New York City (February 2018)

We spent one night in the city mid-week in early February 2018. We were in town for an appointment at MSKCC, and we decided to make the most of our visit. We stayed at the Doubletree Metropolitan, where we stayed once before years ago. We enjoyed dinner at a unique nearby Japanese restaurant, Gyu-Kaku, followed by (attempted) drinks at Anton’s Alley and a (successful) nightcap at the hotel’s Met Bar. We had brunch the next morning at the New York Luncheonette before our appointment. Although the weather was rainy, with remnants of snow, on our drive to the city, we were still rewarded with awesome views across the Hudson River as we approached. Fortunately, the rain stopped upon our arrival, and the next day greeted us with blue skies and brilliant sunshine.

Hotel:

• Doubletree Metropolitan Link to my review

Restaurants:

• Gyu-Kaku Link to my review
• Met Bar
• Anton's Alley
• New York Luncheonette Link to my review 

New York City: New York Luncheonette (February 2018)

Diner-Type Atmosphere in Turtle Bay

My spouse and I ate brunch at the New York Luncheonette on a Thursday morning in early February 2018. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm daily. We stayed around the corner at the Doubletree Metropolitan, and because we slept late and missed the hotel’s weekday breakfast time, we went out in search of a nearby restaurant. (Other hotels are equally as close to the New York Luncheonette, including the Benjamin, Kimberly, W, and San Carlos.)

This restaurant offers a diner-like atmosphere: regular height tables arranged in various size configurations, and even a small counter where single diners can catch a glimpse of the food preparation. Large windows at the front of the space let in light and allow patrons to observe bustling city life. Large colorful travel murals occupy the far wall. A glass-fronted cooler and dessert display case on the opposite wall complete the décor.

The luncheonette serves American comfort food, in hearty portions at reasonable prices. We ordered one pastrami on rye sandwich (which was tasty, but nothing like the cuts of meat that you would get at Katz’s or Second Avenue) and one chicken salad sandwich on toasted wheat. We shared an order of piping hot fries as a side dish. One of the non-alcoholic beverages this diner offers is bottled Snapple (even Diet Lemon, my favorite), and as a fan, I ordered two. For dessert, we shared the tiramisu; this restaurant’s yummy version was served as a slice cut from a round cake.

Our brunch at the New York Luncheonette offered just the type of casual meal and classic food that we were looking for that day.

New York City: Gyu-Kaku (February 2018)

Japanese Barbecue in Turtle Bay

My spouse and I visited Gyu-Kaku Midtown for dinner on a Wednesday evening in early February 2018. This location is open daily for lunch and dinner from 11:30 am until late (either 10:00 pm, 11:00 pm, or 12:00 midnight, depending on the day of the week). Reservations are accepted.

Gyu-Kaku, whose name means "bull's horn", is a chain of Japanese yakiniku “grilled meat” restaurants. (Although technically a “barbecue” restaurant, it does not refer to the saucy kind that Americans generally associate with the word, but rather to the process of grilling or smoking meats.) Gyu-Kaku opened its first restaurant in Japan in 1996, but it was not until 2001 when it opened a venue in the United States. Today, there are over 600 Gyu-Kaku locations in Japan, as well as many US locations (including New York City, California, Chicago, Houston, Hawaii, Philadelphia, Boston), and still more international venues (Canada, Hong Kong, Taipei, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, and South Korea). Gyu-Kaku also makes and sells its own kimchi, sauces, and marinades in Japanese supermarkets. Manhattan hosts two additional locations of Gyu-Kaku in addition to the Midtown venue that we visited (East Village and Times Square).

The Midtown location of Gyu-Kaku is located on the second floor of a corporate building. Its corner position allows windows on two walls, and the space juts out above the street a bit to allow a skylight/atrium ceiling over some of the tables. You access this second-level restaurant by a winding staircase, or alternatively, you can use the building’s elevators (entry into the lobby may require guard-admittance after normal workday hours). A narrow bar/lounge area offers high-top table seating. The main dining room is positioned towards the back of the space, although it is actually the front corner of the building at the intersection of Third Avenue and East 50^th Street. Each table has a recessed grill positioned in the middle of the wood so that diners can cook their own meats and vegetables. Alternatively, you can order complete dishes from the kitchen if you do not feel like cooking; however, doing your own grilling is really the point and appeal of this restaurant.

We shared two appetizers: the fried bacon chips (thinly sliced pork belly) and the steamed chili dumplings. Then, we shared several different cuts of meat (some marinated and others plain), including skirt steak (our favorite meat of the night), filet mignon, and spicy pork. We also grilled our own selection of mixed vegetables (including onions, zucchini, mushrooms, shishito peppers, cherry tomatoes, and corn kernels). From the kitchen, we ordered the beef sukyaki bibimbap (a bit spicy, and different than Korean versions we have eaten) and the garlic chicken noodles as accompaniments. The restaurant offers some complete prix-fixe menus in several different price categories to guide newcomers to the cuisine. We also sampled the tasty Patron Pie-Tini cocktail and a pitcher of Sapporo.

We enjoyed our unique Japanese BBQ dinner at Gyu-Kaku.