pj clarke's

new york, ny

website

dorothy had tickets to see der rosenkavalier at the metropolitan opera house in lincoln square. although jenny and i couldn't spare 4.5 hours to enjoy the opera with her, we met up with her for drinks at the empire hotel. we initially tried to meet her at the grand tier restaurant inside the opera house, but a rather stern ticket-taker informed us that we needed tickets to the performance in order to go to the restaurant. no matter, the empire hotel is just across the street from lincoln center and serves excellent (though very strong) drinks. i had an eau de vanessa - grey goose le poire, pear nectar and white grape juice.

after dorothy left for the opera, jenny and i decided we should probably get some food to absorb the alcohol. the original pj clarke's is located in midtown east - it's an old school new york restaurant. you almost expect the bartender to have a handle-bar moustache. the lincoln square location is new, but has a similar feel. we both ordered the burger. definitely old school - they don't tell you where the meat is from, what cut they use, how long the meat has been aged, or where the produce is sourced from. it has a soft white-bread bun, thick beefy patty, melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a pickle on the side. a solid and satisfying meal.