Geodes form in small spaces. thank you so much. Did it have something to do with meatballs? You aint gonna try this gem elsewhere but Chick Chick! Even though celebrated on Broadway, my roommate Ascanio wouldnt get picked up by cabs when he hailed them. This upscale Japanese spot operates out of the bottom floor of Korean restaurant Boka, and with its high-quality sushi and nice garden patio, it's one of the most impressive dining options on the Upper West Side. If youre searching for the best Omakase experience in the Upper West Side, then search for no more because Sushi Kaito is the spot! Jin Ramen is pure heaven for all ramen lovers in the Upper West Side, this is absolutely worth a trip if youre looking to satisfy your ramen cravings and your empty tummy. I was taken out there for my birthday when I was, I don't know, 9 maybe? I hung out on the UWS a lot during the late 80s and moved here in 1993 so this brought back so many memories! I loved this story, made me cry. Dont forget to rub that apricot and chile jam all over and enjoy it! We recommend this neighborhood spot for anything from a date to dinner with your family, just show up on the early side if you dont want to wait for a table since they dont accept reservations. Now on its third owner, a guy named Ira, Murrays continues to shine, smaller but no less brilliant. Then go on with Spaghetti Alla Chitarra with White Truffles, homemade pasta in a parmesan cream sauce with white truffles. Sushi Nonaka offers a couple of omakase options starting at $105 (as well as la carte sushi), with a selection of fish that changes depending on what they get shipped that day. The casual set-up makes this place perfect for a meetup with a friend or a date near Amsterdam Avenue and 107th Street. WebDaniel is known for its lobster bisque soup and filet mignon. and others whose names don't come to me right now. Which means you should be ordering their turkey sandwich. And the gruff bodega owner on the east side of Columbus between 76-77th Streets who wore roller blades? Reading it makes my heart beat faster and my body shiver with the joy of all our city friends, neighbors, and perhaps most of all friendly strangers. Hesitate no more, and lets jump right into the best Upper West Side Restaurants that we have specially picked for you! late 1980s? Great reminder of the wonderful things that bring us together. Ah, thank you Marianne. Stone: I think Ernie's has been gone for a few years; the space became some sort of Latin American place that didn't last long (UWSers, correct me if I'm wrong). As a teenager I made my dream come true. Edited to add: I am not sure, but I think he may have been a regular there as far back as the 50s as well. What to order: Pork Buns, Tonkotsu Ramen, Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen, Shoyu Ramen, Address: 462 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024. Upon entering, youll be amazed by their bustling atmosphere and the stunning aroma of steamed dumplings in the air. Anyone remember the Larmen Dosanko (sp?) 94th St.; 212-932-2400. When Tom Valenti closed Ouest in 2016, hair shirts were donned and laments rose to the heavens. I worked pt at a boutique around the corner, J.L. The menu, a choice between a 12- and a 16-course omakase, leans heavily on nigiri, a sushi high-wire act. Fish. Or thin slices of fatty beef? This was long before the area got gentrified and it was the best. There doesn't seem to be a history/about page on the web site: http://www.bbqnyc.com/. Keep exploring our best restaurants in New York here! If youre going to brunch at Jacobs Pickles, bring a handful of Tums and a big group of friendsthen order a bunch of heavy Southern comfort food with reckless abandon. And dont worry, its not as spicy as its name might suggest. Also, the corner grocery on West End and 72nd is licensed with a name like "San Juan Hill", which makes me strongly suspect it has been there for a long time. Trust us, the portion is huge! Thanks for your smiles and happy recollections. A typical meal might include banana pakoras, mung daal, alu gobi, fresh pappadam, and broken wheat kheer. Restaurant history of the Upper West Side, Copyright 2001-2023 by the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, All Rights Reserved. Learn how your comment data is processed. Re Caffe Taci, City Opera, not New York State Opera. 18. Opera night at Caffe Taci was the best. Rice. 198?- present. Three months later, the New York Daily News came calling. August 29, 2004 in New York: Dining. Map. Those were the days. For a mild yet flavorful one, dont hesitate to go for the Chicken Ramen. I'll have to check with my wife to try and remember the slogan. According to William Grimes in the New York Times, Cafe des Artistes has been in business since 1917. Thanks for sharing! Fat Guy Boy do I miss a lot of those places. I look forward to seeing her again and telling her how much I appreciated her memoir. What about all the Chinese restaurants on the UWS, especially in the 90s? She is still there today by the way, her name is Winsome. Al Buon Gusto: first on 72nd St, then around the corner (I think @SQC has that space now.) Chanterelle (New York City restaurant) Chelsea Place. The original Miriam is in Park Slope, and if you walk by on a weekend afternoon, youll see a line of people out the door. 4) 282 Grand Street. He dusts porcini on cod, and is generous with the lobster that studs his gnocchi. The Cattleman. 1991). This casual Thai restaurant on Amsterdam Avenue specializes in street food. Grays Papaya2090 Broadway, nr. first adult apartment was in 1977 w/2 roomates in a one bedroom walk up(now a million dollar brownstone) on W 75th between Amsterdam and Columbus. Celeste502 Amsterdam Ave., nr. There must be a bunch of them around, since there are so many pre-WWII buildings in the neighborhood that were obviously designed for well-to-do people to live in. I want pancakes! For over ten years, the unfussy Neapolitan spothas been presided over by owner Carmine Mitroni, a man as incandescent as a chandelier. The Ribbon is here to rescue! Winsome is still the best and classes at Thea Koreks above Fairway. Feels like heaven all the time! Between an appetizer and an entree, you can easily walk away having spent $30 on an exciting dinner here. How about Dobsons, a great meeting place with a great, cheap brunch, Ernies on Broadway had a popular bar scene, Ruelles, the creative looking Ruskays on Columbus Ave. about 75th St. and of course Teachers and Teachers Too on Broadway in the 70s where actors went for inexpensive food and you got to see all your actor/singer/dancer friends who were the wait staff when not in a show. Tap a Keg, Marvin Gardens, th bar restaurant on 79 and Columbus (northwest corner). Get alerts to jobs like this, to your inbox. West End Ave.;212-799-1278. I studied dance on a scholarship at the famed Steps Dance Studio on Broadway and 74th, 8 hours a day and acting at night. The first movie I got to see was Gene Kelly in On The Town at age 5 and I knew: I had to go to this magical place called New York where you can sing and dance. Wishing you many more, born and raised in nyc. A very close look reveals a phone number under Free Delivery. And that number turns out to still belong to . Joe, who was Mr. Olympia number 18 in the 1950s, exercises every night in Riverside park, with two shopping bags at 96, his mind sharp as a tack. Brought me right back. At the same time, even in 1981, Tong was channeling the ancient flavors of Yangzhou, Sichuan, and Shanghai, and those delicate balances found in the push-pull of hot-and-sour soup, for instance, or the mellow sweetness of red-cooked short ribs, Hangzhoustyle. Chick Chicks play on Korean-Nashville Hot Chicken is crunchier than it is fiery, and we could write an entire review of this twice-fried, chili-dusted poultry production with pickles and creamy white sauce. Tags:Big Nick's Burger and Pizza Joint, East Village Eye, East Village in the 1980s, Lou Reed, New York City 1984, old pizza parlors New York City, Upper West Side in the 1980s, Velvet Underground Posted in Bars and restaurants, East Village, Music, art, theater, Random signage, Upper West Side/Morningside Hts | 2 Comments . But for 40 years, for 24 hours a day, among the snappy hot dogs and frothy papaya drinks, Grays Papaya has given New Yorkers (and temporary New Yorkers) a place to stand and watch life go by. could that be? Cafe Rouge (Hotel Pennsylvania) La Caravelle (New York City) Carnegie Deli. Thanks for this. 108th St.; 917-675-6878. Follow Ephemeral New York on WordPress.com, Buy the 2016 Book! Inspired by the 1968 thread, I wanted to start a separate topic to discuss Upper West Side restaurant history. On a recent afternoon, the bric-a-brac space was full of students staring at their phones, slurping glassine noodles, and thinking of home. There are technically better bagels in New York City, but in terms of all-around experience, Barney Greengrass is hard to beat. Bchamel replaces red sauce in a Roman artichoke lasagna, basically an artichoke in a pasta costume. The Gilded Age in NewYork. You have to read a book to find a boyfriend? There is no way he could have known the title which I had hidden. Nice Matin. Thank you in particular for mentioning my FAVORITE cashier at Fairway, Winsome.SUCH a lovey person, and her name suits her. We have Dunkin Donuts and 7 eleven now instead of Korean Delis or coffee shops. You beautifully described why this frequent visitor loves visiting NYC. When I started law school at Fordham, which is down the street, he wrote me a letter of introduction to take to the owners. Cafe Chambord. Loved reading itespecially during a time when the Upper West is not getting such great play. The Allstate Cafe West End Avenue between Bway & West End. Hi-Life Bar & Grill is one of the Upper West sides most popular and longstanding neighborhood restaurants (est. Victor's Cafe was on the corner of 71 St. and Columbus. Its impossible to leave un-full or unsatisfied. This is a wonderful recollection of the UWS back in the day. Grab a bottle of Beer to wash them all down, and youre all set! Nothing truly comparable today. I bet the number of pre-WWII places can be counted on one hand. Places I miss: Al Buon Gusto: first on 72nd St, then around the corner (I think @SQC has that space now.) ABG was inexpensive italian, I remember t Great story and love these throwback memories/articles which you folks at WSR should do more often. Columbus Ave.; 212-877-2874. Kebab Aur Sharab ($) Indian, Kabobs Menu Available. rely on virtuosically prepared product, from silvery iwashi (Japanese sardines) and tuna otoro, to ikura (roe) cured in-house and a tangle of uni tongues from Hokkaido. If youre lucky enough, you can get a smoked goldeneye snapper collar too! They are good on a shockingly addicting level! 8. Ayurveda Cafe706 Amsterdam Ave., nr. Hope you write more, best maggi. Owned by Sam Thongkrieng, who emigrated from Bangkok in the 1980s, Absolute channels the recipes of yesteryear (Thongkrieng learned his craft at Ess-a-Bagel) to form bagels of both ineffable softness and satisfying crunch. Leontis chicken in This article includes affiliate links where we may get a small commission if you use our link. I lived on the UWS, on 69th and Columbus, from the time I was born in 1969 (or whenever it was that I came home from Mt. 2. Here, the very best restaurants on the Upper West Side. Sink your teeth into our pasta, seafood, or meat entrees with our Leonti103 W. 77th St., nr. I think La Rosita, further north on Broadway between 107th and 108th Sts., has been there equally long. At the Ayurveda Cafe, owned by legit Indian movie star Tirlok Malik, fully vegetarian set meals called thali, in which each element is calibrated to interact according to Ayurvedic principles, are served to local vegetarians, Buddhists, Jubus, hippies, and the hungry. 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