New York City
Porter House Bar and Grill
On its website, Porter House Bar and Grill claims it was voted the best steakhouse in NYC. I don’t know who was voting, but I dont think its was the best.
Everything was fine though service was a bit rushed as we had a late reservation, but I prefer a more old school traditional steakhouse like Peter Luger or Keens. This one was located in the Time Warner Center and had a more modern but hotel restaurant feel which can also be good (like Elisa in Vancouver which is a modern steakhouse done well without the hotel feel). Another steakhouse I enjoyed in NYC was The Grill which has a more glamourous feel to the dining room. That’s where I would go instead of Porter House, or the two aforementioned places.
Huso Dining
On a recent trip to NYC, I had lunch at Huso Dining which is a small restaurant inside Marky’s Madison; a store selling gourmet products like caviar. The restaurant has a Parisian decor and vibe to it. We started with some caviar with the usual accoutrements which would later create an awkward situation that I believe, should not happen at a restaurant at this level.
This was followed by oysters with caviar. The caviar did not really add anything to the oysters and I would get them without in the future. Its like 24k gold leaf on food. Looks good for the Gram but adds zero culinary value to the dish (though it adds value to your bill).
Sushi Ryusei
On a recent trip to NYC, I tried the omakase at Sushi Ryusei. Its started with an amuse.
Overall, service was good and the sushi was pretty good but not at the level of Michelin starred places I have been to in NYC. The rice was a bit under-seasoned and mushy. Its a good neighborhood option, but it would not be my first choice for sushi in NYC.
Oiji Mi
Oiji Mi is a one Michelin Starred restaurant in NYC. Korea was one of my favorite food destinations. When people ask me what my favorite country I have visited is, or which is my favorite cuisine, Korea ranks high on that list. Lets see how this place is. Here was the menu for the evening.
For my second course, I chose the the bo ssam for 2. Although the pork was cooked well and the oysters were fresh, I did not enjoy them wrapped together which was what the chef intended.
Pizza Arte
Walking around NYC on a freezing afternoon in February, and feeling hungry, I quickly looked up some pizza places near me and found Pizza Arte.
Verdict: No comparison. The sauce at Pizza Arte was off and not as flavorful as in Rome. The pasta was cooked past al dente as well. Overall, service was good and the pizza was good. Its more of a neighborhood place than a destination, and if you are in the area, I would recommend for pizza but skip the pasta.
Taco Mahal
Taco Mahal takes Indian food and puts it into a taco format with naan or roti replacing the tortilla. It has two location in NYC. I recently saw it on a TV show and decided to check it out.
While it is a cool concept, I am not sure if anything is improved or innovated by serving Indian food in this manner. I prefer the Chicken Tikka in a dish, naan on the side with some rice. The flavors are not as strong and there is a bit of a wait to get your food. For a look at how one place does amazing Indian “wraps”, check out Kati Roll in London.
Saga
Saga is a newly (less than one year at the time of writing) opened tasting menu restaurant located 63 floors above Manhattan in the financial district. Two unique and unexpected experiences will be presented to you when you dine here (as of June 2022). I won’t spoil them for you here, because I believe these are better experienced as a nice surprise.
and then your will be sent up to the 63rd floor. Upon exiting the elevator, surprise experience #1 will start. Once that is over, you will be shown to your table where the dinner will start. The dining room we sat in was amazing with views of Manhattan surrounding us from every window. The only choice you will have to make is on the main course.
Kin Ramen
Many people will tell you that Vancouver has some of the best Asian food outside of Asia, and maybe even compared to Asia. Going to a place like Kin Ramen in NYC adds credibility to this assertion. Here’s why: Kin Ramen is very highly rated; 4.7 on Google from 130 reviews. It should be mind blowing and amazing.
The noodles were cooked well but I like thicker ramen noodles to hold onto more broth. The pork had a nice charred flavor to it, but it was not soft fall apart melt-in-your-mouth. It was a bit dry. The main event, the broth, was good, but not amazing. It lacked depth and I craved more umami.
Kochi
Kochi is a Michelin starred Korean restaurant in NYC. They focus on skewered dishes (Kochi is Korean for skewer) and “… traditional Korean flavors elevated by the hand of gastronomic technique”.
We added the foie gras dumpling at the suggestion of the server; it is the chef’s specialty.
The first dish was the pine nut soup.
Overall service was pretty good though there were a few mishaps like refilling our glass with still water instead of sparkling. The food was very good and I would go back as the menu changes.
Jean-Georges
There used to be a Jean-Georges in Vancouver (JG). Eventually, it closed down. I ate there on several occasions, and while I remember it being good, a meal there never left a lasting impression on me. I have always been curious about the NYC location. It is after all, the original location, and has 2 Michelin stars. I was also yearning for a long, formal, tasting menu which I had not had since the pandemic started. Here was the menu for the evening.
Overall, the dining room is superb. It is elegant and well appointed. The service is as you would expect from a restaurant of this caliber. Each dish was well cooked and nicely presented. BUT, the dishes lacked that wow factor, just like the Vancouver location.
Kosaka
Kosaka is a Michelin starred restaurant located in NYC. They offer an omakase menu which you can supplement with additional items. We added the uni with caviar and toro with caviar.
Overall, service was good and the food was good. Everything was prepared well and it was a great dinner. Its a good choice for omakase in NYC.
Avra
Avra is a Greek restaurant with 3 locations – 2 in NYC and one in LA. I went to the one on Madison Ave for lunch. The interior is very elegant and the crowd well dressed. Just like Milos, they have fresh fish on display.
Also like Milos, they have a great deal on lunch – $31.50 for a 3 course prix fixe. I started with the daily soup which was a chicken soup. It was ok. As was the calamari.
Overall, service was pretty good, and the food was ok, but it lacked that wow factor that Milos has. Given a choice, I would go to Milos every time.
Rezdora
Rezdora is a One Michelin Star restaurant in NYC. The focus is on the cuisine of Emilia Romagna, and more specifically, pasta. The chef also worked at Osteria Francescana. We started out with something I always order when I see it on a menu – gnocco fritto. They are basically pillows of bread paired with various cured meats. Check out the video on this post to see it paired with the incredible culatello at Trattoria al Tribunale in Parma, Italy. At Rezdora, it was paired with prosciutto, mortadella and pancetta.
Gabriel Kreuther
I had dinner at Gabriel Kreuther on January 26, 2019. The restaurant has two Michelin stars. Upon walking in, the first thing I noticed was the nice bar and beautiful dining room.
We were seated in front of a large window with a front row seat to the kitchen. It was an amazing seat and I was very happy with it (the people in the photo are on the other side of the glass; I believe that is the “chef’s” table).
My first course was the hamachi, foie gras, and black truffle mille feuille. It was delicious with all the flavors working well together with the fish. Nothing over powering the other.
Atoboy
We wanted to eat at Atomix, the Korean fine dining restaurant which was awarded a Michelin star in the 2019 guide, but could not get a reservation. Therefore, we opted for our second choice, Atoboy, which is from the same chef (who used to cook at Jungsik which is also an excellent restaurant).
The night we ate there, January 27, 2019, the had a collaboration dinner with the chef from Dotz in Korea.
The meal started with an ikura and uni on egg custard bowl which was my second favorite thing of the evening.
Jewel Bako
My favorite sushi restaurant is Kabuto in Las Vegas. I have had sushi everywhere, and I have yet to find a place that I like as much…until now. Jewel Bako is a one Michelin star restaurant in New York. I have been to other places in NYC, like 15 East (good), Yasuda (highly overrated, I believe when we were there they served farmed salmon which surprised us all), Amane (good) etc, but I believe this is the best I have had in the city.
We sat at the sushi bar, and had the Sushi Omakase ($125). The bar is at the back of the restaurant after you walk through a very nice main dining room with very distinctive ceiling.
Sushi Zo Hanare *(you have to eat here)
Sushi Zo is a highly rated Sushi restaurant which originated in L.A. They opened their first location in NYC on W3rd St which was recommended to me. However, their second location on E39th St was closer to my hotel so I decided to give it a try.
All locations serve omakase only, and to say I was blown away is an understatement. The restaurant only has about 8 seats at the sushi counter. The night I went, there were only six people total.
If it was possible to score something more than perfect, this would be it. Service, food, entertainment value were all completely FLAWLESS.
Cote
Yes, really. Cote in New York City is a Michelin starred Korean BBQ restaurant, and it is fully deserved. This place is unbelievably good.
The beef is dry aged. Who does that for Korean BBQ? We had the omakase. Service was very good. Each cut was explained, and the servers basically cook the meat for you. Every single thing I ate that night was delicious. All too often, “elevated” Asian restaurants are disappointing. Why pay $30 for fancy Pho when the $5 street version is better? In this case, I believe the price is worth it. The quality of the meat is spectacular. I would return. 10/10
Ai Fiori
Eating Italian food in a restaurant is a tricky proposition.
Its easy to screw up. Its easy to be disappointed. Some places make things too complicated, or stray too far from tradition. The pasta could be overcooked. Then there are many regional differences and types.
For one of the dinners we were having on a recent trip to NYC, I wanted Italian. I wanted fine dining Italian. I do not think I have done so much research and changed my mind so many times on where to eat as I did with this meal. I did not want to be disappointed.
I eventually chose Ai Fiori which is a 1 Michelin Star restaurant by Michael White.
Cheap, fast, and delicious (various places)
The great thing about eating in New York City is the sheer number and variety of places to eat. By some estimates, there are over 25,000 restaurants in NYC. This means, you could have breakfast, lunch and dinner at a different place everyday for over 20 years!
They range from high end 3 Michelin Star places to street food. In this blog, I will list a few of the places I visited that were cheap, fast and delicious.
Bagels – Best Bagel & Coffee – I choose this place based on a combination of reviews and proximity to the hotel.
Kawi
Kawi is a new restaurant by David Chang’s ever growing Momofuku Group. It is located in Hudson Yards. I think Momofuku is brilliant because it has been able to expand quickly while maintaining consistency. Its the same reason for Mcdonald’s success, but on an elevated scale. Lets say you are in a brand new city and have not done any research on where to eat, if there is a Momofuku Group restaurant there, you can pretty much be sure its going to be delicious.
Anyway, Kawi is no exception. We had lunch there recently, and here was the menu. The focus is on Korean food.