Confessions of a Wino

A sunny Sunday in New York means one thing, a walk along the Highline. Well, maybe two: brunch at Standard Grill. But what about Sunday lunch/dinner? Where would you suggest? What is the third “must do” thing on an epicurian’s or wino’s agenda? One recommendation landed in my Twitter timeline, the sister of Gramercy Tavern. Can you guess what happened next?

A few tweets later and I’m booked in for a lazy and late lunch. To be served super food by extremely friendly staff.

One great example of the food, Blood Clams, were raw with a Bloody Mary poured in. A rare example of when shellfish goes with red wine. My choice of Long Meadow Ranch was apparently so insightful, it warranted a special inquiry (note the American spelling there) from the Sommelier. “Oh, I figured you must be a wino to order that”.

In fact, Californian wines are only just making it onto my bucket list. Frog’s Leap and Ridge being two examples. LMR is not far behind.

The interior design is funky and cool, the staff are brill, the food is inventive, fun and tasty, and you can get drunk on interesting, or expensive vino. What’s not to like?

Union Square Café
21 E 16th St
(between W Union Sq & 5th Ave)
New York, NY 10003
T: +1 (212) 243-4020
W: www.unionsquarecafe.com

When you’ve been serving steaks since 1887, you’ve probably learned a thing or two. The legend of Peter Luger in Brooklyn hangs over most steakhouses in the world like a godlike presence. Observe, salivate, copy, hope.

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When in New York, I can’t afford to stay in the Standard Hotel, so I pretend I’m a guest by eating in the Grill, and there are few better meals there than brunch on a chilled sunny Sunday morning. Another favourite spot of mine in New York is the Highline Park, which not coincidentally, skewers the hotel like a concrete, meadow grass and shrub kebab.

Converted from a disused raised platform freight railway, it is one of the golden nuggets of Manhattan. A stroll on a crisp February morning in Feb 2012, is all the more impressive for having seen it as recently as last May. Here are two photos from a similar position on equally stunning days, for different reasons. The Standard Hotel stands majestically in the background.

If you visit the Highline, do drop down to street level at 13th Street and Washington and even if you don’t like the food at The Standard Grill, you can pocket one of their cute condiment sets. Assuming you are honest, you can get them legally for just $25.

The Standard Grill
848 Washington St at 13th St,
Meatpacking District
10014
New York
T: +1 212 645 4100
W: thestandardgrill.com

The Highline runs from West Village, Gansvoort Street through the Meatpacking district and Chelsea up to 30th Street and is still being extended, hopefully up to 34th Street, which will make it SOME WALK…Beautiful stuff, stunning redevelopment, worth funding.
W: www.thehighline.org

Scalini Fedeli is such a high end Italian, it could be the Silvio Berlusconi of restaurants. As I walk in, I imagine Wall St bankers taking their prey to be softened up with an expensive Chianti before mugging them for an eye-watering commission.

I reckon the waiting staff are in on the act.  They look impressively like Spatz Domino’s henchmen. I wouldn’t dare send anything back. Having said that, ruthlessly efficient and courteous. One of the themes of NYC service that has changed since my last visit 18 months ago (and one small part of me regrets this) is the tolerance, politeness, and friendliness you can nowadays expect even in the diners and delis.  Is there an economic down cycle or something?

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I am liking some of the trends in New York dining.  The Smith is an exponent of many, including the provision of free and bottomless supplies of not just tap, but also sparkling water.  Eating irons wrapped in a proper cheesecloth napkin of tea towel proportions fulfils both form and function.

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Located in the trendy bustle of West Village New York, this place is the very representation of the feel of the area, in that it is trendy and bustling. Or, if you prefer, loud and packed with too many people.

It’s not just people that are crammed. Tables are less than 2 inches apart in the long line twosome area that we occupied, which has two distinct effects: Firstly, going to the loo requires a military operation that would probably challenge a crack team of US Navy SEALs. We saw numerous accidents including one frustrated guy who needed his steak replacing after it benefited from an impromptu and unwelcome red wine sauce.

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Under the High Line, one of the seven wonders of New York City, where peace and tranquility mix with rare greenery on a former raised platform railway converted to a unique public park, lies a restaurant of some repute.  A place that, although set amongst meatpacking factories, has thoughtfully empathised with, and even beaten a path for other trendy venues to raise the Standard of this eponymously named district of New York City.  And yet a “Grill” that has remarkably few items on the menu that might ever see a char broiler.   For example, I had oysters followed by shrimp fettuccini.  Although I use the word ‘followed’ in a loose literal sense, or perhaps as its own antonym since the main courses arrived before the starters. This was one of a number of service fiascos we experienced when lunching there on the last day of a New York trip.

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With superstars like Robert de Niro sponsoring Tribeca as an upcoming area (and selflessly trousering a good portion of the profits of Tribeca Grill), despite the proliferation of convenient subway stops, there was only one way to arrive.  I asked our Taxi Driver why he was tanking down these Mean Streets like a Raging Bull.  He said that given the Heat, and whilst he was not the King of Comedy, he was a Goodfella and, put simply, The Mission was to Meet the Parents, and not least, The Godfather (Part II) before the Midnight Run.  Before I had time to Analyze This, it was Showtime – the waitresses were Flawless and it was time to Meet the Fockers.

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This is just the sort of place I imagined an upmarket New York restaurant would look like.  Solid, spacious, salubrious and snobby, and that is a compliment.  It is expensive in the evening but if, like me, you are on a budget, there are some great deals at lunchtime.  I visited in September 2009 and unlike former customer, Monica Lewinsky, I managed to keep my stains on the tablecloth.

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An open top “Tommy the tourist” bus in New York is indisputably the best place to learn about New York culture.  Well, if you believe the tour guides (and assuming that you tip them enough).  I learnt that if you want to eat cheaply in NYC there are two options:  McDonalds, or Restaurant Row on W46th St between 8th and 9th.

Bangkok House is not McDonalds, but it certainly isn’t expensive either.

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