STATUE OF LIBERTY

STATUE OF LIBERTY

NEW YORK, NY

As a new American citizen, Shirley really wanted to visit the Statue of Liberty. She now realizes what it means to be an American and she is very patriotic. Keli was not too happy because it was so darn cold. Our trip began by going through a very serious and no games security screening. You must take off your jackets, hats, belts and remove everything from your person. This includes watches and wallets. Nothing is left unchecked. After security you board a boat that takes you on the twenty minute or so ride to the Statue. Once you arrive you can walk around and go up to the base of the statue only. Gone are the days when you can climb stairs inside the statue to view the city from the crown. 9-11 has changed everything.

WALL STREET

WALL STREET

NEW YORK, NY

We visited Wall Street during one of the worst days. Stocks were down hundreds of points. The Federal Reserve acted by reducing the prime rate by 3/4 of a point. The New York Stock Exchange is a fortress since 9-11. Cars are not allowed around the buildings. Huge barricades on all entrances and exits prevent any car bomb from getting within two blocks of the building. The building is surrounded by an army of policeman carrying automatic weapons. There are bomb sniffing dogs all around and more security than I have ever seen with the exception of a President. New York knows how to do security. They are very professional and serious.

CARNEGIE DELI - NEW YORK

Carnegie Deli

854 Seventh Avenue, At 55th St

THIS IS A MUST VISIT WHILE IN NEW YORK. A TRUE EXPERIENCE.

The Carnegie Deli is awesome. A true New York classic. It is home to the largest sandwiches on earth. Don't expect to eat an entire sandwhich by yourself. We ordered one and couldn't finish the thing in two days. The Carnegie Deli menu is huge. Filled with Soups, sandwiches, burgers, salads, blintzes and the best cheese cake on earth. We ordered the flagship sandwich that made "Broadway Danny Rose" famous. It is called the Woody Allen. It is a combination of Corned Beef and Pastrami. We added swiss cheese and some cole slaw to ours. The sandwhich costs $16.95, but it will really feed four people. The waitress actually brough us extra bread so we could make mini sandwiches out of the colossal beast that was in front of us. The meal includes all the pickles you can eat too. They bring the pickles by the plate full. Yes, this is a ton of food, but it is really, really good. The pastrami is the best we have ever had. After the sandwich, there is little room for the famous cheesecake. But you must try the cheesecake. Best on the planet.  Note: The bottom picture is what was left after we were done eating. 

Still enough for two more meals.

Click links below to view more posts on Carnegie Deli'

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2010/11/carnegie-delicatessen-new-york-ny-trip.html

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2012/06/carnegie-deli-manhattan-new-york.html

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2016/10/carnegie-deli-new-york.html

CARNEGIE DELI

LOMBARDI'S PIZZA

LOMBARDI'S PIZZA

32 SPRING STREET

NEW YORK, NY

O.k. I admit it. We have been in New York for four days and already visted Lombardi's twice. The second visit was at the request of Shirley as she was craving the pizza 48 hours after our first visit. Like the Acme Oyster House in New Orleans, you want to run (take a fast cab) to Lombardi's the minute you arrive in the city. This place is fantastic.

Lombardi's is the home of the first coal oven pizza in America. Today the same coal oven cooks your pizza to perfection. The restaurant has been featured on the History Channel, The Food Network and The Discovery Channel. Zagat Survey rated the pizza as "Best on the Planet".

We would have to agree. This is not deep dish or pizza with thick dough and so much on top that you cannot taste the ingredients. Lombardi's is a thin crust pizza topped with San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese and a little basil. We added some sausage and pepperoni and were in heaven. The crust is light and tasty. You can taste all of the ingredients. The sauce, the cheese, toppings and basil. Just a perfect combination of flavors. The crust gets lightly toasted from the coal oven which is great. We ordered a side Ceasar Salad with our pizza. A single salad will serve four people. They are huge. I asked for sardines on my salad and the waitress brought us a huge plate of sardines. I am talking maybe twenty or more. While they do charge extra for the sardines, you get enough for an army on the plate.

Lombard's is all cash. No credit cards accepted. Expect to pay about $20 for a very large pizza and $8.50 for the Ceasar salad. During our first visit the wait was about 30 minutes. Our second visit around 4:00 in the afternoon was wait free. You may want to go before or after the lunch and dinner hours to avoid a wait. Even if you do wait - it is worth every mintue. A visit to New York would not be the same without stopping at Lombardi's for a pie.

Click links below to view more posts on Lombardi's Pizza;

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2025/05/lombardis-pizza-new-york.html

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2016/10/lombardis-pizza-new-york.html

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2014/01/lombardis-pizza-new-york-ny.html

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2010/11/lombardis-pizza.html

BABBO RISTORANTE - NEW YORK

RISTORANTE BABBO 

110 Waverly Place
New York, NY

This is the flagship fine dining restaurant owned by celebrity chef Mario Batali. Mario is the host of the televsion cooking show "Molto Mario". After extensive research on the internet, we found that Babbo was consistantly showing up on the best restaurants lists for New York. Several "Best of" lists ranked it #2 in the city. We wanted to have some good Italian food so we put Babbo on our list and made a reservation several weeks in advance of our visit. Wow....we were lucky to make the reservation in advance because you will not get in this place without one. When our cab driver delivered us to the restaurant, we thought he had made a mistake. The place is located in what looks like a typical New York City home. No big sign, just a small front door. As we entered, we knew that we were not in someones home, rather one of the hottest spots in the city. The bar area at 6:00 p.m. was standing room only. The dining area was already packed and pumping with music and pasta. This is no ordinary Italian restaurant. The menu is filled with many items we have never experienced. Most are described in Italian so we had to get the waitress to help with ordering. After reviewing the menu in detail we opted for the Chef's Traditional Tasting Menu. This is a set four course dinner with three desserts. I had my dinner with a fantastic wine pairing. At $75 per person, this is a bit of a bargain for a night out at a great restaurant. Here is a sampling of the menu we enjoyed:

Babbo Culatello with Pumpkin "in Scapece"

Pappardelle with Hedghogs; Tyme (Totally awesome dish that blew us away)

Duck Tortelli with "Sugo Finto"

Grilled Venison with Acorn Squash Caponata and Mint

While the food and service were EXCELLENT, we were in for a real suprise when people were seated around us. The seating at Babbo is bench style along a long wall. This means that the people on the right and left side of you are basically sitting at your table. You can see and hear everything on both sides. There are no partitions. Just enough room between tables to snake a body through to sit down. While this is sometimes uncomfortable seating because you have no privacy, our night turned out to be quite incredible. Seated next to us was the superstar comedian DON RICKLES and Hall of Fame Quarterback JOE MONTANA. I could not believe my eyes. Here we are from Hawaii and having dinner in New York City. To the right is Don Rickles and to the left is Joe Montana. They were just eating good food like everyone else. After gaining some confidence from the vino, I finally asked Mr. Rickles if we could take a picture. He was very gracious, polite and humble. We talked about Hawaii and some of his work. What a great person. His wife and other couple with him were also very nice and offered to take the picture. Don then gave us a nice autograph and handshake. This is a class human being that has spent his lifetime making people laugh. We are so fortunate to have been able to meet and talk with him. Joe Montana on the other hand was a different story. His guest allowed us to take a quick photo, but no autographs or chatting. Just a nice hello - how are you.

This was a great evening for the family. I would highly recommend Babbo for the food and service. The celebrities are a lucky bonus.
Click link below to view another post of Babbo Ristorante:
http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2010/11/ristorante-babbo-enoteca-new-york-city.html

THE GREAT DON RICKELS SITTING NEXT TO US

JOE MONTANA SITTING WITH US

GRAY'S PAPAYA

GRAY'S PAPAYA

NEW YORK, NY

Listed on the internet as New York's best Hot Dog and shown on the Food Channels Best Hot Dog places is Gray's Papaya. They are known for their "snappy" dogs because they have a little snap when you bite into them. The menu is simple. Dogs with or without sauerkraut and onions. The price is great at $1.25 per dog. While these dogs were good, we still like the Original Nathan's Hot Dogs a little better.

NEW YORK CITY - THE BIG APPLE

NEW YORK CITY

NEW YORK, NY

New York City is an awesome place to visit. There is so much to see and experience. While the weather is bone cold (25 to 35 degrees), the excitement of the city keeps us warm and happy each day. Between the Food Channel and Google, we searched for a variety of restaurants to visit. From hot dogs to fine dining, we have done it all.

HURRICANE KATRINA

HURRICANE KATRINA

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the people of New Orleans who lost their homes, families and businesses.  You cannot comprehend the devistation of the city. We took a half day tour that was remarkable.  Thousands of homes destroyed.  Entire neighborhoods left empty.  Shopping centers, hotels, restaurants and every type of business you can imagine destroyed.  Photos or news reports do not come close to capturing the loss.  This is a historical disaster.  It will take 10 or 20 years for most of the damage to be rebuilt.  Thousands of people have left the city and their homes.  Some of the city may never be rebuilt.  The damage is everwhere.  The city is still in ruins two years later.  

PASCAL'S MANALE RESTAURANT

PASCAL'S MANALE

NEW ORLEANS, LA

Pascal's Manale was recommened by our friends Lee and Liz from Atlanta. As former residents of New Orleans, this was one of their favorite spots and the destination for BBQ Shrimp. Pascal's sits in a residential neighborhood about 15 minutes outside the toursits district where we were staying. The place has been in business for over 80 years and you sense a warm, neighborhood feel when you walk in the door. As we waited for our table, Lee ordered two dozen fresh oysters from the bar. They serve them right on the counter as fast as you can eat them. The highlight of the meal is the famous BBQ Shrimp. These are huge shrimp sauteed in a butter and pepper sauce. You get really messy eating them so they give you a bib. The portions are large and awesome. THIS IS A MUST DO WHEN IN THE BIG EASY.

DRAGO'S RESTAURANT - NEW ORLEANS, LA

DRAGO'S RESTAURANT - HILTON HOTEL

NEW ORLEANS, LA

We had an incredible meal at Dragos in the Hilton Hotel. They serve the best oysters. Especially the grilled oysters and bacon wrapped oysters. The oysters were out of this world good. We dined on dozens of fresh oysters and champagne. The main course was a crab stuffed lobster tail. All excellent.  Members of the Ohio State Football team were sitting next to us so we posed for a quick photo. 

Dragos should not be missed if you like grilled oyesters. They were FANTASTIC! Want to go back again.

CENTRAL GROCERY MUFFULETTA

CENTRAL GROCERY MUFFULETTA

NEW ORLEANS, LA

THIS COULD BE THE BEST FIND OF OUR TRIP. THE FAMOUS CENTRAL GROCERY MUFFULETTA SANDWICH. THIS THING IS OFF THE HOOK GREAT AND CAN FEED FOUR PEOPLE. ONCE WE HAD A BITE OF ONE WITH OUR FRIENDS LEE AND LIZ FROM ATLANTA, WE WERE HOOKED. WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY AND ORDERED ANOTHER ONE. THEN TOOK TWO BACK ON THE PLANE WITH US. DINED ON THEM IN COACH CLASS ON AMERICAN AIRLINES.

When in Nawlin's you MUST try the Muffuletta from Central Grocery. Located across from Cafe Du Mond, this is a dining distination that should not be missed. The sandwhiches keep for days and days so you can enjoy them on picnics, in your hotel or even on the plane and in airports like we did. The sandwich is filled with Italian meats and cheeses and then topped with a marinated olive salad. Sounds simple but when you add their famous bread and put it all together, this is one heck of a sandwich. DON'T MISS THIS PLACE IF YOU VISIT NEW ORLEANS.

CHARLTRES HOUSE CAFE - NEW ORLEANS, LA

CHARTRES HOUSE CAFE

NEW ORLEANS, LA

Our newlywed friends Mark and Stephanie turned us on the the Charltres House Cafe. They like it alot and went their several times. During our first visit we enjoyed a bloody mary with them. These things are really good. They soak the vodka in picked veggies and then add some of the veggies to the drink. Stephanie called them salads in a glass. Our second time back we tried the crawfish etoufee, jambalaya and gumbo. The gumbo and etoufee were great, but the jambalaya was a little mushy and did not have taste. Overall excellent little spot for lunch and a cocktail. Thanks Mark and Steph for this one.

CHARLTRES HOUSE CAFE

FRAN TARKINGTON & ESPN HOSTS

After the Sugar Bowl, we partied until the wee hours at the Ritz Carlton bar. Football legend Fran Tarkington and several ESPN hosts were in the bar and happy to talk with us. Seems like everyone loves the Warriors. Even the Georgia fans were comforting us with hugs and beers.

Despite the wipeout on the field Warrior fans were winners off the field.

SUGAR BOWL GAME DAY - SUPERDOME

HAWAII VS GEORGIA SUGAR BOWL

SUPERDOME, NEW ORLEANS

O.k. we lost. That said, what a great party.

The Sugar Bowl was fantastic despite our loss to Georgia. After a while the whopping was so bad we became numb and just partied. The beer was flowing quite quickly as everyone was buying rounds. The food at the Superdome sucks. The hot dogs and burgers are terrible and the only other thing they serve is Jambalaya which everyone seemed to like. They really need some new food concessions at a facility this large. The menu offerings were the worst I have ever seen in any stadium. I was able to watch half the game from the AllState skybox. The food was a little better in the box. I am really fortunate that Drew Ku from AllState invited me up to the suite. It was a great time, but after a quarter I really missed my girls and somehow found my way back down to the field level seats where my girls quickly gave me hugs. I am so lucky.

DICKY BRENNANS BOURBON HOUSE

DICKIE BRENNAN'S BOURBON HOUSE

NEW ORLEANS, LA

This was a great surprise. We had orginally made reservations at another restaurant for this evening. After our party began to grow, we decided to try the Bourbon House because we were in the area. We hit the place during prime time, yet the staff was very courteous and told us to wait 30-40 minutes. We waited and then were given a nice table for our party. We enjoyed fresh oysters, grilled oysters and oysters stuffed with crab and ham. Also tried the BBQ Shrimp and Shrimp Cocktail as appetizers.  I orderd a steak which was cooked to perfection and huge. Could only eat about 1/4 of the thing. Shirley enjoyed a crab stuffed local fish that was excellent. I also tried another local fish sauteed in butter and spices. Everything was good here. I would like to revisit this place again.

NEW YEARS EVE NEW ORLEANS - THE GOOD AND BAD

We had great thoughts of having a blowout New Years Eve with 3500 other Warrior Fans. The event entitled the Warrior Cajun Football Bash was promoted heavily. With tickets going for $125 per person, we were promised great food, cocktails, party favors and more. The doors opened around 6:00 p.m. so we arrived around 7:30 or 8:00 in anticipation of staying until after midnight. Wow....were we surprised. The lines for drinks and food were so long. You would wait an hour or more in each. The lines were just to long. This was not right. To spend half your evening waiting in line for some gumbo and a beer is outrageous. We stood around trying to figure out an angle to getting some food and drinks. After careful review we decided to leave. NOT ONE DRINK BETWEEN THE FOUR OF US, NOT ONE CRACKER, NOT ONE PARTY FAVOR. SPENT $500 FOR THE FOUR OF US AND WE RECEIVED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. NOTHING....

As we walked out the front door there were other people leaving in disappointment. Where do you go at 9:30 or 10:00 without a reservation. Every hotel and restaurant is packed. Shirley, Keli and myself walked disgusted down the main street heading for our hotel. On the way to the Hawaii Cajun Bash we had stopped in the Leows hotel to use the restroom. The entire bar and restaurant was filled to capacity. Well, Shirley said lets give it a try. Maybe there will be a cancellation. We entered and were greeted by a nice man who seemed surprised that we would request a table for three around 10:00 p.m. on New Years Eve. We are completely booked and there is a pre-fix cost of $110 per person for the dinner. Shirley gave the guy a big smile and said that we would be happy to wait for a cancellation. The man said it would be a half hour or more before he would know anything. We entered the bar to wait so I hit the main bar and aksed for a glass of champagne. The bartender handed me my glass and said this is on the house because you came all the way from Hawaii (I was wearing my Hawaii jacket as usual).

Wow...maybe our luck is about to change I thought. After several more glasses of champagne we were told that we could be seated. Upon arriving at our table, we were given hats, party favors and complimentary champagne. The meal began with crab and lobster bisque, spinach salad and Red Fish and Lobster Tail. Dessert included a cheesecake and double chocolate cake. The waitress we had was fun and really made us feel special. The champagne kept flowing and by the time we were done there was no room for any more food or beverage. We were spent.

As we walked towards our hotel, we passed hundreds of people partying into the night. We were attempting to walk down Bourbon Street but the crowds were too big and Keli was getting very tired. As we walked into the Ritz Carlton, we celebrated the New Year with the family before going to bed. Turned out to be a great New Year afterall.

WARRIOR LINEBACKER - ADAM LEONARD

Adam Leonard our star linebacker was nice enough to take a picture and give us his autograph. Also ran into Dan Kelly our place kicker and several other Warriors plus June Jones, Rich Miano and even our Mayor Muffi Hanneman.

MR. B'S BISTRO - NEW ORLEANS

MR. B'S BISTRO

NEW ORLEANS, LA

On New Year's Eve, the French Quarter was packed with people looking for a good brunch. Most places had huge lines where people waited in the bitter cold outside for their tables. About a half block from the Acme Oyster House we found Mr. B's Bistro. We entered to find warmth and a full house. The place was packed. As we approached the hostess desk we were greated with large smiles and a welcome. Do you have room for three I aksed. "Of course, please follow me. We were ushered through the restaurant and the kitchen to a back room with about 8 tables. Service was quick and excellent. I ordered Mr. B's Signiture Dish which is the BBQ Shrimp. Huge shrimp sauteed in a butter and pepper sauce. This was good but not great. The gumbo was good to. Shirley ordered a pasta dish with grilled shrimp in a garlic creme sauce. She requested less creme and they did it with no questions. Our friends Mark, Alan , Pete and Stephanie ended up joining us and the Mr. B's staff quickly accomodated us by moving to a larger table. Several enjoyed the fresh local fish and enjoyed it. Pete had a burger and Alan had some fried catfish that was pretty good.

MR. B'S BISTRO