Headin' Off To Harlem!

[Mr. Lucky]

My wife and I are heading to NYC before we head Upstate for Christmas. I looked around at the hotels and such - considering the Waldorf, etc. - and then I came across this bed & breakfast in Sugar Hill Harlem! I'm a big fan of the music and art that came out of that area, so I thought it would be a nice change from the Disney-fied mid-town area.

Now, I could really use some tips on where to eat and what to see in this neck of the woods. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, here's the B&B - http://www.sugarhillharleminn.com/ We've booked the Miles room, of course. But I may change to the Satchmo, just for the heck of it!

Yrs.

 

[BAZ]

How long are you in town? And when?
I can suggest having a martini at Campbell's Apartment in Grand Central Station. We usually go on a Sunday evening, when it's not so busy. Got a great ambience!
U where you're staying, along Broadway is cool for the elevated reailway.
Of course the "Cotton Club" on 125th is good to drive PAST. (NOT THE REAL ONE ANYWAY)
Have you been here before? The Strip House is a great place for a steak.
Swing 46 is ok, but a lot of posers.
Supper Club? Actually, Sardi's does GREAT Martinis too!!

 

["Doc" Devereux]

My wife and I are heading to NYC before we head Upstate for Christmas. I looked around at the hotels and such - considering the Waldorf, etc. - and then I came across this bed & breakfast in Sugar Hill Harlem! I'm a big fan of the music and art that came out of that area, so I thought it would be a nice change from the Disney-fied mid-town area.

And you'll know exactly which train to take, too!

 

[BettyValentine]

Boy, I thought I was uptown!

I don't have anything to recommend that far uptown; I've only covered places from 130-54th. But Casbah Rouge on 110 does fantastic tagines. Tokyo Pop on 103 is some of the best sushi I've ever had, and their cocktails are my favorites in the whole world. Pisticci on LaSalle (124) & bway is a wonderful tiny Italian place wedged inexplicably in a corner. Dinosaur BBQ is right there, but I don't know why anyone would come to NY to eat BBQ.

The Oyster Bar at Grand Central Station is magnificent.

Breakfast: Famous LES brunch spot Kitchenette has a branch at 123 that is fabulous, though my tastes run more towards Metro Diner (I like the whole grain waffle with fresh fruit & yogurt). Across the street is Massawa, which is my personal pick for Ethiopian. (But service is slooooowwww.)

It's a thousand years away from you, but if you're into Japanese pub food just get off the yellow train at 8th and you'll be right in the middle of Izakaya mecca. If you wait till 11pm the drinks at Klong (Thai street food) drop to $5. Also, I'd recommend Klong for dinner. The duck smelled amazing, and the banana-leaf sticky rice was like tiny pockets of sweet, salty & savory exploding in your mouth all at once.

English is Italian is pretty magnificent (I always go in for shared plates), and Babbo is wonderful if you're not the type to get huffy over loud rock music in your homey 3-star Italian den.

Oh yeah... and the Russian Tea Room just re-opened with much aplomb. (I'm annoyed to be responsible for some of the plomb.) They have a giant acrylic bear filled with tropical fish, and that's about all I can say about it because my editor won't let me expense dinner there.

What do you like or want to try?
BV

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Thank you both BV & Baz - I have to run, but I'll answer your posts with more detail when I get back.

Yrs.

 

[Barry]

Boy, I thought I was uptown!

Breakfast: Famous LES brunch spot Kitchenette has a branch at 123 that is fabulous, though my tastes run more towards Metro Diner (I like the whole grain waffle with fresh fruit & yogurt). Across the street is Massawa, which is my personal pick for Ethiopian. (But service is slooooowwww.)

BV

Kitchenette is great. My sister lives in NYC and I had breakfast with her there some time ago. I think they have a house made turkey sausage - I might be mixing it up with someplace else though.

Barry

 

[Mr. Lucky]

How long are you in town? And when?
I can suggest having a martini at Campbell's Apartment in Grand Central Station. We usually go on a Sunday evening, when it's not so busy. Got a great ambience!
U where you're staying, along Broadway is cool for the elevated reailway.
Of course the "Cotton Club" on 125th is good to drive PAST. (NOT THE REAL ONE ANYWAY)
Have you been here before? The Strip House is a great place for a steak.
Swing 46 is ok, but a lot of posers.
Supper Club? Actually, Sardi's does GREAT Martinis too!!

We're in town from the 20th to 23rd, and then heading Upstate. I kind of want to do some cool things. Of course, we want to see THE tree, Ground Zero, you know. We also plan on visiting my old neighborhood (and White Castle) in Queens and journeying down to where it all began for me on Spring Street. The 21st is my wife's birthday, so I'd like to do something special, dinner maybe.

Thanks.

 

[Rosie]

You'll have to go to the Harlem Tea Room http://www.harlemtearoom.com/

Sylvia's http://www.sylviassoulfood.com/restaurants.html

Amy Ruth's http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/amy-ruths-home-style-southern-cuisine/

When in lower Manhattan, the pink tea cup http://thepinkteacup.com/index.html

or Merchants http://www.merchantsny.com/east/east_home.php

 

[Mr. Lucky]

You'll have to go to the Harlem Tea Room http://www.harlemtearoom.com/

Sylvia's http://www.sylviassoulfood.com/restaurants.html

Amy Ruth's http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/amy-ruths-home-style-southern-cuisine/

When in lower Manhattan, the pink tea cup http://thepinkteacup.com/index.html

or Merchants http://www.merchantsny.com/east/east_home.php

SYLVIA'S!!!! That's it! About ten people kept trying to tell about this soul food joint that I HAD to check out, but none of them could remember the name!

Glorias. Marias. Something like that...

That's the best they could do. Thank you. Oh, and thanks for the other leads too!