My older sister Celeste and her husband Matt are coming into town this weekend to stay through Thanksgiving. Celeste and Matt know their way around the city pretty well since they lived here for three years while Celeste was in midwifrey school at Columbia. Saturday night we are going out to eat in the city and Celeste and Matt are having a hard time deciding between their three favorite restaurants:

1. Dawat (Indian). This is a fantastic Indian restaurant in midtown which is an unusal place for a great restaurant. There is also an Indian food district in the lower east side of the village where they have great ambiance and sitar players but I still think this place is still the best. Growing up, my family used to go to a Dawat in White Plains, NY but sadly it closed a few years ago.

2. Lemon Grass (Thai). Delicious and CHEAP! You can get 2 entrees and an appetizer for under $25. The pad thai is the best I’ve had and the curry is outstanding. Great spot as a gateway drug into southeast asian food.

3. Patsys (Best Pizza in Manhattan). There is lots of good pizza in NY. Pretty much any corner pizza shop has better pizza than anything else you’ve had if you haven’t ever been to NY. But Patsy’s is a whole different food. Simple, fresh ingredients with a thin toasted crust. It’s outstanding. I think this is Celeste and Matt’s favorite restaurant (it is actually a restaurant, not a pizza joint/deli).

My vote is for Dawat.