Immaculate Infatuation

Whether or not you are a fan of Lucali seems to come down to two things – how long you had to wait for your table, and how you were treated in the process. The few people that have told us this place is overrated complained not about the pizza, but had beef because the sarcastic Brooklyn girl up front wasn’t so nice to them. We get it – we have definitely been on the receiving end of some half-serious abuse from a Lucali waitress. As a matter of fact, I believe I was officially banned from the restaurant last time because I asked twice about the toppings.

Honestly though, for us that’s all part of the game. Yes, it can be annoying to deal with an unpredictable situation, but for a pizza this good, we’re willing to deal with it. It’s all about knowing what to expect going in, and understanding that you might not end up with a table, no matter what they told you twenty minutes ago. Want to save yourself some disappointment? Don’t bring your fiance’s parents here. Don’t come without a backup plan. Don’t bring a date that you’re trying to impress with your restaurant game. Don’t try to hit Lucali before you have to catch a flight, report for military service, or do anything else that you can’t be late for. But if you’re down to just grab a bottle of wine, show up at 6pm, and pray that you get a table, you might be diving into some of the best pizza this city (and therefore Planet Earth) has to offer. Read below for what might be the shortest food rundown in Infatuation history – your options are pizza or calzone. Order both.

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It’s official, we need to get to Brooklyn more often. I can’t believe we’ve been sleepin’ on Marlow. I knew it was on the second I laid eyes on this place, before I’d consumed any food or drink. Marlow my friend, you had me at hello. It’s friendly and inviting; a funky oyster bar relatively small in size but big on personality. A fitting selection of funk, soul and electro sets the mood. As I look around, soak in the positive vibe and notice all the quirky antiques and liquor bottles lining the walls, it feels like a nice hybrid between San Francisco and NY. The employees are just as much Bedford Ave as they are Mission district and look like the kind of group who’d be a good time to kick it with. Even if the food wasn’t good, I’d happily come back to hang here. The fact that the food is great is an added bonus. If your approach to life is the same as ours – work hard, play hard, relax hard – then you’ll appreciate what Marlow brings to the table. Discovering places like this is what the Infatuation is all about. Before my wedding, I’m bringing my wedding party here for whisky and oysters.

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Many of us tri-state area Jews have fond memories of summer camp. We’re shipped off into the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania to learn how to fend for ourselves. Being peer pressured into pulling pranks, lighting firecrackers, smoking weed and of course, going on bunk raids to steal all the girls bras and proudly display for the world to see. Indian Head Camp provided me with plenty of firsts, most of which involved an education in the female anatomy. In between over the shirt boobie grabs and quick, awkward saliva exchanges, there was one particular first I’ll never forget. My first exposure to Peter Luger’s steak sauce. That’s right. Luger’s sauce.

One summer, I was assigned a little brother to mentor for what was called “Dream Week”. Turned out, this kid was completely and utterly obsessed with Peter Luger’s and their steak sauce. Most kids roll to camp with a sleeping bag and a couple of fresh packs of Hanes, this fat little 8-year-old came with steak sauce. Tons of it. He had special permission to keep a huge bin under his bed and bring it to the dining hall to dump on whatever was in front of him. Cheerios and Luger’s sauce? Let’s rock. I owe this little dude much gratitude. It’s because of him I came home that summer asking about Peter Luger’s. From that summer on, Peter Luger became a fixture in the Steinthal family rotation.

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Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new favorite BBQ spot. How it took us so long to get here is beyond me. Quite frankly, it’s embarrassing. We’ve been depriving ourselves of this hot action for way too long. If and when Team Infatuation opens our own BBQ spot, this is the place we’ll model it after. This is perfect destination for a night out with a big group for quality barbecue and booze. Situated inside what used to be an old auto body shop, this gutted garage is raging every night of the week. It’s essentially a combination of a Brooklyn beer garden and Texas style BBQ. House cured meats are served by the pound on butcher paper, and beers arrive in different sized jugs and growlers. Set up shop at one of the indoor or outdoor communal tables and you’ve got all the makings for a hell of an urban picnic. Never in my life have I seen a more attractive collection of females gnawing on pork ribs and drinking beers. Attention dudes looking for a nice woman who likes to get down on some BBQ: stop messing around with your buddy’s mom on CougarLife.com and turn your attention towards the bar area at Fette Sau.

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How awesome is Brooklyn Bowl? Think back to your youth and that ultimate birthday party/bar mitzvah/sweet 16 spot. That rare place that provided anything and everything your heart could desire. 10-year-old Steinthal could hang out at Sportime USA and never, ever get enough; batting cages, skee-ball, video games, laser tag, that ridiculous push the quarter over the ledge game, and on and on. I currently feel the same way about Brooklyn Bowl; a music venue, bowling alley, bar, and restaurant all rolled into one. This place is unbelievable and pays attention to all of the important details. Huge screens everywhere play classic movies and TV shows from Planet Earth to Wall-E to Seinfeld to VH1 Classic. Their music selection is top notch, and on our last visit, Rolling Stone editor/Sirius XMU radio host Jenny Eliscu played an appropriate mix of current favorites including My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, and Radiohead mixed in with some classics from Todd Rundgren and Bob Seger. Pitchers of Brooklyn beer flow for under $21, which is cheap by NYC standards. Speaking of reasonable prices, bowling lanes are only $40 an hour for up to 8 people. Oh, and did I mention that they’re going to be hosting football on Sundays? Oh yes, full NFL ticket. But the best part about the whole situation? Blue Ribbon provides all the food. You can get dirty on apps while you bowl and they offer a full menu of classics at the restaurant.

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