Chinatown East

1650 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10128
(212) 987-3500
http://www.chinatowneastnyc.com



Came here last night to try out their AYCE sushi for $25.95 per person. A full menu offering Chinese and Japanese dishes a la carte is also available. Sushi and Sahimi is offered at $1 per piece as well.

First off the place is small with 20 tables or so with a small bar when you first enter and a small sushi bar off to the back. Dark wood and stone walls are set off by blue and green neon lights about the ceiling and the sushi bar. The stone cocktail bar slowly changes through all the colors of the rainbow. Three large flat screen TVs on the walls air CNN, ESPN, and local news on mute. Soft Asian music plays over the speakers while recessed intensity lights are set on dim to enhance the mood.

The sushi menu is quite extensive ranging from the standard sushi and maki rolls to Chef's and House special maki rolls. A variety of soups and salads are also included as well as ONE house saki (hot or cold) which you can also substitute beer, wine, or a soda. An AYCD price of $14.95 is also offered.

The waitress comes over with a pad and takes your order also warning you that if you don't finish everything on your plate, you will be charged menu price for items wasted (isn't that the case in all AYCE?)

After your order is placed, the starter (soup or salad) is brought to your table a well as your beverage. Then your plate of sushi comes to your table displayed artfully by the sushi chef. I started with the green salad which consisted of iceberg lettuce, thinly shaved red cabbage, and thread-like carrot shreds dressed with the sweet, Japanese carrot ginger dressing.
The sushi was quite fresh for a Tuesday night in my humble opinion and the rice perfect.
For being a Chinese-Japanese restaurant I was impressed. Once your are finished with your plate, the waitress comes around again clearing your plate and to ask if you would like to order again. Plate sharing is not allowed so be careful when over ordering!

After a plate of sushi and a plate of maki I was stuffed and the saki I had made me a bit sleepy. I was content, sushi craving satiated, and probably will visit again.

An 18% gratuity is automatically put on the bill and there is a 2 hour limit at the table. The bill is accompanied with Chinese fortune cookies as a sweet ending.

Luke's Lobster

242 E. 81st Street
New York, NY
212.249.4241


http://www.lukeslobster.com/

A small little lobster shack in the Upper East Side that serves a fabulous lobster roll. The hot dog bun is crispy and buttery and the lobster meat is cool and luscious. By itself it's $14 but when made into a "Schooner", it is $16 and comes with a pickle, bag of chips, and a Maine soda.

Staff there seemed a bit discombobulated behind the register and the kitchen small. Seating area by the windows and some tables and benches. Quaint!

Piada

601 Lexington Ave
New York NY 10022
Phone 212-752-2727
Fax 212-752-7010










I used to go to Piada in the Lower East Side of New York and when I found out that they opened a branch in midtown, I had to check it out.

Much larger ans spacious than it's LES sister, the midtown branch is a bit hard to find. It's near the CitiCorp Tower in the public space on the corner of 53rd Street and Lexington Avenue. Right next to the waterfall (look down).

All ingredients are fresh and the meats and cheeses imported from Italy for authenticity. You can watch the guy make your sandwich at the griddle where all the ingredients are laid out (almost like a Subway Sandwich shop).
The sandwich maker would take the flat bread and put it on the grill to warm each side then lay on the cheese and allow it to melt a bit. Next comes the layers of meat and then the greens. Folded over it is then BOXED and placed into a chique brown paper bag (more like a tote).

I had the amarcord piada... the saltiness of the prociutto de parma, the bite of the baby arugula and the creaminess of the buffalo mozzarella all in a warm, thin, flat-bread, was just perfect.

Baluchi's Indian Food

224 East 53rd Street
between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
New York, NY 10022

(212) 750-5515
Fax: (212)750-2288




An Indian chain all about New York, this has become one of my favorite Indian restaurants of all time.
I usually order delivery or take out for the $14.95 prix fixe dinner special of appetizer and entree (only available on takeout menu) but last night I decided to dine in for the first time at this particular location.

The Manager was most gracious and welcoming and sat my dining companion and I at a lovely table with a banquette. The decor speaks for itself in the photo. Warm and cozy with spice colors and glass lamps. We were immediately given a basket of chapti (chickpea crisps) and a trio of chutneys.
We ordered a samosa to share which was a flaky pastry triangle filled with potato, chickpeas, and peas. My entree was my favorite, korma (chicken) although I usually have it made with lamb (not shown on the delivery menu). My companion had the chicken tikka masala which I learned is the national dish of England. Rice is not included with your entree (thought that was odd since it comes with the dinner delivery special) and neither is bread. We shared a bowl of rice which was basmati scented with cardamom and spices. Everything was served in lovely, heavy metal bowls. I tried the Rose lassi which is a yogurt beverage flavored with rose petals (it was a brilliant pink) and we finished dinner with Rasmalai, fresh handmade cheese (similar to ricotta) in floral scented sweet milk.

The fragrance of the spices and floral essences added to the wonderful flavors of the food stimulating all the senses.

Official website

Melt Café and Gelato Bar

1053 2nd Avenue, New York
(646) 344-1287











This place is relatively new and the lunch special on the outside board caught my eye... $7.95 for half a pannini, salad, drink, and soup or gelato.
I chose the Parma Panini of prosciutto, spinach, shaved parmigiano with oil & vinegar. I placed my order, paid, and was given a pager that would buzz and vibrate to let me know when my order was ready. After I chose my drink of a diet Coke, I settled onto a banquette and watched a guy behind the counter make crepes for another person. After about 5 minutes, my pager went off blinking and buzzing. I went up to the counter to find my lunch order waiting for me.

The pannini (pressed Italian sandwich) was crispy, warm, and delicious but the salad was a small wilted mesclun mix of greens with balsamic vinaigrette on the side. After enjoying my lunch, I got up to the counter again where I could choose my gelato (I didn't want soup since the drink was included) which is handmade on the premises. After a few free tastings I settled for the pistachio gelato. Rich, creamy and a natural colored greenish hue, not that garish neon green you see in store bought American ice cream.
Staff was pleasant and cordial. Clean white decor almost Scandinavian in design.

Melt is a franchise chain originating from California with locations in Arizona, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia.

You can view the menu here.

BJ's Wholesale Club

6626 Metropolitan Ave.
Middle Village, NY 11379
718-326-9080

I just visited the BJ's Wholesale in Middle Village, Queens for the first time and wanted to compare it to Costco. they are both about the same in price with Costco a little cheaper. BJ's on the other hand offers a lot more of big name food products. Their own brand doesn't seem to be in conjunction to these large manufacturers as Costco's Kirkland Signature line is.

One marked difference is that BJ's accepts all methods of payment from credit or debit cards to cash to EBT. Costco just accepts cash, debit cards, and their own AMEX credit card.

Membership is $45 for 14 months basic membership

Pathmark

Surprisingly I found a Pathmark in Manhattan! It's located on Cherry Street near the Manhattan Bridge and the prices there are pretty good!
Quite large for a Manhattan supermarket since real estate is a premium but being located not that far from Chinatown, if you can't find it at Pathmark, you'll find it at one of the local markets.
Conveniently located near the F train.

Thailand Café

95 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10003
(212) 477-1872

Nice little restaurant with many neighborhood locals dining here.
Came here for lunch with friends. Seemed like 1 guy who was bartender/waiter/runner.
Tried their $5 lychee mojito which was okay. Could have used more sugar and muddled better.
Lunch special was pretty reasonable priced. Had the chicken pad thai with fried tofu as starter.
Service was a bit lacking and a girl who came out later ran the wrong dish to the table.
Staff seemed flustered even thought it wasn't that busy.
Nothing out of the ordinary here. If it wasn't for the mojito to relax me I would have given this place a lower review.

Tai Thai was a better experience.

Trader Joe's

142 E 14th St
(between 4th Ave & Irving Pl)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 529-4612

www.traderjoes.com

Made my virgin visit to Trader Joe's in NYC even though I've been living here for years. I prefer to shop at Associated, Morton Williams, or Chinatown for groceries as the prices are just as good or better than Trader Joe's IMHO. Yes, this place carries a small variety versus the larger chain supermarkets and the prices are pretty good but the packaging of several items puzzles me. Produce here is prepackaged in plastic wrap which suffocates the fresh produce and promotes mold and rotting. You'll find a much better price on scallions, ginger, and garlic in Chinatown which has a high turn over rate and thus produce is ALWAYS fresh.
Obnoxiously LONG register lines that go around the store. Good luck trying to find the end of the line as there are several and the frozen fish you have in your basket will be defrosted by the time you get to pay! Many NYU students and locals shop here. Where they have the time to spend 15-30 minutes standing on line to pay for groceries is beyond me. Perhaps the lines are non existent during the morning hours when everyone is in class or at work.

Tai Thai

78 E 1st St
New York, NY 10009
(212) 777-2552

Tiny little place serving "Thailand Home Cooking". The lunch special priced at $5.95 caught my eye as my friend and I entered this narrow restaurant. Many 2 tops but they accommodated our party of 8. I had the Chicken Pad Thai which came with a salad. The salad's dressing was quite sweet and nutty. Palm sugar I suspect, with a hint of coconut and peanuts. Delish! The Pad Thai was very good too. Thai iced tea for $2.50 and served in a mason jar. Nice kitschy touch to go with the old Thai movie posters on the walls. Quaint, cheap, and cozy... I'll definitely make another visit.
Dishes are under $16 and it's CASH ONLY!
Wine and beer are offered but you can BYOB.

Spain Restaurant

113 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011-7829
(212) 929-9580

I've been here on several occasions, most recently for a friends birthday dinner and the place hasn't changed in many years. The waitstaff are still the same old guys that barely crack a smile, the once white walls are still dingy, and the furniture and paintings are still dark and brown.
The menu is also consistent and consistently good a plentiful!

Once you sit down and order a drink, "tapas" or small plates of appetizers are brought to your table as part of your dinner. Spanish sausage, lamb ribs (in what seems like Chinese oyster sauce), steamed mussels in diced onions and vinegar, and bread with margarine.

To start, I ordered Snails In Burgundy Wine and they were fabulous!
My entree was Paella Valenciana with Lobster and it was enough for two!

Appetizers run about $6 each and entrees are less than $20.
The sangria is simply delicious and we had three pitchers!
This establishment does NOT accept credit cards! CASH ONLY!

Heard that this restaurant is packed on the weekends. I went on a Monday and it was pretty quiet.
Judging from the menu, this restaurant is part Spain and Basque (Spanish with French influence)

Definitely check this place out!

Costco Harlem

517 E 117th St
New York, New York 10035
United States
(212) 896-5873

Warehouse Hours

M-F 10:00am - 8:30pm
Sat. 9:30am - 6:00pm
Sun. 10:00am - 6:00pm

This branch opened on November 16, 2009 and every visit has been great!
Staff welcome you at the front doors with a smile and everyone is cordial even to the checkout.
When it first opened it carried a little of everything and some specialty foods that I have never seen even at the Queens branch.
Some items seem higher priced here than branches in Queens and Brooklyn but I think that may be due to the Manhattan real-estate.