ometimes the best dining experiences begin by allowing someone else to order. During a day exploring Manhattan with Lucy Wu, our conversations eventually brought us to Estiatorio Milos Midtown. Lucy knew the restaurant. I trusted Lucy. That seemed like a reasonable arrangement.

Milos is known for its Mediterranean approach to seafood, and from the moment we arrived, lunch felt less like simply stopping somewhere to eat and more like another experience Lucy wanted to share.

Then came the Carabinero shrimp.

At some point, I found myself being encouraged to bite the head off a shrimp and follow it with sherry wine. I wasn’t entirely convinced. But I had already decided this was a day for going with the flow. So I did.

It was delicious.

Maybe that sounds a little goofy. But it is also one of the things I enjoy about traveling and spending time with people who know a city better than I do.

They introduce you to things you probably would not have ordered yourself. Food becomes part of the conversation. Lunch becomes part of the story.

Our table at Milos was filled with both. We talked about Manhattan, business, real estate, family, relationships and what might be next in our respective professional journeys.

There was no agenda. Just good food and good conversation.

I have eaten at plenty of restaurants while traveling over the years. The memorable ones are not necessarily defined by the most expensive dish or elaborate presentation.

Sometimes you remember a place because of who was sitting across the table. Sometimes you remember what you talked about. Sometimes you remember biting the head off a shrimp and thinking: Okay, Lucy was right.

HL | PHOTO JOURNAL

Experience Milos through our lens. Explore photographs from our visit to Estiatorio Milos Midtown and discover more from the HL | Photo Journal archive.

Photography by Richard Sandoval | HL Media Network