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Christen B.
Hometown:
Apt. 11M, NY, 10019
InsiderRank: 11,735
First Reviews: 8
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Patsy's
Patsy's is famous for its delicious pizza. The pizza is in fact delicious, but there are a couple of drawbacks. They only deliver for lunch and they don't accept cash. these are both really strange for a busy New York City restaurant. If they delivered, I would probably eat it a lot more often. Patsy's is very casual, and it is a nice family restaurant. Because there are often a lot of kids, it is rather noisy inside. I have also tried the antipasto platter as an appetizer, and it was good. The service is average, but you can't expect much more for such a casual place. I would recommend trying this pizza.
PROS: Great pizza
CONS: No delivery
@SQC
This restaurant has good food but is kind of expensive. Even though it is a nice area, I think it is a bit overpriced. There is no outdoor seating area, but a big nice window area. Unfortunately, they try to cram the tables by the windo and so there is not a lot of room. The inside tables are more roomy. For dinner, try the endive salad as an appetizer and the grilled fish for an entree. They also have a pretty good brunch menu and a good bloody mary. I have had average service here, but have heard bad stories from friends. I guess it can be hit or miss. I think it is worth a try, but with so many good restaurants in the area, it is hard to recommend this one too highly.
PROS: Good endive salad
CONS: Overpriced
Jacques Imos Restaurant
If you like cajun food, especially spicy food, try Jacques Imos. I have been to New Orleans, and the Jacques Imos there (the original I believe) is better, but the New York location is close. The one in New Orleans is well known. Try the fried chicken and the mashed sweet potatoes. They also have bingo night and prix fixe meal on Mondays, although I have never been. The atmosphere is very casual and they even serve some New Orleans beers (like Abita) and drinks (like hurricanes). True to New Orleans cooking, there are not a lot of healthy options on the menu. But the flavor is worth the calorie splurge.
PROS: Good cajun food
CONS: Fatty food
Isabella's
This is a great restaurant. I especially like to go at lunch to get the crabcake sandwich, which is served with a salad and corn side dish. It is really delicious. The salads are also good, and for dinner, try the chilean sea bass. There is a nich outdoor seating area, but this is a popular restaurant, so to get an outdoor table can be a long wait. But if you are only two, it can be faster. This can also be a fun place for celebrity sightings! For such a nice place, it is suprisingly affordable, at least by New York standards! The staff has always been attentive and I highly recommend this restaurant.
PROS: Crabcake sandwich
CONS: Crowded
Azafran Llc
Azafran is a great tapas place downtown. We went there with a large group for a birthday and they were very accomodating for such a large group. The food was great, especially the shrimp in olive oil and the goat cheese and beet tapas. The portions are small, so you need to order quite a bit for a meal if you are only going to do tapas. We did order some of the paella, which was good as well. Azafran also has a narrow bar area in the front, which is good to have a drink while you are waiting for your party, but it gets crowded fast because there isn't much space. Tapas is always fun for a group.
PROS: Great tapas
CONS: Narrow bar area
Blondies
Everyone on the Upper West Side knows this is the place to get good wings. The quality is always consistently delicious. The cheese fries are also good, as is the steak sandwich. Blondies is a sports bar, so when there is any game or match worth watching, it is packed and if you are not an avid fan you should stay clear. Even if you are an avid fan, you may not be able to focus on the game! The bartenders are great at this bar, and they have a two for one happy hour until six or seven o'clock. The bathrooms are clean.
PROS: Great wings
CONS: Too crowded when a game is on
Jakes Dilemma
This bar is loud late at night and the atmosphere is not very nice. But if you are in the mood, the music is a good, fun selection. The bathrooms are often broken, leaving only one women's stall and very long lines. They have a small outdoor dining area, which is often full, but if you can sit down, they actually have good bar food. The chicken tenders and mozzerella sticks were better than expected. They had difficulty with their credit card machine at the end of our visit and it took forever to leave because they could not fix it. Otherwise, the staff is nice and the bartenders attentive. The crowd is very young, which may explain the loud music.
PROS: Decent food
CONS: Music is too loud
Keens Steak House
This is not one of the more popular steak houses of New York, but it has consistently served me the best steaks. The oysters, calamari, and shrimp are great appetizers. The porterhouse for two or the filet mignon cannot be beat. The best sides are the creamed spinach and the sauteed mushrooms. For desert, you should try the dark chocolate cake, the ice cream sundae, or the cheesecake. Everything is tasty here. I did find the asparagus to be very overcooked on more than one occasion. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice. They have pipes mounted on the ceiling, which is supposed to be the largest collection of its kind. Nice place to take visitors.
PROS: Great steak
CONS: Pricey
Penang
This is a great restaurant, especially if you like Malaysian, Indian, or Chinese food. They have a great express lunch menu if you work in the area and they deliver with a $12 minimum purchase. My favorite dishes are the Roti Canai (a roti bread appetizer with a curry chicken and potato dipping sauce) and the Pisang Melaka (a roti bread desert with bananas inside and a coconut dipping sauce). I once ordered delivery and the order came with an item that I didn't order. When I called the restaurant, they quickly sent over the right item. You should try this restuarant.
PROS: Great roti canai
CONS: Many items with tofu
The Helena
We are moving into The Helena this month. It is a new apartment building on the west side, with studios, and one and two bedrooms. The building is new, which means that all of the fixtures and appliances are new. We have been very happy with the leasing staff there and they have been very accomodating. There is a gym, roofdeck, and complimentary shuttle to Colombus Circle to catch the subway that leaves every twenty minutes in the mornings. The lobby is welcoming with an airy feel. The building is also environmentally friendly, many of the building materials are recycled and the water is double filtered.
PROS: Beautiful
CONS: Far west