Union Square Cafe (USC) is a classic and longstanding restaurant in New York. It is definitely a family place as the prices can tend to be expensive. This was the first restaurant my parents took me and my brother to on our first trip to NYC.
The same itself is small and simple. The menu is simple american food done right. No dish is too heavy or too filling. They have daily specials as well as a rotating menu based on season. The union square greenmarket is steps away so you know your ingredients are local and fresh.
The past summer, I returned to USC after a 5 year absence. Something extraordinary occurred. The waitress came up to my mother (since I was in the bathroom) and said "we have on record that your daughter has an allergy to peanuts, nuts and fish. Is this still correct?". My mother was so taken aback. Never in my life has a restaurant kept on file that I have food allergies. It was such a breath of fresh air. Instead of the typically act of the waitress telling me what I could or could not eat, she let me chose what I wanted and made sure it was okay for me to have. The whole meal was perfect and the most relaxed I have ever been. When it came to dessert, I realized I had forgotten to remind the waitress about my allergy. I tend to do this many times throughout a meal because I know how many other things the waitress and kitchen chefs must be thinking about. When she brought me my chocolate bread pudding, she said "here is your nut free dessert". I was shocked. She had taken the words right out of my mouth.
The same itself is small and simple. The menu is simple american food done right. No dish is too heavy or too filling. They have daily specials as well as a rotating menu based on season. The union square greenmarket is steps away so you know your ingredients are local and fresh.
The past summer, I returned to USC after a 5 year absence. Something extraordinary occurred. The waitress came up to my mother (since I was in the bathroom) and said "we have on record that your daughter has an allergy to peanuts, nuts and fish. Is this still correct?". My mother was so taken aback. Never in my life has a restaurant kept on file that I have food allergies. It was such a breath of fresh air. Instead of the typically act of the waitress telling me what I could or could not eat, she let me chose what I wanted and made sure it was okay for me to have. The whole meal was perfect and the most relaxed I have ever been. When it came to dessert, I realized I had forgotten to remind the waitress about my allergy. I tend to do this many times throughout a meal because I know how many other things the waitress and kitchen chefs must be thinking about. When she brought me my chocolate bread pudding, she said "here is your nut free dessert". I was shocked. She had taken the words right out of my mouth.