NYC Stores, Restaurants, Exhibits

[Richard K.]

I'm going tp NYC with my son and his girlfriend for a week beginning of May. Looking for good (but not overly expensive) places to eat in Greenwich and also Upper Broadway (Columbia University) areas (and around 30th and Madison where we're staying). Also some really interesting stores? (Evolution was suggested last time I asked here and that was an excellent choice!). Also also any photo exhibits on that first week of May? Thank you very much for suggestions! Greatly appreciated. You are a very nice person. :)

[paulr]

Check out Photograph (http://www.photographmag.com/) for exhibits. There's always an endless supply. Also an endless supply of local to world-class eats. Any particular style or price range preferences?

[Richard K.]

Check out Photograph (http://www.photographmag.com/) for exhibits. There's always an endless supply. Also an endless supply of local to world-class eats. Any particular style or price range preferences?

Thanks for the link, Paul. I guess I'm looking for any exhibts (land/city scape, alternate process) that have been seen by LFF members and recommended.

We like Asian food (including Sushi)...and also need a good after theater pizza or Asian place around 45th & 7th that's actually open after theater (seems like a lot of the pizza places aren't...). Thanks!

[sully75]

B&H is kind of fun to see at least once. Kind of like FAO shwartz for photo nerds.

[John Jarosz]

You miss the Stieglitz, Strand and Steichen which just closed, which is really a shame. That show deserves more exposure than just in NYC.

But they are having a show on guitars (http://blog.metmuseum.org/guitarheroes/)

If you haven't been to B&H I agree it's worth a trip. (Closed on Sat)

[John Jarosz]

There's also THIS (http://www.30thstreetguitars.com/) place

[paulr]

Most people eat before the theater ... all the restaurants in that area expect this and they know how to get food on the table and get you out the door on time.

The best pizza and sushi (certainly the better values) will be found in other neighborhoods. If you really want great pizza I'd suggest a trip to Brooklyn (Motorino or Roberta's).

I don't have good, up to date sushi recommendations because I've been too broke to indulge in recent months. Some standard recommendations are Yassuda (excellent high end sushi), Jewel Bako (not quite as esteemed, but some of the best I've had, located downtown), and Masa (closest to your neighborhood, but probably the most expensive restaurant in the USA!). For non-sushi Japanese food, two phenomenal places are Yakitori Toto (a kind of chicken shrine), and Aburiya Kinnosuke (some of the best grilled Japanese food I've ever had). For the hippest eclectic asian food in the city, I'd urge you to go to one of the Momofuku establishments. Chef David Chang is an international rock star. For Chinese, there's serviceable food on the upper west side at Shun Lee, and passable food at Ollie's (a popular pre-theater noodle house). I'm a fan of Grand Szechuan, which has a few locations. Downtown and Chinatown are great for a more authentic chinese experience. Congee Village is wildly popular. Golden Unicorn has some of the best dim sum I've had.

And yeah, definitely go to B+H. It's like a set from Willy Wonka.

[Richard K.]

WOW! Thanks for all of this great information, Paul. I've heard good things about Sushi Azabu – 428 Greenwich St? Yeah, I'll send the kids off on their own while I tour B&H. The after theater pizza idea (Patzerias Perfect Pizza ?) was to find a place we could meet after they see Memphis (which I've seen) and I see Rain. Greatly appreciate your thoughtful and extensive reccomendations!
Oh, we ARE doing a Brooklyn Pizza Tour...

[bob carnie]

Richard

If someone try's to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge , don't fall for it , its a scam.

Bob

[Richard K.]

Too late!!! Do you want a piece, Bob? (cheap!!)

[John Jarosz]

I've never been here, but the blog seems to have interesting exhibits reviewed. The prices are usually nuts, but that prolly just me.
dlk collection (http://dlkcollection.blogspot.com/2011/04/alvin-baltrop-photographs-1965-2003.html)

[Songyun]

Yeah, I'll send the kids off on their own while I tour B&H.
I remember the scene in BH last Christmas, there were many wifes/girl friends sitting on the benches waiting, just like there were many husbands/boy friends sitting in the benches in regular shopping mall.

[cowanw]

massimo al pointe vecchio
http://www.massimonyc.com/media/massimo.html
be sure to have the lemon sorbet after.
Really really really good

[paulr]

Oh, and check out egullet.org ... the NYC forum. You'll get tips from people who are much more up to date on the food scene than I am.

[Scott Davis]

Not quite what you were looking for in cuisines, but worth checking out -

Les Sans Culottes - I think they're down to just the one location now, over on 2nd at 57th. They used to have one on Restaurant Row ( West 46th between 7th and 9th ), but it's closed. Great inexpensive country French, totally non-pretentious, decent wine at reasonable prices (as told to me by my wine store manager friend- we split a very nice Chateauneuf-du-Pape that he was happy with, and I quite enjoyed too).

Becco- an Italian restaurant over on Restaurant Row (355 W. 46th). They do a really great Prix Fixe pre-theater dinner.

Turkish Kitchen - 386 3rd Ave, Between 27th & 28th - really good Turkish cuisine, high end for Turkish, but not astronomical prices. Maybe $30/pp, a little more depending on what you order.

Havana Alma de Cuba - 94 Christopher Street, in the West Village. Neat little hole-in-the-wall Cuban restaurant, close to some of the off- and off-off-Broadway theaters.

Pastis - down in the Meatpacking District, or its sibling Balthazar in SoHo.

For some really good Italian, try Dell'Anima in the West Village (8th Avenue at Jane Street). It's tiny, so book ahead, and be prepared to sit at the counter in front of the open kitchen. Which is a lot of fun, as you get to watch the chef make your food. Just be prepared for it to be WARM.

On the high end, there's always The Modern, at the Museum of Modern Art. Outstanding food, with prices to match. They have two dining rooms, with different menus and different dress codes. The bar area is less formal and does not require suit and tie, but sport jackets and dress slacks would still be recommended.

[Scott Davis]

Oh, and over within a couple blocks of the UN, I think on 2nd Avenue, there's this Szechuan restaurant that uses the authentic Szechuan peppercorns (which you can't import into the US anymore... not sure how they're getting their supply). If you like HOT, that's the stuff... the initial flavor is astringent, almost anise-like, then .... WHAM! Where's the water?????

I'll ask my friends who took me there for the address again.

[Richard K.]

Thanks Scott!! :D

[sgreenberg]

Off topic, I suppose, but Sichuan peppercorns are importable again. Try Sichuan Gourmet on 39th Street, between 5th and 6th, for very good Sichuan food.

[Ben Calwell]

For restaurants, I second Becco -- it's great.

[Louie Powell]

There is a listing of galleries and shows (http://www.photographmag.com/) that I usually download and study before a visit to the city. You can purchase a hard copy at most galleries.

That said, our usual approach is to go to Chelsea, and simply wander from one gallery to another. Start about 21st Street between 10th and 11th Aves. You can easily kill an afternoon, and you will see some amazing stuff that will either inspire you or turn your stomach.

As for food - NYC is a great restaurant city. Some of our favorite off-the-beaten path places are:

Chelsea Diner (23rd and 10th Ave). Your typical Greek diner with a New York twist.

Spring Street Natural (Spring Street at Lafayette) - Nice place for late breakfast/lunch.

Kennedy's (57th Street between 8th and 9th) - Fabulous little Irish restaurant.

Virage (2nd Ave at 7th St) - Mediterranean cuisine.

[Tintype Bob]

Don't forget ICP, you will love it

http://www.icp.org/

[johnmsanderson]

Best pizza in NYC is http://www.artichokepizza.com/ bar none

Patzeria is pretty good

Also, NYC has the best bagels. Check out H&H midtown bagels east, 2nd between 80 + 81st

I live on 51st and 8th Avenue, stop by and say hello...

[BarryS]

A nice combination is grabbing a bowl of the delicious homemade ramen soup at Hung.Ry (55 Bond Street), and then head over to Dashwood Books, a couple doors down at 33 Bond. Dashwood is a gem of a store specializing in monographs from contemporary photographers. Both are just north of Bleecker street between Layfayete and Bowery.

[paulr]

Best pizza in NYC is http://www.artichokepizza.com/ bar none.

Uhhh ... I know it's cliché to bicker about this, but NYC is a city of serious pizza nuts who trade notes year-round, and Artichoke is not in the top 10 or top 50. I like it ... it's an innovative slice joint. But the real contenders are the neo-neapolitan wood oven places or the few remaining old school coal oven places.

Slicenyc.com has intense discussion, and the wisdom to not pick favorites.

The two best that I've had are Motorino and Roberta's (both in Brooklyn) but there a few heavy hitters, like Co. and Lucali's that I haven't tried yet.

[John NYC]

I know you said you wanted inexpensive food, but I think it is worth it if you are coming all the way here to eat somewhere truly fabulous at least once. I'd recommend Blue Hill or Per Se. You probably won't be able to get into Per Se this late.

Wandering around into the Chelsea galleries, especially those that are on the upper floors of buildings, can reveal some great photography finds.

They are currently switching out the photography exhibit at MOMA and I don't know when they will be complete, but I always love looking at their collection.

Unfortunately, you just missed AIPAD, which was an amazing amount of stuff!

[paulr]

On option for a great deal on great food is to go for lunch. Many of the top end restaurants serve lunch for much less than the price of dinner. You might get a smaller menu and one less course, but the food's just as good. Unfortunately Per Se doesn't do lunch, and Le Bernardin doesn't offer a great lunch deal. But I'd check out Jean Georges or Grammercy Tavern or Blue Hill or Craft, or some of the other destination spots.

[Oren Grad]

Belated thanks to everyone who's contributed to this thread. I was in NYC for a couple of days last weekend - took advantage of the recommendations here and had a nice lunch at Spring Street Natural and dinner at Aburiya Kinnosuke.

I was fortunate to have a good chunk of time available for museums 'n' galleries. For those interested in LF color work specifically, I want to mention one gallery show I saw that's closing at the end of this coming week - Bruce Wrighton:

http://laurencemillergallery.com/currentexhibition.html

Caveat - that URL will point to something else after May 26, but they also have an artist page here:

http://laurencemillergallery.com/artist_wrighton.html