Side-bar blog: Soliciting good decent diet places to eat in NYC

Pretty price-y classic Oyster Bar at Grand Central Terminal, but Mon-Weds there's a happy hour from 5:30-7 and also on Saturdays from 1-7 PM with GCOB Long Island Bluepoint Oysters for $1.25 each. Not half bad. Plus, nearby, there is a salad bar with a $4.99 salad of good mixed greens and dressing, with additional ingredients at 70 cents a pop (e.g., chickpeas, tomatoes, etc.).

 But my favorite salad place was Cafe Metro up Lexington Avenue at 45th or 46th street, just a few blocks away from GCT. $7.99 for a huge salad and multiple toppings. Helped me manage to keep my NYC meal costs at a reasonable level, and ate well. 

Longwood Gourmet buffet ($7.99/pound) at Lexington and 48th looked good, but my sample of various items prompted me never to return, except in a pinch. It helps that it's open 24 hours, but I'd have to be pretty hungry late at night to go back there again.