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April 19, 2003

Clinton Era Taste on a Bush era Budget

There's no use in trying to pretend anymore. Try as we in New York City might to buck up and keep on keeping on, there is no denying that since a certain Connectican came into a very prominent office by way of Texas we in Gotham have been hurtin' for the high life. (What do you call a person from Connecticut? Connecticutian, Connecticutese, Connecticutish?? Just checked google..It's Connecticutian.)

Now it's easy to reminisce about those days of Clintonian milk and honey when a New Yorker could splurge on a two or three hundred dollar dinner and not worry about how they were gonna put shoes on the kids or pay for the exorbitant and rising costs of healthcare. (There's another tirade about idiots who listened to large Insurance Industry lobbies back in the day, but I will bypass that.) Never one to be in denial (at least openly) I chose to reminisce no more. I have searched high and low in this city and in some cases accidently tripped over some of the best kept secrets where one can feel pampered and immersed in the good ole days when unemployment was down, and there was someone in the Oval Office who actually knew a little something about governing. One of these hidden gems, too precious to pour over even in the pages of this little known blog will stay secret. I'll tease you about the details but no names over the net. So here it is: the start of my list of places where one can experience Clintonian era tastes on a Bush era Budget.

The Cupping Room Cafe.
When Rhett showed me this place late last year I immediately fell in love with it. After a long walk from Midtown to Soho we stopped in for a scrumptious brunch. The atmosphere takes you back to a Golden time of eras past. This is the sort of place where famous writers would have taken tea between writing sessions for the very novels that made them famous. The food is incredibly tasty. The service is relaxed and leisurely but the place feels so comfortable that you barely notice, much less care. When the city weighs you down, all it takes is a jaunt to Soho. Step into this idyllic room and the stress of whatever you're feeling immediately evaporates. The true secret of this place is the three course dinner on Monday and Tuesday nights. It's a Prix-Fixe and at $15.95 it is a steal. They don't skimp on the quality either. The night Rhett and I went I had Salmon and I think Rhett had the Penne Pasta. In any case, it would be a great deal at twice the price. The night we went we had a couple glasses of wine, coffee, the three-course dinner, the ambience of a quaint and inviting restaurant, and each other's company for under $60....and that included the tip.

An Undisclosed Location
This next place is really special. It's run by what appears to be a husband and wife who have been married for years. The place is about as big as a Texas closet and is filled with the souvenirs of a life lived owning and building a restaurant. It's in midtown and is billed as an Italian place but I had lamb chops. Rhett, always a sucker for a good pasta dish, had the ravioli. Neither of us were disappointed. We took advantage of the Prix-Fixe menu which included most if not everything they served. The Mrs. even sent a little appetizer of a samosa-like appetizer gratis. Although in Midtown which is notoriously expensive for all of the tourists, Undisclosed Location was just as inexpensive, if not more so, as Cupping Room. Rhett and I were on our way to the theatre that night. After mentioning this to Mrs. Restaurant Owner (who was also our waitress), she managed to supply a leisurely dinner in very short order. We even had time for coffee and the decadent desserts included in our prix-fixe package (Tiramisu for Rhett, Homemade Apple Pie for me.) It was a lovely experience in a place made beautiful by its longevity and timelessness. But I'm not telling you what it's called. Although I have left some cheeky clues.

So there you have it. Two oases in a desert of recession. I'll keep looking and keep reporting the best of the best.

Posted by mermu at April 19, 2003 09:50 PM

Comments

Posted by: term life insurance at October 5, 2003 05:38 PM

Posted by: Patrick at April 21, 2003 02:31 PM

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