Here are my requirements:
[ul]
[li]Near Grand Central Terminal[/li]
[li]5 of us (3 adults and 2 teens)[/li]
[li]not too dressy (khakis and polos are about as dressy as we can manage)[/li]
[li]Good food. We’re all seasoned restaurant goers.[/li][/ul]
Suggestions?
Define “near” GCT.
I worship the steak at Wolfgang’s. (No, not Wolfgang Puck. Just Wolfgang’s.) 33rd and Park. But that’s about nine blocks.
Michael Jordan Steakhouse is in GCT and very good.
Midtown-ish?
We’re from Seattle and taking our daughter to start school at FIT. A friend is taking the train in from Connecticut to meet us for dinner and we don’t want her to have to go too much farther after she arrives in the city.
Nine blocks isn’t far.
Delta Grill on 48th and 9th. Southern/Cajun food.
Short cab ride and the food is some of the best you’ll find above the Mason-Dixon and among the best in the city.
And they have Blackened Voodoo in the bottle- even if it is (currently) made in Milwaukee, it’s the best beer on God’s green Earth.
Delta Grill sounds just like what we were looking for. Thanks!
It will be a bit of a hike.
Some of my favorite restaurants in the area:
Avra - Greek seafood
Kellari - Greek
Bukhara Grill - Indian
Bryant Park Grill - American
Oh, those all sound good, too! Thanks very much!
YMMV, but I’ve never had a good meal at the Delta Grill. (I’ve gone twice or three times with friends who wanted to go.)
If you’re willing to go to 48th and 9th you will probably also be willing to go to 51st and 9th, which is where you will find Vynl. I love it because they have a large variety of food on the menu and it is reasonably priced. The decor is fabulous and the food is pretty tasty! Check it out if you get a chance.
Oh yeah. It’s Peter Luger quality without going to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, AND they take credit cards. And the hash brown potatoes I had there were the best I’ve ever had.
If you’re considering the Delta Grill at 48th and 9th Ave. as being in the GCT neighborhood (it can be a pretty far walk crosstown westwards on a hot summer day), then I would also suggest you consider Churrascaria Plataforma on 49th St. between 8th and 9th Aves. It’s a Brazilian “rodizio”, which is Portuguese for “non-stop meat-a-thon” (guys go around with different meats on skewers and until you flip a card from green to red, they’ll stop at your table), plus an absolutely awesome open salad bar that includes not only fresh greens and vegetables but also egg, potato and tuna “salads”, fresh sushi, and more.
And if you’ve never had one, get a caipirinha, the “national mixed drink” of Brazil. You won’t regret it.
Plataforma’s caipirinha is about the strongest one I’ve ever had. Even while filling up on tons of meat, 2 of these had me ripped.
Bobby Van’s - American - 46th and Park
Bond 45 - Italian - 45th and Broadway
Capital Grill - American - 42nd btw Lexington and 3rd Ave
Koi - Japanese - 40th and 6th Ave
Mortons - Steak - 45th and 5th Ave
The Palm - American - 45th and Second Ave
Pershing Square - 42nd under Park Ave
Sparks - Steak - 46th and 3rd Ave
Smith & Wollensky - Steak - 49th and 3rd Ave
Virgils - BBQ - 44th and Broadway
Do you have requirements more specific than “good food” and “can dress like tourists”?
You, sir/madam, are obviously a communist.
I have eaten there more times than I can count, and I have never had a bad meal. In fact, I was in town for a week last month (I live in L.A. now), and I ate lunch, dinner, or a snack there four days out of nine.
If you don’t mind my asking, why did you dislike your experience there? Did you not like the taste of the dishes, or did they not taste like you expected them to taste?
I don’t see how you can go wrong with the sticky chicken, the alligator/pork sausage, Lenore’s chicken, the occasionally-appearing alligator in sauce piquant, or any steak dish.
I’ll admit that I’m not a fan of the jambalaya, but that’s because I prefer my jambalaya much more moist.
Girl Next Door, if you do go to the Delta Grill, let me know what you think.
Yeah, I think we’d like to keep the price kinda moderate. By that I mean <$25 entrees.
Hmmm…That may be tough in Midtown.
You might try Heartland Brewery or BXL on 43rd.
Got a reservation at Virgil’s BBQ. Thank you so much, everyone! Will report back.
Hope you have fun - and a good meal!
Hey! That was one of mine!
So what do I win?