NYC Restaurant Run-Down

Living in NY this summer gave me the opportunity to dine at some pretty great places for business lunches - here's what I thought of 'em:

1. Nobu

Ever since I began reading chick-lit books in high school about fabulously wealthy people living in Manhattan, I have wanted to visit Nobu. Regarded by many as one of the best sushi restaurants in the world, I was eager to visit. When my colleague suggested we go, I was thrilled, and subsequently offered to go any time they wanted (which they graciously took me up on, a few times). Entering in through a solid wood slab door, you emerge into a moody lounge with a 40 foot bar made of a single tree. Up the stairs you are enveloped in a dark purple, grey, and wood universe of woven baskets and glamorous lighting. Having only eaten here for lunch, the crowd was all businesspeople snacking on edamame and sushi delights. While a popular choice was the $45 bento box, I have tried both the assorted sashimi lunch, and the assorted sushi lunch. Chef's choice, especially at Nobu, is a safe bet. The darkest red tuna I have ever eaten, and the most buttery fish... ahh Nobu, you are perfect.

2. David Burke Townhouse

David Burke Townhouse is a tony Upper East Side establishment with an intimate dining room nestled in the back of the townhouse. A bit stuffy, but nonetheless cozy, I found the service to be impeccable and the cuisine to be interesting and innovative. I started with the salmon tartar, which came arranged paint palette style with a series of dips. The chef's salad was decent too, but perhaps there was a bit of gluten in it, because my stomach was not so happy afterward. Nice for a business lunch, but probably wouldn't go back.

3. Brasserie

Brasserie is an underground modern, open white space in Midtown Manhattan. While a lot of people have told me that they find it too loud to be enjoyable, our table was nestled against a wall, and wasn't so bad. The food was impeccable - lots of steak, yummy seafood, innovative presentation...loved it.

4. Pampano

Oh Pampano, where to start? Maybe with your white-washed Spanish hacienda decor, with luxurious palm-frond ceiling fans, or your intimate terrace perfectly suited to lunch al fresco? Or perhaps with your generous offerings of home-made lemonade, heaping guacamole and house-made corn tortillas, or authentic Mexican cuisine? I visited a number of times for lunch, and was never disappointed. Spot-on flavours and a relaxing atmosphere. Definitely a NY favourite for me.

5. Le Colonial

Le Colonial is a NY landmark, serving up fusion Vietnamese/French dishes in a stunningly gorgoues buidling - all French flair with plantation-style shutters and tall ceilings. I would go just for the ambiance, but the food is great too. Lots of spring-roll style dishes, and those featuring hot flavours and unique vegetables - plus clearly-marked gluten free options!

6. Nippon

Touted as the first sushi restaurant in North America, Nippon is somewhat of a NY landmark as well. I visited Nippon the day after my first trip to Nobu, and to be honest, the sushi at Nippon didn't come close to Nobu's....however, Nippon, by most standards, was still wonderful sushi (it's just that Nobu is that good). Whereas Nobu is hip and trendy, Nippon is old-school Japanese. It has rice-paper private rooms, servers dressed in traditional Japanese kimonos, and traditional sushi offerings. A unique place if you'd like to see what a truly traditional, first-class Japanese dining experience is like.

7. SushiAnn

Another sushi restaurant...seriously, I'm obsessed. SushiAnn, which I've visited on my own a few times before, is delicious. Also very traditional, it serves up high-quality sushi to the businesspeople of Manhattan. Their salted caramel ice-cream is also not to be missed.