Food Rundown:

Berkshire Pork Sausage
Be aware that they only have six meats available every day and the menu changes daily. All of the meats are smoked in house and seasoned in their own dry rub. The sweet sausage is really good, the spicy sausage even better. You can’t beat three bucks for a big fat link of goodness.

Berkshire Belly (Bacon)
You don’t see dry rubbed pork belly hanging out by the brick behind a glass counter very often. This is a special occasion. While this belly wasn’t incredibly flavorful, it’s definitely worth getting a couple of slices. Mmmmmm, pure pig fat. So moist and tasty.

Brisket
Fette Sau’s brisket takes Hill Country’s to town, Vince Carter over Fredrick Weis style. Toss a couple slices of this dripping wet brisket onto a Martin’s potato roll, add some homemade chili pepper & vinegar sauce and you’ve got yourself a nice big bite of heaven.

Berkshire St Louis Style Pork Ribs
You can taste the quality oozing out of these pork ribs. The rub is what really sets these meaty, tender, delicious pig bones apart. They’re not as good as Georgia’s, but they’re pretty damn close.

Guss’ Half-Sour Kosher Pickles
Why any restaurants would choose to serve any other kind of pickle is beyond me. Guss’ pickles are incredible.

Dante’s German Potato Salad
I’m not going to lie, the sides are a little disappointing. The potato salad looks really freakin’ good, all chopped up with a mustard dressing of sorts. Oddly, it just doesn’t have much taste to it. It’s not bad, it’s just not amazing. We’ll just order more pickles and cole slaw next time.

Burnt End Baked Beans
These beans pack some serious flavor. They’re good, but if you’re a fan of of Boston style, they might be a little smoky and spicy for your taste.

Cole Slaw
A little soggy, but that didn’t stop me from licking the paper bowl clean.

The Lion is a new joint opened by the chef from Waverly Inn and a bunch of other people you would only know if you a) spent too much time at Beatrice Inn or b) give a shit about who the “celebrity” investors are in a restaurant. Either way, this place is New York’s newest hot spot, and if you read all the other reviews, you’ll no doubt find a long list of A-listers recently sighted here. Exciting! But what has us considering an amendment to one of our beloved dining axioms is that despite all the baggage that comes along with a “scene” like this, the food at The Lion is actually pretty damn good. We’ve even found the place to be generally tolerable on all of our recent visits. Yes, tables can be hard to come by, and yes, it’s full of people who probably refer to themselves in the third person, but so far we’ve found the staff to be friendly and courteous. And while the quality of food and service are a bit surprising – what makes the biggest impression is the interior of the restaurant itself. The main dining area is an amazing two-story space that looks like the living room of a drug addled safari hunter/art collector (my dream job). It’s a pretty incredible place to eat your steak, and makes the hefty price tag a little more bearable. The bar in front is cozy and tavern-like, a perfect spot for sucking back dark and stormys and even possibly scoring a walk up table, especially if you arrive for dinner on the earlier side of the evening.

So while we can’t fully throw our full Infatuation approval behind a place that has a door guy out front, we have to admit that there is a lot to like about The Lion. Enough for us to make one exception to a big time rule…for now.

Photo Credit: Janelle Jones

Food Rundown:

Artichoke Fritters
Delicious little fried spheres with soft artichoke and lemony goodness inside them. On the small side for what you pay, but tasty nonetheless.

Spring Asparagus
A straightforward Spanish classic – fresh asparagus with a soft egg on top. This is always a crowd pleaser, and the Lion’s version is no exception. I think I saw one of these things coming over the kitchen counter and off to a table every twenty seconds.

Pasta Annunziatta
On one of our visits, the waiter had the balls to recommend I try this pasta rather than the burger, which I appreciated. After having both, I’m glad he steered me in this direction. Octopus, guanicale and olives make for an incredible combination tossed with pasta. That guanciale pops in your mouth and leaves behind a fat slick that makes everything that comes after taste awesome.

Burger
We’ve heard people throwing around comments that this thing is up there with Minetta’s Black Label Burger. It’s a good burger for sure, but let’s everyone sit down and take a breather. Plus, we’re not entirely sure that a piece of pork belly on a burger is a good, or particularly responsible idea. We do respect the gusto though.

Lobster Pot Pie
Flaky crust, lobster, vegetables…what’s not to like? This is a football shaped pie full of lobster, and it comes to the table volcano hot.

Delmonico Steak
An expensive steak at $55, but one of the better things on the menu here. This guy is tender and has a nice marble, so it definitely doesn’t lack in flavor.

Everyone loves August. It’s impossible not to. The same way I’m always down to watch those movies that are endlessly on TV like Any Given Sunday or Empire Records, I’m also always down for brunch at August. This little European bistro is perfectly located in the heart of all the good West Village action. The friendly space smells of firewood and has an awesome glass enclosed garden that gets tons of sun. August is really a better brunch/lunch spot than it is a dinner spot. The dinner entrees are never as exciting as the eggs, sandwiches and pizza you get during the daytime hours. Plus, the prices on the dinner menu are a little steep. One dinner option we do like, however, is the Sunday night “Pizza & Peronis” meal: one pizza and four Peronis for $25. Not necessarily the Gray’s Papaya recession special, but we back the idea and the pizza is really good. Speaking of pizza and beer, dudes, listen up – August is a great First/Early In The Game Date spot. Considering that her and her friends already love it, you’ll score extra points right off the bat by taking her to the location of her last Book Club meeting. Trust me; it’s a better option than the new Dos Caminos in the Meat Packing district.

Food Rundown:

Wood Oven Baked Eggs en Cocotte
The big ticket item here are baked eggs, cooked up in their own iron skillets. August divides up the different varieties by the European region they’re inspired by. You really can’t go wrong with ordering any of these, but our favorite is absolutely the Alsatian (bacon and onion with crème fraiche) with the Andalusian (chorizo and blistered peppers) coming in a close second.

Challah Bread French Toast
So good. If you’re big on challah bread French toast, definitely calorie splurge on this one. The key to making the outside so crisp is that they finish it in the oven.

Asparagus Mimosa
One of my favorite things to order here, the asparagus mimosa is on both the lunch and dinner menu. A breaded ball of fried egg that looks like a croquette served over a heap of cold asparagus stalks with dijon dressing. Full of bold flavors, but also crisp and refreshing.

Burger
The only thing fancy about this burger is the fried egg you can elect to place on top of it (which you should do, obviously – check the twitpic). This burger is a dead ringer for the one I’m going to make on the BBQ this weekend: ground chuck, lettuce, tomato, pickles and raw onions on a nice kaiser bun. High quality and straight forward. We dig this burger.

Grilled Chorizo Sandwich
For chorizo fans who like a little spice in their life, definitely check this sandwich out. Chorizo sausages served on a super soft bun with baby arugula, blistered peppers, and spicy smoked mayonnaise. Yes.

It wasn’t until recently that we figured out D&C was more than just a place to grab a libation or two. You can actually have an excellent meal as well. Think of it as tapas joint the resembles a wedding cocktail hour: American classics that go quite well with a drink shaken or stirred. The kitchen paces itself well, so dishes come out one at a time, and they give you a chance to enjoy your drink as well as the food. After a long day, a Robert Johnson Swizzle (single barrel bourbon, lime juice, 10yr port, vanilla syrup and more) with a side of truffle mac n cheese is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Food Rundown:

Tuna Tartare
Some of the best tuna tartare we’ve had in recent memory and a steal at twelve bucks – it’s a nice amount of food. The tuna has a really nice spicy kick, and it’s served with homemade kettle corn chips that are stupid good. Get this.

Truffle Mac & Cheese
When we sent out a tweet from Death & Co, we got like 6 replies all saying some version of “holy crap the mac and cheese spoons are off the chain!” The people are never wrong. Indeed, this stuff is chronic. Served on individual spoons, this mac with aged cheddar and truffle bread crumbs hits the spot.

Seared Petite Filet Mignon
A pleasantly surprising ditty of a steak. The meat has a great seared crust on it, and for sixteen dollars, we aren’t complaining. This is really good, and could easily fill up one not-so-starving person.

Lobster Brioche Rolls
Three lobster sliders served on toasted brioche rolls. These bad boys were a great compliment to the Grass Kilt (coconut green tea-infused grouse scotch, lemon juice, pineapple juice, acacia honey syrup, cinnamon syrup) I was sipping when they rolled out of the kitchen. Now, this isn’t the purist Luke’s Lobster approach – this is more of a chicken salad type of lobster salad as the lobster bits are mixed in equal parts with crunchy jicama, apple and fennel slaw. They’re little mini lobster sandwiches, and they’re good.

Wild Mushroom Tart
Sautéed mushrooms with caramelized onion pesto and walnuts on top of a pastry tart. Surprisingly tasty, and definitely a good drinking snack.

One of our all time favorite La Esquina dinners was the result of an unannounced Tuesday night visit. Smooth talking and a small diversion (smoke bomb) got our group of three dudes down without a reservation, and what ensued was a great meal at the chef’s table and a valiant attempt to drink Mexico into another agave shortage. Those are the nights that make us love this place. Even despite the weekday fashionistas and weekend crowds, La Esquina can still play host to the next great time you can’t remember.

Food Rundown:

Empanadas De Chorizo
A basic empanada, but the chorizo is spicy and delicious. A simple favorite of ours.

Quesadilla De Huitlacoche
A tasty, mushroomy quesadilla with corn and Mexican truffle. This is earthy and good, but different than most quesadillas you’ve probably come across.

Cangrejo Tostada
Our favorite of the tostadas on the menu (three per order), and a must have. The cool crab meat is piled high on a half-dollar sized tostada with mango and spicy mayo. It’s one big bite of goodness.

Tinga De Pollo
Chicken might not be the sexiest tostada option on the menu, but across the board, La Esquina’s slow-cooked, shredded chicken is a winner.

Elotes Callejeros
Don’t mess around. Each person at the table needs to have an ear of this grilled corn in hand. You’ll be smiling…with shit in your teeth.

Tacos
In order of our preference: bistec, pescado, carnitas michoacan (crispy pork), cochinita pibil (pulled pork). You really can’t go wrong.

Chile Relleno
A decent chile relleno, but not our favorite. File these under tasty Mexican food item that is usually disappointing in New York City Mexican restaurants.

Carne Asada
A good strip steak served with a nice chimichurri, but nothing special. In general, you will be happier if you stick to the smaller plates.

This review is specifically for the cafe, La Esquina’s urban surf shack – and the taqueria, a prime Outdoor/Patio Situation for People Watching. We’ve bitched plenty about the fact that there is very little in the way of good Mexican food in this city. La Esquina may not be the most authentic Mexican in town, but it is one of the few establishments to properly spin everything we love about NYC restaurants – attention to detail, high quality ingredients and smart flavor combinations – into a taco. Sure, two fish tacos at the cafe cost twelve bucks, but they’re worth every penny. Mexican food also tastes better when you’re listening to mix of funky merengue interspersed between choice favorites from The xx, Miike Snow and Florence + The Machine. Infatuation Approved grub to go along with Infatuation Approved tunes. That’s how we like it.

Food Rundown:

Cafe:

Oxtail Taquitos
We love taquitos. These skinny, crispy guys are a nice way to start off your meal, and for eight dollars, you can’t go wrong.

Ceviche Estilo Acapulco
Easily one of my favorite things to order here, this is a fresh fish ceviche (usually red snapper) that’s served in the same glass bowl you used to get Friendly’s ice cream sundaes in. Fresh lime, avocado, tomatoes and jalapenos give this starter a nice kick. A must order.

La Esquina Mole Negro
Half a chicken drenched in a sweet and savory mole sauce sauce that makes a strong case for best mole in NYC. It’s perfectly balanced – not too heavy or too sweet – and it really brings the chicken to life. We like the chicken mole enchiladas too.

Fish Tacos
Definitely not our favorite fish taco – that honor belongs to Yerba Buena and Mercadito Cantina. That said, on any given day, these can be a little better (or a little worse) than what you’ll find at Pinche and Barrio Chino. The fish shows up skewered in a soft taco with pickled red onions and shaved cabbage. It’s the red onions that get me every time. Pretty damn tasty.

Crispy Pork Tacos
These are absolutely ridiculous. I daydream about them often and pretty much only order this and fish tacos every time I visit…which is why this food rundown isn’t longer.

Taqueria:

Tacos
Solo tacos in the three to four dollar range, most of which land somewhere between good and excellent. Our favorites are the chorizo and the sausage with potatoes and cactus. The seasonal mushroom tacos are also really good.

Tortilla Soup
If you like your tortilla soups thick, skip this. The broth is super thin, but it has great flavor and a nice serving of avocado.

Dearest Al Di La. It’s taken way too long for this relationship to get off the ground. People have been telling me about you for a while now, saying we’d be the perfect match. It just so happens that low key Italian ladies that don’t abuse my credit card are right in my wheelhouse. I hear you’re pretty good in the kitchen too. Unfortunately, stalking you on the internet can only get me so far. I’m jealous of the others who’ve had their way with you and brag about it all over Yelp. And why can’t I find you on Facebook?

Up until now, distance is the only thing that has kept us from this inevitable union. I have been making an effort to get out to Brooklyn more, but Park Slope? You’re really making this difficult. Nonetheless, I’m glad I made the trip. You are everything that I knew you would be. I love those huge communal tables you have. And wow…those are tight specials and perfectly sized portions. I’m going to start hitting shows at The Bell House all the time now, just so I have an excuse to see you. I do have one problem though. At some point, I am going to have to tell my girlfriend about you. Maybe, when the time is right, you guys can meet. I know she would like you. But I need time. First I’m going to have to convince her to be OK with a little ménage à pasta.

Food Rundown:

Fresh Spring Salad
Make sure you pay attention to the salads, especially the specials. This chopped salad boasted all kinds of awesome fresh greens along with fava beans, green beans, asparagus, peas and fennel in a zesty champagne vinaigrette.

Steamed Mussels
A big ass pot of jumbo mussels. Served in an excellent garlic broth, the biggest prize is at the bottom where a thick piece of bread sits, soaking up the goodness. We fully back these.

Pea Ravioli
Amazing homemade ravioli. Check the TwitPic. Inside the pasta was a heavenly spring pea puree with marscapone cheese, and they came served with a ridiculous butter sauce and fresh peas for garnish. This is pasta perfection.

Squid Ink Risotto
Al Di La is known for their risottos and has rotating specials. Order one to share, they’re generous portions. The squid ink risotto is absolutely tremendous.

Saltimbocca Alla Romana
A boneless pork loin scallopine with sage, prosciutto and sauteed potatoes. This was definitely our least favorite dish of the night, but that’s partly due to the fact that we were stuffed by this point. Either way, we wish we had ordered the rabbit which we hear is ridiculous. Next time.

Photo Credit: Daniel Krieger

Food Rundown:

Oysters
A nice selection of selection of fresh oysters from New Brunswick, Washington and Massachusetts. Ever since we got back from New Orleans, all we want to do is drink beer and eat oysters. This city needs better oyster bars.

King Crab
We got a whole leg and claw (a quarter pound) for thirteen dollars. That’s actually a decent deal. Served cold, the presentation was cool and the accompanying calamari mayo was good too. We would definitely order this again.

Fluke
Nice sized chunks of fluke sashimi served in a pineapple and herb glaze. We really enjoyed the flavor combination of the citrus and fish, but really? This is what I’m eating at Momofuku? This appetizer is more expensive than everything on the Noodle Bar menu, and it just doesn’t fully satisfy. Where my pork buns at?

Asparagus Salad
It’s asparagus season, which means the vegetable is everywhere, and our pee smells. This salad was pretty good, and it better be for eighteen bucks. Diced asparagus are served with crab and egg yolk, and topped off with some salty little potato chips. Not bad at all, but a tough dish to eat with chopsticks. More on that below.

Mussels
Deep down, I was hoping that this was going to be THE reason to come to Má Pêche. Chang was going to invent the most delicious and unhealthy mussel I’ve ever had. He would maybe steam them, then bake them, then deep fry them and serve them with a crazy combination of pork belly, cornflakes, peppers and hot sauce. He didn’t. These mussels are good, but totally standard and run-of-the-mill, even with the presence of crab paste and beer batter. I had better mussels a couple of weeks ago at Prune.

Pork Ribs
Another dish I thought would be legendary and wasn’t. These pork ribs are decent, but again, not the kind of dish we expect by the swine master himself. I’ve had these three times now, and each time they’ve been consistently wet, gooey and slimy.

Rice Noodles with Spicy Pork
This is the most “Momofuku” dish on the menu. It’s similar to the spicy pork sausage and rice cakes entree at Ssam, but is somehow not as satisfying. Those rice cakes are truly special, and the rice noodles here just aren’t.

Short Ribs
I get that Chang likes his chopsticks, but most of these dishes would be better suited for a knife and fork. In this case, you’re served a nice sized bowl of savory short ribs in a thin stew of carrots and spaetzle. The meat was great – soft, tender and quite tasty – it’s just really hard to sop up all the goodness of this dish using chopsticks.

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.

There are plenty of other steakhouses you can go to for a better all around meal. It’s simple and easy here: bacon, steak, dessert and off to bed. The service is gruff and cold. The food comes quickly – it’s no secret that they’re rushing you along to make room for the next hungry family. Also, it’s cash only. Deal with it. That’s the drill at Luger’s. It’s been this way for 120 years and is precisely why it’s so awesome. A small price to pay for (arguably) the best bite of steak you’ll ever eat in your life.

Food Rundown:

Luger’s Extra Thick Bacon
It’s a shame Kosher diners will never get a chance to sample pig this lard-tastic. I feel bad… it’s just so good. Do not even consider skipping out because you think you’re fat.

Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail
I look to my sister for guidance on shrimp cocktail – she pretty much orders it at everywhere. Last time we were here, she had to overcome a big smile and and a near panic attack to fully conquer these huge oxymorons. That’s a good sign.

Porterhouse Steak
Ordering steak at Luger’s is pretty simple. Porterhouse all around, for as many people as you have eating. It arrives at your table in a pool of bloody goodness, already sliced up with the filet on one side, the sirloin on the other. One fault that Luger’s has is that they don’t always use the same meat distributor. They’re all over the place in terms of where they get their meat and that results in occasional inconsistency. On most nights though, this is the best steak in New York City.

Burger
Only available at lunch, this burger is wildly inconsistent. They have a tendency to overcook, which seems to happen a lot at places that don’t specialize in burgers. Also, the bun is a bit much and if you don’t have the proper beef juices to soak that shit up, it’s too overwhelming. Here’s the bottom line – when this burger is perfectly executed, it’s amazing. When it’s not, it’s average at best.

Fries/Onion Rings
Both are very good, neither anywhere near the level of the steak. The french fried potatoes are a nice size – not too thin and not too thick. The o-rings are great – they’re in between the thick cut rings and the frizzled onion strings you generally see at steakhouses.

Madelaine Chocolate Coins & Whipped Cream
Everyone gets Luger’s custom milk chocolate gold coins with the check, and if you’re with a big group you’re rewarded with a big bowl of homemade whipped cream to dunk them in. You can’t beat that. Little known fact: the coins are made by NYC’s most excellent chocolate novelties company, Madelaine Chocolate. To put it lightly, we have a lot of love for Madelaine.

I was working in Dumbo some six years ago when Bubby’s docked near Water Street. It’s arrival couldn’t have come soon enough. Back then, Dumbo was a complete wasteland in terms of food. With the exception of Grimaldi’s, it was slim pickins for eats – it was either Front Street Pizza, Peas & Pickles, a sushi spot that’s probably closed now or the dirtiest DIY salad place you’ve ever seen. Midtown lunchers have no idea how good they have it. I would have killed for a Cafe Metro. But thanks to the arrival of Bubby’s, I finally had a lunch routine worth looking forward to. My gangster move was a soup/sandwich combo and then a drive by at Jacques Torres around the corner for dessert.

If you live in Dumbo or Brooklyn Heights, Bubby’s is your go-to Chronic Brunch spot. The two restaurants are nearly identical, sans the constant Celebrity Sighting at the Tribeca location. The best you’ll do around these parts is Mos Def, who lives in the building next door.

Food Rundown:

Pancakes
Thick and extremely hearty, these p’cakes are generally a crowd pleaser. Our two favorite varieties are the blueberry and the chocolate chip (subject to availability).

Bubby’s Breakfast
A typical diner style breakfast. Two eggs any style, a choice of hash browns or grits, breakfast meat and toast. No better than what you would find at your local greasy spoon, other than the fact that the grits are awesome.

Spinach Salad
Bubby’s salads are good for lunch, but like every other business class salad, are too big and too expensive. Regardless, the spinach salad has long been my favorite.

Matzo Ball Soup
They’re not as good as Grandma’s, but these big, cakey matzo balls are more than serviceable. The move here is to order their alphabet soup and have them add matzo balls.

Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich
Sandwiches are what Bubby’s does best. Sandwiches and pie…more on that later. The grilled ham and cheese is an excellent specimen. Thinly sliced hickory smoked ham, sharp white cabot cheddar and grainy mustard make for a good situation.

Peanut Butter & Jelly
I get sucked in every once in a while on this, forgetting that the time before really wasn’t anything special. This is a double decker PB&J on toasted seven grain bread that doesn’t taste as good as it looks. Then again, why am I ordering PB&J when I’m out to eat? That only flies if you’re seven, or really high.

Chicken Salad Sandwich
I love chicken salad – it’s one of my all time favorite foods – but this stuff is just too smoky for me. It’s too bad, because everything else about this chicken salad is right in my wheelhouse: grapes, pecans, and minimal mayo.

Grilled Chicken Club
Best sandwich on the menu by far. A typical club with the addition of avocado – it’s simple and amazing. Slam dunk.

Pies
Make sure to save room for Bubby’s world renowned pies. Our favorites include coconut custard, chocolate peanut butter, and banana cream.