New York City Restaurants

[Ramon C]

Is Le Coucou better than Spring (imo the most overrated restaurant in Paris)?

I liked Spring better 2 of the 3 meals I've had there (vs. one for Le CousCous). But those two times, I didn't think it was overrated at all, awesome meals. Third time (after the chef started his other places), not as wonderful, but still reasonably good.

I've had a hard time liking Spring during the 2 times I've been and I've noted it in previous posts. However, I've been more impressed with his La Bourse et La Vie which churned out delicious bistro foods.

[Jay Miller]

Is Le Coucou better than Spring (imo the most overrated restaurant in Paris)?

I liked Spring better 2 of the 3 meals I've had there (vs. one for Le CousCous). But those two times, I didn't think it was overrated at all, awesome meals. Third time (after the chef started his other places), not as wonderful, but still reasonably good.

I've had a hard time liking Spring during the 2 times I've been and I've noted it in previous posts. However, I've been more impressed with his La Bourse et La Vie which churned out delicious bistro foods.

Our one meal was very mixed. I loved the wine list and ambience but food varied from wonderful to terrible. We never bothered going back.

[ybarselah]

went to uchu kaiseki last week and it was awesome. cannot recommend enough.

[scott c]

Thanks, Robert, Clifton and Yaacov! Looks like I will need to pick between Secchu Yokota and Uchu, or maybe Shuko. Tough choice, but it sounds like I won't be disappointed with any of them.

[F.Daner]

Reco for after show light dinner. Prefer Asian possibly Sushi or noodles/dumplings near the theater district .

thanks !

[Rich Salsano]

went to uchu kaiseki last week and it was awesome. cannot recommend enough.

I have reservations there for my birthday in a few weeks. Very excited.

[ybarselah]

new small-plates japanese in murray hill called oka. really solid. not everything was great, but most was. will return to try the rest of the menu. corkage at $34 is a little more than i'd like, but they were great with it. proper stems. lots of sake, beer, cocktails.

https://www.oka.nyc/

great addition to the hood.

[Victor Hong]

new small-plates japanese in murray hill called oka. really solid. not everything was great, but most was. will return to try the rest of the menu. corkage at $34 is a little more than i'd like, but they were great with it. proper stems. lots of sake, beer, cocktails.

https://www.oka.nyc/

great addition to the hood.

Broken Spoke Rotisserie used to be there, which I miss.

[scott c]

Anyone know how the reservations work for Uchu? I know how to use Resy, my question is if you know when they open reservations -- i.e., will the entire month of November open on 11/1, or do they start 4 weeks in advance, etc.

[ybarselah]

Anyone know how the reservations work for Uchu? I know how to use Resy, my question is if you know when they open reservations -- i.e., will the entire month of November open on 11/1, or do they start 4 weeks in advance, etc.

don't know, but make sure to use the notify function on the app. they seem to have cancellations constantly.

[ybarselah]

new small-plates japanese in murray hill called oka. really solid. not everything was great, but most was. will return to try the rest of the menu. corkage at $34 is a little more than i'd like, but they were great with it. proper stems. lots of sake, beer, cocktails.

https://www.oka.nyc/

great addition to the hood.

Broken Spoke Rotisserie used to be there, which I miss.

awesome

[CliftonD]

Reco for after show light dinner. Prefer Asian possibly Sushi or noodles/dumplings near the theater district .

thanks !

You can try Ootoya on 41st Street. Casual izakaya chain that has a good variety in selection.

[G. Keeler]

I’m going to Keens in a few weeks. I’m not a big steakhouse guy but its a work dinner and the place was picked by someone else. Is the Mutton chop the move? Can’t say I have ever had Mutton so not sure what to expect. Any other starters or sides they do especially well?

[Ramon C]

Dinner at Chez Ma Tante at Greenpoint last Friday.

A French-Canadian bistro serving bold, rustic dishes including a good grilled pork shoulder on lentil and a tasty roasted half-chicken. Killer fries with some sort of aioli on the side. Chocolate fans will be happy with the chocolate cake dessert.

Corkage appears to be ymmv, based on manager's discretion.

http://chezmatantenyc.com/

[Michael Sopher]

I’m going to Keens in a few weeks. I’m not a big steakhouse guy but its a work dinner and the place was picked by someone else. Is the Mutton chop the move? Can’t say I have ever had Mutton so not sure what to expect. Any other starters or sides they do especially well?

Last time I was there I had the T-Bone which I really like. usually someone gets a mutton chop and shares or the table gets one to split.. depends on the dynamics of your group. I always like a taste or even a few tastes of it... but would never choose it as my main. YMMV

They have reasonable corkage policy (though recently limited number of bottles per table) and an excellent whisky list.

[Jay Miller]

From what I've heard the mutton chop is actually lamb, not mutton. I like it but I'd generally order a steak in preference.

[Tom G l a s g o w]

here's the list for those keeping score: http://starr-restaurant.com/lecoucoumenus/LCC_wine.pdf

i've been a few times and the list is basically the same - if you want to have a "nice" wine you need to spend a lot. as horrible as the corkage is, i'd still rather pay $95 and bring a good bottle. it's honestly a very odd list.

I have no problem paying $95 for corkage. However how to have wines on your list for $50 and charge $95 for corkage?

well, that's been discussed, debated, but never answered. $95 corkage is sending a strong signal that they don't want you to bring.

on the pricing, etc., well... you know i'm working on that. coming soon, as they say.

It’s a Starr restaurant which explains a lot about wine pricing.

[R@y.Tupp@+sch]

Cagen - both seatings full at the sushi bar with several tables occupied as well.
Thrilled for them.

[Robert Dentice]

Cagen - both seatings full at the sushi bar with several tables occupied as well.
Thrilled for them.

Had a stunning meal last night! One of the best ever. They were slammed.

Mostly because of this video:

https://www.eater.com/video/2017/8/28/1 ... kase-video


Some pictures on my instagram:

[R@y.Tupp@+sch]

Cagen - both seatings full at the sushi bar with several tables occupied as well.
Thrilled for them.

Had a stunning meal last night! One of the best ever. They were slammed.

Mostly because of this video:

https://www.eater.com/video/2017/8/28/1 ... kase-video


Some pictures on my instagram:

Excellent video - hadn't seen it.
Was wondering why it was so crowded all of a sudden.

[Ethan Abraham]

Cagen - both seatings full at the sushi bar with several tables occupied as well.
Thrilled for them.

Had a stunning meal last night! One of the best ever. They were slammed.

Mostly because of this video:

https://www.eater.com/video/2017/8/28/1 ... kase-video


Some pictures on my instagram:

Excellent video - hadn't seen it.
Was wondering why it was so crowded all of a sudden.

Glad they are doing well, and that the food is in top shape. We had a great meal there a few weeks ago, even though we didn't get served by Chef Tomita (damn gwb traffic). The second chef(anyone know his name?) has improved a lot, and I feel that as long as Chef Tomita is in the house doing the prep it's still great. The switch to all nigiri seems to be good for business, less overhead and less confusing for customers. I feel like he's gone slightly in the more creative direction, but the fish is still so fantastic that it doesn't feel at all contrived. I'm happy that business has picked up, although I guess it means I'll have to book next time more than 2 days out. Can't wait to go back again.....I have a res for Uchu kaisake for my birthday, but now i'm debating whether to switch.

[Robert Dentice]

Glad they are doing well, and that the food is in top shape. We had a great meal there a few weeks ago, even though we didn't get served by Chef Tomita (damn gwb traffic). The second chef(anyone know his name?) has improved a lot, and I feel that as long as Chef Tomita is in the house doing the prep it's still great. The switch to all nigiri seems to be good for business, less overhead and less confusing for customers. I feel like he's gone slightly in the more creative direction, but the fish is still so fantastic that it doesn't feel at all contrived. I'm happy that business has picked up, although I guess it means I'll have to book next time more than 2 days out. Can't wait to go back again.....I have a res for Uchu kaisake for my birthday, but now i'm debating whether to switch.

I have eaten at both in the last two weeks. Both are excellent however Uchū is more expensive. All things being equal I would give the nod to Cagen however you will get more non-Sushi dishes at Uchū and since you have been to Cagen I would factor that in to the mix.

[Rich Salsano]

Just did Uchu kaiseki last weekend and was blown away. Caviar hand roll, the soft scrambled egg with squash and trout roe, and the rice with maitake mushrooms and white truffles were standouts and the other dishes were all excellent. Can’t speak for Cagen obviously but depends on what you are looking for.

[Robert Dentice]

Just did Uchu kaiseki last weekend and was blown away. Caviar hand roll, the soft scrambled egg with squash and trout roe, and the rice with maitake mushrooms and white truffles were standouts and the other dishes were all excellent. Can’t speak for Cagen obviously but depends on what you are looking for.

Oops I missed that Ethan has a reservation at the Kaiseki side. Given the Cagen comparison I immediately thought it was the Sushi side. I know its very confusing. I should amend my prior comments, there is no Sushi at all on the Kaiseki menu and the price is about the same as Cagen. It really all depends on whether you want Sushi or not in comparing the two options.

[scamhi]

Thanks, Robert, Clifton and Yaacov! Looks like I will need to pick between Secchu Yokota and Uchu, or maybe Shuko. Tough choice, but it sounds like I won't be disappointed with any of them.

Uchu Kaiseki is the place right now. Amazing dinner, great vibe and even a good play list.

[Rich Salsano]

Thanks, Robert, Clifton and Yaacov! Looks like I will need to pick between Secchu Yokota and Uchu, or maybe Shuko. Tough choice, but it sounds like I won't be disappointed with any of them.

Uchu Kaiseki is the place right now. Amazing dinner, great vibe and even a good play list.

Yes. The vibe and playlist were both surprisingly different than expected. Much more hip and less formal and stuffy for a typical meal of that quality. We did the beverage pairing as well and thought it exceeded expectations.

[scott c]

Thanks, Robert, Clifton and Yaacov! Looks like I will need to pick between Secchu Yokota and Uchu, or maybe Shuko. Tough choice, but it sounds like I won't be disappointed with any of them.

Uchu Kaiseki is the place right now. Amazing dinner, great vibe and even a good play list.

Reservation booked for kaiseki! Looking forward to it. Leaning towards drink pairings, perhaps with a side bottle of Champagne on hand to supplement.

[mark rudner]

love that supplemental champagne idea

[Rich Salsano]

Thanks, Robert, Clifton and Yaacov! Looks like I will need to pick between Secchu Yokota and Uchu, or maybe Shuko. Tough choice, but it sounds like I won't be disappointed with any of them.

Uchu Kaiseki is the place right now. Amazing dinner, great vibe and even a good play list.

Reservation booked for kaiseki! Looking forward to it. Leaning towards drink pairings, perhaps with a side bottle of Champagne on hand to supplement.

The drink pairing for our tasting was a really refreshing cocktail with sparkling Riesling to start (all diners received that), then it was a Leflaive white burg (for 2 courses), a delicious sake, a vintage champagne, a muscadet, a red burg (for 2 courses) and then 2 cocktails to close things out. The wine pours were a little light but the servers were willing to pour some more if you were still finishing the course and your glass was empty.

A side bottle of champagne wouldn’t be terrible.

[Ramon C]

Good modern Portuguese experience at Cervo's with last Saturday's dinner. Rustic with some modern twist, very original (in my opinion), and great service. I also like the hip, deep-in-Chinatown vibe of the restaurant and its location. Wine list doesn't appeal to me much, but the allowed byo with reasonable corkage is a plus.

Other than the more formal/expensive Aldea, I can't think of any other good Portuguese in Manhattan.

https://www.cervosnyc.com/

[Robert Dentice]

Another amazing meal at Secchu Yokota. So fortunate to have this place in my hood. On a Monday night the place was filled with industry people from Atera, Blanca, Uchu, etc.

[scamhi]

Reservation booked for kaiseki! Looking forward to it. Leaning towards drink pairings, perhaps with a side bottle of Champagne on hand to supplement.

The drink pairing for our tasting was a really refreshing cocktail with sparkling Riesling to start (all diners received that), then it was a Leflaive white burg (for 2 courses), a delicious sake, a vintage champagne, a muscadet, a red burg (for 2 courses) and then 2 cocktails to close things out. The wine pours were a little light but the servers were willing to pour some more if you were still finishing the course and your glass was empty.

A side bottle of champagne wouldn’t be terrible.

the Leflaive was a Macon. YMMV.
Not sure what the red burg was. We BYO'd a grand cru red burg and a nice champagne. it was plenty for the 2 of us. They do give everyone a welcome tiny cocktail and another to close.

[G. Keeler]

Just got back from a quick work trip. Late dinner at Maialino the first night which was solid. Agnolotti Dal Plin to start was on point and grilled pork shoulder with kohlrabi and faro was nice. 2011 Producttori Montefico was a nice pairing all around.

Next night we had an early business dinner at Delmonico Kitchen before going to the Knicks game. Steak was cooked perfectly but way under seasoned. Room very loud and cramped but they did a good job of getting us out before the game started. Just another steakhouse.

Had some early morning meetings in downtown on the last day so we had the driver swing us by Katz on the way to the airport. It has been probably 10 years since I was last there but was glad to see the pastrami is still very good. I would put it behind Langers but that is splitting hairs.

[P. ONeill]

Went to Cagen last night for the first time and loved it. Terrific food and absolutely lovely people. Brought a bottle of 96 Salon which was in great form. I wouldn't have found it without reading this thread so thanks to all for the tips.

[MBerto]

Need a reco for an after theater spot near Union Square. Looking at Casa Mono, Nix, maybe Aldea? Did Grammercy Tavern earlier this year.

[CliftonD]

Need a reco for an after theater spot near Union Square. Looking at Casa Mono, Nix, maybe Aldea? Did Grammercy Tavern earlier this year.

All solid options. Other popular restaurants in that area lately have been Cote, Nur, ABCV, Le Coq Rico, Cosme, and Union Square Cafe. And there's always Corkbuzz.

[Ramon C]

A couple of notable local dining over the last month:

Cote Korean Steakhouse - what am I missing here?
https://www.cotenyc.com/

Tramonti Pizza - had just become my current favorite Manhattan pizza/pasta joint.
https://www.tramontipizzanyc.com/

[A Rubin Stein]

Cote Korean Steakhouse - what am I missing here?
https://www.cotenyc.com/

I dined at Cote last week. The room was very loud, the walls cold and grey and the lighting was bright and stark. It's a place to go with a group, more casual than traditionally what one thinks of when one thinks of a Michelin star. That aside, it is fun and festive, the food is good, the cuts of meat very good, and the wine list and wine service are solid. The price point is also reasonable.

[P. ONeill]

Need a reco for an after theater spot near Union Square. Looking at Casa Mono, Nix, maybe Aldea? Did Grammercy Tavern earlier this year.

Shuko if you're into sushi.

[Faryan Amir-Ghassem¡]

Dinner last night at ATLA was good, and it struck me as a Mexican street food modernized. The Arctic Char dish was very good and so was the Guacamole dish. Sleek setting, with many seemingly model-wannabes' that's common in the East Village whenever darkness comes

Very limited wine list, but the Mezcal and other Mex-based cocktails list was very, very robust. I stuck with the Tecate beer and they worked well with the very flavorful and bold-tasting dishes we had. i was told $35 per bottle corkage, in case you dare to bring your own.

http://atlanyc.com/

Went to Atla Sunday night. Hipsters rejoice! Cool ambiance, more like a coffee shop vibe, with some west coast twist. Really exciting flavors but usurious prices (I think they've ratcheted up the menu since they opened) for the generally small portions. I really was hoping to love it, and there were things to love (the veggie medley had some spectuacular flavor, king prawns were perfectly cooked, cocktails were interesting but not super complex), but yeesh, I felt like I had to eat after leaving and spending coin.

[Jonathan Kalman]

Can anyone help with a reccomendation for a restaurant in the (more or less) vicinity of Madison Square Garden?
Thank you.

[Victor Hong]

Can anyone help with a reccomendation for a restaurant in the (more or less) vicinity of Madison Square Garden?
Thank you.

Wonjo in Koreatown.
Keen's Chophouse, on West 35th.
Cafe China, on 37th between Fifth and Madison.

[Michael Sopher]

Can anyone help with a reccomendation for a restaurant in the (more or less) vicinity of Madison Square Garden?
Thank you.

MSG area is notoriously bad... but in reality you're not far from the NOMAD area which does have good stuff and you're a 10 - 15 min walk from MSG... (indeed anything near a 2/3 subway stop is in the vicinity of MSG) What sort of food and what sort of $$ are you looking for?

[Ethan Abraham]

Uchu (kaiseki) is just awesome. Great vibe, love the room, service is excellent, and the food is, of course, great. Really hard to find a single aspect of the meal I didn't enjoy. Corkage is pricey but wine service was excellent. If you are feeling baller, the top end of the list has some interesting values (DRC at current auction price, service included!) and the somm said they have some stuff not printed as well. We brought a meursault that went well with the whole meal, except one course that had a curry/katsu type of sauce.

The only thing I don't really get is the "whisky bar" aspect. They look nice, and from what I can tell it's an impressive list, but I'm not sure when you'd actually want to drink them (esp at the first seating). I wonder if they open it up at some point as a bar after the second seating? of course this didn't at all detract from the experience.

[mark rudner]

Can anyone help with a reccomendation for a restaurant in the (more or less) vicinity of Madison Square Garden?
Thank you.

both marta and the breslin are an easy walk
i'm a big fan of both

[Rich Salsano]

Uchu (kaiseki) is just awesome. Great vibe, love the room, service is excellent, and the food is, of course, great. Really hard to find a single aspect of the meal I didn't enjoy. Corkage is pricey but wine service was excellent. If you are feeling baller, the top end of the list has some interesting values (DRC at current auction price, service included!) and the somm said they have some stuff not printed as well. We brought a meursault that went well with the whole meal, except one course that had a curry/katsu type of sauce.

The only thing I don't really get is the "whisky bar" aspect. They look nice, and from what I can tell it's an impressive list, but I'm not sure when you'd actually want to drink them (esp at the first seating). I wonder if they open it up at some point as a bar after the second seating? of course this didn't at all detract from the experience.

Glad you enjoyed it! I sort of agree with the whiskey aspect but did wrap things up with a nice pour of Hibiki 18 year when I went. It’s a nice mellow way to cap off an otherwise fantastic dining experience. And they have selections there I have never seen anywhere else before. And yes, they look pretty too.......

[scott c]

Uchu (kaiseki) is just awesome. Great vibe, love the room, service is excellent, and the food is, of course, great. Really hard to find a single aspect of the meal I didn't enjoy. Corkage is pricey but wine service was excellent. If you are feeling baller, the top end of the list has some interesting values (DRC at current auction price, service included!) and the somm said they have some stuff not printed as well. We brought a meursault that went well with the whole meal, except one course that had a curry/katsu type of sauce.

The only thing I don't really get is the "whisky bar" aspect. They look nice, and from what I can tell it's an impressive list, but I'm not sure when you'd actually want to drink them (esp at the first seating). I wonder if they open it up at some point as a bar after the second seating? of course this didn't at all detract from the experience.

I went last weekend and also loved the food, room, vibe (awesome soundtrack!), etc. We intended to BYOB (see "side bottle" comments above) but forgot our wine at home, so we went with the pairings, which were quite good. They matched well with the food, were high quality, and fun. All in all, it was a great night. And the Japanese bar down the block was a solid recommendation for an after-dinner drink as well!

[Jonathan Kalman]

Can anyone help with a reccomendation for a restaurant in the (more or less) vicinity of Madison Square Garden?
Thank you.

MSG area is notoriously bad... but in reality you're not far from the NOMAD area which does have good stuff and you're a 10 - 15 min walk from MSG... (indeed anything near a 2/3 subway stop is in the vicinity of MSG) What sort of food and what sort of $$ are you looking for?

Thanks for the various recommendations. Happy to spend up to $100 per person (Already have Marea and Le Bernadin booked for the more serious stuff) and thinking Italian, French or US such as Union Square Cafe etc. I have one vegetarian and one person who's dietary restrictions cant be easily dealt with in a Chines or Korean restaurant.

[Ramon C]

Can anyone help with a reccomendation for a restaurant in the (more or less) vicinity of Madison Square Garden?
Thank you.

MSG area is notoriously bad... but in reality you're not far from the NOMAD area which does have good stuff and you're a 10 - 15 min walk from MSG... (indeed anything near a 2/3 subway stop is in the vicinity of MSG) What sort of food and what sort of $$ are you looking for?

Thanks for the various recommendations. Happy to spend up to $100 per person (Already have Marea and Le Bernadin booked for the more serious stuff) and thinking Italian, French or US such as Union Square Cafe etc. I have one vegetarian and one person who's dietary restrictions cant be easily dealt with in a Chines or Korean restaurant.

Nomad is only 10 minutes walk away from MSG.

Marta for good pizza and other oven-roasted items is only about 15 minutes away.

[Michael Sopher]

Can anyone help with a reccomendation for a restaurant in the (more or less) vicinity of Madison Square Garden?
Thank you.

MSG area is notoriously bad... but in reality you're not far from the NOMAD area which does have good stuff and you're a 10 - 15 min walk from MSG... (indeed anything near a 2/3 subway stop is in the vicinity of MSG) What sort of food and what sort of $$ are you looking for?

Thanks for the various recommendations. Happy to spend up to $100 per person (Already have Marea and Le Bernadin booked for the more serious stuff) and thinking Italian, French or US such as Union Square Cafe etc. I have one vegetarian and one person who's dietary restrictions cant be easily dealt with in a Chines or Korean restaurant.

As others have suggested
def +1 on Marta and The Breslin. Also like Union Sq Cafe and The Nomad but $100 might be tight at those if you have anything to drink. The Cafe Room at Gramercy Tavern could work though.

Also L&W Oyster Bar (28th and 5th)
Hill Country BBQ (26th Bdway-6th)
Eataly and all its options is at 24th and 5th
and if you want to see Victor hard at work slinging noodles... Wagamama at 26th and 5th (actually don't go there it sucks and there are way better options for noodles in NY)