LPShanet

I'm a little surprised no one mentioned the possibility of doing Momofuku Ssam Bar rather than the Noodle Bar. Both are excellent, to be sure, but if you only have one day, I think most would say that Momo Ssam is the more memorable/influential/cutting edge of the two. And it's in the same 'hood, so it won't affect your travel.

I've been to Masa, and found the experience to be incredible. Although I'm a fairly adventurous eater, I don't think any of the flavors and textures were that "out there". If you can manage to afford it, I'd say it's well worth the trip. While the meal ends with sushi (and all of it is just as good as what you get at Yasuda and 15 East), there are also quite a few specialty dishes he serves beforehand, and they're worth the trip alone. The only area that's modest is dessert, as per Japanese tradition (and you'll be full anyway). For the full experience, try to sit at the bar (preferably in front of Masa himself) rather than at a table. You can request this when you reserve. While I have a pretty broad palate, I wasn't served anything that didn't taste great, and my girlfriend (who is slightly less adventurous) loved it all, too. It does help to like Japanese style food in general, though. If you're looking for the richly sauced French way, you'll be disappointed. And look at it this way: even if you don't like a particular dish, you'll be served so many things that it won't matter if one doesn't agree with you. I say Masa is an outing every foodie should try to get to at least once. That said, the places mentioned upthread are also excellent, especially Jean Georges and L'atelier de Joel Robuchon.

I love this place. There's a playground just outside the front door where the kids can get their wilds out. Also the market on the ground floor is one of the best in Chinatown. Try the tripe. ← So I went. It was very good. Unfortunately I was a guest and was not next to the carts as they arrived. The pork with taro was excellent. The baby clams in brown sauce, not very deep. Numerous items from the trolleys, again, very good, but I wished that I could have picked. Probobly on par with Go Go. We were the only caucasians there and they treated us extremely well. Next time, more sea food and larger people. Just a small detour. I was at a place named Noodle Villiage at 13 Mott a few week ago. They specialize in HK noodle soups. It was very, very good. The wontons and shrimp dumplings were so fresh. The noodles were chewy and broth was quite decent. I am dying to go back with more than just me. ← Anyone else been to East Market? Sounds like it's worth a try!

You might think about going to Momofuku Noodle Bar for lunch on Monday after the farmer's market...won't be any problem getting seats, some people are even liking it more than Ssam Bar these days, shhhh, and then a nice walk on Bleecker St. from the Bowery west to GROM and beyond is always fun. ← Another great lunch option is Jean Georges on any weekday. They serve many of the same dishes as at dinner (which is to say some of the best food to be found in NYC) and it's a crazy bargain compared to their usual prices. You can also decide how large/long a meal you want, as you can pick any number of courses.

Me, too! And while it's stating the obvious, I'm sure many of us will also be keeping an eye on where Ryan ends up...all that porky goodness will be a treat come colder weather... UPDATE: Apparently, Ryan has been helping out with the opening of Nicholas Morgenstern's new place in Fort Greene, called General Greene. It opens tonight.

I also concur with World Tong. However, if you have to go to Manhattan's Chinatown, there are a few places that seem to be worth bothering with, though none is notably better than the others. Chinatown has plenty of B's and B-'s, but no A's. Ping's, as you noted, isn't quite as good as it once was, but is still one of the better ones. Golden Unicorn is crowded and quite inconsistent, but on a given day can be quite good if you luck out. (Saturday there is much less crowded than Sunday.) Finally, it seems like Oriental Garden has been a tad better than the others of late, though the differences are subtle, and each place does specific dishes better than the others. Good luck and give us a report!

I've been to Mitsuwa for ramen, and to Rutt's Hut for a dog, but I suppose I shouldn't be counted as I didn't go on the first trip...

I have to agree with Oakapple in that you may be over-finessing the analysis of differences. As for stars and other ratings, while I personally prefer Jean Georges, it would be very tough to make a case that they're not in the same general category/league. Retaurants don't adjust their prices every time reviews come out based on what rating they've been given. Also keep in mind that with the various amuses, mignardises, etc. that both places will give you, the course comparison is even less apt, as it isn't really a 25% difference in number of courses. In fact, they may end up being the same amount of food. If they literally stated 6 vs. 7 or made them even, I don't think you'd take note. I find the food at Jean Georges to be more impressive to my palate, but it's pretty clear that Daniel is a top notch restaurant, and on any given day, a given eater might prefer either one. Oh, and Daniel is on the Upper East Side, which often comes with some price gouging of its own relative to other areas in the city:)

Yes, it seems much more difficult now. At the beginning, I successfully made reservations on several occasions, though between my cancellations and the restaurant's cancellation I only kept one of them. Anybody who had the system down -- click through exactly at 10am and click decisively thereafter -- had a pretty good shot at a reservation. But now, it's very difficult. I've experimented on a number of occasions and always failed. Even today, the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, the reservations were gone instantaneously. ← I concur totally, and I think Bryan Z's comment about the impersonality of the process is right on as well. I'd attribute the even harder reservation situation to word getting out now to the general public and trendy types, not just the foodie community. Like with Milk and Honey when it opened, many scenesters who don't even care about food want to go to Ko just because it's the toughest res in town. Also, the slightly greater ease of getting through the computer system on weekends got out, and is no more. I've now done the 10am click through thing a dozen times and still no luck. Further, I think the idea that things will "loosen up" in a little while isn't as likely as some think. After all, it was over 6 years before getting a Nobu reservation was even vaguely realistic, and then have more than ten times as many seats. Nothing but pure determination and luck will crack this nut.

Totally agree with Nathan's wine pairing comment. Much of the food is intended to be paired and doing without is like leaving an ingredient out of the dish. It's part of the balance and was designed that way. Going back next week, and will provide an update/report.

Only tried Paris Sandwich 1x and was very disappointed. I like Mott 138. Also a big fan of the Bahn Mi/Video/CD/Cigarette shop @ Lafayette & Walker -- regular Mets game day feast. ← My observation, which this thread seems to confirm, is that the bahn mi situation overall is quite inconsistent. Over the years, I've had some great ones at Broome, but also some slightly less so. My last, which was about 6 months ago, was very good. 138 Mott, which used to be under the bridge was once the king of the Manhattan bahn mi, but now seems to have slipped. My last sandwich there was only so-so, with the bread surprisingly chewy (not crisp). I've only tried Paris Sandwich once, but it was TERRIBLE that time. I actually threw out most of the sandwich, and I never do that. Still, I've heard some give good reports from there. And as one poster mentioned, Nicky's usually makes a very nice sandwich, albeit less traditional/authentic and smaller for the money than the others. One name that seems to have been left out of the chat is the A. Chau Deli (82A Mulberry, between Canal and Bayard, I think). I've heard most people putting them at least in the same general league as the faves, so probably worth a try.

I expected less than Hill Country for two reasons:1. Stephen. 2. Hanson. My expectations were met. Not terrible, but certainly not a patch on Hill Country. Review here. ← Ouch! I do have to disagree with you on the brisket, though it may have been the particular evening in question. My TX BBQ buddy and I were both hugely impressed. I meant the prices and the fact that they'd poached Lou away, really. I'm also clearly too much of a restaurant optimist; I keep thinking that even the Hanson crowd has become educated enough by now that they spurn the crappy-food places. But I can always be wrong; heck, I think people have learned about cocktails by now, and I'm surprised each week by the vodka-and-soda orderers at D&Co! ← To be fair, I've heard so many widely differing reviews that I'd have to chalk things up to either differences in taste, the inconsistency that comes with being only 2 weeks old, or both. I've now heard a few "cue experts" rave about a few of Wildwood's items and feel lukewarm about others. And it's rarely the same ones. For that reason, I'd put Wildwood in the "worth a try" category.

This topic has been started to discuss Wildwood Barbecue, the new barbecue venture from Steve Hanson (in the space that previously housed Park Avalon and Barca). Although I would normally not bother to discuss most Hanson ventures (Fiamma excepted), barbecue seems like the kind of cooking that ought to be accomplishable by someone with his background. The man behind the grill is a former Hill Country pit person, which lends some credibility. The fact that they're serving multiple styles of barbecue from various regions seems like it would draw scorn from the serious afficionados. Based on only one visit, however, early signs are surprisingly good. At the risk of compromising my foodie credibility, I have to say I really liked our meal there. All the meats were well prepared, the house sauces were excellent (if a bit on the sweet side for purists), the sides were better than any I can remember having in NY barbecue establishments, and they had an exemplary beer list. Our meat choices included two kinds of ribs (pork spare ribs and baby back), brisket, pulled pork, barbecue chicken and sausage. All were at least good, and the pulled pork and brisket better than good. Sides included kettle cooked burnt ends with bacon baked beans (very good), mac and cheese (very serviceable), onion rings (excellent, sweet and crisp, while not overly heavy or greasy), creamed spinach (very nice), sweet potato fries (good tasting but could have been crisper) and mashed potatoes. We also had bottle caps to start (deep fried jalapeno disks), which were first rate of their kind, and chili, which was also very good (another item that was on the sweet side). The beer list is even more appealing because it features about 10 drafts that are available in three sizes each (9oz. small mugs,20 oz. pints and 64 oz. pitchers) alongside the numerous bottles. The draft choices, in various weights and darknesses, are all excellent companions for barbecue. Maybe BR Guest has finally found a formula that they can execute decently, and that will help them keep alive in a space that has been seemingly cursed. The overall flavors will appeal most to those who like a healthy dose of sweet with their savory.

Thanks everyone!

I'm looking for the top places in Flushing's Chinatown. Places that a foodie who has never been there must try. Also, any suggestions for which items are especially good at which places is greatly appreciated.

In addition to the places mentioned above, one of the best Thai restaurants in town, named appropriately Thailand Restaurant, is in Chinatown. It's at the corner of Bayer and Baxter, right behind the courthouses. Also, there are a number of decent Vietnamese places. In addition to Nha Trang, which was already mentioned, Doyers Vietnamese is quite good, as is the pho at Cong Ly. I also second the suggestion of bahn mi made above. A second place for this is Bahn Mi So. 1 on Broome. As for Italian, I'd skip most of Little Italy. Bad and expensive for what you get. However, if you want to buy stuff for home, check out the cheese selection at DiPalo, which is great. There's a really decent Italian place adjacent to Little Italy called Peasant, but it may be marginally more expensive than you're looking for.

I used to go to goodies twice a month with my family before Joe's Shanhai opened. Then we'd have family/friend get togethers @ joe's where we would order upwards of 18 wooden trays of XLB. AFAIK, those are the best two XLB places in Flushing and I prefer Shanghai Cafe to them. ← Out of curiosity, do you know if there is any relation/connection between the Goodie's in Chintown (right off Confucius Plaza/Chatham Square) and the one in Flushing?

Thanks for all the input. Does anyone have any thoughts on the steak comparison between Craftsteak, Strip House and Wolfgang's. Also, how does the downtown Wolfgang's compare to the first outpost in quality?

Guessing by the pics of notables that you mention, Joe's Shanghai is the most likely, although all the places mentioned above are roughly equal. And in case anyone tells you there's an uptown outpost, too...don't take the bait. The more recently opened uptown Joe's has inferior food and higher prices.

Sorry for the slow response, which also means that my memory has faded further. Still, I'll see what I can put together for everyone. For the record, I ordered purely omakase, not any of the assorted special combos or sets, which I think makes a BIG difference in what you get. It's really unrealistic to compare a 15 piece set with eating omakase somewhere else. Also, as Hideo knows my taste (broad), I have the advantage that he'll always try to give me anything unusual/interesting, and also makes sure I get anything that's especially good that day. In terms of variety, I've found the exact opposite from the above post, based on many visits to all the places in question. I've had many things over my visits at Ushi that I never see at 15 East, Shimizu or even Yasuda. There's a ton of stuff that varies daily (as it should at any good sushiya), and therefore isn't on the menu. If anything, I find that the aforementioned other places, while among my favorites, have LESS variety than Ushi on a good night. Still, all of them are very good, and I'm happy to head to any of them if someone suggests it:) In fact, tonight is Tuesday, which is a good night for sushi... Some of the things I had: Sashimi: Baby sea eel sashimi with dipping sauce and daikon A small sashimi plate (botan ebi, otoro, shima aji) Sushi (not in order): - Kampachi - Aji - Saba (one of the best examples I've tried) - Kohada - Ikura (still the best example I've had in NYC) - Tako (sea salt and lemon...VERY tender, much like Masato's at 15 East) - Sayori - Tai - Another type of snapper whose Japanese name I don't remember, but Hideo said he had never thought of ordering it before, and really liked it after trying it on a whim/recommendation. - Otoro - Shima Aji - Shira ebi (wonderful ones!) - Uni - Mirugai (perfect, still moving) - Anago (hope it wasn't the father of those babies I ate) - Hotate (live) - Ikashi (not sure if I've transliterated this right, as it was new to me) - Karei - Homemade tamago - at least one seared item I can't remember - Kinmedai - a new piece, prepared gunkan style, that involved many kinds of egg in one. The base was American hackleback sturgeon caviar, and it was topped with a quail egg that had been cooked at low temp until almost poached and shreds of egg, as well as a glaze. Remarkable. - Suzuki - Iwashi I'm leaving out a few, but this is a start. I'll post any more that I think of. The overall price worked out to about $6 a piece. With two of us eating and a few beers for each of us (and for Hideo), it was a little over $300.

Going to do a downtown steakhouse outing this weekend, and wanted to hear if anyone had any recent experiences or recommendations. My usual go-to downtown is Strip House (bone in rib chop in particular), but would also consider Craftsteak, Mark Joseph and other recommendations. I had heard that Craftsteak had come a LONG way from the bad reviews after opening, and wondered if anyone could confirm this. (Please don't bother with midtown or outer borough ideas...I'm well aware of those and will also not be making the trip out to Luger's, etc. Below 23rd street only, please.)

I'm in, too, as far as the cocktails go. Not even close to the better cocktails in town. However, in terms of the food, I've had quite a few dishes here that really surprised me in a good way. Especially, the lighter, more summery fare can sometimes be really memorable and well-executed. There was a great dish that started with local tomatoes and burrata and really made them into something special and modern, despite the traditional base. And a scallop sashimi dish that was as good as any in the city. While it's not totally consistent and not everything was bulletproof, I do think there was some very good food being made here the times I've visited. The real surprise was that the dishes that focused on luxury ingredients or sounded like they'd appeal to me from their descriptions didn't turn out to be that special, but many of the less obvious things were quite good.

No real major point to this post, other than to report that I had a massive omakase dinner late last night at Ushi Wakamaru, and it's still as great as ever. Ate about 30 pieces of yumminess, including a few I'd never had before, and apparently a few Hideo has never bothered to serve before. As far as I can tell, it's still the best high quality sushi deal in NYC, although not cheap by objective terms. I'd bore everyone with a partial list of what I ate, but I'm sure there are only a few of us who care.

I did have decent pizza at Giorgione (far West Spring Street) once. Nothing life-changing, but pretty good. It's owned by Giorgio Deluca of Dean & Deluca. Another good option would be to walk two blocks or so over to Thompson and have the lamb sandwich at Snack or any of several sandwiches at the place that used to be Melampo. Other than that, you'll do a little better going either north or south a bit. For example, the place in Northern Tribeca that used to be Sosa Borella is now called Lomito or something like that, but it's one of the same owners and there's no reason to believe it isn't still a good place to get a very good sandwich, Argentinean style. Good luck.

Looking for a great authentic South American (preferably Colombian, Peruvian or similar, as opposed to Argentinian or Brazilian) restaurant in Queens. I know there are many, but I'm hoping for a tip on which are actually very good. I've been to Tierras Colombianas and I'm hoping to do better. Atmosphere not important, but food is. Preferably subway accessible. Thanks!