ok...for people who are going to be at the expo, here's a guide to good food places around the area that you can get into. i'm deliberately excluding places like per se, masa, etc. where you've got a minor chance in hell, or most of the other super high end places like wd-50 (which i REALLY want to try). and only places i've been or know others who have. addresses are pretty close, may be one block off. brazilian - if you want the rodizio, churrascaria plataforma is on west 49th bet 8/9. $60/head (plus drinks), but the setting actually works REALLY well for a bunch of people like this would be. you eat a little at the well stocked 'salad' type bar, then they bring meat until you're stuffed like a pig. not for vegetarians. if you don't...basically, west 46th (kitty corner from tkts, then walk east that block and the next) is the brazilian area. afghan kebab house - on 46th, a few buildings in from 7th ave. sushi - i can't give specific ideas of anything in the area, but yasuda (east 43 east of grand central) is supposed to be some of the best you'll ever taste. i have to go one of these days... thai - chanpen thai (50/9) and pongsri thai (48/8) do adequate thai that's not far from the hotel. decent flavors, nicely cooked. i finally got to try the so-called best thai outside of san francisco in queens (sripraphi; 20 minutes on subway, 7 minute walk) and it was everything i could have hoped for with *great* food, flavours and spices. steaks - there's a bunch all over midtown. i'm partial to del frisco's (yes, it's a chain. shoot me) on 49/6. the crabcake ($20) is crab and lobster and amazing. if you want to go to brooklyn, luger's is cash only. and, yeah, it's the best you'll have. but del frisco's isn't far removed...though you might want to call at some point to see when you can make a reservation. (Ie. a few days before or that day) korean - walk down 10 blocks to little korea - the places i know, i just know how to walk there. like 36 bet 5/6, i think? and 32ndish. belgian - take a trip to the village. ACE train a couple fine places, markt or bruxelles...yes, they have the frites. grand sichuan chinese (50/9) is out of this world awesome on the sichuan chinese, AND they carry steamed soup dumplings (for out of towners, you MUST try these). dumplings not as good as joe's, but still real good. they also are authentic on spices, as they use the chiles and szechuan peppercorns. go, experience amazing flavors. street vendors - if you go on tuesday (i think monday's a holiday; they may not be out as much), go to west 50th/6th. where i used to work - and the city's best street vendors, with food that's good AND safe to eat. and bxl (43, bet 6/7) is supposed to have a great variety of belgian beers as well. i used to go to o'flaherty's (46/9), heartland brewery (not my choice, but far better than something like hard rock) , or a few other places. don't waste your time with the soupman; it's so much worse than when al was doing it himself. if you really want it, just get the frozen one (seriously); it's not much different than the chain stores. if you want to freak out some people, there's a $cientology 'office' across the street from the hotel. print out a copy of OT3 from the 'net, and offer to read it to them. it's their 'sacred' scripture which costs tens of thousands to read - or you can read it for free. silly fun. basically, if you're looking for food that's not super high end, walk west rather than east. and for those OOTers...coliseum books and mystery ink have both closed, and hojo's as well.
Anyone wants to confirm a meeting place. I proposed 2, which are right there in the hotel. The View Bar or 8th/9th floor Bar.
Don't make the same mistake I did by arriving on opening day last year and not realizing that it didn't start until 5:00PM Not a problem is you are staying at the hotel but if you are there for the day it was a downer. Had some good conversation with the union guys setting up the booths!
according to this link: http://www.tradersexpo.com/traderexpo/newyork/exhibits.asp ET will be there (baron?) but no booth.
In the past, ET never had a booth but they had a reception area where there was free drinks and people could gather to talk. Usually in a lounge area. I hope he does that again this year.
I'll be there, sniffing around for some competitors Who wants to grab a drink at Hawaiian Tropics' new digs near Times Square one day after the expo? -c