The City Kitchen Experience
When I came to New York, I was astonished by the wide variety of high-end, luxurious eateries. Even at the fairly costly ones, there was always a whole crowd of customers waiting to be served, which made me wonder the kind of services they offered. Being a visitor, I was still looking for that perfect comfortable location to grab a bite, grab a drink and relax. Before I could search for long, I stumbled upon The City Kitchen, a food court in the Times Square.
I was really impressed by its location. Although it’s quite unknown by many tourists, it is often as full as Times Square itself. The outward appearance of this food court was very inviting, so I had to check it out, and most probably eat as much I could handle.
The interior design was just as interesting. It looked very modern and quite cozy, taken that a lot of people happen to be there at the same time. This is one place where you could relax without feeling any pressure of the high class. What can I say, it’s New York. Even when you don’t know where you’re going, you can end up somewhere really good. (Like City Kitchen!)
When I had to decide what to eat, I realized that the City Kitchen serves a wide range of dishes, both local and exotic, and all of them are located in one small and comfortable location. After checking out the prices, I realized they really do reflect the fact that this food court is located at the center of New York City. The portions are smaller, and the prices are higher. For example, eight small pieces of sushi cost a whopping $12.
The procedure is such that when you choose what you want to eat, you wait in a line at the counter, and then place your order and pay. While your meal is getting ready, you can find a free seat and wait for your number. When your order is done, you pick it up. It’s quite simple. It’s exactly what I did when I tried the Luke’s Lobster. However, I found the best dish in the City Kitchen to be the shrimp.
Costing $12, I guess it was the serenading aroma with which this dish is prepared that made the wait worthwhile. The taste is of great quality and generally, food in this place is really fresh and delicious. I also got a bottled drink, chips and a pickle (you can also add soup for $4 more).
The best part is that the chips has vinegar added to it for that tantalizing taste. On the other hand, the shrimp is very tasteful but not big enough if you want a proper meal; it’s more like an appetizer. This dish is a recommendation of staff members, so that should explain why they needed so much time to prepare it – they made it fresh, not just warming it up.
Being a visitor, I never thought there could be a place to eat and dine in the Times Square at mid-level prices (taken the luxury of where you’re located). The City Kitchen indeed offers a seamless combination of food, comfort and class. I wouldn’t have a second opinion about going there for another treat.
Written by: Bob Yben
