Sorella has been near the top of our hit list for a while now. Subconsciously, I think it was chef Emma Hearst winning Eater’s “Hottest Chef” award for 2009 that finally pushed us over the edge. The Infatuation can’t lie…we dig a hot female in the kitchen. Another thing we dig? A good soundtrack while we eat. Wine bars usually aren’t known for their quality tunes, so we were pleasantly surprised by the sweet mix of Ol’ Dirty Bastard “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” into Stevie Wonder “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”. This could very well have been our own iPod that we were rocking, but this one belonged to Emma herself. So not only is she smoking hot – with cooking skills – but she’s also down with some Wu Tang? That’s our kind of girl.
Let’s take a moment to set the record straight here. If any of you happen to show up at a restaurant and see Padma Lakshmi sitting at a table, it is your duty as a citizen to let us know. Hit us up on Twitter, send an email, put up the bat signal or, at the very least, sedate her and tag her ear so we can track her whereabouts. But please do something. Just as I was about to write this review of Il Posto Accanto, a close friend tells me he was there on our recommendation and saw the Indian queen of food and sexy dining at the bar with a friend. He just didn’t feel the need to tell us until two days later. How are we supposed to get a Friday Fives/start a family with her if our informants are sitting on info? I guess even though the intel is old, it does confirm that we have awesome taste. Il Posto Accanto is fantastic.
There is a good chance you’ve eaten Italian food on this block before, and if you haven’t, it’s time you do. This one street is home to not only Il Posto Accanto and it’s sister restaurant Il Baggato, but also date night MVP Supper. But Il Posto Accanto is the one that nobody seems to talk about. It’s the smallest, quietest, and least flashy of the three Italian spots on the block, and that’s what makes it great. You can still roll in on a Friday night and get a seat because everyone else is trying to get a table next door at Il Baggato. What they don’t know is that the two restaurants share a kitchen, and Il Posto Accanto is home to some of the best meatballs and pastas in town, along with a great wine list and open air dining. We were honestly sort of torn about writing this place up, but you’re a loyal reader and deserve to have it in your repertoire. Just promise you won’t tell New Jersey.
We hope that you’re using our website to find good date spots. Why? Well, first of all, because you are really good looking and should have a full social calendar. Second, because we think we’re pretty good at reccommending restaurants that will give you your best chance to make some action happen. And by “some action”, we of course mean a fulfilling long-term relationship.
By no means are we claiming that dell’anima is some under the radar date haven that nobody else knows about. Ask any female that lives west of 7th Avenue and she will probably have this place in her top ten. We’re big fans too, and also hold sister restaurant L’Artusi in high regard. Both are great date spots and both have a vanity apostrophe, which makes them cool or Italian or something. Both can also be loud and a bit sceney at times, though dell’anima is much smaller and more intimate. We like dell’anima specifically for the ample bar seating and chef’s counter, perfect for a more casual meal, and making it a great First/Early in The Game Date destination. We also like it because the food is pretty damn spectacular. There are a few really special pasta dishes, and some sharable first courses that are excellent. The wine list is smart though a bit pricey, but there are a handful of good bottles under forty bucks to choose from.
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.
Welcome to the greatest Jewish thing to come out of Canada since Rick Moranis. Mile End is a Jewish delicatessen in Boerum Hill named for and modeled after the gentrified Montreal neighborhood by the same name, which has a strong Jewish population and apparently some killer Jewish food.
Here in Brooklyn, this place has become the topic of often-heated discourse and debate. As you can imagine, when it comes to a Jewish deli in this city, there is no shortage of opinions. Some say Mile End is too hipster, some say it’s too expensive, some say it’s too crowded, and yet at the same time many say it’s the greatest place ever. We’ve heard it all.
Here’s what I can tell you: I don’t care what anyone says, this is great food. Everything at Mile End is made with top notch ingredients and is meticulously prepared. The staff behind the small kitchen counter care about every plate that goes out the door, so regardless of whether it’s the kind of bagel you’re used to or not, someone put a lot of effort into making it awesome. From our perspective, If you like smoked meats and things with “hash” in the name, this is a place you need to visit. We don’t want to hear any complaining about waiting for a table, or hipsters, or how you can get a pastrami sandwich for four dollars on the Upper West Side. This is Brooklyn, and this place is turning out quality sh*t. Grab a Stumptown coffee from the window while you wait, and if you really can’t muster up the patience for a good meal, keep it movin’. More meat for the rest of us.
