Midtown, lunch and dinner

[Margo]

Here's what I did, taking your advice where I could (and where I went astray, it was interesting just the same):

Wednesday, what foul weather! Bouchon Bakery was an absolute haven at 10 am, quiet and lovely. Coffee and ham and cheese on a baguette for about $10, the sandwich rivalled any I've bought in Paris. Was there butter on it? I think so. For dinner, I was walking west on 55th to find Yakitori, but was distracted by Indian Spice. Lamb vindaloo platter for about $19.

Thursday, was sidelined for lunch at the Hilton's New York Marketplace by a couple of acquaintances. Good company, but a $25 unspectacular Reuben! Dinner was better. Ran into a friend and dragooned her to the Algonquin for a cocktail--she had a "Parker" and reported it was tasty, I had a glass of sancerre. We petted the resident cat and went to Menchanko 55 on 55th Street--thought it was one of the places recommended, it wasn't, but I liked it and it was certainly doing a brisk business. Sapporo on draft for $5? What a deal! And the menchanko with kimchee was good, too, for about $10.

Friday, interviewing a source on the UWS, we ordered in lunch from Mozart Cafe, my host's choice. An inconveniently greasy "European Toast" (Gruyere, olives, tomato, and a fried egg on the outside), but again, it wasn't about the food at the moment. Friday dinner, back to Menchanko 55 with a different friend, had ramen this time and two! beers, very happy.

Saturday, up to the Met to see "Glitter and Doom" and the Tiffany exhibit (talk about opposites). Stepped into EAT on my way from the subway for a ham and cheese croissant, $5. Lunch at Burger Heaven on 53rd, medium rare burger and decent fries for about $12. Finally went to the Bar at the Modern for a grapefruit aperitif, and my friend had a really nice glass of white wine which we promptly forgot the name of. We went to Serafina for dinner, Broadway and 55th, which was a weird scene (old Italian movie projected on the wall, and some other peculiar design choices, too-close tables) unremarkable and nothing to complain about--good arugula salad and tasty pasta with bacon/vodka/tomato cream sauce. The three of us were out of there for about $120.

Sunday, headed to Kalustyan's before my flight, to pick up a selection of pistachios for my husband. I arrived an hour before they opened, so finally had the opportunity to visit Les Halles, a pilgrimage to the restaurant of my boyfriend-in-a-parallel-life, Anthony Bourdain. I know, his relationship to the place is in fact distant at this point, but you'd never figure that out from the shrine to Bourdain made by the array of his books on the wall next to the butcher counter. Is that called synergy? Anyway, my brioche and cafe au lait was comparable to anything I've had in the brasseries in the Place Odeon, and it was easier to pretend I was in Paris than if I'd gone to the Starbucks up the street.

Visiting New York, pretending to be in Paris. It's my rich fantasy life that makes living in northern New England doable. Thanks for all the suggestions, they're filed away for next time.