Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

www.seanjohn-iamking.com

Wow -thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'm leaning toward BLT Steak,.Gotham, and 11 Madison - I have done brunch at the latter and it was off the hook. Also they are a little more casual. And yes, this is a day off occasion. We are planning to drink and dine until we pass out in a food coma.
(BTW P. Diddy is making this lunch possible....my friend did the VO for his I Am King fragrance commercials and yes, got paid rather handsomely for it!)

Sable's lobster salad on an H&H Bagel.
Followed by a snack of the halal chicken and rice cart guys at 53rd & 6th
Grimaldi's for lunch
The pork and vegetable soup at New Green Bo on Bayard
Veselka for a pre-dinner snack of pierogis
A stop to see the Dosa Man in Washington Square Park
Mario Batali can feed me my last meal at Babbo, so long as he makes the beef cheek raviolis

well we ended up on a whim going to Lan on 3rd ave and we loved it. (more because we were feeling casual) got the chef tasting menu and ordered a ton of sushi a la carte and downed about 5 bottles of unfiltered sake. a wonderful place, fabulous food and the sushi was damn near perfect.

thanks for all the suggestions. We are gonna try for Yasuda but if we cant do that then I'll look into Soto

Katz' is definitely worth the trip; you'll have heartburn for days and be wanting more. I second the John's recommendation as well.

There are some good places on 9th avenue btw 42nd and 54th that are close enough yet far away from the hell that is times square; Vynl and Eatery have good lunch/brunch, good cocktails, and for the ultimate dive bar experience you MUST go have a draft at Rudy's on 43rd and 9th (look for the pig).

Bar Boulud is great for people watching and to get a taste of his food without breaking the bank, its right by Lincoln Center. Nice outdoor area too.

Jean Georges - the lunch cannot be beat; sit at the bar at the open kitchen. Still the best meal I've ever had in NYC, and I've eaten at a lot of the best in town.

Peter Luger's if you are a carnivore.

Speaking of carnivores if you want a cheap, amazing lunch near Rockefeller center by all means visit of 53rd and 6th avenue, SE corner. You'll find the food cart because theres always a line. But its TO DIE FOR. chicken with rice, lettuce, tomato, white sauce, and a nuclear hot sauce...and for $5 its enough for two.