Anna Marie’s Christmas gift to me was a weekend in Hudson Valley, and my birthday gift to her (she is a December baby) was a tour of Manhattan in a 1930 vehicle and dinner. To this end, she flew in on Wednesday, January 25th. The first place I wanted to take her to was Cecconi’s in Brooklyn. I knew she would love seeing the Manhattan skyline. It was raining, and it rained the entire time we were there, but I have to say it was still magnificent. What’s nicer than having a wonderful dinner to the constant sound of rain?
The car tour was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, with dinner to follow. We decided to kick off our day by walking to the Empire Diner in Midtown, close to the Nowadays Car Tour, where we would catch our 1930s ride. We knew it would take about an hour to walk there and that it was a bit cold with the wind, but off we went on West Street. West Street is closest to the water on the west side of Manhattan. I had never walked very far on it, but we ended up walking through West Village and ran into some nice areas worth exploring; cute shops and quaint restaurants. I definitely need to spend more time here.
What can I say about the Empire Diner that I haven’t said about almost every other place I have eaten at in NYC? It is adorable, and the food is delicious! It’s located on 10th Avenue in West Chelsea and has been there since 1976. One additional special touch, it has a bar.
After lunch, we embarked on a two-hour tour through Manhattan, starting in Midtown and through to the Upper East Side. We were in a 1930 Hudson, which was a bit bigger than the last time I did this. Thank God! This tour was much better, and both Anna Marie and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Aaron, our tour guide, drove us up and down the streets, telling us stories as if it was actually 1930. He told us about the movers and the shakers who thought they were something else because they would build magnificent buildings. There would be competitions in building the “tallest” building and about the “gangstas” we might run into if we stopped for a drink. It was a step back in time.
After the tour, I was intent on going to the same restaurant I had been to with Louise and Annette after our car tour. I really wanted to sit at the bar and see the mural of noses I had not noticed before… and I wanted to do this with Anna Marie. As you know by now, my sense of direction is ridiculous, so the chances of finding this place were nil to none, and I couldn’t even remember the restaurant’s name. However, I am here to tell you that, yes, miracles do happen! We actually stumbled upon Trattoria Dell’Arte on 7th Avenue and enjoyed a nice cocktail before dinner with those magnificent noses!
And now it was time for dinner. The impetus to dine at Le Coucou was a book Anita had sent me, Your Table is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D’ written by Michael Cecchi-Azzolina. He worked for many years at “Le Coucou,” and I thought he still worked there. I ordered a book for Anna Marie and asked that we both read the book and then dine there while she was in town. Neither one of us finished it, but it has started out to be a good read, and I do intend on finishing it. Oh, and by the way, Michael hasn’t worked there for several years. Of course, I asked!
Le Coucou is located on Lafayette St. and is a wonderful restaurant; the food, the staff, the ambiance, nothing was lacking. Daniel Rose, co-owner of Le Coucou, is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef and proprietor of several award-winning restaurants. Partnered with Stephen Starr, the restaurant has been open since 2016 with closure during COVID.
We both ordered the rabbit and thought about Noeline since she often prepared rabbit in the past. The order was served in three different ways: A plate with two rabbit medallions, rabbit in a tureen with a broth, and bone-in rabbit served with an au jus and greens. It was delicious and delightful! My mouth is watering as I write this.
It was a wonderful evening. In fact, it was a wonderful day. Happy Birthday, Anna Marie!