PT212 is one of my favorite places for dinner in the city. I’ve been here numerous times - on dates, with friends and with my parents - and I’ve never been disappointed. From the decor, you can tell the restaurant is striving for the “trendy chic” look, so it’s perfect for out of town friends who want to have the Sex and the City New York experience, without the price. Some nights, a “DJ” is even present. Granted the DJ is playing songs off of Itunes, but it definitely makes you feel a bit cooler at dinner. Even with the music, it’s never loud here and I can always manage to hear the conversation I’m having - unlike if you visit Sea in Brooklyn. Just like the decor, I think the hostess tries to act trendy as well too - they always will question if you have a reservation, and despite the reserved signs on the tables, they’ll still seat you - at a reserved table.
PT212 is the Manhattan version of Planet Thailand in Williamsburg. I personally prefer PT212 because in 
Brooklyn, the tables are on top of each other so it’s like you are forced to eat with strangers. At PT212, you can order Thai or Sushi. I know when I wrote about Chinatown East, I hated that restaurant tried to combine every type of Asian cuisine under one roof. PT212 on the other hand, actually gets it right. Now I’m not a sushi connoisseur so I usually stick to rolls like spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, boston roll, etc. but friends that do know their sushi say it’s pretty good. I just like having the option of getting either-or, or both, when I’m at PT212. I’ve also tried the Pad Thai which is great, but my favorite item on the menu is the fried calamari. It’s the perfect consistency of fried batter to calamari, and the plum dipping sauce is excellent. The batter is light, crispy and delicious.
From a price standpoint, the meals are quite reasonable and if you go for lunch, you can get several dishes and a salad or soup for $8.95. Dinner is still reasonable, with most entrees or two rolls of sushi costing between $10-15. Drinks however, are a little more pricey, as a cocktail will set you back $10 bucks. My advice is to go for the meal, drink water, and use the money you would have spent on cocktails on an appetizer instead.
The Basics Name: PT212 Location: 30 W 24th St between 5th and 6th Who to take: Parents, Date, Friends Price: Typical NYC. $$ Overall: Become a regular. 5 stars.
a note regarding Sea in Brooklyn - i went there about two months. it was fun and lively, darkly lit, and had very delicious food. then as we’re waiting for the check we noticed an unusually large coch roach scattering out from the kitchen. an employee wiped it up like it was nothing and threw it away, but it was absolutely disgusting and i felt sick. granted, i know kitchens are probably gross everywhere, but seeing it come your way from the kitchen is no dining experience i want again.