Listed on Gourmand Syndrome

L'abeille à Côté

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 19:08:06 -0400

L’abeille à Côte sits between 2 of its sibling restaurants, the Michelin-starred L’abeille and Muku. The host described to me that this particular restaurant was a French Japanese restaurant leaning more towards the Japanese side. Muku was a pure Japanese kaiseki, and L’abeille was a French Japanese leaning more towards French. The cuisine here is described with offering a playful interpretation of the refined. When I took a look at the menu, it was intriguing to see some of the dishes. I made a reservations a few days prior for 6 PM on a Friday evening for 2 people very easily.

Bartolo

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:57:32 -0400

Bartolo is a Madrid-style taverna in the West Village area, and it is a nod to chef/owner Ryan Bartlow’s nickname when he was working at Michelin-starred Akelarre in Spain. The restaurant when it opened was wide open for availability, but quickly became impossible without planning to get a reservation. Coincidentally the week prior, I was randomly trying to find a place to try, and I was able to book a reservation for 2 for 5:00 PM on a Friday evening. I was curious to see what this one had to offer considering we’ve been to several Spanish restaurants in the city already.

Four Twenty Five

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 18:04:53 -0500

Four Twenty Five is a contemporary, elevated restaurant from Chef Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. This restaurant was open on Christmas Day, and it was on our list for a while. They offered a tasting menu which mostly resembled items off their normal menu. The day prior, I was very easily able to book reservations without any issues for 2 at 4 PM. We arrived about 15 minutes early, and they had us wait in the bar area while they prepared our table.

Tatiana

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:40:18 -0500

Tatiana is a very popular restaurant, located in the Lincoln Center, from Chef Kwame Onwuachi. Born and raised in New York City, Chef Kwame opened this as his first NYC restaurant, and it immediately got a lot of public attention. He has appeared on many cooking shows, and the James Beard Foundation named him as the 2019 Rising Star Chef of the Year. Since Tatiana’s opening, reservations have been difficult to come by, and many people resort to waiting in lines hours before the opening. My partner had been here before and wanted to show me this restaurant’s flavors. They waited in line ahead for an hour (~4 PM) before opening in 25 degree(F) weather.

Lord's

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 23:22:29 -0500

Lord’s was on my list for many years, and I could never get my partner to be even remotely interested in British food. Although we went to The Clocktower, they weren’t a fan of that type of food. Fortunately, they capitulated for a restaurant near my office, and picked this one without me saying anything. We were able to make a reservation for 2 for 5:45 PM on a Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving.

Santi

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:18:08 -0500

Santi is a fine-dining Italian restaurant starring Chef Michael White. What was most noticeable for me was that he co-opened Marea, which ended up getting multiple accolades, including a coveted 2 Michelin Star. This restaurant is located very close to the 5th Ave and 53rd subway, and reservations were quite easy to get a few days in advance. The outside seemed different in that it felt like it was a side entrance into a place on the side a building.

Moono

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 13:13:42 -0500

Moono is yet another Korean restaurant that has been on my list for quite a while. Its allure for me was uni rice and Pyongyang cold noodles. I finally got a chance to book this restaurant, and it was easy to book for 2 for 6 PM on a Friday evening. This restaurant is a new project by Chef Kim from Jua. When I learned this, I had higher expectations of what I was to experience. When you arrive at the restaurant, it’s located in this interesting 3-story building.

One White Street

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 15:02:41 -0400

One White Street is located in a 19th century townhouse, that was a downtown hangout for John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Much of their produce is source from Rigor Hill Farm, located in the Hudson Valley. They practice sustainability, and much of their menu revolves around showcasing these ingredients. Originally opened in 2021 by chef Austin Johnson, this restaurant has 1 Michelin Star, and reservations are very easy to come by. We booked a pair for 5:30 PM on a Friday evening just a few days in advanced.

Le Veau d'Or

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 15:22:16 -0400

Le Veau d’Or is French for “the golden calf”. Making reservations for 2 for this was incredibly difficult as it gets sniped the moment the reservations come up. Luckily I checked a random time, and I noticed there was some 5:00 PM slots opened on a Wednesday. This is one of the hottest restaurants in the city because it’s a revived restaurant from the Frenchette and Le Rock chef/owners, Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr. The food is expected to taste much better than the restaurant’s previous life.

Octo

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:32:06 -0500

Octo is a Korean-Chinese restaurant that brings Chinese dishes developed in Korea. I visited South Korea back in the 2014s, and they definitely had their own spin on Chinese food, which is what attracted me to this restaurant. South Korea has its fair share of Chinese foods that are pretty similar, considered they have shared cultures. Located near Koreatown, we made a reservation for 5:30 PM on a Friday night very easily. When we arrived, we were seated in a booth that was definitely spacious and comfortable.

Cafe Carmellini

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 11:26:18 -0500

For Thanksgiving, we decided to try Cafe Carmellini out because their menu seemed pretty decent and had offerings that were present on their normal menu. My partner is a fan of turkey, so I already know what they were going to get. We made a reservation for 12 PM on Thanksgiving with no issues at all. When we walked in, they had us sit at the bar as they were preparing for Thanksgiving service. This restaurant is located inside the 5th Avenue Hotel.

The Musket Room

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 15:45:00 -0400

The Musket Room has been around for a while, and it is located close to the Broadway/Lafayette train in Manhattan. Chef Mary Attea is the head chef of this restaurant, and according to the Michelin Guide, the kitchen is predominantly women. We picked this restaurant to try for tonight primarily because the menu looked like a slightly different take on New American than what we were used to. I was easily able to book a reservation for 2 for 5:30 PM on a Friday evening a few days in advance.

Claud

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 12:57:05 -0400

For this week, I offered my partner an option of European or Chinese. Of course they said European. Claud comes from 2 veterans of the Momofuku Ko restaurant, chef Joshua Pinsky and wine expert Chase Sinzer. I remember this restaurant a while back, but it slipped off my radar with all these new openings in the last few years. When I checked Resy, I noticed there were openings on Friday, so the stars aligned. We were able to get a reservation for 2 for 5:15 PM on a Friday relatively easy.

Manhatta

Sun, 26 May 2024 00:21:48 -0400

As a splurge due to this incurable money sucking disease of gourmand syndrome, we splurged for Manhatta. Manhatta is known for its gorgeous views at the 60th floor facing up-town. It is part of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, which includes The Modern, Gramercy Tavern, Marta, etc. to name a few. Aside from the view that the restaurant offers, the last few years they have made an effort to improve the food. We were able to make a reservation for 2 for the Chef’s Counter without much issue for 5:30 PM.

The Grill

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 21:48:36 -0500

The Grill was always something on my bucket list not only for a prime rib trolley, but also for Baked Alaska, my favorite dessert. Every place makes this different, so it’s fun to see different interpretations. In addition, this restaurant has always been difficult to get reservations timely, so we were able to book this a few weeks out for 5:30 PM on a Friday evening. The restaurant is located in the Seagram building, and the entrance is located off of 52nd St. You can’t miss it because there’s a carpet laid out.

Marea

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 18:56:06 -0500

Normally during every Thanksgiving Thursday, I cook for my partner some poultry thing whether it be quail or turkey breast. This year we decided to relieve me the duties of frantically looking for materials and cooking for 6 hours for the 2 of us. Marea was closed for a few months, and we’ve always had this on our list. Because it just reopened in October, I decided to pursue the Thanksgiving tasting menu.

The River Cafe

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 12:04:40 -0400

We finally made it to The River Cafe, which was a restaurant we wanted to go for a while. This restaurant sits right next to the East River, right under the Brooklyn Bridge. We made a reservation for a table of 7 at 5 PM on a Friday night. The dinner consists of primarily 3 courses, which has a fixed price of $195.

The River Cafe has 1 Michelin Star and first received it in 2010.

Secchu Yokota

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 21:47:04 -0400

Tempura is one of those things in Japanese cuisine that is pretty expensive for what it is, but when you find the right batter with the right ingredients, it’s so good. In Torrance in California, it’s been over a decade since I tried specialized tempura, so I was craving it recently. Unfortunately my partner loathes tempura for some odd reason, so I opted to dine alone when they decided to watch a Broadway show. I was able to successfully book a reservation for 1 via their website (through their email link) the day prior for 5:30 PM.

Don Angie

Sun, 23 May 2021 15:23:37 -0400

Summary

This restaurant had been on my peripheral for a while because of the lasagna dish. I didn’t decide to try to book a reservation until I learned it was awarded its first ever Michelin Star. I had tried a few times on Resy, but always missed it. Fortunately, I was able to land a reservation on a weekend at 5 PM EST. The restaurant itself is in West Village and felt like a typical trendy cafe in the area. The tables were social distanced, and had a nice romantic setting.

Gallagher's Steakhouse

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 22:05:59 -0400

Gallaghers is a steakhouse located in the Midtown area near the Theater District. Similar to other Midtown steak places, this has been around for a while, and it has a very old school feel. I had been here many years ago, but I never took pictures nor tried it with my partner. We were able to walk in for 2 at around 9:30 PM on a Thursday night, and we sat at the bar. Even though the bar area can get crowded, these classic steakhouses an accommodate small parties without much issue if there’s room.

Casa Enrique

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 17:49:28 -0400

Summary

I had been to this Michelin 1 star restaurant with a friend for brunch. We were underwhelmed as we’ve been to several Mexican restaurants in Southern California. My partner hasn’t tried this before, so I thought to give it another shot for dinner. Note that the restaurant does not take reservations. We were able to walk in at 5 PM on a Saturday evening and be seated indoors right away. Take note that there is usually a line outside because people want to wait for outdoor tables.

Peter Luger

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 21:52:39 -0400

Peter Luger’s steak house has been around for a very long time. At one point, it even had a Michelin Star. Many tourists always recommend eating here and rave about it. The locals though on the other hand are rather indifferent. People have told me that their steaks suck and that their best dishes are their appetizers. Others have told me it’s the best steak they ever had. Does it really live up to the hype? Time to find out.