England's Lil' NYC Trip

[mizanation]

well, some spots i will keep secret...

[DaBestSpoona]

You can't really compare mexican food from Cali to NY, as the majority of mexicans in NY are from Puebla, but quick breakdown of Mexican Food here Jackson Heights/Woodside/Astoria>>>Sunset Park/Slopes>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Manhattan

I would goto kenka but not set high expectations on the food. It has a fun vibe, but the food is just okay. The best places are in midtown on the east side like Box Riki.

Chickalicious avoid too, check out Cha An instead, its more low key and better deserts.

Check out Otto, the pizza is decent, not amazing, but the antipasti, and desserts are pretty daring.

[RAISED BY WOLVES]

England...Gotta put my 2 cents in the hat:

Banh Mi sandwich:

"tu qunyuh center" (horrible mispelling) the bowery and grand street. the perfect 3 dollar sandwhich for when you just dropped three bills on a jacket or some jeans at nearby BIG or Odin.

Burgers:

Corner Bistro (google exact adress) one of the city's best bar burgers, go daytime for less of a crowd.

Big Nicks (76th and B'way) has the best selection of huge burgers with all the trimmings, solid chocolate malts, and the bottomless pickle buckets That are as "old newyork" as the post and a buttered roll with coffee.

Music:

Fat Beats-if you can still stand some hip hop, this is a good spot to check out for current vinyl and classics

Beat street in the fulton mall (downtown Brooklyn) is even better, and also has a gang of reggae and dancehall records.

Other music-annoys the shit out of me sometimes, but is a good place to catch up on whats new and cool in the world of popular and unpopular music with a well curated set of staff picks

Books:

St, Mark's books 9th street and third ave) has a great selection of foreign/art/fashion/design mags, and is a great place to just kill some time browsing their latest selections at the front table.

Dashwood books is an all photography bookshop on bond off laffayette which is run by a nice brit who used to be the creative director of magnum photo agency. Wether or not you are specifically intersted in photobooks, it is a must see simply for the fact that it contains a bunch of books and magazines that you will see very few other places in the country (emphasis on Japanese contemporary and scandavavia). Graet spot for gifts.

Check THE Strand (12th and bway) for good deals on all sorts of books new used and old

Bars:

The scratcher (5th off third ave) is one of my favorite joints. The LES is way too hype for me sometimes, and it is nice to go to a bar with No pool, No jukebox, and No gimmicks every now and again. It is usually empty untill 11 or 12, and is a great spot to actually talk to someone if thats what you feel like.

Mars Bar (1st street and 2nd ave) is a classic NYC shit hole that may not be up your alley. But evenings there are the stuff of legend...be forewarned...the people who look grimey in there are not fucking around or slumming it...they are alcoholics and junkies, and really loveable people...enjoy.

Shit I could go on for awhile...But half the fun of this beast is seeing what you run into yourself. Stay safe and all that.

-Wolves

[englandmj7]

Awesome recommendations man, thanks! I will surely have to hit up at least ONE dive bar and Mars Bar sounds right up my alley......

[RAISED BY WOLVES]

No problem. If wifey wants to go to bloomingdales or some shit, you can also while away the time in the Subway Inn, a good dive spot on 60th street btwn 3rd and Lex on the upper east side..If my memory serves correct you can get a shitty whiskey and coke for three or four bucks on the regs.

[Salad]

For dive drinking I recommend 2A, it's at, you guessed it, 2nd St. & Ave. A.

It's dark and shitty but the people are nice. I've met some really nice, regular people there. I need to go back. Maybe this Spring.

The thing I love about NYC is people talk to each other. Being from San Francisco where you're more likely to get snarled at if you even innocently smile at someone in a bar, a returned smile or a conversation is refreshing.

Generally speaking, why do San Francisco women think they're so hot? Most are avg. looking but they think they're the hottest girls ever. NYC has the most amazing women and in Summer, man, the women make you catch your breath!

All you get in SF is shitty attitude and clunky shoes. What is it w/ the clunky shoes!!!!!!

[metoo]

i like to eat, so i'll throw some more information in the mix.

banh mi is great. i lived in chinatown for a while and definitely recommend banh mi saigon bakery. their sandwiches are usually very fat compared to the competition. 138 mott st.

if you're not heading anywhere near there, nicky's vietnamese sandwiches in the east village is also pretty good. 150 e 2nd (just past ave a).

among the indian restaurants on east 6th st (new york's brick lane) is a small japanese restaurant called chiyono. the food's japanese "homecooking" which equates to croquettes and other simple (fantastic) things. it's prepared and served by a few of young-ish japanese ladies, including the chef, chiyono. you'll probably meet her and not know it. overall, the place is a tranquil oasis (zen garden?) in a sea of indian restaurant doormen... also, it's cheap. 328 e 6th st.

but if you're looking for cheap indian food, sitar music, and a very relaxed (like, bring your own 18 pack relaxed) atmosphere, try raj mahal (not taj), also on east 6th. it's slightly below the sidewalk and a little closer to second ave. ask for the special menu if they don't give it to you--they've got a $9 dinner special that includes nan, soup, a choice of maybe 6 standard entrees (tandoori chicken anyone?), and a funky dessert (skip the dessert). 322 e 6th st.

and if you're in midtown at night, hit up 'chicken and rice'. it's a late night streetcart operation with quite a following. i wasn't particularly wowed by the food itself, but considering it was 12 am in midtown and i spent a whole 6 dollars, it was definitely notable. it's a novelty. 53rd and 6th ave. (seriously, wikipedia it)

i also want to re-recommend corner bistro, crif dogs, and pomme frites (get the mango chutney), though all three of them are greasy and heavy... in a good way.

that's all for now!

[englandmj7]

Thanks again for all of the advice guys; the trip was awesome. Pretty damn cold but sunny for the majority of the trip. I hit up Kenka, which was damn good and then went and got drunk at McSorley's a block away......also an amazing place.

I hit up Chumley's for Thanksgiving which for those of you New Yorkers who haven't been, you definitely need to check out. I also recommend the fried Mars bar at A Salt and Battery in Greenwich Village. Went to Serendipity: ridiculously overrated.....but then again, I knew that going there in the first place. Ate pizza at Patsy's but wasn't horribly impressed. The best slice I had was at Koronet's, a little dive pizza place next to Columbia U with slices that were actually 2 feet in length.

Shopping was good, I loved Soho......like Melrose only cooler stores and better looking. Opening Ceremony had some sick stuff. Overall, it was an awesome place, and the recommendations you gave helped alot. The wifey wants to move out there, but we'll see. There were so damned many Irish people she thought she was at home.

[goldengloves]

Congrats on the trip. I just came back from NY as well. I was going to recommend Magnolia Bakery in the West Village next to Marc by Marc. Just the smell alone is worth it! Not to mention the cupcakes are killer.

[nappyhead jenkins]

also, you gotta get a real new york pastrami sandwich. go to katz's deli and get one there. btw, that's the place of the famous "when harry met sally scene" in the deli.

co sign a katz pastrami is the truth make sure you tip the guy while he's cuting your meat hell give you some more meat

NO HOMO

also Shake Shack has pretty awesome burgers

[englandmj7]

^^ Unfortunately never made it to Katz's, although I planned to....

Congrats on the trip. I just came back from NY as well. I was going to recommend Magnolia Bakery in the West Village next to Marc by Marc. Just the smell alone is worth it! Not to mention the cupcakes are killer.

Damn! My brother kept mentioning Magnolia but we never made it. We did, however, go to Rice to Riches, which had fucking awesome rice pudding and a great concept.

[faust]

Please, Magnolia sucks. WTF is the big deal? Tourist trap.

[faust]

co sign a katz pastrami is the truth make sure you tip the guy while he's cuting your meat hell give you some more meat

NO HOMO

also Shake Shack has pretty awesome burgers

Hmmm, they give you like a fucking pound of meat on that anyway, why would you want more?

[englandmj7]

Please, Magnolia sucks. WTF is the big deal? Tourist trap.

As a tourist, I frequented several tourist traps. You have to go to some at least once.

[goldengloves]

Please, Magnolia sucks. WTF is the big deal? Tourist trap.

Tourist trap or not, the cupcakes are like a $1.50 and well worth every sugary bite.

I did my fair share of touristy things as well. Had to try out Mesa Grill by Bobby Flay and I was amazed at how perfect everything was. We even went back a second time because it was so damned good.

[faust]

As a tourist, I frequented several tourist traps. You have to go to some at least once.

For sure, but this particular one is nothing to cry over.

[Ryan]

sugar sweet sunshine > magnolia