Casey Wohl takes GG on a gastronomical tour of New York City

By Casey Wohl 

Girlfriend GetawayNew York City is famous for its fantastic food and amazing variety of restaurants. During my latest trip, I wanted to get a "taste" of everything. Here's my recap on some wonderfully diverse dining options unique to NYC.

• Jack's Restaurant & Bar is the place for fabulous and fun food in a quaint, intimate setting. Features include great Tapas (like the Tuna Sashimi, Lamb Curry & Mint Empanadas and Tuna Carpaccio) to share with your group. You can also indulge in wonderful salads, soups, sandwiches and full entrees.
• Lucky Cheng's is a must visit every time I'm in NYC. From your hostess to my favorite diva and friend, Annida Greenkard, if you don't have a terrific time with the "ladies" at Lucky Cheng's, you won't have fun anywhere. The Drag Queen Cabaret Shows are wonderfully raunchy and hilarious, so be warned. Some of my best NYC getaway stories happened here - most not for public consumption.
• Empire Diner located in Chelsea, will not be overlooked due to its stylized Empire State Building replica on the roof and the overall retro feel. We stopped here for a late breakfast. The place was Casey and Annidapacked, which is always a good sign. The food was good diner food and we were happy to indulge. With the look of an old railroad car, it's a popular place for filming movies such as "Men in Black."
• Bravo Pizza has been serving authentic deep dish pizza since 1985. The pasta and sausages are homemade and the ingredients are unbelievably fresh and tasty.
• Grand Central Oyster Bar is a New York City landmark that's been serving fine seafood since 1913. I felt like we were in a movie as we sat in the restaurant's "cavernous architecture." We had a great time at the bar as we watched others linger over cocktails.
• Hamburger Heaven was established in 1943 and is a NYC tradition. In addition to the fabulous burgers, they serve breakfast until 11:00 am. Omelettes, pancakes, French toast, farm fresh eggs, bagels, bialys and English muffins - yum! Other non-breakfast options include salads, hot plates, baked potatoes, sandwiches, soups and chili. However, you MUST try the burger, which starts at $6.55.

Have a getaway question for the Getaway Girl? Post your questions here and she'll answer them in a future post.