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Latest on where to eat in NYC: Korean, southern Indian, Japanese and more

Esme Vos — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:19:38 +0000

Steak tartare with quail yolk, toasted pine nuts, asian pear at Danji

I have just returned from a fantastic two-week holiday in New York City where I indulged in my favorite ethnic food (Japanese, Korean, southern Indian, Italian, Vietnamese). Here’s where I ate:

(1) Sakagura: Japanese sake bar (over 100 types of sake) and restaurant that serves small plates of very creative combinations of raw fish, tofu, vegetables, roe and other ingredients. It is in the basement of an office building. There is no sign on the street. When you descend into the basement, you enter into a world that looks like Tokyo. Reservations are absolutely necessary, but if you must go without reservations, go late in the evening around 10:00 pm. It is open till the wee hours of the morning.

Sakagura
211 East 43rd Street (Basement Level)
New York, NY 10017
+1 212 953 7253

(2) Saravana Bhavan: southern Indian restaurant with affiliates all over the world including Singapore, Paris and Sunnyvale (California); known for its dosas and thalis, it is a favorite among Indian families who patiently waited outside for more than half an hour on weekends. You must order the South Indian thali. This is nothing like the food most people think of as “Indian food”.

Saravana Bhavan
81 Lexington Ave
(between 26th St & 27th St)
New York, NY 10016

(3) Danji: tiny 36-seat restaurant which calls itself a “Korean tapas joint” whose chef “fuses French techniques with Korean cuisine”. They serve dishes like poached sablefish with spicy daikon; braised pork, scallion, dehydrated daikon kimchi cabbage wrap; spicy yellowtail sashimi; kimchi bacon chorizo ‘paella’. They take reservations only for groups of 6 or more. Otherwise, you have to wait (long) but it you arrive very early or very late, you can find a table. Oh and they got a Michelin star a few weeks ago.

Danji
346 W 52 st
New York, NY 10019
+1 212 586 2880

(4) Nha Trang: inexpensive Vietnamese restaurant (dishes for $6) very close to NYC courts and city hall. Delicious cheap pho and other Vietnamese dishes.

Nha Trang
87 Baxter St, New York 10013
(Btwn Bayard & Walker St)

(5) Frankie’s: tiny restaurant in Lower East Side that serves amazing Italian food, mostly small plates meant to be shared with your dining companions. The all-Italian wine list is excellent and offers wines that are good and reasonably priced. My favorites are: Sicilian White Anchovy on crostini, Cremini Mushroom & Truffle Oil on crostini, house-made pappardelle with lamb ragu and tarragon, farro with parmigiana. Make sure you get for dessert the plums stewed in wine and served with mascarpone. They don’t take reservations and it is a small place so go late or early. I’ve been to Frankie’s on previous trips to New York and they have not changed. Just as good as before.

Frankie’s 17
17 Clinton St
New York, NY 10002
+1 212 253 2303

(6) Gari: one of the best places in New York City for sushi. If you feel like splurging, get the omakase, which means let the chef choose. Reservations required.

Gari
370 Columbus Ave., New York, NY 10024
nr. 77th St.
+1 212 362 4816

(7) Gazala’s Place: Israeli Druze cuisine on the upper West Side on Columbus Street in front of the Museum of Natural History. Get the mezze plate to sample as many Israeli dishes. I love the babaganoush and tabouleh, but the kebabs are also excellent. This is my second time at Gazala’s. I went a few months ago and the quality has remained as excellent as before.

Galaza’s
380 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024-5104
+1 212 873 8880

(8) Piccola Cucina: down to earth Sardinian food served in this tiny gem of a restaurant on Prince Street in Soho. Go for lunch to take advantage of their special prices: $10 for any main course or appetizer. My favorite is the pasta with sardines. I advise getting a starter and main course because the food is just so good. I ate at Piccola Cucina months ago and it’s still as good as it was. Best to reserve for lunch or dinner.

Piccola Cucina
184 Prince Street
New York, NY 10012
+1 212 625 3200

(9) Boulud Sud: On this trip, I ate at one of Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, the recently opened Boulud Sud, which features Mediterranean food. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with lots of light streaming through tall floor-to-ceiling windows, very comfortable chairs and tables that are not too close to one another. If you are going to a concert in Lincoln Center or simply find yourself in the area, make sure you check out Boulud Sud. Reservations recommended.

Boulud Sud
20 West 64th Street (between Broadway and Central Park West)
New York, NY 10023
+1 212 595 1313

(10) Hangawi: I’m not vegetarian but I love vegetable dishes that are piquant and flavourful. That is why I love Saravana Bhavan, the south Indian restaurant listed above, and I always return to Hangawi, an atmospheric Korean vegetarian restaurant in New York City’s Koreantown. When you enter the restaurant, you take off your shoes, then you sit at a sunken table with your friends. You don’t sit cross-legged, which would be uncomfortable for most Westerners. They have a $45 prix fixe tasting menu, as well as a gluten-free menu. Reservations are necessary.

Hangawi
12 E. 32nd Street (between 5th and Madison Avenues)
New York, New York 10016
+1 212 213 0077

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See Mapplr’s recommended hotels and restaurants in New York City.

Aloft’s stylish high tech hotel concept comes to New York City

Esme Vos — Mon, 02 May 2011 23:43:20 +0000

If you like the high style, high tech Aloft hotel in Brussels, you will love Aloft’s latest outpost, this time in New York City’s Harlem district (Aloft Harlem). The hotel is close to the legendary Apollo Theater, Columbia University and the 125th Street subway station. Aloft is part of the Starwood Group and is positioned as a less expensive (but still hip) alternative to the W Hotels. Aloft cuts down on costs by providing guests with “grab & go” food and drink stations (no restaurant or cafe). If you want to grab a drink, the hotel’s XYZ Bar is a great place to hang out.

Aloft Harlem has 124 rooms stocked with Bliss® Spa amenities, large beds, giant flat screen TVs, and iPod docking stations. Plus there’s free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Room rates start at $149 per night and they have many special deals available on their website.

Aloft Harlem
2296 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
New York, 10027
+1 212 749 4000

W Hotel opens in downtown New York City

Esme Vos — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:57:22 +0000

The W Hotel has opened in downtown NYC, just minutes from Wall Street and the NY Stock Exchange. With amazing views of the Hudson River and fabulous interiors, it’s an excellent place to stay if you have to be in this part of town for business.

Between August 11 and October 11, 2010, the W Hotel downtown has a limited time special offer: $399 per day (weekend rate) and $599 per day (weekday rate), plus a few extras:

Two cool cocktails, to sip in The Living Room Bar & Terrace
Two-Way Car Service to/from JFK, LGA or EWR Airport
Delight in Late Night In-Room Dining, complementary (from 1am – 5am)
Breakfast for Two at BLT Bar & Grill, each day of your stay
Suit Press & Shoe Shine

W Hotel
123 Washington Street
New York, NY 10006
+1 646 826 8600

Check out our favorite hotels and restaurants in NYC.

Desmond Tutu Center: reasonably priced rooms in NYC

Esme Vos — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:05:22 +0000

Did you know that you can book a room at the Desmond Tutu Center in New York City even if you are not attending a conference there? I had no idea until friends of ours told us that they had stayed there last week.

Room rates hover around $160 per night. The Desmond Tutu Center is located in the Chelsea district of New York City in a lovely 19th-century “Gothic” brick building. There are over 8000 square feet of conference meeting rooms with all the high-tech amenities. If I were to hold a conference in NYC, I would seriously consider this location.

But one of the best reasons to stay at the Desmond Tutu Center is the location – Chelsea – which has become much more vibrant and fun in the past few years with the addition of new restaurants, cafes, boutiques, art galleries and hotels.

Desmond Tutu Center
180 10th Avenue (between 20-21st Streets)
New York, NY 10011
+1 212 929 3888
http://www.acc-tutuconferenecenter.com/

Crosby Street Hotel: stylish address in Soho (New York City)

Esme Vos — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:15:32 +0000

Starting 29 September 2009, visitors to New York City will have another option for accommodations in Soho. The Crosby Street Hotel (part of the Firmdale Hotels Group based in London which own the Covent Garden Hotel and Soho Hotel, both of which are Mapplr favorites) will be opening its doors. It is located between Prince and Spring Streets, which is a great area for shopping and eating out.

The 11-story hotel has 86 bedrooms and suites, a bar, a lounge with fireplaces, fitness center and a 99-seat screening room. The rooms have high ceilings and lots of light, thanks to the floor to ceiling windows. The interiors, which are a blend of modern and traditional, were designed by Kit Kemp.

Crosby Street Hotel
79 Crosby Street
New York, NY 10012
+1 212 226 6400
www.crosbystreethotel.com

Go to the Google map of our favorite hotels and restaurants in NYC.

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Hotel on Rivington: luxurious boutique hotel with sweeping views in Lower East Side (NYC)

Esme Vos — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:14:47 +0000

After my enthusiastic review of The Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca, readers have been asking me about other hotels I like in NYC. One particular hotel comes to mind: the Hotel on Rivington. It’s a modern, 21-story glass “tower” in the Lower East Side. My favorite feature: large guest rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and magnificent views of New York City. The vibe at The Rivington is very different from that at The Greenwich Hotel. The Rivington attracts a much younger, livelier crowd and is the center of a lot of nighttime activity in the neighborhood. The lounge bar and the restaurant are often packed, but not to worry, as a guest, you do not hear any noise in your room. And the location couldn’t be better. I enjoy hanging out in the Lower East Side because it’s a vibrant neighborhood with funky shops, good restaurants and bars.

Vibe: young, hip modern luxury boutique hotel with magnificent views; location attracts more creative artsy types.

Pros: Lower East Side location is ideal, close to shops and restaurants, with a lounge bar that is lively at night (good for people watching); stunning views from the rooms (I like showering in a glass-encased bathroom over Manhattan).

Cons: if you like peace and quiet and don’t like crowds in the lobby of your hotel, this isn’t for you.

Hotel on Rivington – Lower East Side
107 Rivington Street
New York, NY
+1 212 475 2600
Find out more and book online

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The Greenwich Hotel: dignified luxury boutique hotel in Tribeca (New York City)

Esme Vos — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:56:37 +0000

In recent years, the term “boutique hotel” has become associated with trendy, glitzy modern temples of chic, many of which are cold and intimidating. Not so with the Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca. There isn’t even a sign outside this unassuming building located one block from the Hudson River. When you step through the unmarked doors, you enter into a quiet dignified space. Beyond the lobby (which does not look like a hotel lobby), there is a large sitting room that feels like a traditional English gentleman’s club: a fireplace, comfortable sofas, books on art and history. If the weather permits, you can sit in the tiled courtyard just outside the sitting room. The hotel’s dim wood-paneled hallways and elevators give it the feel of an old mansion but there’s a twist: everywhere you look, there are Asian influences — a statue of Buddha, a wood carving of a Thai house.

Rooms are large and airy, thanks to the high ceilings and big windows that look onto the street. Bathrooms have beautiful tile work and guests are spoiled with bath products from Red Flower Japan. The most impressive feature of this hotel is the Shibui spa, complete with a 250 year-old house shipped over from Kyoto and reassembled by Japanese craftsmen, and a lantern-lit swimming pool. The spa offers massages, body treatments and facials. Guests can also arrange for private yoga sessions.

Vibe: a boutique hotel with a townhouse feel; quiet Old World luxury.

Pros: Location – Tribeca – is close to many recently opened shops and restaurants; excellent service and a beautiful Japanese spa and swimming pool; large rooms, quiet hallways.

Cons: expensive.

The Greenwich Hotel
377 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10013
+1 212 941 8900
Find out more and book now at the Greenwich Hotel

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Click here to see all of our NYC reviews and a Google map of our New York favorites (hotels and restaurants).

Mapplr's favorite hotels in New York City

Esme Vos — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:00:59 +0000

New York City has some of the best hotels in the world, but until recently, they’ve been too expensive for mere mortals. Not anymore. Because of the financial crisis and the downturn in the travel industry, even the most luxurious boutique hotels are offering rates you might never see again until the next financial crisis.

So now is a good time to visit the city. There’s something for every taste, from the cerebral, gentleman’s club atmosphere at the Library Hotel to the wickedly erotic Night. But if you want spectacular views and stunning interior decor, check out The Standard, which is part of the André Balazs hotel empire. Balazs owns the Mercer (also in NYC), the Raleigh in Miami Beach and the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.

The Greenwich Hotel
377 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10013
+1 212 941 8900
Find out more and book now

Thompson LES– Lower East Side
190 Allan Street
New York, NY
+1 212 460 5300
www.thompsonles.com

Hotel on Rivington – Lower East Side
107 Rivington Street
New York, NY
+1 212 475 2600
Find out more and book online

Crosby Street Hotel
79 Crosby Street
New York, NY 10012
+1 212 226 6400
www.crosbystreethotel.com

SoHo Grand Hotel – SoHo
310 West Broadway
New York, NY
+1 212 965 3000
www.sohogrand.com

TriBeCa Grand Hotel – TriBeCa
Two Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY
+1 212 519 6600
www.tribecagrand.com

Cooper Square – Bowery (NoHo)
25 Cooper Square
New York, NY
+1 212 475 5700
www.thecoopersquarehotel.com

The Standard – Meat packing district
848 Washington at 13th Street
New York, NY
+1 212 645 4646
www.standardhotels.com/new-york-city/

Library Hotel – Midtown
299 Madison Avenue at 41street
New York, NY
+1 212 983 4500
www.libraryhotel.com

Room Mate Grace – Times Square
125 West 45th Street
New York, NY
+1 212 354 2323
Find out more and book online

Night – Times Square
132 West 45th (between 6th and 7th ave)
New York, NY
+1 212 835 9600
www.nighthotelny.com

Dream – Midtown
210 west 55th (between Broadway and 7th Ave)
New York, NY
+1 212 247 2000
www.dreamny.com

The Shoreham – Midtown
33 West 55th St.
New York, NY
+1 212 247 6700
www.shorehamhotel.com

Chambers – Midtown
15 West 56th St (at 5th Avenue)
New York, NY
+1 212 974 5656
Find out more and book online

6 Columbus – Upper West side
6 Columbus Circle
New York, NY
+1 212 204 3000
www.sixcolumbus.com

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See a list of my favorite restaurants in New York City. Go to the Google map of my favorite hotels and restaurants in NYC.

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Sponsored Link: Luxury Hotels in New York City

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Mapplr’s favorite restaurants in New York City

Esme Vos — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:40:31 +0000

Wallse Restaurant

It’s nearly impossible to create a list of favorite restaurants in a city as large as New York. What one usually gets is a list in a particular area and in our case, most of our favorites are south of 23rd Street (in the Greenwich Village and Soho neighborhoods). Our friend, Moran Bar-Kochva, who lives in New York and goes out often, came up with most of the entries. In future posts, we will add restaurants and cafes in other neighborhoods.

Piccola Cucina
184 Prince Street
New York, NY 10012
+1 212 625 3200
Try the pasta con le sarde, a Sicilian specialty that is difficult to find in the US

Galaza’s
380 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024-5104
+1 212 873 8880
Authentic Israeli-Druze cuisine; the desserts are divine!

Cafe Sabarsky
1048 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10028
www.cafesabarsky.com
Located in the Neue Galerie; Austrian specialities

Wallse
344 West 11th Street
New York, New York 10014
+1 212 352 2300
www.wallserestaurant.com
Austrian

Otto Restaurant Enoteca Pizza
1 5th Ave
New York, NY 10003
+1 212 995 9559
www.ottopizzeria.com

Boqueria Bar De Tapas
53 W 19th St
New York, NY 10011
+1 212 727 1548
www.boquerianyc.com

Alta Restaurant‎
64 W 10th St
New York, NY 10011
+1 212 505 7777
www.altarestaurant.com
Tapas

Tia Pol
205 10th Ave
New York, NY 10011
+1 212 675 8805
www.tiapol.com
Tapas

Frankie’s
17 Clinton St
New York, NY 10002
+1 212 253 2303
www.frankiesspuntino.com
Italian small plates, excellent Italian wines at reasonable prices

Bobo
181 W 10th St
New York, NY
+1 212 488 2626
www.bobonyc.com
Outdoor seating

Caffe Falai
265 Lafayette St
New York, NY
+1 917 338 6207
www.falainyc.com
Italian

Perry Street
176 Perry St
New York, NY 10014
+1 212 352 1900
www.jean-georges.com

Mizu Sushi
29 E 20th St
New York, NY 10003
+1 212 505 6688

Tomoe Sushi
172 Thompson St # A
New York, NY 10012
+1 212 777 9346

Sushi Sasabune
401 E 73rd St
New York, NY 10021
+1 212 249 8583

Peep
177 Prince St
New York, NY 10012
+1 212 254 7337
www.peepsoho.net
Thai

Inoteca
98 Rivington St
New York, NY 10002
+1 212 614 0473
www.inotecanyc.com
Italian

Spotted Pig
314 W 11th St # 1
New York, NY 10014
+1 212 620 0393
www.thespottedpig.com
American

Allen and Delancey
115 Allen St
New York, NY 10002
+1 212 253 5400
www.allenanddelancey.net

Extra Virgin
259 W 4th St
New York, NY 10014
+1 212 691 9359
www.extravirginrestaurant.com
Mediterranean

Market Table
54 Carmine St
New York, NY 10014
+1 212 255 2100
www.markettablenyc.com

Momofuku
207 2nd Avenue
New York NY 10003
+1 212 254 3500
www.momofuku.com

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See our latest additions to the list:

Latest on where to eat in NYC: Korean, south Indian, Japanese and more