15

Wow! I did say I only had a week!

Yes I'm from outside USA, I'm from good old UK. Warm beer is good!

I've been to Thailand and Vietnam (and many other places), and I think the food in Vietnam is the best in the world. But I like nearly everything. I'm on my way to Peru, so I can do South American when I get there.

Keep those suggestions coming. I've got one night in NY on the way back.

Many thanks for all your comments so far.

16

Some bars serve cask ales which will usually be from American breweries. Gingerman on 36th street, Rattle N Hum on 33rd and Pony Bar on 10th avenue will have a couple. Surely some downtown bars have them too, but I can't think of any at the moment.

NYC is not known for Vietnamese food, though perhaps it might be better than what's available in the UK. You'll probably be more impressed w/ our Thai. I'd imagine you have better Indian food of all stripes at home.

Home fries are far more common than hash browns in NY breakfasts. Since you mentioned views, I'll suggest checking out Gantry State Park in Long Island City in Queens. It's one stop away from Manhattan on the 7 train. Then you can go have a late lunch at M Wells, a Montreal inspired take on a old-school diner. They had a great hash dish that had bacon and brussels sprouts and sunnyside (or poached?) eggs. Their menu can change a bit, but they should have something of interest.

Then walk over the Pulaski bridge to Greenpoint, which has a spot to stop for the view in the middle (maybe you can even skip Gantry and take the 7 to the second stop, right at M Wells). I suggest a late lunch at M Wells because Greenpoint has several bars with fine beer selections, such as The Habitat, Pencil Factory, Diamond, etc and they won't be open until later afternoon. If you get hungry again, there are a number of Polish restaurants in the neighborhood with tasty, hearty, cheap food. There's also a nice new-American restaurant called Five Leaves which is not terribly expensive.

Or after a couple of beers you could continue to walk on to Williamsburg which ought to have some places to your liking, and then even walk back to Manhattan over the Williamsburg bridge to finish the day.

17

TBri (and ACLoon):

thanks for the tip on Zabb, as well as the other Thai places.
i will definitely check that one out as i'm always the fan of isaan-food.... it should bring back good memories of my own travels throughout Nong Khai, Udon Thani, and the surrounding small village/ towns in between....

however:
i know the sushi place on 1st btwn 10 and 11 streets, and i stand by my claim all those 50% off sushi places are crap...!
try Sharaku on 9th street, towards 3rd avenue... it's alot better...
also, the japanese steakhouse on that block (name is escaping memory) serves excellent sushi as well..... my japanese friends prefer both of those places above everything else in the neighborhood....

as far as Ethiopian food,
i disagree on Awash... it benefits from location, but i think Meskerem (McDougal Street/ below Washington Sq and also in Hell's Kitchen area, @49st/ 11th ave?) and Meskerel (3rd street/ Ave B) are both better...
both times i tried Awash, i wasn't blown away and i found the taste on the blander side...... just my opinion.....

ditto on ACLoon's claim of South Indian being more prominent in the Lexington Ave area...
Saravanna's is another good option in that area, as well as Dha Ba and Haandi (better for lunch and cheap snacks though)
Vatan is also a good-but-pricey option for vegetarian, thali-style meals...

only one week in NYC, OP?
try to reschedule your flight out, and give yourself at least another week here....

18

If Awash downtown is the same as the one on Amsterdam Avenue, I found both that and Meskerem pretty bland. Meskerem is cheap for that neighborhood though.

19

And speaking of cask beer, I was completely unaware of this place, which is a couple blocks from Rattle N Hum, until just now:

http://www.casknyc.com/index.htm

20

Hi Loon,

Wheres Wondee Siam? Do you find it better than the Zabb on 13th (which does Isaan style, but also has the "classics," and perhaps the best spicy duck salad that I've had stateside)?

21

Also, willing to hear suggestions on Ethiopian... I grew up near the one on Amsterdam on 106-107, and loved it, but if there's better Ethiopian, I want a piece of it.

Really surprised that place on 1st didn't impress you, I have been to the cheapest and the more expensive places, and I really like that one for quality.

22

DC is the place for Ethiopian, TravelinBri.

23

Wondee Siam is at 52nd and 9th Ave. You can Google it or look up reviews and address on http://www.yelp.com. If you sort by top rated on Yelp and that neighborhood, you'll see it. You can do a similar top-rated search on Yelp for Ethiopian. And yes, it's better in DC.

24

OK. Looks like I'd better cancel Peru and stay in New York for a month. What about the twenty pounds I'm supposed to be losing on this trip?

Thanks for all your posts. If you see me in New York, I'll be the one being carried from one restaurant to the next.

25

La Mar hasn't opened in NYC yet, so maybe you should still go to Peru.

26

Yes, I did mean Wondee Siam at the location noted in #24 which is the only Thai in Manhattan I've found comparable to Queens (there's also Wondee Siam II, III and V, haven't tried those locations). I have not been to Zabb City as I used to live near the original location on Roosevelt Ave in Queens.

27

Would love to hear from more people who have been to the Zabb on 13th, and if they still feel it lags behind Wondee...

28

That sort of question is better suited for Chowhound. The odds of someone who happened to have been to both of those restaurants coming across this thread are probably quite slim.

29

Or read reviews online, for both. People who seek out good Thai places are likely to post reviews for both if they post at all.