{"id":51,"date":"2009-06-04T09:01:00","date_gmt":"2009-06-04T14:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2009\/06\/restaurants-gay-bars-to-try-on-a-new-york-vacation\/"},"modified":"2016-12-17T11:31:03","modified_gmt":"2016-12-17T17:31:03","slug":"restaurants-gay-bars-to-try-on-a-new-york-vacation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2009\/06\/restaurants-gay-bars-to-try-on-a-new-york-vacation\/","title":{"rendered":"Restaurants, gay bars to try on a New York vacation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"New<\/a> By Anthony Grant<\/em><\/p>\n

In New York it\u2019s hard to keep up with the restaurant scene because in even in a recession there are plenty of new openings. In a city with some 18,500 restaurants, there\u2019s no excuse for not expanding your dining horizons. But I think the real secret to a memorable experience is to follow the buzz instead of the herd.<\/p>\n

One of my favorites is Braeburn<\/a><\/strong> in the West Village, where a contemporary American bistro aesthetic prevails: Stained light walnut wood covers the floor, and the windows of the entrance and dining room are adorned with alder wood branches. If it\u2019s chicken pot pie night you\u2019re in for a treat, and on any night, the apple cider doughnut holes<\/strong> are not to be missed.<\/p>\n

Though always buzzing with a hip international crowd, there always seems to be a table ready at Delicatessen<\/a><\/strong>, which of course is not really a delicatessen. It is, rather, a sleek downtown cafeteria for the 21st century. Expect the likes of Cheeseburger Spring Rolls<\/strong> (bechamel sauce is involved), grilled mahi mahi tacos, Prince Edward Island mussels and Grandma\u2019s Meatloaf.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Terminally trendy though it may be, the food at the gorgeous Chelsea spot Buddakan<\/a><\/strong> is excellent. TV addicts might recognize the restaurant\u2019s 35-foot Chinoiserie, the chandelier-lit, opulent dining room that contains a central communal table seating up to 30 people, from an episode of Sex and the City<\/strong>. Signature entr\u00e9es include Clay Pot Chicken with bamboo shoots, eggplant and pickled lotus; and Szechuan Crusted Ribeye with turnip fries<\/strong> and homemade Hong Kong steak sauce.<\/p>\n

For a real splurge, head to Midtown and Gilt<\/a><\/strong>. The gilded walls and cathedral ceilings of this space (location of which inside the New York Palace Hotel confers hidden-gem status) date from the 1880s and were given a modern makeover by Frenchman Patrick Jouin. Start with a rabbit terrine with Meyer lemon and quince before moving on to Tandoori-spiced black cod with roasted eggplant and toasted coconut<\/strong>, suckling pig with olives, cardoons, fregola and cipollini onions. For dessert, try one of pastry chef David Carmichael\u2019s works of edible art: huckleberry cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e<\/strong>, passion fruit pavlova with mango tarte tatin or maybe his Sicilian pistachio millefeuille with orange-scented cream.<\/p>\n

\"New<\/a> How about nightlife? New York\u2019s gay bars are generally going strong, even in a downbeat economy, but where can you go to get your inner mirror ball spinning? I spoke to Sy Boccari, the cute lead singer from Naked Highway<\/strong>, and he says it\u2019s all about the parties. \u201cMost parties in NYC last a few months to a year at best, and there are always lots of cool one-time events, so it's best to your research the week before you arrive!\u201d he says. But as of April 2009, he recommends:<\/p>\n