Dining Out in NYC

My best friend Aviva makes the assertion “There is no bad food in New York!” I have always been more cautious about restaurant choices being my father is famous for his line “We’re not trying that place until it’s reviewed in The Times.”

However, over the weekend I was in New York with my mother- famous for her line “Why don’t we try that place over there, it looks like it might be good.” – so I had no problem persuading her to try an eatery I eyed from across the street as we walked down 9th Avenue.

On a whim we tried Whym. And what a wonderful Whym it is! New York is a haven for ethnic and eclectic places to eat, but often the establishments with some of the most creative chefs also have menu prices that would necessitate creative financing in order to be affordable to the masses. No Whym! This place has decent prices and a menu I can only describe as comfort food turned up a few notches.

You can order everything from the simple “Baked Chicken Pot Pie” and the exotic sounding “Wasabi Pea Encrusted Tuna”. There is something for everyone at this place. The dining room is small, relaxed and sleek.

The noise level is quiet, yet neither funereal nor formal. Would I bring kids to this place? Maybe. I would call first and ask if they have highchairs. If they do not have highchairs, then I would draw the conclusion it is not a baby/toddler place. Older kids might do just fine there. I would consider bringing my 7 and 11 year olds there if I was eating early.

But what about the service? Bad service can turn a good restaurant into a bad dining experience in seconds. However, I have good news to report, the service at Whym is fantastic.

We arrived at 5:15 PM on a Saturday. While it was early, we were still prepared to be turned away as we did not have reservations. In New York, particularly on a Saturday night, reservations are protocol. Before we could be told “no, sorry.” I pled our case that we could in and out within an hour if the kitchen could pull it off.

The maitre’ d told us with a smile “No problem. Follow me.” He led our party of three to a table in the back and even made sure we had a corner to put our luggageso we need not struggle with suitcases under the table, etc.

Our waiter came by immediately, had quick wit and quick service. Told us the specials, got our drink order. We explained our time was limited and he quipped “I understand. But when I bring out your food, you can’t speak to each other. Only eating allowed!”

The food? SHUT UP! It was amazing. Fresh, hot. Flavorful. Even my snobby father would have been impressed. We were in and out in an hour, and no compromises were made to our experience.

This is a Whym you can follow again and again!