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muscadineLesson 1: All flights in and out of New York City are late. 15 minutes late. 3 and a half hours late. Some kind of late. We and nearly everyone we talked to experienced this.
Short Restaurant Reviews (in roughly chronological order)
Frank's Restaurant and Butcher Shop in Chelsea Market - Recommended for good fish & chips, ok service, comfortable atmosphere (think business casual). The generous portion of fish was a little greasy, but the cornmeal batter and unusual flavor of the fish (trout?) easily overcame this deficiency, and it came with crisp homemade potatoes that made the plate.
Famous Original Ray's Pizza - Recommended for quick, tasty pizza with a large variety of toppings (I really liked the broccoli and chicken, and mozzarella & romano), although the service is...brusque.
Heartland Brewery - Recommended for typical Brewery/Bar & Grill fare. I had a turkey burger which was not-so-typical in taste - juicy and great seasoning. Handled a large group well.
Of course, you have to have pizza in New York:
Eatery - Highly Recommended for reasonably priced, "new American" ethnic fusion cuisine in a contemporary atmosphere. Allen had the day's quesadilla, which had a curious honey sauce over it that tasted almost like maple syrup - surprising, different, good. I had the house-made chicken and eggplant ravioli. Easily the best thing I had all trip. After seeing nearby tables order dessert, we all decided to split 3 "E-Wiches" - chocolate brownies sandwiching vanilla bean ice cream, topped with whipped cream, caramel, and chocolate sauce. Brownies were nothing to write home about, but otherwise as good as it sounds.
Empanada Mama - Highly Recommended for very budget-friendly and incredibly tasty empanadas and sundry other Latin American treats, along with a bright and cozy atmosphere and attractive service. Includes traditional styles as well as various American/ethnic twists such as "Elvis"(peanut butter and banana), "cheeseburger," pizza, and chicken teriyaki empanadas.
Famous Famiglia Pizzeria - Recommended for not quite so quick and cheap, but just as tasty pizza (though nothing special). Less pizza options but more non-pizza options. Friendlier service, and more seating too.
Majestic Deli - Highly Recommended for quick, friendly service and good desserts - I think. I believe this is where we stopped by to pick up cheesecake, cannoli, etc.
As a matter of pilgrimage, we had vendor hot dogs near the WTC around here. Not disappointed, yum!
Chinea Regency - Highly Recommended for reasonably priced, tasty Chinese food, good tea, and quick service.
Portland Square Hotel Review
The nine-story Portland Square is a fine choice if you want to stay in a hotel in the Theater District on a budget. It is located about a block away from Broadway/Times Square, and easy walking distance to Central Park, Hell's Kitchen, Rockefeller Center, Macy's, and most of the subway system (among other destinations). They can also make arrangements with a private taxi service for reasonably priced trips to the airport, etc. Right outside the door are: a beautiful old Episcopal church, a small neighborhood market with produce beverages and such, delis and pubs, and a FedEx/Kinko's which can be handy for conference/business needs. The lobby is simple but clean and comfortable (pictures on their website are accurate in this regard), and the staff are friendly and helpful. Rooms are small, and two-bed rooms only go up to a full/double. However, they were clean and reasonably up-to-date, with wireless internet available in all rooms (pictures on the website are of their most deluxe rooms, and so not reflective of what we experienced). Besides feeling a little cramped, our only issue the whole trip was a minor leak in the closet, which we did not notice until the last full day and unfortunately resulted in a few pieces of clothing getting wet.
Short Restaurant Reviews (in roughly chronological order)
Frank's Restaurant and Butcher Shop in Chelsea Market - Recommended for good fish & chips, ok service, comfortable atmosphere (think business casual). The generous portion of fish was a little greasy, but the cornmeal batter and unusual flavor of the fish (trout?) easily overcame this deficiency, and it came with crisp homemade potatoes that made the plate.
Famous Original Ray's Pizza - Recommended for quick, tasty pizza with a large variety of toppings (I really liked the broccoli and chicken, and mozzarella & romano), although the service is...brusque.
Heartland Brewery - Recommended for typical Brewery/Bar & Grill fare. I had a turkey burger which was not-so-typical in taste - juicy and great seasoning. Handled a large group well.
Of course, you have to have pizza in New York:
Eatery - Highly Recommended for reasonably priced, "new American" ethnic fusion cuisine in a contemporary atmosphere. Allen had the day's quesadilla, which had a curious honey sauce over it that tasted almost like maple syrup - surprising, different, good. I had the house-made chicken and eggplant ravioli. Easily the best thing I had all trip. After seeing nearby tables order dessert, we all decided to split 3 "E-Wiches" - chocolate brownies sandwiching vanilla bean ice cream, topped with whipped cream, caramel, and chocolate sauce. Brownies were nothing to write home about, but otherwise as good as it sounds.
Empanada Mama - Highly Recommended for very budget-friendly and incredibly tasty empanadas and sundry other Latin American treats, along with a bright and cozy atmosphere and attractive service. Includes traditional styles as well as various American/ethnic twists such as "Elvis"(peanut butter and banana), "cheeseburger," pizza, and chicken teriyaki empanadas.
Famous Famiglia Pizzeria - Recommended for not quite so quick and cheap, but just as tasty pizza (though nothing special). Less pizza options but more non-pizza options. Friendlier service, and more seating too.
Majestic Deli - Highly Recommended for quick, friendly service and good desserts - I think. I believe this is where we stopped by to pick up cheesecake, cannoli, etc.
As a matter of pilgrimage, we had vendor hot dogs near the WTC around here. Not disappointed, yum!
Chinea Regency - Highly Recommended for reasonably priced, tasty Chinese food, good tea, and quick service.
Portland Square Hotel Review
The nine-story Portland Square is a fine choice if you want to stay in a hotel in the Theater District on a budget. It is located about a block away from Broadway/Times Square, and easy walking distance to Central Park, Hell's Kitchen, Rockefeller Center, Macy's, and most of the subway system (among other destinations). They can also make arrangements with a private taxi service for reasonably priced trips to the airport, etc. Right outside the door are: a beautiful old Episcopal church, a small neighborhood market with produce beverages and such, delis and pubs, and a FedEx/Kinko's which can be handy for conference/business needs. The lobby is simple but clean and comfortable (pictures on their website are accurate in this regard), and the staff are friendly and helpful. Rooms are small, and two-bed rooms only go up to a full/double. However, they were clean and reasonably up-to-date, with wireless internet available in all rooms (pictures on the website are of their most deluxe rooms, and so not reflective of what we experienced). Besides feeling a little cramped, our only issue the whole trip was a minor leak in the closet, which we did not notice until the last full day and unfortunately resulted in a few pieces of clothing getting wet.
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Date: 2007-08-15 09:13 pm (UTC)And the only other problem with the hotel was trying to get four towels. But that wasn't a huge deal. I might have died if I had Cindy and Megan's room though.