Immaculate Infatuation

Guess where you can find us getting down on all you can eat shellfish in Times Square. No, not Steinthal’s 30th birthday party at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. We were actually recently turned on to this little spot BXL last month, and have hit their all you can eat mussels special a few times since. On Sunday and Monday nights, twenty bucks gets you all the moules you can keep down, frites on the side, and a Stella. It’s a great deal, and the mussels are high quality and really tasty. All of the food at BXL is actually pretty solid. Aside from the moules, you’ll find a decent burger and a lot of traditional Belgian fare. It’s a great spot to have in your repertoire if you need some eats in Times Square after work or before a show. Unfortunately, the place gets crazy busy and is always pretty loud. The 51st Street location is usually (a little) quieter if you’re not locked in to location.

We do have to say though, that mussels are probably not something that should be all you can eat. There is something unsettling about consuming very large quantities of mollusks in one sitting. A two-pound pot of mussels is a lot of food, and to some people, “all you can eat” might as well be a dare. We’re told that the record holder at BXL put down eleven pounds of the suckers in one sitting…and didn’t die. In some cultures that will either get you appointed king or drowned in a river for being a demon. At BXL I think it gets you a second Stella.

… read more

Believe it or not, people used to live in Williamsburg because it was cheaper than Manhattan, not because it was cool. Before the hipster invasion began in the late 90’s, the South side belonged to the Hasidim and Peter Luger. Sure, there were always artists, musicians and .com hopefuls living there, but it was nothing like it is today. Hipster idealism has spread through Brooklyn like wildfire since then, and the outbreak isn’t contained within the borough. It’s become a nation-wide epidemic. Rappers in tight pants and fedoras. PBR on tap in Oklahoma. Meatheads in Ray-Bans and artists like MGMT and Grizzly Bear blasting from frat house speakers around the country. This is getting ridiculous and The ‘Burg is to blame. The initial source of the breakout? Diner. That’s right, one little restaurant that opened back on new years of 1998 started a domino effect felt around the USA. Didn’t you read The Tipping Point?

Diner has been a Williamsburg institution for a decade now. Originally built out of necessity by two friends in need of a place to eat, drink and hang out – it soon became not only their home base, but every other recent settler’s home as well. It’s like the hipster Plymouth Rock. As expected, Diner takes the form of, well, a diner. It’s basically a hole in the wall, and if it weren’t for the constant crowds, you’d probably wonder how a place that looks like this stays in business. Everyone inside is most definitely cooler than you, but they don’t think they’re better than you. Both the clientele and staff are friendly, and generally seem to be enjoying themselves. There are no hard copies of the menu, your server personally writes the daily specials by hand on your table.

… read more

This person needs no introduction. As the face of Food & Wine Magazine (where she’s special projects director) and through her role on Top Chef, Gail has become one of the most recognizable and well respected people in food media. With another season of Top Chef kicking off this week (our money is on Kenny, obviously), what better time to check in with our favorite member of judges table. We always knew Gail had good taste, but we didn’t realize she consistently hangs out at all our favorite spots.

P.S. – Top Chef producers, if you see this, we’ve got an excellent challenge conceptualized for you. It stars two food bloggers, Kid Rock, and a hot plate. Let us know when you want to set up a meeting.

… read more

We are spoiled in this city…especially when it comes to food, booze, and the general pursuit of things that make us feel good. In a place where pretty much anything you can think of is no further than a cab ride away, it’s easy to become jaded and complain about the few things you can’t get. We have our own list of luxuries that we feel deprived of, and it includes, but is not limited to the following: good Mexican food, streets that don’t smell like pee, and true beer bars that know their shit.

Now that we’ve been to Blind Tiger, we will retract that last part. I grew up in Colorado, and went to college in Fort Collins, which is place that several very successful breweries call home. Needless to say, I became accustomed to drinking in bars with incredible beer selections. What I also became accustomed to, was eating some kind of terrible chicken ranch sandwich for dinner in these places, because that’s what you get in Fort Collins (ranch dressing is a religion in this part of the country). What we have found at Blind Tiger is a New York City bar that actually has an extensive microwbrew selection AND excellent food. Unfortunately, we’re not the only ones that know it. The place gets very crowded at times, but weekend afternoons are perfect, as are late nights when you need a good beer and a grilled cheese. The wings and sandwiches are also excellent, and it’s a great place to mix it up and meet people. Be warned though – the bar staff know their beer, but they’re not very friendly. We’ll let it slide…but only because there are Colorado brews on the tap every once in a while.

… read more

In episode two of Infatuation TV, Minneapolis hip hop artist P.O.S visits Pure Food And Wine and shows the world that it’s possible to make a dope beat with what you find in the kitchen. Check P.O.S enjoying some raw food, learning how to make Pure’s famous zucchini and tomato lasagna, and performing a live version of his single “Optimist” with some improvised materials.

… read more