Trustees Dining Room, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY

The Trustees Dining Room at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (4th floor) sports white linen and is definitely superior to the Petrie Court Cafe (see entry under it). The prix fixe menu at US$43.00 per person is very good, and the options of wine by the glass (additional cost) are well chosen. Service is excellent, and the view (if you get a window overlooking central park), is unmatched. Nevertheless, hygiene is poor: dirty glasses and small details such as dry pieces of lettuce attached to the bottom of the bread plates took away from the visit. Lets hope it was an exception.

Salvador and Illuminata

Petrie Court Cafe, New York

The Petrie Court Cafe and Wine Bar at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, NY, NY 10028-0198) is a good choice if you don't want to leave the museum and continue admiring art in the afternoon (in other words, it's not a destination in itself). Nevertheless, and despite the relatively high prices, it is a reasonable bistro, with a good selection of wines by the glass and interesting dishes with fresh ingredients and French influence. What makes it unique, however, is the views of Rodin sculptures, Imperial furniture, and Central Park.

Salvador

Bar 44, New York

The Bar 44 (previously the Brasserie 44, 44 West 44th Street, New York) has decreased noticeably in quality. The decor is not bad, but the cocktails are horrendous. My Lychee Martini seemed to have been based on potato juice, and Illuminata´s Kir Royal was very bad. The next day, a headache and generalized body aches. Don´t go there.

Salvador

Trattoria Dopo Teatro, New York

We had dinner at the Trattoria Dopo Teatro (125 W. 44th Street, New York), half a block from the Avenue of the Americas and next to Times Square, very convenient if you are staying at the Clubs on 44th Street (Cornell, Penn, Harvard). It is decorated with Italian movie themes, and with an air of real Italian Trattoria, service was excellent, with waiters that know their home-made pastas and wine list very well. The pastas were exquisite, and the Brunello Argiano as good as the best Paulliac. The ambiance has a lot of energy, the way it should be in New York.

Salvador e Illuminata