Roll-n-Roaster

Roll-n-Roaster3rd Avenue & 11th Street(212) 614-BEEF Emmons & Nostrand Avenue (Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn)(718) 769-6000 Cuisine: American fast food, not a chain- perhaps NYC’s own version of In-n-Out?Price: Expensive for what it is, but oh so worth it (around $20 for 2 people) Craig and I are frequent visitors to the Sheepshead Bay original, so last night, on our way home from Penn Station, when we saw this one, which we’d been meaning to try since its opening about a year ago, we went for it.  The first surprise was when I ordered my standard roast beef sandwich (made on the [...]

Yuka

Yuka 1557 2nd Avenue (between 80th & 81st Street) (212) 772-9675 (reservations not accepted) Cuisine: Japanese Price: $18 all you can eat sushi/hand rolls/maki (from a list you check off). They have a regular menu, as well, linked above. After hearing rave after rave after rave from J-bot, I finally, after two years, dragged my butt all the way up to the UPPER EAST SIDE. This place is far from where I work (all the way at the bottom of the Financial District), but after talking about the place a bit to my coworkers, they were game and so off [...]

Essex

Essex 120 Essex Street(212) 533-9616 (reservations recommended) Cuisine: Brunch/American farePrice: Cheap eats (for two people, brunch came out to $45 total, which included a side of bacon) I’d heard very good things about Essex, ranging from “unlimited alcohol!” to “good food cheap” and “amazing brunch”, but I admit I was a bit dubious when we pulled up.  Outside walking in, it looked like a cafeteria, very minimalist and very… stark.  Once we walked in, I was surprised to see how busy it was, with a wait despite our reservation (made hastily an hour prior), and people swarming the bar, eating, chatting, [...]

Spanky’s BBQ

Spanky’s BBQ127 West 43rd StreetP: (212) 575-5848 Cuisine: BBQPrice: $30/person, incl. tax, tip, and sodas I’d heard a lot about Spanky’s from various people and was eager to try it, being a die hard fan of Dallas BBQ.  I was surprised when, right away, despite having numerous tables available on their ground floor, they took me downstairs to a table the furthest away from anything in the place.  Oh well.  After my date had arrived, we quickly decided that we would sample the Royal Flush, a platter for two that featured most of the things we wanted to try for [...]

Lady Mendl’s

Lady Mendl’s56 Irving PlaceNew York, NY 10003(212) 533-4600 Cuisine: Afternoon teaPrice: Ouch.  $35/person + tax & tip = $45/person After hearing such great things about Lady Mendl’s from friends and from online reviews, I felt I had to try it.  It’s tea!  It’s cute!  It’s fun!  It was cute, too!  Look at the sugar cube by each of our teacups, in the saucer: it’s been hand decorated with an icing rose.  Attention to detail wins extra points from me.  Craig, of course, popped his into his mouth and then tried to steal mine after I refused to put it in [...]

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