The Dinnertime Dance in New York

It’s dinnertime in New York and we’ve got a plan. We’ll grab a glass of wine at Bar Jamón, then get dinner at either ABC Kitchen or Beecher’s or Cafe Mono. Easy.

We jump in a cab and head to Gramercy Park. It’s still a little early, so we’re hoping the crowd isn’t too big yet at Bar Jamón. We walk up to the wine bar and find two men fighting outside. Not punch-fighting, yell-fighting. They’ve had too many drinks. Must have been a work party or something because they’re both dressed nicely and it’s too early to be that drunk. Our friend, Justin, attempts to cool the guy off with some comforting eye contact and a pleasant shrug. It doesn’t work. The yelling continues. And Bar Jamón is packed.

Bar Jamón is packed because Bar Jamón is maybe the smallest bar in the world outside of The Matchbox in Chicago. We knew that, but we chanced it anyway. It’s worked out before, I promised our friends. Sorry. Time to scramble.

It’s too early to eat, so we pass on next-door Cafe Mono and head towards ABC Kitchen. A little walk will be nice and the babysitter spoke highly of the place, so we set off. It’s around the corner and down the block, but when we walk down the block, we don’t see anything. Phones out, Google Maps loads on four devices. It’s not here. It’s closed. Lisa spots a sign. So much for the restaurant tip from the babysitter that was here a few weeks ago. Things change fast in Manhattan.

It’s getting late. Beecher’s is a popular spot for mac and cheese, and we hesitate. Will it be packed already? Is there anything else around? Yelp is fired up, let me ask Urban Spoon, maybe Google knows something.

There’s a Malaysian spot nearby, Laut. Let’s hustle. It’s getting late. We’re like Cinderella rushing the deadline. We don’t want to be the last ones standing when the whistle blows at 7PM and the musical chairs game is over.

Table for four?

We sit right down. We get menus. We order drinks. We look around. There’s a line out the door. We just made it.