Please read the rules before commenting. Also, any type of "looking for a reservation" request is NOT ALLOWED.

I like to think of it like the perfect hotel bar. The service is immaculate, the menu does just enough, the food is always great and it's reliably consistent - and I can saunter in wearing jeans and a t-shirt and sit at the bar any time I want.

Is it the most inventive place on the planet? Is it the best food I have ever had? Is it the prettiest space with the most immaculate vibes? No, not really. But I know when I walk in I am about to have a 9/10 lunch every single time.

Side note - when I went yesterday a woman sat next to me and asked the bartender, "Any chance I can be in and out in 15 minutes? I want a manhattan and a salad" The salad came out faster than the cocktail. Love that kinda shit.

Recently went to Sam’s on Court Street and was pleasantly surprised to see that, overall, the interior really hasn’t been touched. I think they added a small half-wall that creates a few more tables and separates the bar a bit, but otherwise it’s remarkably intact. Honestly, I’ve never seen the interior looking so good. It was nice to see the place with some life back in it.
I also noticed they kept the same cheap red wine and the same glasses, although they’ve stopped pouring the wine all the way to the rim the way Lou used to.
We started with the Caesar salad. I actually enjoyed the croutons, but they clearly phoned in the dressing. It was very mayo-heavy, and I honestly couldn’t imagine them not using a bottled Caesar dressing.
Next was the cacio e pepe, mostly because my date wanted it. I don’t remember this ever being a dish there. It was a tiny portion and pretty forgettable—too thick, muted in flavor, with the pepper doing almost all the work.
But the most upsetting, and honestly unforgivable, thing was the chicken parm.
It was clearly a Sysco-type product. I’m a chef and I’ve worked in both fancy places and cheap places—I know processed chicken when I see it. The chicken was thin, hard and gummy. It looked beautiful: perfectly melted cheese, nice red sauce, everything presented the way it should be. And the sauce and cheese actually tasted like what I remember.
But the chicken itself was awful. It had the texture of a cafeteria chicken finger. We literally each took a bite of the hard chicken and just ate the cheese off.

That said, the room has never looked better, and it was genuinely nice to see some life brought back into the place. The sauce and cheese on the chicken parm were good enough that I’m curious whether the pizza is still on point.
Has anyone else been recently? I’d be interested to hear what other people have experienced there???

https://maps.app.goo.gl/3K6ayEW7NhjQozL29?g_st=ic

I am putting together a pomegranate-themed food tour around NYC and could use some recommendations! I am looking for sweet or savory dishes that feature pomegranate, especially seasonal specials while the fruit is at its peak.

Any favorite bakeries, restaurants, or specific dishes worth checking out? Looking primarily in Manhattan.

I been looking and nothing comes out😭😭😭

I was in the Upper West Side yesterday and happened to pass by the location of the recently closed Blank Street location on 86th street and Broadway. Support your local coffee shop and not PE slop. Fuck Blank Street

Do you remember the cake icing of the 70’s and 80’s? The one that is made from high ratio shortening and NOT butter? It would crust on the outside but was light and fluffy underneath. Anyone know if there are bakeries in NYC that still use that icing?

Edit- I know it’s hard to tell from a picture but it looks like this. The outside gets crusty (like if you touch it, it doesn’t transfer to your finger) but it’s soft and fluffy under that crust. This particular picture is from cake I got at Giusepinna’s in South Windsor, CT.

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My job schedule has me work weekends but weekends are also when I like to explore new restaurants in the city since it’s my cheat day.

After my shifts as a waiter, I usually just wanna sit down somewhere nice by myself and have a good meal, it’s a bonus if they’re open late just in case. I know that’s not that descriptive but I always love trying new things

They haven’t ever said no, but they’ve also led me on twice with no reply in person and by email.

A friend's birthday is coming up and instead of a meal they typically like to get a giant spread of desserts (pastries, cakes, cookies, chocolates, etc.) to share. However recently they've been looking for something a little more out there than the standard cheesecake, chocolate chip cookie, chocolate cake, etc. and I'm hoping to surprise them with something new.

Recent hits have included:

- Lysee's signature cake and the corn pastry

- Kora FFG cookies

- Supermoon doughnuts (especially passionfruit)

- Stick with Me truffles (key lime pie in particular)

- Lady M pandan panna cotta

- Grace St ho-dduk and Basque cheesecake

They tend to like things that aren't "too sweet" but I've certainly seen them scarf down sugar covered monstrosities so that's not a real limitation. Any suggestions? Manhattan preferred for easy access but willing to travel for something fun.

When I have a life milestone, I often like to take myself out to a really special solo dinner, by which I mean a memorable dining experience with really warm and kind service. I'm fortunately looking forward to having something to celebrate soon, and multiple people have recommended Eulalie to me as having the kind of homey, personalized service I really like. But after searching this sub and online reviews for people talking about solo experiences with Eulalie, and I found that (a) there aren't a ton of accounts of Eulalie in this subreddit in general, which makes sense because it's small, opened just a few years ago, and maintains a low profile online, and (b) I basically couldn't find any info about people's experiences solo dining there.

So, I'm curious if anyone has dined there solo, or is familiar enough with the restaurant to have an idea whether it would be a good way to get the full Eulalie experience.

From what little information there is about Eulalie online, I've observed a few things. What differs it from places whose service really caters to solo diners is that there's no bar seating, and it generally seems to have a somewhat older/old-school crowd. I also know it has a no-phones policy, though I like that — I enjoy solo dining with a notebook.

On the other hand, I've heard that it's a really friendly place where the owners and staff create an experience that's genuinely quite social with the guests, though I don't know how dependent this is on groups/regulars etc.

I guess the reason I ask is that I've had the experience of eating at some old-school, upscale, table-only (no bar/counter) places where I felt, as a young man (early 30s, baby face) solo diner, I stuck out a bit and the staff was less sure what to "do" with me compared to how they interacted with groups and regulars. I know that dinner at Eulalie is a long dining experience, so I don't want to end up putting myself in an awkward situation.

I am a rather low-maintenance solo diner, but I love places that just kind of pull you into their scene, even solo.

So yeah! I hope this question isn't too precious/overthinking. I just like to go all out on special occasion solo dining so I try my best to do my research. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Anyone know any good takeout places near this area? Have to run to this target to grab something quick figured id see if there were any lunch spots on the way. Also im taking the j there so anything around that target to the fulton street stop is fine. Also looking more for takeout than sit down since I have to make it to the east village to get to work after

Reviews mention omakase. But the menu just calls them “Sendo Sets”. Are these sets served one piece at a time like omakase or served all at once? I know it’s kind of silly, but wanted to introduce a couple friends to a omakase type experience for cheap.

I work in the industry and we normally close a restaurant and have it there, but the team is craving something a bit more upscale! Company full of chefs so don’t want to spend the $$ to host elsewhere unless it’s really a special experience (dark/vibey atmosphere w above average food / drinks)

Location can be anywhere in manhattan, 60 ppl ish. Never planned something like this before so grateful for any lived experiences to share

I never used to be a fan of Massaman curry but someone took me to this place in Thailand that supposedly had the best one. They weren’t lying. One bite of this silky, thick, luscious curry…my eyes rolled back and I melted into my chair. During my years in Thailand, I went back to this place at least once a week.

I still dream of that curry and I can’t find anything close to that in NYC yet. While I’ve found ones where the flavor is on point, the liquid is too watery and the potatoes are often too hard. I know many people recommend the short rib Massaman at a few higher-end Thai restaurants, but I find that type of meat too rich for a Massaman curry.

Pictured is the one I had in Thailand as a roadside restaurant called Sangsom on Koh Phangan Island. Those crunchy onions on top were everything!

Admittedly I got takeout, but got the Phat See Ew, freaking amazing and step up from normal Pad See Ew...what I liked most was that they don't try to be overly flashy or different, just the normal thai dishes with a step up in quality overall...highly recommend if you keep hearing about this place, but unsure...it's worth...not sure if you'll get a seat , but takeout was 10 min on a saturday night...

Help!! I was severely addicted to those scones, specially with cream and jam, during my visit there and now that I’m back I’m craving it even more!!

Manhattan location if possible. & I do know about Mary O’s but I’m planning on maybe going tomorrow and Tuesday but unfortunately they’re close.

Thank you in advance!!

I can't get a reservation for it and since there are sooo many sushi places in NYC, what would you say is the absolute best (besides Sho)? Ideally one where reservations are possible in the next 2 weeks.

Does anyone feel the same way? I've been going to their East Village location since the late 90s and until recently their pierogi and borscht hit the spot. Every single time. I moved to LA a couple years ago but continued to order from them and make the trek every time I was back in the city. But then the last two times I've gone the food was... bad. I thought the first time was just a one-off? But I was there a couple weeks ago and the pierogi tasted undercooked and half of it had no taste. It was really disappointing. Does anyone know if something has changed with the expansion? It's a real bummer.

Hi I’m in NYC until tomorrow night and want to get a dot cake to bring back for my girlfriend. She is obsessed with birthday cake and sprinkles. Loves cakes pops. I wanted to get her a dot cake from the viral place on TikTok, however, they’re closed today and tomorrow. Does anyone have any suggestions for the best places in NYC for someone with the sweet tooth of a unicorn??

Appreciate any help in advance!

Link to venue: https://www.masjidalhikmahnewyork.org/ . They are going to be at the St. James Church as well as in Far Rockaway in November/this was the last outdoor event of the year at this church, as it's getting cold. Note that the vendors change per group. Thanks to Eating in Translation for the heads-up.

Alt link to food bazaar: https://www.instagram.com/nyindonesianfoodbazaar/?hl=en

List of dishes/descriptions-

1- Gado Gado: Mixed vegetables, tofu, and bean sprouts with peanut sauce and kerupuk/crackers. $16. Excellent

2/9- Two types of satay/sate. Beef/sapi and chicken/ayam. $3 each. Beef was outstanding. Chicken was good. Both served with peanut sauce, fried shallots, and chili sauce (see other photo)

3- Nasi Padang/Mixed plate: Beef rendang, gulai nangka/cabbage with jackfruit (over rice), telur balado (egg with chili), sambal ijo/green chili. $20. I prefer rendang in other spots, but tasty

4/10- Biji Salak/Bubur Candil: Sweet potato, glutinous rice balls, palm sugar, and coconut milk. $7. Very tasty/not too sweet

5- Sambal Goreng Teri Tempe: Tempeh, anchovies, and peanuts, tossed in sweet chili. $14. Nice to eat with other dishes/as a topping

6- Various fried/baked things: $2-$5 per thing, all served with sambal. Kuih, curry puff, fish cake, and others

7/8- Various photos from the venue

I've tried The Kati Roll Company and it was pretty awful. There was a place near Columbus circle called Deep Indian Kitchen that was pretty good and closed down. All the Indian restaurants I've checked don't serve them.