There are over 20,000 restaurants in New York City. I have visited a handful of them and let me tell you, there is magic at all budget levels in this beautiful culinary mecca. If you have $2.00 or $200.00, you can get it done here. I’ve been to New York almost a dozen times. Each time I venture out into a new neighbourhood, but there are certain staples that I hit each and every time I’m there. They never disappoint, they have a magic of their own, and it is the type of food that make everything slow down in a city that never sleeps. Here are some of my favorites:
Best hotdog: Hands down: Gray’s Papaya (not to be confused with Papaya King).
It was the first place I ever ate when first visiting the city. I asked for a ‘deuce and a juice’, which was two hot dogs, a papaya juice for $3 bucks. It was the one on Broadway (2090 Broadway, at 72nd St.) and I have never been there and not seen a line up. They grill the hot dogs, serve it with a onion relish, and your favorite condiment. This is a meal good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or all of the above. Other locations on 8th ave (539 Eighth Ave., at 37th St.) if you are shopping at Macy’s and 6th ave (402 Sixth Ave., at 8th St.) which is right near my literary agent’s office.
Best ‘stick to your guts‘ restaurant: Brasserie Les Halles (http://www.leshalles.net/ny_park.php)
Made famous by author, bad ass, and television aficionado, Anthony Bourdain, Les Halles is the closest thing to a french bistro you’ll find outside of Paris. I’ve only been to the one on Park (411 Park Ave. South nr. 29th St.) but am always satisfied with what I get here. I have lunch here with my publisher, entertain clients, or go for a solo meal of Steak Frites. The French Onion soup, as you might imagine, is out of this world!. Check out their different menus on their website. You will not be disappointed.
Best Bagels: H & H (http://www.hhbagels.net/)
If you are in New York, you have to eat Bagels for breakfast. I don’t care if you are on some type of Atkins bullshit diet. EAT A BAGEL WITH CREAM CHEESE AND SMOKED SALMON! (sorry, got a little passionate there.) I like to visit the MET when I’m in town and taking the subway up to the upper west side, you can grab a bagel, walk through the park, and find yourself at the MET. Walk through the park burns off the bagel, and you are good to go. Plus the food at the MET sucks, so eat before going in. It’s just above 80th on Broadway (2239 Broadway). Take the #1 Subway up and get off at 79th. You’ll thank me for this little nugget.
Best place to get picnic snacks for the park: Zabars (http://www.zabars.com/)
The only thing I don’t like about Paris is the stinky-ass cheese shops. I am a cheese Mormon. I like my cheese missionary style. Mess with it too much and I get a headache if you know what I mean. I don’t like blue cheese. My cohort Paul, on the other hand, is a cheese Jedi. This dude can taste a cheese that smells like it aged in a dumpster of baby nappies, and with a smile on his face, start listing off dishes it would work with. For him, I put up this picture of the cheese counter of Zabars.
As you might have guessed, this places is the place when you are looking for great meats and cheese. What I like is that it doesn’t smell like bum there. I’m sure they have all the nasty cheeses, but the great meat counter, great tables of delicious baking and hard to find ingredients, makes this a place a guy like me can spend a morning in. I’ve never been there when it isn’t packed and with all the options available to New Yorkers, you know it has to be good. I like getting a nice demi loaf of bread, a great Havarti, and some Italian salami and sitting in the park as I check my voice mails. You MUST go here when visiting NYC. It is at 2245 Broadway (neighbours with H & H) so get your bagels, get your cheese and meat, and get your ‘eat on‘.
Best way to drop $300: Gordon Ramsay at the London (http://www.gordonramsay.com/gratthelondon/)
We first ate at Ramsay’s at Claridges and it changed the way I saw dining. Having eaten all over the world, nothing, and I mean nothing, touches this restaurant. Everything was perfect and I will be blessed if my last meal on this earth is there. I should add that it is the first place I ever ordered Pork Belly and it pushed pork to the #1 spot in our house for what we prepare and eat. Mr. Ramsay, you are a pig’s best friend. Now Ramsay, as a global brand, is doing everything right. His standards are consistent, they out pace the next closest competitor, and hold true for his NYC location. Here is their latest menu. It is a hot spot to get into so make your reservations early. Let me suggest the Fois Gras (with Calvados Jelly) to start; the caramelized duck breast with pear glaze as a main, and White Chocolate ganache to finish. Two sets of these with a nice bottle of wine will set you back $300, but will change your life forever. Find them at: 151 West 54th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues) T: 212 468 8888
Best street food: Almost all of them.
I like to eat at street vendors whenever I can. I wait to see where the lunch crowd goes to make sure that the place is good on the gut. From a dirty water hot dog to a spicy gyro, you can’t go wrong spending $4 bucks for lunch. The best onces are along Avenue of Americas and down near Macy’s on 32nd street. I’m also a sucker for the honey glazed peanuts they sell on every corner. $1 a bag is a good deal and a hell of a steal for a quick, sweet, salty snack.