Trudy,
I live in NY. I will give this a lot of thought and get back to you. Given price constraints, I don't want to rush my answer.

Here is a link to start the process

Ren

Here is a link that might be useful: Menu Pages

Renee, One of the nights I will be there will be my anniversary (28th), so I could splurge a little on that one. Any thoughts on that would be so appreciated too. We will be staying at the Holiday Inn, Midtown on 54th.

Thank you!

One I really like is Angel Thai on Grand street in the village. It is right next to Chinatown and is fabulous. Very reasonable also. If you like mexican food, Rosamexicana is also wonderful. They make guacamole at your table. Several locations, one on 19th and one on the upper east side. Also, the Bridge store on the east side is a great cooking supply store, but is leaving Manhattan, so it might not be there. A few other restaurants come to mine. One is on 72nd and 3rd, and I am spacing on the name, but it is a wonderful french bakery/bistro. Pizza? John's in the village. One of the first and one of the best. Long lines though.
Have fun planning.
Jo

A landmark restaurant I really enjoy in mid-town is the Grand Central Oyster Bar. They do have the most incredible menu of oysters, but also the most incredible menu of every other seafood. Their desserts are said to be excellent, but I'm not a judge of that. The cooking, the architecture and the service are memorable. I try to go there when I'm in NYC.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Grand Central Oyster Bar

Renee have you been to Per Se? Keller is my favorite chef - it HAS to be good - probably very expensive though.

We had a great dinner during Martini Mayhem Weekend at the link below. I'm not sure what part of the city it is in but the cab ride there was a blast!!! My first time in NYC btw.

David

Here is a link that might be useful: Nicola Paone

Yeah....the Oyster Bar is a must!
Linda C

This place is so good I've included a review. Try anything but definitly try the dumplings...

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Deceptive is the word for Yeah Shanghai Deluxe, the two-year old restaurant with the hippest name in Chinatown. Sandwiched in along a row of look-alike, undistinguished eating places the narrow, storefront Yeah Shanghai Deluxe, with its dumpling kitchen in the window, could well be a casual, fast lunch spot or even a carry out.

But walk past the steaming, up front action of the dumpling prep area and cross over a charming little bridge to the cave-like rear dining room with its brick walls and Italian wine cellar look. There, is a sight every Chinese food freak searches for, a sea of Asian faces. Not a Caucasian in the crowd. The blackboard specials are in Chinese here (so are the newspapers) and although forks are available everyone seems to be eating with chopsticks.

Obviously this is not your fathers Chinese American restaurant serving Egg Foo young, egg rolls and moo goo gai pan (none of which are on the menu). Its a new-fangled Chinese-Chinese restaurant serving the rare-in-New-York specialties of Shanghai. Oh, you can order moo shu pork, scallion pancakes, spring rolls or hot and sour soup, but why do it? Those dishes are available at every cookie cutter, garden variety Chinese eatery. But steamed, juicy pork buns, pork shoulder in honey sauce, chrysanthemum fish, roast chicken Northern China-style and Shanghai dough arent and Yeah Shanghai is a find because of those light, unusual, often exotic dishes. Its beautiful presentations, one-dish-at-a-time service, pleasant staff and agreeable dining room ambiance also enhance the experience.

In fact, the only dishes sampled that were just ordinary were two standards: hot and sour soup that needed hot sauce to jack it up and shredded pork in garlic sauce that was no better or worse than it is elsewhere.

Instead, start with those steamed, juicy pork buns or soup and meatfilled dumplings, eight of them. Eat each one on a soup spoon slowly sipping out the broth, then, eating the pork, remaining liquid and outer won ton-like shell. They are a mellow delight. Dont depart without trying one or two dim sum. We selected steamed pork and leak dumplings and werent sorry. They offered a welcome taste and texture contrast.

Most main courses are attractively encircled by a border of thin, alternating orange and tomato slices and taste as good as they look. Get that whole Northern China-style roast chicken, presented with its head and feet and a clump of tender, moist shredded strands of chicken. Add the accompanying brown sauce replete with minced garlic and youre on your way.

The pork shoulder in honey sauce is its equal. The soft, juicy meat, in a coat of
fall-away fat, easily separated from the meat, is sinfully delicious and the honey adds a subtle sweet note. Ten lightly breaded, gently cooked Peking-style prawns are another good bet.

Finish up with the spongy, steamed thousand pieces cake, an acquired taste to be sure, but like Yeah Shanghai Deluxe itself, one that is not a routine Manhattan eatery.

65 Bayard (@ Mott St.), 212-566-4884.

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This little place is a must- if you're not hungry just share some dumplings

michaelp

There are so many brilliant restaurants,most of the time we look in and if it suits us we give it a try,that said I second the GRAND CENTRAL OYSTER BAR,heck if nothing the architecture will keep you there for hours. Midtown for a reasonable bite I really like HAVANA CENTRAL nice food atmoshere service and the price is right!!! I wanna say 47th bewtween 6&7. Im sure youll be given hundreds of suggestions....Pizza... i used to LOVE St Marks pizza downtown but theres good pizza all over when I was a kid downstairs from my grandmother and aunts there was a fabulous pizza joint right on 3rd ave between 34th & 35th last time in they were still there...so are my aunts (youd die if you knew how much there rent is...RENT Control amazing!!!)

Chowhound.com the NY board has lots of great suggestions - too.

-maria

I've been wanting to go to Merkato 55 since I first heard about it, but then I also want to go to Aquavit, started by the same chef. I have cookbooks for both restaurants - the first one was a gift from Lee, and the second was received in a swap. Somehow both parties knew that Marcus Samuelsson was one of my favorite chefs.

Be selective about where you get pizza. The worst pizza I've ever had was at place that was across the street from Grand Central Station (or was it Penn Station?). Anyway, it's very easy to get bad Italian food in Manhattan because it's happened to me more than once. The food wasn't so much bad as simply ordinary and bland. You can get good Italian food, but you have to know where to go. Check the mixed reviews at the pizza making forum - they are more particular about pizza than some of the people at chowhound, which is also a good source, however.

Lars

Here is a link that might be useful: Merkato 55 NY Times review

But then are you searching for a wonderful, fabulous place to eat, or are you looking for the whole "New York Experience?"
In the latter case I would suggest, again the Oyster Bar...I mean afterall what is more New York that the lovely restored Grand Central?
And how about Manhatten Deli? You need to experience one of those 2 pounds of meat in 2 slices of bread and a pickle meals!
and Tavern on the Green is also pretty much about the looks of the place....and also pretty pricey, but for a cocktail, not to be missed.
And there's always the Rainbow Room on top of Rockerfeller Center....again about the location and the view....pricey but again....the view!
And There's Ollie's for wonderful Chinese....where New Yorkers go for a quick meal, inexpensive and very good....several loactions all on or very near Broadway.
The choices boggle the mind!
Linda C

If you want a really lovely afternoon experience try the Boat House in Central Park. You can either be seated in the restaurant with a beautiful view of the lake or buy salads and sandwiches (quite good ones) at the take-out counter and sit indoors or on the patio or sit on one of the those fabulous rock formations that make Central Park so magnificent. The food is very nice at the Boat House but the setting is what I go for.

Another outdoor New York dining experience can be had at Bryant Park, behind the Main Branch of the NY Public Library (a few blocks west on 42st.from Grand Central). There are 2 kiosks called "S'wich" where you can buy excellent gourmet sandwiches and salads and sit at Bistro tables around the park. There's an outdoor 'reading room' in Bryant Park, a carousel and open air movies all summer. And the public rest rooms situated just behind the library are a 'must see' You will never see such beautiful public facilities, complete with fresh flowers daily.

Second Ave Deli has reopened, no where near the original location, but close to where you will be; its now at 33rd and 3rd if your interested in good pastrami, corned beef, chopped liver, etc. but be prepared to wait in line for a long time.

My last suggestion is Fig and Olive, on Lexington Ave between 62/63sts or another branch (no pun intended) is in the Meat Packing District, W13th street, I think.

Oh, one more: Pizza in Brooklyn - below the bridge, another long wait, but worth it. It used to be called Patsy's but after losing a law suit they changed the name to Grimaldi's (I think).

You won't find any consensus on pizza. Thin, thick, sqaure, round, everything is subject to dispute and personal opinion.

The same probably goes for delicatessen. But delicatessen perhaps defines NYC dining (OK, not dining, just plain eating) more than other food, even pizza. Delicatessen anywhere else rarely stacks up (good pun) against the real thing. The pastrami sandwiches served where I live are pitifully thin. The ones at Carnegie Deli have enough meat to make ten of them.

So I would recommend that you try to include a deli in your New York trip. The link below should get you in the right frame of mind. Then pick from the Second Avenue, Carnegie, Katz's, Zabaar's or whichever and have a New York experience. I think all of them have web sites, so do a bit of research.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Second Avenue Deli Review

Oh thank you everyone for your help with restaurants. This will be so much fun trying to decide which ones to go to. I appreciate you!!

One more thought which might be useful.

If you want to find a restaurant not of the special occasion or splurge type, stroll along Second Avenue. Restaurants are more frequent there and most are of a more modest type than in the higher rent areas of town. Just check out the posted menus and peek in to find one which is appealing. There are lots of good choices.

Jim