A few suggestions:

- Katz's Deli on Houston.

- Mario Batali's and Joe Bastianich's tapas place Casa Solo, off Union
Square. Crowded, noisy, great food.

- For the tourist experience, Restaurant Row, 46th St. between 8th and
9th Aves. Particularly one place whose name escapes me -- ah, Mason
Sevilla! -- whose menu is half Italian and half Spanish.

- For the old-time atmosphere, Tout va Bien, 51st just west of 8th Ave.
Established in the 1940s to feed the crews of French liners, it's
traditional French, and packed with more French speakers (mostly soccer
fans) than English. During the US Open, all the French players eat here
every night.

- If you're a Tony Bourdain fan, Les Halles, preferably downtown. No, he
doesn't cook there. But it's still the best onglet (hanger steak) and
frites around.

-- Larry