Eating - NYC Edition

When I go to the city with the girls, food usually comes in second or third place, in terms of priorities. I mean, we all like to eat and enjoy a good meal, but shopping and drinking destinations (not necessarily in that order) usually trump dining options. Fortunately, we know our way around the city pretty well and can always find a restaurant that fits in with the rest of our itinerary of debauchery.

The West Village and Chelsea are my most familiar stomping grounds, but, this trip was more midtown based. Did I mention we stayed at the Roosevelt? This is a great location if you're coming into Grand Central Station and if you're obsessed with Don Draper, since this is where he generally stays when he and the wife are having problems. I Pricelined the room and stole it for $150, leaving plenty of cash for other pursuits.

Since one of the girls wanted to check out her friend's jam session at P and G Cafe, we were kind of committed to the UWS. Rosa Mexicano's Lincoln Center location was the perfect choice for a delicious, reasonably priced meal. Despite not having a reservation, we easily scored a lovely table upstairs and were well taken care of for the duration of our meal. We ordered indulgently and shared everything, starting with the guacamole, which is made tableside and served with a basket of warm handmade tortillas. Fantastic, as always. We also had an order of Zarape de Pato (Layered Duck Tortilla Pie) and the Tortilla Soup. The duck was incredible - tender, moist and extremely flavorful. I had never had Tortilla Soup before and am glad I waited to lose my "virginity" at Rosa Mexicano - complete satisfaction. We had three entrees served simultaneously - the Tablones (beef short ribs), and 2 enchilada variations; Suizas (chicken) and Jaiba (jumbo lump crab). It was the perfect amount of food for 4 hungry ladies trying to create a solid base for alcohol consumption and very little food was left behind. The short ribs were amazingly tender with a bit of smoky heat and the quality of the food and service were excellent.

On Day 2 we (and when I say "we", "she" knows whom I'm talking about) weren't feeling up to much of a meal early on. Breakfast was assorted deli food (bagel, fruit, yogurt, etc) enjoyed in beautiful Bryant Park. NYC travel trip: Bryant Park has the nicest public restrooms I've ever seen in the city. There was a washroom attendant who did not have a tip jar anywhere visible, but, I would have happily paid $1 to use the facilities - they really were that nice.

After our High Line jaunt we dropped into Colicchio & Sons for a beverage. I have zero experience with Tom Colicchio's food (being more of a Batali/Meyer whore), but I will definitely get back here with the hubby. The space was really nice, the menu was excitingly different and the beer and wine selections awesome. I had a glass of Rose' from Abruzzo which was perfectly refreshing on a hot afternoon. Our bartender, Erik, was hospitable and represented the restaurant really well. So well in fact, that I dropped a McGuire's business card on him and hope that he comes to Albany someday so I can return the professional courtesy.

We ended up grabbing lunch at the Grey Dog on W. 16th Street. Their menu was varied enough to make everyone happy and the food is fresh and reasonably priced. The tuna and avocado tacos were killer and the other items at my table (Cobb Salad, a Cuban pressed sandwich of pulled pork, ham and cheese, and a turkey sandwich) all looked tremendously appealing.

These Girl Trips to the city, or, as we were jokingly calling it "No-Sex in the City," are infrequent but consistently the best times. We return to our lives equally refreshed and exhausted - the perfect little escape until the next opportunity arises. How about you? Where do you go to recharge your fun battery?