Take In A View Of Manhattan From The Water's Edge

Water's Edge
401 44th Drive at the East River
Long Island City, New York 11101

Let's face it, Manhattan could be cleaner. It could be more modern. The island has moments of profound beauty, but more often I'm looking at gum-spattered sidewalks and mountains of trash bags.

Something happens, though, when you leave the city and glimpse it from the outside. The scale of the island decreases, but the grandeur becomes overwhelming. It's a spectacle that doesn't tire or fade. And what better way to enjoy Manhattan than from the Water's Edge in Queens?

With such a stunning view, I had expected sky-high fares and mediocre food. While the prices were indeed quite high, they were as reasonable as could be expected in the shadow of skyscrapers. The food, on the other hand, exceeded expectations.

I was a winner with the crab cake. Water's Edge is a seafood restaurant, after all. Yet they were able to prepare impressively delicate and light gnocchi, a textural feat we could even taste through the heavy cream, salty bacon, and general weight and gluttony of the dish.

Maryland Crab Cake. Lump crab, chive slaw, Cajun remoulade ($15)

Hand Rolled Gnocchi. Specked ham, shitake mushrooms, truffle oil, taleggio cream. ($14)

For dinner, I ate the lobster and shrimp entrée. Paler than my typical red, Main lobster, this crustacean crawled from Brazil. I recognized the difference in color immediately, asking the waiter about the lobster's origins (rather than paying attention to the menu's detail in the first place). Yet, I couldn't taste too much of a difference, though the meat was tougher and less sweet. The white wine and butter sauce blanketed the dish, blurring any flavor distinction I may have been able to make. I couldn't even finish the whole meal--the butter slowed me down and eventually became overbearingly rich.

Shrimp and Brazilian Lobster Tail 7oz. Francese. White wine, lemon butter sauce ($45)

Chilean Sea Bass. Cherry peppers, red onion, sweet corn, cilantro pesto. ($34)

View of the bar and the restaurant beyond.

We left as the staff closed up the restaurant. Despite the rocky start to the evening, it was smooth waters the rest of the night at Water's edge. Full of butter and cream, we rolled home (in a Lyft car) and slipped into a food coma that lasted to the next morning. 

Want to Gorge on Brunch That You Won't Regret? Try Miriam.

Miriam Restaurant - Park Slope
79 5th Ave., Brooklyn, NY

I've been valiantly tested in the all-you-can-eat brunch challenge, only to fail with a post-prandial stomach ache. I've laughed my way through all-you-can drink brunches only to be knocked out the rest of the day. In New York, the brunch options are too delectable to pass up, but four eggs and a basket of fries later I often question whether it was worth it.

Miriam takes away the grease and the guilt.

We managed to squeeze into the buzzing restaurant without too much of a wait. On the exposed brick of the Israeli restaurant hung bright Moroccan ceramic plates. The large windows let in all the daylight. It was busy but calm and very pleasant.

The best part about Miriams is there were no regrets. Healthy but a bit decadent--as anything is with a dollop of creme fraiche--and fair price for the freshness, Miriam hit the spot in every way. I was able to pop my poached eggs, soak up the yolk with warm flatbread, and wash everything down with a healthy heap of Israeli salad. Even the one breakfast cocktail I ordered was a success, having taken the waitress' recommendation for a fresh summer beverage. (I find that too often breakfast drinks are either too expensive or too boozy, with the aim to get the drinker so sloshed he forgets how awful the concoction tastes.)

I left full (not overstuffed) and happy. And I plan to do it again.