Welcome to the best burger in town. Hidden behind red velvet curtains inside the swank Midtown hotel Le Paker Meridien, is this staged hole in the wall, complete with fake wood paneling and vinyl booths. The menu and ordering instructions are written on cardboard, and you better be ready to roll by the time you make it to the counter (by that point you will have been in line for ten minutes, minimum). Nonetheless, this is well worth the long wait and jockeying for a seat. Sit down with a burger, fries that come in a brown paper bag, and a pitcher of beer. No talking.
Bobby Flay, the ginger boy badass Throwdown king, is obviously about as famous as a chef can possibly be. I like the guy, and if I one day meet him, plan on challenging him to some sort of one on one battle of wills or a slap fight or something. It just seems like the right thing to do. In the interest of increasing the likelihood of said meeting and whatever might ensue thereafter, I have spent more than a few nights at his midtown restaurant, Bar Americain. The newest of the Flay NYC establishments is large, slick, and aimed squarely at the pockets of midtown suits and Times Square tourists who need something besides Ruby Foo’s to tell their friends about when they return home. It’s a huge space, and has an over the top, big money aesthetic you are more likely to find in a Las Vegas mega hotel than on 52nd St. Consider those things and know that – believe it or not – I actually love the place. Flay has built his brand on big Southwestern flavor, and the food at Bar Americain still touts that trademark flair, but it’s more New York than Santa Fe. The twists are subtle but perfect variations on traditional American offerings like the incredible hanger steak and the tuna tartar that packs a spicy kick right at the end of a bite. Thanks Bobby for giving us a place in midtown that doesn’t suck. Now I just need a layaway plan to pay for my meal. You do that right?
Danny Meyer. Gobbling up screen time on this site just like he’s gobbling up restaurant space all over town. We finally got around to a review of The Modern, and it’s about time, they needed more good press. Or wait a minute, no they didn’t. Along with a Michelin Star and constant raves, Chef Gabriel Kreuther was honored this past year with a James Beard award for Best Chef: NYC. We’re actually still waiting to find out if we won for Most Influential Food Website: Earth. They’ll call or something right?
The best way for us to give you the lowdown on this place is to explain that it’s really two different experiences: the bar, and the dining room. The dining room is a beautiful, formal space overlooking the MoMa garden with a three course prixe fixe menu. It’s fine dining for sure, and it’s incredibly good. Think of it as a more “modern” Eleven Madison Park. The bar area is quite a bit different. It’s sleek, more relaxed, and on a good night, you’ll find some Action at the Bar. The plates are smaller and a bit more restrained, but you will still get A plus service and have a decent meal. We like the bar just fine, but what it really comes down to is this: … read more
Somewhere in between the porky excessiveness of Ippudo and the basic, hangover curing magic of Rai Rai Ken lies a bowl of Totto Ramen. This Japanese noodle outpost opened back in June, and we’re not sure that there has ever been a more welcomed addition to the Midtown food scene. After a few weeks of walking by and evaluating the crowds, we finally made our way in for dinner not once, but twice, and we’re happy to report that this place is indeed, the sh*t. But before you round up a crew from the office for some slurping, be aware that Totto Ramen is packed pretty much all of the time. We found the waits for two to be mostly manageable – around 30 to 45 minutes on average. Tables of three and four probably should not be attempted during any normal meal hours. We also noticed frequent availability of a single stool at the bar, so Dining Solo will definitely give you an advantage in this situation. Find a book that you can pretend to be reading, and maybe someone will think you’re interesting.
Photo Credit: Daniel Krieger
We’ve got a handful of spots that we like in Hell’s Kitchen, and there are definitely a few that we still need to hit up. But right now, Taboon is at the top of our list in the ‘hood. That says a lot for the food, considering the restaurant itself lacks most qualities of a typical Infatuation Approved establishment. It’s pricey and a little stuffy, and the music they play is an unlistenable combination of Greek lounge music and Yanni remixes. Oh yeah, and it’s on 10th Avenue. But what Taboon lacks in cool, it more than makes up for with top quality Mediterranean eats and good service.
A taboon is an Arabic word for a wood-burning oven, and the one in the front of this restaurant turns out some damn tasty food. Things that swim seem to benefit the most from the taboon treatment – all of the fish entrees here are excellent, and the octopus and crab salad appetizers should not be missed. They also bake an amazing fresh focaccia and serve it on a paddle, which I then use to jam the entire loaf down my throat at once. More please. Prices are a little steep, so Taboon probably shouldn’t be in your heavy rotation, but we recommend spending the extra bucks if you’re in the area looking for a solid meal.
