Two Meals and a Musical in New York City—All Hits!

Right before Thanksgiving my husband and I made a quick trip to The Big Apple to do Christmas shopping. Still, we managed to have two delicious meals and get to a terrific Broadway musical as well.

Reynard at Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Reynard interior, photo from OpenTable.com

The first night we took the subway to Williamsburg in Brooklyn to have dinner with friends at Reynard in the Wythe Hotel. Located in a large space on the ground floor, the restaurant has soaring ceilings, tiled mosaic floors, and exposed brick walls all seemingly preserved from the building’s former life as a textile factory. But if the setting is lovely, it’s the food that makes Reynard worth a visit.

The menu changes constantly to reflect what is in season. My first course–grilled kohlrabi (a knobby vegetable you don’t see on many menus), tender mache, and apples arranged atop a swathe of apple butter, then sprinkled with a crumbled white German cheese–was exceptional for its blend of tastes and textures. Thinly sliced mushroons on a bed of spinach pesto showered with shaved Parmesan won kudos as well.

Scallops, Rutabaga, and Radicchio

Scallops, Rutabaga, and Radicchio

For mains, grilled scallops, rutabagas, and radicchio leaves garnished with some sweet potato puree as well as a risotto with fork-tender shredded short ribs were both winners. We passed on dessert, ending our meal with a trip to the bar on the 6th floor where ceiling-high windows offer a stunning view of Manhattan.

Interior Ippudo

Interior Ippudo

 

The next day we had lunch at Ippudo, a lively noodle bar that doesn’t take reservations in the East Village, and arrived early to avoid the long lines that form after 11:30. For appetizers we loved the lightly battered, fried shishito peppers with yuzu salt and the ethereally light buns stuffed with crispy chicken bathed in a spicy barbecue-style sauce. Next we ordered huge bowls of ramen noodles, like those everyone at our communal table were slurping.

Fried Shishito Peppers with Yuzu Salt

Fried Shishito Peppers with Yuzu Salt

My version included cabbage, pork, and a smooth miso paste, while my spouse’s was spicier, with wider noodles. Both were delicious.

We ended our stay at the theatre where we saw “Kinky Boots” (the 2013 Tony award winner for best musical with a score by Cindy Lauper and lyrics by Harvey Fierstein).Kinky Boots Playbill 1 Nothing could have been more fun. The songs are catchy, the acting and singing superb, and the choreography very clever. At the close, along with the entire audience, we were on our feet giving a standing ovation!

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2 thoughts on “Two Meals and a Musical in New York City—All Hits!

  1. Thanks again for your restaurant recommendations, they are so appreciated. We just got back from 2 nights in NYC and also saw Kinky Boots – what fun!!! We had a lovely dinner at Felidia’s, Lydia Bastianich’s great restaurant and loved every bite. We’ll now put Reynard on the list.

    See you in Paris after Christmas????

    • Don’t forget to try the bar with the great view if you get to Reynard, and Let us know if you’ll be in Paris after the holidays!

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