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any idea how much does 8oz of this butter goes for at eataly?

I think St Marks is the best all around, but the Chelsea one can be way better if they get it right. the one near 55th has really gone downhill.

I think its a different owner, but the one in chinatown has great hot pot.

Paddy's tops them all... except (maybe) Redbreast.

I think Sun Sai Gai has the best roast pork buns in the city, and a couple of the combination buns are big enough for a meal. Its not a 'traditional' dim sum place, but its definitely worth checking out. The roast meats are also excellent.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/sun-sai-gai-restaurant-manhattan

Jade Asian Restaurant in Flushing is my favorite dim sum spot in the city. best to get there before 10am on weekends, or else you'll have to wait for a table.

Jing Fong's is probably my favorite in the area, but I'm generally disapointed in the Manhattan Chinatown dim sum... I would go to Flushing instead. Jade Asian Restaurant is great, especially if you get there early. Going for dim sum after 10/11am anywhere decent typically means a long wait and communal seating.

I know its cliche, but Peter Lugers is the best steak I've had in NYC

Taqueria Coatzingo in Jackson Heights is great and the Red Hook vendors in the summer are worth the trip

Meat Hook is great - that and Ottomanelli's (Bleeker around 7th ave) are my favorites.

the problem with 'fusion burgers' (is this a new term?) is that the meat and toppings/sauce are generally bad. the concept of a pizza burger isn't wrong, but the problem is that you're typically not getting good sauce or cheese. a quality burger with a nice fresh tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella sounds good. a frozen patty with jar sauce and polly-o (or much worse) sounds like a bad use of even worse ingredients.

same goes for mexican burgers, bbq burgers etc etc... making them at home with good ingredients tends to turn out better than what you get at a local bar...

that being said, the best burger to me is still nothing fancy - a good patty with some american cheese, red onion and nothing else (maybe russian dressing)

You could make a day of it and get a few great dishes at a few different restaurants... I would suggest:

-Soup dumplings at Joe's Ginger or Joe's Shanghai (pell st)

-Gui Zhou Chicken and/or Chong Qing Beef at Grand Sichuan St Marks (the dan dan noodles are really good there as well)

-Mount Qi noodles from Xi'an famous foods (east broadway)

-Roast baby pig from great ny noodletown (bowery)

-House special chicken from Congee Village (Delancy)

If I had to pick one overall restaurant, it would be either Grand Sichuan on St Marks or SriPraPhai in woodside (a nice place with really cool garden out back)

thanks guys!

Lidia Bastianich's restaurant, Becco, is a couple blocks from times square. Its great, and for $22 they serve 3 pastas (unlimited) and a salad or cold antipasta.

Szechuan Gourmet is on 39th btwn 5th and 6th if they're looking for good chinese food without having to go to chinatown.

thanks!