S'MAC (Sarita's Macaroni & Cheese), 345 E 12th St., Manhattan

Pat's sister Kathleen and her fiancé Paul came to New York on Sunday to partake of its Christmasy feel. We saw the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, the window displays at Macy's and Lord & Taylor, and the trimmings at the New York Public Library. But perhaps most importantly, we visited S'MAC, in the East Village, which serves only macaroni and cheese! God bless New York for nurturing this sort of culinary eccentricity.

All the offerings are served in cast-iron skillets straight from the oven. Pat and I shared a Parisienne, with brie, roasted figs and shiitake mushrooms, and rosemary. Delicious? Check. Delicious as leftovers the next day? Check. Artery-clogging? Check. I also sampled some of Kathleen and Paul's Cheeseburger skillet and Buffalo Chicken skillet; also both good. The latter was surprisingly spicy.

A couple of mild complaints: not enough tables to really meet demand, and no TP or paper towels in the restroom. Also the staff was a little on the surly side. But no complaints about the food. I have noted before that it is hard to go wrong with mac and cheese but I loved the devotion to the product demonstrated here.

Side note: I have heard there is a restaurant in New York entirely devoted to tiramisu. Please excuse me while I go conduct a Google search.

Midtown on a budget

Excerpted from The New York Times

December 13, 2011, 1:26 PM

Can It Be Done? Midtown on a Budget

By SETH KUGEL

...Food and Drinks

New Yorkers often fight the urge to physically block tourists’ entry to Times Square spots like the Hard Rock Cafe and Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, which are not cheap and about as New York as an Idaho potato. That’s obvious to many tourists. But even savvy ones can get confused by the generic delis that litter the neighborhood. And anyone can get so overwhelmed with choices that Subway and McDonald’s can seem like oases. But remember the Frugal strategy: if you’re not supposed to pay for anything you could do anywhere else in the world, you certainly can’t eat at a restaurant common at highway rest stops.

It’s so cheap, you say! But lunch for under $10 at an only-in-New York spot is within a few blocks of just about anywhere in Midtown. My go-to has long been Margon (136 West 46th Street), a cheap, plain Cuban spot just off Times Square. Just about everything — from the pressed-to-order Cuban sandwich (which comes with a renegade slice of salami) to a plate heaped with rice, beans and meat — is under $10.

Still too pricey? How about Ming Du (273 West 38th Street), a tiny Chinese place that could be more of a hole-in-the-wall only by being an actual hole in a wall. On offer: your choice of three steam-table dishes, served over rice, for $5. It may not be the prettiest spot, but a tray of roast duck, pork with pickled vegetables, and bok choy, served over rice, looks strikingly similar to what the owner’s family is eating at your neighborhood Chinese restaurant (always a good sign). Need to go cheaper still? Make a meal of fresh pork buns for 80 cents and fresh breads for 70 cents.

For something a tad more upscale try Bann Next Door (350 West 50th Street), the cheap lunch nook in Bann, a sleek Korean spot, for bulgogi tacos with five-grain rice and guacamole salsa for $9. Too L.A.? How about Vic’s Bagel Bar (544 Third Avenue, between 35th and 36th Streets) for the Tokyo Tel Aviv Express (cream cheese, wasabi, lox, scallions and edamame on a bagel; $7.50). If that’s too breakfasty for lunch, there’s the Peruvian chicken lunch special at Pio Pio for $9.50, which is right next to Talent Thai Kitchen’s $7.95 lunches (appetizer; entree, like delicious curried noodle soup with meat; and bottled water), both on 34th Street just east of Third Avenue.

Those are mostly lunchtime spots, but if you’re willing to (barely) break the $10 rule for dinner, try the tiny, cute pasta place Radicchio Pasta & Risotto Company (253 East 53rd Street), with several entrees for $11. I took cheapo hometown friends there for pre-marathon carbo-loading when more standard spots were booked, and we loved the homey service and freshly made pasta.

And if you need a drink after browsing for items you can’t afford at Bloomingdale’s or Williams-Sonoma, there’s the recently renovated Subway Inn bar (143 East 60th Street), where a bottle of beer will run you just $4.

Let’s even toss in a dining recommendation near the Javits Convention Center, so you can avoid the awful food inside: Bis.Co.Latte (667 10th Avenue), a cozy cafe with $8.75 risottos and $1.10 biscotti in flavors like triple ginger and coconut chocolate chip. It’s also within walking distance from the Hard Rock, so no excuses, O.K.?

Balthazar, 80 Spring St., Manhattan

On Thursday morning, I met another of the moms-to-be on the Herpes Mamas list (I know, I shouldn't call it that, but I'm gonna - see my earlier post). We had breakfast at Balthazar, in Soho. I had hazelnut waffles with fruit sauce and it was eminently satisfying. Pat has heard this restaurant is very good and I would like to try it again for lunch or dinner.

Mary Beth is really cool, just like the other pregnant chicks I met last weekend, and she too is due in March. I am ecstatic about meeting these fun women, and I really hope we will all get to know each other better not just in the next few months but after we have our kids, when I'm sure I'll crave their company all the more. The Herpes Mama list was a great find. I was initially a little put off that there is a $55 fee and they make you meet one of the organizers, to prove you're legitimately a downtown mom (or mom-to-be), before they'll add you to the list, but already this has been worth that and much more. I met a fourth cool woman named Jazz for coffee yesterday too, and will be meeting another named Lori (plus reuniting with Katherine from last weekend) on Sunday. I also got three free pairs of maternity pants from a mom on the list!

I went to Dumbo after breakfast to hunt down a particular Christmas gift and ended up getting there before the store opened, so I stopped for a bit for a hot chocolate at the bar at Al Mar, 111 Front St. My hot chocolate was good and frothy and the space was airy yet cozy, so I note it for further exploration.

Al Di La Trattoria, 248 5th Ave., Brooklyn

In the course of my endless, if somewhat hopeless, networking to look for work, I had lunch with a very pleasant and interesting independent consultant, Sarah, in Park Slope this week. We may have the chance to work on some projects together so it was both fruitful and enjoyable.

My food was terrific, and perfect for the day of heavy rain. I had a steaming bowl of cheesy polenta topped with mushrooms, braised greens, and a little broth. I loved it. Sarah had tagliatelle with ragu that also looked truly delicious. She told me that it is really hard to get into Al Di La for dinner but we got seats at lunch no problem and stayed for probably almost a couple hours.

Restaurant recommendations in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

These are from someone I don't even know on a listserv to which I subscribe!

Cafe Bakeri - Great coffee, pastries and baguettes
http://www.bakeribrooklyn.com/

Zenchiki - japanese super cool, hidden 
http://www.zenkichi.com/

Miss Favela (brazilian - super fun, same owers as Felix)
http://missfavela.com/bkny/

Dumont Burger
http://www.dumontburger.com/

La Superior (Authentic and cool Mexican)
http://www.lasuperiornyc.com/

Pies and Thighs (Cute, all american Southern food)
http://piesnthighs.tumblr.com/

Radegasthall and Beer Garden (escucha la musica, es genial)
http://www.radegasthall.com/index.php

Caracas Arepas Bar - cheap and tasty!
http://www.caracasarepabar.com/index_2.php

Fette Sau (BBQ)
http://www.fettesaubbq.com/

Marlowe and Sons (our favorite seasonal fare)
http://marlowandsons.com/

Rye
http://www.ryerestaurant.com/

Walter Foods
http://walterfoods.com/

Aurora - amazing italian, rustic setting
http://www.auroraristorante.com/

Fiore - yummy italian, afforadable, great brunch too!
http://www.fiorebk.com/

St Anselm
http://menupages.com/restaurants/st-anselm/

Cafe Colette
http://cafe-colette.com/

Cafe de la Esquina (same family as la Esquina in Manhattan)
http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2011/06/plans_revelaed_for_cafe_de_la.html

Cantina Royal
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/cantina-royal/

1 or 8 - Fancy Japanese, if you ever need to impress!
http://www.oneoreightbk.com/

Cadaques - Awesome Tapas
http://www.cadaquesny.com/cadaquesny.com/Welcome.html

Samurai Mama
http://www.samuraimama.com/

Meatball Shop
http://www.themeatballshop.com/#http://www.themeatballshop.com/index.php/specials/view

ISA
http://www.yelp.com/biz/isa-brooklyn-2

Dressler
http://www.dresslernyc.com/website/

Vanessa's Dumpling House
http://www.hereswilliamsburg.com/home/2011/12/1/open-for-business-vanessas-dumpling-house-310-bedford-avenue.html

DRINKS
Berry Park (amazing views of Manhattan)
http://www.berryparkbk.com/
Hotel Delmano
http://www.hoteldelmano.com/

Amish Market Tribeca, 53 Park Pl., Manhattan

We ordered last night from Seamless and went with Amish Market Tribeca. Pat got a massive, heavy wrap with good ingredients, although he found it a little too moist. I had a brick-oven sandwich with roast beef, onions, tomato and cheese that was great. The prices were very reasonable, and you could also get groceries delivered, which is good to know! The list of options was very long and we plan on ordering from them again.

François Payard Bakery, 210 Murray St., Manhattan

I don't have enough friends in New York, as regular readers of this blog (i.e. my husband) are aware. I pine for friends. And I realized a couple months ago that what I really need, going forward, is friends with kids, which is not a type of friend I have actively sought in the past. It's a whole new, friendless world. Or at least it was until today!

Our friend Anne (yes, we have SOME friends here) helpfully alerted me to a listserv for Upper West Side new parents, and I have learned a ton from their postings, but there aren't really any good opportunities to interact with any of them directly unless you already have kids, and even then, I don't live on the UWS! But someone posted about a downtown listserv, so I joined that too. It is the Hudson River Park Mamas, aka  HRP Mamas. If this makes you think "Herpes Mamas" every time you see the abbreviation, well, you are not alone.

Anyway the beauty of the Herpes Mamas is that they have subgroups of people with kids (and expecting kids!) by date - so I am in a subgroup of women due Jan-Mar 2012, which has 29 members so far! All living close to me!! I sent out an introductory message to say hello and several of them wrote back and offered to get together, so I met two of them today. And I loved them! They are Katherine and Lucy, both due in March like me. They were so nice and interesting and we were all so relieved to share things with people going through the exact same experience as us. I had the best time.

We met at Francois Payard Bakery, which is new (at least new at this location in Battery Park City). I had a tomato/pesto/mozzarella sandwich that was good, if pricey ($8), and the most luscious, huge cup of thick, dark hot chocolate ($5). But I just have to say how nice the staff was. When they noticed I was pregnant they pointed out that they have decaf coffee, and they made sure that my hot chocolate wasn't too strong, and they cleaned around our table for us, and were just generally very pleasant.

Doughnut Plant, 220 West 23rd St., Manhattan

We got together with a friend of Pat's from grad school, Katie, and her husband Anand last night. They proposed a Thai place close to their apartment in Chelsea and to our surprise it turned out to be another location of Room Service, a restaurant we hold in very high esteem in another location in Hell's Kitchen. This Chelsea location of Room Service is probably better because a) we had no wait at 7:30 on a Friday night - the other location seemed busier, and 2) the downside of the other location is that it's quite loud; this place wasn't exactly quiet, but quietER. Yes, I'm slightly deaf. I have auditory neuropathy (seriously). I like quiet places.

Anyway I strayed from the winning Spicy Basil Noodles of my last two Room Service visits, and got red curry with beef. It was plenty good, but I should have stuck with Spicy Basil Noodles.

Afterward we went to the Doughnut Plant. This is a very appealing space, with a doughnut motif everywhere. But three of us were disappointed by our doughnuts - the yeast dough was kind of dryish and uninspiring, even though the fillings were good. Anand was very pleased with the coffee, for what it's worth.

Crepes du Nord, 17 South William St., Manhattan

Aiming for something off the beaten path last night as we scanned Seamless, Pat and I went with crepes from Crepes du Nord. I got the eponymous Crepe du Nord (and let this mark the first time, I am certain, that I have ever actually used the word eponymous....how marvelous!). It had scrambled egg inside the buckwheat crepe, and smoked salmon draped on top (it also came with a little salad, which I of course ignored). It was really good, if not that hot by the time it got to me. Would try this place again, perhaps in person in the Financial District.

Stella, 213 Front St., Manhattan

It is always a danger to visit a place where you know a bunch of people and only tell some of them that you'll be there. This is what happened to our friend Marc, who made the mistake of posting on Facebook something about being in New York for a work trip, prompting others to be annoyed that he had not made an effort to see them.

But Pat and I are the golden friends whom Marc DID alert to his visit, so we got to have dinner with him at Stella, in the Financial District. I am feeling pretty superior about this favoritism.

I had fish and chips. It was fine, but maybe I should have chosen something less altogether fried. I don't know. The fried battered fish and the french fries really just left me with an impression of "fried." On the other hand, we ordered a mac and cheese side that was phenomenal. I know, I know, it is hard to go wrong with a mac and cheese side; one is rarely disappointed, but still this was really good even beyond the obviousness of it.

One note about the ambiance: it was late when we got there (close to 9:00), on a Tuesday, and there were not a lot patrons. It was nice because it was so quiet. But later a few people were kind of whooping it up at the bar and they turned the music up quite a bit and I was that stodgy annoyed person who must be like 75 years old.

Hundred Acres, 38 MacDougal St., Manhattan

Pat and I joined his coworker Caroline and her husband Kurt for dinner at Hundred Acres, in the West Village. We noticed there are actually several appealing-looking restaurants on that block.

I liked that when I ordered a Coke, it came in a big glass with lots of ice and was readily refilled. That is what I look for in a Coke, even though I am supposed to limit my pregnant self to no more than a 12-ounce caffeinated soda per day (I tried not to drink too much of the refill!). Coke is my substitute for alcohol, so it needs to be offered in an expansive way. There is nothing worse than getting it in a tiny bottle (fountain Coke is so superior) or small glass. And speaking of alcohol, despite being unable to enjoy it, I was nonetheless impressed that the one-sheet menu included not only one whole side devoted to wine, but two columns on the other side devoted to cocktails, beer, and whiskey.

And then what little (okay, I'm joking) space was left on the front had a very mouth-watering selection of food. I was trying to decide between the shrimp and grits, and the duck leg confit, and when Caroline ordered the former, I went for the latter, hoping for a bite of hers too, which she provided. It was fine, but to be frank, I made the right choice with the duck leg!

The duck leg was great. It came with two meaty-tasting sausages and pieces of acorn squash, which paired nicely with the meats. I was very, very pleased.

I polished it off and was stuffed, but could not be totally dissuaded from dessert. We collectively dove into a brioche bread pudding and a pear/raison cobbler. The cobbler was fine but not as exciting as it had sounded. The sweet potato ice cream on top was impressive, but I could have used more than just that little scoop of it. The bread pudding was really excellent - very butterscotchy.