Welcome back, @Fattydumplin! Take a gander through past nyc threads for ideas too - there’s been a fair bit of discussion on people’s trips in recent months.
Some thoughts on your list:
- Italian: take a look at Marta, Il Buco, Il Buco Alimentari, and L’Artusi
- Spanish: Boqueria is fun with a broad and tasty menu, multiple locations. Alta I’m the village strangely still thrives, though I haven’t been post-pandemic so check recent reviews.
- GT: I’d go for drinks before, or with kids in tow, dessert and a drink after dinner.
- Viet: Look at Madame Vo / Monsieur Vo / Saigon Social. You may want to venture to Thai - look at Thai diner and Wayla too. Worth a cab ride out of your radius.
- Balthazar: hard to argue with ambience. Frenchette is good, but is not Balthazar. Pasties reopened, it may also fit the bill and be a throwback.
