Our sample NY itinerary

[Nathan]

Robyn:

dogmatism is not a good idea in the age of google.

art galleries were common in the east village in the 1950's and have moved to soho by the early 1960's.

http://www.nyu.edu/greyart/information/Gre...ch_village.html

OK Harris was apparently the first formal gallery on West Broadway but last time I checked there are 20 odd streets in SoHo.

[alexis lee]

Hi Si,

While you're around the Lower East Side Area, (which is where Katz's and WD-50 are) you might want to pop in Russ & Daughters. It's a specialty food store on Houston St. that really captures the spirit of that area as an Eastern European/Jewish (is that an accurate depiction?) immigrant community. It's been around for ever and has so many fun foods to check out. Also on that street: Yonah Schimmels Knishery as well. Even if you don't buy anything to eat, if you are on a food inspired New York Vacation, these are both great places that are very New York! Just walking in to them will helps to understand the beginnings of culinary enterprise in this city.

Your trip sounds perfect. Welcome and have an amazing time!!

[Pan]

Hi Si,

While you're around the Lower East Side Area, (which is where Katz's and WD-50 are) you might want to pop in Russ & Daughters. It's a specialty food store on Houston St. that really captures the spirit of that area as an Eastern European/Jewish (is that an accurate depiction?) immigrant community.[...]

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Yes, it's an accurate description of what the Lower East Side used to be like, and Russ & Daughters was part of that. I live nearby and hardly ever buy anything there, though. Their stuff may be good, but it's quite expensive.

[jwjon1]

Hi Si,

While you're around the Lower East Side Area, (which is where Katz's and WD-50 are) you might want to pop in Russ & Daughters. It's a specialty food store on Houston St. that really captures the spirit of that area as an Eastern European/Jewish (is that an accurate depiction?) immigrant community.  It's been around for ever and has so many fun foods to check out. Also on that street: Yonah Schimmels Knishery as well. Even if you don't buy anything to eat, if you are on a food inspired New York Vacation, these are both great places that are very New York! Just walking in to them will helps to understand the beginnings of culinary enterprise in this city.

Your trip sounds perfect. Welcome and have an amazing time!!

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What Alexis said! You should definitely try a knish from Yonah Schimmel, and since you're in the area, a trip to Russ & Daughters would be in order. If nothing else, try one of their excellent barrel pickles from Guss'.

If you're in the area of 54th and 5th (next to MOMA), enjoy brats, and looking for one of those budget saving but excellent lunches, pick a dictator combo from the Hallo Berlin Cart. Food Cart you say? Trust me, its worth it. I coupled Hallo Berlin for lunch with WD-50 for dinner, and gotta say that's been one of my best culinary calendar days ever. Based on that experience alone, I'd confidently say that early Katz with a late WD-50 and plently of trekking around the city in between is definitely doable.

And if you feel the urge for a NYC bagel at some point, my favorite has been Ess-a-Bagel. I've only been to the one on 21st and 1st, but understand there's one in mid-town as well.

[Simon_S]

I'm bumping this thread to report on my bookings so far. Plans have changed somewhat, so here's the layout now:

Wed 25th: Afternoon arrival, have a nap, head to WD-50 for late dinner. We thought long and hard about this one, as we didn't really want to do such a serious meal on our first night. Then (partly motivated by BryanZ's heroic efforts around Europe) we thought sod it, why not? Hopefully the afternoon/early evening nap will be enough to refresh us and we'll be able to tackle Mr. Dufresne's cooking with gusto. At the very least, the meal should be quirky enough to keep us awake. I'm hoping we'll be up for the taster, but that decision will probably be based on our energy levels.

Thurs 26th: Jean-Georges for lunch and then whatever in the evening. At the moment we're thinking of a show and then a late meal at Momofuku Ssam. We've never tasted anything like what they're offering, so it should be interesting. We'll truly have no idea what to expect, and will hopefully be able to go without any preconceptions.

Fri 27th: Hazel's birthday, so this is the night for Daniel. We may give the taster a miss this night, as both of us find it a little difficult to do too many large menus in a short space of time. Of course having said that, I'm not ruling anything out!! Lunch will be wherever, maybe Yasuda if we feel up to it and can do a walk-in, maybe just a hot-dog from a cart or a pizza slice.

Sat 28th: my birthday, and I've booked Eleven Madison Park. From what I've seen, this is a restaurant that we really need to sample. We had been thinking of going here on Sunday morning, but now I want to try the full tasting menu, and brunch just wouldn't cut it. Katz's may feature at lunch (if we can stomach the tourists, which seems unlikely), or there's still the slice/hot-dog option. Hazel's really insistent on having a hot-dog at some point. I'm not convinced, but we'll see...

Sun 29th: Leaving in the evening, so we've kept the day flexible. Grand Sichuan may feature (if they haven't all been closed by the DOH ) or some other Chinese option. If Katz's hasn't been sampled by then, I might buy a sandwich for the plane. I'm also mulling over Balthazar for brunch, but I'm going to leave that in the lap of the gods. It's highly likely that at that stage we simply won't want to eat any more.

That's the plan as it stands. Bookings have been made for one meal per day, in an attempt to leave us somewhat spontaneous with other choices. Of course, we'll also be visiting Pegu Club, and if Death and Co. is still with us we'll try to get there as well. That's apart from any other random food and drink that might get consumed at any given moment. I'll be trying to sample a little more of the NY nightlife than I did on my last visit. We'll be staying at the Mercer, so hopefully there should be some options nearby.

I'm really looking forward to the trip, and I'd like to thank everyone once again for their advice -- it's really made the decisions a lot easier.

Si

[docsconz]

Si, it looks like a fine itinerary. I think you are wise for only doing one booking a day and leaving room for spontaneity and how you are feeling. Unlike some of the younger set around here, I am really only good for one big meal per day.

[Nathan]

From the Mercer you are within walking distance of both Pegu Club, Milk & Honey and Death & Co. (the Pegu Club is especially close).

you're very close to Balthazar and Cafe Falai (the Lafayette location)...both of which I highly recommend for breakfast.

another nightlife option within blocks of your hotel is Zinc...a fado and Brazilian jazz bar...which can be quite fun.

[Simon_S]

Si, it looks like a fine itinerary. I think you are wise for only doing one booking a day and leaving room for spontaneity and how you are feeling. Unlike some of the younger set around here, I am really only good for one big meal per day.

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Yes, we've struggled on trips before and we find that trying to do too much ruins the experience. In fact, even as it stands I'm a bit concerned that we're aiming too high. Oh well, we'll be walking the feet off ourselves during the day I'm sure, so that'll help us to build up our appetites and burn off some calories.

From the Mercer you are within walking distance of both Pegu Club, Milk & Honey and Death & Co. (the Pegu Club is especially close).

you're very close to Balthazar and Cafe Falai (the Lafayette location)...both of which I highly recommend for breakfast.

another nightlife option within blocks of your hotel is Zinc...a fado and Brazilian jazz bar...which can be quite fun.

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Thanks Nathan. Proximity to Pegu and Death & Co. was actually one of the reasons we chose the Mercer. It's wildly over our anticipated budget, but hey, what can you do? Thanks for the other recs. Zinc sounds like it's worth a visit.

Si

[daisy17]

and if Death and Co. is still with us we'll try to get there as well.

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it/i was there last night, you should definitely stop in!

[BryanZ]

It's wildly over our anticipated budget, but hey, what can you do?

Si

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This is probably my life story summarized in one rhetorical question.

Anyway, nice itinerary. Your biggest disappointment will likely be the hot dog your wife is set on. Your birthday meals on the other hand should be great. At Daniel you might feel rushed so you might have to take initiative and tell them to things down if you really want to savor and celebrate the occasion. That's my only warning.

Edited April 2, 2007 by BryanZ (log)

[rich]

The only thing I would add to your trip is a visit to an outer borough for an ethnic treat.

[Pan]

Si:

Stomach the tourists at Katz's! I do, and I'm a New Yorker! That said, I prefer to go on a weekday or late night on a weekend. But still!

And remember that there are other good locations of Grand Sichuan. I can personally vouch for the St. Marks and Chelsea branches.

[Simon_S]

Your biggest disappointment will likely be the hot dog your wife is set on. 

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Not my wife yet -- we just got engaged 2 weeks ago. All our friends and family were speculating that I'd pop the question during our trip to NY, so I fooled them, and Hazel herself, with a surprise trip to Monaco instead. I got down on one knee, she said yes, we drank champagne, ate at Louis XV, it was a fab weekend, but I digress...

I won't be joining Hazel in the hot-dog search, they're not my cup of tea at all. The line in Crocodile Dundee accurately portrays my feelings on this particular delicacy.

Your birthday meals on the other hand should be great.  At Daniel you might feel rushed so you might have to take initiative and tell them to things down if you really want to savor and celebrate the occasion.  That's my only warning.

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Duly noted. As a rule we don't like to be too rushed, and we're used to dinner taking 3-4 hours at a nice place (lazy Europeans, you see!) On the other hand it may suit us to get out a little earlier on that particular night, to ensure plenty of post-dinner cocktail time.

The only thing I would add to your trip is a visit to an outer borough for an ethnic treat.

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Realistically, it's not going to happen on this trip, but next time we'll try to venture forth from Manhattan to see what we can see. There are just so many places to try!

Stomach the tourists at Katz's! I do, and I'm a New Yorker! That said, I prefer to go on a weekday or late night on a weekend. But still!

And remember that there are other good locations of Grand Sichuan. I can personally vouch for the St. Marks and Chelsea branches.

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Thanks Pan. I'll *really* try to cope at Katz's but I promise nothing!! I might try to go at a more "off-peak" time, and see if that works. I definitely couldn't join a queue of 200 would-be Harrys and Sallys to wait for a sandwich, but if it's in any way sane I'll deal with the thronging hordes. Having heard so much about it, I really need to try that pastrami.

I intend to seek out one of the other GS locations, assuming I'm still capable of eating. I want to know if Szechuan here tastes like Szechuan there.

Si

[Pan]

Si, if you do go to Katz's when the line is long, it helps to know that each counterman has his own line.

[BryanZ]

Your biggest disappointment will likely be the hot dog your wife is set on. 

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Not my wife yet -- we just got engaged 2 weeks ago. All our friends and family were speculating that I'd pop the question during our trip to NY, so I fooled them, and Hazel herself, with a surprise trip to Monaco instead. I got down on one knee, she said yes, we drank champagne, ate at Louis XV, it was a fab weekend, but I digress...

That's pretty baller.

Your birthday meals on the other hand should be great.  At Daniel you might feel rushed so you might have to take initiative and tell them to things down if you really want to savor and celebrate the occasion.  That's my only warning.

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Duly noted. As a rule we don't like to be too rushed, and we're used to dinner taking 3-4 hours at a nice place (lazy Europeans, you see!) On the other hand it may suit us to get out a little earlier on that particular night, to ensure plenty of post-dinner cocktail time.

The general consensus, I think, is that a non-tasting menu at Daniel is usually not more than two hours if they can help it. That ensures them three seatings in a night.

Edited April 3, 2007 by BryanZ (log)

[Simon_S]

That's pretty baller.

I'm sure you're right, but I have absolutely no idea what this means!!

Urban Dictionary suggestion:

Livin large, with girls and money

That's an image I'd very much like to be able to cultivate, but it's pretty far from the truth!

Si

[Nathan]

hmmm...it appears that my life has been dedicated to pursuing status as a half-baller....

[Simon_S]

hmmm...it appears that my life has been dedicated to pursuing status as a half-baller....

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Well, I've got the "livin large" part down, but I don't think they mean physically.

[tupac17616]

proposing in monaco at louis xv? baller indeed.

i like how you roll, Si.

and your ny itenerary is great, by the way.

i'd definitely recommend the tasting at Daniel. it's around 6-7 courses, with two choices for each course, so you and your fiance could do a tandem tasting menu format. hell, go all out and throw in a cheese course, too. they have a fantastic cheese program. i went in there my first time worrying about being rushed, but there were absolutely no issues with this. service was damn near perfect, in fact. enjoy!

[BryanZ]

tupac and I are on the same wavelength. When I was at Daniel a while ago--it's posted somewhere here--we were kind of rushed into ordering. Once we ordered the tasting menu, they kind of relaxed the whole pace of the meal. I think that's evocative of the type of experience many receive there.

[Swicks]

I consider myself a practitioner of Medium Pimpin'

[Simon_S]

proposing in monaco at louis xv?  baller indeed.

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I was doing great until I got the bill. I seriously felt my eyes begin to water, and it wasn't from the emotion of the moment.

i'd definitely recommend the tasting at Daniel.  it's around 6-7 courses, with two choices for each course, so you and your fiance could do a tandem tasting menu format.  hell, go all out and throw in a cheese course, too.  they have a fantastic cheese program.  i went in there my first time worrying about being rushed, but there were absolutely no issues with this.  service was damn near perfect, in fact.  enjoy!

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It works like this: we convince ourselves in advance that we're absolutely not going to get the tasting menu, that we're going to try to be sensible and pace ourselves a little bit, that starter, main, dessert will be plenty. As we walk into the restaurant, our resolve is at it's very strongest, we're adamant, unshakable. We sit down, ignoring the taster menu descriptions like heroes, we discuss a la carte options, we decide what we're going to have. Then one or other of us says "of course we could just..." and that's the point where the red mist descends. When I come to, I discover we've ordered the largest tasting menu available, asked for wine pairings, made sure that the cheese cart will feature, and I'm already wondering if I'm going to be awake all night with food-induced DTs.

In short, there's a good sporting chance we'll plump for the taster menu.

Si

[BryanZ]

Nice philosophy. Even nicer usage of the word "plump."

[kathryn]

It works like this: we convince ourselves in advance that we're absolutely not going to get the tasting menu, that we're going to try to be sensible and pace ourselves a little bit, that starter, main, dessert will be plenty. As we walk into the restaurant, our resolve is at it's very strongest, we're adamant, unshakable. We sit down, ignoring the taster menu descriptions like heroes, we discuss a la carte options, we decide what we're going to have. Then one or other of us says "of course we could just..." and that's the point where the red mist descends. When I come to, I discover we've ordered the largest tasting menu available, asked for wine pairings, made sure that the cheese cart will feature, and I'm already wondering if I'm going to be awake all night with food-induced DTs.

Funny, I thought that this situation only happened to me! It's even worse when they have TWO tasting menus available and you wonder if you could get away with each person ordering a different one!

Oh, and then of course you're so impressed by the amuses or palate cleansers or petit fours that you mention it to your server, and of course, they bring you yet another one...

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem...right?

[Jesikka]

Not only does this happen to me, but I am completely incapable of finishing a tasting menu to begin with. My attempts to pace myself backfired at Per Se, where they assumed I didn't like the lobster course and brought out an additional pasta course!

That being said, I think the tasting menu is definitely the way to go at Daniel- it is the best way to see what the restaurant is capable of doing and they're capable of quite a lot. The service is generally much better. See if you can reserve the tented table in the corner on the upper level- very romantic and private.