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After almost 2 years I am back with another NYC Restaurant Guide! I don’t know how time escaped me, I promise I have been wining and dinning all over the city. But I am back with Volume 10 of where to go out to eat in New York City. While trying to figure out which restaurants to choose from, I decided to share where I have had my birthday dinner over the last few years. When my parents come into town I try to find a new restaurant that I haven’t yet tried. And of course one that is a little bit more upscaled. If you are looking for places to have dinner here in the city that are a little bit more elevated – whether it’s for your birthday, date night, or for when your parents are in town- here are 3 restaurants I recommend.
Perhaps one of my favorite restaurants in the city, the Polo Bar is owned by none other than Ralph Lauren. It sits in Midtown East on E 55th street right off of the famous 5th Avenue. The decor is very Ralph Lauren chic with classic American aesthetics. You walk down into the restaurant and are greeted by dark paneling, leather seats, tartan accents, and lots of horse paintings. The food is incredible with quintessential American cuisine. I dined there with my parents for my birthday a few years ago and we all had high praises. We started out with our usual appetizer of choice: the shrimp cocktail. My main course was the chicken paillard while both of my parents had the filet mignon. All very delicious! Polo Bar is the most elevated out of the three where the dress code should be sports coats, dresses, nice slacks, and business attire. However, it is right in the middle of 5th Avenue so you do get a lot of tourists walking in off of the street in jeans.
American Bar is the latest restaurant I have graced, located in Greenwich Village. It is a semi-new restaurant that is making quite the buzz. I feel as if everyone in New York is dining there whether for dinner or for weekend brunch. A place to see and be seen. I decided to take my parents there for my birthday dinner this past August and we enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the food. We started off with a shrimp cocktail that was a wonderful appetizer. For my main course I had the chicken paillard. My parents both had the filet mignon. We really get adventurous with our food…..ha! Anyway, the restaurant has a lively scene but not overly loud that you couldn’t hear your conversation. The crowd was a mixture of ages; dinning with friends, significant others, and family. With all sorts of fashionable statements from business attire, summer dresses, and trendy street style. There is a bar there that would make a great go to spot perhaps for a date or after work drinks. We sat indoors instead of on the terrace (which is just on the sidewalk). The yellow walls, white tablecloth, and vintage posters reminds me a little of a country club.
Not all of my birthday dinners have been solely American cuisine, enter Boucherie. There are a few locations around the city; West Village, Union Square, and Midtown West. We graced the Midtown West location called La Grande Boucherie. It has a mix of seating areas; inside of the restaurant and seating in the plaza. We sat at the ladder. We didn’t have an appetizer but they have a range of salads, mussels, escargots, and soups to choose from. For my main course I had the pavé de salmon. I believe my dad had a burger and my mom had the entrecôte grillée – the ribeye. Per their website, the decor is inspired by the ornamental Art Nouveau style. Which embodies stained glass, long curvy lines, as well as elements of nature. I would say Boucherie isn’t as elevated as the other two above but it is a great spot to wine and dine for any and all occasions. You can wear anywhere from jeans to a sundress.