Rose Bakery (at Dover Street Market)

160 Lexington Avenue

(30th Street)

www.doverstreetmarket.com

Dover Street Market is a must-be-seen-to-be-believed window-shopping experience. And I emphasize the words “window shopping” as most regular folks would not be able to afford the standard pricing of over $1,000 per item. (I confess though that I did find a scarf for $600.)

However, I think DSM encourages people to look and be inspired. The super hipster staff smiles welcomingly and understandably while folks take pictures of the more outrageous outfits and store fixtures. It’s not really a store; it’s an art gallery or costume museum, except without the information placards.

DSM is owned by noted Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo of Commes des Garçons fame (other locations can be found in London, Tokyo, Seoul). The New York DSM houses seven floors in a building that used to be a design school. The entrance is a bit tricky to find, as it is really a side-door entrance on 30th Street. Once you find it, it is guarded by a doorman (but more likely security), who is standing in front of a glass elevator. Recommend your beginning your tour of DSM by getting on the elevator and going to the top floor and working your way down floor-by-floor.

Once you’ve made your back to the first floor (DO visit the washroom—their toilets are automated with heated seats! and they have lovely smelling hand soap), hopefully you’ll have worked up an appetite.

Rose Carrarini’s Rose Bakery is located off to your left and is made up of four communal tables. They do have seating in the mezzanine, but only if seating is for a large party or if the tables are filled on the first floor.

Helpful Hint: Rose Bakery does not have separate signage or a separate entrance, so might be difficult to find if you were not in the know.

Since Rose Carrarini (sister-in-law of Rei Kawakubo) is a self-taught pastry chef, you MUST try one of the desserts. (Rose Bakery does serve lunch as well.)

I had to have a piece of their artistically created carrot cake. Glad I tried it, but once tasted, I found it to be rather ordinary. Still, it was great to look at. Also the plateware is pretty awesome. Impressive craftsmanship.

My friend ordered the linzer based on the server’s recommendation.  My friend believes the recommendation was made so that the tray in the display case would not appear full as if no one wanted to try a slice, as the linzer, too, turned out to be a disappointment. It tasted rather dry and bland.

What we did love was the coffee. She ordered the latte (which came topped with a heart made of foam).

I had the Piggy Latte, which was pretty much milk with coffee. Made just the way I love my coffee. And best yet it was served in glasses at room temperature. Delish!

Pros:

Incredible washroom.

Welcoming and friendly staff for both bakery and DSM.

Excellent opportunity to people watch.

Cons:

Price.

Bakery closes when DSM closes.

Final Thoughts

Perfect place to take an out-of-town visitor, as it’s not the usual tourist spot.

Grace Street

17 West 32nd Street

(between Broadway and Fifth Avenue)

In the hustle and bustle of Koreatown, Grace Street is located in an unmarked building. If you weren’t specifically looking for it, you would miss it. A regular passerby would mistake it for an artist’s loft or a hotel lobby.

 

Instead it’s Grace Street—a large, spacious café that offers coffee, tea, and dessert. Their specialty though is their ho-dduk, a Korean–style doughnut with melted brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts. You can order it alone or with a scoop of ice cream. Unfortunately, it’s only offered at specific times (1 to 3 p.m. and 6 to 10 p.m.).

As such, I did not have a chance to try one as I came in at noon before a lunch appointment, so I grabbed a quick coffee.
 

But I did get a chance to sit back on one of their comfortable couches and enjoy the view.

It’s almost as if you’re in a gallery.

The café features artists and photographers.

 

Pros:

Chill, laid-back atmosphere.

You can sit there for hours, as staff does not seem to rush you out.

Cons:

No physical receipts if you pay cash; you provide them with your e-mail and they can send a paperless receipt to your e-mail address.

No WiFi—could be considered a “Pro” as well.

Final Thoughts

Have to go back just so that I can try their famed ho-dduks!

Dong Chun Hong

312 Fifth Avenue

(between 31st and 32nd Streets)

www.dongchunhongnyc.com

Busy Korean/Chinese fusion restaurant that is seemingly a popular place for lunch. DCH does offer a $9.99 lunch special, but most diners seemed to have a hankering for noodles!

And not just any noodles, but specifically JaJangMyun noodles. These are noodles with black bean sauce, and they are so popular at this restaurant that they even offer a happy hour price for it!

Since nearly every table with an Asian occupant ordered one, I being a proud Asian myself, of course, ordered the DCH JaJangMyun for lunch:

 

It arrived in a large bowl, along with a server carrying a pair of scissors. She used the scissors to cut the long noodles before I dug in to the task of mixing up the black bean sauce with the noodles.

It had an interesting taste, and glad that I tried it, but I must confess that I found it rather bland. I guess you have to be a fan of black bean sauce, or perhaps I should have added some kimchee (which came as one of the banchans) to my bowl to add more spice or flavor.

Vegetarians and vegans please note—the black bean sauce contains ground pork!

My dining companion ordered the shrimp fried rice, which she loved. She raved throughout the lunch about how “clean” and not oily or greasy it tasted.

 

For starters, we had ordered shrimp dimsum. And in a nice surprise, as opposed to the noted 4 pieces on the menu, it arrived with 6 pieces—at no extra charge!

 

Interesting Side Note. Each table had a “Call” button, which is used to summon the waitstaff. I was surprised to hear it go off quite frequently from other tables throughout my meal. I could see how it might be useful during a drunken, crowded late-night 2-in-the-morning party, but it seemed rather imperious to be used during a lunch rush where it seems more polite to just flag down someone with a glance or a hand wave.

 

Pros:

Clean and spacious.

Vegetables and seafood seem very fresh.

Service is helpful and friendly.

Cons:

Banchan—only two sad small plates were offered, but they were continually “refilled” with two new plates throughout the meal.

Final Thoughts

Decent restaurant option in Koreatown.

Royal Siam Thai Cuisine

240 Eighth Avenue

(between 22nd and 23rd Streets)

www.newyorkroyalsiam.com

Attention, Single Ladies!

If you’re in Chelsea looking for some quiet dining, Royal Siam Thai is a great choice. I have dined there on my own, with business associates, and with friends.

What makes this Thai restaurant better than the dozen other Thai restaurants in the neighborhood?

First: The interiors are exotic and relaxing. It might even make you envision that this is what you might find in a café in Siam.

 

Second: $9.95 dinner price!

We ordered the Pad Ma Kuur, which is sautéed eggplant with garlic, chili peppers, and fresh basil in soybean sauce.

 

And also the basil chicken.

 

It came with large cones of rice.

 

Third: 2-for-1 drinks! I had the Stephen Vincent Cabernet Sauvignon from California ($8). It was a pretty decent Cabernet for the price; smooth finish with no aftertaste. My friend had first tried the Ique Malbec from Argentina ($7), but it was a bit too sour so she switched to the Cabernet as well for her second drink.

 

Final Thoughts

Great low-key dining experience.

Chote Nawab

115 Lexington Avenue

(between 27th and 28th Streets)

www.chotenawabnyc.com

Pongal (see previous posting) is a great place to have a cheap and filling lunch around Curry Hill, but if you’re looking for something a little more spacious and comfortable go across the street to Chote Nawab.

 

The décor is also very modern and welcoming.

 

I ordered their chicken tikka masala lunch special ($9) and my friend ordered the dalcha (lamb and lentils) ($11).

 

The best part of their lunch special is that it comes with cabbage, daal, rice, and a basket-full of naan and roti. More than enough yummy bread to soak up the chicken tikka masala sauce!

 

Service was very attentive—making sure that our water glasses (mason jars!—seems to be common trend lately . . .) were always refilled without our asking. Though when the server was clearing our table at the end of our lunch, he dropped a knife that hit my hip. It luckily didn’t stain my dress, but I did feel it make some contact. But I guess accidents do happen . . .

Pros:

Food is flavorful and they offer plenty of bread.

Comfortable seating.

Great place to dine alone or with a friend.

Cons:

Lunch special is only until 3 p.m.

Final Thoughts

Would definitely go back. Have to try their chicken vindaloo!