Good Eats and Food Deals: April 2011

SHOPPING:

Century 21- brand name bargain shopping (kind of like Filene's Basement, but better)
Forever21 - there is one near Times Sq. that is open until 2:30AM
H&M - most popular location at 6th & 34th
Apple Store
FAO Schwartz & FAO Schweetz (candy section)
Toys R Us (toy store) with a Ferris Wheel inside
Hershey store

SIGHTSEEING:

Empire State bldg. (Korea town is a few blocks away if you get hungry)
Statue of Liberty (take ferry out)
Ground Zero (where Twin towers used to be)
Central Park (Shakespeare in the Park depending on the date or go running on the trail within the park), Peggy Guggenheim Museum nearby
Times Square (TRL, Bubba's Shrimp Co., NY cheesecake, gyros off street carts or in little Greek hole-in-the-walls)
Rockefeller Ctr (Kitchoan Minamoto nearby!) & St Patrick's Cathedral
Grand Central Station
MOMA
MET
Southstreet seaport - shops

NIGHTLIFE / ENTERTAINMENT:

Broadway Shows - discount tickets sold day of show at tkts booths - recommend Rent, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked
Blue Man Group
Hotel Gansevoort rooftop bar (can see both Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges and skylines)
Warehouse district for bars/clubs (Lotus, Hiro, Buddha Bar, etc.)
Park - good food here, but it also converts into a bar/lounge late at night
Brandy Library - chill lounge good for dates or smaller intimate groups for talking

GOOD EATS:

Nobu57 - Nobu style ceviche, Lobster shiitake salad, Shrimp tempura, Chilean sea bass, Winter's Crush (?) cocktail
Ippudo - Hirato pork buns, Akamaru Modern ramen (order w/ soft-boiled egg)
Kyochun - original Korean Fried Chicken chain from Korea
Bon Chon - revamped Korean Fried Chicken, supposed to be best in NYC
Shanghai Cafe in Chinatown - xiao long bao (chinese soup dumplings) better than Djo's Shanghai
Asian Jewels (aka Ocean Jewels) for dim sum in Flushing
Flushing Mall for Taiwanese food - Ay Chung for thin noodle soup, herbal soup w pork and pork belly w rice, chicken nuggets, walk around street for Spicy Lamb skewer on street $1 each
Upper Crust bakery - toasted sandwiches w/ fresh French bread
Toasty's - sandwiches
Cafeteria - semi-trendy restaurant featured in Sex & the City
Gyros on street
Kunjip for authentic Korean

DESSERTS / SWEET SNACKS:

Lady Ms Confection - mille crepe cake is THE BEST, Maroons cake, green tea cake
Spot in St. Marks - Soft cheesecake, Jackfruit dessert, Pineapple tiramisu
Saint Alps Teahouse for bubble tea - I used to go to this chain in Hong Kong - great almond milk tea, gingerbread tea, Ginger black, jasmine green, ruby grapefruit w coconut jelly
Minamoto Kitchoan (Japanese pastries) - REALLY good mochi and red bean cakes - 608 5th Ave, between 48th St & 49th St - near Lacoste store around Rockefeller Center
Tai Pan Bakery- HK style coffee and yummy egg custard (much more authentic than Egg Custard King)
Eileen's Cheesecake - http://eileenscheesecake.com/gallery2.htm - mini cheesecakes, blueberry is my fave - 17 Cleveland Place, New York, NY 10012
Baked by Melissa - mini cupcakes, all flavors are pretty good
Ceci Cela Patisserie - French bakery
Pink Berry (yogurt) - http://www.pinkberry.com/ - 13 locations listed on website (one is next to rices to riches)
Beard Papa - cream puffs and pastries
Chinatown Ice Cream Factory - green tea, red bean, ginger, lychee flavors and more
Rice to Riches (rice pudding, not for everyone) - walkable from Chinatown - 37 Spring Street, between Mott and Mulberry St

ACCOMMODATIONS:

WILL TRY NEXT TIME:

Good Eats and Food Deals