03.30.09
Posted in American, Lower East Side, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5 at 22:38 by Dominique
71 Clinton & Rivington Sts., 212-228-0994
Great for: sharing among piglets, comfort food until 4am (Friday & Saturday, else 2am)
[I shattered my clavicle snowboarding two weeks ago. I just had surgery - Dominique v2.0, now part titanium! - and am recovering fairly well, but I have to work on my litle brother's frustrating MacBook. The good news is, there's not much else I can focus on through the pain and Percocets so I'll probably get caught up with reviews this week. If I say something odd, blame the meds.]
After a long day of snowboarding with my friends M, V and A (and a late night of partying beforehand) I still wasn’t ready to call it quits. M and some of his friends decided upon dinner here and I was happy to stumble the few blocks over to join them. It’s a good thing Fat Hippo’s byob policy included bottles of vodka – our Stoli kept us reasonably happy as we waited for our table. And waited. And waited some more. The host told N, who lives across the street, that she could put her name down and come back in 30 to 40 minutes. When we all showed up 30 minutes later, we were told one of us should have stayed and it’d be another 20 minutes. Ultimately we waited about an hour and a half from the time we all got there. It was unenjoyable foreplay, but as it turned out, well worth it for the quality (and wonderfully low price) of the food.
It’s great if you have several people so you can try most of the menu. We were absolutely starving – it was 10pm and the five of us had polished off most of the vodka, not to mention M and I had been riding all day – and ordered whatever caught our eyes. We ended up with one app, five entrées and four sides, which was just about the perfect amount. Our lone app, bite-size mozzarella balls with herb-roasted tomatoes and baby arugula, was well-executed.
We enjoyed the Maryland crab cake with mac and cheese, corn and succotash with roasted garlic caper sauce. It was crisp outside and tender inside with just enough breading. The accompanying vegetables were lovely and crunchy. We had to load up on two of the burger fondue after reading its description, and that turned out to be a wise decision. The dish itself reminds me of deconstructionist art. You get six dollar coin-sized sliders per order; buns bracketing meat, lettuce and tomato, with bacon bits and diced pickles on the side. The centerpiece is a small, generous cauldron of cheese. We found the best system was to get some cheese on a bun, sprinkle things to taste and then put it all together. The sliders are surprisingly filling despite their tiny size. The slender french fries were terrific too, both crunchy and chewy. We were oddly delighted by the trailer park chicken sampler with sautéed collard greens, raisin sauce and corn bread. We really liked the beer can-roasted breast and Southern fried drumstick, and then the smoked thigh meat which we discovered after some knifework. All the meat was tender and I even liked the sauce. The pork chop was the best of all the dishes. Stuffed with pulled pork, it also came with bacon, sautéed brussels sprouts and maple jalapeño mustard sauce. We fought over it a little bit.
The two sides of mac and cheese were definitely not overkill. They had lovely crunchy spirals with just enough cheese and cream. The green bean casserole, while not exactly what I was expecting because of the giant mushrooms, was still pretty good. I liked the sauce. The green tomato gratin is nice if you like tomatoes. I didn’t detest it despite my lifelong hatred of non-smushed-up tomatoes.
Fat Hippo now has a liquor license, so no more drinking from – I mean, bringing your own bottle. It won’t be quite as cheap any more but the food at least is really worth it. They were a bit slow about getting things out when we went, though that’s excusable since they’d officially been open only two weeks. Our waitress wasn’t the friendliest I’ve ever met – in fact, she seemed to willfully mishear us quite often – but she eventually got the job done. I liked the stripped-down décor. There was some weird off-putting artwork but it was made up for by the tasteful and unobtrusive strip of mirror and the comfy chairs and banquettes. I’m excited to come back here soon and try the rest of the menu.
Rating: 8.5 / 10 – lost .5 for waiting but gained back for cheap goodness
Our cost: $115 for 5 people! (1 app, 5 entrees, 4 sides)
Noise level: loud
Chance of walking in: haha. Put your name down and check every 5 minutes and make sure one person is there holding your party’s place.
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03.04.09
Posted in American, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, West Village, rated 7 to 7.5 at 07:15 by Dominique
510 Hudson & Christopher/W.10th Sts., 212-242-3021
Great for: steak tartare, salmon, lots of cocktails, singles pickup scene
My new friend AW suggested dinner here and even made reservations – she rocks. (Also, I’d lost my voice from illness and too much singing practice, so she’s kind as well as thoughtful.) It turned out to be a great choice.
Even the bread was fun. There was some delicious chive cream spread that I actually ate some bread to try. I was even happier when my hand-cut steak tartare came. The waiter mixed it right in front of me with an elaborate set of condiments. I loved it by itself, on the thin crispy garlic bread, mixed in the salad… I could definitely make a meal out of it. AW enjoyed her mixed greens with balsamic too.
My orecchiette with house-made pork sausage, arugula and Parmesan was lovely though quite standard. I liked the nice big chunks of sausage with lots of spices. AW had the fantastic pan-seared salmon with artichoke, fingerling potatoes and mache salad. It came in a large filet with a generous amount of sauce and it quickly became obvious why most of the people around us had ordered it.
We had one cocktail each, because they’re so big. I liked my Fraise Sauvage concotion of gin, strawberries, vanilla and prosecco, while her Mata Hari combined VSOP cognac with chai vermouth and pomegranate juice. (I wouldn’t have thought of that either.) Our waiters were a bit harried but generally did the best they could. It’s a typical cramped West Village space, but the skylight and liquor bottles lining the dining room ceiling are a nice touch. Next time I’m just going straight for the steak tartare and salmon.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $120 (2 cocktails)
Noise level: it’s quite a party
Chance of walking in: definitely make a reservation.
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Posted in New York City Reviews at 07:12 by Dominique
210 E.46th St. & 3rd/2nd Aves., 212-687-4855
Great for: steak of course, expense accounts, sharing dishes
It was my birthday, and it started out really well with lunch at the steak temple known as Sparks. I’ve been there a couple times over the years and it’s always been the prelude to a crazy time. This was just lunch, and I didn’t do anything big later because my birthday party was the next day, but it was fun as always nevertheless.
First up, the warm crab and scallops appetizer, which they very kindly plated separately for us. It was fresh, juicy and succulent. We didn’t get anything else to save room for our large filet mignons. They might have been 12 ounces – I nearly finished mine. It was quite charred, maybe a bit dry but not after I slathered butter on it. Our shared side of hash browns was lovely with lots of burnt bits.
After so much meat I only had room for coffee. I liked the generous glasses of Côte du Val too. The waiter was extremely courteous and the place looks the same as when I started coming. It might have fallen off a bit, but it’s not always fair to judge based on lunch, and I like that it feels as though it hasn’t changed in thirty years.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $210 (1 app, 2 glasses of wine, 2 coffees)
Noise level: mostly absorbed by the heavy carpets
Chance of walking in: probably better now than ever before with the tanking economy.
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Posted in French, Lower East Side, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5 at 05:08 by Dominique
81 Ludlow St. #2 & Broome Sts., 212-677-9383
Great for: brasserie food late if you’re too far from Balthazar (now closed)
This turned out to be the last time the now-ex-Boyfriend and I would have a dinner date. (He was a great boyfriend for two months and then suddenly Mr. Hyde came out to wreck my life. I gave him the benefit of the doubt for another month, but ruining my birthday was the last straw. We’re friendly now though.) At least we were happy with the food and each other this particular night.
I absolutely loved my duck confit with frisée and haricots verts. The generous portion of juicy, tender duck sat atop ridiculously good salad and dressing. I cleaned my plate and probably could have eaten three more! B wanted the country pâté, which they were out of. His shrimp cocktail in its stead had great sauce, while the shrimp were on the firm side but good.
Though I had a lot of surgery to do on my steak with béarnaise sauce, mesclun salad and french fries, it was enjoyable. The fries were crunchy and a bit bland, while the salad and slightly vinegary béarnaise were lovely. Overall, very satisfying. Poor B was 0 for 2 ordering things that they actually had, as they’d run out of the burger. It turned out to be just as well; his hangar steak topped wtih fried onions in brandy sauce and mashed potatoes was so perfectly great I was not allowed to try it. Of course, I made sure to snatch some bites when he went to the bathroom – I have a duty to my dear readers, after all. I very much liked it too.
His glass of Côte du Rhône and my Champagne were both satisfactory as well. I can’t say as much for our waitress, but she wasn’t awful and I suppose it was quite late. It’s a nice-looking place, too. I’m glad they’re open until midnight every day except Sunday (11pm). It’ll definitely be a go-to spot in the area if I’m ever hungry late. Plus, they’ve just opened a club 2 doors away downstairs called Chloe, supposedly the next Beatrice though I hear varying reports on that.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $95 (2 glasses wine)
Noise level: Euro party
Chance of walking in: better very late or very early. Sadly, it’s closed and has become Le Cubain, a sort of Cuban-French brasserie. It seems to have the same owners and décor.
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Posted in American, East Village, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5 at 04:30 by Dominique
60 3rd Ave. & 11th/10th Sts., 212-254-0888, 212-254-0898
Great for: almost everything, sophisticated dining in the East Village
My best friend E is very supportive of the blog and always up for trying a new, cool place. We liked Apiary so much, she brought her (very picky) boyfriend the next week and he did too. It’s a civilized standout in the East Village, with all those dives geared towards college kids. It also has a pretty large bar area.
I loved my special of diver sea scallops with pea shoots and creamy sauce. The sour notes of the sauce balanced the cream and the two scallops were medium size and lovely. E absolutely loved her sweetbreads with romesco (a garlic- and oil-based Catalan sauce with almonds or hazelnuts) and frisée. The romesco was a great counterpoint to the creamy nuttiness of the sweetbreads. This would be a clever introduction for someone who thinks they don’t like organs.
My Atlantic fluke with smoked bacon and razor clam chowder made me very happy. The fish was crisp on top and flaky inside, while the potato-heavy chowder was pretty good. The clams were, oddly, sliced as small as garlic slices and managed to be rubbery and good at the same time. E went for the chicken, since most reviewers had raved about it, but it wasn’t mindblowing. It was a little dry despite its madeira jus, perhaps because the pieces were so giant, though the polenta and crispy spiced skin were nice. Overall it was a bit too bland. We agreed that it needed some kind of contrast. We rather enjoyed the side of Brussels sprouts with shallots and bacon. The sprouts could have used a little salt and been a tad softer but they were quite good anyhow.
The cocktail list is basically two drinks. I liked the Adelina, a terrific and sparkly mix of prosecco, muddled strawberries and honey. E was happy with her red zinfandel too. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful, especially when it came to the wine. It seemed as though the manager was also waiting on everybody, probably because the place had opened so recently.
Apparently two of the owners of Ligne Roset, the upscale furniture store, also own the restaurant, and you can see it in the lovely décor. The faux chandeliers which were actually 2-D glass models and lampshade cutouts that made chandelier shadows were interesting. The chairs are enormous and the banquette is comfy yet firm. I’m looking forward to my next visit.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $130
Noise level: happy noisy
Chance of walking in: it’s quite popular, you should reserve. Especially on Sunday when they do a $35 dinner prix fixe.
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Posted in Italian, Lower East Side, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, rated 9 to 10 at 03:56 by Dominique
100 Forsyth & Broome/Grand, 212-625-3444
Great for: dates, specials, upscale Italian, live jazz, ambience
Every day when I walked home from the train I passed this place. I’d say to myself, I really ought to try that hideaway, but somehow I never remembered to put it on my list. Finally one night, the Boyfriend and I walked past it and I thought to go in. I am so glad. That week we went twice more, it was so good. It’s nowhere near as cheap as the dumpling places surrounding it but if you’ve got the money, it’s totally worth it. And you can always stick to the cheap pastas, appetizers and burger if money’s tight.
It’s always a good idea to try the specials, although everything I had from the menu was fantastic too. Of the apps, the carpaccio may have been my favorite, because it didn’t have anything I hate, but the other apps made me willing and happy to try tomatoes and and octopus. The lovely scamorza was a slick of melted smoked mozzarella with a strip of prosciutto next to garlic bruschetta and very fresh large tomatoes, to be assembled as you see fit. There was a generous amount of everything, too. The crostini are three bruschetta; one with mushrooms and red pepper, one with prosciutto and scallions, and the best with smoked mozzarella and marinara. They were fantastic texture and taste combinations. The prosciutto one could have used some sauce to help with the bread, though. I was brave one night and got the special grilled octopus with arugula, fingerling potatoes and sundried tomato aïoli in lemon vinaigrette. I wish it didn’t look so scary because the tender yet firm octopus was amazing. But the tentacles were longer than my (admittedly tiny) pinky! I loved the sauce and potato slices too. I just couldn’t forget that I was eating intelligent octopi – I almost tried blindfolding myself, it was that yummy. The caprese di bufala is not quite as stellar as the scamorza though the cheese is light and fluffy and the tomato wedges are smaller. The paper-thin slices of carpaccio are accompanied by arugula, capers, fried shallors, lemon-olive oil and love, or something equally magical, because I just can’t have enough of them.
The shrimp risotto had creamy, firm, chopped-up shrimp over al dente rice with just a hint of sourness for balance. The dainty quail risotto with asparagus is also great. I’ve twice had the tonnarelli alla carbonara with crumbles of pancetta, egg, cream and Parmesan and not been able to finish it either time, but it is a lot of fun trying. It’s quite heavy with creamy, cheesy sauce everywhere and a moat of grated Parm.
The burger, a steal at $15, comes with terrific fries and amazing chipotle mayo. It’s one of the few burgers I’ve had whose meat is tasty all on its own – they clearly do the marinating part well. And the mayo is addictive. You don’t need ketchup for the fries, you’ll be scraping the bottom of the little sauce bowl. The marinated NY strip steak topped with herb-tomato insalata was deliciously soft and it even made me like the very large accompanying tomato chunks. There were veins of fat on the sides but they were easily cut away. The lovely oven-roasted herb-infused halibut with fingerling potatoes, asparagus, and tomato in a lemon aïoli was a nice balance of flavors. The Berkshire black pork cutlet over roasted apples and mashed sweet potatoes in a red wine reduction was very sweet, which I normally hate, except it was so good. The onions alone are worth the price of admission.
The only dessert we ever had room for was the apple beignet with vanilla gelato. They were basically good apple pancakes with fantastic gelato. The cocktails are all very speakeasy and tasty. The Boyfriend, who barely drinks, ordered two hot toddys every time we came in: they pack quite a punch in the mouth, what with the Calvados, bourbon, allspice liqueur, and honey garnished with lemon (though the menu says orange) and cinnamon sticks. They’re perfect for the current weather or just for getting hammered without realizing it. I also enjoyed the Canton ginger smash, New York sour, lampone basilico and St. Gemainita. They were all interesting and not too sweet.
The first three times I sat at the same table served by the same pretty, friendly waitress. (Hi, Slavica!) Everyone else is very sociable as well, and though the drinks sometimes take a while, when you get them you’ll see they were worth the wait. It’s a really cool little grotto with lots of flowers and simple, tasteful décor. You can sit in what I call the date section or the noisier side with the live band on weekends. I’m shocked that this place has been open for four years and I never knew about it. But I’m making amends – I was just there yesterday again.
2010 update: it’s still terrific. They’ve changed the cocktail menu to equally tasty new concoctions.
Rating: 9 / 10
Our cost: the entrées are quite expensive, but you’ll want so many of the other things that it might end up being pricey even if you just get pasta and apps, which average around $15 each. Cocktails are $10-11, secondi $15 (burger) – $32.
Noise level: sometimes live jazz, usually quietly romantic
Chance of walking in: not bad especially on weekdays.
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