12.30.10
Posted in Asian, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 4 to 5.5, Southeast Asian, West Village at 19:02 by Dominique
51 Grove & Bleecker Sts., 212-352-0460
Great for: losing your voice and hearing, mediocre food, wasting a lot of money
As you can tell I did not like this place. Expensive + mediocre + making me wait = angry Dominique. At least I got to spend time with my friend Eurasian Beauty.
After waiting twenty minutes despite having a reservation, we went with two small dishes from the specials, which you would think they could manage. The tumeric [sic] fried sardines with hot and sour sauce were pretty good, especially towards the tail, though the sauce was the best part. The four small spiced salmon cakes with lime leaf, snake bean, Thai basil and sweet chili sauce were only fine. I was disappointed that for over $10, they were just spongy patties of fish and not actual bits of meat.
The poached chicken and crab salad with coconut, cherry tomatoes and green nahm jim dressing was okay. True, there are some things I don’t love in the ingredient list, but it could have been a lot better. It was overly creamy, for one thing.
We got the Wagyu brisket with vegetables to finish. It was the best thing we had but still just decent. The four slices of meat were soft and juicy, probably braised in the sauce. The dish was kind of bland. We specifically ordered the small size but they either brought the big or charged us for the wrong one – we thought initially it was a good deal for the amount of food, so maybe the former. They fixed the check to charge us for just the small, in any case.
Our service was fine except for the mix-up. The décor is that annoying faux-Asian blond wood with uncomfortable tiny furniture that everyone seems to be affecting nowadays. You want to copy Momofuku? Be as good, dammit. There’s a bar and a long table in front where you sit community style. There are some little tables in a Lilliputian back room if you insist on keeping to yourself. EB and I still could barely hear each other there. This place is decidedly off my list.
Rating: 5 / 10
Our cost: $75 (3 small, 1 medium dish)
Noise level: earsplitting even in the back; I got a sore throat from yelling across the tiny table
Chance of walking in: you can’t, but don’t bother. Go somewhere good.
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11.26.10
Posted in American, Barbecue, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, West Village at 02:07 by Dominique
178 W. Houston & 6th Ave., 212-741-7390
Great for: ribs, buffalo wings, takeout
I have no idea how I’ve never heard of this place when I’m such a huge barbecue fan. Apparently it’s been around for years. It is about the size of a postage stamp with a grand total of four tables, though. That’s probably why takeout is 10% off.
I shared a brisket and 1/4 rack combo platter with stuffing, potato salad and cornbread. The ribs were truly fall-off-the-bone delicious and I could definitely have had more. Could use some right now, in fact. They were balanced between sweet and savory just the way I like, decidedly on the savory side. The stuffing was very good – I found it a bit bready but that’s what stuffing is, so I didn’t really mind. The potato salad is creamy and liquid instead of with mayo, which is odd but still tastes good. I was somewhat disappointed in the tender but not fantastic brisket. It maybe needed more braising or marinating.
I loved the eight medium-size buffalo wings. They were very crisp despite dripping with sauce, which was spicy without destroying my taste buds. Definitely one of the better versions I’ve had. Damn, I just made myself hungry again.
It’s a cute, quaint little restaurant. The owner/chef is nice and you might get to know some strangers while you’re pressed up against them eating delicious meat. I may need to stop by soon for some more ribs and wings.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $35 (1 combo platter, 1 order wings, no drinks)
Noise level: noise is unavoidable in such a small space
Chance of walking in: not good. Takeout is definitely an acceptable option.
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02.16.10
Posted in American, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, West Village at 17:18 by Dominique
99 7th Ave. South & W.4th St., 212-645-0600
Great for: dates, jazz, large entrées
My dear friend D and her girlfriend A invited the Boyfriend and me to a seminar nearby and we weren’t quite ready to call it a night afterward, so we wandered into Garage for some dinner. I’ve seen the place for years and never been inside – I was definitely missing out. It’s not a very wallet-friendly place, but it definitely is kind to the palate.
I really enjoyed my bay scallop linguine with asparagus in Champagne cream sauce. There were lots of little scallops and ample sauce, which was a bit sour from the Champagne but still tasty. The Boyfriend’s chicken and smoked mozzarella ravioli in light Parmesan alfredo with prosciutto and peas was absolutely wonderful. Fortunately there was such a generous amount, I got to eat some of it. We especially loved the terrific garlicky sauce.
D liked her Chilean sea bass in lemon-thyme beurre blanc with homemade spinach gnocchi and sauteed broccolini. A’s fettuccine and pan-roasted shrimp with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach had extra large shrimp and was also delicious.
We really liked the cute décor and the homey, warm atmosphere. Try to sit in the upper balcony if you can. It’s a lovely date place, though quite expensive.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Out cost: $150 (only entrées + 2 glasses white wine)
Noise level: music is a good volume and the talking isn’t too loud
Chance of walking in: it’s pretty packed.
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11.18.09
Posted in American, Greenwich Village, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, West Village 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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08.26.09
Posted in New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5, small plates, Spanish, West Village at 01:03 by Dominique
64 W.10th St. & 6th/5th Ave., 212-505-7777
Great for: tapas, sangria, getting crazy with a large group of friends, hanging out at the bar, impressing out-of-towners, dates
Motorcycle Guy and I agreed on this place for our date, which turned out to be a really good decision because although I’d been here a while back, I hadn’t reviewed it, and it turned out to still be yummy enough that I actually want to write about it. (Sometimes I just can’t be bothered if a place is mediocre and obscure. And my palate has developed to the point where often what was once good is now disappointingly eh.)
The warm salad of artichokes and haricots verts with crème fraîche truffle dressing was a nice start. The lamb meatballs in spiced butternut squash foam, toasted sesame seeds and lebne (a dense yogurt cheese) were also lovely. The foam could have been better, but then I don’t like any form of squash.
The two best dishes – I really couldn’t pick between them – were the Brussels sprouts and scallops. The sprouts come with Granny Smith apples, crème fraîche and pistachios, which sounds strange, but that bit of sweetness sets off the rest of the flavors. I LOVED it. I also loved the three big butterflied, roasted scallops in artichoke purée and yuzu mayonnaise with salmon caviar. Tender, juicy and terrific, I only wished there were more (and an even number).
The yogurt-marinated lamb skewers with okra and eggplant in green leek sauce were a setback in an overall pleasant meal. I hated the vegetables, which were an unpleasant surprise, and the lamb was fine but a bit too sweet. Fortunately, the whole rack of Danish ribs roasted with kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) and coriander made up for that. Though they could have been moister, they were very satisfying.
We rounded out the meal with an absolutely scrumptious warm chocolate cake topped with coconut sorbet, passionfruit emulsion and chocolate rum sauce. It literally melted in our mouths. I found myself actually eating more than a few bites of it, despite not usually being a huge dessert fan.
It was fun sitting in the semi-secret back room that you can only reach through the kitchen. A bit sexier than the rest of the place, which is nice but loud and packed. The décor is a little cluttered, though still good for dates. Our waitress was attentive and helpful. I’m so glad the food hasn’t stopped being great. And if you’re there with a bunch of people, get the “whole shebang” – everything on the menu for $400. Did that once, it’s so worth it. Plus the sangria is killer.
Rating: 8 / 10
Our cost: $110 (1 drink)
Noise level: music at a good level, loud people, quiet back room
Chance of walking in: they’re very popular, so definitely call ahead.
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05.14.09
Posted in Chelsea, Italian, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5, West Village at 05:14 by Dominique
202 W.14th St. & 7th Ave., 212-255-2060
Great for: large parties and dates, carbonara, hearty good food for very little money
It used to be Osteria Primitivo, but the pressure of the recession inspired the owners (who also run several other Italian restaurants in New York) to replace it with an incredibly wallet-friendly place. Every dish is less than $15! Plus, each one is good! It’s so rare to find both characteristics in the same place. How lucky that we settled on it for girls’ night out.
We managed to get a table for six on Friday at 8:30 when I called the day before, which was a little surprising to me but less so when I saw how effectively they’d utilized the mid-sized space. Our table was right in the middle of the room, great for people-watching. We didn’t have much time for that after the food came, though. The traditional oven-baked eggplant appetizer with tomato, mozzarella and basil was “sloppy but yummy,” R said. L and D found the steamed black mussels in a white wine and black pepper broth garlicky and delicious. K loved her tomato carpaccio special with mozzarella and chili oil. The spaghetti alla carbonara with very fatty pancetta, eggs and pecorino romano cheese was definitely worth naming the restaurant after. Shredded basil leaves scattered on top helped counteract the heavy deliciousness and I was kind of happy I hadn’t eaten all day so that I had room for it and a main course.
K was observing Lent so they made her a gnocchi special with just asparagus and no speck. The tagliatelle with shrimp, arugula and cherry tomatoes was also delightful, as was the pan-seared salmon in an herbed crust with lentil salad and lemon dill sauce. (These girlfriends are great, they always make sure to let me try a little bit of everything.) My own main course of baccalà codfish with Gaeta olives, oregano and parsley in a spicy tomato broth was great; spicy and garlicky with nice crisp fish. I loved the long strings of onions and the giant soft onion on top. It is a very salty dish though, and the fish was a tad dry.
The portions are quite generous. It was just the right amount of food for me, but then I hadn’t had anything all day. Everyone cleaned their plates or tried to. The wine is priced as reasonably as the food. We got two bottles of the shiraz Mandra Rossa from Sicily for $23 each. It was all right – I found it a bit watery. Our servers got confused and brought out two main courses with apps but were quick about straightening that out. Though a little abrupt sometimes, they were nice overall.
I liked the inviting and well-lit room with a good mix of candles and recessed ceiling lighting. The music was a little odd sometimes, but not too loud, thankfully. The dining room is pretty large and there’s a small private alcove too. Rustic wooden furniture completed the homey look. I’ll definitely be back soon to try more of the menu.
Rating: 8 / 10
Our cost: $215 for 6 ppl (2 bottles of $23 shiraz)
Noise level: pretty noisy but less than you’d expect; conversation isn’t too difficult
Chance of walking in: it’s new so you should call ahead.
Oh fun! La Carbonara liked this review enough to link to it. I’m happy to support a deserving restaurant.
Went back in November 2010 and they are still terrific. What a great addition to Chelsea.
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03.04.09
Posted in American, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, West Village 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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12.28.08
Posted in Greenwich Village, Latin, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5, West Village 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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11.04.08
Posted in American, fusion, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, West Village at 02:47 by Dominique
522 Hudson St. & 10th St., 212-807-7357
Great for: pho, airy design enthusiasts, resting after West Village wandering
I did a long photo shoot one Saturday afternoon with my friend Tom (who is amazing, by the way, and looking for more subjects) and we went out for a well-earned brunch afterward. I didn’t have the energy to think of a place but he wanted to try this one and fortunately it was on my list.
We both got the signature pho with shredded brisket, noodles, broccoli, carrots, scallions, shallots and cilantro. You can also get it with chicken, though that would never be my choice. It’s rich and flavorful yet not too heavy. There are tons of veg so it’s actually pretty healthy as well. It could have been more spicy for my taste but they’re happy to bring you sriracha sauce. Overall, I was delighted after a hard day’s work. (Yes, modeling is real work.)
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $40 (one diet Coke)
Noise level: quiet, but it was around 3 or 4 on a Saturday. Probably a convivial hum at peak times.
Chance of walking in: it’s a pretty restaurant near Magnolia. Don’t be silly, make a reservation.
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10.23.08
Posted in Latin, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, seafood, small plates, West Village at 17:04 by Dominique
[Sorry it's been so long. Between my full-time lawyer project and starring in an upcoming off-off-Broadway musical, I'm pretty swamped. I promise I'll try to keep up better - the backlog is currently about 20 restaurants long.]
122 Christopher & Bedford Sts., 212-242-0010
Great for: papas rellenas, shrimp in bacon
The English girl gang I run with sometimes (ok fine, it’s just a bunch of English girls plus an Aussie, me and another American) wanted to get ceviche again. Fortunately this time was better than Rayuela. I still didn’t love the ceviche, which I think maybe I just don’t enjoy. Citrus has never been high on my list.
The papas rellena, deep-fried mashed potato balls stuffed with beef, raisins and olives, were huge and better than they sound. They’re creamy and decadent, as well as covered in red onion slices. Delicious, as are the shrimp wrapped in bacon with spicy Peruvian dip under more red onions. That was probably my favorite thing all night. The sauce is green and creamy and the bacon crisp. The shrimp could be a tad more tender but the whole thing is still delicious. Just so you know, you get five decent-sized shrimp in one dish. You probably want at least two servings.
For a main I got the ceviche caliente, consisting of giant sea scallops and fresh shrimp grilled in spicy sauce over fried yucca (which I changed to rice). It was pretty good but had a very strong, sour, citrus taste. It could have been cooked less, too. I preferred the shrimp; the scallops were a tiny bit gritty and set my teeth on edge somehow. Some of the others let me try their entrees. The aji chicken is a bit bland and dry, but overall not bad. I found the lamb hearty in its very dark sauce.
The sangria was tasty and not too heavy. The service, on the other hand, left a bit of initiative and sense of urgency to be desired. Plus they forgot my tiradito, although it was fine because I was so full from the app and ceviche. I generally liked the Latinized pop songs they played. Not so much the scary movie on the flat screen in a random place on one wall. I kept getting distracted from my conversations by the horrors unfolding across from me. In general, the apps are better than anything else, and you should stick with those and sangria.
Rating: 7.0 / 10
Our cost: $470 (8 people, 1 app and 1 ceviche/entree each, with a few pitchers of sangria; apps are $7-16, ceviches $14-17, entrees pretty reasonable though)
Noise level: not bad
Chance of walking in: good.
The service is really abysmal. The girls wanted to come back a year later, and I just got the bacon-wrapped shrimp and papa rellena, which were still good. I had to speak Spanish to the waiter and tell him everything three times, though.
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