New York City Thread: Part III (Info in OP)

[Boris Zubov]

BZ, I'm spending a few days on the strip over New Year's. Can you throw some local recommendations my way?

For off the strip dining, I assume? Esther's Kitchen is the first place I tell everyone to try. It's located in the Arts district between the strip & downtown. Awesome wine list, not only the selections, but the prices; all glasses are $10 & all bottles are $40. Extensive cocktail list, plus lots of local beers. Their pastas & their sourdough bread is fresh made in house. I don't care what you order for dinner, you must try the bread as an appetizer. I'm not sure of the times, but they have happy hour at the bar where all pasta is half off. It's a great place that two people can have a great meal, including a bottle of wine, for less than $100. I'm not sure if they take reservations, but weekends are pretty busy, so they're might be a wait.

The other place that stands out is Cleaver. It's on Paradise Road near Flamingo. Great steaks, great mussels, REALLY extensive cocktail list, but it's not a cheap night out. Their website doesn't work, so give them a call to see if they're still doing happy hour. When they opened it was half priced steaks from 5-8 & from midnite - 3AM. If they still do HH, reservations are a must.

Those are the two places I really feel comfortable recommending. I honestly find most of the dining options in this town, both local & the strip tend to be SEVERELY overrated & overpriced.

BTW, my tickets for the NYE matinee for the Knights might be available, let me know if you're interested.

 

[Boris Zubov]

I go to Vegas 2-3 times per year and will be there around the same time as you, though I usually don't venture far from the strip so take this for what it's worth from a tourist perspective (often comped). I mentioned upthread my mancrush for Delmonico's at the Venetian. But for the traditional vegas steak special on the cheap you can't go wrong with ellis island behind Bally's. My preferred burger joint is Holsteins at Cosmo but I also like gordon ramsay burger at planet hollywood. I have not had a good slice of pizza in Vegas ever and that includes both Di Fara's and Grimaldis. I stopped trying. For Italian though I like Battista's across the street from Bally's or Don Vito's at South Point (if you have to wait there is a $1.25 hot dog cart for snacking at the sportsbook). For traditional deli sandwiches I believe there is still a Carnegie Deli at Mirage (but no longer at the Sands Wind Creek in Bethlehem) - I always liked it though I also like Earl of Sandwich so maybe I'm not so discriminating when it comes to sandwiches. For chinese I've stood for hours watching them making noodles at beijing no. 9 noodle at caesars. It's pretty good to eat too but I'm sure there are better local places that meet NY standards (unlike pizza) - eg there is Noodles at Bellagio but I was only there once. For seafood I like Yellowtail at Bellagio (especially as I haven't had to pay). Best buffet is Bacchanal at Caesars but it'll be ridiculously expensive that time of the year with huge lines despite the price. Go only with a comp or at the very least a line pass and a big appetite (they will sell line passes for about the price of bellagio's buffet).

Funny you mention this place. I got roped into dinner their last night for the first (& last) time. Not trying to sound like a dick, but this place is garbage. Total tourist trap, with awful food. I'm Italian from Queens, so I'm not talking out of my ass. YMMV.

 

[Don Chytil]

Funny you mention this place. I got roped into dinner their last night for the first (& last) time. Not trying to sound like a dick, but this place is garbage. Total tourist trap, with awful food. I'm Italian from Queens, so I'm not talking out of my ass. YMMV.

Makes sense, I would never trust food from a place with "free bottomless house wine". They're obviously going to use low quality ingredients for the food to make up for the margins they're missing out on by giving out free wine. Not to mention that I've heard from friends that the free wine itself is "undrinkable". And one of their "wine specials" is a Beringer that I can pick up at any bodega for $8.99 (not that I would, because it's trash).

Never been myself - but given your experience, what I've heard about the place, and after taking one look at the menu, seems like it's definitely one to avoid.

 

[sbjnyc]

Funny you mention this place. I got roped into dinner their last night for the first (& last) time. Not trying to sound like a dick, but this place is garbage. Total tourist trap, with awful food. I'm Italian from Queens, so I'm not talking out of my ass. YMMV.

What can I say, I happened to like it and pretty much every place I mentioned on the strip is a tourist trap. I may be a pizza snob but not an italian food snob in general

 

[Bricho]

Staying at the Wynn. And I'll try anything twice.

If you’re into steak you cannot go wrong with Lawry’s or Del Frisco. In my several visits to Vegas over the last two decades I’ve never had a bad meal at either restaurant. Neither is technically on the strip but a short Uber away from the Wynn

 

[Boris Zubov]

Makes sense, I would never trust food from a place with "free bottomless house wine". They're obviously going to use low quality ingredients for the food to make up for the margins they're missing out on by giving out free wine. Not to mention that I've heard from friends that the free wine itself is "undrinkable". And one of their "wine specials" is a Beringer that I can pick up at any bodega for $8.99 (not that I would, because it's trash).

Never been myself - but given your experience, what I've heard about the place, and after taking one look at the menu, seems like it's definitely one to avoid.

The house red wine they serve is awful, & they make you drink it from a glass that looks like a votive candle holder. I felt like shit all day yesterday & I'm blaming it equally on the food & the wine. I'll never make that mistake again.

 

[Boris Zubov]

What can I say, I happened to like it and pretty much every place I mentioned on the strip is a tourist trap. I may be a pizza snob but not an italian food snob in general

Agreed, 100%, which is why my dining recommendations were very limited. The ratio of bad dining experiences to good that I've had in this town is extremely disproportionate. Overhyped & WAAAAAY overpriced. It sucks being treated like a tourist in the city you live in.

The restaurants in this town survive off middle Americans whose dining options at home are extremely limited. To them it's gourmet, to the informed among us, it's really not. No offense to anyone intended, but when you grow up in NYC, we're fortunate to be extremely spoiled with our food. When you leave the area, you really understand what you're missing.

I learned to cook from my mom & when I was in college I worked in a pizzeria for a few years. Since leaving NYC, I've had to really rely on those skills if I want to eat good. It's way more satisfying & I save a lot of cash. I'm lucky my GF can cook really well too, better than I can. She's half Sicilian from Connecticut, so we have the Italian dishes covered.

 

[Boris Zubov]

If you’re into steak you cannot go wrong with Lawry’s or Del Frisco. In my several visits to Vegas over the last two decades I’ve never had a bad meal at either restaurant. Neither is technically on the strip but a short Uber away from the Wynn

Why go to a national chain, when you can go to a locally owned place like Cleaver that is literally across the street from one of those places. The steak there is just as good, if not better, & the vibe is way cooler.

 

[Chaels Arms]

I've mentioned this previously, but they have two places out here in Vegas. One inside Caesars called "DiFara", & one off the strip called Dom DeMarco's that is a full menu restaurant. The one in Caesars is embarrassing. The pizza doesn't even resemble a NY slice, it's so undercooked, you can't even fold it. Plus they have the balls to charge $22 for 2 slices & a drink. I tried it once, never again.

The location off the strip is better, but it's still nothing like the slices in Brooklyn. Believe me, the family cares nothing about the product out here, so it doesn't surprise me they're letting the pizza quality tank in favor of profits.



This day was gonna happen sooner than later. I'm amazed he hung on as long as he did. Too bad the kids didn't absorb Dom's passion for his craft.

One day I will post my entire Di Fara rant which spans many years but suffice to say that the story behind the Vegas locations was told to my friends at a private party at Di Fara about two years ago when Dom was still making pies. It was not an officially sanctioned operation originally. There was, for a time, some bad blood in the family with Dom's son, Harry, having went "rogue" in opening those locations on his own. Harry, who I never saw inside Di Fara when Dom was making pizza, is now the main pizzaiolo at the Midwood location and churning out some pretty average pizza.

 

[Boris Zubov]

One day I will post my entire Di Fara rant which spans many years but suffice to say that the story behind the Vegas locations was told to my friends at a private party at Di Fara about two years ago when Dom was still making pies. It was not an officially sanctioned operation originally. There was, for a time, some bad blood in the family with Dom's son, Harry, having went "rogue" in opening those locations on his own. Harry, who I never saw inside Di Fara when Dom was making pizza, is now the main pizzaiolo at the Midwood location and churning out some pretty average pizza.

Your story makes a lot of sense, now that I can connect some dots. I've met the primary owner of the locations here in town & he talked about Dom constantly turning his offers down for years. He confirmed he finally made the deal with Dom's son but conveniently left out the part where the old man was out of the loop.

He was so proud of the pizza at the location off the strip, I didn't have the heart to tell him it was extremely average & undercooked.

 

[Kocur Dill]

So. My wife and I both have 2 weeks off around Christmas.

Is there a live Jazz bar near the Garden at all?

Would love to spend a night in the city, catch a game and hang at a late night live Jazz show if at all possible without having to travel too far. Would take the train into Penn or Grand, Penn preferred.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

So. My wife and I both have 2 weeks off around Christmas.

Is there a live Jazz bar near the Garden at all?

Would love to spend a night in the city, catch a game and hang at a late night live Jazz show if at all possible without having to travel too far. Would take the train into Penn or Grand, Penn preferred.

Don’t think there’s much jazz near the Garden, but it’s less than 10 min on the subway to get to the Blue Note et. al. near W4th/Christopher Street.

 

[Kocur Dill]

Don’t think there’s much jazz near the Garden, but it’s less than 10 min on the subway to get to the Blue Note et. al. near W4th/Christopher Street.

Thank you for the heads up.

Looks like a nice place.

 

[True Blue]

Thank you for the heads up.

Looks like a nice place.

Also can try Blue Smoke. I think that they do a jazz brunch on Sunday. It's a Danny Meyer restaurant

 

[East Coast Bias]

Also can try Blue Smoke. I think that they do a jazz brunch on Sunday. It's a Danny Meyer restaurant

The Jazz Standard is downstairs and has nightly jazz. It's not an all night thing though. Probably would only make sense he hit the Ducks game on the 22nd in the afternoon, then hit a sunday evening show here.

About | Welcome to Jazz Standard

 

[Kocur Dill]

Kind of what I was thinking. Train into town early Sunday. Ducks game at 12, then waner around a bit till a show opens in the evening, stay at a hotel till Monday morning. I live in Orange so trains stop running late at night.

 

[Kocur Dill]

Wife has been busting her but with RN schooling and wanted to treat her to a little something. She likes Jazz so figured we could make a big day out of it.

 

[GordonGecko]

Best Thai food in the US is at Lotus of Siam. It's off the strip.

Public House at the Venetian is very good and the lunch pre-fixe at Estiatorio Milos at Cosmopolitan is one of the better deals in Vegas.

NYC has some of the best Thai Food in the world. I realized that when I tried every place in Connecticut and every single one of them was garbage. And then I had amazing Thai food in Thailand and it was pretty much like NYC

 

[Kupo]

NYC has some of the best Thai Food in the world. I realized that when I tried every place in Connecticut and every single one of them was garbage. And then I had amazing Thai food in Thailand and it was pretty much like NYC

The only decent Thai place I've had in CT was at Ocha's. Thai Food Stamford & Darien, CT | Lunch Specials

 

[True Blue]

NYC has some of the best Thai Food in the world. I realized that when I tried every place in Connecticut and every single one of them was garbage. And then I had amazing Thai food in Thailand and it was pretty much like NYC

NYC does have some of the best (have you had Ugly Baby yet?). But trust me, Lotus of Siam in Vegas. THE best. Place looks like a dinner on the outside but has a HUGE wine list. And ridiculous Thai.

 

[Crease]

NYC does have some of the best (have you had Ugly Baby yet?). But trust me, Lotus of Siam in Vegas. THE best. Place looks like a dinner on the outside but has a HUGE wine list. And ridiculous Thai.

Ugly Baby is fantastic. Uncle Boon is good too, but I had a bad experience there service wise that has prevented me from going back.

 

[True Blue]

Ugly Baby is fantastic. Uncle Boon is good too, but I had a bad experience there service wise that has prevented me from going back.

At Uncle Boon's? Wow.

You should also get to SraPraPhai in Woodside.

 

[Don Chytil]

At Uncle Boon's? Wow.

You should also get to SraPraPhai in Woodside.

What's your go-to order at SriPraPhai? I've been there twice and I feel like I ordered wrong both times because it was just okay for me. Everyone raves about the crispy catfish but I wasn't too into it? Think part of the issue is that they have a huge menu - but I do love authentic spicy thai food, so I'm sure there's plenty there I would like.

Love Uncle Boon's and have been meaning to try Ugly Baby. Favorite thai food in the country though has to go to Night + Market Song in LA. I have dreams about it.

 

[True Blue]

What's your go-to order at SriPraPhai? I've been there twice and I feel like I ordered wrong both times because it was just okay for me. Everyone raves about the crispy catfish but I wasn't too into it? Think part of the issue is that they have a huge menu - but I do love authentic spicy thai food, so I'm sure there's plenty there I would like.

Love Uncle Boon's and have been meaning to try Ugly Baby. Favorite thai food in the country though has to go to Night + Market Song in LA. I have dreams about it.

Have you tried Lotus of Siam in Vegas?

At SriPraPhai, am always a sucker for the wings and laab for appetizers. Love the various fried fish. roasted pork and duck

 

[Don Chytil]

Have you tried Lotus of Siam in Vegas?

At SriPraPhai, am always a sucker for the wings and laab for appetizers. Love the various fried fish. roasted pork and duck

Thanks for the recs! Will have to try it again soon. And I've never been to Vegas Will add it to the list of things to do there eventually!