Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sapporo
JAPANESE NOODLES Peruse the community
bulletin board as you enter Sapporo and you might find yourself a
deal on an apartment—if you can read Japanese. Thankfully, the
menu is in English in this Theater District Japanese noodle shop. If
the mostly Japanese clientele doesn't convince you of Sapporo's
authenticity, the din of satisfied diners slurping huge bowls of steam-
ing ramen (noodle soup with meat and vegetables) will. And though
the ramen is Sapporo's specialty, the
gyoza
(Japanese dumplings) and
the
donburi
(pork or chicken over rice with soy-flavored sauce) are
also terrific. Best of all, nothing on the menu is over $10 and that's
not easy to find in the Theater District.
152 W. 49th St. (btwn Sixth & Seventh aves.).
&
212/869-8972.
Reservations not
accepted. Main courses $6-$9. No credit cards. Mon-Sat 11am-11pm; Sun
11am-10pm. Subway: N, R to 49th St.
Value
Wondee Siam
THAI Hell's Kitchen offers countless eth-
nic culinary variations and one of the most prevalent is Thai—there
are at least six Thai restaurants in a 5-block radius. My favorite is the
tiny, zero-ambience Wondee Siam. I don't need colorful decorations
or a big fish tank to enjoy authentic, uncompromisingly spicy Thai
food and that's what I get at Wondee Siam. Here you don't have to
worry that your waiter will assume you want a milder form of Thai.
If there is a little red asterisk next to your item, you can be sure it is
appropriately spicy. The soups are terrific, especially the sinus-clear-
ing
tom yum
. In fact, there is a whole section of yum (chiles) dishes
on the menu; my favorite being the
larb gai,
minced ground chicken
with ground toasted rice. The curries are also first-rate as are the
noodles, including the mild pad Thai. This is strictly BYOB and
you'll want to do so to complement the spicy food.
792 Ninth Ave. (btwn 52nd and 53rd sts.).
&
212/459-9057.
Reservations not
accepted. Main courses $8.50-$18 (most under $10). No credit cards. Mon-Sat
11am-11pm; Sun 11am-10:30pm. Subway: C, E to 50th St. Wondee Siam II, 813
Ninth Ave. (btwn 53rd and 54th sts.).
&
917/286-1726.
Finds
10 Midtown East & Murray Hill
To locate the restaurants in this section, see the map on p. 82.
EXPENSIVE
Aquavit
SCANDINAVIAN I'll miss the waterfall and the
intimate setting that Aquavit vacated in 2005. Thankfully, however,
the food and staff had no trouble adjusting to the transition. Every-
thing remains first-rate. The restaurant is now in the bottom of a
glass tower on East 55th Street, designed in sleek Scandinavian style
