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New York City Restaurant and Dining Tips
Rate it! Votes (0) | Comments (0) By Cheri Sicard and Steven Shaw Posted August 6th, 2007 FabulousFoods.com Recommends: Hungry? New York City: The Lowdown on Where the Real People Eat! (Hungry? City Guides) (Hungry? City Guides), by , (2007, Hungry City Guides)	Hungry? New York City: The Lowdown on Where the Real People Eat! (Hungry? City Guides) (Hungry? City Guides)

Steven Shaw, AKA "TYhe Fat Guy," is a New York City attorney and web site creator. He is also a very prolific restaurant critic. Web surfers can find over 300 restaurants reviewed at his web site which can be found at http://www.shaw-review.com/index.html. When I asked Steven how he got started in this business he said he always loved to eat and write. For years he kept a notebook of all the great restaurants he found. He loved to share these finds so much that friends were constantly telling him he should be a restaurant reviewer. One day he finally got fed up when reading what he considered "yet another bad restaurant review" and thought "I can do this better." Shortly after, his web site was born.

I spoke to Steven recently by phone. The following contains a wealth of information for anyone living in or around New York City, or anyone planning to visit. It doesn't matter what your tastes or budget, Steven has tips to satisfy anyone's palate. All of the restaurants that Steven speaks of below, plus a whole lot more, are reviewed in detail at his site, including hours of operations and other practical details.

Cheri Sicard - What is your favorite New York City Restaurant if money is no object?
Steven Shaw - Well there are 2 restaurants I'll recommend which are a wonderful and delicious study in contrasts. Lespinasse epitomizes the classic, elegant French restaurant. Its chef, Gray Kunz, is acknowledged to be one of the fathers of the French/Asian fusion cuisine method. You can always be assured of interesting flavors when dining there and the service is a great combination of old world and modern. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Lespinasse is getting a new chef in October of 1998, but Steven is confident they will continue to maintain their excellent standards.)

The other restaurant I would recommend is Gramercy Tavern which personifies the American dining experience. Chef Tom Colicchio's cuisine is deceptively simple. He makes his food easy to appreciate, but it is just as good as any elegant restaurant in the city. Another great thing about Gramercy Tavern is their extensive wine list. It's organized by flavor rather than by region. For example there will be a section for "soft versatile reds." When you think about this, it really makes sense because the purpose of wine is to enhance food. They also have one of the best cheese trays in America. Beginners can learn a lot about cheese here as they really try to de-mystify it.

Cheri Sicard - What is the best New York City restaurant to go if you are on a serious budget?
Steven Shaw - It's not a restaurant, it's a neighborhood. In the East Village, from 14th St. to 4th St., east of 5th Avenue there are dozens of wonderful restaurants where you can get a great meal for under $10.00 and a gourmet meal, including wine for under $20.00. A good place in particular is the Yaffa Cafe, which personifies the east village attitude and social scene. It's open 24 hours a day. It's dark, hip and funky with an extremely eclectic crowd. Almost nothing on the menu is over $10.00 and it's all very good. There are a lot of healthy and vegetarian entrees as well.

Also east of 6th St. between 1st and 2nd Avenues is Little India where you'll find excellent Indian meals with equally wonderful service. Many have specials in the $7.00 range.

Cheri Sicard - What restaurant best personifies the New York City experience?
Steven Shaw - Well I would have to say that for the true New York City experience, it wouldn't be the fancy restaurants, but rather the ethnic ones. Katz's Deli on the east side is a good choice. Movie fans have seen it in the famous fake-orgasm scene in "When Harry Met Sally". It's over 100 years old, they have the best pastrami in the world and the waiters are authentically gruff. Also McHale's which is a blue collar bar and has the best burgers in the city.

Cheri Sicard - New York City is famous for it's Hot Dogs, any tips on where to get the best one?
Steven Shaw - Gray's Papaya, which isn't really a restaurant but a "stand up and eat at the counter" sort of place, has the best. It's also a great bargain. Gray's is also open 24 hours and it's a great place to people watch. About 4 AM you'll see the folks coming home from bachelor parties, at 7 Am you'll see the doctors from the nearby hospital getting off work and having a dog for breakfast.

Cheri Sicard - What about the best New York City pizza?
Steven Shaw - Classic New York Pizza is cheesy, doughy and sold by the slice, something not too common in other parts of the country. Go to Vinnie's on the Upper West Side. Not only is the pizza great but the workers there are the nicest folks in the world. They'll know your name after only 2 visits!

Cheri Sicard - What is your opinion about the classics such as the Rainbow Room and Le Cirque?
Steven Shaw - There are 2 categories of these, those that have kept up with the times and those that have not. Le Cirque 2000 is undoubtedly one of the city's best restaurants. They have kept up with the times. They also have what many consider to be the best desserts in America.

The Rainbow Room, on the other hand, is a tourist trap. The food is okay, but very over-priced and the room has not been maintained in a way that befits such a beautiful space. If you want to see the Rainbow Room, I suggest having a drink at the bar, which is one of the best in the city. That way you get to see the room, you get to watch the people dance, but you don't have to spend an exorbitant amount on an average dinner.

Cheri Sicard - Who do you think has the best service in New York City?
Steven Shaw - Currently service levels are high across the board. Danny Meyer, owner of the Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern, which we talked about earlier, has done a lot to bring this about. He spent a lot of time finding out what people really want in service. What he discovered is that people don't want to be formal. At his restaurants the waiter is not an intimidating figure, he is an advisor who can help you make the best choices. It's a great mix of the old and new schools of service.

Cheri Sicard - New York City is home to thousands and thousand of restaurants. What tips do you have for someone who is just wandering around looking for a place to eat. Are there any clues that an unknown place might indeed be a gem?
Steven Shaw - I've found many excellent restaurants this way. The first thing to look for is people. An empty restaurant in a city of 10 million people is not a good sign. Trust your senses. Does it smell good, does it look clean? Also, don't be afraid to ask someone on the street. Contrary to popular belief, people in New York are some of the friendliest in the world and everyone here is an amateur restaurant critic. They'll be happy to share their opinions. And lastly, study the menu. The food can be great, but if the menu doesn't appeal to you, what good is it?

Cheri Sicard - Do you have any other New York dining tips?
Steven Shaw - Yes. Go for lunch. The laws of supply and demand are on your side at lunch. A restaurant that has a 4 week wait for dinner reservations is often empty at lunch time. The same food often costs a lot more at dinner. Many great restaurants have a three course lunch special for $19.98. This is a tradition that was started at the 1992 Democratic Convention that was held in NYC. Then the price was $19.92, but the restaurants have kept up. In my opinion, it's the best thing the Democrats ever did for this city!

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