Quintessential New York Restaurant

M

Monk

#1
#1
A friend from out of town, possibly from out of the country, comes to New York for one night and says, "Take me to the quintessential New York restaurant." Where do you go? Do you choose a Peter Lugar's, or is that so passé and clichéd that it's no longer relevant. On the other hand, do you go to Daniel? Or, as good as it is, couldn't you walk into any top rated restaurant in other cities and get a similar experience? Is it uniquely "New York"? (And what is uniquely "New York" when it comes to dining these days?)

For example, I happen to like Marche a lot. However, if I were in Chicago, there are any number of restaurants that can offer a similarly upscale experience. It's a fine establishment, but not unique in the world of restaurants.
 
M

Mr. Wet Wooly

#5
#5
Monk said:
On the other hand, do you go to Daniel? Or, as good as it is, couldn't you walk into any top rated restaurant in other cities and get a similar experience? Is it uniquely "New York"?
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Yes. While you might get a similar experience to something like Le Bernardin in another city's top rated restaurant, the food at Daniel is too innovative to be considered anything but uniquely New York.

Keen's for quintessential old New York. Rao's, from what I've read but I've never been.

Katz's over Gray's Papaya.
 
M

Mr. Wet Wooly

#6
#6
Mr. Wet Wooly said:
Katz's over Gray's Papaya.
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Not a good comparison.


What I should've said is that I'd give the edge to the original Nathan's on Coney Island over Gray's anyday, for both hot dog taste and New York atmoshere. Franks, cheese fries, and lo mein sandwiches.
 
Slinky Bender

Slinky Bender

The All Powerful Moderator
#8
#8
The best thing about the original Nathan's is that they served the fries in brown paper sacks. The longer it took you to eat, the more darker brown stains you got on the paper bag.
 
Slinky Bender

Slinky Bender

The All Powerful Moderator
#9
#9
The shake and fries place on Avenue A between 7th & 8th at 3AM.

Aggie's.

21.

Wo Hop. (ick)

Shopsin's (feh)

Jahn's Ice Cream/Serendipity

Windows on the World/Rainbow Room.
 
M

Mr. Wet Wooly

#14
#14
Ozzy said:
You won't risk your life going to Grays. Can't say the same about Nathans.
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It wouldn't be quintessentially New York if you didn't risk your life. I went for the Mermaid Parade a few months ago.

Only the original Nathan's CI serves up the all-beef frank in their natural casings (No, I don't know what's "natural" about it). For some reason, the other Nathan's chains and those awful things you can buy in the supermarket don't. They can't handle the real New York.
 
S

SkellyChamp

#18
#18
justlooking said:
Risk Your Life???????? Are You Joking??????????????? I've Been To Nathan's At Like 11 At Night And Nothing Happened!
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I was going to say Nathans and the immediate surrounding area are so tame now that the ballpark is there, etc. I've been there at 11 and later too and I feel completely safe. CAuse my real name is Bad Bad Leroy Brown. Seriously, CI is not only safe but fun too. Hang out on the Boardwalk on a weekend night and watch the Russian Pussy Patrol try to navigate the boardwalk boards with 6" stiletto fuck me heels is hoot.
 
J

justlooking

#20
#20
Mr. Wet Wooly said:
Yes. While you might get a similar experience to something like Le Bernardin in another city's top rated restaurant, the food at Daniel is too innovative to be considered anything but uniquely New York.
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It's not just the food. It's the scene. It might not be a scene I particularly like, but it's uniquely New York. You'd never see a restaurant serving that kind of food to that kind of clientele with that much energy in Paris.
 
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