Recession busting food and drink establishments
No question about it. We are still in the midst of a very challenging economy. But we also still have the desire to go out and feel terrific and carefree, socialize with friends and try different places.
So with this in mind, I have three terrific suggestions for recession busting food and drink establishments in New York.
Midtown East:
Matisse is a fairly new French restaurant on the corner of 49th and 2nd. This neighborhood charmer offers a three course dinner for only $19.99 (!!) 7 days a week between the hours of 4 PM and 7 PM. The only requirement is that you must pay in cash. ("Cash only" is a growing trend among lower to moderate priced eateries these days, by the way.)
Matisse's three course prix fixe special includes a soup or appetizer, hangar steak, salmon or pasta and a choice of two desserts. Pretty amazing for Manhattan prices. Sit by the open floor to ceiling windows to get the sense of dining outdoors.
Midtown West:
If you're looking for a really great wine bar scene with added value, I recommend Saju Bistro on West 44th Street between 6th and Broadway. It has become my local hangout and place to meet up with colleagues and friends. A good pre or post theater spot as well, this adorable bistro offers a really comfortable seat at the bar or at a table.
With a glass of wine or whatever drink you prefer, you can enjoy a nice sized dish of robust, marinated olives (the good Mediterranean kind), absolutely delicious sweet potato fries (perfectly seasoned and always fresh and piping hot) and if you so desire, a hard boiled egg. So, you've got your protein, starch and vegetable right there! Not bad for what might be an $8 purchase of one glass of wine, as these items are all gratis.
If you are a Malbec fan, as I am, and are socializing with another Malbec lover, go for the bottle of Aqua de Piedra 2008 for only $28. A real bargain!
Gramercy Park/Murray Hill:
A really fine place for a cocktail in the early evening (before it gets way too crowded and unbelievably youth oriented) is the nautically themed Arctica on 3rd Avenue between 27th and 28th Streets. This friendly establishment with nice bartenders and Ronan, the accommodating manager, not only has a lovely outdoor space, but a downstairs area, a beautiful polished wood bar and a gas fireplace. The food is fine, but the outstanding offering at Arctica is their Happy Hour, which runs far more than one hour.
Happy hours at Arctica go from 4 PM to midnight on Monday, 4 PM to 10 PM on Tuesday, and 4 PM to 8 PM Wednesday through Friday. You can order wine or champagne or delicious cocktails like a watermelon martini or mango margarita for only $6. My favorite is the refreshing Blackberry Jazz, which features lemon juice, chambord, champagne and real blackberries. If you prefer beer, how does $4 sound?
So here's an idea: Stop by for a late lunch (try the yummy Thai chicken salad for only $10, or a super reasonable lunch special like seared tuna and avocado wrap served with a cup of soup and choice of salad or fries for only $8.50) and then stick around till 4 PM to make happy hour. Chat with Katie or Sayh at the bar, read one of their complimentary newspapers or check out CNN. You'll feel like you're on your own personal yacht.
There you have it...Three ways to be kind to your wallet and have a great time out in Manhattan too. Enjoy!
Monday, August 23rd, I will be performing in a special one night only appearance in the off-Broadway hit, Naked in a Fishbowl at the Soho Playhouse. It's a unique experience because this play is improvisational. Each unique performance (no two are over the same) is taped and edited into webisodes posted on the Naked in a Fishbowl site every week. For details go to www.nakedinafishbowl.com
PS...I am neither naked, nor in a fishbowl...
Till next week, my friends!
Valerie Smaldone
Media Personality, Actress, Producer, Writer
Valerie Smaldone, a 5 time Billboard Magazine Award winner, is perhaps best known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 position in the New York radio market as the midday host of New York’s 106.7 FM. She ended her on air run with the station at the end of 2007. In addition, she was the co-creator, writer, producer and host of 'Spotlight On,' a nationally syndicated program that featured in-depth interviews with top recording artists such as Paul McCartney, Elton John, Sting and Celine Dion, to name a few.
Presently, Valerie can be heard on NBC Network News promos and specialty shows and as the announcer for The Boomer Esiason Show on MSG. She writes a weekly nightlife column for TheThreeTomatoes.com, writes a theater column for Examiner.com, and has an interview program on the Italian American Network. She is an interviewer and feature reporter on Broadway for TonyAwards.com and hosts and produces celebrity portrait unveilings for Broadway stars at famed theater district eatery, Tony’s.
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