Scalini Fedeli is such a high end Italian, it could be the Silvio Berlusconi of restaurants. As I walk in, I imagine Wall St bankers taking their prey to be softened up with an expensive Chianti before mugging them for an eye-watering commission.

I reckon the waiting staff are in on the act.  They look impressively like Spatz Domino’s henchmen. I wouldn’t dare send anything back. Having said that, ruthlessly efficient and courteous. One of the themes of NYC service that has changed since my last visit 18 months ago (and one small part of me regrets this) is the tolerance, politeness, and friendliness you can nowadays expect even in the diners and delis.  Is there an economic down cycle or something?

Lots of seafood on the menu. I started with shrimps swimming in garlic and followed up with monkfish tails with gnocchi swimming, this time, in cream and fennel. Both delicious.

I am starting to learn that the way to avoid wine bills that Bernie Madoff could barely have afforded in his heyday, is to drink it by the glass rather than order a bottle. Most restaurants stock sensibly priced, representative and interesting choices. Three glasses of Dogajolo, an Italian white blend, came to $39 which compares well to bottles, of which there might have been only half a dozen of each colour that didn’t trouble the hundred numerator.

Even with careful wine choices and adding tax and service, don’t expect to eat here for less than about $125 per head. That, however, stands up fairly well to high end London places of a similar tone and cuisine and, therefore, represents value for money in my opinion for a place of this quality.

Please avoid the tiresome Flash ridden website though – just ring, or book on Opentable.

Scalini Fedeli
165 Duane Street (between Greenwich & Hudson)
New York, NY 10013
T:  +1 212 528 0400
W:  www.scalinifedeli.com

I am liking some of the trends in New York dining.  The Smith is an exponent of many, including the provision of free and bottomless supplies of not just tap, but also sparkling water.  Eating irons wrapped in a proper cheesecloth napkin of tea towel proportions fulfils both form and function.

Where The Smith is ahead of certain competitors is in creating a light and airy atmosphere, helped by a full opening frontage onto the achingly cool part of 3rd Avenue, and not least by giving diners the gift of space between the tables.  Enough to escape to the toilet when needed, in any case.

The Smith is the epitome of eclecticism.  The atmosphere is trendy bistro/diner, with Parisian Café style chairs and semi- sturdy wooden tables set to a backdrop of Victorian bathroom tiles adorned by naughty nude black and white prints of the sort you would see in many a 1970′s Habitat (RIP) riddled domestic toilet.

The wine list, the first thing I study at any restaurant, is inventive rather than extensive, but convenient and reasonably priced.  Glasses of wine are in the $10 region, 0.5l carafes are about 2-3 times that.

Our Cabernet Franc at €25 per carafe had the tannins to support a steak whilst the softness to snuggle up to a pork chop.

I could bore you with detailed descriptions of the food, or I could just give you a quick list of dishes that I sampled and cover this with the advice that all were as good as I have eaten in NYC.

Starters:  Tuna tartare mixed with jalapeño spices and tomato – a protein filled fusion of Parisian days and Tokyo nights.  Calamari “Brooklyn style” was crispy pert rings of squid adorned by tomato and chilli warm salsa – a proper lip stinger on a par with a kiss from Marilyn Monroe.

Mains:  NY Strip, seasoned perfectly, cooked precisely and tender throughout.  Took 25 minutes to eat.  Pork chop on a bed of mushrooms and cheese in a tortilla needed fries but otherwise was moist and salty goodness.

I can’t say any more than this:  The Smith is one of the best value places on Manhattan.  In fact, never mind value, one of the best period.  And definitely the coolest.

The Smith
55 3rd Avenue (10th/11th St)
East Village
New York
T:  +1 212 4290 9800
E:  info:ctrnyc.com
W:  www.ctrnyc.com

It’s not just people that are crammed. Tables are less than 2 inches apart in the long line twosome area that we occupied, which has two distinct effects: Firstly, going to the loo requires a military operation that would probably challenge a crack team of US Navy SEALs. We saw numerous accidents including one frustrated guy who needed his steak replacing after it benefited from an impromptu and unwelcome red wine sauce.

The second effect is more social. In fact it IS socialising, the very act of speaking to your neighbours. We were packed into the sardine tin so tightly that we involved ourselves in the lives of our neighbours’ neighbours, which slowed the table turning, much to the frustration of the seating lady who prowled and scowled until intimidation got the better of the wine induced bravado and diners one by one (well, two by two to be precise) capitulated and fled to Noah’s taxi home.

My starter was seafood sausage – anaemic oceanic filling inside a real pork sausage skin, browned.  What’s the opposite of pulchritude?  But it tasted amazing - A bit of Heston style genius.  Something that looks like one thing and tastes of another.  In this case a luscious combination of seafood squelch and porky sizzle.

Less successful was my bone-in New York Strip which was only half eaten due to the inconsistency of the meat.  Half the steak was feather pillow, but the other, ageing mattress.

Our new found dining pals from Nebraska (on the left) and Manhattan (on the right) were both fondly reminiscing about bygone years “before the bean counters took over the tavern”. I empathise. A bit more attention to giving the customer room to breathe. A little less intimidating prowling to turn the tables. A spot more focus on the raw ingredients as well as the gastronomic invention. A tad more subservience to VFM. Then I would be back soon.

Mind you, our nouveau Manhattan buddies were the ones that tipped us off that the best place for live music in the whole of New York, and possibly the coolest venue to hang out in the entire world is Rockwood on Allen and Houston. And for that alone, I would like to thank Minetta Tavern’s table policy.

Minetta Tavern
113 MacDougal St
New York, NY 10012
T: +1 212-475-3850
W:  www.minettatavernny.com

Under the High Line, one of the seven wonders of New York City, where peace and tranquility mix with rare greenery on a former raised platform railway converted to a unique public park, lies a restaurant of some repute.  A place that, although set amongst meatpacking factories, has thoughtfully empathised with, and even beaten a path for other trendy venues to raise the Standard of this eponymously named district of New York City.  And yet a “Grill” that has remarkably few items on the menu that might ever see a char broiler.   For example, I had oysters followed by shrimp fettuccini.  Although I use the word ‘followed’ in a loose literal sense, or perhaps as its own antonym since the main courses arrived before the starters. This was one of a number of service fiascos we experienced when lunching there on the last day of a New York trip.

The wine served was a very acceptable Sancerre with a whoosh of gooseberry, and citrussy notes.  But it wasn’t the one we ordered.

Fred, who has an allergy to tomatoes, ordered the Chicken Paillard with rocket, without the little red beasts.  On first delivery this simple request was complied with.   However when the second delivery was attempted (just after the starter plates were eventually cleared), red mist in Fred’s eyes matched the colour of the salad.

Despite the service issues, I have to say I still liked the place very much.   Table 12 is a dangerously cosy booth that you should ask for if you are a twosome or a ménage a trois.  The vibe is very New York Village bistro and I saw numerous lookalikes from Sex and the City.  The prices are remarkably reasonable, especially the wine list which has many bottles in the 30 something range, where most higher end NYC pads start at 50 plus and quickly accelerate away from the mere common man.

Of course I didn’t, but I could have easily kept the lunch bill for two to less than $100 including tax and service and wine.  At this price, Standard Grill compares itself to village bistros like The Smith, rather than high end dining places like Scalini Fedeli, to name two places we sampled on the same trip, and this is a good position to take.

Whilst I complained about the quality of service, I only refer to the execution.   Visually pulchritudinous from interior design to eating irons, smart male servers wore plaid waist coats and young female waitresses had matching skirts with schoolgirl style long socks.  Add a decent stab at a macchiato and a handful of good dessert wines, and it makes for a very pleasant place to while away an afternoon.

And if you eat too much, a quick stroll along the oasis of calm bustle that is the High Line will work it off.

The Standard Grill
848 Washington St at 13th St,
Meatpacking District
10014
New York
T: +1 212 645 4100
W:  http://thestandardgrill.com/

Certain wine brands seem capable of achieving this.  I frequently quote Concha y Toro, from Chile, as successfully mass marketing wines (including excellent Pinot Noirs) that actually taste quite good.  Cycles Gladiator is a low end brand from the Hahn Family but seems to have achieved the same knack.

Delicious strawberries and vanilla ice cream are the primary flavours.  But if you want this wine to taste at its best it is important that you drink it chilled and aired.  It peaked for me after about two hours in the fridge followed by an hour open on the sideboard.  Takes the slightly rough edges off it and turns it into a super wine.

Cycles Gladiator Pinot Noir, 2008, is available in the UK at Co-op and Somerfield stores at £7.99.

He suggested that I see through the marketing gimmicks of Cycles Gladiator and try the Cabernet Sauvignon at about 11 bucks.  I’ve not tasted it yet.

At a California Wines event in London last month, I stumbled across the same brand.  A number of thoughts raged.  It’s available in the UK!  And they do a Pinot Noir!  And it’s the same cheesy label!  And it tastes annoyingly good…

In fact the cheesy label is considered so naughty by the State of Alabama that it is banned from sale in this jurisdiction that, whilst not completely dry, is hardly going to be competing for the wine industry award for most bottles sold per capita.

This has lead many conspiracy theorists to conclude that the label is a Hahn Estates publicity stunt.  The cost of half a case of lost sales per week in Alabama is outweighed by the worldwide pent up demand

I agree with the shop guy in NYC, though.  See through the packaging and sample the wine.  It is apparently available at £6.99 in the UK (possibly at Waitrose or Co-op, although I couldn’t find info online) which is stonking value for a half decent Pinot Noir.  The flavours are soft strawberry, tart raspberry and yummy spice.  I recommend drinking it fairly well chilled.

If Mark Hughes’ time was up, why not sack him first, then start the search for a new manager?  Rumours have it that Mancini was held at bay for nearly three weeks until Hughes lost 3-0 away to Spurs before the board finally sanctioned the change.  That is hardly fair on either Hughes or Mancini.  It is also a sobering thought that the longest serving manager in the Premiership, old bacon face himself, lost 3-0 away to Fulham this weekend.

I’ve been trying to get a few California wines to impress me and this Fetzer was struggling as a rosé.  Then I closed my eyes and tried to think of it as a Beaujolais style light red.  Served lightly chilled (not blast frozen as if from a Chelsea wine bar) the fruitiness and slight bitterness went well with a spicy pizza.  Tart raspberries with the pips sticking between your gums, it is nowhere near as forboding as its dark looks threaten. Nonetheless, I think better with food than a pair of teeth.

I spent a part of my early life living near Casterbridge and like Bathsheba with the diligent Gabriel, I may grow to appreciate Mark Hughes’ talents in the future.  I wish him well.  He has been poorly treated, almost as badly as Sven Göran “Francis Troy” Eriksson.

Should I now give my undying support to Roberto “William Boldwood” Mancini?  Or will he end up pleading insanity and doing some jug in an Abu Dhabi jail?

When you are a Man City fan you are never Far From The Madding Crowd.

Fetzer Valley Oaks Syrah Rosé 2007 is available from Waitrose at £6.64 per bottle.

More time is something I ought to devote to US wines, largely ignored on this site – only 14 of Big Sam’s offerings ever receiving the courtesy of a mention.  So here is a little redress.

Bonterra Viognier was one of the better wines I sampled at a recent California promotional tasting.  Gooseberry, apricot and a touch of Caramac – it’s smooth yet lively and fresh with just a hint of cheek.  A bit like me.

It is available at Ocado and at time of writing you can get £2.50 off the normal price of £9.99 if you buy two bottles.

With superstars like Robert de Niro sponsoring Tribeca as an upcoming area (and selflessly trousering a good portion of the profits of Tribeca Grill), despite the proliferation of convenient subway stops, there was only one way to arrive.  I asked our Taxi Driver why he was tanking down these Mean Streets like a Raging Bull.  He said that given the Heat, and whilst he was not the King of Comedy, he was a Goodfella and, put simply, The Mission was to Meet the Parents, and not least, The Godfather (Part II) before the Midnight Run.  Before I had time to Analyze This, it was Showtime – the waitresses were Flawless and it was time to Meet the Fockers.

I started with rare seared tuna/salad/pickled veg.  This looked like a supersize-me salad and noodles with tiny sashimi sized tuna portions.  Actually the tuna was fresher than a schmuck’s banter, but the spare salad and noodles could have filled a dumper truck, and probably did exactly that later in the evening.  Glass porn was courtesy of a California Chardonnay, allegedly so passé yet very St. Veran and alluringly tasty.

The main event was grilled fillet of beef, garlic whipped potatoes, sautéed spinach and crispy onion rings.  It was an event of European scale, and all the better for that.  So much of New York is about King Kong rather than Fay Wray.  On this trip, the more demure pleasures were my favourites.

The wine list was so New York I felt more like Fay Wray in the hands of King Kong.  After what seemed like three hours browsing, but was probably no more than two, I chose Durigutti ‘familia’ 2004 Mendoza Malbec from the hundred or so pages.  Not the usual cherry and dark chocolate, but blackcurrant jam caramelised over an apple core.  This is not an insult, though.  The burnt sugar, smoky character was steak friendly (maybe a little bitter for fillet) and possibly verging on good value at $65.  Don’t even look at the Napa Cabernets or the “300″ Chateauneuf du Papes all starting at well over the ton mark.  And I should award a gold star for serving it at a reasonable temperature, and not from the wine oven.

Fred had the barbecued pork chop and this matched the Malbec extremely well, which was unfortunate since she doesn’t drink.

For afters, the extensive cheese menu featured only 5 from Uncle Sam.  In a wino frenzy, I decided to glug the red to make way for a Washington Riesling, Claar Cellars, Columbia Valley 2007 to accompany my époisses (France), Laura Chenel (California) Tomme (France) and Tarentais (Vermont, US).

I rarely find a dessert wine I don’t love and the Claar Cellars was no exception.  Lemon, lavender and light honey, it was delicate blossom to Sauternes’ heavy fruit.  Whilst lacking the complexity, the simple pleasures in life are sometimes Baloo’s bear necessities.

The macchiato was bitter twisted Glenn Close, and not quite well hung Italian stallion Sinatra.  I had drunk so much the digestif list was too fuzzy to read so I passed on the port.

The bill was just shy of $250 including tax and service.  Which topped off an evening best described as dangerous, expensive, and as exciting as being driven home, through the night, by a mentally unstable Vietnam war vet.  Despite all that, hugely enjoyable.

Tribeca Grill, 375 Greenwich Street, Tribeca, NYC 10013
T: +1 212 941 3900
W: www.myriadrestaurantgroup.com

Bangkok House is not McDonalds, but it certainly isn’t expensive either.

Let’s start with the wine.  Hogue Johannisberg Riesling, 2007, Washington. White honey, lychees and a touch of peach. Slightly sweet and a perfect match for Thai food.  The best thing about the entire meal, the cheapest bottle of resto wine of the holiday, and simultaneously the best VFM.

First food came in the form of Ka Nom Jeep: shrimp, chicken and veg steamed dumplings served in a Hummer (not really).  Hot yet subtle and tasty, but the plate was cleared whilst I was still munching.

What is it with American servers? I know they have to earn a tip (actually, some of them expect a 20% tip just for showing their surly faces, never mind delivering food and drink) but give us a minute to finish eating! Mind you, The Ivy should employ them as Gestapo to meet their 90 minute booking policy because I have not yet sat at a NYC resto table for more than 89, even if I had the inclination to.  In fairness, service in NY is generally much better than provincial England and, on average, almost equal to London.

Som Tum & Kai Yang came next.  Grilled marinated chicken with Thai herbs, spice and a garlic and papaya salad.  I ate a number of chicken bones, and not much papaya.  The taste was barbecued chicken at best with rice sticking to the roof of my mouth like Velcro to a recently shaven minge.

In summary competent, but not excellent, food, speedy service but not much WOW factor.  The thing about Restaurant Row is that the food is supposed to be great value and generally lower priced than the trendy midtown diners.  The bill, at a mere $60.75 including wine and tax was evidence of this and pretty much the lowest bill we saw in 8 days of New York dining.  That is about the same price as burger and chips for two and a couple of beers at Yankee stadium.

As for Restaurant Row, it has a certain place in NY culture and I would strongly recommend a visit, especially if you like Chinese, Italian or Thai food.

Bangkok House, 360 W 46th Street, (between 8th and 9th Avenues, “Restaurant Row”, Manhattan)
T: +1 212 541 5943
W: www.bangkokhouseny.com