Immaculate Infatuation

Paella is the new ramen noodle and I’m officially obsessed with this place. No bigger than a subway car, Socarrat packs the majority of their patrons on bar stools around a communal table. The idea here is that they do paella the way it’s done in Spain, as one big family. In such a small space, keeping the drool inside your mouth while you wait for your food is no easy task. People are devouring sweet smelling goodness right next to you and all you can do is sit and watch. The smart move is to get a small plate or two to start and get those taste buds warmed up for the main attraction. The paella dishes are served in a huge pan for your party to split. It looks like an intimidating amount of food but the second you start getting in there, it goes fast. Make sure you scrape off the crunchy rice (socarrat) at the bottom, that’s the real good stuff.

You’re most likely going to have to wait a little for your table, but they’ll take your number and call your cell when your time comes. While you wait, we highly recommend Peter McManus, a solid Irish pub on the corner of 19th and 7th that always seems to be playing either Oasis or Rage Against the Machine. Also, keep in mind that this isn’t a cheap meal. Each paella is in the $20-25 range per person, not per paella. Lastly, don’t be surprised if you’re tastefully pushed along during prime time. On one occasion, we were gracefully asked if we wouldn’t mind finishing our cocktails on their private back patio. They even offered up a round of after dinner drinks on the house, not a bad way to end a meal.

… read more

Pearl, Ed, Mary, meet Luke. He’s come to town to show you what’s up. Luke and his lobsters have arrived in the East Village, and anyone in the neighborhood with a lobster roll on the menu is officially on notice. Luke grew up in Maine and the family business is seafood, so he’s using his lobster connections to get them cheap and truck them in daily. His mission? Show this city what a lobster roll should be – pure, unadulterated lobster goodness at an affordable price.

Now, we’re no stranger to the lobster roll, and honestly, there are some that come chock full of mayo and celery that we love. However, at the end of the day, a fourteen dollar roll of high quality fresh lobster is exactly the kind of thing that gets us fired up, even if it comes in the middle of October. There are definitely going to be some haters out there, and no doubt we’re going to get a bunch of emails from some jackass in Boston about how much better some seafood shack in Rockport is, but we don’t care. This is about New York City, and we back this place. One last thing to note: crowds are already starting to gather and lines are inevitable, but Luke’s Lobster is actually something in the neighborhood worth waiting around for. Artichoke, you are officially on notice too.

… read more

The Mermaid Inn … this place has been a staple in the Infatuation playbook since back in 2003 when we were standing in line outside of terrible Manhattan night clubs and listening to nothing but Brand New and 50 Cent. Fortunately, we’ve matured (a little) since then, and The Mermaid Inn is not only still hanging around, it’s thriving (they recently opened an Upper West Side location). The secret to this upscale clam shack’s longevity is nothing more than consistency. The fish is always fresh and fantastic, and their lobster roll is solid. It’s all reasonably priced considering the seafood is top rate, and service is always good. These days they have even stepped it up and frequently throw down fish frys, clam bakes, and all other manner of seafood-centric specials that you can get in on. Also worth noting, they are currently running a “Blue Plate Special”: lobster roll, Old Bay fries, and a Blue Point beer for twenty dollars from 5:30 to 7:00 every evening. You can find me in the club …

… read more

Flex Mussels? Oh right … I get it. Between the cute name and the Upper East Side location, I half expected to learn that the place is owned by Justin Timberlake Inc. Luckily, that’s not the case. Flex is a restaurant import from Prince Edward Island, which immediately gives it some credibility – “P.E.I” as they call it, is the source of some of the best mussels the world has to offer. Flex NYC’s menu sports twenty plus treatments to the bivalve, ranging from $16-20 for a huge steamy pot. Each variation is a clever combination of flavors named for and taken from regions and cultures around the world. The Southern comes in a broth with bourbon, roasted corn, country ham; The Geisha Girl has both sake and pickled ginger; The Spaniard sits in a pool of spicy chorizo, Spanish olives, and red wine. It’s a unique and exciting approach, and it works. We sat at the bar on my most recent visit, a crowded Friday night, and the service was great. So much so, that we ended up hanging late at our bar seat and polishing off more than the bottle of wine from dinner and moving into “sure I’ll try that drink you’re making” on to “you guys should totally come to my birthday party” territory. It’s a lively atmosphere and there is something amazingly satisfying about digging into a pot of mussels and a decent bottle of wine. We’ll be making more Infatuation trips as soon as they finish that Second Avenue subway.

… read more

They say the Ocean occupies 71% of our planet’s surface, right? Well, it feels like Oceana occupies 71% of 49th street. This tribute to the sea is massive; probably the biggest seafood restaurant in NYC. Whole fish on ice, crab legs, clams, mussels, oysters and the rest of their impressive raw bar greet you at the door and set the tone. Light blues, sea greens, and different shades of white give the room a tasteful, aquatic feel. Everything in Oceana, from their comfy booths to amicable service makes you feel at ease. Overall, the food is fine; simple and straight forward. It’s an ideal place for lunch during the week, dinner before a trip to the theatre with mom, or to cure a king crab craving, which I get often. Strange? Probably. Oceana is a welcome addition to Midtown’s clusterf*ck of expansive dining halls, and especially enjoyable if you’re not the one paying.

… read more