(Some Of) My Favorite Places To Eat In New York City
Note: Sadly, since this blog post was first published, both Republic and Blue Water Grill (staples in Union Square for many years) have both permanently closed.
I’ll further highlight each of these eateries in separate posts, but for now, here’s a rundown of some of my favorite restaurants in NYC. This list is kind of like the city - always under construction - so expect many more posts like this one. Restaurants (even the best ones) come and go in this town, and there is never a shortage of new restaurants to try. So without further ado, here they are:
Republic*
Republic is a Pan-Asian restaurant located in the heart of Union Square. Their menu highlights include their fried calamari appetizer, the spicy seafood soup (pictured above), and my personal favorite, the seared marinated salmon (perfectly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside), served with curried rice. They also have a great drink menu. Unfortunately, if you’re reading this, it’s too late. Due to skyrocketing rent prices, Republic closed their doors for good on December 30, 2017. I decided to keep it on this list because I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they'll re-open in another location. Stay tuned.
UDOn St. Mark’s (formerly Udon West)
The East Village is home to more restaurants than I can count. Still, Udon West holds its own and easily prevents me from giving neighboring restaurants on St. Mark’s a second glance. Udon West specializes in - you guessed it - udon: thick wheat noodles that are popular in Japan. It’s a small restaurant, with only two or three tables in the back and a long counter with stools that allow you to watch the cooks make magic right before your eyes. My advice: bring cash (they don’t accept credit cards) and order the spicy tuna don set (and add some shrimp tempura to your udon). One day, I’ll try some of the other neighboring restaurants, but I’ll probably still stop into Udon West and get some noodles to go.
Blue Water Grill*
Blue Water Grill is another victim of Union Square’s sky-high rent prices. Luckily, they will be moving, not closing forever. If you want great seafood, you really can’t go wrong here. There is lots of fresh seafood on the menu. It isn't a regular menu staple, but if they have it, order the swordfish. The tuna, pictured above, is also a great choice. Blue Water Grill also has a great raw bar; if you go with a group of seafood-loving friends, try the shellfish tower. The downstairs dining area houses Metropolis, an oyster room and cocktail bar that features live jazz music. Check their website for more info.
Cheers! Celebrating my birthday at Blue Water Grill
Tia Pol
Where do I even begin? Tia Pol is a small tapas bar located in Chelsea, but I like to think of it as a little slice of Spain. Inspired by a trip to Barcelona during my junior year abroad, when I got home I made it a priority to find the best tapas bars NYC had to offer. Let’s just say, I ate at Tia Pol once and I stopped looking. You really can’t go wrong with anything on their menu but my favorites are the patatas bravas, the lamb skewers, and the deviled eggs. Seriously though: (if you eat eggs) you have to try the deviled eggs. I don’t understand how they make deviled eggs this delicious, but it blows my mind every time. You can read my full review of Tia Pol here. Now if you’ll excuse me, my mouth is watering.