Local Eats Mini Series Manhattan COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

Local Eats Mini Series Manhattan COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog I hope you enjoyed our first installment of Local Eats Mini  Series!  Today, were discussing Manhattan-area restaurants, and there are some interesting locations on the list! As  you read this weeks post, make sure you keep score to see how many youve actually dined at. And dont forget to check back next Wednesday for our final post in this mini series, which will be all about the outer boroughs! Churrascaria Plataforma 316 W 49th St, New York, NY 10019 (212) 245-0505 | www.churrascariaplataforma.com Plataforma is a great Brazilian steakhouse. I am a meat lover and therefore rodeo house style restaurants are great for me. The service is great and each selection is better than the previous one! Dario Martinez, MIA 15 Crispo 240 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011 (212) 229-1818  | www.crisporestaurant.com This consistent and delicious Italian trattoria never fails to please. Every New Yorker needs to find their go-to Italian restaurant and this is mine. Located on 14th Street in the West Village, the crowd is always lively, but not too noisy. The food is not extravagant, but always delicious as  they only offer what is fresh in the market and prepare everything  daily.  I would recommend going  with a few other people so you can try each others dishes because youre missing out if you just have one. Spaghetti Carbonara is a star  if pasta is your thing, but the Crispo Pork Shank is not one to be missed! Tinsley Corbett, MPA 15 Mighty Quinns 75 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014 (646) 524-7889 | www.mightyquinnsbbq.com Best BBQ in NYC!   Try the brisket, short ribs and pulled pork. Grace Han, Executive Director of Admissions Financial Aid Penelope 159 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016 212-481-3800 |  www.penelopenyc.com This is a really cute cafe in Murray Hill, which serves wholesome comfort food in a relaxed environment. Its an excellent place for a weekend brunch with friends or for a cozy, weekday dinner. One of my favorite dishes is the Sweet Peas Mac Cheeseits got lots of cheese and truffles! Tip: They dont take reservations so be sure to get there on the early side for weekend brunch or put your name down and explore the Murray Hill neighborhood while you wait for a table. They text you when the table is ready so you can have time to walk around. Katherine McGehee, MIA 15 Russian Samovar 256 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019 (212) 757-0168 / www.russiansamovar.com Oddly enough, this is probably my favorite restaurant in the city even though Im a vegetarian, and not the biggest fan of all of the food.   BUT- I am a little bit obsessed with the place: the music is amazing!   I love the musicians (singers and pianists) who frequently perform while youre eating.   Not going to lie: one of my friends literally hired a group of performers from the restaurant to play at his wedding.   In addition, it has a timeless feel with décor selected by the original owner, poet Joseph Brodsky.   Lastly, Id be remiss if I didnt point out its proximity to the Russian vodka room, right across the street, where its fun to grab a drink and people watch. Lauren Podber, MIA 14 Sarabeth’s   423 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024 (212) 496-6280 | www.sarabethswest.com “Like the great Ron Swanson from the TV series Parks and Recreation, I am at a loss as to why anybody would ever eat anything besides breakfast food. And when it comes to breakfast, Sarabeth’s is the best you can get (unless you’d like to refinance your house and get ritzy brunches overlooking the park). Their eggs benedict is the best dish, and their pork and apricot sausage is also good. They serve legendary preserves, which made them famous in the first place. Their locations have a homely, Southern vibe (and long queues on virtually any time of any day).” Selim Sazak, MIA ‘15 Sofrito 400 E 57th St, New York, NY 10022 (212) 754-5999 |  www.sofritony.com The food here is amazing and lots of it. The portion size is huge, so expect to walk out with left overs. Great place to have a night out to enjoy some Puerto Rican food. Reminds me of my mom’s cooking, when I don’t have a chance to get it. Nina-Marie Rivera, Associate Director of Admissions The Spotted Pig 314 West 11th Street, New York, NY 10014 (212) 620-0393 | www.thespottedpig.com It might be named after a pig but go here for the beef. Their hamburgers and steak are amazing!   Their fries too are delicious. Be sure to get here early because they dont take reservations. Luckily, there is a bar on top where you can grab some drinks while you wait. Eric Medina, MPA 15 Xi’an Famous Foods 24 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036 (212) 786-2068 | www.xianfoods.com I’m not a huge fan of noodle spots because I’ve always had less-than-stellar experiences. But Xi’an really knows their stuff. It’s a tiny spot that’s cash only, but it serves some pretty tasty noodles. I personally like the stewed pork hand-ripped noodles and chicken hand-ripped noodles. Tip: On your first visit, Xi’an recommends eating your order there because if you take it to go, when the noodles cool they can get all mushy. Kaitlyn Wells, Assistant Director of Admissions Did you miss out on our Columbia University spots? Click here to read all about them.