"MESÓN" COANE presents NEW YORK CITY meal can be thought of as a ritual and a work of art, with limits laid down, desires aroused and fulfilled, enticements, variety, patterning and plot. As in a work of art, not only the overall form, but also the details matter intensely."   - Margaret Visser in "THE RITUALS OF DINNER" Real Food, Real Drink for Real People No bluster, no pretense, no hype. MY favorites for quality of food and drink, comfort, style, specialties, wait staff, bartenders ( interesting, if not always amiable ) and clientele or absence thereof. Visiting, exploring? for a taste of new york

ON THE AFTERNOON OF 9.11.01, my wife and I came here for comfort. That night we came again, place packed, running out of food and no traffic allowed below 14th Street, couldn't get in, a place to come for relief from the horrific events of that day, a place for friends. Pure neighborhood comfort.

Vintage photographs line the walls. Blue-points like nowhere, marvelous burgers and skirt steaks, rich cassoulets, home made paté de Campagna, masterful salads, Rice pudding imported from heaven, huge portions with lots of vegies ( the way chef-owner Lloyd Feit's mother taught him ). Regulars angle for bar seats Thursday through Sunday nights when everyone there knows everyone there.

..."quintessential" French bistro, ...Village "anchor", ..."hearty meals prepered with love", ...completely "without attitude." FOOD RATING: 19

BAR SERVICE:

Cedar Tavern

University Place
East Village

Decor dominated by the towering bar from the old Susquehana Hotel, the New York terminus for the Susquehanna Railroad, dark, brown, cozy. Airs of Amsterdam. Once watering hole to the abstract expressionists, art posters and scenes from old New York decorate the walls. Still in the family. Manager Bernie greets you with a not-too-unfriendly somewhat gruff harumph, chef Anthony with a smile. Staff always cool, relaxed, accomodating, friendly. All sorts of grilled "wursts", burgers, hot open roast beef or turkey sandwiches, lots of stuff with gravy and THE BEST POTATO SALAD you will ever have. Quiet at lunch. A place for intimate conversation or reading the press. Too much NYU at night.

BAR SERVICE:

Corner Bistro

10-item menu: 4 variations on the burger, chili with the leftovers; grilled chicken breast, grilled cheese and BLT; fries.

..."killer burgers", ...longtime Village "dump", ..."paper plates", "barfly decor", "grumpy waiters".... FOOD RATING: 23

NO CC's

BAR SERVICE:

Very user friendly. Bar room noisy any time of day. Back rooms quiet and charmingly "private". Best kept secret? Happy hour at 5PM with fresh made salsa cruda and chips, little sandwiches and a hot dish buffet. Single malt whiskeys. Fish and chips on fridays. Ground beef steak with a briney glaze and mashed potatoes any day.

Circa 1890 "neighborhood pub"..."defiantly resists gentrification"...can't go wrong" with beer and burgers".... FOOD RATING: 16

BAR SERVICE:

"Once, however, Vincent wanted to make a soup. How he mixed it, I don't know;as he mixed his colours in his pictures,...we couldn't eat it."

~Paul Gauguin

Best Margaritas in town as per Top Margarita Authority, Cynthia Farris Coane. Clean Mexican (or Cal-Mex). No drippy, tomatoey sauces. Home made salsa cruda and warm chips. Varied brunch specials in addition to the standard offering of burritos (what else?), tacos, enchiladas and the like. 50's / 60's "stuff" hangs on the walls and a faux Jackson Pollock adorns the men's room.

..."scary", "larger-than-life" burritos...when cash is low; ..."no-frills" digs and "bring plenty of Tums" for the "monster" munch ahead. FOOD RATING: 17

BAR SERVICE:

Cafe

Riazor
245 West 16th Street
Chelsea
212-727-2132

Click on logo for site

Spanish jukebox.... Boisterous nights. Quiet lunches. Most legitmate Spanish outside Spain. Various paellas, breaded veal that melts in your mouth; mussles, clams, shrimp, lobsters, all in picquant, savory sauces. Caldo Gallego (Galician greens stew -- with chick peas and chorizo), callos (tripe stew) on Saturdays, cocido Madrileño (Madrid style broth with assorted meats). The list goes on.... At the bar, tapas, the Spanish way, free with your drink, include Spanish omelette, marinated octopus, chorizo canapé, olive and cheese canapé and large platters of peanuts in their shell. Then there's Spanish jukebox...and lotsa "locals".

..."friendly", divey", "side-street surprise"serves up "large portions" of "authentic". "solid Spanish fare".... FOOD RATING: 16

CC's: AMEX only

BAR SERVICE:

111 Lafayette Street
Chinatown
212-219-0212

In/out fast. Not great veriety as dumplings go but not the rushed, charged, hectic, noisy atmosphere of the larger dim-sum houses of Chinatown. Great for the money. Sit-down or take-out. The name says it all.

..."drab", "Formica"-heavy interior...low budget joint serves "excellent dumplings".... FOOD RATING: 19

NO CC's

La Taza de Oro
96 Eighth Avenue
Chelsea
212-243-9946

For typical Puerto Rican fare: Mondongo ( tripe stew ), tostones ( fried green plantain ), mofongo( fried and mashed green plantain ), goat stew, ropa vieja ("old clothes" - shredded beef ), the ever present rice and beans and the best FLAN your money can buy. All of this, if you can stand the shouted orders and the din.

..."legendary" Puerto Rican "greasy spoon"...the place to "stuff yourself" on "awsome, cheap" grub and stay for a cup of the best café con leche...; "ain't pretty" but the "natives" know "authentic" and they're all here. FOOD RATING: 19

NO CC's

Lemmongrass Grill

80 University Place
East Village
212-604-9871

Great Thai. Friendly, efficient service. Favorites: grilled beef salad, Vegie fresh roll, steamed country style dumplings, Pad Thai (stir-fried rice noodles), crispy pepper steak, sticky rice. TO DIE FOR: Crispy fried banana with honey!

...it "does the trick" for "inexpensive, tasty" grazing. FOOD RATING: 19

New Indonesia
Malaysia
18 Doyers Street
Chinatown
212-267-0088

Another underexposed Chinatown hideaway. Marvelous South-Asian cuisine at ridiculous, incomprehensibly low prices. Mostly local Asian crowd. Roti-kanai, Gado-gado, Nasi-goreng, chili crab.... large portions. Best go wih friends to enjoy the wide assortment of dishes.

NO CC's

Wing Wong

111 Lafayette Street
Chinatown
212-274-0690

In a rush? Short on cash? Wing Wong! This fast food Chinese mostly-take out just off Canal on Lafayette is the place for you. Hardly an item over $4!!! Roast meats over rice, noodles or with noodles in broth. Congee. Satisfying portions. Hardly the non- Asian face. Small sit-down dining areafor those exhausted by Canal Street shopping.

NO CC's

Petite Abeille

400 West 14th Street
Meat Packing District
212-727-1505

Belgian waffles, Belgian beers, tuna (Niçoise or sandwiches) to die for, mussels galore and Tintins, original storyboards discarded as the Tintin publishers moved headquarters in Brussels.

...tiny", "Tintin-decorated", Belgian... "inexpensive", "absurdly good", ...always "packed" and "buzzing". FOOD RATING: 19

Spice

60 University Place
(at 10th Street)
East Village
212-982-3758

Excellent "Nouvelle" Thai at great prices! Mod, noisy, young, VERY young,
multi-ethnic crowd. Over 30? Take-out.

FOOD RATING: 20

Two other locations at 198 Eighth Avenue (between 20th and 21st Streets)
and at 1411 Second Avenue (between 73rd and 74th Streets)

Tokyo LaMen

Tranquil, pleasant, accomodating, inexpensive bento boxes at lunch. Light, steamy, savory soups for a cold winter day. Fresh sushi or sashimi for a hot Summer day. NEWLY REVAMPED

Kunta

174 First Avenue
East Village
212-614-0620

Many are the discomforts, not the least of which are the masses of college students that infest the place like locusts, but, with a menu of over 50 different tapas and a wide selection of Spanish wines and beers, Xunta is by far the most legitimate tapas bar in NYC. Anyone who complains about the crowds, the noise, the rude or non-exhistent service and the physical discomfort, has never visited a tapas bar in Spain anywhere from San Sebastián to Seville at the hour of the "tapeo". I suggest you visit Xunta in the late afternoon or early evening when things are a lot less hectic and sit at the bar. It's well worth it.

...knock down "strong" sangría and "tasty" tapas at this low-budget...Spaniard; "delinquent" service and "uncomfortable" wine-cask seating.... FOOD RATING: 19

BAR SERVICE:

Annisa

13 Barrow Street
West Village
212741-6699
Annisa

Exquisite! On of the finest meals of my very well-fed life. Go for the sampler menu, designed on the spot for YOU at YOUR specifications.

The guiding principle in this serene off-white room seemsto be lightness -- and it extends to the adventurous, globally inspired dishes.... Many great restaurants in this town leave you satisfied; Annisa is one of the few that also refreshes you. FOOD RATING:

Bruxelles
118 Greenwich Ave
West Village
212-206-1830

 

Bar menu includes list of mussels to challenge its list of Belgian beers, croque madamme and croque messieur, a burger too big to eat and frites, frites, frites. Traditional, creamy Waterzooie, a must. Weekend bartender Joseph is definitely worth the visit.

A "treasure that preceded (and thankfully outlived) the Belgian food craze"..."landmark" supplies "mouthwatering mussels", "wonderfully unhealthy frites", a "mind-boggling array of brews".... FOOD RATING: 20

BAR SERVICE:

Café Opaline

@ Dahesh Museum
580 Madison Avenue (bet. 56th and 57th Sts.)
Midtown
212.521.8155

Open every day from 11am to 5pm, Café Opaline offers a wide selection of luscious seasonal entrées, salads, soups, sandwiches, daily specials, and, of course, desserts. Aficionados are delighted with our Afternoon Tea Service and Teddy Bear Tea for Children, served daily from 2:30 to 5 pm. Designed with panache by Hugh Hardy, Opaline sports a water bar, a large frieze of gilt frames, undulating onyx counters, and a view overlooking Madison Avenue and the IBM Atrium.

Café Sabarsky

@ NEUE GALERIE
Corner 86th St. & Fifth Ave.
Upper East Side
212.628.6200

Want the total "civilized" experience? Doesn't get much better than this. Sample Café Sabarsky for breakfast, 9 to 11am. Before the lively lunch crowds, chatter and lines.

Personal favorites: Breakfast basket with honey and jam, Bavarian ham and cheese plate served with , Potato "Gröstl" with bacon and scrambled eggs. Buyer beware! while breakfast items are reasonably priced, coffee (American) is $5. Still, the Sabarsky experience is DEINITELY well worth it

Café Sabarsky, which bears the name of Neue Galerie co-founder Serge Sabarsky, draws its inspiration from the classical Viennese cafés of the turn of the last century. The Café focusses on traditional Austrian dishes, especially fine patisserie such as Strudel and Linzertorte, and outfitted with period objects, fixtures and furniture. Cabaret, chamber and classical music performances are regularly featured.

The museum opens at 11am, the start of lunch.

L'Acajou

53 West 19h Street
Flatiron
212-645-1706

Click on logo for site

Affordable bar menu includes authentic mergez or steak frites. Neighborhood locals and regulars from publishing frequent at lunch.

Owner Danny Kohn is a hoot!

"Authentic French cooking" including "robust" Alsatian specialties...a "terrific wine list"; ...modestly priced" for such "rich food." FOOD RATING: 20

BAR SERVICE:

Mary's Fish Camp

64 Charles Street
West Village
646-486-2185

...camp out... for the chance to get at this "phenomenal" seafood "hut's" "overstuffed" lobster rolls and just-caught fish;...for a taste of the "coast of Maine", it's worth "tackling" the multitudes. FOOD RATING: 23

PETROSSIAN
182 West 58th Street
Columbus Circle
212-245-2214

Haute art deco setting, blinis, smoked salmon, toast tips. $20 Prix fixe lunch and holiday specials. Furs-and-glowing-jewels set. Marvelous chilled crystal flutes from which to sip Russian vodkas. Tiny gold-tipped spoons from which to nibble caviar. Assorted platters at the bar. "The (bar) is beautiful. Even the (restroom) is beautiful!" Want to impress a lover? Would be way high at the top of this list could I afford it.

..."elegant", "pricey" Franco-Russian champagne and "caviar heaven"...; besides those little black eggs and golden bubbles... produces "simply devine" cuisine that's impeccably served.... FOOD RATING: 24

BAR SERVICE:

Union Square Café

21 East 16th Street
Union Square
212-243-4020

Our favorite for celebratory occasions. New York's favorite! Reservations obligatory well in advance. Back areas tend to be loud. Entrance tables by the bar are the best for us. The perfect lunch.

...remains the place for "all-around wonderful dining experiences" that define "perfection without pretension"..."deceptively simple, exquisitely satisfying"... "always gracious pro staff that "sets the benchmark for great service", ..."classy but not stuffy setting".... FOOD RATING: 27

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"Nothing so unites us as gathering with one mind to murder someone we hate, unless it is coming together to shhare in a meal."

~Margaret Visser in "The Rituals of Dinner"