I stumbled upon an interesting site, featuring original reviews and menus of
old NYC restos and nightclubs. Featured a Algonquin, Biltmore, Black
Angus, Copacabana, Cotillion Room, Eden Roc, Embers,
Famous Kitchen, Gage and Tollner's, Glen Island Casino, Jack Delaney's, Jack
Dempsey's, Latin Quarter, Little Club, Luchow's, Major's Cabin, Marianne et
Fils, St. Regis Maisonette, Stork Club, Waldorf-Astoria,.
Zanzibar...loads of nostalgia!


"Welcome to Tips on Tables!

This site features vintage reviews of famous Nightclubs and Restaurants,
mostly from the New York area from Mr. Robert W. Dana, entertainment
columnist for the now-defunct New York World Telegram and Sun. Mr Dana also
hosted a television and radio show, interviewing restaurateurs, chefs and
nightclub personalities of the 1950's..." :

http://www.tipsontables.com/default.html


From the site, an article about WWII rationing and it's effects on the NYC
dining scene:

http://www.tipsontables.com/Rationing.html

New York Herald Tribune - Sunday, July 11, 1943

New York is Still a Paradise For Gourmet Despite Rationing

"Rationing has affected the menus of New York restaurants, just, as it has
affected the dining facilities of other cities. The restaurants here largely
have adopted the policy of setting Tuesday and Friday apart as meatless
days. Even then the number of points available does not permit the
consumption of more than a limited number of filet mignon and other choice
cuts. But with all these restrictions, nothing has been able to curtail the
variety and universality of our restaurants, which offer the opportunity of
going around the world on a menu.

When the gourmets get together they often discuss the merits of what they
choose to call the ten best restaurants in New York. The lists differ, of
course, just as do the lists of plays and films and football players. It is
likely that one has heard of such superior restaurants as the Colony,
Brussels, Passy, Voisin, Chamblord, Chateaubriand and La Belle Meuriere.

New York has several high-grade Swedish restaurants, among them the
Castleholm. Three Crowns. Gripsholm and Kungsholm. The list of small French
restaurants in the medium-price range,is almost unlimited, including" Le
Veau D'Or, Theodore's Henri, Cafe St. Denis and La Salle du Bois as a few
examples.

Ruby Foo's Den and Lum Fong's are the Chinese restaurants best known in the
city, at least by the majority.

Strangely enough, In thinking of restaurants in New York, one seldom
considers the Purely American ones, but there are many. Three of the most
popular are the White Turkey Inn., Hearthstone and Olney Inn.

There are the great New York landmarks like Ye Olde Chop House, Whyte's and
Massoletti's in the downtown section, Keen's English Chop House, Billy the
Oysterman King of the Sea, Cavanagh's, Luchow's, Hotel Lafayette, Gage and
Tollner's (Brooklyn) and the German-American Rathskeller.

Long established and convenient all over the city are the restaurants of
such chains as Longchamps, Savarin, Schrafft's, Childs' and Stouffer's, not
to forget the Automat, whose mechanical way of serving its customers is a
delight to many."

</>

Gregory Morrow said...

> I stumbled upon an interesting site, featuring original reviews and
> menus of old NYC restos and nightclubs. Featured a Algonquin,
> Biltmore, Black Angus, Copacabana, Cotillion Room, Eden Roc, Embers,
> Famous Kitchen, Gage and Tollner's, Glen Island Casino, Jack
> Delaney's, Jack Dempsey's, Latin Quarter, Little Club, Luchow's,
> Major's Cabin, Marianne et Fils, St. Regis Maisonette, Stork Club,
> Waldorf-Astoria,. Zanzibar...loads of nostalgia!


When we were kids, on vacation in NYC in the early '60s, we went to a
fish restaurant called "Sweets." My parents ordered for me, the baked
halibut. ICK! I only ate bread and butter. It came served on a silver
platter drowning in butter. It was DELICIOUS!!!

We also climbed the stairs up to the top of the Statue of Liberty! I
guess we got up to the crown, I forget. I do remember looking out at the
scenery.

Thanks for bringing back a long lost, fond memory!

Andy

Andy wrote:
> Gregory Morrow said...

>
> When we were kids, on vacation in NYC in the early '60s, we went to a
> fish restaurant called "Sweets." My parents ordered for me, the baked
> halibut. ICK! I only ate bread and butter. It came served on a silver
> platter drowning in butter. It was DELICIOUS!!!
>
>
> Thanks for bringing back a long lost, fond memory!
>
> Andy


You also had to walk up a flight of stairs to get to Sweets, if I
remember correctly. It was a great place for fish and with very
reasonable prices and wasn't it right next to the Fulton Fish Market?

Here are more NYC restaurants from the 1930's. Make sure to look at
the prices for dinner.

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/ARCH...estaurants.htm

Sweets was fantastic.. I worked in that area and used to go there for lunch.
Their filet of sole was also the best..

--
Shafer - Professional Web Surfer and President of the PWSAA; Official
BB and anywhere else pointgiver and CEO HRWB.

Andy wrote:
> Gregory Morrow said...
>
>> I stumbled upon an interesting site, featuring original reviews and
>> menus of old NYC restos and nightclubs. Featured a Algonquin,
>> Biltmore, Black Angus, Copacabana, Cotillion Room, Eden Roc, Embers,
>> Famous Kitchen, Gage and Tollner's, Glen Island Casino, Jack
>> Delaney's, Jack Dempsey's, Latin Quarter, Little Club, Luchow's,
>> Major's Cabin, Marianne et Fils, St. Regis Maisonette, Stork Club,
>> Waldorf-Astoria,. Zanzibar...loads of nostalgia!
>
>
> When we were kids, on vacation in NYC in the early '60s, we went to a
> fish restaurant called "Sweets." My parents ordered for me, the baked
> halibut. ICK! I only ate bread and butter. It came served on a silver
> platter drowning in butter. It was DELICIOUS!!!
>
> We also climbed the stairs up to the top of the Statue of Liberty! I
> guess we got up to the crown, I forget. I do remember looking out at
> the scenery.
>
> Thanks for bringing back a long lost, fond memory!
>
> Andy

Margaret Suran said...

>> When we were kids, on vacation in NYC in the early '60s, we went to a
>> fish restaurant called "Sweets." My parents ordered for me, the baked
>> halibut. ICK! I only ate bread and butter. It came served on a silver
>> platter drowning in butter. It was DELICIOUS!!!
>>
>>
>> Thanks for bringing back a long lost, fond memory!
>>
>> Andy
>
>
> You also had to walk up a flight of stairs to get to Sweets, if I
> remember correctly. It was a great place for fish and with very
> reasonable prices and wasn't it right next to the Fulton Fish Market?


Margaret,

I don't know. I vaguely remember it was in the shadows of an overhead
roadway?

Andy

On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 11:02:02 GMT, Margaret Suran
> wrote:

>
>
>Andy wrote:
>> Gregory Morrow said...
>
>>
>> When we were kids, on vacation in NYC in the early '60s, we went to a
>> fish restaurant called "Sweets." My parents ordered for me, the baked
>> halibut. ICK! I only ate bread and butter. It came served on a silver
>> platter drowning in butter. It was DELICIOUS!!!
>>
>>
>> Thanks for bringing back a long lost, fond memory!
>>
>> Andy
>
>
>You also had to walk up a flight of stairs to get to Sweets, if I
>remember correctly. It was a great place for fish and with very
>reasonable prices and wasn't it right next to the Fulton Fish Market?

Yes, Sweets was terrific. And if you wanted "character" when you ate
down there, you went to Sloppy Louie's
>
>Here are more NYC restaurants from the 1930's. Make sure to look at
>the prices for dinner.
>
>http://www.nyc-architecture.com/ARCH...estaurants.htm


I am amazed at how many were gone by the time I got to NYC in 1972.
Still, I managed to hit a good number of them, and very glad I did.

Boron

Andy wrote:
> Margaret Suran said...
>
>
>>>When we were kids, on vacation in NYC in the early '60s, we went to a
>>>fish restaurant called "Sweets." My parents ordered for me, the baked
>>>halibut. ICK! I only ate bread and butter. It came served on a silver
>>>platter drowning in butter. It was DELICIOUS!!!
>>>
>>>
>>>Thanks for bringing back a long lost, fond memory!
>>>
>>>Andy
>>
>>
>>You also had to walk up a flight of stairs to get to Sweets, if I
>>remember correctly. It was a great place for fish and with very
>>reasonable prices and wasn't it right next to the Fulton Fish Market?
>
>
>
> Margaret,
>
> I don't know. I vaguely remember it was in the shadows of an overhead
> roadway?
>
> Andy

Probably a stretch of the subway running as an elevated train. I
remember that we left our car there while my husband and I ate at
Sweets and that we came back to find that someone had taken the air
out of all four tires. We had to call the AAA and wait until two guys
came and got air into the tires again. We were lucky that the tires
were not slashed.

Margaret Suran wrote:
> Andy wrote:
>> Gregory Morrow said...
>
>>
>> When we were kids, on vacation in NYC in the early '60s, we went to a
>> fish restaurant called "Sweets." My parents ordered for me, the baked
>> halibut. ICK! I only ate bread and butter. It came served on a silver
>> platter drowning in butter. It was DELICIOUS!!!
>>
>>
>> Thanks for bringing back a long lost, fond memory!
>>
>> Andy
>
>
> You also had to walk up a flight of stairs to get to Sweets, if I
> remember correctly. It was a great place for fish and with very
> reasonable prices and wasn't it right next to the Fulton Fish Market?
>
> Here are more NYC restaurants from the 1930's. Make sure to look at
> the prices for dinner.
>
> http://www.nyc-architecture.com/ARCH...estaurants.htm

This reminds me of a place that used to be in Memphis on Poplar Avenue
called The Knickerbocker. The building was designed to look like an
old-style English cottage with glass lattice-paned windows and lots of heavy
beams inside. It was basically a steak and seafood place. One night my
(then) boyfriend and I went there for dinner; this was around 1985. It was
the (I think) 25th or 30th anniversary of the restaurant opening.

All the prices were set to what they were 25-30 years prior (around 1955 or
1960). What a neat idea! although how they could afford to do it was beyond
me. Or maybe it just proved things didn't have to be as expensive as they
would have us believe!

We each had a slice of rare prime rib with a broiled lobster tail. The food
was delicious; the service was very good. IIRC the meal for the two of us,
which included a baked potato, some steamed mixed vegetables, freshly baked
rolls and a bottle of wine cost about $11.

I suppose this was sort of a last ditch effort to continue to draw in
customers. Co-workers and I often went there for lunch, but sadly, within
months after this anniversary promotion the restaurant closed. A shame,
since it wasn't a "chain" or fast food and the food was really good even at
full price.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
> Margaret Suran wrote:
>


> One night my
> (then) boyfriend and I went there for dinner; this was around 1985. It was
> the (I think) 25th or 30th anniversary of the restaurant opening.
>
> All the prices were set to what they were 25-30 years prior (around 1955 or
> 1960). What a neat idea! although how they could afford to do it was beyond
> me. Or maybe it just proved things didn't have to be as expensive as they
> would have us believe!
>
> We each had a slice of rare prime rib with a broiled lobster tail. The food
> was delicious; the service was very good. IIRC the meal for the two of us,
> which included a baked potato, some steamed mixed vegetables, freshly baked
> rolls and a bottle of wine cost about $11.
>
> I suppose this was sort of a last ditch effort to continue to draw in
> customers. Co-workers and I often went there for lunch, but sadly, within
> months after this anniversary promotion the restaurant closed. A shame,
> since it wasn't a "chain" or fast food and the food was really good even at
> full price.
>
> Jill
>

Jill, how is the weather? I saw some pictures of terrible storms on
TV in parts of Tennessee.

Several New York City restaurants used to have this kind of promotion
for a special anniversary and the 2nd Avenue Deli used to do it once a
year. Customers would start lining up hours before the opening and
there would be a line all day long, until almost closing time.

Prices were the same as they were on the day that was being
commemorated (opening day?), such as a Pastrami Sandwich for 25 cents
or so at the deli and a steak dinner for $1.00 in some other fine
restaurant. I am guessing at the prices, I never went. No place that
was doing badly could afford to do it, the ones that did were
successful. Since the 2nd Avenue Deli closed, I have not heard of
such a promotion and it would be very expensive to do it now.

My husband once asked a waiter at the 2nd Ave. Deli how the guests
tipped on such a day and he was told that most of them left good tips,
like a couple of dollars for a 50 cents bill. )

Margaret Suran said...

>
>
> Andy wrote:
>> Margaret Suran said...
>>
>>
>>>>When we were kids, on vacation in NYC in the early '60s, we went to a
>>>>fish restaurant called "Sweets." My parents ordered for me, the baked
>>>>halibut. ICK! I only ate bread and butter. It came served on a silver
>>>>platter drowning in butter. It was DELICIOUS!!!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Thanks for bringing back a long lost, fond memory!
>>>>
>>>>Andy
>>>
>>>
>>>You also had to walk up a flight of stairs to get to Sweets, if I
>>>remember correctly. It was a great place for fish and with very
>>>reasonable prices and wasn't it right next to the Fulton Fish Market?
>>
>>
>>
>> Margaret,
>>
>> I don't know. I vaguely remember it was in the shadows of an overhead
>> roadway?
>>
>> Andy
>
> Probably a stretch of the subway running as an elevated train. I
> remember that we left our car there while my husband and I ate at
> Sweets and that we came back to find that someone had taken the air
> out of all four tires. We had to call the AAA and wait until two guys
> came and got air into the tires again. We were lucky that the tires
> were not slashed.


Kids in those days! <G>

Andy