sounds fabulous - will def. stop by!!

One more Asian place... Pho Grand at 277 Grand St (right off the F, V Grand St. stop). They make wonderful pho soup in a vareity of beef/vegetable combinations (I particularly like the brisket options). Also excellent Vietnamese coffee (with sweetened condensed milk). A meal for one, with coffee, should only run about $12.

Italian: Panino'teca in Brooklyn on Smith St. Interesting tapas choices and a good selection of cheeses.

Hmm, the 19th is Father's Day... I hope I can duck out of the family barbecue in time for this meetup...

Sunday great. I can't wait to meet you!

Loved the Readers' Guide. Great work compiling it and also to the readers for submitting the excellent recommendations.

In regards to cupcakes, the topic of discussion for many a New Yorker, Sugar Sweet Sunshine is most definitely the way to go. Magnolia's are pretty tasty (too sweet though), but the line (and the tour busses outside) are way too ridiculous to bother waiting for.

Hi Clotilde!

I read your blog everyday and am really looking forward to meeting you...but could we change the day? I have a feeling a lot of people won't be able to make it on Father's Day.

At the risk of sounding churlish, the list has mostly rather predictable choices (Union Square Cafe... please), and some where there is no way you can get a reservation at a decent hour, like Babbo. I won't add my own to an already way too long list.

If you want something a bit less Zagat-y, get a copy of Jim Leff's new book about NYC dining. It's rather outer-borough-heavy, but that's also why it's useful to people who really want something a bit different than "the usual suspects". Leff is the founder of chowhound.com, which I'm sure you know.

Nena and I are going to do everything we can to make it in to have a glass of vino with you!

Will let you know for sure later this week probably!

Since it's going to be summer you might want to try their gelato http://www.laboratoriodelgelato.com/thelab.php

I'll definitely be there in NY, Clotilde! Funny, in Europe we're so much closer together, Amsterdam and Paris :-)

The cityguide will be happily used during my NY-time.

CU there!!!

I'll be visiting New York from San Francisco on that day and would love to meet you.

Am imagining Fifth Avenue joyously awash in CnZers!!!!!! Clotilde I hope the Otto bar is a largeish space because methinks there will be a happy crowd and a half...

Oh Oh Oh to be in NYC on that day..

oops! a ps ~ just looked at the date..the 19th is the day I'm having a morning get together with a CnZer from New Zealand...hope Sydney puts on some Winter warmth...this wonderful meeting of spirits ~ and all thanks to you Clotilde!!! merci many times over

You should all carry some sort of (no too secret) sign : for instance, a vegetable under the left arm (a zucchini comes to mind), or a special hat maybe, a chocolate one ?

As for Clotilde's idea of "Bring Your Own Father", I think it's a great concept...

Oh, I wish I lived near NY! It sounds wonderful!

Sorry Clotilde I can't make that day at Ottos either. A prior engagement with Madame in Sydney. I hope you have as much fun as I suspect we will.

i wish you were coming to philadelphia!
have fun in new york!

if only i could be there for the get together...sigh. the guide to new york you put together is sooooo much better than the lame spreadsheet i slapped together after reading all the comments!

Jeff and I will be there!

New York, New York!!! Have a wonderful time Clotilde- and friends...Wish I were there! I love the BYOF!

Joan, Barbara, how cool you two are meeting as well! And on the 19th...sounds like a good date to have a glass of champagne or rosé all together again, on either half of the earth.

Try the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party http://www.bigapplebbq.org/

Oh, I wish I could be there... I love NYC.
You know, if you ever come to Copenhagen... :)

Can't wait to meet you and my fellow cnz devotees. One thing you will want to try in New York is one of the "raw food" restarants. Pure Food and Wine has attracted enthusiastic notice, as has Quintessence. I know it sounds like a terrible idea, but they prepare some wonderful food.
get here safe!
eve

I'll make it a baker's dozen...see you there.

Clotilde, you have outdone yourself compiling that NYC guide with all of our comments. I can use it as a cheat sheet when recommending places to others... lovely.

As you know, I'll be there on the 19th... looking forward to it. Dave and I never pass up a visit to Otto. :D

Hi Clotilde,

Fabulous reader's guide. Just an aside, the best views of the NYC skyline are from NJ, specifically from Jersey City. It's an easy PATH train ride from NY. Well worth it for the photos.

Also, while Angelika Kitchen is fantastic, if you want to have a vegetarian feast while listening to live music, visit The Veggie Works "down the shore" in Belmar, NJ. Make reservations, first, especially since it's beach season. Most importantly, leave a lot of extra time if you plan to hit is on Friday night. The Garden State Parkway is a parking lot on Fridays from late May until early September.

Have a wonderful visit! Sorry I'll miss seeing you in person--I'll be with my family on Father's Day.

Ciao Clotilde

I"ve been reading your blog for about 2 months now and find it just delightful. Glad to see that you will be coming to NYC shortly. Be prepared for the heat! We skipped spring and are now well into a typical NYC summer. Otto is a wonderful choice and I hope to make it. Here is my addition to must places to go to. This is a true NYC find - tasty, open late and a real bargain. With the value of the Euro it will cost next to nothing. It is called The Burger Joint (241 3rd Ave. at about 23rd street- not far from Union Square). Only sirloin is used and the small and yummy burgers have potato flour buns, the drinks come with unlimited refills. Here is some of the amazing menu and prices straight from the menu postcard:

Hamburger(with onions) $1.00
Double Hamburger (with onions) $1.75
Cheeseburger $1.25
Double Cheeseburger $2.15
Fries (large enough to share $2.50

I do not now how they keep the prices so low. Maybe it"s the cute trainees from the nearby police academy that come it. Go and enjoy the show.

Heads up, I'd have a backup plan in place regarding the Otto bar area. Peter Jamros (sommelier) does a series of wine classes on Sundays in the bar area, which are excellent ($35, reservations only), by the way, but they begin at 3pm and tend to spill on into the evening. There may not be space for the whole C&Z crowd! The 19th is the Intro to Italian Wines class. I'd love to be there with you, but I will be out of town.

Looking forward to meeting you Clotilde. It's strange to meet someone for the first time, who you already consider a good friend, when we have never even met! Crazy!
I hope your stay in our city is a memorable one!
Safe Journey,
Sarah

Clotilde,
How exciting to finally meet you in person. Can't wait.
Adam

dang - i'm a janey come lately to chocolate and zuch. and am already committed to taking the feral young to coney island on a fatherless father's day
BUT
as a Hoosier-New Yorker, I can't help but toss in some more eating options! they're here:
http://www.ayunhalliday.com/guide.html

Hi Clotilde --

I'll do my best to be there on the 19th. What a fun idea!

Julie

What a wonderful idea! Thank you, Clotilde, for taking time during your trip for a group gathering---looking forward to it! I like Papounet's idea for a secret sign or a password: "I'm with the Courgette party..." Bravo for putting together the NYC guide!

Clotilde, I'm coming late to this virtual party but I'll do my best to make the real one...

i'm broken-hearted.

i thought i was going to be able to come, but forgot that i will be busy sweating my way through wedding festivities in south florida.

i'll just have to have a second piece of wedding cake in consolation.

have fun, CZers!

margaux

Rats, I can't make it either. Washington is a little too far away. Have a wonderful gathering and tell us all about it!

And Clothilde, best wishes for a great trip.

Would love to make it but I just came back from BookExpo in NYC...we ate lunch (they don't take rez) at Pearl, 18 Cornelia St in the Village and the deepfried Kumamoto oysters on their homemade tartar sauce was divine. The lobster sandwich which we shared with shoestring frites, also.
Have a great get together!

Sun 19th? Sounds good I will try to make it to meet all of you.

Here's a few suggestions for the C&Z NYC Guide:

Brunch: Cafe Orlin (East Village). It has a sidewalk patio that is great for the summer weekends. The omlettes and eggs benedict are very good as are the organic pancakes and waffles. http://www.plateoftheday.com/112/

Dim Sum - oh there are so many. If you want to avoid the greasy repercussions of Dim Sum, try Sweet and Tart on Mott Street. They serve very "light" dim sum that is very tasty and not overwhelming.

But for a real dim sum experience I would recommend Golden Bridge on Bowery off of Canal. You'll get a royal treatment to authentic dim sum. It's where the locals gather and you'll hear plenty of Cantonese chatter here as carts and carts of dim sum roll by your table: http://www.plateoftheday.com/98/

I wanted to put in an extra plug for OpenTable.com as a means to get reservations; although only some restaurants use it, they include a lot of excellent ones that are in your new C&Z guide, including some that people described as hard to get reservations for (like Hearth, where I found reservations next week quite easily that way).

I'm so disappointed, having just found out about this get-together, I realised it's on a weekend when I'll be away in Philadelphia - typical! Maybe I can make it some other time if there are any other get-togethers in the NYC area.

I'll try to make the party -- I'd love to meet you!

Et je parle francais aussi.

;)

Persephone

Good luck to your trip to New York!
Bon Voyage!

I'm in NY now. Yes, it's hot. Yes, it's fabulous, and yes, the Union Sq.Cafe is really nice!! (had lunch there, pasta with lobster and fava beans....I do recommend the larger portion :-).)

When will you fly over, Clotilde?

and here's your private NY reporter again: it's cooling down a bit, so do bring something for cooler times! (or just don't bring anything at all and go shopping.)..sigh...I've got to have a talk with mr. Visa....