New Yorkers: put your money where your mouth is!

[cchen]

the only place I consistently go to more than once a month is kirara.

[H. du Bois]

(If that's the same falafel cart I go to at 45th & 6th, it's about the best falafel in town).

Probably--there's another cart on the opposite corner, but it isn't nearly as good.

My cart's called Moishe's.

I'm disqualified from mentioning Blue Ribbon Sushi (Brooklyn) because of its nearness to me, but I can't help where I live (any more than I can help being a regular there).

[mikeycook]

We order in a lot, so it's hard to separate in my mind places we order from and enjoy and whether we would seek them out if we lived elsewhere. Unfortunately, this has eliminated Otto, Borgo Antico, and Republic from my list, although I always look forward to the food from all 3. Anywhere, here are the others I thought of:

Nha Trang - I'm good for a lunch here about every six weeks. Delicious and cheap. My favorite Vietnamese place in the city.

Ess-a Bagel - Used to walk 1/2 mile out of my way on the way to work for an Ess-a Bagel. When I found out that my new office was only a block away from the 3rd street location, my diet took a huge detour.

L'Impero - I hope this isn't breaking the rules, but I do not consider this super luxe or special occasion dining (although I have been for special occasions). Following the guidelines in Fat Guy's book, I have tried to make this my regular place. The $65 prix fixe is a great value and cheap enough that I can get there every couple of months.

[Sneakeater]

I would think that "special occassion" means that you only go there on special occassions. If you go someplace every other month, I don't think it matters how "luxe" it is for purposes of this thread.

[Eatmywords]

Like a couple others, I just don't go to the same places very often even those I really like…..I'm addicted to the new……So here are my close to home, cheap eats standbyes that I'd still hit on a regular basis even if I wasn't close by (I'd like to think)

Punjab Deli on 10th and 49th - yes, it's a cabby hang dive you wouldn't want to be caught dead in but for $5.50 you get some of the best steam table chicken tikka, saag, okra, lentils and eggplant over basmatti around

Vynl Diner - funky modern, warm, -super friendly staff…... I often bring out of towners and they love it. Best fried calamari deal in the city, huge plate, never overcooked and they leave in the tentacles! $6! They also have very good Thai food, burgers and brunch

Wendy's - yep, I did just say Wendy's. The Mandarin Chicken Salad is a last minute healthy standby with great ingredients including almonds and tangerine not to mention the dressing is fantastic for pre-packed goop. Great option after a work out!

Wondee Siam 2 - I've lived a rock's throw away for yrs but only recently discovered this bare bones gem. Clean, fresh flavors with many authentic options. (Great when you can't get to Sripraphai or Pam).

Bali Nusa - No brainer all inclusive Indonesian dinner for $18……main includes chicken, beef, shrimp and veggies in a curry sc over rice plus a salad w/an excellent peanut dressing, dessert and a beer (Singha)……what the hell else could you ask for?

Mee Noodle Shop - love their Seafood Curry noodle soup with spinach linguine (hold the fake crab meat)…..I know, I know, Grand Sich is only a couple blocks down but the interesting stuff is too damn spicy.

Zen - on St. Marks - another hole but lots of cute NYU girls! Yellowtail neck box dinner for under $10……show me a better deal for the qlty (and scenery)

Kenka - on St.Marks - it's Yakitori Toto on acid. One of the better fear factorish Izakayas around. Anyone for raw veal liver sashimi or turkey testicles?.....yummy!

Now, these are a few places I love (and would make my stanbyes) but only been to a couple times in the last year:

- Bar Room Modern - liverwurst pate

- Hells Kitchen - pork tenderloin

- Oriental Garden- any scallop dish

- Fatty Crab - oyster omelete or noodles w/chicken and shitakes

- Momofuko - steamed pork buns and their signature ramen

- Sripraphai - like SL said, it simply is the best

- Hasaki - Excellent qlty sushi with a long list of specialty fish.....highly underated

Now, who's gonna give me crap about Wendy's?

[weinoo]

Momofuku

Congee Village

'inoteca

Schiller's

Bianca

Arturo's

[Luckylies]

Les Halles. The only place in the city with boudain noir (no..not Bourdain noir...though with that tan he's about to join the club)

Landmarc has had blood sausage on the menu (served with sauteed apples and frites) since the day they opened.

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oh baby!

I forgot to add-

Plump dumpling

Momofuku (even though, I fear the bun quality dips and plateaus)

Cru, the bar area.

Tia pol

Grand Sichuan

Edited June 23, 2006 by Luckylies (log)

[Sneakeater]

I guess I should add Carl's Steaks.

Tia Pol is very close, but not quite there. (It probably would be there if I could get a seat every time I try to.)

[Luckylies]

Tia Pol is very close, but not quite there.  (It probably would be there if I could get a seat every time I try to.)

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Eat at the half-king a lot then? (good sweet potato fries)

[Sneakeater]

To me, Half King would go into that thread emsny wanted to start about places you used to like, but have fallen from your favor cuz you think they've gotten worse.

Edited June 23, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[hshiau]

Landmarc is probably the only place, not a neighborhood joint, that we hit monthly. Out of the way but gotta go.

[emsny]

I hereby grant emsny permission to start that topic!

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Fat Guy's graciousness, though well known, nay, legendary, never ceases to amaze. Still, I'll pass - the only way I could initiate that topic would be by saying nasty things about establishments I haven't visited in a while and which, for all I know, have regained all their previous luster. Anyone else interested?

[Fat Guy]

Oriental Garden has come up here, by my count, three times -- and I'm not sure that I've ever been there. There does seem to be an eG Forums topic devoted to Oriental Garden, which until now had escaped my notice. I'm off to read it.

[Sneakeater]

Don't stop with reading the thread. Eat there already. Oriental Garden is truly excellent. Has been for years, and (this is not to be taken for granted) still is.

Edited June 24, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[raji]

This is a great idea for a thread. Basically, you are soliciting our haunts, neighborhood or not, which makes for a very reliable list of recommendations -

Now I don't think there is any helping that our lists will be slanted towards the neighborhoods we live in, but here go with mine -

Grand Sichuan International, NY Noodletown - As above...

Yakitori Totto - 55th & Bway - Whether for my own personal cravings or the initiation of another to the joys of raw chicken, our friends from the far East built a Temple to the Chicken on 55th and Broadway

Eisenberg's - Madison Sq. - After the obligatory bike past the ridiculous Shake Shack line on the off chance another Mad Cow disease scare has hit the airwaves since I got ON my bicycle, it's down 5th to reliable Eisenberg's for a corned beef/pastrami combo

Runner's Up - Katz's, Carnegie

Madras Mahal - Curry Hill - 10 years later and the same cheerful women remembers my name and face. While the service can be pretty clueless, this is still the best South Indian fix I'm getting without heading out to Jackson Diner

Queen of Sheba - HK - I've got my extended family addicted to the Vegetarian Combo, all these years still better all-around than Meskerem

Gah Mee Ohk - Koreatown - How many times have I stumbled in drunk for a Pah Jun and Sohluntang and some comp Jalapeno's and Cabbage with Miso? The bright lights keep me up.

Runner's Up - Seoul Garden, Kun Jip, Woo Chon. Saburi

Hell's Kitchen - HK - Never, ever disappoints, Reliably very good new mexican menu with great great margaritas

Budget Runner-up- Tulcingo Del Valle, Tehuitzingo

Grimaldi's - Brooklyn Heights - Still has not disappointed me, and my bro has just moved to Hoboken and tells me you can get the same pie without the wait at their location there... something tells me I'm being baited out there -

Runner's Up - John's, Lombardi's, Don Giovanni's, and while I'm out there, Noodle Pudding

Pepe Giallo - 25th and 10th - It's my second office, you can get a bottle of wine, a great light Italian dinner for 2 and get out of there for $70

Corner Bistro - West Village - I still wind up in there at least 6 times a year, usually stumbling drunk. GREAT burger and fries. Is there a better one open until 4am?

Katsuhama - Midtown - Am I the only one craving Tonkatsu more than 6 times a year? Usually over the winter months....

Lederhosen Bier and Wursthouse - The german sausages and soul food are good enough, but I need to drink freshly tapped German beer out of a container larger than my head to truly feel like a man

Runner-Up - Hallo Berlin @ 44th and 10th

Donburi-ya - Midtown East - All sarariman need izakaya

Runner's Up - Ariyoshi, Riki, Hizen

Egyptian Al-Halal guy @ 26th and 11th - OK this guy gets the frequency award, and I'm talking twice a week, $3 Chicken on Pita, $4 Chicken on Rice that could feed 2 people ... Isn't living rent-poor a bitch??

OK it's getting late when I think of more I will add to this post, but I officially have nothing more to add to eGullet

Edited June 24, 2006 by raji (log)

[Todd36]

Woo Chon, 8-10 W. 36th St. - People sometimes knock this Korean for its use of gas in its grills, but you would be missing out if you skipped it for that.  The food is fantastic, overseen by the older Korean woman who is always there despite the hour and whose recipes make up the menu.  A large selection of ban chan, a fantastic spicy soup containing short ribs, tripe, and intstines, a great dish whose name escapes me, but is the only item with no explanation, is listed under the appetizers,it is cartlidge from the knees of a cow that have been slowly simmered for hours and hours untill wondefully tender and gelatinous, served with a tangle of herbs and a dipping sauce, or a small bowl of beef broth.

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I'e eaten at Woo Chon recently and if I have the right place, long ago reviewed by the NYT, it is good, better I think that then the usual places on 32nd street.

[Todd36]

Oriental Garden has come up here, by my count, three times -- and I'm not sure that I've ever been there. There does seem to be an eG Forums topic devoted to Oriental Garden, which until now had escaped my notice. I'm off to read it.

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It is one of the better places in town, I've eaten there at least twenty times. The staff is better than most, and helpful. It also has low turnover, I see the same faces over and over. When the NYT recently reviewed it, two stars I thnk, they commented that it has been around for a long time, like 30 years. For some reason, it stays off of most people's radar.

[Pan]

I'e eaten at Woo Chon recently and if I have the right place, long ago reviewed by the NYT, it is good, better I think that then the usual places on 32nd street.

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It is an excellent all-round Korean restaurant. I really should go back soon; it's been too long.

[JosephB]

Oriental Garden has come up here, by my count, three times -- and I'm not sure that I've ever been there. There does seem to be an eG Forums topic devoted to Oriental Garden, which until now had escaped my notice. I'm off to read it.

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It is one of the better places in town, I've eaten there at least twenty times. The staff is better than most, and helpful. It also has low turnover, I see the same faces over and over. When the NYT recently reviewed it, two stars I thnk, they commented that it has been around for a long time, like 30 years. For some reason, it stays off of most people's radar.

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It's worth noting that Oriental Garden is expensive by CT standards.

[H. du Bois]

Katsuhama - Midtown - Am I the only one craving Tonkatsu more than 6 times a year? Usually over the winter months....

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love tonkatsu (also think of it as a winter dish), and didn't know there was any decent tonkatsu to be found in this town.

[raji]

Katsuhama - Midtown - Am I the only one craving Tonkatsu more than 6 times a year? Usually over the winter months....

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love tonkatsu (also think of it as a winter dish), and didn't know there was any decent tonkatsu to be found in this town.

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Yeah Katsuhama is great, they have Japanese beer on draft too. On par with some places in Tokyo, probably the only place doing it properly in the NY Metro area, that I know of anyway. It would be great if they could go even higher grade on the pork, which is what you'll get in Tokyo.

[H. du Bois]

Katsuhama - Midtown - Am I the only one craving Tonkatsu more than 6 times a year? Usually over the winter months....

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love tonkatsu (also think of it as a winter dish), and didn't know there was any decent tonkatsu to be found in this town.

Yeah Katsuhama is great, they have Japanese beer on draft too. On par with some places in Tokyo, probably the only place doing it properly in the NY Metro area, that I know of anyway. It would be great if they could go even higher grade on the pork, which is what you'll get in Tokyo.

I've only ever eaten it in Japan. Can't wait for the weather to cool down to check this out!

[Fat Guy]

I'm going to check out Oriental Garden tonight. Sure would appreciate specific dish suggestions over on the Oriental Garden topic.

[Fat Guy]

So I put my money where your mouths are and took this topic for a road test. Very positive experience at Oriental Garden tonight, both on the food and human relations sides. I think the price point will probably keep it off my pay-myself-six-times-a-year list, but it will definitely go on one of my secondary lists like go-when-someone-else-is-paying (which is not too shabby a list, I must say).

[raji]

Katsuhama - Midtown - Am I the only one craving Tonkatsu more than 6 times a year? Usually over the winter months....

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love tonkatsu (also think of it as a winter dish), and didn't know there was any decent tonkatsu to be found in this town.

Yeah Katsuhama is great, they have Japanese beer on draft too. On par with some places in Tokyo, probably the only place doing it properly in the NY Metro area, that I know of anyway. It would be great if they could go even higher grade on the pork, which is what you'll get in Tokyo.

I've only ever eaten it in Japan. Can't wait for the weather to cool down to check this out!

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Not that you can't eat it over the summer, but you have to be in the mood to chow down on something so dependent on the mixture and quality of the oil...