Dining Out

During our year in NYC, we have enjoyed dining out.  Since dining out can be very expensive if you opt for Michelin-starred establishments every night, we opt for the occasional dinner out at a nearby diner or deli.  We have a favorite place of each type.

Our favorite diner is the Moonstruck Diner. The diner is near our apartment.  So, it is the frequent scene of our dining out.  When we first started visiting Moonstruck a year ago, it was a traditional diner with upscale decor--upscale for a diner.  Over the past year, Moonstruck has evolved from diner to eatery with periodic upgrades over the past 9 or so months.  The coffee cups changed, bottles of water appeared on the tables, linen napkins appeared, the menus changed (but the prices did not) and the name changed.  Fortunately, the food is still very good diner fare and the service is always friendly and fast.  

Our favorite deli is P.J. Bernstein's.  We know about P.J. Bernstein's because it is co-owned by the father of a dentist who went to school with Sid, Susan's brother.  We are fortunate to know about P.J. Bernstein's because it is an excellent deli not too far from our apartment.  Like our favorite diner, it has very good food and speedy service. 

Below are some photos from Moonstruck and P.J. Bernstein's.

Moonstruck Eatery on East 58th Street.  It's always nice to see the A grade from the health inspector.

The upgraded menu at Moonstruck

The old coffee mugs at Moonstruck before the upgrade.  Susan purchased a mug as a fond souvenir.

The new coffee mug.  Tres chic, but hard to handle.

The spinach pie (spanakopita) at Moonstruck is to die for.  It is nearly as good as the spanakopita at Zaharias' Restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida, made by the sister of Greg's former colleague Alex Zaharias at Wyndham.

Greg's mother Judy at Moonstruck enjoying her usual chicken soup

Sally at P.J. Bernstein's with a typical hamburger piled high.

The borscht at P.J. Bernstein's is to die for.  The large bowl in the photo is the medium size.

Apparently, beautiful people dine at P.J. Bernstein's.  (Sharon Stone in the autographed photo.)

Cuba Gooding, Jr. on the wall at P.J. Bernstein's

P.S.  If you don't know the difference between a diner and a deli, fuggedaboutit.