We tried to eat Manhattan

[KatieLoeb]

IS RUSS AND DAUGHTERS TAKE OUT ONLY?

Yes. It's a store, not a restaurant.

food tv did a story about them and i didnt remember seeing seating.....i guess as long as i bring my own utensils i can sit on the sidewalk....i dont think i would last knwoing i had pocketful of nova or caviar

Russ & Daughters also makes the most delicious cream cheese and caviar spread. Taking home a container of that for your next bit of toast or a bagel is sublime. Topping it with some of their ethereal smoked salmon is just obscene...

[squashblossom]

mmmm. I ate the pizza for breakfast this morning. Only 4 days old and it was still good! Ok it wasn't so good, but i was hungry. HV that was an awesome post, I'm very honored to have been part of it. Which city shall we eat next?

Epicurean palatte tomorrow night..... I'll try and eat for you! I also just got the Pesto Rats restaurant made from my 50# of basil and garlic- it's amazing. Which, by the way is on sale at my farmers' market in Princeton saturday mornings from 8:30-1:30 (shameless plug)

[Tracy K.]

Brings me back 35 years which is when I was last at Katzs or New York for that matter. You missed McSorleys ale house though.

Just had to add my story about McSorleys. I was in graduate school at Columbia and went for a "tour" of the village with two guys in my class--one who used to live on 9th and one from somewhere in the Connecticut boondocks. The tour was for the Nutmegger's benefit. Anyway, we went into McSorleys, and the bouncer comes up to Oliver, the guy who used to live on 9th, and said "NO CHILDREN"...Oliver didn't have a clue what the guy was talking about, but I knew. I am blessed with a youthful look, plus I'm just over 5 feet tall (I think of it that way now, in my 40s, but not then...but this was hilarious). I just stepped up to the guy and plastered my NY drivers license in his face and said, "is this what you need?" Oh that bouncer was so P-O-ed. He didn't want to believe it. Then we sat and enjoyed our lovely beers served in two mugs so the head wasn't overwhelming.

And yes, $3.50 for a plain slice sounds crazy. But then again, in Chicago, we can't get a plain slice, so what am I complaining about?

[Pan]

And yes, $3.50 for a plain slice sounds crazy. But then again, in Chicago, we can't get a plain slice, so what am I complaining about?

You can't? Why not? Don't they sell pizza by the slice in Chicago?

[hillvalley]

Which city shall we eat next?

We're doing the upper part of the city. I am already planning, you just have to take another day off of work

Did you find the whitefish I left accidentally?

i guess as long as i bring my own utensils i can sit on the sidewalk.

A couple of blocks down there is a park you can sit in.

[Bux]

Do most (many?) places in NYC get more than two, two and a quarter or two fifty for a plain slice? I could swear I haven't paid more than that.

[amcleod]

This was quite interesting! I am going to NYC this weekend and hope you can tell me the appropriate way to order at Katz's. I coming to NY with friends (one of whom has never been to NY at all) and they really want to go to Katz's. Your help is appreciated!

(We do have a res at Babbo so if we blow it at Katz's, at least we can drown our sorrows appropriately!)

[Pan]

Just tell the counterman to give you a nice, tasty (or you can say "juicy"=fatty) pastrami sandwich. When he gives you a sample, if you like it, let him know. If you find any fault with it, tell him why and ask for a different piece. Tip at least $1, at least $2 if he gets a different slab for you or the pastrami is particularly outstanding. Needless to say, you should not ask for any bread other than rye. (If you don't mention a type of bread, rye should be assumed. When I met Hillvalley and Squashblossom there, I was helped by a counterman I didn't recognize, and there were loads of tourists there, which is probably why he asked me whether I wanted rye. My response? "Do I look like a white-bread kind of guy?" ) I don't happen to like mustard much, but it's very normal to have mustard with pastrami; but don't ask for mayo, that's just so non-Jewish! Do not have any kind of cheese with your pastrami: They'll do it for you, but it's wrong. Do feel free to have some soup or a side like their cole slaw, and drink Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray or Cream Soda with your sandwich.

I hope you don't plan on going to Katz's for lunch and having a big dinner on the same day. Or at least, if you are, I hope your reservations are pretty late. Katz's is not a place to nibble.

[kurl]

I know it's sacrilege, but I prefer the club bread to the unspectacular rye at Katz's, particularly with brisket and turkey.

[tryska]

those lycheese were beautiful.

hillvalley - is it possible musc man is stalking you?

[hillvalley]

those lycheese were beautiful.

hillvalley - is it possible musc man is stalking you?

Or am I stalking him?

[amcleod]

Pan, many thanks! My thought was to go to Katz's for a late lunch on Friday upon arriving into town...and sharing the sandwich! Then go to the Met and have a late dinner or maybe just drinks and snacks or dessert. The thing is, I really also want to have Chinese (Grand Sichuan?) that evening as there is no excellent Chinese food in DC.

Hmmm, or maybe we can go to Katz's on Sunday before tearfully departing NYC for our pseudo-city home (can you tell I am originally from the NY area?). That might be the ticket.

There are just too few meals for one weekend!

[hillvalley]

One thing Pan forgot to mention (an oversight I'm sure) is the paying for your meal part. When you walk in they will hand everyone a ticket. Then, once you finally make it up to the counter your order will be written on the ticket.

After you have your food, sit and enjoy your meal. On the way out there is a booth where you will pay. Don't forget to get a bag for your leftovers.

Squash and I put are order on her ticket. I am using mine as a bookmark.

[phaelon56]

Thanks for all of your kind words.  We had a blast. 

By the way, I forgot to comment on the pizza prices.  $3.50 for a freakin slice of plain!!!

Um, is that expensive?

It's also expensive for NYC - way expensive. Most take-away slices in NYC run about $2.00 to $2.50 for plain.

[tryska]

those lychees were beautiful.

hillvalley - is it possible musc man is stalking you?

Or am I stalking him?

*lol* i dunno - are ya?

hee! looks like y'all had a good time tho...

[Bicycle Lee]

the best pizza I ever had in NYC was at a place called Ninetta's that was north of Columbus circle across the street from the Speedo store....I think it changed names recently, but it was damn good.

I love a good eggplant parmesan slice.

Patsy's just over the Brooklyn Bridge was good too....but I think they changed names too...

[Bux]

Most take-away slices in NYC run about $2.00 to $2.50 for plain.

Yeah, that's what I've been paying. Three-fifty for a plain slice is way high.

+ + +

Katz's

Dr. Brown's sodas are traditional, but I never got it. I never developed a taste for the Cle-ray and the cream (vanilla) soda is a sweet taste I outgrew long ago. I don't like Coke with pizza either. Beer or seltzer for me. I've never thought about wine with pastrami until this minute. I don't think there's a particularly good combination there either and Katz's doesn't have wine. Right?

The pastrami sandwiches are pretty big and full of meat. If you go late before a big dinner, you might want to share a sandwich. You get lots of pickles and pickeled tomatoes for free.

The bread really sucks, but I'm not so sure the club roll is much better either these days.

The ticket is important. I wonder how they let you out with one. Everyone gets a ticket and everyone hands in a ticket on leaving even if it's blank. That's to stop people from getting two sandwiches on one ticket and six on the other and just handing in the two sandwich ticket. There's a sign saying you have to pay a certain price if you loose the ticket. It's like getting on a toll road. Lose the ticket and you pay from the first entrance. Bear in mind that if you lose a ticket and put everything on one ticket, it could be an expensive lunch if they enforce their policy. You can put it all on one ticket if you hand in the blanks when you pay.

[hillvalley]

I have a way of getting away with things Actually, I think the torrential downpour and my search for a plastic bag to protect the camera worked in my favor. Katz's was also apparently very busy for a Monday (but then again it was a holiday).

I figured we payed tourista rates for the pizza. We were right next to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden. Oh well. It was definately worth it though. I have been craving the pizza ever since.

As for Music Man, well, let's just say you never know what could happen if he wasn't in NYC.

[Pan]

There's a sign at the entrance to Katz's that if you lose your ticket, you'll be charged $50. Don't lose the ticket!