Photos by Brett C Vermilyea
Barking Dog on East 34th Street.
Time to Meet That Virtual Stranger … but Where?
By Marcia G. Yerman
As summer turns to fall and children return to school, my thoughts turn to new beginnings … and opportunities for romantic relationships. Sometimes the process can seem daunting. If it isn’t enough to finally agree to connect with your cousin’s colleague, or to decide to meet an online prospect after months of e-mailing, the inevitable next question can seem even more overwhelming: What would be an appropriate setting for this first crucial encounter? Here, at a variety of price points, are several options, some of which involve food, some of which involve ambiance, and some of which will merely get you to a location that can be as memorable as your rendezvous, if not more so.
The Boat House Central Park;
enter at 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue
(212) 517-2233
If you are an East Sider taking a chance on somebody from the West Side, here is a piece of neutral territory. Situated smack in the middle of Central Park, the sound of chirping birds can be soothing. On the outside deck, a glass of white or red wine can be purchased for $8 to $10. Then, if things are progressing smoothly, you can dig into the Grill Menu with its shrimp, chicken, or crab cakes ranging from $15 to $20 an entrée. Enjoy the lake view, and consider a ride with the Venetian Gondolier ($30 for 30 minutes) if you think your date has serious potential.
The Asia Society
725 Park Avenue, at 70th Street
(212) 288-6400
In 1956 John D. Rockefeller III founded the Asia Society to build bridges between cultures and develop a forum for open dialogue. Today the Asia Society has become a popular go-to spot for conferences on business, education, policy, and the arts. A great take-off point for exploration, a food adventure, or if things are going well, both.
Every Friday evening from 6 to 9 p.m., admission is free to all exhibitions, which this fall include One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now (September 8 – December 10) and Gilded Splendor: Treasures of China’s Liao Empire (907-1125), showcasing objects from inner Mongolia that have never before left China. Asia House’s Garden Court Café has gained a reputation for its Pan-Asian cuisine in a tranquil “Zen” atmosphere.
The Algonquin Hotel
59 West 44th Street
(between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
(212) 840-6800
The landmarked Algonquin Hotel opened in 1902, and shortly thereafter became known as a watering hole for theatrical and literary luminaries like John Barrymore and (somewhat later) Simone de Beauvoir. It is steeped in history as the home of the Algonquin Round Table whose members – Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, et al. – were referred to as “the Vicious Circle.” The Algonquin’s Oak Room Cabaret launched the career of Harry Connick Jr., among many others, and is the spot to hear the gifted, intelligent Andrea Marcovicci.
The lobby was refurbished in 2004, and is a great place to experience relaxed, intimate elegance with original lighting sconces complementing gold wallpaper above the wood paneling and stained glass arches. Comfortable antique chairs are arranged around low tables, perfect for personal conversation, and food service (available from 12 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.) is culled from the hotel’s appetizer and snack menus. Choices include Margherita Pizza ($14); Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad ($16); and Popcorn Shrimp ($18). Wine by the glass starts at $10, and Signature Cocktails are priced at $14.
Payard
1032 Lexington Avenue
(Between 73rd & 74th Street)
(212) 717-5252
For a touch of France, make a date to meet at this delightful café. Round tables sit in front of the restaurant on a tile floor mosaic of floating coffee cups. The bar sells wine for $12 to $13 a glass. Table service features baby quiche ($5), Croque Monsieur ($9), and sandwiches like Le Waterloo ($9), which is made with smoked and poached salmon. Teas and specialty coffees are $4 to $5.
Payard is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and I was advised that 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. are good hours for quiet conversation. If your tête-à-tête leaves you with more questions than answers, comfort yourself by taking home a small box of chocolates ($5) packaged in the cheerful yellow and brown Payard colors.
Shake Shack
Madison Square Park, Southeast Corner
Madison and 23rd Street
(212) 889-6600
shakeshacknyc.com
Danny Meyer, a top New York City restaurateur, has brought his style and know how to this popular hangout in Madison Square Park. A well-priced menu features hamburgers (double plain is $5.08). Chicago Dogs ($2.77), double-dip sundaes ($3.69), also custards and French fries. Fresh squeezed lemonade is an option for those who don’t want beer ($5) or wine by the glass ($6 to $9).
Small square tables, perfect for twosomes, surround the stand. Stay close, because chances are that somebody will want a second order of fries. You can also feel good knowing that part of your tab benefits the Madison Square Park Conservancy, and if the trees and fountains look familiar to you, it’s because scenes from Spider-Man 2 were shot here.
Agata & Valentina Ristorante
1513 First Avenue, at 79th Street
(212) 452-0691
In November 2005, Food Em-porium’s Agata & Valentina opened a restaurant directly opposite the chain’s 79th Street store, focusing on the comestibles and wine of Sicily. A cappuccino bar seats about 12, and three high tables comfortably accommodate two people each. An open kitchen and wood-burning fireplace create a focal point which leads to the main dining area. The option to order from the full restaurant menu at the bar supplies choice and flexibility regarding how to plan an evening, and you won’t be disappointed by the Tricolore Salad ($9), or Trio de Antipasti ($12).
The bar remains open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday. If you choose to adjourn to a table for a more complete meal, you can order pastas ($17 to $21, half-orders available); Risotto ($17); and fish dishes ($21 to $25). The dessert menu includes Cassatina Sicilianna, a regional specialty made with rum-soaked sponge cake.
Capsouto Frères
451 Washington Street (entrance on Watts Street)
(212) 966-4900
If you are among those who feel that contemporary urban life lacks civility, make Capsouto Frères your destination. In Tribeca North, a block from the Hudson River, it definitely lives up to Albert Capsouto’s characterization of “date-worthy.” Serving contemporary French bistro fare in a space that combines loft-like spaciousness with red brick walls, fresh flowers, and white lace curtains, this is a comfortable place in which to talk at a normal voice level while light jazz or classical music plays softly in the background.
The bar, which seats ten to twelve, offers a full range of dinner choices (entrees range from $16 to $27). Appetizers include Terrine Provençale ($8.50) made with eggplant, pâté ($8.50), or a selection of cheeses ($12.50). Wine is $7 to $9 a glass. The restaurant is well known for its Soufflé at the Bar, featuring six “savory” and three “sweet” soufflés. The days are indeed getting shorter, but that shouldn’t stop you from exploring the waterfront Esplanade with its view of the New Jersey skyline and, more faintly, of the Statue of Liberty.
Rubin Museum of Art
150 West 17th Street (at Seventh Avenue)
(212) 620-5000
The Rubin Museum of Art has played host to more than 175,000 visitors since it opened in the fall of 2004, and the 70,000-square-foot building is packed with ritual objects, sculpture, paintings, and textiles from the 2nd to the 20th century. On Friday nights, 6 p.m. until closing (around 11 p.m.), the café transforms into the K2 Lounge. Dimmed lighting, music, and a two-for-one drink special from 6 to 7 p.m. draw a sophisticated crowd. After 7 p.m., you can stroll the galleries (until 10 p.m.) free of charge, and check out the award-winning gift shop as well.
At the café, enjoy a variety of finger foods that change with the seasons, washed down with beer ($5); wines ($7 to $10); and specialty drinks like an exotic Pomegranate Martini ($10). With a $7 bar tab in hand, gain free admission to the Cabaret Cinema, which screens such films as the 1924 silent classic The Thief of Bagdad.
Veniero’s Pasticceria and Caffe
342 East 11th Street, just off First Avenue
(212) 674-7070
Since 1894, Veniero’s has been the place to go for the best Italian baking. With the original mosaic floor from the turn of the century, a wall of mirrors, and bright lights to illuminate the cookies, cakes, and pastries in the display case, it calls itself “As close to Italy as you can get without a plane ticket.” Frank Sinatra agreed, and would often get boxes of his favorite treats shipped from here to his Palm Springs home.
Go to the back room, which is smaller and quieter. Clouds painted on the ceiling give the place a Venetian look. All the traditional favorites like Tiramisu ($4.35), cheesecake ($3.75), Fruit Tarts ($4.25), and Baba au Rum ($3) are available. Regular cannoli are $2.75; the chocolate-covered ones are $3.00. If you can’t decide, ask your server for a plate of assorted miniatures for $3.75, and treat yourself to a single shot of Espresso for $1.95, a Cappuccino for $3, or a Mochaccino for $3.25. It took 108 years for Veniero’s to get a liquor license, but now you can enjoy its cordials, dessert wines, and specialty coffees like Café Amaretto ($6.50).
The Grill Room
2 World Financial Center
225 Liberty Street
(212) 945-9400
At the World Financial Center, the Winter Garden Atrium has gained a reputation as a home for free music, dance, and visual arts for the public.
Separated from the more formal dining room, a lounge and oval-shaped bar face 20-foot windows overlooking the Hudson River. Seated at the bar, or on comfortable couches with low tables, you can enjoy wines from $8 to $16 a glass, and a la carte selections from the oven-baked pizza ($14) to the Grill Room Select Platter for two ($35) of chicken skewers, nachos, fried calamari, and steak satay. But don’t plan your Grill Room date for the weekend; restaurant hours are only Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Barking Dog
150 East 34th Street, between Lexington and Third
(212) 871-3900
New Yorkers are a tough lot. They’ll continue to reach out for their ideal soul mate despite setbacks and disappointments. While looking, however, many will cover their bases with four-footed companionship. On the other hand, a pet can be a deal-breaker in an otherwise rosy situation, and when both parties have animals it can be double trouble. Why not confront the issue from the get-go with a meeting at the Barking Dog?
Of the three Barking Dog locales, 34th Street has the largest outdoor seating area with patio space, sheltering trees and plants, and a tile-wall fountain. Three bowls of water placed at the entrance indicate that this is dog-friendly establishment. But bipeds are welcome too. With ongoing table service from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., there are many options at a variety of price points. California wines are $7.50 to $10; imported and domestic beers are $5. The soup of the day is $4.75, and a Chocolate Brownie Sundae is $5.95. Brunch is served on weekends from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Note: If your date keeps feeding his dog, and exchanges more comments with him than you, it could be a red flag!
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Marcia G. Yerman is a writer, curator, and artist based in Manhattan.
http://www.marciagyerman.com
