A Thanksgiving Weekend in New York City - (Part Two - The Food)

 All great cities have their food traditions. And New York is no exception. Whatever kind of food you want, you can get. At 2am or 9pm. There's the post show dinner, the hot dog cart lunch, the late night diner call or the corner bodega run. In fact, one of the most appealing things about visiting the city is trying all the different kinds of food. We were no exception on our Thanksgiving weekend trip to NYC. We checked off several meals - or snacks - that we wanted to try. And there were still a million more left for next time.*( I am not a food blogger in any way shape or form but I do enjoy visiting new restaurants in places I travel to.)

Rolf's

I'll readily admit that I had never heard of Rolf's. My daughter found it, and their incredibly low price of $34.95 per person for Thanksgiving dinner (others were easily $99.95 per person). She made the reservations for us - they are a must unless you just want a drink at the bar which also seems hard to come by - and we had no idea what we were in for. She had managed to find the most exquisitely decorated, tiny Christmas den anywhere. Billed as a "snug German restaurant & bar with an Old World vibe, known for its elaborate holiday decorations.", Rolf's decorations are over-the-top, everywhere you look, instagram worthy, almost claustraphobic making including some 100,000 lights, 15,000 ornaments and 800 dolls filling every inch of the tiny space. It was magical. Purely magical. Definitely at the top of the highlight reel for our weekend. 

The Thanksgiving menu included turkey & dressing with choice of 2 sides - candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes or spatzle with brussel sprouts, red cabbage & string beans. The verdict is out on the food - I thought my meal was good and so did a few others, the others said it was so-so. Still a very fun and festive place to spend Thanksgiving.

(Christmas decorations are on display until the end of May )

A pre-Broadway deli

One of the places we wanted to eat was a classic New York City Deli. Everyone knows the name Katz and Russ & Daughters but we decided to just check in to one close to the theatre district for a pre-show meal. We all ordered something different, there was quick service and yummy dessert - a pastrami sandwich, mile high cheesecake and cannoli's. A success, I think. 

Turntable Chicken Jazz

I'm not sure how I found this place but it was definitely unique. Turntable Chicken Jazz is a "trendy Korean gastropub" located in Midtown that serves chicken, cocktails and Happy Hour small bites in a album lined restaurant. Basically, it's a place to go drink and eat chicken while listening to music. We had the wings and a glowing pitcher of beer - or two - while enjoying the funky atmosphere. And if you're interested, they also rent out private karaoke rooms so you can sing until your heart's content. (We weren't aware of this at the time of our visit or we could've done just that)

The Mermaid Inn

I was looking for Happy Hour deals in New York when I stumbled upon The Mermaid Inn. Located on the Upper West Side, the Mermaid has a nautical theme with  inexpensive Happy Hour offerings. All Happy Hour cocktails are the bargain price of $9 (some drinks in New York go for $20) along with fish tacos, mini lobster rolls and oysters and clams for $1.25. The prices are so good that I wasn't surprised that there was a line out the door waiting to get in when we arrived. It was nice to balance out some expensive meals with an inexpensive one and the smaller portions were just enough. Loved the New England ambiance, too.

Milk Bar

Milk Bar is a dessert chain owned by the famed Momofuku restaurant chain. Pies, cakes, cookies and truffles are on the menu though they are probably most famous for their Cereal Milk soft serve. (The name Milk Bar refers to old fashioned ice cream and dairy counters) We stopped here for dessert after The Mermaid Inn and I had to go with the Milk Bar Pie - a take on southern chess pie. It's a "sticky, buttery, salty sweet filling in a hearty oat cookie crust" And it lived up to it's reputation - and then some. By the way, extremely friendly staff  - they obviously love what they do or do a good job faking it.

Red Rooster Harlem

Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson and Andrew Chapman co-created Red Rooster to serve comfort food that celebrates the roots of American cuisine. Located in the heart of Harlem, Red Rooster also celebrates local artists and musicians. We were lucky enough to have Saturday brunch here and it was a definite favorite. There is a lively atmosphere with music which is fun enough but the food! Oh, the food! We shared the deviled eggs (po boy hummus, sweet relish and crispy onions), chicken and waffles (fried chicken leg, maple hot sauce) and the sweet biscuit (melt in your mouth goodness) I'd love to return and try all the other dishes. So head here if you'd like a culinary treat. Oh, and look up Miss Faye and all her creations made totally from recycled materials. 

Little Italy

Little Italy became home to thousands of Italian immigrants starting in the late 1800's and is now known as a touristy area (most New Yorkers would never eat here)to get an Italian meal and walk down it's most famous thoroughfare of Mulberry Street. You can visit it's Italian bakeries and eateries and it's San Gennaro Festival at the end of September, which I would love to attend. We made reservations at Sapori d' Italia to celebrate Mr. UR's birthday. It was a very small, read 10 tables, quaint restaurant and the meal didn't disappoint. We had walked the Brooklyn Bridge before hand and strolled through Chinatown so we had walked up an appetite. We all had the obligatory pasta - mine was delicious - bread and wine. And the celebration was topped off with Italian apple cake for Mr. UR. Even though it's touristy, I always have a good meal in Little Italy with cozy ambiance.

Levain Bakery

Levain Bakery, with 5 city locations, bakes New York City's most famous cookies. They started with the goal of baking the world's best chocolate chip cookie 25 years ago - and I'm pretty sure after eating one that they succeeded. Usually there is a line out the door, but we were lucky on the afternoon we went - only a few people in line on a Saturday afternoon. The four original flavors are: Chocolate Chip Walnut, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip and Oatmeal Raisin. I had to go classic Chocolate Chip Walnut, served warm, and it was one of the best I've ever had. I would only get one though - they are thick and rich and filling.

John's of Times Square

Our hotel front desk staff recommended John's of Times Square for classic New York pizza. The first time we tried to eat there the line was out the door and down the block. The second time we were smarter and went right when they opened for lunch. Housed in an old theater, John's pizza has been voted one of New York's best pizzas. All pizzas are made to order - ours was delicious - and they also serve salads and calzones. Definitely worth a try in my book.

So there you have it - lots of incredibly good food in one long weekend! I don't think there was a bad, or even so-so, meal in five days. And I'm looking forward to the next visit to eat some more!

How about you? What is your favorite New York City restaurant?

Linking up with: My Corner of the World at Photographing New Zealand!