by Audrina Kingston

Created on: September 24, 2010

Dining in New York City is an activity of its own. And, it comes as no surprise that a city of this size has some of the best restaurants to choose from. Read on to find out more:

Per Se
www.perseny.com
10 Columbus Circle, 4th floor
New York, NY 10019
212 823-9335

Per Se is highly rated by customers as one of the best restaurants that New York has to offer. A sample menu, which sounds extravagant, may include Mascarpone Enriched Parsnip Agnolotti, Honeycrisp Apple Parisienne, Young Onions and Pea Tendrils with Pickled Mustard Seed Emulsion. Although the food is excellent, it doesn’t seem to match the outrageous prices. Depending on what you order, your bill could easily total $550.00 and more. The decor is stunningly elegant and looks somewhat similar to the French Laundry restaurant.

Grammercy Tavern
www.gramercytavern.com
42 East 20th Street
New York, NY 10003
212-477-0777

Grammercy Tavern has consistently ranked as a top restaurant for many years. Lately, some of New York’s toughest restaurant critics have argued that the food has become sub-par and disappointing. The wine list, however, remains particularly impressive with over 600 wines to select from. The restaurant is moderately lit, contributing to a warm, homey, and relaxed atmosphere inside. Be sure to book reservations if you would like to try a main course like the Rack of Lamb, Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, and the Hazelnuts with Collard Greens.

Le Bernadin
www.le-bernardin.com
155 W. 51st Street
New York, NY 10019
212 554-1515

It seems that everyone who has dined at Le Bernadin is of the same consensus—that the desserts are of out-of-this-world. How does Basil Ice cream with Tomato sound? Perhaps a bit unusual, but you can’t go wrong with Le Bernadin’s creme-de-la-creme of desserts which is the Chocolate Custard in Egg Shell. One of the signature dishes includes Crispy Black Bass, Lup Cheong, Bean Sprouts "Risotto", and Hoison Plus Jus.

A major complaint about the restaurant is that service can be extremely slow; waiting for your meal can take a while. In one incident it took up to 3 hours before dinner was brought to the table. But according to the reviews, it may have been well worth the wait.

Union Square Cafe
www.unionsquarecafe.com
21 E. 16th Street
New York, NY 10003
212 243-4020

The Union Square Cafe is an old favorite. The restaurant is an enjoyable place to dine, and the food (American cuisine) is really tops, so is the service. The cost of a meal at the cafe is quite reasonable, even for a top New York City eatery. On the menu is some of the best pasta dishes anywhere, like Pork and Rabbit Ravioli with Sycamore Farms Sweet Corn and Chives. Union Square Cafe has earned  #1 rankings from Zagats surveys.

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