We’ve got theater tix and need someplace good (but not necessarily expensive or lux) for dinner. That means open early enough to get a bite before the 7:00 show. Ideas?
Nougatine or Bar Boulud both fit the bill.
Becco is the best QPR for quick pre theater dinner. Lidia Bastanich’s cheap eats place.
Db bistro moderne is good and does very efficient pretheater. Molyvos was excellent pretheater the last time we were there. If you are looking for a time trip la grenouille is a classic that maintains traditions that disappeared 40 years ago.
Marea is a little far but very good
Most plays don’t start at 7.
Bello on 9th Ave and 56th street. It’s an old fashion, a little upscale, old time service, good, traditional food type of place. Wine list with maybe a couple of dozen selections. Nothing fancy. You could say Bello has lots of patrons wearing green jackets and check pants. Make fun of this suggestion all you want, but it’s the only place in New York City where I’ll order spaghetti. They have an off the menu stuffed veal chop that’s to die for.
Esca is prett good at 49th and 8th IIRC, Batali/Bastianich seafood focus menu… Kingside up near Carnegie hall I hear is good, more small plates focused… Also second the Becco rec.
This made me laugh a bit. We order takeout here all the time, it’s solid. When you order takeout they actually send a bottle of wine for free, though it’s a re-corked bottle presumably filled with something from a jug or box. Never actually tried it. If you go, make a reservation through savored.com and you can get 20% off or so.
The Modern bar room is another good option and opens at 5 and is quick. I also love Danji (modern small plates Korean-ish) on 52nd, though it’s walk-in only and opens at 5:30, so show up a little early so are sure to get a table - it fills up quickly for the first round of pre-theater.
There is a new place called Gotham West Market on 11th and 44th that has a lot of good eating options (including Ivan Ramen). Open all day, quick, and very casual (counters or communal seating).
This is all very helpful. We have 7:00 tix for Mormon one night and 8:00 for Neil Young at Carnegie the next, so we will likely end up using 2 of these. Thanks all.
The one place that comes to mind is the antipasto bar at Trattoria dell’ Arte. Thin crusted pizza and an assortment of vegetables (delicious cauliflower steak) make for a nice light meal before an early show.
Added bonus of it being across the street from Carnegie Hall.
Diane, I am sure my wife can wrap her mind around the phrase “delicious cauliflower steak,” but I am struggling. Maybe I’ll go get a pastrami at the Carnegie Deli and meet her in the theater. 
They (almost) all start at 7:00 on Tuesdays.
Esca if you like fish (no BYO, very nice list).
Becco is good, and allows BYO (not as good as Esca, but much better than I expected and great QPR)
+1 I go here on almost every trip. Their antipasto bar is to die for – i’m partial to the zucchini parmesan… but they have plenty of pasta, fish and meat entrees, too. You can’t go wrong!
Closer to Carnegie, you also have Benoit (casual French Alain Ducasse place), Betony (modern, ex-eleven madison chefs, very good), Molyvos (Greek), and Marea (Italian 2* michelin).
Just get the pizza!
Mr. Mollen: for the sake of your marriage, I would highly discourage that move!
I am not up on my NYC geography (I still don’t know what B’WY in your thread title means), but Suzanne mentioned Nougatine in the Trump. If that is geographically desirable, I like sitting at the bar here, a lot. I like to eat 2 orders of their scallop sashimi and have with a glass of champagne. I way prefer it to Bar Boulud, which is fine for a snack or lunch, but lacks…um… sex appeal.
a subject on which I need a resident expert
If you mean marriage, both my marriages came with a resident expert. And it wasn’t me.
I’d recommend Il Corso, esp. the grilled octopus, which actually goes well with Nebbiolo. A couple of blocks from Carnegie Hall.
I would put Marea on top of the other two I recommended except that it’s not in the Theater district.
It’s perfect for Carnegie Hall. For Book of Mormon, it’s 10 blocks (a couple blocks closer than Nougatine), but since the theater is on 49th st., Esca is just about as far.
“At times there was a rustling quiet while Mr. Young fiddled with his harmonicas; these moments were often punctuated by hollered exhortations or song requests. (“You guys finished?” Mr. Young groused at one point, shooting a look toward the balcony. “No, you paid real good money to get in here, so you should be able to listen to each other.”)” from the NY Times.
Let us know how it goes, Neal.