at the table: New York Eats, Part 2

For my second New York Eats post, I'll focus on Manhattan. (Find the first post here.)

1) Couscous at Café Gitane. Beautiful presentation...but not at all fussy. This was a hearty, generous serving of the best couscous I've ever had.... I wish I could remember everything that was in there: tomatoes, raisins, cinnamon, mint, spinach, lemon, etc... with that fantastic hummus on top.

(Recommended by Zu and Vanessa.)


2) Chopped salad at the Standard Grill. (Fresh and very good, but I'd probably try something else next time...) Kirk had a tasty club sandwich, and we shared a yummy plate of cured meats with pickles and olives. My favorite was the finocchiona. (It was only later that I realized I shouldn't have eaten them being pregnant!) Beautiful decor, too. (Penny tiles made from real pennies, tufted leather banquettes in the dining room, bentwood chairs in the garden room...)

image via A Hamburger Today

3) Cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate malt from the Shake Shack. I think I mentioned it here before. The burger was amazing. And I love the potato bun it comes on. The malt was so chocolatey and good...I wish I had one right now. But the fries were just blah.

image via Tasted By Two

4) Grilled chicken cobb salad at Le Pain Quotidien. Kirk got the tuscan bean salad. Both were so lovely! And to think this is a chain....you'd never guess by the one we went to. I love the long communal tables and rustic atmosphere. I also think I have a soft spot for this place knowing it comes from Belgium. Too bad we didn't save room for dessert. I've had their tarts and pastries in the past. Delicious.

image via What the Hellz

5) Hot dog and fresh pineapple juice at Gray's Papaya. The juice was for me, and the hot dog was for Kirk. Both were great, but I'd say the juice edged out the hot dog. Kirk would probably disagree.