Immaculate Infatuation » Bar Food

Blind Tiger

Chris Stang — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:40:43 +0000

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.

Food Rundown:

Hot Wings
We have been pretty vocal about our distaste for most wings that we come across in this town. Blind Tiger’s wings are actually pretty great. Tangy, peppery, and of decent size, we’ll come back just to eat them.

Old School Grilled Cheese
A really great classic grilled cheese. You can even get a bowl of tomato soup with it, just like what I used to have every day after school when l when I was six. Yes, including the beers.

Classic BLT
A killer BLT on white toast. We highly recommend this as it’s a prime beer absorbing agent.

Bloody Beast Sandwich
Great name, great sandwich. This is a fist sized roast beef sandwich with cheese, served with a sauce on the side that they call “bloody mary” sauce. I think it’s just a bowl of bloody mary mix, but I am also totally cool with that. Probably because I carry tiny bottles of vodka with me at all times. Order this.

Banh Mi Mini
We’re growing a little tired of the banh mi thing that took over the city last year, but this one is a good snack sized sandwich. But it’s not quite the traditional bahn mi. This one comes on a round crusty roll and has a mango slaw rather than the usual fixins.

Cask Bar + Kitchen

Chris Stang — Thu, 27 May 2010 04:09:20 +0000

Insert joke at the expense of Murray Hill…here. It’s so easy to tee up on a restaurant in this neighborhood that we almost feel bad doing it. That is until we see people all over the internet calling Cask Bar + Kitchen an “oasis” in the Murray Hill food desert. Allow us to set the record straight. There are all of three places you should be eating in this vicinity: Penelope, 2nd Avenue Deli, and Lamazou. A meal at Cask is hardly any different that what you’ll find at Vertigo, Tonic East, or any of the other area bars that serve food for the sole purpose of sobering up the idiots. Philly cheese steak spring rolls should pretty much tell the story.

If however, you are just in the ‘hood looking for a drink, Cask will do just fine. They have a good selection of beers, and are probably the only bar within three blocks that doesn’t have a weekly Jagermeister promotion. The downstairs Cellar Bar is also a great option for a birthday or a private party…we would just recommend setting up a dinner somewhere else first.

Food Rundown:

Philly Cheese Steak Spring Rolls
Sort of like the Northeast’s version of a Southwestern egg roll. We’ll recommend you pass on these.

Kobe Sliders
Perfectly fine sliders with a red onion marmalade. Three come to an order, and they’ll do the job of soaking up some booze, especially since they’re a little dry.

Bruschetta Flatbread
The flatbreads are a safe choice on the Cask menu, but don’t expect to be blown away. The bruschetta flat bread can be ordered hot or cold, and hot is definitely the way to go…we think. Either way, it’s a pizza.

Truffle Mac n’ Cheese
Usually putting truffle in Mac n’ Cheese is like putting Spanx on a fat girl…so forgiving and sexy. But somehow this mac n’ cheese still wasn’t attractive.

Braised Short Ribs
One of the better things we’ve had at Cask, but definitely not a short rib we’ll be coming back for. The mashed potatoes were good I guess.

The Meatball Shop

Chris Stang — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:05:50 +0000

It’s always a challenge for us to properly rate an establishment that specializes in one thing. Our rating system is a complex algorythm (developed during my tenure at MIT), that assigns numeric values to countless variables like food quality, menu options, service, atmosphere, and the probability that you will get laid after dinner. It’s science.

What we have noticed though, is that a lack of variables consistently produces the same result…most of the restaurants that specialize in one thing earn high marks from us. The following evidence supports our hypothesis: Burger Joint, Luke’s Lobster, Bark Hot Dogs, Flex Mussels, Mercadito Cantina, and Caracas.

Another test of this theory brings us to The Meatball Shop, a restaurant on the Lower East Side operating with the sole purpose of turning out ridiculously good meatballs and presenting you a few options in which to consume them. There are meatball sandwiches, meatball sliders, meatballs in sauce, and meatballs on pasta. Other than a few sides and a nice wine list…that’s it. The result? We love it. A concept that could easily have been a divey storefront serving late night heroes is instead a wonderfully executed and surprisingly nice restaurant where you can enjoy a glass of wine while you get fatter by the meatball. The staff is friendly, it’s a lively atmosphere, and the food is solid. Another specialist restaurant beats our formula. Oh well. We suck at math anyway.

Food Rundown:

The Meatballs
We’ll kick this off by tackling the meatballs on their own. The pork is by far the best, followed by the beef and the lamb (if available). The chicken meatballs are unimpressive, and the salmon one freaked me out. They are all relatively light, though eat too many and you will feel it in your gut for a day at least (trust us). While nice on their own, these meatballs are best showcased in a sandwich, rather than simply in sauce or atop a bowl of pasta.

Meatball Hero
Served on a baguette with your choice of ball, sauce, cheese, and bread type. Our favorite is pork, spicy meat sauce, and provolone on whole wheat. Possibly the perfect meatball sandwich. The only knock we have is that we’d like some more kick from that spicy meat sauce.

Meatball Smash
Two meatballs served on a brioche bun. A bit smaller than the hero with the same options, and still very good. We prefer the hero to the smash simply because the baguette holds up a little better. This got soggy pretty quickly.

Sliders
A nice way to sample the goods, we absolutely love the special lamb meatball with mushroom sauce. The chicken with parmesan cream sauce was a let down. For $3 a pop, your money is better spent diving into a bigger sandwich. Get a hero.

Mashed Potatoes
Buttery, creamy mashed potatoes with bits of skin. Rich and perfect, just don’t fill up on it.

Ice Cream Sandwiches
Order one of these or risk wasting the best years of your life knowing only the Chipwhich.

Wilfie & Nell

Chris Stang — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 04:10:41 +0000

Wilfie & Nell is a cozy little bar situated right on the edge of that part of the West Village that you might also know as “the vortex”. We’ve lived in New York City for almost eight years and even with Google Maps, Hopstop and a few orienteering courses, we still get turned around down here. Luckily, there are plenty of good reasons to find yourself lost in the neighborhood, and this place is one of them.

Seeing as how we’re writing about it on this site, you would be right to assume that Wilfie & Nell is a restaurant – they serve not only dinner but now brunch, and the menu was originally curated by Momofuku alumni and Brooklyn Star owner Joaquin Baca. But it is first and foremost a place you come to drink, rather than a place you come to eat. Consider it an added bonus that the bar food you’ll likely be eating while standing near a tiny ledge is pretty good. Tables fill up quickly, as do the bar seats, and thirty people can make the place feel crowded thanks to low cielings and strange layout. Nonetheless, it’s a vibey bar that will get you cool points on a date, or maybe even land you one for later in the week. Just try not to spill mustard on your pants while you eat in the corner.

Food Rundown:

Pigs In Blankets
We’re no stranger to the common folk pigs in blankets, made with packaged mini hot dogs and Pilsbury croissant dough. We love those. Wilfie & Nell’s are more of a gastropub version with a sausage instead of a hot dog, and they’re wrapped in bacon. Not bad, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Berkshire Pork Sliders
Shredded pork on a nice fluffy little bun. These can be a little dry, but throw on a pickle and some of the mustard that comes on the side, and they’re at the very least serviceable.

Grilled Cheese
Far and away the best thing on the menu at Wilfie & Nell, and one of the best grilled cheeses we’ve eaten. Served on Blue Ribbon Pullman with perfectly gooey cheese and carmelized onions. Excellent.

Fries
Really good thick cut fries, served with malt vinegar, which we love.

J.G. Melon

Chris Stang — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:31:50 +0000

There was a time when this was the only restaurant anywhere near the Upper East side that we would make a trip for. J.G. Melon’s is one of the better burgers in New York City, and it had it’s 30th anniversary long before Shake Shack and Five Guys started opening up locations around town like Duane Reade. Nowadays there are a few more culinary bright spots in the area (namely Cascabel and Flex), but it seemed nessecary that we give J.G. Melon’s it’s due respect.

If you haven’t been, there are a few things you should know: it will inevitably be crowded, you need to drink beers by the bottle (not from the tap), and the service will not be friendly. But before you go running to Yelp to tell all your “friends” about how mean they were to you, consider this – it’s a New York institution that’s been serving burgers since TGI Friday’s was nothing more than a swinging singles bar down the street. Respect your elders and eat.

Photo Credit: Nick Solares/A Hamburger Today

Food Rundown:

BurgersA fantastic, flavorful burger cooked on a flattop and served on a lightly toasted and soft bun. This isn’t a down and dirty burger you’ll wrestle with, but rather a simple classic that fits nicely in your hand. Don’t be afraid to mess around with grilled onions – they’re tasty – and we definitely reccommend adding bacon.

Cup of Chili
Melons also happens to serve a surprisingly great chili. Take that Wendy’s.

Cottage Fries
Awesome little fries the size of a quarter and ribbed for your pleasure. Some will be crispy, and some will not, which is perfect.

Beers
It’s important to know that draught beers here are small, often flat, and kind of warm. Maybe I’ve been to Corner Bistro too much, but there’s something appealing to me about drinking nasty beer from the tap before I eat a burger. Nonetheless, order by the bottle to be safe.

Island Burgers & Shakes

Andrew Steinthal — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 05:31:16 +0000

At first glance, this Hell’s Kitchen hole in the wall is as easy to overlook as any average midtown bodega. Inside, it’s actually not much different; a tiny dive of a space with condiments on the table and Bob Marley on the wall. Instead of peddling beer and cigarettes however, this joint deals in beef and poultry. The menu is insane – there are close to 40 different burger and chicken sandwich options, which generally makes us nervous. Places that dress their meat up every which way are usually trying to shield you from the truth – that the meat by itself is questionable. We’re not shocked at all to find that the burgers are just that.

Speaking of questionable, how about the fact that Citysearch’s team routinely slots Island in their burger Top 10. They must smoke a lot of weed and live around the corner…that’s the only explanation. Honestly though, I’m not trying to hate. The chicken sandwiches are better than the burgers, and this place is pretty cheap considering the hugeness of the plates. Also, know this – they apparently don’t have enough money to buy a fryer, and remain a very rare french-fry-free burger establishment. Hope you like chips. For a quick hitter in Hell’s Kitchen, Island B & S is a decent local option. Beyond that, please do us a favor and venture elsewhere for a burger more satisfying.

Food Rundown:

Guacomole and Chips
Just like the stuff you buy at the grocery store.
Churascos (Grilled Chicken Sandwich)
Our fellow food x music homeboy Rev from Burger Conquest loves him some Island B&S Churascos, so we had to try a couple. I enjoyed my “Bourbon Street” style sandwich (blackened chicken, bacon, jack, bayou mayo and onion on sourdough), although I was a little perplexed by the whole sourdough thing. Too much bread. Made the wrong call there. This thing is HUGE by the way, good luck trying to finish it all and still have room for a shake. Other Chruascos to mess with: The “Roma” (thyme, rosemary, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes), The “Crescent City” (blackened chicken, bayou mayo and onion on sourdough) and the “Here’s Gianni” (parmesan spread, bacon and roasted peppers on a ciabatta).
Burgers
So, I’m going to have to disagree with the everyone on the internet who claims this is a quality burger. Yelper Matt E, who calls this burger the “juiciest, thickest, and freshest burger I’ve ever had that wasn’t home made”, I’m lookin’ in your direction. These things are on par with the ones my college roommate used to sear up on a greasy, unwashed frying pan. Not necessarily the worst thing ever, it’s just very far away from the best thing ever. Good thing you can dress the burgers with just about any topping your burnt out college brain can imagine. It helps hide the fact that there’s nothing special about the beef.
Shakes
We tried both the Black & White (vanilla with chocolate sauce) and Chocolate. They were both fine, but definitely not life changing. When I’m sitting in my midtown office craving a milkshake (which happens a lot), I’ll continue hitting Ben & Jerry’s in Rock Center.

Rye House

Andrew Steinthal — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Last weekend, we went out for a buddy’s 30th birthday and wound up at the friends and family opening party at Rye House. Awesome. A timely new review sitting and waiting to be written without having to go out of my way. Perfect timing too considering both UrbanDaddy and Grub Street blew this place up that same morning.

The recent movement in NYC nightlife away from red ropes and bottle service might actually make this city fun to ‘go out’ in again. We’re huge fans of these new school drinking establishments that deliver the goods with their beer and cocktail repertoire, but also make sure the kitchen plays a big role in defining what they’re all about. Rye House is a perfect example of this trend. It’s not fancy or trying too hard. It’s the kind of place ideal for grabbing beers and grub with friends after work on a Friday night. When I think about bars in this city I actually enjoy hanging out in, Rye House definitely fits the mold.

Food Rundown:

Fried Pickles
Haven’t had good fried pickles in a while and these hit the spot. Circle slices with a deep fried layer that’s almost as thick as the pickles themselves. Also, the chipotle dipping sauce is great.

Sloppy Joe Sliders
Can’t really go wrong with kobe beef sloppy j sliders. They’re worth the $12 price tag.

Mama’s Fried Mac “n” Cheese
An interesting spin here as they combine the mac with the cheese and fry them up as oval cakes. Well played.

Beef Wellington
Pretty standard, nothing I’d come back for though. Next time I’d get something else instead of this sandwich of filet mignon, foie gras pate and mushrooms on a brioche bun.

Pittsburgh
Aside from the beer and cocktails, The Pittsburgh is what’s creating a buzz at Rye House. It’s a play on Pittsburgh’s famous Primanti Bros. Sandwich, something I’ve never had the luxury of tasting. Not sure how it measures up to the original, but this incarnation with grilled andouille sausage, house slaw and fries is damn good.

House Slaw
If you’re into slaw, you’re in for a treat here. This pink and purple mix hits the spot.

Wogies

Chris Stang — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Nope, that’s not the sound of your iPod skipping, that’s just us reiterating the fact that finding solid pub grub in this town isn’t as easy as it should be. We all get cravings for wings, cheesesteaks and waffle fries sometimes, and when we need to take care of that situation, Wogies is there for us. The inside of this sports den looks no different from the one you probably frequent back in your hometown, and it’s a play on the owner’s favorite local Philadelphia hangs. Décor is pretty standard – dark wood booths, a nice sized bar, flat screens and a small outdoor area in front. It’s a shame there aren’t more sports bars around town like Wogies that manage to maintain a solid middle ground between the cheese of Mercury Bar and the filth of your typical dirty old-man dive. Points earned for good food, but points deducted for the large presence of loud, obnoxious Philly fans, the most annoying breed of sports fan that exists.

Food Rundown:

Cheesesteaks
For NYC, this is a damn good cheesesteak. I’m sure Philly locals might scoff at the fact that the bread is too thick, meat serving to skimpy and all around experience too greasy. For us Yankees, we’re cool with a cheesesteak rotation of Wogies, 99 Miles To Philly and Carl’s. Props for serving cheese wiz and four different kinds of peppers: hot, sweet, green and one of my personal favorites, banana. Also, don’t sleep on the buffalo chicken cheesesteak – it’s solid.

Krazy Kate’s Wings
It’s well documented on this site that we generally hate on just about every wing in this city, but Krazy Kate’s are good enough for us to put a stop to the trash talking for a few minutes. Meaty and straightforward, a standard batch from Wogies is similar to the best possible batch from Atomic Wings (which is hard to come by). The sauce is simply Frank’s with a bit of butter, but Wogies does well by playing it safe. Don’t get cute and order the honey mustard or garlic and parmesan. It’s not worth it.

Waffle Fries
F-in good waffle fries.

The Pookie
If you’re in the mood for a greasy sandwich, the majority of Wogies’ selections won’t let you down. The Pookie is a crowd favorite – buffalo chicken fingers on a hero with melted provolone.

Warren 77

Andrew Steinthal — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

If you read our reviews or follow us on Twitter, you know that food, music, and sports are on an equal playing field. In general, we loath most sports bars. We have no time for tasteless places that think merely having the game on is enough reason to exist. It’s not hard to put together and semi-classy place with excessive flat screens and reasonable pub grub, so why aren’t there more quality sports bars in the city with the world’s most dedicated sports fans?

New York Ranger/Vogue Magazine intern heartthrob Sean Avery must have thought he was coming to the rescue when he opened his own upscale spot in Tribeca, an area in dire need of a good sports haven. Don’t get me wrong, the place is dope. With a vintage locker room vibe, walls filled with memorabilia of local sports heroes like Joe Namath, Lawrence Taylor, and Dave DeBusschere, comfy leather booths and cocktail table video games, Warren 77 certainly could be an Infatuation hangout.

Unfortunately, Avery opened this “sports bar” with the guys famous for making Beatrice Inn the hottest coke den for gossip girls citywide. Yeah sure, rolling into your local sports bar and finding blondes in heels lining the bar is cool … for about 60 seconds. Until they start yapping way too loud and asking you to explain the game of baseball to them.

If you’re into blow, don’t care about watching a game, like shitty bar food, and are looking to get laid, jack our ranking up three whole points – this place is for you. If not, avoid this place like the plague. For a sports bar, screens are limited, the layout does not accommodate big crowds (exactly what Warren 77 attracts on game night), and the back area is worse than the 4 train to Yankee Stadium at 6:30 on game day. So much for the whole “the space is dope” thing.

Food Rundown:

Wings
Presentation definitely isn’t the problem at Warren 77 – they’ve got that down. These wings looked (and smelled) great coming out of the kitchen, glistening in shimmering orange buffalo sauce. Jokes on us, that’s for sure. The chicken was undercooked resulting in a slimy, rubbery wing. Plus, the skin was grossly thick.

Burger
A complete disaster, we couldn’t even get through half of this dry piece of shit drowning in bun. I read an interview where Sean Avery says his favorite thing on the menu is the burger. Is he Canadian? Jesus dude, time to hit up Bill’s Bar & Burger stat.

Burger Sliders
See burger, but even worse. These were like golf balls of dry beef with zero flavor and a hell of a lot of bun (not the good kind).

Onion Rings
The saving grace of the whole meal, these rings were huge, crispy, awesome and delicious. If you wind up here, order this.

Mac & Cheese
What’s got more flavor than Warren 77’s “famous” mac & cheese? The .19 cent box of powder mac & cheese I used to eat in college. The only difference is in college I was too drunk most of the time to notice I was actually eating cardboard. Now that I’m all grown up, cardboard mac & cheese can’t escape me. Mac & cheese fail.

Grilled Cheese Soldiers w/Tomato Soup
The grilled cheese lacked real cheese flavor as described on the menu. It was a tad better than the atrocious mac & cheese, but that’s not saying much. The tomato soup was very well seasoned and a pleasant surprise compared to the rest of the disappointments. The dippage of the grilled cheese into the tomato was nice enough, but again, some cheddar flavor shining through would’ve been nice.

Steak Sandwich
This steak sandwich is just straight lazy. Yay, let’s toss an overcooked piece of skirt steak, whole, on a roll and call it a day. The mozzarella, au jus, and ciabatta made for a tasty combo that was spoiled by the nasty, chewy steak.

Caesar Salad
A straight shot; obligatory shaved parmesan and croutons, tasty but not too sardine-y dressing, overall nicely done, but not special.

Bill’s Bar & Burger

Chris Stang — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Just as we were swearing ourselves off the Meatpacking District for good, Bill’s Bar & Burger opens its doors and drags us right back in. Bill’s took over the space that used to be the Hog Pit, and even though we had a handful of good nights there somewhere around 2003, it was time for something new. Luckily, what took over the space is not another nightclub with a chef or restaurant with a DJ, but rather an excellent burger joint reminiscent of the great middle-of-nowhere dives around the country.

Bill’s burgers are griddle-top masterpieces with a low profile and a soft sesame seed bun, and they‘re definitely one of the best burgers in town. Variations on the standard include a burger with Anaheim chiles and an excellent homage to the In-N-Out classic. The prices are middle-of-nowhere cheap, and the service is laid back and friendly. We were especially pleased to find two well placed flat screens in the bar – perfect for discreetly watching a game while you house a burger or two.

At the end of the day, it’s probably a good thing for our health that Bill’s didn’t open in a neighborhood that we visit more frequently. Plus, that central Meatpacking location will make them a mint feeding all the drunks before they hop back in the limo and text their friends from a phone they dropped in the toilet. We’ll save our visits for afternoons.

Food Rundown:

Bill’s Classic with American Cheese
These burgers are made up of a “secret blend” of beef that is ground fresh daily, and they’re a nice manageable size. They’re done on the griddle, so the patty is thin but there is perfect bun to beef ratio. Bill’s Classic is very good as is, but we like to throw on some extra fixins like bacon and sautéed onions just to up the ante.

The Sunset and Vine
A brilliant homage to the In-N-Out burger, this is cheese and a “special sauce” just like you find at the west coast burger Mecca. So good. They nailed it.

The Bobcat
The Bobcat comes topped with jack cheese and Anaheim chiles, which give it some freshness along with a bit of a spicy kick. A nice way to switch it up.

Boneless Buffalo Chicken Wings
These are actually very good. The chicken is nice and juicy and cut into two bite strips. They could use a little extra sauce, but that’s an easy fix. Just ask for a little on the side.

Fries
The only let down at Bill’s were the fries. It’s strange how many places that sport a great burger have disappointing fries (In-N-Out again comes to mind). Order onion rings instead.

Onion Rings
Nice big onion rings that hold their batter and aren’t mushy. These are definitely greasy as hell, but they should be.

Oreo Shake
Yep, we ordered an Oreo shake. So what. It was awesome.