These vagabond shoes...

Yup, they're longing to stray.  Want to wake up in the city that never sleeps... you know the words.

Frau A and I have made some travel plans for the holidays, and it includes a few days in New York City, between Christmas and New Year's Eve..  I’m excited – I visited as a teen, then lived in the Kips Bay neighborhood and worked in the Citicorp building from 2000-2004.  So maybe I don't have the little town blues (although I tease my Munich friends about how small it is here) but the movies are right - Christmastime in NYC can be nice.

Good memories:  my apartment was on the 20th floor of a 70’s-era building.  Looking left out the windows, you could see the Chrysler Building and just a nick of the Met Life Building – overall a decent view of Midtown from the southeast:

Looking straight out the windows, that’s 2nd Avenue.  Luckily, there is an Armenian church right across the street, so there are no tall buildings blocking the view.  Plus, the Queens-Midtown tunnel was right there as well, so it felt quite open and provided a good breeze:  (Of course lots of traffic noise, but it’s New York.  Whatevah!  I didn’t notice it.):

Finally, looking right out the windows, it gets crowded but the East River is only a block or so away.  NYC launched the July 4th fireworks from the pier there, so the “booms” shook the windows and you could see not only the real fireworks but reflections off the windows of the facing buildings.  The booms would echo too.  A real home-entertainment experience.  Here's the "view":

But the real excitement is the chance to take Frau A to some interesting restaurants while we’re there.  I've already booked these restaurants, and can recommend them to anyone visiting The Big Apple.

Frau A is not the biggest cheese eater, but I’ll try to change that here.   Artisanal lies on busy Park Avenue just below Midtown, the interior was designed by noted architect Adam Tihany… but you come for the cheese that they age in their own “cave” (more than 200 varieties) and endless wines available by the glass (over 150).  Food is great (get the gougères appetizer), I love the skate main dish (hope they still have it), and you’ll never get a better cheese plate for dessert – you pick ‘em or have the Fromagier select them for you.

This place is the perfect Sunday brunch spot, but we'll settle for a weekday lunch with the business crowd.

Here's the interior and a example of a cheese plate:

        

Frau A & I like to eat Indian here in Munich, so this is perfect.   Tabla is unique with an Indian/fusion menu, and it’s a nice balance between dressy & relaxed.  Location is lovely too, near Madison Square Park downtown.
I just checked their website – they’re shutting down after at year end!  Glad I get to go one more time.   Wonder what happened?

Here's a view of the 2-story inside and some dishes with nan:           

You might have seen chef Anthony Bourdain on television - he's the resident smart-ass on Food Network (or was... don't get it here on German television).  He has some cookbooks too, that have the same attitude.  Love them.  The motto at Brasserie Les Halles:  American Beef, French Style.  Translation:  the best steak frites in the city.  French fries are fried twice.  Oh yeah.  And there is always room for my favorite chocolate mousse dessert.  Also on Park Avenue, but opened a newer downtown location too.

Here's a view of the restaurant and the famous steak frites:

      

 
Here's the chef (who's really never there anymore) and his book about sex, drugs, and rock & roll in a NYC restaurant kitchen, plus the Les Halles cookbook:

             

Tao is the ultimate example of a guilty pleasure.  It’s like a cross between Sex and the City & Disneyland.  Ladies dressed to the nines, everyone drinking like crazy, a 16-foot tall buddha statue dominating the room and a roving sax player that jams with the pulsating techno music.  Oh, the food?  Not truly gourmet, but actually very respectable Asian/fusion - a bit on the pricey side though.  Definitely a weekend dinner place to take in the scene, but get reservations or wait for hours.

Here's the inside with the buddha statue:

Blue Smoke has some of the best barbeque in the city.  Ribs are lean and smoked for hours, burgers are juicy, and even the desserts are excellent (yup, they have a pastry chef!).  Sometimes you can smell the meat smoking on the street... yum.  I’m curious how Frau A will compare this BBQ to her experience from Texas and the South.  “Jazz Standard” is their downstairs jazz club, so the music is great too.  Perfect for relaxing lunch or cool dinner.

Here's a view of the artists at work with link to Serious Eats:

Combine Asian and Latin food ("eclectic"), served in a fashionably modern/hip environment?  I think Frau A will love it.  I tend to be skeptical of hotel restaurants, but this one really works.  They have a unique, long "common" table in the middle where a few dozen people sit together, which ironically is how things work in Germany.  A couple looking for seats just needs to ask occupied tables to join them if they see two free seats.  A conversation starts up, and you have new dinner friends.  We'll get some good spice here - maybe Frau A will blog what she thinks...

Here is a view of the decor:

Well, we won't have time for all my favs.  Have to catch these on the next pass through:

• "Restaurant" founded on making homemade peanut butter and the best PB&J anywhere.  Only in New York
• Most famous steak in NYC
• 3-star French/seafood that is truly one of the finest in the world