Archive for August, 2009

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DBGB: The Only Place Where An $8 Hot Dog is Money Well Spent

Monday, August 31st, 2009

DBGB Dog

Since DBGB’s opening almost two months ago, the place has become a rousing success where it is often all-too difficult to snag a seat at prime dinner hours. After our wildly successful first visit, I was left curious about the DBGB Dog, which we didn’t have room to try during that meal.
 
As the least expensive item other than chopped salad on the menu, I worried that the dog wouldn’t be quite enough on its own. Boy, was I wrong. At about twice the size of your average hot dog, they’re not messing around with this one. The juicy all-beef “wiener” is made in-house, nestled in a deliciously sweet, bready bun atop sautéed onions, crowned with homemade relish and a slightly spicy ketchup.
 
Just one bite will silence the thrifty little voice in your head that protested, “$8? For a hot dog?!” And hey, since one of these beauties also comes with a basket of fries, it’s a rare opportunity to fill your belly for under $10 courtesy of Daniel Boulud.
 
Posted by: Kim Partrick
Order: DBGB Dog
Price: $
Location: 299 Bowery (between Houston and 1st St.)
Type of Food: French/American
Veggie Friendly? N
www.danielnyc.com/dbgb


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10 Downing Food & Wine: Even If You Didn’t Make It to the Cape This Summer, Your Dinner Did

Friday, August 28th, 2009

10 Downing Food & Wine

We’ve been all about seafood recently, and for good reason. The finish of summer also spells the end of barbecues, clam bakes, crayfish boils, and all other wonderful warm weather traditions. So we’re looking to get our fill of succulent summer treats as long as we can.

One of the more intriguing offerings of the summer is 10 Downing Food & Wine’s clam bake. At $20 for individuals or $35 for pairs, it’s an incredible deal. For your money, each person gets a one-pound lobster plus an assortment of accompaniments ranging from fried softshell crab to cornmeal-crusted calamari, and from mussels to clams to shrimp. The seafood is served with a caramelly butter dipping sauce, and rosemary ciabatta with olive oil.

And this lobster isn’t just any crustacean; it’s fresh Maine lobster driven down by the owner on Sundays from his summer house. That’s right, that lobster was in the ocean just a short while before it hit your plate. To prove their freshness, each diner gets his or her own personal place mat made of that day’s Maine Sunday Telegram.

All the effort pays off in fresh, flavorful seafood and an incredible value for your money. The sweet, caramelized butter in particular is an unusual touch that works out quite well. If you’re looking for accompaniments, you can’t go wrong with any of the salad offerings, nor with the fresh sweet corn on the cob, served with creamy butter, paprika, and panela (Mexican cheese) on top.

The restaurant itself is lovely, light and airy, with a prime spot on lower 6th Avenue for people watching. But the days of outdoor dining at 10 Downing are waning, as are the days of this deal. The clam bake is available Sundays and Mondays through Labor Day only, so be sure to reserve your table early!

Posted by: Nicole Price Fasig
Order: clam bake
Price: $$
Location: 10 Downing St. (at 6th Ave.)
Type of Food: Seafood, American
Veggie Friendly? N
www.10downingnyc.com


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Bondi Road: Unlimited or Not, These Are Some Great Oysters

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Bondi Road Oysters

Last Thursday, upon Nicole’s recommendation, I headed down under (Houston Street) to Bondi Road for their weekly $10 all-you-can-eat seafood special. As a staunch skeptic in the realm of discount seafood, I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of my multi-course feast. In all honestly, though, the shrimp and raw oyster shooters were just filler; the real stars of the show are pictured above.

Placed nondescriptly on your table next to the other two more typical aspects of your meal are these little wonders the waitress billed as, “garlic baked oysters.” She then added, “There’s also bacon baked in.” I’ll forgive her for burying the lead, because being surprised with “garlic,” “oysters,” and “bacon” in a single sentence might have been too much to handle. Whatever you call them, though, a few of these babies are more than worth the $10. It’s difficult to imagine a more decadent bite of seafood, what with the garlicky, buttery goodness beneath the oyster and the crispy bits of bacon atop it. Raw oyster purists, be warned, these might make you question your principles.

These tasty creatures are available every night of the week, but remember, if you head over tonight or any Thursday, you can keep ‘em coming all night long for a measly $10!

Posted by: Kim Partrick
Price: $
Location: 153 Rivington Street (at Suffolk)
Type of Food: Seafood
Veggie Friendly? N
www.thesunburntcow.com


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El Malecon Restaurant II: (Not) Just Another Hole-in-the-Wall

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

Malecon mixed grill

If you somehow find yourself on the sleepy little block of Amsterdam just north of 97th, you’ll notice a mini restaurant row along the west side of the street. None of the eateries, however, are more enticing than El Malecon Restaurant II, a small Dominican place with juicy, golden chickens rotating on a spit in the window.

The last time I ate at Malecon, after a wonderful and hearty meal, I was baffled by the check. I wondered if there must have been some sort of mistake and I even asked the waiter if the total was correct. My table of five got more food than we could finish for just over $10 per person.

For our money, we sampled a delicious mixed grill with steak, chicken breast, shrimp, and chorizo. The chorizo was described by one as the “chorizo version of a Nathan’s hot dog,” but I thought it was juicy, spicy, and flavorful. I ordered the half chicken, malecon-style (only $8!), a juicy, crispy half roast chicken with spicy green sauce.

The chicken is really what draws you in to Malecon. You can’t help but salivate over the golden birds in the window. But you can’t go wrong with any dish; everything I’ve sampled garnered rave reviews. Should you find yourself near the top of Central Park, Malecon is worth leaving that pastoral haven and braving the city streets. You won’t be disappointed by the big flavor for a little price.

Posted by: Nicole Price Fasig
Order: half chicken, malecon style, yellow rice
Price: $
Location: 764 Amsterdam Ave. (between 97th St. and 98th St.)
Type of Food: Dominican, Caribbean
www.maleconrestaurants.com


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Patsy’s Pizzeria: Thanks For Being 76 Years Old!

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Tomorrow, Wednesday the 26th, this New York institution is celebrating its 76th birthday, and you’re invited! From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the original East Harlem location will revert to 1933 menu prices. Know what that means? The press release, quoted on Slice, promises 90-cent steaks, 60-cent pies, and penny sodas! Grub Street even whispers of 40-cent mussels. In other words, gorge yourself on one of New York’s best pizzas for under a dollar.

And just in case you’re crazy enough not to be enticed by price alone, there will be plenty of entertainment on hand. The NYPD and FDNY will face off in a pizza eating contest, and 118th and 1st will be officially renamed “Patsy’s Way.”

If there was ever a day to sneak out for a long lunch, this is it!

Posted by: Kim Partrick
Price: $
Location: 2287-91 First Avenue (at 118th St.)
Type of Food: Pizza
Veggie Friendly? Y
www.patsyspizzeriany.com


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Cabrito: Street Food With a Touch of Class

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Cabrito
The famous pink goat!

Kim and I were some of the first people to eat at this hidden gem in the West Village, and we were psyched to try Cabrito shortly after it opened. The restaurant certainly had enough hype, given that it was the brainchild of the sous chef from Fatty Crab (who incidentally did his culinary school thesis on Mexican street food). Though the menu at Cabrito has been refined since our first visit, we’ve never had any complaints about the flavorful tacos, fresh house-made chips, and margaritas that pack a punch.

A recent visit revealed yet another wonderful surprise. I met my cousin for an early dinner only to discover that we were there in time to partake in Cabrito’s amazing happy hour. I’m talking $5 margaritas ($6 if you get one of the flavors like watermelon, hibiscus, or strawberry), $6 chips with guacamole and salsa, and $3 tacos. We had our fill for less than $15 a person and we even got a round of cocktails on the house!

I was incredibly sad to see that an old favorite, the cecinas tacos were no longer on the menu. Lucky for us, they were replaced by decadent pork belly tacos (covered in a tamarind-arbol glaze and paired with jicama and green apple!). I was feeling bold, so I also sampled the wonderfully tender lengua y tomatillo taco (braised tongue, for the uninitiated). My cousin was thrilled with her tacos al pastor, marinated pork with pineapple habanero pico de gallo.

Happy hour is every day from 4-7pm and the same discounts apply during late night service, from 11pm-2am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Whether it’s an early dinner or a late snack, you won’t want to miss out on this amazing deal!

Be sure to check out more images from our dinner after the jump!

Posted by: Nicole Price Fasig
Order: watermelon margarita, guacamole & salsa, lengua taco, pork belly taco
Price: $
Location: 50 Carmine St. (between Bleecker St. and Bedford St.)
Type of Food: Mexican
www.cabritonyc.com

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The Brooklyn Kitchen’s Food Science Friday: Where Foodies Can Have Their Fun and Eat It, Too

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Many of those lucky enough to have Summer Fridays complain that the extra time off only results in more weekend wallet woes. Well, this Friday, cancel your movie and happy hour plans, because The Brooklyn Kitchen’s cooking up an educational and free(!) afternoon of culinary enjoyment just for you.

Tomorrow, the folks at the Kitchen will put on a program they’ve dubbed “It’s Electric!” in what will be their penultimate installment of this August’s series of Food Science Fridays. You and your fellow food nerds will get to flash back to elementary school as you learn to power simple kitchen appliances using only potatoes and citrus fruits, and even attempt to make sparks fly in your mouth with various minty foods!

There will also be food and drink on hand for tired scientific minds to feast upon once the experimentation is over. So what are you waiting for? An afternoon of learning and a free meal await you just across the river!

Posted by: Kim Partrick
Price: Free
Location: 616 Lorimer Street (at Skillman Ave.), Brooklyn
www.thebrooklynkitchen.com


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Bondi Road: Party Like an Aussie for Less

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

It’s hard not to love seafood, but it’s also hard to get your fill in the city, what with the incredibly high prices. If all you’re craving is some good shrimp, expect to shell out $15 and maybe more (with the exception of our favorite happy hour, of course).

Or you can just make your way down Bondi Road in the Lower East Side. This Aussie staple, and sister restaurant of the Sunburnt Cow, just introduced an unbelievable Thursday night special. That’s right: all the shrimp and oysters you can stomach, for just $10. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can also spring for the all-you-can-drink special for $20. Some may consider it a challenge. I see it as an opportunity. Only seafood lovers need apply.

Posted by: Nicole Price Fasig
Price: $$
Location: 153 Rivington St. (between Suffolk St. and Clinton St.)
Type of Food: Seafood
Veggie Friendly? N
www.thesunburntcow.com


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Taro Sushi: The Word’s Out, and With Good Reason

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

Taro Sushi

Given sushi’s widespread popularity, it’s not surprising that our streets are peppered with Japanese eateries left and right, great and terrible. Sometimes all it takes for such a place to succeed is posting the neighborhood’s cheapest all-you-can-eat sushi deal. But think about it: can you really be getting the best product with such a deal? Luckily, there are a precious few places where delicious, authentic sushi can be found at bargain prices, and Taro Sushi is one such gem.

It may look like a hole in the wall on the outside, but Taro is hardly a secret to Park Slope’s sushi lovers. Its relatively tiny interior was packed on the Saturday night our party visited, and our party of 7 had to be (politely) asked to vacate our tables after paying the bill so that those waiting outside could use our tables. If you end up having to wait, though, it won’t be in vain. Taro makes some of the best sushi I’ve had in the city, and with the affordable prices and efficiency that will surely make me a return customer.

For my meal, I chose the spicy squid tempura roll and the brand-new “Karen” roll, which is shrimp tempura inside, with spicy tuna, spicy salmon, and avocado on the outside. Though squid in a sushi roll was a new experience for me, it’s a definite repeat. Despite its oddity, the combination of textures among the squid, spicy sauce, and rice was a home run. And let’s not forget my new friend Karen, whose winning combo of ingredients couldn’t be anything but delectable, and were only made better by their quality and the hand-grated wasabi I dipped them in. And the best part? Both rolls, which constituted plenty of food for a hungry diner, came to just $13. That’s the cost of just one specialty roll at many of Manhattan’s popular joints.

What Taro lacks in ambience it more than makes up for with its delicious dishes and friendly, expedient service. Next time you’re shopping at Atlantic Terminal, skip the Pizza Hut and mosy on down the street for a real meal!

Posted by: Kim Partrick
Order: Karen roll, spicy squid tempura roll
Price: $-$$
Location: 446 Dean St. (between 5th Ave. & Flatbush), Brooklyn
Type of Food: Japanese
Veggie Friendly? Y


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Aquavit: Who Knew Scandinavians Loved Crayfish?

Monday, August 17th, 2009

There’s nothing like a good crayfish boil to really get summer rolling (finally). Upscale Upper East Side restaurant Aquavit is in the middle of its annual crayfish festival to celebrate everyone’s favorite mud bug.

For your money ($27 at lunch and $36 at dinner) you’ll be able to feast on a pound of crayfish, as well as Aquavit’s crayfish buffet served in the cafe. Offerings include crayfish-tail salad, poached salmon with crayfish sauce, and crayfish cakes.

Like summer, the crayfish festival will be ending before you know it. (Aquavit’s only offering the special through Friday, to be exact.) So hurry and make your reservations before it’s too late!

Posted by: Nicole Price Fasig
Price: $$$-$$$$
Location: 65 E. 55th St. (between Madison Ave. and Park Ave.)
Veggie Friendly? N
www.aquavit.org


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