taking a bite out of the big apple

My husband and I visited many wonderful places to enjoy the culinary delights of NYC. There is no shortage of fabulous, award winning restaurants.  We walked a lot to take in all the culture, and let our noses (and stomachs) guide us.


When we arrived in New York, for lunch, we enjoyed  La Gazzetta (the cafe that's part of the famed Villa Pacri), where we enjoyed home made panini's, local beers and great conversation with a friendly New York couple who sat next to us on the patio.  It was a great time to meet the locals, providing advice on interesting off the beaten path places in New York, and they were equally intrigued with our own view as visitors.

For dinner, we had pre-reserved our seats at Gotham Bar and Grill. (it's advisable to reserve on Open Table at least a few weeks in advance). This restaurant is considered a staple to visit...it's been around for years (I'd almost equate this to the old Rainbow Room), and had elegance and incredible culinary offerings . Not as "hip and young" as other choices we were considering, however, the excellent service and the feeling of being treated very very well was something the more "hip" offerings seemed to lack.  And the food was unquestionably delicious.  In particular, the Roasted Muscovy Duck (one of their signature dishes) was spectacular! 

The next morning, we ate at The Standard Grill for a light breakfast.  This outdoor/indoor schoolhouse themed cafe (the staff wore school-like uniforms), and the interiors had beautiful old schoolhouse pendant lamps and checkered floors.  They served mostly organic fare, and their variations on anything with eggs provided lots of protein for the day.  We ate outdoors, and enjoyed our eggs with the birds in the trees surrounding us.

Before heading home, we were taking a leisurely walk in Greenwich village, where a quaint little restaurant caught our eye. We had a late brunch at  The Little Owl, a casual and quaint spot popular with the locals (the exterior of this building was used for the opening sequence of the Friends television series.).  The meatball sliders (their signature at brunch) were incredible, but what was amazing was the friendly service. Although we were visitors, we felt like locals here.

It was hard to leave without wanting to continue our gastronomical journey through the villages, the city and side streets, discovering unique little spots and enjoying all the various tastes of New York.  I think we definitely took our share of "bites" of The Big Apple.