Across from Lincoln Center. Touristy crowded vibe. Pre-theater prix fixe on a Saturday Night. So. That’s the context. Octopus app chewy and uninspired. Sea Bass en papillote watery, bland and obviously in the warmer. Wines by the glass mediocre. Have been to Bar Boulud next door which is at least good at what it serves. Go there before a Lincoln Center performance. Neither worth a visit other than that.
Popped into my head today. Don’t know why. My Dad and his cousin Joey DiVito used to take me there. A steakhouse on 45th near Third Avenue. Ashtrays with logos.… Read more Danny’s Hideaway →
A country French UWS boîte, “the box in the woods”, literally. A tiny space downstairs. Not great if you’ve got clausty issues. Close. Cozy. Snug. Yet the staff and atmosphere are friendly and it has endured in the neighborhood for many years. Food is standard bistro fare, bland and average quality. Nice Sancerre. Also on the plus side. Stairs make it difficult so no strollers or leashes at brunch.
Same sign. Different address. First went there in 1994 when Danny Meyer was an up-and-coming restaurateur. American fare with attention to service and fresh ingredients. The original was a little bit downstairs. This later iteration has the same vibe but with an above-the-ground and upstairs feel. Yet. Both intimate and inviting. Uniquely New York. Reminiscent of its dining heyday. In the neighborhood to see Peter Dinklage as Cyrano. Way cool.
Pete Wells reviewed a trendy dining spot with a secret door from an art gallery. It conjured an antique shop with a mirrored armoire that led to a hidden little garden restaurant across from the original Barney’s back in the day. A former speakeasy. I commented on it in the NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/24/dining/frevo-review-pete-wells.html#commentsContainer&permid=102710761:102710761
A traditional celebratory favorite over the years. This year, our son’s 30th birthday with family was no exception. Still fun and lively. Attentive service. Great raw clams. Succulent and perfectly cooked fish. It is the only place in Manhattan I’ll actually go downstairs to dine for its ship-like atmosphere. We’ll never forget a few years back when Mike Bloomberg and Chuck Schumer stopped by to say hi. And stayed for a long chat. Always a people-watching scene. And. One of those consistently good spots for return rendez-vous.
On Columbus and 73rd, in its third iteration since we moved to the UWS. A.G. Kitchen was really good. The Flying Fisherman was really not. Now. Harvest Kitchen has potential. In the first week under a new name, not sure about management, lunch was fine. Spicy Red Snapper tacos tasty and fresh. Hamburgers a little too fussy. Huevos rancheros a bit skimpy looking. Service okay. Glazed windows and curtains a little claustrophobic, open glass was better. On the second try for lunch with our young 9-year old nephew, kid friendly and… Read more Harvest Kitchen UWS →
So many Italian restaurants on the Upper West Side. Most of them mediocre. Cotta is casual with outside tables. Inside it is dark and loud with blaring music. But. The homemade pasta is superb. Sauces fresh and delicious. Sets it apart from any of the other choices. For the food.
