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Sunday Game Plan – NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2025

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NYC Summer Restaurant Week is back!! This year NYC Restaurant Week will be begin on Monday 07/21/25 to 08/31/25; not all restaurants will participate over the five week period. To date, 610 restaurants from the five boroughs will be participating. The price points for this season are $30, $45 and $60 for lunch/brunch and/or dinner depending on the restaurant.  What I will be doing differently this time is recommending restaurants according to neighborhoods where realistically I’ll be dining in based on convenience unless it’s something special that I’d go that extra mile (stay tuned to the end of this post).

LOWER MANHATTAN

To date there are 14 restaurants that are participating in this upcoming restaurant week. I’ve personally dined in 10 out of the 14 participating restaurants where 7 of those 10 restaurants were for restaurant week.

Before COVID-19, my friend and I dined in Morton’s The Steakhouse on World Trade Center for Restaurant Week dinner. Entrees were generous because I actually recalled my friend ordering the pork chop and only ate a third of her dish and took the rest home. What I appreciated it about this restaurant is their transparency of their portions by posting the calories next to each dish. One day, I’ll return to check out their power hour.

I’ve been to Manhatta twice for restaurant week, the first time was five years ago for lunch and the second time was last year when my friend treated me to an early birthday lunch. Both times I have had the privilege to dine with a view. Service, and ambiance was off the charts. Unfortunately, this restaurant week, the menu offers a variation of dishes that are served on their regular menu, which is not the same. Below are the dishes we had for lunch during restaurant week last summer; everything tasted so good and we got the olive oil cake for dessert, which I took home for the hubby because I had to head back to the office.

Hamachi Crudo
Beef Tartare with sunchoke and Asian Pear
American Wagyu with cabbage
Green Circle Chicken

I have dined in Le Gratin several times, one for French Restaurant Week, after work to try their monthly special and more recently their golden hour. This restaurant is owned by Daniel Boulud and they like to change things up. The menu for this season’s restaurant week is a continuation of their menu for French Restaurant week.

Meal for One

Schilling – $30 pp lunch Monday thru Friday – Wiener Schnitzel/Apple Strudel

La Marchande – $45 pp lunch Monday thru Friday – Shrimp Cocktail/La Marchande Burger

My first visit to La Marchande was back in 2023 for lunch during restaurant week. Service was very slow given there were only three diners (including myself) in the restaurant during lunch. I was excited to try their popular French onion dumplings, but I was disappointed due to the portions being cut in half and not rich as I thought it would be given that it had truffles and gruyere. The French onion dumplings are going to be offered as a supplemental appetizer for this season’s restaurant week. Given the slow service, by the time I got my main entree, which was huge, I had to take it to go so I can get back to work within the hour lunch break. This salad took two day to finish. I’d like to return for another restaurant week lunch meal, but given the slow service, I need to plan it out where my I can stretch my hour lunch break.

Ginger Rouge mocktail
French Onion Dumplings
Nicoise Salad

Crown Shy – $60 pp dinner Sunday thru Friday until August 17th – Kibbeh Nayah, Lavash/Grilled Citrus Marinated Chicken and Hot Sauce/Satsuma, Toasted Marshmallow, Honeycomb

Almost four years ago, I have had the privilege to dine in this one-star Michelin restaurant under the leadership of the late Executive chef James Kent. I was seat in front of the open ended kitchen to watch all the action. I was blown away by the service, bread, appetizers and dessert that earned this restaurant a one-star Michelin back in 2021. Unfortunately, the pictures I have taken from this dining experience are in my old phone which I no longer have access to, but I did a Yelp review of this great dining experience. I’d like to return to indulge in the dining experience under the new leadership.

Vino & … Eataly NYC Downtown – $30 pp lunch Monday thru until August 17th – Insalata Cesare/Linguine al Pesto Genovese e Stracciatella

Meal for Two

Temple Court – $45 pp lunch Monday thru Friday: (1) Wild Arugula Salad/Leg of Lamb (2) Heirloom Grains Salad/Roasted Salmon

Two years ago my friends met up with me for a group dinner inside Temple Court. During that time, only the restaurant week menu was offered so everyone that dined had to order from that menu. Everyone was satisfied. I had to order the agnolotti after learning the techniques on MasterChef, the dish hit the spot and the roasted chicken was a huge portion, which resulted in leftovers for the hubby the next day. I ended the night with the blueberry cheesecake semifreddo. This time, this restaurant will also be offering agnolotti as an appetizer and the roasted chicken as a main entree for dinner. Personally, I may dine here for lunch, thankfully I have time to plan as Temple Court will be participating thru the end of August.

Complementary soup
Agnolotti
Roasted Chicken
Blueberry Cheesecake Semifreddo

Felice 15 Gold Street – $30 pp lunch for two Sunday thru Friday until August 17 – (1) Zuppa Contadina/Paillard de Pollo/Tortino al Cioccolato (2) Bruschetta/Fusilli al Ferretto e Burrata/Tiramisu

Felice 15 Gold Street – $45 pp dinner for two Sunday thru Friday until August 17 – (1) Zuppa Contadina/Pollo Milanese/Tortino al Cioccolato (2) Ricotta/Salmone/Tiramisu

Almost six years ago, I have had the privilege to have brunch at this restaurant. Portions were huge and I had to take leftovers home. Unfortunately, the pictures I have taken from this dining experience are in my old phone which I no longer have access to, but I did a brunch review on Yelp. In addition, I’ve dined in this restaurant two additional times for the holiday party also back in 2019 and 2021. After COVID-19 the quality of food and service was not the same as it was six years ago, which is why I have not yet returned.

Delmonico’s – $60 pp lunch for two Monday thru Friday – (1) Yellowtail Crudo/Faroe Island Salmon/Chocolate Symphony (2) Caramelized Bacon/Risotto/Cheesecake

Earlier this year, my friend and I met for a meal and the dining experience was great. It’s definitely worth the experience even though the clientele would be different. Personally I had the yellow crudo and chocolate symphony, both of which were very good. If I do dine, I’ll definitely try bacon, salmon and most likely I’ll take the cheesecake home.

Meal for four

Stout NYC Financial District – $30 pp lunch with pint of Stella/soda/juice Monday thru Friday – (1) Chicken Pot Stickers/Rustic Chicken Pot Pie (2) Vegetable Pot Stickers/Stout Burger (3) Sweet & Spicy Crispy Cauliflower/Double Stacked Stout Burger (4) Mac and Cheese Bites/Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Personally I have dined in Stout during my lunch break and there were no more than three diners there. I definitely had the Stout Burger, which was good. Service was very quick and I always came home with leftovers.

Meal for five

Brooklyn Chophouse – $60 pp dinner (1) Chicken Lettuce Wraps/Filet Mignon & Broccoli/Vegetable Fried Rice/Chef Choice Dessert (2) Vegetable Lettuce Wraps/Salt & Pepper Shrimp/Bok Choy/Chef Choice Dessert (3) Bacon Cheeseburger Dumplings/Sweet Black Bean Beijing Chicken/Vegetable Fried Rice/Chef Choice Dessert (4) Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce/Ginger Beef and Scallion Noodles/Bok Choy/Chef Choice Dessert (5) Edamame Dumplings/Vegetable Flat Noodles/Bok Choy/Chef Choice Dessert

I’ve dined at this restaurant several times over the past six years. This was the last restaurant I have dined in right before COVID 19 shutdown in 2020. When the restaurants started reopening, an ex-colleague of mine and I would meet to dine outdoors. Last summer right after a successful accreditation inspection, we had a celebratory dinner for restaurant week. The chef choice dessert for the evening was a slice of red velvet cake.

Appetizers
Entrees
Dessert

THE SEAPORT

To date there are 8 restaurants that are participating in this upcoming restaurant week. I’ve personally dined in 6 out of the 8 participating restaurants where 5 of those 8 restaurants were for restaurant week.

Meal for One

Malibu Farm – $45 dinner – Homemade Ricotta/Chicken/Olive Oil Cake

I’ve dined in this restaurant for Winter Restaurant Week dinner and the options for that season is definitely better. I’ve also dined in for lunch two years ago and I got to watch the filming of a scene for Law & Order SVU.

The Fulton – $45 pp lunch Monday thru Friday – Crispy Calamari Salad/Simply Prepared Salmon

I’ve dined in this restaurant for Winter Restaurant Week lunch and they offered a 3 course meal for $60. Service was slow where I had to take my dessert home, which was ice cream and unfortunately I could not enjoy it as it melted during my long commute home. However, I did enjoy the Yellowtail Tuna Tartare and Ume Sesame Crusted Salmon that I devoured the entire dish. I also dined three more times to try their gruyere cheeseburger au jus, shrimp burger and spaghetti alla vongole. All three dishes were overall delicious and hit the spot. This season, only two courses are being offered and I have to plan according if I want to dine here for lunch.

The Fulton – $60 pp lunch Sunday thru Friday – Seafood Plateau/Branzino/Housemade Ice Cream/Sorbet

House of Red Pearl – $45 pp dinner Sunday thru Friday – Crunchy Lettuce Hearts/Glazed Shrimp/Mango Sago Pudding

Meal for Two

The Tuck Room – $45 pp dinner Monday thru Friday – (1) Short Rib Bao Bun Sliders/Lobster Mac and Cheese/Concord Chocolate Cake (2) Crispy Shrimp Spring Roll/Salmon/Fresh Fruit Tart

The Tuck Room, located inside the iPic theatres was my fun go to spot for happy hour over 6 years ago. The first time I went was at the holiday party for work in 2017, but I was not impressed with the food. My friends took me out to celebrate my engagement for happy hour/pre game after work in 2019. I may come for happy hour and a restaurant week meal.

T. Brasserie – $30 pp lunch Monday thru Friday – (1) Country Pate/Faroe Island Salmon (2) Endive Salad and Snap Pea Salad/Gruyere Cheeseburger

Two years ago I saw a photo of the gruyere cheeseburger and I just had to try it for lunch. This burger took a while to make so even though I enjoyed every bite of it, I actually only ate half of it and took the rest home for the hubby to have for dinner. He loved the burger despite the richness because it was different.

The Frenchman’s Dough – $30 pp lunch Monday thru Friday (1) Caesar Salad/Chicken Parmigiana (2)Fried Mozzarella/Bolognese

Industry Kitchen – $30 pp lunch Sunday thru Friday until August 17 (1) Atlantic Salmon Ceviche/Miso Glazed Atlantic Salmon (2) Truffle Potato Wedges/Pan Seared Chicken Francese

Whenever I dined in Industry Kitchen, I have to order the truffle potato wedges. The first time I had these wedges, there were to die for because of its curly texture with the parmesan cheese and truffle oil. Over time, the wedges changed shape which now look like steak fries but the texture and taste is still there. I’ve also had the lamb chops and I did not care for them because they were unevenly cooked.

Truffle Potato Wedges
Lamb Chops

Meal for Three

Carne Mare – $45 pp lunch Monday thru Friday (1) Crispy Calamari/Ora King Salmon (2) Brooklyn Burrata Con Panna/Sweet Corn Agnolotti (3) The House Wedgini/AC’s Famous Prime Rib Sandwich

I actually had the Brooklyn Burrata Con Panna as my appetizer for winter restaurant week lunch where they offered a 3 course meal for the same price. This appetizer was so filling that I was only able to enjoy half of my main entree (I took the other half home) and for dessert, I only had two bites because I was so full.

During my commute since 07/17/25, I’ve developed a bucket list of restaurants I want to dine and support new restaurants especially the ones with the best deals. Unfortunately, I won’t be participating as much as I would have liked due to the life and priorities. Here’s the my wish list for this season’s restaurant week outside of Lower Manhattan and Seaport neighborhoods.

  1. Tuome
  2. Ishq
  3. Naks
  4. Golden K Burger
  5. Park Ave Kitchen by David Burke
  6. Dhamaka
  7. Nuet-Et Midtown
  8. Momofuku Noodle Bar
  9. Koloman
  10. Cafe Boulud
  11. Baar Baar
  12. Central Park Boathouse

I may hit up other restaurants in Queens because it’s more convenient and definitely worth exploring. I’ll definitely be hitting up at least three of the restaurants on this list. Stay tuned.

Traditional Tuesday – Game Plan – NYC Winter Restaurant Week 2025

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NYC Winter Restaurant Week is back! Starting from 01/21/25 to 02/09/25, 597 restaurants have signed up to participate in this dining promotion that started 33 years ago. What I can’t believe was that I didn’t blog a NYC Restaurant Week game plan since becoming a mom; my last game plan post for NYC Restaurant Week was in 2022 right before I became a mom. Since I returned to work, I’ve taken advantage of dining in restaurants during lunch and early dinner to avoid eating late due to the long commute. The price points for this season are $30, $45 and $60 for lunch/brunch and/or dinner depending on the restaurant. Below is a list of restaurants I’ve dined in the last two years:

January 2023 – I dined in Malibu Farm for dinner after work where I had their Helene’s Long Island Fluke Ceviche paired with their Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Then I had their seared Faroe Island Salmon, which was generous (I recall eating half and taking the other half home for the hubby/baby to consume). Finally I ended dinner with chocolate cake and I just ate the ice cream and took the cake home. Malibu Farm is also participating in this season’s Restaurant Week but their menu has not been posted. In the meantime, the ceviche is still on their regular menu. The salmon that is currently on their menu is roasted and contains different vegetable. The chocolate cake is not on their current menu, but may appear in the restaurant week menu.

Helene’s Long Island Fluke Ceviche
Seared Faroe Island Salmon
Chocolate Cake

The following day I dined in The Fulton for lunch. This was a three course lunch so I had the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare and Ume Sesame Crusted Salmon with a yuzu mocktail. Service was slow and the main entree was the perfect lunch portion, which I devoured. I had to take my Whiskey Pecan Ice Cream and Coconut Sorbet to go because I had to head back to work. By the time I got home, both desserts were melting so I had to refreeze it to consume it. The Fulton will be participating for dinner only in this season’s restaurant week.

Yellowtail Tuna Tartare
Umi Sesame Crusted Salmon

I also dined in Carne Mare for restaurant week lunch. This was another three course menu. I started my lunch with the Arnold Palmer along with the Brooklyn Burrata Con Pana. I recall loving the burrata and pesto but not the bread. Portions were generous. I was starting to get full after finishing the appetizer. Once the main entree came, I was able to only eat half of the Mezzi Rigatoni and took the rest home to be devoured by my husband who approved this dish. When the dessert came, I was way too full to even attempt eating it, but I did consume all the fruit, which was refreshing. Unfortunately, this dish is not ideal to take to go. Carne Mare is also participating for lunch and brunch for this season’s restaurant week and they are offering the same dishes I ate this time around.

Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Brooklyn Burrata Con Pano
Brooklyn Burrata Con Pano
Mezzi Rigatoni
Mezzi Rigatoni
Panna Cotta
Panna Cotta

February 2023 – I had a girls night dinner on the last day of restaurant week two years ago at Bar Boulud. We ordered a bottle of the 2021 L’effet papillion IGP Cotes Catalanes Pinot Noir red wine, which was the sommelier’s choice for Restaurant Week. For appetizers we ordered the Pate en Croute and Escargots Persillade, I recalled enjoying the pate and my friend enjoyed her escargots, but had better version of the French dish at other French Restaurants. For the entrees, we ordered the Coq Au Vin and Rainbow Trout, portions were perfect. The trout was the better entree of the two because the sauce had so much alcohol in it (not all of the alcohol burned off) that someone who does not drink will get drunk off this dish. We ended the dining experience with the Passionfruit Cheesecake which was beautifully presented and Gateau Basque. Both dishes were delicious, I personally liked the cheesecake slightly better than the Gateau Basque. Bar Boulud is also participating for lunch and dinner for this season’s restaurant week. Bar Boulud will be offering a variation of the trout and gateau basque along with the escargots.

Fast forward a year later or rather a year ago, January 2024 – I had a work reunion dinner at Vallata Unfortunately I don’t have the photos for this dinner, but I did write a review on Yelp about the dinner and experience. This restaurant will also be participating for restaurant week dinner. For an extra charge, Vallata will be offering the foccacia, chickpea salad, skirt steak and cannoli bombolone.

February 2024 – I did two restaurant week lunches because they were on the Michelin list. The first spot I dined in was Gramercy Tavern. I got the first reservation of that day and I took a long lunch break (2 hours) to dine in this restaurant. The dining room area is only used for dinner service. So for restaurant week, the restaurant week menu for lunch was only served. The restaurant week menu showcased dishes that are usually served on their dinner tasting menu. To start, I received a complementary bite along with a sweet potato roll, both items were amazing. The complementary bite set my palate for the three dishes that I ordered. The sweet potato roll and butter were amazing. I don’t usually eat rolls before my meal because it is filling, but I definitely devoured this roll. The restaurant week portions are smaller than what would you get if you were to dine here on a normal night. For the appetizer, I ordered the sweet potato agnolotti, which was amazing from the texture of the freshly made agnolotti to the butter sauce. I made sure that every piece of agnolotti was drowned in the sauce, so the plate would be perfectly cleaned. For the entree of the roasted duck and it was a perfect portion. The duck was cooked medium, and it was lean. I still enjoyed that agnolotti dish. For dessert, I had the Meyer lemon tart, which was a perfect ending to my amazing lunch experience. This was one of the best overall meals I’ve had for restaurant week. Everything was to die for. Gramercy Tavern will be participating for lunch only during this season’s restaurant week. The menu is completely different and it appears that there are more options offered on this menu. The marinated scallops, golden tilefish, butternut squash lumache (lasagna for dinner), roasted duck breast and bacon, apple & quince tart and dark chocolate cake will be part of this season’s restaurant week lunch.

Complementary bite and sweet potato roll
Sweet potato agnolotti
Roasted Duck
Meyer Lemon Tart

For another restaurant week lunch, I went to Le Jardinier, which had a one-star Michelin rating during the time I was there. I was running late and the staff was very accommodating as I arrived towards the very tail end of their lunch menu. I recall their portions were huge that I ate half of both my appetizer and entree and took the rest home for dinner. I ordered the chicory salad with green apples and pine nuts as my appetizer and for the entree I had to get the infamous Carolina gold rice risotto with mushroom and cheese. The risotto was too pretty to consume and one scoop of all the components together was to die for. Unfortunately, both dishes are no longer listed on their current menu and they are not participating in this season’s restaurant week.

Chicory Salad
Carolina Rice Risotto

On the last day of last year’s winter restaurant week, I had a girls night dinner at The Consulate Midtown. The restaurant was very pretty. I started with the Ginger Optional Cocktail, which was refreshing. We ordered a variety of dishes such as the blood orange salad, octopus carpaccio, burrata, cauliflower and parsnip soup. The appetizers were good. The entrees could be better, I think the dishes that were served were rushed because there were components that were undercooked. The steak frites had more fries than the steak, rabbit tagliatelle was good, scallops and risotto (risotto was undercooked), salmon with bernaise sauce. I enjoyed the salmon dish. The desserts of bread pudding and blueberry panna cotta were good but not memorable. The Consulate will be participating in this season’s restaurant week. They will be offering the octopus carpaccio and both desserts.

Ginger Optional
Octopus Carpaccio
Blood Orange Salad
Cauliflower and Parsnip Soup
Burrata
Steak Frites
Scallops and Risotto
Salmon with Bernaise Sauce
Rabbit Tagliatelle
Bread Pudding
Blueberry Panna Cotta

During my commute since 01/07/25, I’ve developed a bucket list of restaurants I want to dine and support new restaurants especially the ones with the best deals. Unfortunately, I won’t be participating as much as I would have liked due to the upcoming Lunar New Year, Long Island Restaurant Week, life and priorities. Here’s the my wish list for this season’s restaurant week:

  1. Al Fiori
  2. Delmonico’s
  3. Jiang Nan
  4. Lincoln Ristorante
  5. House of Red Pearl
  6. Great Jones Distilling
  7. Metropolis
  8. Hav & Mar
  9. David Burke Tavern
  10. Luigi’s

I may hit up other restaurants in Queens because it’s more convenient and definitely worth exploring. I’ll definitely be hitting up at least three of the restaurants on this list. Stay tuned.

Sunday Game Plan update

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Well, it has been two weeks since my last post, and we are entering the third week of restaurant week. Guess what happened?! I sprained my wrist and hand, and I’m still recovering while making my baked hake two weeks ago.

Baked Hake and fish was still overcooked

Ultimately, as long as I’m OK, I’ll still continue posting content. As a result of not really utilizing my left hand, I couldn’t do things in a timely manner. Therefore, I had to change my game plan from two weeks ago.

I have resorted to air frying string beans and cauliflower instead of steaming the beans and roasting cauliflower.

I also only did two restaurant week meals. The first was at David Burke Tavern for early dinner.

Caesar Salad
Hanger steak with hipster fries
Key lime pie
Conundrum white wine

Second, more recently, I went to La Marchande for restaurant week lunch.

Ginger mocktail
French Onion Dumplings
Chopped Nicoise Salad – lasted two days

There’s more to write, but my wrist is now bothering me again, plus this electronic device is dying. So, please stay tuned for more updates.

Sunday Game Plan – Home cooked family meals during the first week of NYC Summer Restaurant 2023

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This weekend was productive and exhausting. We did a lot of food shopping since Friday, but it was mostly snacks and I defrosted lots of stuff from the freezer which took at least two days to defrost. So here’s this week’s plan:

Baked Hake
Scrambled Eggs with Andouille Chicken Sausage
Scrambled Eggs with Spinach
Steamed Green Beans

Roasted Cauliflower
Ravioli with a red pasta sauce
Ramen with Spinach
Avocado Toast (if the avocado ripen this week)

Ground beef enchilada for Saturday

Eight-nine dishes should be enough considering that I’ll be doing NYC Restaurant Week Lunch or Dinner tomorrow and maybe Thursday or Friday. The website for restaurant week was revamped resulting in less multitasking. I am hoping that two posts will cover it (one for Manhattan and the other for the remaining four boroughs). These restaurant week posts here are my wish list for each borough/neighborhood because I’ve been very busy juggling motherhood and my paid job, which financially funds this project for the last seven years. As of today (07/23/23), there are 548 restaurants participating and I’m reviewing so far 383 menus that have already been posted. Hopefully by the end of the week, I’ll post my restaurant week game plan wish list.

Sunday Game Plan: NYC Summer Restaurant Week 2022 – 30 years in the making

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NYC Restaurant Week began 30 years ago with 95 participating restaurants in 1992 to approximately over 600 restaurants today.  This season’s restaurant week began on 07/18/22 and will end on 08/21/22 for most participating restaurants, but some of the well-known or higher end place will end their promotion on either 07/31/22 or 08/07/22. The price points this time are $30, $45 and $60. Mastercard is also a sponsor so if you have a Mastercard, you can register your credit card to get $10 credit back into your statement for purchases over $45 and you can purchase up to 3 meals; so in essence you’ll really paying $35 for an order, which is a pretty good deal.

As of 07/19/22 there are 660 participating restaurants. We reviewed 312 dinner and/or brunch menus of restaurants partnering with Mastercard offering $10 credit for meals $45 and over from July 18-31. During my review of 312 menus, which is based on the menu availability and whether they are participating in Mastercard promotion, below is a list of restaurants grouped by meal and number of people that is worth exploring:

Lunch for 1: Bistrot Leo ($30); Boucherie West Village ($45); Chelsea Table + Stage ($30); Lexington Brass ($30); Malii Gramercy ($30); Morton’s ($45); Rivercrest ($30); Sant Ambroeus ($45) and Side Door ($30)

Dinner for 1: Anassa Taverna ($60); Bar Boulud ($60), Chelsea Table + Stage ($60); David Burke Tavern ($45); Empire Burger House ($45); Festival ($60); French Roast ($45); Hangawi ($60); Il Fiorista ($60); Jue Lan Club ($45); Malii Gramercy ($45); Montebello Restaurant ($60); Morton’s Steakhouse ($60); The Ribbon ($45); Rivercrest ($30); Rosa Mexicano ($45) and Sac’s Place ($45)

Lunch for 2: Cibo e Vino ($30); Dos Caminos ($30); Empire Burger House ($30); Jue Lan Club ($30); Nice Matin ($45) and Yama Ramen ($30)

Dinner for 2: Ammos Estiatorio ($60); Boucherie Union Square ($45); Casa Lever ($60); Chateau 49 ($60); Ben & Jack’s Steakhouse ($60); Cibo e Vino ($60); Dos Caminos ($45); Claudette ($45); Essex ($45); Felice 56 ($45); Hoja Santa ($45); Hudson West ($45); Beauty & Essex ($60); La Pizza and La Pasta ($30); The Land Thai Kitchen ($45); Leuca ($60); Lexington Brass ($45); SenYa ($60); Santo Bruklin ($60); Nice Matin ($60); One 19 ($45); Philippe ($60); Redeye Grill ($60) and SeaFire Grill ($60).

Lunch for 3: Ben & Jack’s Steakhouse ($45); Cibo e Vino ($45); Empire Steakhouse ($45); Felice 56 ($30); Gentle Perch ($30); Amali ($30); Fulton ($45); ilili ($45); Jones Wood Foundry ($30); La Bonne Soupe ($30); Lattanzi Cucina Italiana ($45); Mable’s ($30); The Meatball Shop ($45); The Russian Tea Room ($45) and Tudor Steakhouse ($45)

Dinner for 3: Merakia ($60); Bistrot Leo ($60); Alice ($45); City Winery ($45); Copinette ($45); Danju ($60); Elea ($60); Empire Steakhouse ($60); Frankie and Johnnie’s Steakhouse ($60); Amali ($60); Jasmine’s Caribbean ($45); Jones Wood Foundtry ($45); Kellari Taverna ($60); L’Adresse Nomad ($60); La Bonne Soupe ($60); La Masseria ($60); Longo Bros ($60); Mable’s ($45); Pomp & Circumstance ($45); The Russian Tea Room ($60); Cull & Pistol ($45) and Il Falco ($45).

Lunch for 4: David Burke Tavern ($45); Kubeh ($45); Longo Bros ($30); Maggie’s Place ($30); Osteria 57 ($30); Quality Eats ($30); Redeye Grill ($30) and Zabb PuTown ($45)

Dinner for 4: Fine and Rare ($60); Flatiron Room ($60); Hortus ($60); Kurant ($45); Lattanzi Cucina ($60); Osteria 57 ($45); Pera Mediterranean ($60); Pera Soho ($60); Cathedrale ($60); Laut Singapura ($45) and Temple Court ($60)

Lunch for 5 or more: Ammos Estiatorio ($45); Blue Smoke ($30); Bowery Road ($30); Ci Siamo ($45); Montebello Restaurant ($45); Il Gradino ($30)

Dinner for 5 or more: Vallata ($60); Chazz Palmanteri ($60); Baar Baar ($60); Blue Smoke ($45); Bowery Road ($45); Casa Brazilian ($60); Altesi Downtown ($60); Kubeh ($45); Maggie’s Place ($45); Mazu ($45); Mint Marsala ($60); Perrine ($60); Cacio e Pepe ($45) and The Independent ($60)

Stay tuned and follow me on Instagram: @tablespoonsandteaspoons.

Throwback Thursday – 2022 New York City Winter Restaurant Week – Part 2

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It’s been approximately 8 weeks since I posted my restaurant dining experience on the first three restaurants, I’ve dined in during NYC winter restaurant week.

Now, I am finally going to write about my experience eating in the remaining four restaurants.

  1. Ben & Jack’s Steakhouse
  2. Thaimee Love
  3. The Bar Room at the Modern
  4. Taralucci E Vino

Ben and Jack’s Steakhouse – 219 East 44th Street New York, NY 10017

After work, I ventured into the Midtown East just past Grand Central Station into this renovated steakhouse. The steakhouse was huge and I was immediately seated. For my drink I ordered a ginger ale. For my appetizer I went with the French onion soup, which was the perfect comforting soup to consume on a very cold winter night. The soup was hot and each scoop of the cheese with the soup hit the spot.

French onion soup and ginger ale

For my entree, I ordered the 14 oz steak with a side of broccoli and mashed potatoes. The broccoli was a bit overcooked. The mashed potatoes were good yet standard. The star of the entree was the steak. The steak was cooked well done due to my pregnancy. Having a well-done steak gave me the opportunity to taste the namesake steak sauce, which made the meat consumption experience worthwhile. Apparently I was hungry because I devoured the entire steak and I took the bone home to make my bone beef broth.

Prime Dry Aged Sirloin Steak with sauteed broccoli and mashed potatoes

For dessert, I went with the server’s recommendation which was the chocolate mousse cake and ice cream, which hit the spot. However, I had to end my meal with decaffeinated tea with lemon to maintain body warmth after consuming the ice cream. FYI, they are also participating in the 30th Anniversary of NYC restaurant week starting from July 18 thru August 21.

Chocolate mousse cake with tea

Thaimee Love – 116 West Houston Street New York, NY 10012

I’ve been personally dying to return to this restaurant once it reopened. I dined after the huge snowstorm because I struggled to get out of my Uber with my baby bump hoping not to slip in the black ice sidewalk. I eventually made it inside and the owner Hong Thaimee was there. I was greeted by the server and owner both welcoming and awesome people. The restaurant was waiting to get their liquor license so their drink menu options were limited. My server also looked out for me by recommending not to order the Thai teas because he was not sure of the caffeine content.

For the appetizer, I ordered the Yum Gin Ghai soup, which is a “Northern Thai style chicken soup with a rich broth of turmeric, lemongrass, galangal, mint, and “Laab chili”. This soup was not spicy and it was perfectly portioned for a solo diner on a cold winter evening. I would definitely order the soup again and not a lot of Thai restaurants make this type of soup.

Yum Gin Ghai

For the entree, I had spare rib favorite green curry, which was served with berry rice. The green curry paste is made in-house and once again another perfectly portioned dish, which was also beautifully presented. The meat from the rib was very tender as it falls off the bone. The curry with the rice was to die for and I don’t usually order green curry. No wonder why the green curry is one of the favorite dishes to order.

Spare rib green curry with berry rice

For dessert, I was excited to try the pandan custard with roti. As the menu description stated, the dish definitely was “the perfect way to end” my dinner. The dish was to die for. The only drawback to this dessert was that there was not enough roti to dip into the amazing custard. I would eat this over and over and over again.

Pandan custard with roti

My overall experience at this restaurant was amazing. They obtained their liquor license so their menu has expanded to include cocktails. I can’t wait to return to try their summer dishes, cocktails and afternoon tea. FYI, they are also participating in the 30th Anniversary of NYC restaurant week starting from July 18 thru August 21.

The Bar Room at the Modern – 9 West 53rd Street

My friend and I met for the only dinner reservation that evening. My friend could get there on time, but for me to arrive on time was impossible because the reservation was at 5pm and I usually get out of work at 5pm. Thankfully the restaurant was able to accommodate and we had our girl time dinner. FYI, the menu at this restaurant also changes seasonally so the entrees and desserts from this dining experience is currently not available.

For the appetizer we both ordered the tarte flambee which is a flatbread made of onion and bacon. The portion was surprisingly generous that I took half of it home. FYI this dish will be offered for the 30th anniversary of NYC summer restaurant week lunch starting July 18 – August 21.

The entrees and desserts were very good and we devour both dishes.

Entree – Duck breast
Dessert

The final restaurant I ate in was the Tarallucci e Vino in the East Village. I arrived there pretty late. The overall service was OK. I am unsure if this location is participating in this season’s restaurant week. The appetizer I ordered was the Tortino di Melanzane, which tasted pretty good and definitely a great start to my dining experience despite the so-so service. For the entree, I ordered the lamb chops thanks to my server who twisted my arm to get it. The lamb chops were cooked medium instead of well done, but I ate it anyway. The polenta fries were really good. For dessert I had the panna cotta with mixed berries, which served as a perfect ending to my dining experience.

TORTINO DI MELANZANE
Lamb Chops Special
Panna Cotta with Mixed Berries

NYC Restaurant week will be starting again on July 18th for it’s 30th year. Stay tuned for my game plan on approaching this milestone restaurant week.

NYC Winter Restaurant Week 2022 Game Plan

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NYC Restaurant Week began 30 years ago with 95 participating restaurants in 1992 to approximately over 500 restaurants in 2022.  This season’s restaurant week begins on 01/18/22 thru 02/13/22. The price points this time are $29 lunch, $29 dinner, $39 lunch, $39 dinner and $59 dinner. Mastercard is also a sponsor so if you have a Mastercard, you can register your credit card to get $10 credit back into your statement for purchases over $39 and you can purchase up to 10 meals; so in essence you’ll really paying $29 for an order, which is a pretty good deal. Some of the higher end restaurants or even the consistently participating restaurants have increased their price to $59.

NYC Restaurant Week has resumed the experience of indoor and outdoor dining throughout the five boroughs in the summer of 2021. I only ate at three restaurants because I was leery about the Delta variant and plus I am pregnant so travel has been limited due to the symptom called fatigue. Anyways, the three restaurants I ate during the summer are also participating in this season’s restaurant week.

La Sirene – 558 Broome Street

The first restaurant I ate was a French bistro spot in Soho. I went solo and I informed the staff I was pregnant. The server accommodated me because management was pissed that I didn’t order wine. Well if I was not expecting that would be a different story. In addition, the restaurant was only accepting cash or Mastercard. Anyways, the food portions of my three course meal was very generous and it was worth the $39. Here’s what I ordered:

Appetizer: Ravioles de Royan au Comté – Sensual little French Ravioli stuffed with Comte cheese in Truffle Cream Sauce

The Ravioles were to die for and no wonder why it’s considered a rare find. The dish itself was beautifully presented fresh and hot. The Comte cheese and the truffle cream sauce was so comforting, that I would return to just have this dish again.

Entree: Coquelet rôti au Jus – Roasted Cornish Hen “Au Jus”, cooked À La Minute

The Cornish Hen entree was huge and it came with four different vegetables which tasted amazing. I ate half of the hen and took the other half of the hen home along with half the of the vegetables too. Another plus, this dish is also gluten free.

Dessert: Mini profiteroles

For dessert, I had to settle with the mini profiteroles. The dish came with two profiteroles doused with dark chocolate. The dish was rich and it tasted so good. I devoured that dish.

Guess what, La Sirene is also participating in this season’s restaurant week and all three dishes mentioned above are included in their restaurant week menu except their three-course meal for dinner has gone up to $59. But if you register and use your MasterCard, you can get a $10 credit for your meal.

Almond Flatiron – 12 East 22nd Street

The second restaurant I went to was an American Bistro restaurant with a French fare. I met up with a friend of mine for dinner. My friend ordered the Moroccan lamb meatballs and I ordered the buffalo cauliflower. The cauliflower dish was a bit on the spicy side, but it was still delicious. For the entree, my friend got the roast chicken which was huge that she took it to go and I ordered the fennel agnolotti, which was to die for. For dessert, I ordered the lemon tart and my friend got the sticky toffee cake, my phone died so I didn’t take the photos. The lemon tart was my least favorite of the three courses and the sticky toffee cake was obviously the better of the two.

Appetizer: Buffalo Cauliflower
Entree: Fennel Agnolotti

Almond is also participating in this season’s restaurant week and all three dishes mentioned above are included in their restaurant week menu, which is still $39. But if you register and use your MasterCard, you can get a $10 credit for your meal.

Il Cortile – 125 Mulberry Street

The final restaurant I went to is in Little Italy. My friend and I met up in this beautifully decorated restaurant. Service was quick and accommodating because of my situation. I ordered the baked clams which was disappointing due to the portion I was provided. My friend got the fried calamari, which was impressively delicious. For the main entree I went with the Pepite di Gnocchi which was to die for and my friend got the Capellini Special, which tasted good, but she loved the gnocchi I ordered. For dessert, we settled with the pistachio cheesecake, which was our least favorite.

Appetizer: Baked Clams
Entree: Pepite di Gnocchi
Dessert: Pistachio Cheesecake

Il Cortile is also participating in this season’s restaurant week and the appetizers and entrees dishes mentioned above are included in their restaurant week menu except their three-course meal for dinner has gone up to $59. But if you register and use your MasterCard, you can get a $10 credit for your meal. Personally for this season’s restaurant week, I’d go with the lunch option, which is two courses for $39 and you can still get your $10 credit for your meal.

During my review of 151 menus, which is based on the menu availability and whether they are participating in Mastercard promotion, below is a list of restaurants grouped by meal and number of people that is worth exploring:

Lunch for 1: Altesi Ristorante, Chazz Palminteri Italian, City Winery, Empire Steak House, Mark Joseph Steakhouse, Morton’s The Steakhouse – Manhattan, Motel Morris, Nice Matin, Pasta Louise Restaurant, Quality Eats – Upper East Side, and Rosa Mexicano

Dinner for 1: Bar Boulud, BLT Prime, BLT Steak, Hangawi, Jue Lan Club, Lafayette, Marseille, Morton’s The Steakhouse – Manhattan and World Trade Center, Noreetuh, Russian Tea Room, Sofrito on the Hudson, STK (Downtown and Midtown), Tarallucci e Vino (East Village and NoMad), Thaimee Love, and Tuscan Hills,

Lunch for 2: Bluebird London, Il Mulino Uptown, Il Mulino Soho, Il Cortile, Longo Bros., Russian Tea Room, Safari, and Sant Ambroeus

Dinner for 2: Almond, Archer & Goat, Beauty and Essex, Ben & Jack’s Steakhouse, Copinette, Fine and Rare, Guantanamera Restaurant, Kyma, La Loteria, La Sirene (Soho), Mark Joseph Steakhouse, Masseria del Vini, Pig & Khao, Quality Eats – Upper East Side, Safari, Sant Ambroeus, SenYa, Sonnyboy, and Yakiniku Futago

Lunch for 3: Almond (Brunch), Ben & Jack’s Steakhouse, Jue Lan Club, Kyma, and Queensyard,

Dinner for 3: Catch NYC, Chazz Palminteri Italian, Dos Caminos, Flatiron Room, Gentle Perch, Havana Central, La Masseria, The Leroy House, Quality Eats – West Village, and The Woo

Lunch for 4: Ammos Estiatorio, Bar Marseille, Miznon – Chelsea, and Miznon – Hudson Yards,

Dinner for 4: Alice, Danji, Maison Pickle, Meet the Meat, Osteria 57, and Tribeca Grill,

Lunch for 5: Amali, La Sirene (UWS), and Montebello Restaurant

Dinner for 5: Amali, Ammos Estiatorio, Casa Brazilian, David Burke Tavern, Jacob’s Pickles, Montebello Restaurant, Philippe by Phillippe Chow, Philippe by Philippe Chow Downtown, and UN Plaza Grill

Stay tuned and follow me on Instagram: @tablespoonsandteaspoons.

Throwback Thursday New York City Restaurant Week

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Restaurant Week has returned to New York City! But…it’s for takeout and delivery only so it’s now named

NYC RESTAURANT WEEK TO GO

NYC Restaurant Week is back and it started three days ago on 01/25/2021. This annual event started almost 30 years ago can you believe it?! NYC restaurant week started with 95 participating restaurants in 1992 to approximately over 500 restaurants in 2021.  This time around, all five boroughs are joining in on this opportunity to promote budget friendly meals to boost their businesses during this ongoing, unprecedented times.  All restaurant week dishes are being sold for only $20.21. In addition, another awesome perk is the premier sponsor for this year’s restaurant week is Mastercard. If you have a Mastercard, you can register your credit card to get $10 credit back into your statement for purchases over $20.21 and you can purchase up to meals; so in essence you’ll really paying $10.21 for an order, which is unheard of.

The website was updated very late on 01/24/2021 and after briskly reviewing over 500 menus or restaurant week to go offer(s) from each participating restaurant, there were definitely hits and misses from many restaurants that continued to participate in the past. What I discovered overall that the best offers were items related to omakases and steak dishes. Given the promotion ends on Sunday 01/31/2021 for most restaurants, some restaurants may extend their promotion until next Sunday 02/07/2021. With the short time I’ve had, I have only eaten at one restaurant to date, which is Adrienne’s Pizza Bar. For $22 that includes tax, I got a huge arugula salad and a 1/2 square of the old fashioned pie. I posted a picture of this huge lunch meal on my Instagram @tablespoonsandteaspoons.

During my review of over 500 menus I have come up with a very short wish list of places that is worth trying based on cost on a regular day of dining.

Angelo Pizza: Grilled Salmon with vegetables and fried calamari with garlic and oil.

Barbounia: Short Rib & Hummus or Branzino & Hummus

Bistrot Leo: Steak Frites with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

BLT Prime or BLT Steak: 14oz Strip steak with Fries

Khe-Yo – Crispy Chili Bell & Evans Chicken over Jasmine Rice with side of crispy brussels sprouts.

Tsuro Ton Tan (Union Square) – Omakase set—a full-size order of udon (choice of beef, chicken or spicy tan tan), and eight pieces of nigiri with a chef’s choice roll

With 4 days left, here’s a list of places I definitely would love to check out. Stay tuned and follow me on Instagram: @tablespoonsandteaspoons.

Sunday Game Plan: NYC Restaurant week Winter 2020 & Long Island Restaurant Week

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Happy Chinese New Year! So another health issues popped up and with one week of restaurant week already gone, it is time to give my game plan. This game plan is the Winter 2020 NYC Restaurant Week which began on January 21 and will end on Sunday February 9. Two course lunch/brunch is $26 and a three course dinner is $42.

After reviewing over 290 menus out of the 364 restaurants participating, there were a lot of restaurants continuing to participate plus several new ones. So, here is my plan for this year’s winter restaurant week adventure:

1) The Carlyle in the Upper East for dinner for two. This is the first time that they are participating for restaurant week. Definitely want to try their yellowfin tuna, beet salad, chicken, gnocchi and lavender creme brulee. In addition and it’s optional the wine pairing for all three dishes will be an additional $36.

2) Felidia in Midtown/Upper East Side is a great Italian restaurant with a connection to the Vatican because the owner Lidia Bastianich has served food to past three popes during their visits to New York. Personally I have eaten here this past summer for the Italian Restaurant Week and it will be interesting on how I will be treated because I experienced subtle inequality and slight discrimination when I dined there alone. Reservations go by very quickly.

3) Catch Steak is another restaurant under the Catch corporation located in Meatpacking is also participating in restaurant week for the first time for dinner. All three items chosen for their prix fixe are also sold a la carte. The ambiance of the place is awesome for pictures and girls night out.

4) Manhatta is a hard to get in restaurant under the Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group located in Lower Manhattan. They are also participating in restaurant week for lunch. Miraculously, I managed to get a reservation for a very early lunch. For my solo lunch, I definitely want to try the snails and lamb burger. Out of all the restaurants that are on this list, this is the one I am most excited about.

5) Aburiya Kinnosuke in Midtown is also participating in restaurant week for the first time and will be going for dinner for two. Definitely want to try their tofu, vegetable stir fry, black cod, chicken thigh, Shiratama Amitsu ice cream and mochi ice cream.

6) Ambassador Grill and Lounge located in the Millennium Hotel in the UN is also participating in restaurant week. All three items chosen for their prix fixe are also sold a la carte.

Due to time and obligations, I will not be able to eat at other restaurants this time around, so here is my wish list for restaurants to try: Cathedrale, David Burke Tavern, Tuome, Bann, Woodpecker, Cafe Boulud, Danji, Charlie Palmer Steak, Club A Steakhouse, and DB Bistro Moderne.

Now we will shift gears to Long Island Restaurant Week and over 175 restaurants will be participating. A three course prix fixe will cost $29.95. The awesome thing about this restaurant week is that they will be offering it on Saturdays until 7pm. Given that this restaurant week is coinciding with NYC restaurant week, it’s going to be difficult to participate. Therefore, here are my choices for this restaurant week: Red Salt in Garden City, Luigi’s in New Hyde Park and Imperial Meat Company in Huntington.

Stay tuned on my Instagram: tablespoonsandteaspoons and Twitter: spoonstt for posts during this adventure.

Meatless Monday – David Burke Tavern

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Last week I decided to make solo trip to David Burke Tavern in the Upper East Side in Manhattan. The former Fishtail location will be one of the participating restaurants for the upcoming NYC restaurant week starting tomorrow.

One of the entrees that will be offered during restaurant week is the celery root ravioli. The dish consists of grapes, pickled celery and winter black truffles. This homemade dish is well balanced especially when all the elements are combined.

Celery Root Ravioli

Stay tuned for the Restaurant Week Game Plan.