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| THAI/ PAN ASIAN Sookk: Thai. 2686 B-Way @ 102-3rd; 23/19/$27; 870-0253; Cozy yet welcoming Thai star in the Upper West; Tasty selections with a Chinese edge to them; BYOB; Very inexpensive so order multiple appetizers. Land: Thai. 450 Amsterdam @ 81-2nd; 23/16/$25; 501-8121; Small but truly wonderful food; Seems more upscale than price; Very spicy food; Pad Thai perfection. Problem is the seating/ size- go early! Fatty Crab: Malaysian; 2170 B-Way @ 77th; 21/13/$41; 352-3590; Street food; Incredible Brunch on weekends; Limited menu of Malaysian street classics; So good and unique. Chili Crab entrée is the way to go; Short Ribs; Decent noodle soups; No Rez but quick turnover. Small place- overpriced probably. Original location in the West Village even smaller; Asiate: Asian. 80 Columbus Circle – Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 35th floor; 24/29/$111; 805-8881; Voted Zagat’s #1 restaurant in NYC for décor; Epic view of Central Park; Pampering service; For a special occasion; Insanely overpriced; Try the $24 weekday lunch special or $54 prix fixe 3 course brunch; Dinner is $85 3-course prix-fixe; Menu is seasonal and is Asian/ New American. Aja: Asian. 1068 1st Av @ 58th; 20/21/$44; 888-8008; Very attractive setting; Décor includes a Buddha fountain and a trendy-looking bar; Menu is huge and features dumplings, Wok stir fry dishes; Sushi rolls; Peking Duck and many others; All served in an elegant, date-friendly environment with excellent service. Young and trendy feel to the place. Wondee Siam: Thai. 792 & 813 9th Av @ 52-54th; 45909057; 23/10/$23; Memorable food; Take-Out; Authentic; Cramp set-up; Spicy food. Has a loyal fan base and it always popular. Extremely authentic and serviceable and nearly free. Bluechili: Pan-Asian. 251 W 51st @ B-Way – 8th Av; 20/17/$39; 246-3330; Beyond the ordinary; Creative dishes and a cool décor make the experience worthwhile; Inventive pad Thai – probably their best dish; Sushi as well as soft shell crab available. Also known as Siam Inn; Basically, above average Thai and Sushi – though not amazing in a date friendly environment. Solid pre-theatre. Ruby Foo’s: Pan-Asian. 1626 B-Way @ 49th; 21/23/$43; 489-5600; Tons of tourists & located in Times Square; But, amazingly fun and a perfect place to take visiting family; Huge menu of sushi to Asian classics; Disneyland for the eyes; I think the place is underrated; Try the Dim Sum Sampler, Peking Duck Nachos, Crispy Calamari, House sushi rolls, Pad Thai, Kung Pao Chicken or Filet stir-fry. Pam Real Thai: Thai. 402 W 47th & 404 W 49th @ 9-10th Av; 23/10/$22; 315-4441; Duo of small finds that deliver amazing food at discount prices; Diamond in the ruff; Authentic. Tight quarters better enjoyed off-peak; Cash only. Dirt cheap and just what you need when a last minute dining option is in order on a Monday night; They have my favorite- Oxtail Soup on the menu. Crispy Duck great too.
Buddakan: Asian. 75 9th @ 15-16th; 24/27/$63; 989-6699; Incredible interior; Epically popular; Trendy; Sexy; Hot spot for large groups or dates; Amazing food- wide variety; Crispy crab noodles are a hit; Top shelf appetizers; Perfecto drinks. Truly one of the 5 best date spots in the city as you will be sure to impress; Good looking crowd; Reserve a week in advance at least!
Spice Market: Pan Asian. 403 13th @ 9th Av; 24/27/$56; 675-2322; Perfect décor; Duplex setting; Trendy; Date Central- truly ideal to impress; Attractive staff , eye candy crowd; Dishes meant to be shared – small plates; You can’t have a bad time here. Ajna Bar: Asian. 25 Little W 12th @ 9th Av; 20/25/$60; 646-416-6002; Buddakhan version 2.0. You enter through a gorgeous slate hallway featuring buddahs; Dining room is picture-perfect and the Buddah bar is a great scene and place to start with a drink; Food is quite good as well; Service is mixed & it can be pricy; But, ideal for a date/ romantic (if loud) dining experience; Go on a Sunday-Thursday when its not as crowded for more attention. Menu features Sushi, Duck, Lamb – full sized dishes. Fatty Crab: Malaysian; 643 Hudson @ Gansevoort-Horatio; 22/13/$39; 352-3590; Street food; Incredible Brunch on weekends; Limited menu of Malaysian street classics; So good and unique. Chili Crab; Short Ribs; No Rez but quick turnover. Betel: Asian. 51 Grove @ Bleecker-7th Av; 23/24/$53; 352-0460; Southeast Asian cuisine is a hip, date friendly setting; Exotic cocktails made from fresh ingredients; Hip, new spot; Food is an eclectic mix of creatively devised dishes including pork & scallop dumplings; poached chicken and crab salad and stir fried snapper; Beef ribs, Duck and some more traditional dishes served; Smallish menu for Asian. Kittichai: Thai. 60 Thompson @ Broome-Spring; 23/27/$57; 219-2000; Décor is exquisite; Eye candy; Incredible drink & food; Theatrical design; Overwhelmingly impressive to eat here; You will pay well above genre but worth it. Brunch served weekends 11-3; Affiliated with the Thom Bar lounge; Oxtail soup on the menu – my favorite; Arctic Char, Chilean Sea Bass. Nyonya: Malaysian. 194 Grand @ Mott-Mulberry; 22/13/$22; 334-3669; Dirt cheap tabs for a true Malaysian experience; Properly spiced; Great for lunch and to walk around Chinatown or Little Italy afterwards; The most popular dish, in this very popular spot, is the ROTI Canai – flatbread with a curry sauce. Gigantic menu and everything is dirt cheap. Lunch menu as well. Kuta Satay: Pan Asian. 65 Rivington @ Allen-Eldridge; 21/16/$34; 777-5882; Just a terrific menu sampling multiple southeast Asian cuisines including Indonesian; Amazing curries; Very inexpensive; Sleek, sexy décor; Hot new option in area. Major winner. $25 prix-fixe featured. The portions are all tapas-like – mainly satays (food on a stick) and I’d suggest ordering 6-8 at $5-6 an option. Fun cocktail list. Kuma Inn: Thai / Filipino; 113 Ludlow @ Delancy-Rivington; 24/15/$35; 353-8866; Small but unreal food and very affordable; Foodies heaven; Located on 2nd floor. Small plate format; BYO policy; Essentially Pan-Asian small plates. Strong service and bargain costs; About 25 or so different Tapas style dishes to choose from. Small corkage fee. Friendly chef/ owner. Klong: Thai. 7 St Marks Pl @ 2nd-3rd Av; 21/17/$25; 505-9955; Extremely affordable street food reminiscent of Bangkok; Cool overall vibe and open very late; Great soups, curries and Pad Thai variations. Try the spicy Basil Noodles – a house specialty; 5-7pm Happy Hour; Pretty cool décor. Website link has been down. Fairly crowded and noisy but great food. Holy Basil: Thai. 149 2nd Av @ 9-10th; 22/19/$31; 460-5557; Upscale Thai – Fancier than others; Still dirt cheap; Dark, sexy and perfect for a 1st date; Delicious entrees at rock bottom prices; Diamond in the ruff; Pretty cool pre-game spot for a quick bite; Try seating on the balcony; Menu has all the usual Thai fair one would expect. Laut: Malaysian / Thai. 15 E 17th @ BWay – 5th Av; 24/14/$28; 206-8989; Massive menu – all extremely affordable; Large selection of soups for meals or appetizers; Dumplings galore; Dozen plus wok fried noodle dishes; Multiple curries, 2 dozen or so entrée specials; The focus is on different styles including Singaporean; Casual and low key; Can get cramp so go early or off-hours. Michelin 1 star. Aquamarine: Pan Asian. 713 2nd Av @ 38-9th; 21/21/$37; 297-1880; Wonderful neighborhood spot; Known for fresh as can be sushi and special rolls; Tranquil setting including a waterfall. Sizzling Pan-Asian dishes that are mouthwatering; Fairly hip spot as well for area with decent bar; Twenty special rolls and 30 classic rolls to choose from; Noodle soups; Inexpensive for genre. China Grill: Asian. 60 W 53rd @ 5th-6th Av; 23/21/$62; 333-7788; More of an Asian fusion, upscale option; Spicy beef and scallion dumplings to die for; Lively scene with a bustling bar for pre-dinner drinks; Happy hour 4-8pm creates a pick-up scene here; Same ownership as Asia de Cuba; Prix fixe options available for lunch & dinner; Excellent menu- but pricy for the genre. Ma Peche: Asian Fusion. 15 W 56th @ 5th-6th Av; 22/18/$48; 757-5878; David Chang’s mostly French-Vietnamese fusion eatery; Usual Chang minimalist décor – retro feel (I don’t like it); Spicy, flavorful and unique offerings; Popular in part due to owner who is ‘in’ right now; Balcony bar for a pre-dinner drink; Smallish menu with a prix fixe available. Tao: Pan Asian. 42 E 58th @ Mad-Park; 22/26/$59; 888-2288; Just a huge club atmosphere with truly excellent food as well; Noisy; Great scene & bar; Beautiful décor & staff; Food is Asian mix; Fancy drinks and a fun experience with mind-blowing décor. Fatty Fish: Asian. 406 64th @ 1st-York; 23/17/$44; 813-9338; Enchanting back patio in otherwise plain-ish setting; Extremely affordable; Very fresh sushi selections; Dim Sum selections, entrée salads; Kobe beef Burger; Exciting cooked entrees and did I mention sushi? The special rolls are large in size and absolutely delicious. The menu is more Japanese focused. Land: Thai. 1565 2nd Av @ 81-2nd; 23/16/$25; 439-1847; Small but truly wonderful food; Seems more upscale than price; Very spicy food; Pad Thai perfection. Problem is the seating/ size- go early! Vegetable dumplings stand out; Wok basil beef dish; Green curry with chicken; Red snapper; Honestly – just a great place that is ideal for casual dates, pre-gaming, or just a weekday meal. Menu outstanding. | |
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