NEW YORK — Chef-owner Alain Ducasse, known for some of the world’s priciest cuisine, is behind Benoit, a midtown bistro where you can get a square meal without selling your firstborn and still be close to New York City Center and Carnegie Hall.
Think cassoulet ($29) or slices of duck l’orange sheathed in crisp skin ($27). Up front is Bar Benoit, just right for a quicker, cheaper bite before a show.
We had a platter of deviled eggs, $1 each, and crisp flatbread topped with creme fraiche, onions and bacon ($13). A duck liver terrine was served with toasted brioche ($10); a version of a slider had boudin noir (blood sausage) between the buns ($8).
The full bistro menu is also available at the bar.
— Benoit, 60 W. 55th St.; 646-943-7373; .
Here are other options in the neighborhood.
TANG PAVILION
Seasoned waiters in bow ties and suits bustle about the brightly lit dining room at Tang Pavilion, which features Shanghai and Soo-chow specialties from the east coast of China. For instance: sliced roast duck, ($8.25), soup dumplings ($6.50) that explode in a flavorful meaty broth, crisp pork in a salt- and-pepper sauce ($13.50) and shrimp sauteed with lily buds and gingko nuts ($18.95).
— Tang Pavilion, 65 W. 55th St.; 212-956- 6888.
BAY LEAF
Bay Leaf’s plant-filled room is a serene place to wind down at the end of the day. Ask for a table near the big picture windows up front where the ceilings are higher. The $35 three-course prix-fix meal is a great deal that’s served all night.
My vegetarian companions liked the lentil cakes topped with mustard seeds and grated coconut, and the samosa filled with spiced potatoes and peas. Meatless mains included eggplant in coconut milk and tamarind and creamed spinach with cheese dumplings. I enjoyed well-seasoned grilled lamb and roast chicken in a tomato cream sauce.
— Bay Leaf, 49 W. 56th St.; 212-957-1818; .
TRATTORIA DELL’ARTE
The always buzzy Trattoria Dell’Arte has a staggering antipasti bar and comfortable banquettes. The weird decor features noses, eyeballs and other body parts, though none are served.
Sampler plates of three dishes range from $18 to $23, with over 30 hot and cold selections such as grilled calamari, smoked salmon carpaccio, eggplant and cauliflower parmigiano.
The signature thin crust pizzas (from $26) topped with prosciutto and greens or artichokes, mushrooms and peppers are good for sharing.
— Trattoria Dell’Arte, 900 Seventh Ave.; 212-245-9800; .
ISE
Ise’s nondescript, white-walled room serves combination meals ($20 and below) such as tempura and beef sukiyaki or sashimi and deep-fried pork cutlets.
Even cheaper are the steamed rice bowls topped with beef, vegetable and egg ($11), shrimp and vegetable tempura ($12), or broiled eel ($15). A large bowl of udon soup is $11.
The grilled items are worth the wait: ground chicken meatballs splashed with a teriyaki sauce and nicely charred squid.
— Ise, 58 W. 56th St.; 212-707-8702.
TOPAZ
Topaz’s small, dimly lit room is usually packed before a show, so call ahead for a table.
We started with flaky pastries of curried chicken, potatoes and onions ($4.95) and steamed dumplings with ground pork and water chestnuts ($4.95).
Next, rice noodles tossed with beef, basil and onions in a spicy bean sauce ($9.20); shrimp, squid and scallops in chili paste; and crisp duck with a tamarind and pineapple sauce ($16.95).
For dessert, coconut ice cream over sticky rice, coconut jelly and red beans ($5.95), an exotic mix of flavors and textures.
— Topaz, 127 W. 56th St.; 212-957-8020.
CHOM CHOM
A newcomer to the neighborhood, Chom Chom beckons with dark wood furniture, flattering lighting and wall panels with silhouettes of tree trunks.
We shared tasting plates of raw tuna with avocado and chili sauce ($10); seafood-encrusted scallion pancakes ($9); and fatty pork belly ($12) that we topped with kimchi and wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves. Main courses include classics such as grilled beef short ribs in a soy marinade.
For dessert, a savory-sweet dish of sesame ice cream ($6).
— Chom Chom, 40 W. 56th St.; 212-213- 2299; .
DELI, DINER
Avoid the tourists that crowd into the harshly lit Carnegie Deli for pricey, oversize sandwiches such as the bland chicken salad.
Instead, head over to retro-style Brooklyn Diner for pastrami ($17) or corned beef piled high on rye and a bowl of hot chicken noodle soup ($9), with an egg cream on the side ($5.50). For dessert, how about that foot-high, not-too-sweet-or- sour lemon meringue pie?
— Carnegie Deli, 854 Seventh Ave.; 212- 757-2245; .
— Brooklyn Diner, 212 W. 57th St.; 212- 977-1957; .
BURGER JOINT
I love taking out-of-town friends to the Burger Joint. The contrast between the posh ambience of the Parker Meridien hotel and the dive atmosphere just behind the thick drapes in one corner of its lobby always makes for a great New York experience. The burger ($6.89) is one of the city’s best. Milkshakes are $5.05; a pitcher of beer is $16.07. Great way to start the night.
— Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridien, 119 W. 56th St.; 212-245-5000; .
MORE INFO
Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and Seventh Avenue; 212-247-7800;
New York City Center, 130 W. 56th St.; 212-581-1212;
