3 Un-Frugal NYC Meals That Were Totally Worth It

Here at The Frugal Foodies, we are all about flavor on a budget. But this past month we splurged on a few treat yourself kind of meals. New York City has one of the best culinary scenes in the world. And after being gone for a year, we figured we had some “fun funds” in the kitty for a handful of pricier dining experiences.

I’m happy to report that we got what we paid for!

Let’s dive into 3 un-frugal NYC meals that were totally worth it!

1. Laser Wolf

Laser Wolf is an Israeli restaurant situated on the roof of The Hoxton in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It’s a “shipudiya”, or “skewer house”, meaning everything is cooked over a charcoal grill. The spot has relaxed, yet elevated vibes with the star being the exceptional views of the Manhattan skyline. River views + trendy vibes + good food + being in Williamsburg is the ultimate recipe for a viral restaurant in New York City. Ever since it opened in 2022, Laser Wolf has been a hard-to-get reservation. And I just so happened to get one when my cousins were in town….

The menu is prix fixe. Each person orders a meat, fish, or vegetable, then everyone shares salatim, which is a staple of Israeli food. It’s an appetizer course that features various dips and bites served along with fresh pita.

The Salatim at Laser Wolf came with 11 different items. My favorites were the babaganoush, beets, and lutenitsa– a pepper sauce of sorts that’s made with roasted eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. Dips and bites with breads is my absolute favorite type of meal. Who doesn’t love getting to try so many different things? Plus, at Laser Wolf you are able to get however many refills you like!

For the meats, Jeremy and I got the kofta and lamb & beef kebab to share. They had a nice charcoal flavor and were cooked well. Perfectly delicious, but not overly memorable. A brown butter soft serve with a blueberry and oat crumble wrapped a bow on the whole experience.

Cost: Pre-tax and tip, our choices were $52 each.

Given the locale, vibes, view, and the fact you get essentially unlimited appetizers, I think Laser Wolf offers a reasonable value for a restaurant of it’s caliber.

2. Red Hook Tavern

Red Hook Tavern is a cozy tavern located in Red Hook, Brooklyn… go figure. The restaurant itself is intimate with dim lighting and architecture that bounces an inviting chatter around the room. The menu pays homage to famous New York taverns with dishes influenced by French, Italian, and American cuisine.

But what Red Hook Tavern is famous for is their dry-aged tavern burger for a whopping $32. It took the owner 8 months to nail the patty. Which is half hanger steak, half 45 day dry-aged new york strip with 25% fat content. It’s generously sprinkled with pepper and flame grilled to perfection.

And I must report it is utterly delicious. The burger has a perfect meatiness with solid umami. And the cheese, onions, and bun don’t distract from the star of the show. Not to mention, the crinkle fries are insanely good.

We also gave the country ham croquettes for $16 a try. The combination of salty ham and slightly tangy cheddar mixed with breadcrumbs and fried is elevated comfort food at it’s finest. A creamy dijonnaise tied everything together.

Cost: $98 for 2 burgers, 1 app, and 2 beers pre tax and tip. Which I’m not mad about!

3. Theodora

Our dinner at Theodora will go down in my books as one of the best meals I’ve had in New York City. This Fort Greene spot is the brainchild of Tomer Blechman, an Israeli chef who is the owner of several highly regarded Brooklyn spots including Miss Ada, Nili, and Thea.

The menu at Theodora is expertly crafted around seasonal produce and dry-aged fish, which are cooked via a charcoal oven and open fire grill. Wildly innovative flavors has skyrocketed Theodora to fame in the New York food scene, and getting a Resy is no easy task. We, however, happened to snag one at 5:15pm on a Tuesday. And you better believe we went all in.

To start, we got the hiramasa (yellowtail amberjack) and sourdough. The hiramasa was served raw with limes, avocado, and dashi– a Japanese soup stock made from kelp, dried bonito flakes, dried shiitake mushrooms, and dried sardines. The fish itself had a subtly sweet flavor that somehow paired perfectly with the deep umami from the dashi and citrus from the lime. Mind blowing is an understatement. I wasn’t as wowed by the sourdough. It was undoubtedly delicious. But not overly unique and quite expensive ($16) considering the fact you can get a whole loaf at Thea for $14.

The next “course” was the octopus and a surprise serve of wood-fired greens. We think we got the greens because there was a bit of a wait. The octopus was without a doubt the best octopus I’ve ever had. The texture was beyond tender with a nice meatiness that was anything but “chewy”. Smoked shallots added a unique smokey sweetness that livened up the rich sauce. 10/10 dish. The vegetables were also top tier with a deep charcoal flavor.

Note that we did order the red snapper ceviche, but it never came and we didn’t ask about it because we had so much food.

Finally, we got the half chicken ($39) and lamb ($46) as our mains. The half chicken isn’t just any chicken. It’s marinated for 3 days in olive oil along with various herbs and spices before being roasted in the Jospar oven. It’s juicy, salty, and smokey, dispelling any myth that chicken is boring. The lamb is served on a freshly baked flat bread and served with tahini, amba, and shifka as dips. Like everything else, the layers of flavor are nothing short of mind boggling.

To fully appreciate what Theodora is whipping up, check out the Youtube video below.

Cost: $146 pre tax and tip. For the quality and amount of food, I think this is extremely fair pricing.

These 3 un-frugal NYC meals were 100% worth every penny.

Which leads me to my key frugal tip for dining out in NYC:

If you want to save money, skip the booze!

We did get a beer each at Red Hook Tavern, which were $9 each. But forgoing a drink at Laser Wolf and Theodora saved us $40, easily. When cocktails are $18, I personally rather get another appetizer.