are staying at the Plaza Athenee and you want to eat in inexpensive restaurants?

Last time I was up I enjoyed Ippudo www.ippudony.com/
and No. 7 Sub at the Ace Hotel http://www.no7sub.com/home-01.html
After No. 7 stop in the Breslin or John Dory for a good beer / scene

I'm sure some NYers will tell you these places are played if they were ever good to begin with

My favorite cheap eats in the city:

Bagels from Absolute Bagels on the UWS
Thai food from Ayada in Queens (worth the trip, I promise) or Zabb Elee in the LES (not as good, but closer)
Western Chinese froom from Xian Famous foods (only the outpost under the manhattan bridge or the one in Queens)
Pastrami on rye from Katz's (if $20 is still cheap to you)

Hagi Sake Bar--I'm convinced it's the best food for the money in the whole city.

There's an entire thread dedicated to cheap eats in NYC

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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Hagi Sake Bar--I'm convinced it's the best food for the money in the whole city.

A very good recommendation.

Originally Posted by imageWIS

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You are staying at the Plaza Athenee and you want to eat in inexpensive restaurants?

yes.

The trip was an award from work, which I was laid off from last week....so I am a laid off guy staying at the Plaza Athenee for a week....

The Meatball Shop on stanton

I'm excited about getting some Xi'an noodles soon. Probably the only Asian food I will eat in NY while I'm there though, don't need Japanese food.

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

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I'm excited about getting some Xi'an noodles soon. Probably the only Asian food I will eat in NY while I'm there though, don't need Japanese food.

Curious to hear your opinion on Toto Ramen, please go there if you have time. Compared well to great ramen in Tokyo.

Originally Posted by antirabbit

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yes.

The trip was an award from work, which I was laid off from last week....so I am a laid off guy staying at the Plaza Athenee for a week....

Gotcha. You could see why I was confused. Sorry for your troubles... I know what it's like.

Lombardi's has really good pizza, and pretty inexpensive.

Originally Posted by SField

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Curious to hear your opinion on Toto Ramen, please go there if you have time. Compared well to great ramen in Tokyo.

I'm.... actually not the best person to ask, I really don't like ramen actually and whenever I'm in Japan it's like the last thing I ever eat. I've had some 'good' ramen but it just doesn't do it for me.
I LOVE pho, but I like clear broths and the fresh herbs that go in it more than the noodles or the ****** meat. I'd take a light clear broth with lettuce or leafy herbs in it with my lunch or dinner any day of the week. There was that huge Hakata-style tonkotsu stronghold (a la Ippudo) for the past what, 10 or 15 years, there's this new swing of surf n turf soup, pork and bonito or seafood broth, and that I really don't like. I don't know if I will ever come to like any of the styles of ramen that have been popular in my time, tonkotsu, the mixed broth; I like shio (chicken and salt) broth, and I like shoyu, less miso, but those won't be popular again for awhile maybe.

My lady is from Fukuoka (Hakata) and has never eaten ramen before, so go figure.

Impolyt,

This place actually specializes in chicken broth rather than Tonkatsu broth. Their starter of pork belly over rice with yuzu mayo (you know I don't usually like mayo) is really delicious, and I think the broth is some of the best I've had in a non-french restaurant.

I was just curious if you knew it since you're up on a lot more asian food than I am. Good pho I have not had, but this may change because my friend's girlfriend's mother is supposed to make the best pho on the planet as my many asian friends have attested to. Looking forward to that.

I'll give it a try if I can find it then, chicken broth I'd do anyday of the week, like I said. I actually gotta go to Tokyo again in a month, wish I could reverse that so I'd have a fresher palate for some of these things. There's a kaiseki place I was interested in in NYC but I'll probably skip it considering my time and needs.
Starting in a few days I'm gonna be stuffing myself on all kinds of stuff; stepping off the plane at LAX and going to Bouchon with some people.

For NY, I will eat some Xi'an with some hipsters for sure, I am gonna eat the Momofuku fried chicken with some people for ***** and giggles, I would like to fit in a fine dining lunch or dinner if possible, and I think what I've really been craving for the past 3 years of being out of the country is just deli food and sandwiches.