Immaculate Infatuation

If you happen to be nursing a crippling hangover, add two points to this rating. According to ancient Japanese mythology (and this website), Rai Rai Ken shoyu ramen has unique healing properties and it regenerates liver cells. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better cure for those extra shots you took last night that made you so awesome at Buckhunter and girls.

There’s plenty of ramen in the East Village these days, and no shortage of opinions on where to go. We happen to believe that Rai Rai Ken sits near the top of the heap, mostly because that shoyu ramen is so good, but also because it’s inexpensive and simple. It’s one of our favorite places for Dining Solo on a Saturday afternoon. We don’t, however, recommend trying to go during prime lunch or dinner hours. The whole restaurant is about fifteen seats, all at a counter, and they’re almost always taken. If you do give it a shot, the good news is that turnover is pretty quick, and you have plenty of other ramen options around the ‘hood as a backup plan.

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Ever see a crew of smokin’ hot models walking down the street and wonder, “where have these pieces of ass been all my life?” Lunching at Cafe Gitane, that’s where. There are so many European runway jockeys and uber-cool celebs in this place, you’d think they’re giving away free Diet Coke and cigarettes.

Cafe Gitane is the epitome of the “it” downtown cafe – a quintessential Nolita eatery and place to See and Be Seen that so many places try (and fail) to replicate. The food is actually prettty good. Dinner can be underwhelming, but brunch is indeed chronic, and the prices aren’t as bad as you might expect. But Cafe Gitane isn’t for everyone. The place is tiny, and staring down a bunch of really hot people while you cram your fat ass into a little chair isn’t always awesome. You are also pretty much guaranteed to face long waits, but during the summer it’s a great Warm Weather Dining destination, and can be worth hanging around for a table on the street or near one of the big windows. Especially if you’re looking to drink some coffee and watch the action go by.

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This week, Friday Fives is headed into the kitchen and pulling out a name you’re probably not familiar with. Robb Garceau is executive chef at Hudson Yards, the catering arm of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. Among other things, Rob oversees all the action for Hudson Yards concessions stands at the Mets’ Citi Field ballpark in Queens. That’s right, all the good stuff: Shake Shack, Blue Smoke, El Verano Taquería and Box Frites. It’s Robb’s job to know everything that’s going on inside the ballpark, but we trust his opinion about good eats around the stadium as well. If you’re ever looking for a place to eat in Queens before or after a game, you’re in luck. Check out Robb’s suggestions below.

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Dress code: business casual. Thanks for the tip, Sparks website. I’ll be sure to eat somewhere else. I don’t care if you wear pleated wrinkle-free Dockers every day of your life, how does that even make sense for a restaurant dress code? Formal, or jacket required is one thing, but clearly stating that your clientele should be wearing tucked in golf shirts? Classy. Make sure to let us know when Hawaiian shirt Friday happens.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, we’re not fans of Sparks. Everything about the place feels stuffy and corporate, like eating at the only steakhouse within twenty miles of a major convention center. Despite the business casual rule, most everyone you’ll see is dressed in a boxy suit, looking ready to drop some dollars at the nearest strip club after dinner. And on top of all that, the steaks are a let down and the service is terrible. The one thing Sparks does have going for it? A famous mobster was murdered out front. Cool! (says everyone on the red double decker bus). We don’t know about you, but we’ll skip the gangster back story and eat a steak somewhere that doesn’t make us angry.

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We’re not alone in loving Strip House. The New York Times just dropped two stars on it, and the review was mostly on-point…but it just didn’t really get to the heart of why we like the place so much. The steaks are definitely great, and sides like goose fat potatoes and black truffle creamed spinach make us very happy as they slowly narrow the path of blood to our heart. But we also like the place for the simple fact that it’s just about the only steakhouse town that isn’t either full of grandpas, dudes wearing blackberry holsters, or rude made-for-TV Italian waiters. Strip House is a vibey downtown bordello of goodness, and is the antithesis to the things we hate about a place like Sparks or The Palm (AKA upscale Applebee’s). When you’re in need of a Damn Good Steak, but want something a little sexier than Luger’s, Strip House should be your stop. You might wait a little while, even with a reservation, but it’s worth it. This is one of the best steaks in town.

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