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Barring any major changes here are my plans for the trip for anyone curious:

Saturday Lunch: Katz Deli/Shopsin's
Saturday Snack: Sugar Sweet Sunshine
Saturday Dinner: Minetta Tavern
Saturday Dessert: Rice to Riches & Sweet Revenge (I know 2 places!)

Sunday Morning Snack: Doughnut Plant
Sunday PseudoBreakfast: Chelsea Market
Sunday Lunch: Shake Shack
Sunday Snack: 2 Little Red Hens
Sunday Dinner: Motorino
Sunday Dessert: Momofuku Milk Bar

Monday Breakfast: Brownstone Diner in New Jersey
Monday Lunch: Dim Sum GoGo/Katz (If I can make it to Shopsin's on Saturday, Katz will go here)
Monday Snack: Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

I tried to maximize my locations based upon where I will be in the area and that is why some things are rearranged. Thanks again to everyone for your comments and suggestions. I know Sunday looks loaded and Saturday is kind of dessert heavy as well but who isn't up for a good challenge, right?

I recently did a 2 day stay with my girlfriend in NYC and we managed to go to Taim, Gray's Papaya (twice), Shake Shack, Lombardi's, Rice to Riches, Pink Berry, Katz Deli, Le Relais de Venise, Mister Softee and an arepa street vendor dude. We also managed to check out central park, times square, the nbc place where they do the today show, get lost a bunch, go to brooklyn to check out a comic store, and check out the NY Art Book Fair in queens, which was the reason we went to begin with. We stayed in midtown and had a blast and a half. We were not able to check out Shopsins which was the #1 place on our list but oh well.

I LOVE taking extra-firm tofu, draining it very well, then cubing it. Toss in a fryer or pot of hot oil and fry for a few minutes. You'll know it's done when it starts getting brown. Drain on paper towels and toss them into a bowl of Frank's hot sauce and butter! They are so addicting!!!

@joyyy, I haven't tried this but Suvir Saran has a recipe for making "paneer" using ricotta cheese. It's been on my list to try it out to confirm whether it makes a good recommendation as a substitute. Spread ricotta cheese evenly in a bread pan and bake at 450 F until it's browned on top (about 40 minutes). My guess is to spread it at least in 1 1/2 inch thick layer and to oil the bread pan. You could then use it as you would paneer. If you try this out, drop me a comment at hungry desi and let me know how it is...I'm curious!

@ joyyy - depending on where you live, you don't need to make paneer... in Jackson Heights in Queens, NYC at Patel Brothers they sell frozen paneer pieces. And maybe even frsh paneer too. Just look for your nearest indian neighborhood.

We get Health is Wealth veggie buffalo wings then season them with franks red hot when they are almost finished cooking. Red Bamboo in NY has the best fake buffalo wings I've had...so good with a beer. May Wah in Chinatown sells the tofu product that Red Bamboo uses but I haven't gotten around to recreating them at home.

I like Morningstar products, and although their buffalo chicken wings were too spicy for me, I'd suggest giving them a try.

Thanks again for the additional comments and after some further review I have replaced Lombardi's with Motorino, scratched King Papaya from Dinner from Sunday Dinner, and have added Minetta Tavern for Dinner on Saturday.

So pretty much Saturday is totally on lockdown so that is 1 day. Basically at this point I am looking at filling Sunday Breakfast and another dinner or lunch. I say either because I am willing to move things around based upon when it is best to hit some restaurants or depending on how early I need to get there.

For Motorino, how hard would it be to get a single spot by myself at lunch on Sunday or Monday? I am willing to move by Shake Shack meal to dinner on Sunday if it would be easier to do Motorino when I know I can get there right when they open on Sunday.

Thanks guys keep up the great work.

my mini chinatown food tour - recommend it to my visitors who want to have a taste of a lot for a little in under and hour...

copied from part of a yelp review:

Here's my circa 75-minute (including the ride on the B or D from 40th and 6th) lunch break tour of Chinatown - best with a partner so you can share everything and get the most flavor and diversity for your money.

-Get out at Grand St and head SE to Prosperity Dumpling on Eldridge. Order 10-15 fried. Eat in or eat while you walk....

-Down to Canal, where you'll head east until you hit Elizabeth. Once southbound on Elizabeth, you'll eventually run into ViVi Bubble Tea on Bayard. Grab an order of light, crispy popcorn chicken for $3 with your choice of spice - I prefer curry.
- take a left out of ViVi and then a right on Mott. Close this perfect circle of a tour by picking up the #1 (say yes to spicy!) at Banh Mi Saigon (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) on the east side of Mott just before Grand.

20 fried at prosperity = $4
popcorn chicken at ViVi = $3
Banh Mi at Saigon = $3.75

Total cost for a 3 course meal for 2: $10.75

Splurge on one meal while you are there... Babbo or Per Se. Have fun!! It sounds like a fabulous trip. :-)

Oh, and you HAVE to get a black and white cookie (from Glaser's Bake Shop- I think they have the best in town) while you're there.

i find everyone at the communal tables at momofuku ssam to be really friendly- it would probably be a great place to dine solo, and you can get some more recommendations there.

how about breakfast at prune or clinton st. baking company? or veselka? some personal favorites :)

what a great trip - have a wonderful time!

i agree with eatingraoul. motorino or co. are far better options than lombardi's.