982 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10022
212-813-0500
Open daily
If you happen to be in NYC and craving Turkish sweets, I have the place for you! My husband, Stephen, loves Baklava and so on my recent business trip there I made time to run over to 52nd and 2nd to pick up some tasty delights. This midtown locale is actually a new outpost of the original which has been serving Turks and others alike for 100 years. Besides just offering sweets, the eatery also offers savory pastries and other dishes (there are little tables in the spartan, white space). I was on a mission, however, and so I solely focused on the sweet stuff. The glass cases contained many familiar and completely unknown sweets. I ordered the regular baklava, the double pistachio, the chestnut as well as some of the more esoteric offerings. I toted them all home to Austin where Stephen and I have been enjoying them for the past couple of days. They are all lovely, though I think the surprise hit were the chestnut baklava - just the right balance of nuttiness, honey and crunch! Yum!
80 Thompson St
New York, NY 10012
212-334-3284
Open Daily
Pretty much every time I am in NYC I make a pilgrimage to this tiny store on Thompson street. It has been a passionate favorite for many years. Kee, the proprietor of the store, is a personal hero. She gave up a career in finance to open a chocolate and flower shop. Her delicate, exotic truffles were so successful that the flower side of the business was soon abandoned to focus solely on the sweets. She does an amazing white chocolate pistachio as well as a truly sensationally black sesame seed - I know. Sesame seeds? Expect to find Asian-influenced flavorings as well as traditional favorites. Just as an aside, when I say the store is tiny, I mean tiny. My Aunt Peggy, who made the original pilgrimage with me back in 2005, still kids me about it on a regular basis. Check Kee’s out for a delicious and delectable treat next time your downtown, near SoHo!
155 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012
212-274-0830
Open Daily
Comptoir is located in SoHo in NYC. It is the first American outpost for this French retailer. I love stopping by when I’m in the city for elegant yet relaxed Gallic inspirations. The store is spacious with most of the clothes on sale hanging along the walls in chromatic succession - there are always lovely grays and charcoals and seasonally inspired colors as well. Right now they had a lot of plum and dark green going on. If they don’t have your size hanging, just ask. They generally keep only one sample out on the floor and the rest in the back. They specialize in cute little sweaters and well cut shirts with interesting details. Sometimes they are a little too, well, romantic. Expect ruffles and bell sleeves to be mixed in among the more staid offerings. They also have cute little dresses and slacks. The sales staff have always been very helpful and gracious. Also, Comptoir is excellent for another reason, you don’t have to wait in line to try on the clothes generally. There are several curtained, dressing rooms in the back standing ready for you to try on your French selections. Worth the trek.
127 Greene Street
New York, NY 10012
212-228-1212
Open Daily for Lunch and Dinner
I’ve been getting lunch at Kelly & Ping’s in SoHo now for almost a decade. Lord, that’s a scary thought. I first started frequenting this noodle shop when quantity and decent prices were my uppermost concerns as opposed to quality. I’m happy to report that this little gem delivers on all three fronts. You can get excellent, Asian style noodle dishes and other specialties, such as dim sum, without feeling like you’ve spent an arm and a leg. And you’ll leave stuffed to boot!
The interior of K&P reminds me of what I think a Singapore shop store must look like. It is all vaulted ceilings, with dark book cases and crammed little tables. You order at a counter and than sit and wait for your number to be called, your food prepared. All of the regular menu items are listed on a board above the counter and the specials of the day are set out in the case below. I love their Pad Thai and highly recommend it. Their spring rolls are light but crunchy and chewy all at the same time. I recently had their hot and sour soup special. It was delicate, yet hearty with large slices of wood ears, tofu and chicken as well as plenty of sprouts and noodles. My dining companion and I had no hope of finishing our lunch. I’ve also enjoyed their curries and their stir fried veggies. Oh, they have a mean Vietnamese coffee as well.
If you’re in SoHo and looking for a light, inexpensive flavorful meal, I would highly recommend K&P. Tasty!
754 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10019
212-753-7300
Open Daily for Lunch and Tea
One of my guilty pleasures is dining at the BG Restaurant on the seventh floor of Bergdorf’s. I try to eat lunch there every time I’m in NYC. The food is excellent (though the prices are not for the faint of heart) and the atmosphere and view, both of the park and the other patrons, are beautiful and/or highly entertaining. If you are looking for an elegant lunch experience right near the park, this is the place for you. Plus, you get to wander through Bergdorf’s!
The dining room was designed by famed interior decorator Kelley Wearstler. Despite her reputation for glitzy, Hollywood regency, she went a bit more old world for the restaurant. It is all baby blues and silvers. The walls are covered with a delicate chinoiserie of birds in bamboo. There are banquettes under the windows looking out over central park as well as fantastic, light blue leather arm chairs at the other tables. The chairs actually curve above you to create your own little private alcoves. White-coated waiters hurry about to serve the diners their light lunches and teas.
They have an excellent salad selection, as well as tasty appetizers and entrees. I always enjoy the Asian chicken salad, as well as the tuna tartare - a stacked delight of tuna, wasabi, avocado and wonton crisps. Additionally, they have lovely, light fish dishes - I once had a sea bass that was to die for! There is nothing extremely creative or inventive about the food. It gets by on light and elegant staples that continue to please year after year (at least for me).
I love to have a leisurely late lunch here. After finishing my meal, I order a latte or a Marriage Frere tea and enjoy the little macaroons while I people watch to my heart’s delight. And the watching is good. Being Bergdorf’s there are some definite ladies who lunch scurrying about the place in their ridiculous shoes and handbags with immaculate coifs and nails. Truthfully, you don't need to read fashion magazines, just watch the parade of diners at BGs and you’ll get the inside scoop. After enjoying my meal, I will often wander through the store taking in all of the ridiculously priced wares before heading out into the real world. Everyone needs to have a little fantasy from time to time, right? Enjoy!
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