Al Di La
A local favourite for many years that now has the Manhattan crowd coming over to try out its exquisite fare. A trattoria by [name], look and taste, Al Di La’s wine list is thick and the food is rustic. Chef Anna Kilnger trained at Lespinasse before setting out on her own to create a menu that includes roast lamb ragu and goat cheese pasta, grape-roasted duck and fennel-grilled sardines.
($30 - $50)
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Blue Ribbon Sushi
Come early to this super-popular SoHo sushi legend or make reservations in advance. Arguably in the top three of all NYC sushi restaurants, Ribbon attracts models, scenesters, suits and artists alike. The menu can be adventurous with specials like jellyfish salad and sea urchin paté. The combination plates are usually quite good and easy to split. But, with fish this fresh, you’ll have a hard time sharing.
(over $50)
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Caliente Cab Co.
The dishes are thick with cheese and sauce at this always-popular West Village weekend party spot. Buxom waitresses occasionally don bandilleros filled with shots glasses and wander around the restaurant/bar plying them on the mostly business-suited, young clientle. The décor is unmissable, with its giant, spilling margarita perched precariously outside on the roof. The guacamole and margarita pitchers are the main draw here.
(under $30)
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Dawat
A nouveau, of sorts, Indian restaurant headed up by Madhur Jaffrey, a Bollywood actress and cookbook author. The food isn’t the only thing different about Dawat; the first thing diners notice is the lack of coloured lights and shiny surfaces that exemplify most NYC curry restaurants. Instead, an austere dining room is where dishes like coriander chutney rubbed salmon baked in banana leaves and bhel poori are served.
($30 - $50)
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El Parador Café
Margarita doesn’t have the word 'grin’ in it, but if it did El Parador would be guilty of putting it there. Aside from the jumbo drinks, this neighbourhood staple has been serving up classics like shrimp tacos with pico de gallo and chicken mole poblano since the 1950s. The fact that it’s in need of a face-lift only adds to its charm and the service is friendly, but slightly south-of-the-border speed.
($30 - $50)
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Evergreen Shanghai
Though it offers other 'Asian specialities’, like sushi, stick with the Chinese offerings for the most talented tastes. The dumplings are considered some of the best in the city and for die-hard Chinese fans you can call ahead and order the house speciality, 'Beggar’s Chicken’. Stuffed with mushrooms and cooked in rice wine for 18 hours, the chicken is the most tender meat you’ve ever put in your mouth.
(under $30)
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Gramercy Tavern
Danny Meyer’s crowning achievement in his long list of NYC restaurants, The Tavern is rustic farmhouse meets down home elegance a la American Midwest style, and the staff are attentive, professional and friendly. A 'you can’t beat the meat’ attitude prevails, and diners should go with it and try the roasted lamb with fava beans or venison in pomegranate reduction. For an elegant twist on an old American favourite, try the coffee meringue ice cream sandwich for dessert.
(over $50)
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Hasaki
A downstairs, easily missed neighbourhood sushi restaurant, Hasaki is small, intimate and located in a great neighbourhood. It pays to sit at the sushi bar and order one of the chefs a drink; he’ll pay you back with lots of creative off-the-menu sushi and sashimi tasters. Check the menu for crab-stuffed shitake mushrooms, a must-have if it’s offered. Another not-to-miss dish is the filet mignon teriyaki with sauteed onions and shitake mushrooms.
($30 - $50)
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Holy Basil
This excellent Thai restaurant is tucked away off street level and overlooks bustling Second Avenue through a big bay window. The service can be slow, but the food more than makes up for it. Green papaya salad and fresh spring rolls (not fried) serve as light starters for the mostly traditional northern Thai fare of duck curry, spicy noodles with beef and coconut chicken soup. The Thai iced tea is delicious.
(under $30)
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Jean Georges
Not many restaurants can compete with Jean Georges and his worldwide reputation grows with every taste and forkful. There is a bit of pageantry to the restaurant that is slightly farcical, but one taste of the contemporary French cuisine that focuses on light sauces packed with flavour and diners are quickly won over. If you are lucky enough to get a reservation, try the lobster tartine with pumpkin seed and fenugreek broth; your taste buds will thank you.
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