Eating out in New York can be a gustatory revelation, as perhaps no other city in the world offers quite the variety to be found here. Virtually every culture has some representation—if the mood takes you, a ramble through the Yellow Pages can bring you to such exotic climes as Ethiopia, Burma, Morocco, or Brazil. What follows is a selection of personal favorites; undoubtedly some will fault it, finding a special place omitted or a poor choice mentioned, so be warned. While many guidebooks to the city's restaurants are available, of particular note is the Zagat survey. A computer analysis of the opinions of thousands of restaurant goers, it offers a useful measure of local judgment.
Mention might be made of the Transmedia card, which offers users a 25% discount on food and beverages at selected restaurants. The list, which changes frequently, includes many places barely worth noting but also, given the economic doldrums besetting the industry, a growing number of excellent choices. To subscribe, you need an active Visa card through which billing can be made. Information is available at 1-800-422-5090.
At the top of the ladder are special places, well known and very expensive—be prepared to pay over $200 per couple, depending on the wine ordered. Currently Bouley and Aureole hold the spotlight, though Bernardin can hardly be said to be roughing it. Much press has of late been devoted to a newcomer, Daniel—a beautiful place, an excellent chef, but a scene of crowds and a kitchen that isn't up to the chef. If reservations are available, it is worth the trip downtown for a meal at either the Gotham Bar and Grill or the Union Square Cafe. There are many others, of course, some old standbys, some recently arrived, and they appear in all the guides.
In the past few years a bistro craze has swept the city, but in this category one stands out above all the rest—Park Bistro, with a chef who seasons food so that the sun shines.
Italian food, believe it or not, can be a problem in New York. Walk down almost any street on the Upper East Side and you will find at least one of the Northern Italians that have cropped up here, but local residents, though they have their favorites, often base their preference more on familiarity with the house than on any special quality of the kitchen. And while Little Italy has restaurants cheek by jowl, here again, except for the general change to the tomato-based sauces of the Mezzogiorno, each is a clone of the other. Uptown, Felidia gathers stars but can be off-putting to strangers. More solicitous of your business and often inspirational in the food are Corrado, Remi, Da Umberto, Arqua, and, off the beaten track, Follonico.
A trip to Chinatown is a lively adventure, but because of the game of musical chefs it is hard to be sure the place you choose will live up to expectations. Some of the better choices are Canton, Hong Kong City, Golden Unicorn, and Nice Restaurant. You can gamble on any spot, as the investment is low and the chances good you'll have fun, if not the banquet from The Forbidden City. Uptown, Asia, which goes beyond China, puts out a flavorful menu. Thai food is increasingly popular, and such places as Tommy Tang's, Jai Ya Thai, and Siam Inn will touch your taste buds. But for the upscale, French-technique product of an inspired chef, try Vong—do ask for a quiet booth, however. Bits and pieces of Southeast Asia slip also into the cuisine turned out by the chefs at Lespinasse, the dining room of the St. Regis. And if you keep your eyes out for sushi houses, you might feel you are in Tokyo, there are just so many. Hatsuhana currently holds the crown, but other Japanese restaurants to note are Sushisay, Kurumazushi, the unusual noodle shop Hanmura, and downtown, on University Place, Japonica. The other major invasion from Asia, of course, is of Indian restaurants. On the Lower East Side, centering on Sixth Street, is a cache of them, and Lexington Avenue in the twenties has another run. Often, again, it is difficult to tell one from the other, but uptown Darbar and Dawat are noteworthy, with Mitali (East and West) taking the prize downtown.
Next, a rundown of a wide range of special spots: Colors, not far from the Waldorf, very attractive once past the bar and a fine kitchen; Periyali, for Greek food unlike any you have tasted; Gus's Place in the Village for a tour of the Mediterranean; Savoy, behind Dean and Deluca, where an inspired chef uses experience in the Orient to produce very special dishes (this is not a place for groups, as it is quite small); Rao's, an Italian restaurant as unique in its food as in its Upper Manhattan location; Mi Cocina, arguably the best Mexican restaurant in the area; Alison on Dominick, a romantic hideaway near the Holland Tunnel; Mesa Grill, noisy but where chili peppers define a cuisine; and La Metairie, quintessence of France in the Village.
All the places mentioned above are in Manhattan, and while there is fine food to be had in other boroughs it is unlikely that in their few days here people will wander too far afield. Nonetheless, it would be remiss not to mention two very special establishments in Brooklyn: the River Cafe, a romantic spot where you can watch Manhattan light up and eat excellent food from a kitchen that has spawned some of the city's better chefs; and Peter Luger, where aged porterhouses still set the benchmark for New York steakhouses. Apologies must go to the numerous fine restaurants not included here—how could we omit mention of the Four Seasons, whose Pool Room is surely one of the most elegant places to dine in all the world?—but in the rich culinary mosaic that is New York such slights are inevitable. In any case, whether you follow the suggestions here, use another guide, or decide to just follow your nose and gamble, here's hoping you eat and drink well while in the Big Apple.
H.B.