First trip from London, what guide do I buy

[LornaC]

Hello from LornaC in London.

Unexpected first trip to New York with my husband who has been many times on business, so his restaurants were usually chosen by clients ( posh expense account affairs by all acounts )

I am arriving 12th May Iclandic Volacano Ash allowing, husband off duty then! leaving 18th so I am calling Per Se, Daniel etc to see if we can get on the wait list for dinner! Lunch is our main problem. I want to see where we are at around lunchtime as we will be doing all the usual tourist things and I want to have the best restaurant guide to see what is around the area we happen to be in that we might get in to without booking ,or calling maybe an hour ahead when we see how we are doing. Any cuisine! that you recommend.

Am I best with Zagat? Please let me know the one you think is best.

We are staying in the Radisson Lexington so any recommendations for Dinner around there would also be gratefully appreciated.

Any other must eat at destinations will be gratefully received

Best Regards

LornaC

[kathryn]

I think the combined wisdom of the eGullet crowd is going to be better than any paper guide or electronic you'll purchase.

If you have an iPhone and are willing to pay for data in the US, I recommend installing the Menupages application and Yelp application as those will offer the most up to date hours, location, and phone numbers (don't really trust the reviews) and can use the phone's built in GPS to find what's nearby.

If you let us know price range and what landmarks you'll be near, we can offer up multiple suggestions for each one for take out, street carts, walk-ins, etc.

Also, as native New Yorkers, I find I rarely stay at a hotel, so you'll need to be more specific as to where your hotel is.

[jostber]

I am going to New York as well in late August this year. Was looking at this guide by Mike Colameco:

http://www.amazon.com/Mike-Colamecos-Food-Lovers-Guide/dp/0470044438/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273594462&sr=1-1

Edited May 11, 2010 by jostber (log)

[LornaC]

Hi Jostber,

Thank you I have previewed in on Amazon, so will hot foot it to a bookstore when I get there and compare it to others in that section if I don't get a good review from a New York Egulleteer.

Hi Kathryn,

The Raddison Lexington is on Lexington Avenue, sorry i am still struggling along with an old Blackberry so can't do the Iphone.

I am hoping for reccomendations for good food, not nececarrily fine dining that you guy's would go eat lunch at if you were in the area. Near all the usual suspects Museum of Modern Art etc etc . My husband is boat mad, we even live on a barge so I am sure we will be doing every single boat trip available. Favourite Lunch destinations near the pick up and drop off points of all the trip boats and ferries would be good.

Thanks

LornaC

[jostber]

Here are some places I have on my list for checking out for lunch:

http://gothamist.com/2008/02/05/crosby_connecti_1.php

http://www.shopsins.com/

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/thalia/menus/main.html

http://www.mileendbrooklyn.com/

Interesting article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/dining/14deli.html?pagewanted=1

[Sneakeater]

I think it's very hard to recommend that someone visiting for a short period of time from London schlep out to a nice but not particularly interesting part of Brooklyn for a lunch.

She specifically asked for recommendations of lunch spots that are near places she'd otherwise be.

[kathryn]

Raddison Lexington is on Lexington Avenue and 48th? Yes? I had to look it up on Google Maps just now. Most NYers describe where things are based upon cross-streets.

At the Museum of Modern Art, I would just drop into the Bar Room at the Modern, which is one of my favorite restaurants. It's not the formal dining room at the Modern, but the more casual area which encompasses a bar, a lounge with couches and coffee tables, and some tables. Not super cheap, though. Can get busy so I often make a reservation, but if you are OK dining at the bar itself or low tables, you should be OK.

In my experience, the pier and ferry pick up and drop off areas are far from dining hot spots since they often involve being a walk from public transit that includes crossing a major highway. South Seaport is a tourist trap. There's not that much immediately close to Battery Park ferry area (Liberty/Ellis cruise), Staten Island ferry, or the piers on the West Side in my experience.

Can you be more specific on what the "usual tourist suspects" area? There are TONS of NYC landmarks. The Met (museum), The Met (opera), Grand Central, Times Square, Union Square, Rockefeller Center, Natural History Museum, the Cloisters, Washington Square Park, Empire State Building, Central Park (which is giant and spans many city blocks), Brooklyn Bridge, City Hall, Chinatown, 5th Ave department stores, Ground Zero, United Nations, The Guggenheim, Madison Square Garden, NYPL/Bryant Park, Wall Street, Little Italy, the High Line...

[ellenost]

I'm a native NYer, and bought Mike Colameco's guide. It is a bit out of date, but I find Mike's reviews to be very interesting and enjoyable.

Edited May 12, 2010 by ellenost (log)