Our paths lead us to our own, idiosyncratic places--often with hard-to-justify prejudices and preferences.
I have never eaten a meal at Sardis--it frankly never occurred to me. But the 2nd-floor bar is my go-to for for pre-show drinks. It's been years since I noticed whether it's fresh or tired. But the drinks and snacks are good and the conversation at the bar almost always spreads in a good-natured, theater-centric way. A thousand years ago, I went because it was part of my notion of what an old-school, Night on the Town was. At some point, I just became old school...
I had a good friend who was a waiter at Joe Allen's, so used to eat there frequently. The frequency of actual theater-world celebrity sightings added a frisson--it made me feel like we were at the center of things and the food was serviceable. It's still an easy, post-theater option--especially on nights when everyone is hungry and no-one has a strong opinion about where to go.
I'll add another vote for Chez Josephine, as well, especially since my absolute, personal favorite--Maria's Mont Blanc--has closed. They've been promising to re-open on 52nd St., but the last time I checked, the sign said February, which has come and gone.
You think, what do you want?
You think, make a decision...
