Penn Station / Madison Square Garden area

[yvonne johnson]

My husband needs to take a colleague out for dinner near Penn Station. Quickish service (person needs to make connections), and walking distance important. I know this area isn't known for its restaurants, but any suggestions welcome.

PS: What's the low down on Metro Grill?

[tommy]

there are a bunch of korean places there.  i was at one the other night.  read here

the molly wee, on 9th and 31st or so, has one of the best burgers in the city.  well, that might be a stretch, but they're pretty good.  it's a pub though.  

[Wilfrid]

I went to the Tupelo Grill, just around the corner from the station, but that was a couple of years ago.  It was run by the same people who run Tapika up on Eighth Avenue.  They did seafood and steaks perfectly adequately.  I remember a nice plateau of mixed seafood.  It might be worth trying to check a more recent review.  I never went back because it was pretty empty, and it's not an area I would normally think of as a dining destination.  Come to think of it, we went because My Beloved was doing English classes in the area.

[thereuare]

Don't know what "quickish" means (30 minutes, 60 minutes, longer?) but i had a GREAT meal at Nick and Stef's Steakhouse located at the base of Madison Square Garden.  Service was fantastic, so i'd imagine if you told the server you were on a time schedule s/he'd be able to accomodate you (EXCEPT if you are going before starting time of a big event at MSG, in which case everyone will be trying to get out of there at the same time).

I wrote a detailed review of my dinner there on this board back in Novemeber if you want to look it up.

[jodi]

I'm going to a conference near Penn Station (7th Ave and 30th St) this Mon-Weds. I'm looking for places to eat. I can roam a bit further for dinner and have some ideas thanks to earlier threads at this site. So I'm mostly looking for breakfast and lunch suggestions.

For breakfast: Looking for both quick and sit-down places within about 5 blocks. Less than $10 preferred. If you know of a place to get a good egg sandwich for cheap, I'd like to know that too.

For lunch: I expect a lunch break of 1 hr, maybe 1.5 hrs. So quick and close are key. My budget is not too limited: anything under about $15/plate should do. I prefer ethnic food (Indian, Ethiopian, Chinese, Mexican, etc.) and am vegetarian. Cheap places with good food and not-so-cheap places with good food and good service are both fine. As are good places 'on the street' (e.g. not sit down).

Are there any good steak houses in that area? (I find they have great vegetable plates.)

Thanks for any suggestions you have. I know that Penn Station is not known for its food.

Moderator's note: Two threads on Penn Station were merged at this point.

Edited June 26, 2005 by Pan (log)

[Suzanne F]

Until I saw you're vegetarian, I was going to suggest Soul Fixin's on 34th just east of 9th Ave.

But if you do a search on this forum for "Korean" you'll get tons of Korean places just a little to the east including ones that have vegetarian dishes.

There are a couple of steak places: Nick + Stef's (33rd between 7th and 8th), and Tupelo Grill, on the other side of the same street.

Edited April 26, 2003 by Suzanne F (log)

[tommy]

Keen's chophouse is pretty close. good steakhouse.

molly wee is a pub on 8th and 39th or so. great burger. it has been there for years, although they've recently remodeled the place making it a bit less scary.

ediot: ah, vegetarian. nevermind.

regional thai taste is on 7th at 22nd. a bit of an "upscale" thai place, but generally pretty damned good.

Edited April 26, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Pan]

regional thai taste is on 7th at 22nd.  a bit of an "upscale" thai place, but generally pretty damned good.

I haven't eaten there in a while, but the first time I ate there, it was terrible, and I went back once more some time later, after people I respect recommended it, and it was barely edible. Needless to say, I've never been back for a third time.

I would recommend the lunch special at Kang Suh (south side 32 St., just east of Broadway), but I don't know if you can get a vegetarian dish for the special or not. Perhaps so, though some of the panchan will include things from the Animal Kingdom.

[tommy]

regional thai taste is on 7th at 22nd.  a bit of an "upscale" thai place, but generally pretty damned good.

I haven't eaten there in a while, but the first time I ate there, it was terrible, and I went back once more some time later, after people I respect recommended it, and it was barely edible. Needless to say, I've never been back for a third time.

well those are strong words. i haven't been there in probably 6 years, and only went 2 or 3 times. perhaps they've taken a turn for the worse. the lamb chops, which i do remember, were good. their sister restaurant, which is up on the east side in the 70's or so, was, in fact, inedible. so i wouldn't be surprised.

[Pan]

Tommy, in the future, I think it would be advisable for you to preface your remarks by saying that it's been 6 years since you went someplace.

For the record, it was less than 6 years ago that I ate there, I think, so your credibility hasn't been entirely destroyed.

[jodi]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try to check out the veggie plate at one of the steak places mentioned.

Searching for Korean got me Cho Dang Gal (55 W 35th): artisan tofu, yum. And Dingle Indian Fast Food (30th btwn 5th and B'way) (kosher veg). As well as the vegetarian topic I'd already perused.

I guess putting 'vegetarian' in the topic would have helped y'all, sorry.

Good weekend to all!

[tommy]

For the record, it was less than 6 years ago that I ate there, I think, so your credibility hasn't been entirely destroyed. 

what credibility?

is cheese vegetarian? Artisinal isn't all that far away.

[elyse]

molly wee is a pub on 8th and 39th or so.  great burger.  it has been there for years, although they've recently remodeled the place making it a bit less scary.

What makes it great?

I think they're far scarier since the renovation. It's fucking Cheers now.

[tommy]

what makes the burger great? i dunno. it's a great burger, i suppose. more often than not it's what you don't do to a burger rather than what you do do that makes it "great."

there has been a notable decline in the number of 3 toothed 80 year-old professional alcoholics since the remodel. this member doesn't necessarily think that's a positive thing, but rather notes that other members may find the current atmosphere less "scary" - not that there's anything wrong with that.

[elyse]

So basically, it's great meat cooked well? I haven't had a great burger in three years. Other than my own.

Actually, I can count the great burgers I've had on one hand.

Edited April 27, 2003 by elyse (log)

[Pan]

Searching for Korean got me Cho Dang Gal (55 W 35th): artisan tofu, yum.

I recently had a great meal at Cho Dang Gol, which I reviewed on these boards, but I was there for supper, not lunch. See the thread here: Cho Dang Gol

Edited April 27, 2003 by Pan (log)

[nervousnelli]

Birrichino - really good Italian restaurant with a deli/sausage store that serves meals at lower prices) attached to it - 8th Avenue and 29th Street.

[Beachfan]

From the Fat-Guy's post on another thread:

"In my opinion, the two vegetarian restaurants that are worth bothering with if you're not a vegetarian are Hangawi (12 E. 32nd St., 212-213-0077) and Dimple (11 W. 30th St., 212-643-9464). Hangawi is a Korean buddhist vegetarian restaurant, and Dimple is Indian (and kosher). There are a few other vegetarian Indian places, including one that was just written up in this week's New York Magazine, but I don't have the experience to recommend any of them specifically.

Also, a few of New York's top fine-dining restaurants have vegetarian tasting menus, if you're interested in that."

My brother, who not only isn't a vegetarian, but doesn't like vegetables, also liked Hangawi. That would be my pick based on recommendations of others.

[tommy]

So basically, it's great meat cooked well? I haven't had a great burger in three years.  Other than my own.

dunno what it is. it tastes good. especially considering the area. why don't you try it and tell us if you like it.

other burgers of note: molly's and S&W.

thread of note: here.

[elyse]

I just started reading, and am happy to report that I totally concur on the Corner Bistro front. If I hear one more person telling me to go to the Corner Bistro for a GREAT burger, I will box their ears.

More later.

[elyse]

I'm sorry, but I have lost complete confidence that anyone has any taste in burgers from that thread. Swill! 95% of those places serve vile burgers, and the other 5% I've never been to. Seriously, crap to the nth degree.

[tommy]

I'm sorry, but I have lost complete confidence that anyone has any taste in burgers from that thread.  Swill!  95% of those places serve vile burgers, and the other 5% I've never been to.  Seriously, crap to the nth degree.

you should post this on that thread, then. be sure to let everyone know where the good burgers are.

[nervousnelli]

Cheap quick breakfast at the deli on the corner of 29th and Eighth. It's part of Birrichino Restaurant next door - a good restaurant that might be a lunch option as well. The deli has no atmosphere whatsoever but it's a homemade sausage shop and they make tasty egg sandwiches and have good coffee. Their sausage selection is impressive. They have good proscuitto too and will make you up a plate of eggs any style and the meat of your choice if you like. You can eat in at one of their tables or take out if you prefer.

Edited May 1, 2003 by nervousnelli (log)

[anil]

Dimple - Kosher Indian on 30th between 5th & Bwy. It is a vegetarian place.

Mandoo Bar - Korean dumpling joint 32nd off 5th Ave (between 5th & Bwy)

[MsSumida]

I will be meeting some people from Iowa for lunch. They are staying in the Pennsylvania Hotel. Any suggestions for a moderate priced lunch, no spicy foods, would be appreciated.

Thanks

Sue

Moderator's Note: Two threads were merged here.

Edited June 28, 2005 by Pan (log)