02.22.10
Posted in Asian, Greenwich Village, Japanese, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, rated 6 to 6.5, small plates at 23:56 by Dominique
11 Barrow St. & W.4th St., 212-675-7775
Great for: interesting little plates
I was supposed to audition for this show in the far West Village. They said I should watch it first to be sure I wasn’t offended by the religious mocking. I knew I wouldn’t be, but it’s always nice to see a free show. Except this one. The singing sucked ass, the story made no sense, and if the people had got up on stage and masturbated it would have been far less solipsistic and annoying. In any case, we ran away as soon as the show ended, to a place with redeeming qualities.
We both got the chashu ramen. A simple broth with just noodles, scallions, very thin pork slices and and radish bits, it’s pretty good. I give them props for doing something simply and well. $14 is a little expensive for what it is, though. We got more mileage out of the bottle of organic Sho Chiku Bai Nama.
Our service was nice and the place seems quite popular. There are lots of interesting little plates I’d try in a more adventurous mood.
Rating: 6.5 / 10
Our cost: $55 (2 ramens, 1 bottle sake)
Noise level: depends how drunk the other patrons are
Chance of walking in: not good.
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11.18.09
Posted in American, Greenwich Village, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, West Village, rated 7 to 7.5 at 09:53 by Dominique
331 W.4th & Jane Sts., 212-242-9502
Great for: simple good food, eating until 3:30am
[I know, I'm woefully behind on posts. I've been busy with tons of auditions and the new Boyfriend - I think this one will stick, as he just moved in with me!]
I had a very busy night of playing poker live (up a bit until I didn’t leave when I said I would, whereupon I promptly lost my whole stack with QQ against 10s), a friend’s birthday with lesbian jell-o wrestling (she won), and a different friend’s fetish wedding (everyone wins). Between the jell-o and the ceremony I realized I hadn’t had dinner, and figured my last $12 would go pretty far at Corner Bistro. Plus, I’ve never been in the whole time I’ve lived in New York. I always hear how it’s the best burger in the city. In my non-burger-obsessed opinion, it’s not - that honor stays with the Grotto and Shopsin’s - but it is a darn good deal and certainly one of the better burgers.
I got the bistro burger with bacon, grilled onions, no cheese, tomato and fries. I enjoyed the juicy and insanely thick patty, though I could barely get my tiny hands around it, let alone my mouth – I would have liked it marinated more, but for $7 it’s great. They were really generous with crispy and not-too-fatty bacon. The fries were pretty good, mainly crunchy, and could use more seasoning. Overall, I was satisfied. I’d definitely stop in again.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
My cost: $12
Noise level: noisy with people but nice with jazz
Chance of walking in: not too easy to walk in, I got the last seat at 12:30 am.
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12.28.08
Posted in Greenwich Village, Latin, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, West Village, rated 8 to 8.5 at 17:59 by Dominique
111 W.17th St. & 6th Ave., 212-691-4477
Great for: converting people who hate Mexican food, lots of cocktails, celebrations
I generally love or hate foods (mostly for textural reasons). I’m good about trying them again periodically, though. Mexican is probably the only cuisine I don’t like across the board, since I’m decidedly not a fan of plain rice, beans, avocados or raw tomatoes. I find the spices boring and I try to avoid cheese, so that kind of knocks out most options. However, I heard from a few people that Crema was the best Mexican food in the city, so my friend D and I checked it out. She’s from Cali so I figured she could tell me how good it really was.
I am so glad we came. Not only did I love it, D said it stacked up pretty well against California. My four taquitos de chilorio, slow-cooked pork mini tacos with chile ancho, oregano and jalapeño vinegar, chipotle-cilantro drizzle and cream, were awesome. The spice and the cream is a great combination.
My main of flautas (crispy corn tortillas) with shredded chicken, cheese, corn and caramelized onions and three salsas was amazing. The tomatillo-avocado, chili aioli paste and velvety pinto bean salsas were all creamy and yummy though the chili aioli was my favorite. I found myself actually liking chicken, as I so rarely do, and by extension liking Mexican for the first time. D’s adobo-marinated grilled skirt steak tacos with cowboy beans and corn tortillas was fantastic. The juicy meat was very good and I even liked the beans with chorizo on top and chicken mixed in.
Although I’m sure it would have been wonderful, I’m glad I didn’t order a side because it left just enough room for dessert. We shared the pastel de tres leches, a sponge cake soaked in three milks and mango syrup with dulce de leche ice cream. It was mind-blowing. The spongy moist goodness of the little cake looked like cottage cheese and tasted like heaven. I am not kidding, if you have a sweet tooth you need to go devour this immediately. I even liked the coconut caramel topping though I usually despise coconut in any form.
I was sticking with the not-drinking thing (it’s kind of hard, what do you do socially in NYC after 10pm if you don’t drink?) so D dutifully had a cocktail in my stead. The Colada Monterrey, a mixture of light and dark rums, coconut syrup and pineapple juice with a cinnamon-chile rim was good. There might have been too much spice on the rim, but it showed a deft mixologist behind the bar. They have an extensive cocktail list and when I start drinking again I intend to sample much of it.
I found our service leisurely, though we took quite a while to order so that was possibly partly our fault. It’s a long, colorful dining room that invites dallying and celebration. I mean I really didn’t have anything to celebrate except cleaning up at the Escada sample sale earlier ($40 pants and $60 heels – yes, I believe I will, thank you), but the excellence of the food certainly made me feel like I was.
Rating; 8.5 / 10 (still, after February 2010 visit)
Our cost: $105 (1 app, 2 mains, 1 cocktail, 1 dessert)
Noise level: quiet on Sunday but it probably gets noisy
Chance of walking in: decent.
Took a boyfriend from California here for his birthday in February 2010 and it was just as good. Their guacamole is tangy, not too creamy, and overall very tasty. I think we did the Restaurant Week deal. I can heartily recommend the tortita de cangrejo (crab cake), barbacoa taco, melt-in-the-mouth scallops, enchiladas suizas, goat milk caramel cheesecake (like flan and cheesecake had a love child with hints of peanut butter) and Mexican strawberry shortcake. I enjoyed my ginger martini, he liked his margarita, and the Crema cosmo is great. Still my favorite Mexican restaurant anywhere.
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09.04.08
Posted in Greenwich Village, Italian, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, small plates at 12:58 by Dominique
28 Cornelia & W.4th/Bleecker St., 347-448-4805
Great for: sharing Italian tapas, an al fresco European experience
E was supposed to have dinner with Commodities Broker and me, but was delayed to the point where she said she’d just meet us after, since it was getting ridiculously late. We ordered for her as well, so don’t think we’re piggies because of all this food.
The five polpettini (meatballs) di carne with roasted tomato sauce and fresh basil were small and terrific with lots of sauce. I loved the texture of the meat. The crab salad with avocado, hearts of palm, sweet corn and lettuce was crunchy and fresh with subtle flavors. Everything came cubed or cube size. The fresh salad of arugula with orange, fennel and wine-cured olives in a light vinaigrette needed some balsamic.
The paccheri bolognese was supposed to be ribbed pasta with classic bolognese sauce. However, they just looked like huge smooth ribbons. In any case it all turned out simple and tasty. The linguini alla vongole was not as successful, mostly because the clams were on the wrong side of fresh. The rest of the dish was done well.
We found the tagliata di manzo, a grilled ribeye steak and arugula, tender and flavorful. Unfortunately there was a lot of gristle. We were full anyhow; for two people this was entirely too much food. Though I could have had more of the fantastic strawberry caipirinhas.
Our waiter was very friendly and kept us focused on ordering before the kitchen closed without being annoyed by our tendency to drift off into conversation. There is a beautiful garden between the two dining rooms, which is where we sat. Very romantic. I might return if the wait is too long at nearby Lupa again.
Rating: 7 / 10
Our cost: $180 (2 caipirinhas, 2 glasses of red wine)
Noise level: pretty quiet
Chance of walking in: medium. Try for the lovely garden in the middle.
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05.24.08
Posted in American, Greenwich Village, Indian, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, eclectic, rated 6 to 6.5 at 03:10 by Dominique
33 W.8th St. & Macdougal St. (between 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-677-3833
Great for: fancy cocktails, cilantro and cardamom fanatics, kitchen watching
My best friend E (the one who finished culinary school recently) and I were wandering around the East Village looking for somewhere to eat, when she remembered that Elettaria had just opened. Chef Akhtar Nawab from Craft and some bartenders from Freemans and Death & Co. united to create a ton of foodie buzz. The space is in the middle of that stretch of 8th Street I used to call Stripper Street, which was mainly super-slutty shoe and clothes stores. We’d heard such good things about this place we were really excited. I guess a lot of people had the same idea, since even at 9pm on a Wednesday we had to wait 25 minutes.
E and I both love to eat. We felt hungry enough to get three appetizers to share. The fried quail with pomegranate molasses, bacon and a fried egg over frisée salad was juicy, tender and crispy like wings. It didn’t taste particularly of quail, though. It could have been chicken, ostrich, cuckoo, pheasant – any bird. It was not at all quail-centric. The breaded quail egg on top was good too, but we were expecting more from such a ballyhooed chef. The crab meat resala over gnocchi, turmeric-onion soubise, basil seed and fried herbs was great. As I said to E, it was crispy meets tasty meets lovely crab. The gnocchi of just flour and water were amazingly crisp. Though it could have used some salt, I loved the soubise.
The pork ribs with garam masala and snow peas strips with a dollop of yogurt did not live up to expectations. I have no idea how they managed to make the meat fall off the bones while being a little dry. It was also unevenly salted and had an embarrassment of cardamom. I disliked the yogurt as I expected I would. I’m not much for sourness.
For a main I had the mahi mahi over fried rice with saffron, cipollini onions, poppy seeds, lima beans, and chives. The rice was the best part. The fish by itself was a little bland and dry, much better mixed with a lot of veg. I never thought the day would come when I would want lima beans on my fork. E was persuaded to have the duck slices with keema (a duck leg made into ragout), nettles and yet more cardomom. It tasted like they dumped a whole bottle of the stuff on the duck. A pity, because the non-encrusted pieces were pretty good and tender. The keema was tasty, the nettles buttery, saucy and delicious. Yes, I was surprised too. All I know about nettles is that they sting, and I believe I read a book years ago where someone was beaten with a fistful of nettles. Such a versatile weapon; good for punishment and sustenance. What seemed to be croutons in the sauce may have been crispy duck skin. I liked the texture of the meat but again, it could have been anything. It was just more meat with cardamom.
I know, Elettaria is a genus of cardamom, blah blah – doesn’t mean you have to smother dishes in it. I am aware of the restaurant in which I am eating, I don’t need the food to remind me. Speaking of which, the place could have called itself Cilantro, which came with everything. That excess actually kind of worked though.
I am very happy to report positively about the drinks. I have not had the pleasure of visiting Freemans or Death & Co. (perhaps I should post on Craigslist for a date there before the SLA kills it), so I can’t compare with those establishments, but we had some pretty darn good drinks. The Electric Ladyland of pisco and champagne was somewhat sweet, with a bit of a tang. The Rita Hayworth kind of tasted like a margarita, and we could definitely taste the sage in it. The bartender said it was better before dinner and she was absolutely right. I liked the Ginger Rogers, which was slightly bitter and packed a yummy punch. E’s Navy Grog came in an enormous glass. It was a crazy combination of three rums and some juice and tasted like black cherry if a black cherry went on an epic three-day drinking binge. If I hadn’t had to work the next day I probably would have got the absinthe-including Zombie Punch next.
We had a very friendly and knowledgeable waitress, who felt no need to ask us if we needed anything at any point. It was weird. She was so nice and attentive otherwise. It was as though she was trying to make a point. I liked the cool book-like menu, hardwood ceilings, and spacious bar and dining areas. In the back, the kitchen is totally open – you could practically walk in without realizing you were there.
The whole meal was a lot less creative than we expected it to be. More importantly, some of it just wasn’t very good. E did not even finish her duck, the cardamom was so off-putting. It would be one thing if the restaurant opened a few days ago, or even a few weeks. But I know they opened at the beginning of March. 2.5 months ought to be long enough to get your act straightened out, especially when you’re charging this much. We would only come back for drinks.
Rating: 6.5 / 10
Cost $165 (2 cocktails each)
Noise level: fairly noisy
Chance of walking in: very low. Waited 25 minutes at 9pm on a Wednesday. It will probably get better though.
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04.07.08
Posted in American, Greenwich Village, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5 at 17:31 by Dominique
100 W. Houston & La Guardia Pl./Thompson St., 212-254-7000
Great for: small parties, celebrations, un-fussy food
Jane is one of those restaurants that just complements a night out with friends perfectly. It’s casual, but not too much so; the food is delicious, so are the drinks, and it’s not too expensive (although the wine will set you back a bit). This particular Friday happened to be the one before my birthday, and the Boyfriend and I met up with three of his friends for a nice pre-crazy-party dinner. [He took me to River Café in Brooklyn (yes, I crossed water in a car without murmur!) for my actual birthday - I took the night off from reviewing, so I will just say Oh. My. God. Go there immediately as soon as you have some money. Oh and proper clothes.]
My appetizer of chipotle shrimp with sweet corn griddle cake, barbecue butter and herb salad was great, even though the corn was a bit sweeter than I normally like. The Boyfriend’s crispy sesame calamari with pineapple-chili sauce, green onion (scallions) and cilantro was also well-executed; the sauce was quite sweet but pretty good.
The grilled sirloin steak in green peppercorn sauce with potato and gruyère gratin was quite good, nice and spicy. I was happy with the texture of the meat. Just the thing to soak up bottles of vodka later at the club. The seared diver scallops with white corn pozole, apple-smoked bacon and roasted poblano were also very good – the sauce reminded me of red fra diavolo. Our friends’ main dishes did not disappoint either; the lamb shank off-bone with couscous was as yummy as the baked rigatoni with spicy homemade sausage, Italian eggplant, slow roasted tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella.
Not only does Jane make good food, it comes in huge portions as well. I am so happy I finally came here. The drinks are just as expertly made, especially the Fling, of vodka, sauvignon blanc, elderflower liqueur, tarragon and lemon, which is delicious and a bit spicy; and the peach caipirinha, which was subtle and good. The only bad part was our waiter. We had to repeat everything we said to him three times, despite all of us speaking English perfectly and loudly. He forgot us frequently and was generally very frustrating. It didn’t even seem like he was new, so we couldn’t figure out why he was doing so badly. Fortunately, the dining room is decorated in a lovely, calming manner, we had quite a lot of wine and cocktails, and I had a wonderful birthday dinner overall.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $417+63 (for 5 people with 2 cocktails each) because the waiter was stupid and/or neglectful
Noise level: happy hum
Chance of walking in: low.
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02.03.08
Posted in Greenwich Village, Italian, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5 at 02:34 by Dominique
24 Minetta Lane & 6th Ave, 212-473-5121 [now closed, sadly]
Great for: large parties, simple Italian food, oenophiles
The Boyfriend and I had heard that this was “the poor man’s Babbo” and other wonderful things, so we organized dinner here for us and seven friends. (I am only reviewing the dishes I actually tried.) We felt like we were in a rustic Italian farmhouse as soon as we walked in – well, maybe a very rich farmer’s house, since it’s quite large. It turns out that Bellavitae sells high-end pastas, olive oils, etc. to many of the restaurants in the city, and those lovely pictures on the walls are of their suppliers. The whole place feels quite warm and welcoming.
We started with shared appetizers. The crostini with chicken liver were a bit too liver-y for my taste, but pretty good. The beef carpaccio was good, as were the figs wrapped in bacon. The bread-lovers among us enjoyed the gnocco fritto, which is basically fried bread with Parma prosciutto. The bocconcini ricotta di bufala were little balls of wonderfulness, definitely the best appetizer, followed closely by the stellar polpettine (meatballs). The consistency of the food is impressive – out of six starters, we liked them all.
The entrees maintained the same high quality. The tagliata steak in Sangiovese reduction was quite good, although a little sweet. The spaghetti cacio e pepe, made very simply with pecorino Romano and grated black pepper, was nearly as yummy as the same dish at Cacio e Pepe the restaurant (one of my favorites). The spaghetti with dried tuna and peperoncini was spicy and tasty. Our only objection to the risotto Milanese was that there wasn’t enough of it to fully satisfy our lust for cheesy, rice-y deliciousness. And the paccheri with lamb ragù was fantastic, with perfectly al dente flat, wide, paper-thin noodles.
It’s a good thing we got some sides to share as well, since the entrees were rather small. We liked the cauliflower,though we could have done without the currants and pine nuts in it. The giant green peppers were a hit, as were the potatoes. The swiss chard was the only unpopular thing – it was kind of blah. To make up for it, the radicchio was hands-down the best appetizer, especially the bits where it was slightly burned. So basically almost everything was great. We were all really impressed.
We’d shared probably two bottles of wine by this point so for dessert we had different kinds of alcohol. The amari are flavored dessert drinks that Bellavitae serves in glasses about the same size as regular drinks. We got vanilla, coffee, almond and butterscotch. They’re light-colored and taste lovely. You can almost forget you’re still drinking.
This was such a great experience all around. We had a very friendly waitress who patiently put up with us chatting and forgetting to look at our menus. She managed to get the nine dishes of each course out at about the same time, and she was unfailingly helpful about all of our questions. She seemed to have several other tables to take care of, but still made sure to keep our wineglasses reasonably topped up. The restaurant lived up to its appearance of being cozy and friendly extremely well, and all of us are definitely going back soon.
Rating: 8 / 10
Our cost: $80 each for 9 people, 2 bottles of wine and a few simple cocktails
Noise level: good
Chance of walking in: pretty good
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