Once upon a time going abroad meant one thing and one thing only - shopping, left, right and centre and now as I get older shopping trips are receding like my hairline and trips now mean looking up new things and trying them out, I guess as we get older a sense of urgency dawns upon us and it's 'experiences' we seek rather than 'things', and restaurants obviously are a big part of 'must try'. New York has no dearth of them and amongst the ones I've tried these are the ones that I recommend to my friends and will ofcourse be returning to them myself.
Ninja
Japanese food served in a recreated ninja village by servers dressed as ninjas...............well who would miss that, so I hop into a cab and head to this restaurant on Hudson Street, its 9 pm by the time I reach and the street and as empty as a movie set, past doors that one could very easily miss I'm standing in what looks like a cave, a woman dressed in Japanese clothes takes my name and checks for the reservation and sends me down the elevator, just as the doors are closing she says on the walkie talkie 'guest coming down' 5 seconds later the doors open and from the dark cave like setting out pops a ninja 'hooohaaa' he screams and startles me a bit, the ninja experience has started!!! The village setting is lovely with little huts in a cave like setting that guests can settle into and enjoy Japanese food and sake. The food is delicious and the service interesting. Just don't get a heart attack when you get out of the lift, the rest is all smooth sailing!!
Bloomingdales on 49th has numerous options for getting a bite while you shop, I like these two: Forty Carrots and Flip:
Lombardi's
Forty Carrots
If healthy food is your poison then this is the place to go to, especially for yoghurts their food presentation is beautiful and the food is good.
Flip
Burgers of all kinds in a refined & minimalistic setting with the most delicious cup cakes I've ever had!
Shake Shack
I am not really a 'burger' person but when everyone says must try then well ........... so I popped in and ordered the shack burger, order placed, money paid I was handed a 'remote' to blink and viberate when my order would be ready, after finding a table which can be a time consuming affair given the number of people, as soon as I settle down, 'bbbuuuzzzz' and 'flash flash' I collect my order and bite into what must be the most uncomplicated, simple to the point burger, deliciously unpretentious and doesn't try to be anything than what it is - a superb burger!!!!!
Peanut Butter & Co
People either love peanut butter or hate it and I simply love peanut butter and depending on which side of the spectrum you are on this is peanut butter heaven/hell, peanut butter sandwiches, shakes, you name it and its there! Must try the tasting platter
John's Pizza
Just off Times Square this place buzzes with people and excellent pizza's, try the half and half pizza and while you wait for your table hop across to the bar and enjoy the extensive and lovely bar menu.
Marea
Across Central Park this has to be amongst the best restaurants I have visited, the sea-food and service is excellent.
Lombardi's
Whenever someone says 'the first' and the word restaurant comes in the same sentence, how can one not go. Lombardi's in Little Italy, Manhattan is the oldest pizzeria in America, a charming but extremely extremely busy place, after all when all travel books and websites say you are amongst the best on the planet how can one simply walk in and get a table, the wait time is 30 minutes I'm told by the very pleasant lady at the door and can wait at the bar or have a walk around the block, I do both, a walk around the block and 15 minutes later am comfortably perched on a bar stool with a glass of white wine. The bartender is a nice guy who tells me spots I must not miss during my visit to nyc.
Soon my table is ready and I ask for suggestions and am told that the 'half and half' pizza would be best so that I can try two types of pizza's and for sides, coal oven roasted peppers and mozzarella alongwith bruschetta on rustic bread.
The meatball and pepperoni pizza alongwith the sides arrives and expectantly I bite into it, are all the reviews correct? Is this really as good as everyone says it is? And the answer is, yes it is! I gorge on the pizza and the sides, unable to finish but excellent nonetheless!!
After a relaxed meal I have a walk around Little Italy feeling rather Italian inside and out!!!
My food theory while traveling is rather simple, I avoid the 'big chain' eating places, once inside they are all the same, London, New York, Delhi all over the world, identical, its the small ones tucked away that are original and imaginative and I pop into these to eat and if after the first bite its not good, pay for it and leave, don't have another bite, don't use up precious stomach space save it for a better place which might be tucked across the next turn!
