New York Restaurant Reminder

Danku

2009-03-16T14:05:00.003-05:00

I happened upon an interesting new restaurant today with V. It is a Dutch fast food chain, though as far as I can tell there are only 2 locations world wide, one in Antwerp and one, a block from my office, in Midtown Manhattan.

Danku provides a wholesome, organic alternative to today’s fast food restaurants. Consumers worldwide can enjoy a fresh, delicious meal while feeling good in the knowledge they are placing less of a burden on the environment.

The menu at Danku is inspired by the popular Indo-Dutch cuisine served all over the Netherlands -- Danku’s birthplace. At one time, Indonesia was a Dutch colony and Indonesian ingredients and dishes have left a delicious and lasting impression, becoming an integral part of the Dutch culinary repertoire.

I definitely liked it, and for "fast food" the menu is very healthy. I had Danku’s signature menu item, the traditional Dutch "krokets," with a garden salad. The prices were reasonable, for New York—under $10 for lunch—and the flavors were interesting. I hope they continue to grow; a sensible enterprise like this is good for our health—and for the Earth. Though it looks like others aren't quite as pleased as I was.

Report from the homefront: Axel's Tavern

2008-12-27T19:09:00.002-05:00

For Christmas this year V and I took her grandparents (Mapa and Papa) to dinner at Axel's Tavern, a nice, comfortable place just outside of the Minneapolis suburbs, in Loretto. There is a bar area when you come in on the main floor, and upstairs is a quieter dining room with paintings on the walls and warm wood tones. We were hoping that there was a fireplace to sit by, but even without it we enjoyed the atmosphere. It was a perfect place for a nice dinner together—not too stuffy or formal, and not too casual or cheesy either.

I was surprised by the menu—it was much larger than I anticipated, including the wine list. The restaurant is known for its ribs and steaks. We held off on ordering appetizers, because each entree came with soup or salad, plus a vegetable and potato. Being that we were in Minnesota I also figured it would be wise to get some walleye too so I ordered the "land and lake," a portion of fish and a sirloin steak. V had the "steak Oscar" which included two steak medallions and two crab cakes, and a side of mushrooms. Mapa ordered the walleye, and papa had a steak, Ray's sirloin.

Comparing the steaks, I'd say that the sirloin was a bit more flavorful than V's medallions, but hers were more tender. The walleye was pan fried and served with slivered almonds. It was flaky and buttery and the crust and almonds gave it a nice crunch as well.

On the side we had great green beans and three of the different varieties of potatoes. Mapa had the loaded baked potato, which seemed pretty standard, for a baked potato. I had the "Mo Taters" which were mashed potatoes with cheese and caramelized onions. I enjoyed them but thought they could have been a little more flavorful—I couldn't taste any onion flavor. V had the alfredo potatoes, a kind of cheesy scalloped potato that was very good.

Overall it was a great dinner. The dining room was the perfect place for conversation and we were not overwhelmed with too much music or televisions in every corner. The service was friendly and attentive. I'm not sure exactly how to compare Axel's to a New York City restaurant other than to say it was more down to earth on all levels, from the decor to the menu and the service. I think if this restaurant were in New York they would have to really specialize on a few key items on the menu, and get rid of a lot of the other good options. Plus, they'd probably double the price of everything! When we're back in town next, if I can go back, I want to go back on Tuesday night for all you can eat prime rib and all you can eat walleye. And I think we've found a great new Christmas tradition, too.

Restaurant Density Analysis

2008-07-21T23:52:00.000-05:00

I am working on a research paper on restaurants in New York and I am quite pleased with this paragraph I wrote, along with its surprising facts:

The New York City Department of Health lists more than 20,000 restaurants on its “Restaurant Inspection Information” web site. In a city of more than 8 million people that amounts to one restaurant for every 400 people. New York City’s area of about 305 square miles gives a restaurant density of 65 restaurants per square mile – greater than the population density per square mile of Vermont, Minnesota and Colorado and 17 other states. This density of dining establishments in the city has created stiff competition and presents many marketing challenges to stand out and succeed but also serves as a hotbed of opportunity for restaurant concepts so unique that they couldn’t take off anywhere else.

Macelleria

2008-06-07T20:15:00.001-05:00

Once a meat warehouse in the now hip Meatpacking District, Macelleria offers rustic Italian fare and a wide selection of choice steaks and chops in the most popular neighborhood in NYC. The extended wine list offers hand-selected wines from all regions of Italy.

We went to Macelleria to celebrate a friend's birthday and we definitely went all out. As we walked into the restaurant, whose name means butcher shop in Italian, I got the sense of a formal but trendy restaurant. The dining room seemed warm with dark wood and brick. As we were taken to our table though, we headed downstairs to another dining room that reminded me of a wine cellar with stone walls and a few large tables. It was a little loud with the other tables full, but I really liked the space.

As for the food, it was even better than the space. We started with a "fresh bufala mozzarella." The cheese was delicious and soft and it was served with some of the best tomatoes I've ever had (and I generally don't like tomatoes). For my main dish I went with the pappardelle al cinghiale, a wide noodle pasta with wild boar sauce. The sauce was flavorful, but i couldn't tell it was boar versus another mainstream meat like ground beef. The dish was good, though maybe I should have gone with a steak, as the restaurant was voted the best steakhouse in New York by Citysearch last year.

Our friend Mark had the filet mignon with green peppercorn sauce. It was the largest filet I have ever seen, and it looked amazing. He described the sauce as spicy yet not overbearing.

V and Lauren ordered a special pasta, tagliatelli with porcini mushrooms. The one little taste I had was rich and delicious and V said the mushrooms were very fresh. Other dishes we ordered included eggplant baked with mozzarella and tomatoes. The bitter rind of the eggplant was a nice flavor in the dish and the meat of the eggplant wasn't mushy. The crispy roasted duck with orange sauce was kind of an Italian take on sweet-and-sour.

On top of all these dishes, we ordered a few sides: fried zucchini, shoestring fires, and grilled mushrooms. The mushrooms were very flavorful and almost steak-like. The zucchini was amazing, though I suppose just about anything fried is delicious.

Then to cap off the whole great meal, we ordered desserts and coffee. (Miraculously, V tried the cappuccino--and liked it!) The desserts were all a great cap to the meal - a fluffy and light New York cheesecake, a small but rich chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and a surprisingly delicious (my favorite) apple strudel with cinnamon ice cream.

All in all, this was just a great meal.The service was good, with a friendly waitstaff who were attentive to refilling drinks and keeping our table satisfied. The menu has a range of prices for dishes from a $16 pasta to their $86 porterhouse for two. The wine list has a lot of nice selections from Italy and a few other regions. I think I'll have to go back again for the steak! I definitely had a bite or two too much to eat, but it was worth it--and I'm very grateful to Mark for having a birthday and to Lauren for hosting the party!

Momofuku Noodle Bar

2008-05-31T18:20:00.002-05:00

Momofuku means lucky peach. This restaurant is one of three by Chef David Chang who was named chef of the year by GQ and Bon Appétit, among other accolades. The other restaurants, Momofuku Ssam and Momofuku Ko, are increasingly harder to get into. I've walked by Ssam a few times and it looks like a very trendy bar and is always crowded. Ko has just 12 seats and offers a tasting menu by reservation only—I'm still struggling to get reservations. So the noodle bar is the most casual of the three and it is relatively easy to get into. We dropped in not knowing what to expect and were very pleased with the experience.

Our server suggested a few things from the menu for us to try and not knowing any different, we followed his guidance. We started with the most popular item on the menu, steamed buns with pork belly and cucumber. There was some kind of sauce spread on the bun that gave the dish a chocolatey or sweet taste that worked really well with the more salty pork.

The next dish was the biggest risk: sliced fluke sashimi with pickled pearl onion and charred jalapeno. We're OK with raw fish in sushi, but I've never had fluke in this way before. It was really a very good dish, though it didn't look that good on the plate (kind of plain as the fish was white as was the plate). The fish was tender and not at all fishy. The onion and jalapeno were a nice texture and flavor addition. There was also some kind of oil or other lite sauce that helped to bring everything together.

Finally we shared a bowl of ramen. After our experience at Ippudo, we're getting used to gourmet noodles. The momofuku ramen came with shredded pork and two pieces of pork belly, a poached egg, scallions, and watercress (or something). The broth wasn't too salty and the noodles of course were very good. We really liked the dish.

I think the main focus of our dinner conversation was who we could bring to this restaurant. It's a unique atmosphere, casual and loud, with communal tables. The wait staff was friendly and helpful. The food is definitely good but I'd say some people might be a little afraid to try it. I think the restaurant fits in quite well though in the neighborhood and with the general crowd around here. We'll have to see who we take to momofuku next - and when we can try the other two restaurants!

Dallas BBQ

2008-05-26T12:02:00.002-05:00

A New York City apartment does not easily allow for grilling out. To make up for this, and in the spirit of Memorial Day, we headed down the block to Dallas BBQ for "New York's Most Popular Rotisserie." The place is frequently packed when we walk by, and so we had high hopes for good food at a reasonable price. We were greatly disappointed.

Clarkr ordered baby back ribs that came with fries and cornbread. Staple foods at a BBQ restaurant, but the ribs weren't tender enough, and the fries were soft and bland. The cornbread was the best food on the plate, but was still unsatisfying. I ordered a steak and tried to replace the potato choice with a salad, only to be told that there are no substitutions. The steak was over-cooked, too thin, and was served on soggy pita. The highlight of the dish were the crispy onions that accompanied the steak.

The service proved to be as bad as the food, with the waitress bringing us steak sauce and ketchup after we had finished the food, and water after we had asked for the check.

We were less than impressed with this chain restaurant and in the future will stick to Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem when we are craving good BBQ.

Written by V, who is helping me to catch up on all the posts yet to come!

Dessert Truck

2008-05-23T21:04:00.002-05:00

DessertTruck is a new mobile food concept based in the heart of New York City at 8th St and University Place. Using great ingredients and the highest standards for execution, we bring desserts from the world of fine-dining into the realm of everyday enjoyment. At our mobile food truck, there's no BS, no pretension. Just really good desserts.

I couldn't agree more with this description of the Dessert Truck. Simple. Quick. Cheap. DELICIOUS. V and I stopped by for a bite after a lite dinner and it was an amazing way to cap off our meal. (Especially for $5.) We ordered the Chocolate Bread Pudding, which is their "take on a classic chocolate custard dessert, topped with vanilla crème anglaise." It was served warm, in a little tinfoil dish that was a perfect size to get the great taste but not overwhelm you with sweetness or richness (or calories). I could have eaten the whole thing myself, but it was nice to share. I'd definitely recommend this, and I'll surely go back. Fortunately it is not that close to our apartment that it will become a regular destination. And next time I'm going to try it with the bacon crème anglaise. It sounds weird but the server told us it is the best thing on the menu!

Grey Dog Coffee

2008-05-23T20:03:00.003-05:00

In search of a lighter, healthier, dinner one night, we wound up at Grey Dog Coffee, known in the neighborhood for its friendly service and relaxed atmosphere. Upon entering, we were slightly confused, wondering if we should wait to be seated, seat ourselves, or order at the counter. We eventually ordered at the counter, chose our seat, and then the food was served to us. The people watching was great as the crowd was very diverse. Even the servers had their own eccentricities that made the experience unique.

The food is standard fare, including sandwiches, salads, burgers, and breakfasts. We each tried a salad: the Cobb salad, and the seared tuna steak salad. All of the ingredients were very fresh and combined to make a great dinner salad. The portion was big enough to be a satisfying meal. Each was served with a piece of onion focaccia bread. I liked that they automatically served my dressing on the side, and that they would probably have allowed us to sit there all night if we wanted to.

All in all, a great spot for a light meal or a cup of coffee (except I don't like coffee).

Written by V.

Haru - Wall Street

2008-05-17T20:07:00.002-05:00

My brother, John, recently started work at the Wall Street location of Haru. We decided to pay him a visit one night to check out his serving skills and knowledge of Japanese food and culture. It was quite a treat to be greeted by him at the door in Japanese, and to receive stellar service all night long. Really. The best service we've had in New York City. Ever.

We went on a Saturday night, and noted that the restaurant was pretty quiet and had few patrons, although this seems typical of the financial district on weekend evenings. The decor was modern and spacious, and could accommodate large groups of people. The sushi counter was exposed and it was fun to watch the chefs at work.

At John's suggestion, we began with the standard edamame, then went on to crab cakes that were well-seasoned, included big chunks of crab, and were topped with a tasty mango sauce.

Some people are adventurous sushi eaters. Being fairly new to the world of sushi, we are pretty tame, but were very pleased with the rolls we ordered. We shared the Philadelphia, spicy tuna, spicy titanic special roll (which included salmon, avocado and salmon caviar wrapped around spicy tuna and tempura flakes). For dessert, we shared red bean mochi ice cream and tempura cheesecake. Both were fantastic and we left very satisfied.

Did I mention the service was fantastic?

Another post written by V!

Holy Basil

2008-05-16T19:12:00.004-05:00

Holy Basil is a Thai place that we've heard about a few blocks from our apartment. We stopped in for a casual dinner and were a bit surprised. It was a rainy Friday night and when we walked in the place wasn't very crowded. We got a table right by the door, that was on a platform a few feet above the bar, overlooking the whole restaurant. As the atmosphere was definitely Thai-themed, but not too ornate or crazy. There were some curtains hanging and mirrors on the walls, with candles on the tables.

As our meal progressed the place got more and more crowded with people going out. I guess we lucked out in getting a table without a wait, as there were lots of groups waiting near the entrance for the rest of the night.

Anyhow, the food was good. We tried to get beyond the usual pad thai; I had a curry called Massa-mun. It had chicken breast meat with sweet red curry, potatoes, peanut, onion, and coconut milk. It was served with rice on the side. I enjoyed it, as I always like peanut/coconut flavors. V had Pad Sea-ew, which has chicken with wide ribbons of rice noodles stir-fried with Asian broccoli and thick soy sauce. It was a little plain, but not too bad. The highlight of the meal was the starter we ordered, vegetable spring rolls, served with plum sauce. We both loved the flavors and textures of the dish.

Overall it was a good experience, and rather inexpensive, coming in at about $15 each (we ordered soda to keep it cheap). The service was OK. I think I'd go back, but maybe try a few different dishes next time.

La Palapa

2008-05-10T20:52:00.002-05:00

La Palapa, an authentic Mexican restaurant specializing in "Mexico City style" tacos and quesadillas and regional home cooking is on St. Marks Place in the East Village. The restaurant focuses on authentic Mexican cuisine featuring many specialties from different regions of Mexico. Salsas and sauces are rich and spicy and fresh ingredients are used.

We came to La Palapa while wandering around the East Village, looking for someplace new to try out. The restaurant was busy but there was only a few minutes wait for a table. We also figured it was appropriate cuisine being a few days past Cinco de Mayo.

The restaurant has a definite Mexican atmosphere with stucco and a thatched awning at the entrance. It gave a feel of being near the ocean, though of course it was on a busy Manhattan street. According to their website, this is exactly what La Palapa means:

A palapa is a palm-thatched shelter on a Mexican beach where you can relax with your feet in the sand looking at the ocean while you sip an ice cold cerveza flavored with lime and salt, and eat a spicy shrimp taco with salsa guajillo.

We were seated in a back semi-enclosed courtyard-type space that was less exciting than the main dining room, but the quieter atmosphere was nice. We ordered a few small things from the menu rather than entrees, starting with QUESO FUNDIDO con CHORIZO CASERO a homemade chorizo baked with cotija anejo and monterey jack cheeses served with warm tortillas. It wasn't that large of a portion, but it was pretty good, with a rather mild flavor. I ordered ELOTE del MERCADO PLAZA SAN ANGEL. This is Mexico city plaza style corn on the cob with lime, mayo, chile piquín and queso cotija. I like typical Minnesota corn on the cob with butter and salt better, but this was good too - my first corn of the season! Finally we tried tacos and quesadillas. Sadly, though the restaurant may be known for these, they weren't that good and they were very small. The "shells" were 3 to 4 inches around and the meat (char-grilled marinated skirt steak and chile chipotle barbecued chicken) was fairly dry. This made the quesadillas better, with their melted cheese to keep things a little more moist.

I appreciate the effort at authenticity at La Palapa, but the prices were a bit high and the food didn't quite satisfy my hopes. There are several other good looking dishes on the menu, so maybe we'll check those out if we're in the area, and in the mood.

Sharaku

2008-05-04T20:50:00.002-05:00

Sharaku is a sushi place directly across the street from our apartment. We tried it out and weren't blown away but it was good. (Definitely not Haru!) The restaurant was busy but the service was slow. We ordered most of the normal rolls we get, like tuna with avocado, spicy tuna, Philadelphia, and then tried one special roll, called the spider roll. It had fried soft shell crab, cucumber, avocado, sprouts, roe, and spicy mayonnaise. V ordered it, but didn't realize why it is called the spider roll: the crab legs are sticking out the end like a giant spider climbing out of the roll. Needless to say, I got to eat the whole roll. It was good, but I don't know if I'd order it again. I guess we just like to stick with the simple sushi.

Dessert Club, ChikaLicious

2008-05-03T22:48:00.002-05:00

I suppose a dessert-only restaurant isn't that unique what with ice cream shops and other similar places, but somehow, "Dessert Club, ChikaLicious" is unique as a one-food-only place. Across the street from its sister restaurant, ChikaLicious Dessert Bar (which is a fancier dessert space that serves a fixed-price menu), the Dessert Club serves only pudding:

Steamed Apple Puddin'
Adult Chocolate Puddin'
Brioche Bread Puddin'

We tried the chocolate and bread puddings. The chocolate pudding was not that unique, but V loved the Brioche Bread Pudding. It was served warm and was rich and delicious. The prices were reasonable, and the atmosphere simple (just a walk-up counter with a few seats, and a great aroma coming from the kitchen. We're waiting until we have some guests in town to try out the dessert bar.

Totally Baked

2008-05-03T12:46:00.002-05:00

Yet another restaurant devoted to one food item: baked potatoes. Anyone who is a potato fan should not pass this place up. It is a casual fast food style place, and focuses on the lunch crowd, closing at 6pm many days. It was clean, and the woman who helped us was especially friendly and helpful. There were huge pictures of potatos on the wall, and Mr. Potato Heads for sale. The potatoes are served with small side salads in over-sized cardboard boxes with plastic utensils.

We could not afford the $55 truffle baked potato, so we had to settle for $10 choices. For this amount of money, we still expected a good sized portion of potato. However, the potato was small. There were ample toppings on each. I tried the wild mushroom (of course) which included chanterelle, shitake, oysters and crimini with shallot, chive, and manchego cheese. I wished for more cheese, but was very pleased with the variety of mushrooms and the overall taste of the potato.

Clark enjoyed his potato with grilled rosemary skirt steak, caramelized shallots and blue cheese. The steak was tender and it was a delicious combination.

We'll go back when we can afford the truffled potato (not likely).

Written by V.

Stand

2008-05-02T20:46:00.003-05:00

"That rare well-done burger restaurant," Stand is a great casual burger place. It has a full bar and somehow manages to combine carry-out convenience and contemporary sit-down table service very well. The place is simply decorated with tall ceilings, white walls, black wooden tables and huge windows open to the street. The space is very large, probably seating 50 tables.

We each ordered a burger, of course. I had a cheese burger which came with onion marmalade, lettuce, and a delicious blue cheese sauce. The burger was juicy and a good size. The (fried) sides, which were ordered separately, included Onion Rings, regular Fries and Shoestring Fries. Each of them was good but I'd probably rate them onion, shoestring, regular. We capped off the meal with a pitcher of local beer.

It was a great meal, and I'd definitely go back. The prices were reasonable for the food and the service. And even with a whole restaurant focused on the simple burger, there is more I'd like to try. I'm sure I'll be back.

Catch-up

2008-04-27T22:05:00.002-05:00

I've finished classes for the spring, and though summer classes are imminent, I'm working on catching up on 3 months worth of restaurant reviews. Just 23 to go! We are finding lots of new places in our new neighborhood, but we're also working to keep a budget and eat healthy - ideally, from now on two restaurants a week and sharing an appetizer and main dish to keep a healthy portion. So look forward to more posts to come! There's just a few thousand more restaurants in the city to try, and it seems like about 75 percent of them are at our doorstep.

99 Miles to Philly

2008-04-27T19:29:00.004-05:00

99 Miles to Philly is a cheese steak place a few blocks from our new apartment. Occasionally I get a deep urge for a good cheese steak, which is exactly what happened today. So I walked over and ordered a steak with provolone and onions. The special includes waffle fries and a can of soda for $10, which wasn't a bad deal. My sandwich wasn't as gooey as I would have liked: I guess I should have gone with the more "authentic" Philly steak, that comes with cheese whiz. It took at least 5 minutes to get my order, which I suppose means it was fresh made, but the wait was definitely a complaint, when I've been to places like Pat's and Gino's in Philadelphia where you can get your sandwich in as much time as it takes to order a "whiz with." I took V back a few hours later, because she was jealous I went without her. Her steak had American cheese, which was definitely more the style I was hoping for. 99 miles to Philly is good, but I think I've had better.

The Crooked Tree

2008-04-27T12:57:00.000-05:00

The Crooked Tree is a creperie a few blocks from our new apartment on St. Marks Place between First Ave and Ave A. Since we've moved, we've been looking for a place to replace one of our Astoria favorites, Euro Delights, where we regularly went for crepes.

We each ordered a crepe, me the sopressatta and mozzarella, with red onions, and V the mushroom and goat cheese. Both were (in our opinion) more authentically French - thin and modestly filled. The flavors were unique, I liked the mushroom crepe better, but the salami in mine was good and the cheese was fresh. Were were also served a little salad on the side which was nice.

The restaurant is small (like pretty much everything in the East Village) with a casual and comfortable decor. There are bottles of wine decorating one wall, and random things from a Spider-Man figurine to a giant jar of Nutella decorating the other. You can see the kitchen in back and an angled mirror on the wall enables you to see each crepe being prepared. Really the best thing about the atmosphere is the smell: butter. I don't think The crooked Tree quite matched Euro delights, but it certainly deserves a place on my culinary radar.

Cafe Deville

2008-04-26T17:01:00.003-05:00

Cafe Deville is a great looking French bistro on 3rd Avenue. I've walked by it a number of times coming home from work. The street-side tables and the bar seemed rather enticing. Unfortunately it didn't meet our expectations.

V and I dropped in to try it out on a cool Saturday afternoon. Maybe it was the wrong time of day or something because the service was spotty and slow, but the place was fairly crowded, at least around the front windows. Our server honestly could have been high on something; he was twitching and skittery, and only came to our table twice; once to take the drink order and once to take the food order. At the end of the meal we had to flag him down after waiting for quite a while to get our check. We spent that time debating how low to tip.

The food was good, but not great. I ordered the hangar steak, which came with onions (they seemed like they came straight out of a pot of French onion soup) and mashed potatoes. The steak was fairly tender but its flavor was a little off. V had a cheeseburger which was very thick though a little over cooked, it also came with fries. Sadly, perhaps, the best deal of the meal was the $1 oysters we started with. That's one thing I'd go back for. Otherwise, it wasn't that good, and as I mentioned, the service was poor. I think the only other thing I'd attempt if we went back is brunch, which I've read pretty good reviews of.

Cafe Mogador

2008-04-25T18:58:00.001-05:00

A good friend introduced us to Cafe Mogador, "Considered a pioneer of Moroccan restaurants in NYC." It's location on St. Mark's adds it to a growing list of restaurants on this street that we have really enjoyed.

The atmosphere was friendly and cozy, and wasn't overdone in Moroccan themes. We began with a bottle of wine recommended by the server, as well as roasted eggplant and tahini with pita bread. The flavor of the eggplant stood out and reminded us of our time spent in China, where eggplant was served more frequently than in the U.S. I also tried the tomato ginger soup, which was creamy and flavorful.

For dinner, I couldn't resist the whole wheat goat cheese ravioli, with butternut squash and sage cream sauce. I had never thought of pasta as Moroccan, but they do it very well! Clark had the bastilla, best described as a dinner pastry. It included filo dough, chicken, almonds, and herbs and spices. It was a unique dish, but could have benefited from some kind of a sauce. Maybe that's the worst thing to be said about a prominent Moroccan dish - what does he know?!

We probably should have followed suit when our friend, who had been there numerous times, ordered the chicken grill, which included skewered chicken with grilled vegetables and basmati rice. It looked and smelled delicious.

We truly enjoyed our entire meal here and will be sure to go back when we are looking for a Moroccan flare!

Written by V!

Goodburger

2008-04-20T19:20:00.002-05:00

At goodburger freshness is everything. That’s why in a world where food is often chemically processed, prepackaged and frozen, each and every goodburger is made the old fashioned way.

There are so many different hamburger places in the city, each trying to come at this simple food from a different angle. goodburger's attempt is, in my opinion, high class McDonald's. And I really don't think that even with the hand-made burgers and all-natural ingredients, that it is quite worth the price.

V and I paid about $30 for two burgers with fries and milkshakes. The burgers were good, but I've definitely had better. Same goes for the rest of the food. They also offer beer and wine, which we passed on. The atmosphere is rather fast-food like and there are a few flat-panel TVs showing sports, with music blaring through the restaurant a notch too loud. I'm not sure what else I missed, but it just didn't seem worth it to me. I don't think we'll go back.

Pommes Frites

2008-04-19T15:36:00.001-05:00

Upon moving to the East Village, we have noticed a number of restaurants that are able to specialize in one particular item. Pommes Frites is probably the most addicting of these places. I guess it sounds better to call french fries pommes frites, because the line is always out the door at this small restaurant. Even better than the fries are the variety of sauces that they serve to go along with the fries. You can choose from about 20 different flavors to enhance the taste of the already delicious, big, salty fries. We prefer to order our standard sweet mango chutney mayo (sweet AND spicy!), in addition to trying a new sauce. Some other favorites include: parmesan peppercorn, pomegranate teriyaki mayo, peanut satay. Anyone who visits us should be prepared to stop by here at least once.

The Smith

2008-04-19T11:13:00.002-05:00

In the heart of the East Village, The Smith serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner every day in a casual upbeat environment.

I really liked this place. I'd compare it to Schiller's Liquor Bar, just on a bigger scale. It even has a funky bathroom and old-school glass bottles for tap water a lá Schiller's. The Smith is a few blocks uptown from our place, on Third Avenue. The restaurant has a lot of street frontage and in warm weather the windows all open up to the street. We took some friends visiting from D.C. there for brunch.

I found the food to be quite good, for what it is. The hit of the meal was the croaker with smoked ham, gruyere cheese, over sourdough rye, with fried eggs drooping over the whole mess. It was a huge portion served in a skillet. I'd say it could easily be shared. Plus, it tasted good - the egg yolk dripping through all the other ingredients made for a good sauce. I had the steak and eggs which came with home fries. It was good, though I felt the meat was a little tough.

As I mentioned before there are a few funky touches at the restaurant. The bathroom is one large room with a bunch of individual stalls, rather than a men's room and a ladies room. Then, oddly, there is a photo booth in the bathroom too. We'll have to go try that out. We were served both flat and sparkling water at no charge, in clear and green glass bottles, respectively.

Unfortunately, I felt the service could have been a little better and more attentive. We were waiting for a while to get some ketchup and to get a replacement fork after one dropped on the floor. But I suppose that's a consequence of their success - the place was busy! And every time I walk by, weekday, weekend, lunch, dinner, it is crowded. I'd definitely go back. Plus I hear they have free food on Wednesdays!

Ippudo

2008-04-18T20:04:00.003-05:00

My dining experience at Ippudo was definitely one of the most unique in recent memory. Perhaps too, it was one of the most ridiculously priced meals as it was ramen, which I gained great expertise in during college. Instead of a 25¢ pack of noodles, it was a $12 bowl. It was definitely better than the old block of noodles and little packet of seasoning. And Ippudo is definitely authentic. Our server barely spoke English, and I'm pretty sure ours was the only table without at least one Japanese diner. After the hour-plus wait, as we were walking in to the restaurant, at least a dozen servers and other staff members stopped to greet us in Japanese.

Ordering was a bit of a struggle but we managed to each try a different ramen and a few appetizers. Each dish came in a unique bowl with noodles, of course, vegetables, and some slices of pork tenderloin (with a fatty rind). We also tried a few dishes of pickled vegetables. With some Japanese beer and sake cocktails, it proved to be a very authentic Japanese meal. I think that the restaurant is probably a popular chain in Japan so maybe we're thinking it's amazing when there it is like TGI Friday's or something. But regardless, it was a great experience.

Village Pour House

2008-04-17T20:34:00.002-05:00

The Village Pour House is a causal bar a few blocks up from our apartment. There's nothing too unique about it - lots of TVs, a young college-esque crowd and typical bar food. There is a back room that's a little quieter than the main bar area, though when I was there a group of girls from NYU were playing beer pong back there! The best part of the place is the impressive beer selection with something like 80 beers on tap and in bottles. If I need a place to watch the World Series or something, I think this would be a great choice.