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The British are coming, the British are coming


Andy Lynes

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My brother Micheal and his son Adam (aged 16) are flying into New York on Christmas Day for some basketball game or other at "The Square" (as I'm sure they'll be referring to it when then they get back). they are staying on "29th and Madison and are on the look out for some good budget eats mid-town.

He and his family have lived in Malaysia and Dubia for extended periods due in part to Mike's teaching assignments so are well up on the cuisine of those parts of the world, not least because Liza, Mike's wife is Malaysian and almost by defininition no slouch in the kitchen. On the other hand, Mike is, by definition a slouch in the kitchen.

So what they are after is great ethnic and of course American food on a pretty tight budget. Their trip will also encompass a New Jersey Nets game on 29/12 at the East Rutherford stadium and then onto Washington for some guy called Micheal Jordon on 31st.

All and any ideas gratefully recieved for sustenance before during and after basketball games.  I've been talking you guys up so don't let me down (as if).

As an afterthought, what is Micheal Jordon's steakhouse in Grand Central like. The're fans, but not stupid if you get my drift.              

(Edited by Andy Lynes at 10:00 pm on Oct. 23, 2001)

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If they are going to be in East Rutherford for a game I suggest they go to Newark for real Brazillian rodizio, preferably at Seabra's Rodizio attached to Mediterranean Manor.

255 Jefferson St  Newark, NJ (973) 465-1966  

If they are from the UK then I am sure they havent had a dinner of endless red meat debauchery in a long time since the mad cow epidemic.

Definitely affordable, tasty, and lots of fun. East Rutherford is approximately 20 minutes from Newark and is 40 minutes in moderate traffic from Manhattan.

As to Michael Jordans, Fat Guy actually has had a decent meal there but I think he prefers Sparks.

here is the link to Fat Guy's steakhouse roundup:

http://www.fat-guy.com/article/articleview/151/

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

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Gotham (apart from X-mas day) is open for lunch that week, and they will be offering their ฤ bargain. To be on the safe side I suggest making a reservation before the trip. 212-620-4020.

I don’t know if Patria does a lunch deal, and it’s pricey for dinner, but different. And some say the new-latin food has even improved since Rodriguez left. (But come to think of it the once I went since I didn’t think it had improved.)  250 Park  Ave South @20th st 777-6211.

Incase they’re homesick for meat and pots, there’s Les Halles (Anthony Bourdain’s superb chips, maybe the best in NY), 411 Park Ave South, b/w 28 the and 29th Streets), 212-679-4111

For inexpensive lunches or dinners I’d suggest going to either east or west village. For example, there’s a place in the west village called “good”, 89 greenwich ave, b/w bank and west 12th st, 691-8080. South American touches on the menu, but it offers burgers etc. too.  Farther south, is Cornelia st which is lined with places, e.g., Little Havana, a tiny Cuban, is pretty decent.

All the above are funky in their own way, and are places a 16 year old would not be embarrassed to be seen with their parent!

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Lexington Avenue (two blocks east of Madison) south of 28th Street is full of inexpensive Indo/Paki restaurants, but my guess is that these don't compare with what's available in London. My understanding is that many restaurants are continuing the ฤ.01 lunch special through the end of the year.

I'd think Chinatown is worth a trip. I'm not sure which restaurants I'd recommend there these days. I've had mixed results in my favorites and in the new ones I've tried lately, although I still enjoy Marco Polo on Baxter Street below Canal at lunch for their noodle soups with homemade noodles. I like the noodles with Peking sauce as well.

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

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Yes, total waste of time!

And I agree about Haveli. One of the best in NY (and I've been to Jackson Heights). The only other I'd add to my short list of two really decent Indian restaurants in NY is Tamarind, 41 w 22 674-7400. The service isn't brilliant, but the goat curry is spectacular.

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Yvonne, I'm glad you mentioned Tamarind.  I was feeling guilty about forgetting it.  Lovely, soothing setting and service, fairly priced for Gramercy Park.   It's a favourite of my spouse.  I am a bit lukewarm, just because I gew up eating solidly cooked Northern Indian/Bengali good, and this menu is somewhat different.  More imaginative, I'm sure, but doesn't satisfy my personal curry cravings.  Worth a try for those not thus afflicted.

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  • 1 month later...

I recommended Patria above, but as I’ve been since posting I want to change my rec to “highly recommend”. I’m going again tomorrow. DiCataldo who succeeded Rodriquez knows what he’s doing. I totally agree with Grimes that initially he didn’t, but he is now in gear.

Baked oysters with watercress and the tuna ceviche with coconut milk were very fine. They don’t sparkle quite as much as Rodriquez’s fried oysters or his fire and ice ceviche did, but DiCataldo’s main courses really beat Rodriquez’s. I had tender short ribs with salsify and caramelized leeks. One of the nicest dishes I’ve had in a while. We had a strawberry cake and bread pudding, and both were delicate.

I see they do a ฤ.01 prix fixe lunch Monday-Friday. For dinner, the mains run ฦ-ะ.

The dining room is less noisy than before. The music used to be very loud. Toned down makes the atmosphere more relaxing. As I said before, this is a place a teenager would like, I think. Excitingly different.

(Edited by yvonne johnson at 1:22 pm on Dec. 7, 2001)

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All the following serve the $ 20.01 until years end ( I was told)

2. Alison on Dominick Street, 38 Dominick St., (212) 727-1188 (5:15pm – 6:45pm only)**

7. Aureole, 34 East 61st St., (212) 319-1660**

11. Barbetta, 321 West 46th St., (212) 246-9171**

19. Bread Bar at Tabla, 11 Madison Ave., (212) 889-0667**

25. Cafe Luxembourg, 200 West 70th St., (212) 873-7411**

28. Capsouto Frères Restaurant, 451 Washington St., (212) 966-4900**

35. Chin Chin Restaurant, 216 East 49th St., (212)-888-4555**

41. Commune, 12 East 22nd St., (212) 777-2600**

43. Cub Room, 131 Sullivan St., (212) 677-4100**

47. The Dining Room, 154 East 79th St. at Lexington Ave., (212) 327-2500**

48. Duane Park Cafe, 157 Duane St., (212) 732-5555**

59. Gigino Trattoria, 323 Greenwich St., (212) 431-1112**

60. Gotham Bar and Grill, 12 East 12th St., (212) 620-4020**

66. Icon New York, 130 East 39th St., (212) 592-8888**

93. New York Marketplace, 129 West 53th St. at the Hilton New York, (212) 586-7000**

95. Nino's Positano, 890 Second Ave., (212) 355-5540**

96. Nobu, 105 Hudson St., (212) 219-0500**

97. Nougatine and Terrace, One Central Park West, (212) 299-3900**

100. Orsay Restaurant, 1057 Lexington Ave., (212) 517-6400**

106. Patria, 250 Park Ave. So., (212) 777-6211**

122. San Domenico NY, 240 Central Park So., (212) 265-5959**

124. 2nd Avenue Deli, 156 2nd Ave. at 10th St., (212) 677-0606**

126. Shun Lee Palace Restaurant, 155 East 55th St., (212) 371-8844**

128. Sono, 106 East 57th St., (212) 752-4411**

129. Strip House, 13 East 12th St., (212) 328-0000**

130. Sushi Samba, 245 Park Ave. So., (212) 475-9377**

132. Tabla, 11 Madison Ave., (212) 889-0667**

133. Tagine Dining Gallery, 537 Ninth Ave., (212) 564-7292**

137. Thalia Restaurant, 828 Eighth Ave. at 50th St., (212) 399-4444**

138. Tocqueville Restaurant, 15 East 15th St., (212) 647-1515**

142. Tribeca Grill, 375 Greenwich St., (212) 941-3900**

148. Union Pacific, 111 East 22nd St., (212) 995-8500**

150. ViceVersa, 325 West 51st St. (between 8th and 9th Ave.), (212) 399-9291**

154. The Water Club, 30th St. at the East River, (212) 683-3333**

157. Zoë Restaurant, 90 Prince St., (212) 966-6722**

Peter
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From the list provided by Peter, the restaurants I liked when I lived in NY are similar to those recommended by Yvonne:

Union Pacific

Patria (ceviches; used to have smoked Argentinian beef)

Gotham Bar and Grill

Aureole

Another option in view of a tighter budget is:

Joe's Shanghai on West 56th or in Chinatown -- super Shanghainese thin-skinned dumplings with crab, crab roe and richly flavored soup inside; also very economical; same crab/roe mixture is available in tofu (soft) dish.

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The "soup" dumplings at Shanghai Joe's in Chinatown started to vary in quality and the lines to get in remained constant. Can anyone report on the recent food?

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

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