Immaculate Infatuation

Jimmy’s No. 43 was an unknown to us until a few weeks ago, even though we watch sports at the bar directly above it now and again. One of our informants recently tipped us off to it, and it turns out that just below the street on 7th you will find a dark and cozy joint that feels like it’s straight out of Eastern Europe. Welcome to Jimmy’s.

Jimmy’s is all about craft beers, both domestic and imported, and it’s apparently a well kept secret that they also serve amazing food. The interesting part is that there is much more to Jimmy’s than just that. A visit to their website sufficiently demonstrates their passion for not only beer and eating, but also for their community. You’ll see that they frequently host awesome things like tap dancing classes (“tappy hour”), beer tastings, home brewing demos, and a local oyster night every Thursday. This isn’t a bar, this is a community college for hedonists.

We’ve since stopped in for a few sessions of beer drinking and face stuffing, and the verdict is in, the food is indeed excellent. It’s the perfect cold weather night out – a handful of beers, a hearty meal, and an early bedtime. We’re glad we stumbled in … it’s going to be a long winter. Looking at the schedule of events at Jimmy’s, we should be tapping our way to a master brewer certification by spring.

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Writing this review is a strange experience for me. It’s kind of like writing up my grandmother’s cooking. Actually, if that’s the case I should probably make this a 10.0…sorry grandma. I’m half Lebanese and grew up eating food like this at family gatherings, so I think it’s a pretty big compliment to Balade when I say this reminds me of what grandma has coming out of the kitchen on holidays. The only reason Balade doesn’t get a ridiculously high rating is because I don’t think most people have any idea what a lot of this food is. Obviously you’ve had hummus, or at least some bastardized Whole Foods version with edamame in it (more on that later), and chances are you’ve seen some stuffed grape leaves or spinach pies on a menu at a Greek restaurant. Whatever the case, if you don’t know much about Lebanese food, you should just know that if you like garlic, olive oil, lemon, and meat – you’re probably going to like what you eat at Balade.

There are are a handful of Lebanese restaurants in New York City, and many of them are very good. Some of the newer ones though, like Naya and ilili, are slick, modern, and high end. Balade is certainly no hole in the wall, but it’s relaxed and warm – much more our speed than those other spots. I don’t care what kind of food you’re serving, I don’t want to listen to a DJ spin while I eat. Ever. So Balade gets a leg up for being the right kind of atmosphere, … read more

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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Greek food is great, but it’s just not something I usually find myself going out to eat. Thanks to a rabid following on Yelp and a high Zagat rating I figured it was time to bring my best Greek buddy here to see if this place was worthy of such high praise. It was a nice night, the front of the restaurant was open, and every table was filled with lively groups of friends and family. The decor matches the vibe well. Clay pots appropriately hang from the ceiling (Pylos means ‘made of clay’ in Greek) while Greek wines line the walls. It’s a very cozy, friendly environment inside as the entire restaurant is situated along shared pillow covered benches on either side and also features a communal table in the back. Are you striking out on Agape Online (Greek J-Date)? Maybe try your luck at the Pylos communal table one night. Pylos received the authentic Greek seal of approval and is now immediately going into my buddies Greek eats rotation.

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Local produce is hot right now, Padma hot. Last week’s Top Chef revolved around the local produce of Napa Valley (and Padma of course) and I feel like every restaurant I go to now is making a big fuss about it. Bandwagon initiated. Hop on board, drink some Blue Point and eat some pigs that grew up in Dix Hills.

This brings us to East Village newcomer Northern Spy Food Co. which recently popped up around the corner from Infatuation HQ and prides itself on serving – yes you guessed it – local produce. Interest was piqued when Eater posted Chef Nate Appleman’s tweet saying he had his “best meal of 2009″ here. It’s a chill spot, and they succeed in establishing the country vibe. It’s set up as both a sit-down restaurant and a take-out market. Think of it as Westville light with a smaller menu (that changes every week) and hotter waitresses. Northern Spy is a solid local hang with a very reasonable price point. It’s not necessarily a destination restaurant, but if you live in the hood, it needs to get into the rotation, if only to grab a beer poured from the taps protruding out of the wood paneled wall. We feel that.

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