Swishing & Dishing

Calling all #Knicksnation fans: a restaurant that takes pride in the New York Knicks and serves good food! How much better could that get? I myself, was a huge Knicks fan, but now they suck so I'm in between teams. However, when I went to this restaurant, I was still a fan so I was ecstatic when my dad told me he was taking me here. Clyde Frazier's Wine and Dine is located in NYC and was founded by the championship winning, 6'4 point guard, Knicks basketball star, Walt "Clyde" Frazier.

The inside of the restaurant is small and a little congested but it is beautiful. There are glass windows that let you see the busy streets of NYC; especially at night. The tables are dressed in white linens and the chairs are grey with precise angles. The ceilings are covered with different 3D designs and colors. They make the atmosphere come to life. One of the things that stands out the most in the restaurant is the bar. There are numerous seats and small tables that are perfect for a sports night with friends.

If you are familiar with Clyde Frazier's commentator language during the Knicks games, the menu will be amusing to read. Being that "wine and dine" is part of the name, the wine menu is labeled specifically to the famous phrases Clyde uses to describe the movements of Knicks players. Some of those phrases include "movin & groovin", "posting & toasting", and my favorite, "swishing & dishing". The addition of these phrases as titles of drinks makes the menu fun to read, even if you have no intention of ordering a drink. Also, other drinks are named after parts of New York like the Bronx Brewery Pale Ale and the "Manhattan". The menu definitely has New York written all over it.

The food on the other hand is exceptional. I cannot remember what I ordered, maybe it was steak or salmon, but I do remember that it was in my mind weeks after my visit. The menu consists of a variety of foods from salads to burgers to pizzas to pasta to savory appetizers. My dad and I were both surprised when our food came because we did not expect it to look so photogenic. The people who prepared the food really took pride in their works of art. Everything on my plate was bursting with flavor and left me wanting more.

Now if you follow people from New York on Instagram or Snapchat, you may have seen people dressed up and taking pictures in what looks like a basketball court. Why would people be dressed up on a basketball court? Well that is because the court they are standing on is located in the back of Clyde Frazier's Wine and Dine. It is a mini court decorated with lights and basketballs allowing people to "pretend" they are playing. It is definitely a widely-known place due to the amount of pictures that have been taken there. However, there are always a lot of people waiting for their turn in the court. I wasn't able to take pictures there but I recommend doing so.

Clyde Frazier's Wine and Dine is a great place for celebrations as well. The menu is very affordable and the setting provides a great feel for New York.  Out of all of the restaurants I have talked about thus far, I would suggest going to this one first if you ever find yourself in New York wondering where to eat.