Here come the ‘best of’ lists again. What intrigues me it the lack of classic restaurants. They seem to indulge in ethnic eateries of every stripe. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. What do you think? Been to any of these spots? The Best Restaurants in New York City, Spring 2022 - Eater NY
Not been to any. As you note, it’s an unusually heavy ethnic restaurants list, most of which don’t interest me. Of the more upscale places, SAGA is the only I’d really love to go to. (We know Chef James Kent since his time at EMP.) Sadly, it’s not going to happen because we are not doing any indoor restaurant dining for the foreseeable future.
Gage and Tollner (classic), Dhamaka, Bolivian Llama Party (but not the Queens one), Wu’s Wonton King (also classic of its kind), Golden Diner.
@RGR Wu’s probably not your thing, but they do have a pretty spacious outdoor area that (last time I checked) was actually outdoor. Dhamaka has a pretend outdoor area.
@small_h, Even though I’m not very big on Chinese food, Mr. R. loves it. There are some dishes I do like; for example, Peking duck, dumplings, lamb or beef with scallions, fried rice. I looked at Wu’s menu. Extensive! Lots of options for me, and Mr. R. would be thrilled. If they take reservations for their outside seating, we’d definitely go. So, thanks for the tip!
Any time! I think they’ll take a reservation if you call. Here’s what the outside looks like:
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wus-wonton-king-new-york?select=ZboE822VzRl9_T47n_y_pg
It’s not luxurious, but it’d be weird if it was.
Looks good. Chairs have backs which is very important for us. Do I see tablecloths? If there are, nice plus.
You do.
I went to Africa Kine a few years ago and liked it. I also ate in at Che Li last summer when COVID transmission rates were really low. I was impressed, but for some reason, I haven’t gotten takeout since. I also went to Kashkar Cafe before the pandemic and loved it! That’s it.
What’s a non-ethnic restaurant?
The Eater 38 lists are not “best of” like Michelin. They’re more a cross-section. As they say in the introduction:
“Which restaurant should I check out in NYC?” The type of cuisine, price point, outdoor dining options, the neighborhood, and occasion are just a few factors to consider.