The Manhattan Diner is located on the upper west side of New York City. Don’t let the quiet surrounding streets fool you.. the inside of this place is hustling and bustling all day long.  And why shouldn’t it be? This is one of the best diner’s I’ve ever eaten at. The prices are pretty average for a NYC diner (most meals ranging from $10-$20).

I ordered the grilled portobello salad, because I can never resist a good portobello. I thought the mushrooms were going to steal the spotlight, but I was surprised how many tasty surprises they could throw into one dish. The salad not only had mushrooms, but marinated string beans, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and then all the usual salad fixin’s as well. The dressing was delightful, and the vegetables weren’t drowning in it which is always a plus. Also, the portions were huge. I couldn’t finish the whole thing and I consider myself to have a big appetite. If you do find yourself at the Manhattan Diner, I would also recommend the Mediterranean platter. It too was large. The hummus was smooth and flavorful, but my favorite part of it was the ginger tahini sauce. I know tahini sauce, and this was definitely a good one. The platter also had fresh pita bread, grilled vegetables, and baba ganoush.

During my dining experience at the Manhattan Diner, majority of the people around me ordered breakfast items despite it being 2:00 in the afternoon. I’m guessing they were locals who knew their way around the place. The pancakes came in sets of three and they took up the entire plate. They were covered in fresh fruit, syrup, and butter and looked delectable. Next time I stop by I’ll probably sample something off the breakfast menu to see what all the fuss is about.

Manhattan Diner

2180 Broadway (corner of 77th and Amsterdam)

(212) 877-7252

Levain Bakery is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on West 74th Street. It’s really small and plain looking on the outside, so make sure you don’t miss it! What they’re most known for is their cookies, but they also sell brioche, scones, and flatbreads. The way these cookies are made is what makes them different from any other cookie I’ve ever had.  Each one starts out as a big round ball and they’re never flattened out. Then they’re baked at a lower temperature for a longer time than normal which makes the middle of them soft and melty. They have four varieties of cookies; chocolate chip walnut, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate chocolate chip, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip.

I got to try each flavor (lucky me!) and my absolute favorite had to be the dark chocolate peanut butter chip. The chocolate was dark and rich, just the way I like it, and the peanut butter chips were soft because the cookie was still warm. The picture above doesn’t do these cookies justice. They are HUGE! Six ounces of gooey heaven to be exact. I would say that 50% of the cookie is dough, and the other half is chips (or raisins). The ratio is unbelievable. They’re so filling, you need to bring a friend or take home a doggy bag. They’re just as delicious the next day. Each cookie is $4 which may seem a little pricey for a cookie, but trust me.. it’s worth it.

Levain Bakery

167 West 74th Street

212-874-6080

Mon-Sat 8am-7pm, Sun 9am-7pm

www.levainbakery.com

Simply Pasta is a Northern Italian restaurant located in Manhattan’s theater district. The atmosphere of Simply Pasta was one of my favorite parts of the dining experience. It’s small but trendy, and always crowded (I think).  It makes you feel like you’re at New York’s hippest hot spot, and yet the prices are really reasonable.  The lit up blue walls and ceiling reminded me of being underwater which gave the room a really cool feel. I love love loved the decorations and all the colors that were used.  It’s a casual place.. I would feel comfortable going in jeans and sneakers, but it would also be a good place to celebrate a special occasion.  The service was great too. Every table was filled and there was a line out the door, and we were still able to have quick service.  The staff did a good job at making themselves readily available to us.

The meal started off with some fresh baked bread and olive oil. I got the pasta di mare because it’s one of my favorite dishes.. why commit to one kind of seafood when you can have them all? It had shrimp, scallops, calamari, mussels, and clams all for only $14.  The portion was just enough. None of that: one meal can feed you for three days nonsense. Simply Pasta is about quality and not quantity. I would never normally order penne alla vodka at a restaurant, but I got a chance to try it here and it was surprisingly good; rich and creamy and flavorful.  I finished the meal with a tiramisu and an espresso which was the perfect end to a perfect night.

Overall Simply Pasta offers great food and a fabulous atmosphere at a reasonable price.  I would definitely recommend the experience.

Simply Pasta

120 West 41st Street, NYC

212.391.0805

www.simplypastanyc.com

I first heard about the Doughnut Plant on the Food Network when the owner Mark, had a Throwdown with Bobby Flay. After seeing Mark win with his Tres Leches doughnut I decided I needed to try one, and boy am I glad I did. The Doughnut Plant makes the best doughnuts I’ve ever eaten in my life! From the outside the shop looks like nothing special, with its small store front and plane jane sign. Even the inside is too small to have any seating.

I tried 6 kinds of doughnuts all which I would kill just to have again. First, the famous Tres Leches doughnut. It was like nothing I’ve ever eaten. Its a cake doughnut infused with a creamy milky filling. This helps make the doughnuts super moist and delicious. My second favorite was the blackout doughnut. It’s pretty much the chocolate version of the Tres Leches. Each bite had a burst of chocolately goodness. The Valrhona chocolate one was their version of a chocolate frosted doughnut except it was bigger and fluffier than normal. Even the next day (I couldn’t eat all 6 doughnuts in one sitting) each one was delicious and better than Dunkin’ Donuts or Krispy Kreme. You can tell that their products are all freshly made. They close up shop when they run out of goods.

The variety of doughnuts depends on the time of year you go. The glazes are made with whatever fresh fruit is in season. For example, the glaze on the blueberry doughnut had little pieces of blueberries in it.  One of the reasons why these doughnuts are so special is because they’re not drowned in the glaze.  The glaze is gently poured over each doughnut by hand ensuring none of the air escapes by pressing it down.  This makes sure they’re still extra airy by the time they reach your mouth. And just to add to the fun, some of the doughnuts are square. Each doughnut is around $3 which is a little more pricey than your average doughnut shop, but it is worth every penny.

Doughnut Plant

379 Grand Street NYC

www.doughnutplant.com

The Shake Shack is a cute little stand in the corner of Madison Square Park. It’s a little walk-up stand with outdoor seating and a permanent long line. In my opinion, the line is worth the wait and half the fun. On their website, there’s something called the “shake cam” that provides a live feed of the stand. That way, you know how long the line is at any given time and you can plan your trip to the shack accordingly. There are two other locations around the city besides Madison Square Park including Citi Field and Columbus Ave.

The Shake Shack had some of the best french fries I’ve ever eaten. They were crinkle cut, so so crispy, and salted to perfection. I also had the ‘Shroom Burger.. a fried portabello mushroom stuffed with cheese on a roll with all the fixin’s.  Now when I say stuffed, I mean stuffed. Probably half of the sandwich was cheese. I don’t know if this appeals to everyone, but I certainly enjoyed it. I tried the ShackBurger too which was topped  with ‘Shack sauce.’ It was great. I also had a black and white shake with my burger (how can you go to the SHAKE shack and not get a shake?).  It was just as delicious as everything else. Instead of soft serve ice cream, they make all their frozen items with frozen custard. If given a choice, I would always choose custard over ice cream.

Once you get your food, you can sit at one of the tables designed for Shake Shack customers, or you can sit anywhere around that park. All seats are equally good for people watching. On a nice day the outdoor seating is a great addition to your meal. I would definitely visit the shack again.

The Shake Shack

Southeast corner of Madison Square Park

(Madison Ave and East 23rd Street)

212-889-6600

With six locations around Manhattan, Heartland Brewery is never too far away.  This casual brewery won’t take a toll on your wallet.  Open for lunch and dinner, Heartland has a prix fixe menu offered from 5pm-7pm for $28.95.  Each location has a slightly different menu but overall the general theme is the same.

I enjoyed a sirloin steak sandwich ($14.95) and sweet potato fries.  The fries were fabulous, but then again when are sweet potato fries not absolutely delicious.  The sandwich was a good sized portion; the steak was juicy and flavorful, and the melted cheddar along with the toasted onion roll rounded out the meal.  I also tasted the buffalo burger made with free-range bison, the chophouse burger, and the Idaho fries (I know, a lot of meat).  However, if you’re not a fan of red meat, Heartland offers other dishes such as Ahi Tuna Salad, Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, and Wild Mushroom Ravioli.  And from what I tasted, I bet all would be excellent.

Not only was the food here great, but for some the drinks could be considered the main event.  Heartland’s award winning beer is brewed daily.  They offer two beer samplers that give you a taste of either 6 or 7 of their different brews.  Their Farmer Jon’s Oatmeal Stout won a medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 1995, 1997, and 1999. Choices range from Red Rooster Ale with a caramel toffee roasted nut flavor, an Indian River Light brew with a hint of coriander and the Oatmeal Stout previously mentioned that tastes like espresso and chocolate.

They offer party rooms and a great catering menu.  Party hotline number is 212-582-2057

Heartlandbrewery.com

Times Square

127 W. 43rd St.
646.366.0235

Midtown West

625 8th Ave. at 41st St.
646.214.1000

Union Square

35 Union Sq. W. at 17th St.
212.645.3400

Radio City

1285 6th Ave.
212.582.8244

The Seaport

South St. at Fulton St.
646.572.BEER

Empire State

350 5th Ave. at 34th St.
212.563.3433

Not only does Ellen’s Stardust Diner serve up some classic 1950s cuisine, but it also provides some wholesome entertainment for the entire family.

The staff at Stardust are all extremely talented.  Most of them are actors and actresses waiting to be discovered.  Some of Broadway’s brightest stars got their start at the Stardust Diner.  In between serving food and busing tables, they sing and dance their little hearts out.  From Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga, the waiters and waitresses have some up their sleeves for everyone.  They try hard to get all the customers involved and grab their attention.

The menu at Stardust is clearly based off of American home cooking in the 50s with a few twists and turns that pop up every now and again.  Choices range from hamburgers and hot dogs to salad topped with shrimp and grilled vegetable sandwiches. Most of the menu items have cutesy names like the “Monte ‘Cristo’ Hall” and the “Mamma Mia” (better known as a chicken parm sandwich).

While I was there I had to opportunity to enjoy multiple items from the menu.  The chicken pot pie ($16.95) was great, but then again it should have been for the price I had to pay for it.  In order for me to get my money’s worth the pot pie would have had to been double the size.  All of the food was enjoyable, however I feel that spending $10.50 on two hot dogs is a little excessive.

Outdoor dining is available as well as free delivery seven days a week.

Overall, the food at Ellen’s Stardust Diner is overpriced but you have to keep in mind that you’re paying for the entertainment as well.  It’s almost as if you’re paying for dinner AND a movie at the same time.  This is definitely a novelty restaurant that is worth at least one visit.

1650 Broadway

New York, NY 10019

call: 212-956-5151

fax: 212-956-5834

You can’t miss it.  It’s the one with the life sized ceramic cow standing guard.

This unique burger joint has more than just your ordinary burger.  Flipster’s offers every kind of meat from beef, bison, and lamb to salmon, tuna, and chicken.  Don’t like meat? No problem!  While I was there I indulged on the zero burger ($8) that was to die for.  It consisted of a gigantic breaded portabella mushroom that was topped with provolone cheese and caramelized onions.  I also had a taste of the fried calamari (which was fried to perfection and not greasy at all), onion rings, and shoestring french fries.  All delightful.

On one side of our table was the grill where all the burgers were made, and on the other was a great view of the sidewalk.  Seeing the cooks do their thing along with some great people watching added to the entertainment of the night.  However, if you’re not as lucky as we were, Flipster’s also has a bunch of flat screen televisions throughout the restaurant just in case there’s a lull in the conversation.

Flipster’s is affordable and the service is speedy.  Their off peak menu (11-noon, 5pm-6pm, 11pm-midnight) has a variety of items all for only $5 each, and their brunch (Sat and Sun 11am-3pm) is only $7.  Now you may ask yourself.. “Brunch? At a burger place?”  And the answer is “Heck Yes!”  They offer the normal breakfast stuff as well as the Breakfast Burger; a 4 oz burger with ham, cheese, and a fried egg.

They offer outside dining as well if fresh air is what you wish.

Flipster’s

444 9^th street (corner of 7^th ave)

Brooklyn, NY, 11215

718-832-5500

Price: $

Open 7 days: 11am-midnight

Free delivery: noon-11pm