What a challenge! The best meal in NYC. a brain scratcher, for sure. Would I pick Le Refuge - wonderful French hideaway on 82nd street. Home of many happy meals? How about Gotham Bar and Grill -... More

What a challenge! The best meal in NYC. a brain scratcher, for sure. Would I pick Le Refuge - wonderful French hideaway on 82nd street. Home of many happy meals? How about Gotham Bar and Grill - vertical food, beautifully prepared, amazing service, impressive room. And there is always Shun Lee. Chinese doesn't get much better. Nope, although they are all memorable places and meals, I love Lupa. The last meal I had there was very memorable - lamb sausage with a warm salad with morell shavings. To die for! Having made several visits, I can honestly say, I have always been amazed by the food, service and the relatively reasonable price - I call it good value. At Gotham Bar and Grill - expect to drop $100 per person. At Le Refuge, maybe $70 per. At Lupa, you can eat like a king (insert hilarious "here King!" joke now) for about $120 for two. There used to be a cool restaurant called The Grand Ticino also on Thompson Street - a rock solid 2 star that finally closed after decades of making people happy. I had a few meals there that were quite good. So maybe it's the geography, but Lupa has almost made me get over the loss of that old gem. Lupa - a Nova in NYC's galaxy of stars.
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I was going on a job interview on a cold February Monday at 2:00 PM. To steel myself for the event, I went to Lupa at noon for lunch. The lunch was much more successful than the interview. I had a... More

I was going on a job interview on a cold February Monday at 2:00 PM. To steel myself for the event, I went to Lupa at noon for lunch. The lunch was much more successful than the interview. I had a salad and a plate of ravioli washed down by a bottle of San Pelligrino. Each bite of the 8 ravioli was a taste sensation (yes, only 8, sigh!). I wanted to lick the plate but used the terrific bread to sop up every last molecule. The salad was not dripping with dressing (hey, this isn't Olive Garden) but every leaf was coated and the taste was amazing. I had their take on Italian ice cream, washed down with a good cup of coffee. I felt I was ready for anything! Non-food interest: The room is small and very much like a place I went to in Venice - atmospheric without being cute. The staff is wonderfully attentive and professional but they know how to leave you alone as well. That means good training and good management. The prices are typical for a place this good in NYC - my 3 course lunch was $36 with tax and tip but no wine. At dinner, they have a daily specials menu, so check their web site to see if you want what they are serving when you plan to go. If you love Italian food, you should stop in and see how a great chef does it.
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Lupa is quite special if you are looking for real authentic Italian food. Mario Batali is one of the owners, and everything he touches is delicious! The prices are incredible as well for a 4 star... More

Lupa is quite special if you are looking for real authentic Italian food. Mario Batali is one of the owners, and everything he touches is delicious! The prices are incredible as well for a 4 star (in my opinion) restaurant. There are small veggie platters, cured meats, and cheeses to choose from. There are also main courses as well. My favorite is the homemade pasta with butter, cracked black pepper and Parmesan cheese. It's simplicity is what makes it so tasty. Also, for dessert try the fresh ricotta with drizzled honey. It rocks!
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