Fanelli Cafe is one of those New York City gems still standing from a time when horse and buggies were bringing people there to drink. The space has been there since the mid nineteenth century, and they proudly hang their salon licenses in the back, mementos from an era long before Soho filled with European models and Midwestern tourists. The menu at Fanelli’s is essentially bar food, but it’s quality stuff. You won’t find frozen death disc hamburgers in this kitchen. The standouts are the chicken club sandwich, the steak sandwich, and the burger. Don’t expect the staff to be friendly, or for that matter, to give a damn that you have been waiting for your check for twenty minutes. Embrace the atmosphere, drink a Stella from the tap, and imagine that you’re about to head off for a sweet vacation aboard the Titanic.
A “casual latino” eatery, Macondo claims its food is “Freestyle Latin”. I don’t like the word freestyle. It’s usually just a different way of saying “I’m making shit up”. It also makes me think of freestyle walking (not a sport), and every moron in college who owned an Eminem album and freestyle rapped at parties. Needless to say, I was not encouraged by their choice of words on the website. Luckily, Macondo was a good experience, minus a few stumbles. The restaurant is huge and lively on most nights, with a ton of big tables and some bar seats in front of the open kitchen. On my most recent visit (a slow night), I watched the kitchen staff spend twenty minutes experimenting with a blow torch on various dishes, only one of which was a brulee. Freestyle man. Nobody knows what’s going to happen next!
Stick to the tacos, the bocadillos, and pretty much anything with pork or beef and you’re in business. I am going to go out on a limb and guess you’ve never eaten Mofongo, but you need to. A few things on the menu were disappointing, but it’s a big menu with lots to choose from and they mix up some solid drinks which helps the cause. Overall we’re still partial to Mercadito Cantina and Yerba Buena for South of the Border cravings in the area, but we’ll happily hit Macondo for a quick one next time we’re in the neigborhood for a show.
Family friendly, celeb-heavy and aestetically pleasing, Bubby’s represents its Tribeca zip code hard. It’s one of the better known Chronic Brunch spots around town, and although Bubby’s is a prime venue for Celebrity Sightings, it’s not a sceney disaster like Pastis or Da Silvano. This is a locals hang – it just so happens that around here the locals are regulars in the tabloids.
As for the food – it’s fine. Better than average even, but nothing spectacular. Brunch is better than lunch and lunch is better than dinner. Everything is a little pricey, but the portions are big and you won’t leave hungry. They do enough things well to keep people coming back and also serve a limited menu 24 hours a day, which is rare for this ‘hood. If you’re in search of good brunch below Canal Street or maybe just a chance to see Jude Law getting down on something other than his kid’s nanny, this is your spot.
Educating people about City Winery seems to have taken a little longer than expected. The fact that the majority of people I come in contact with are still unaware of City Winery’s existence is concerning. People are missing out on a truly unique addition to downtown Manhattan. City Winery is a sprawling adult playpen, boasting a full bar, restaurant, music venue, and yes, winery. This place is HUGE. What Brooklyn Bowl brings to the table for drunken hipsters, City Winery doubles down on for their more sophisticated peers. City Winery offers all sorts of wine events, classes, and pairings. Plus, people have the ability to create their own wine in house, complete with their own barrel and custom label.
The acoustics in the room are off the chain, and create one of the better sounding venues I’ve ever been to. Hopefully, sooner than later, City Winery will start diversifying their bookings a bit. Not that I have anything against Jill Sobule, Joseph Arthur, or Rachel Yamagata (they match up well with a glass of Cabernet), it’s just that it would be cool to see them book some hip indie rock you’d normally see at Bowery Ballroom or Webster Hall to mix things up a bit and bring in a different crowd.
City Winery offers over 500 wines, and they’ve created a selection of ideal accompaniments designed to bring out the best of each. The menu is a complicated animal with arrows pointing in every direction in order to help you pair wine with food. In theory, it’s a great idea, but in reality, it doesn’t translate well and is difficult to grasp. In any case, City Winery is careful to make sure the wine remains the focal point of the experience, but since our focus is on food, let’s talk about what we ate, not what we drank.
I am pretty sure we have said this in other reviews, but I think it’s worth mentioning again. In no circumstance is it OK to have a set of turntables in a restaurant. Ever. I understand that there are people in this world who love nothing more than a sweet remix, but DJ Skrizz does not belong at dinner.
The reason we bring this up is because it has presented us with a conflict when it comes Il Bagatto. This is a really good East Village Italian restaurant that we used to hit up often for upbeat drunk dinners and the occasional date. It’s a dark yet lively space with a great downstairs bar and a few excellent menu items. Unfortunately, Il Bagatto has also become home to super long waits, obnoxious patrons, and a guy downstairs on the ones and twos trying to beat mix Rhianna into Men at Work. We’ve dealt with annoying crowds before, but for god’s sake don’t encourage them.
At the end of the day, we’re not recommending that you stay away from Il Bagatto entirely. Just know what you’re walking into during prime time hours. Things can be more sedate early in the week, and it’s honestly worth a visit just for the grilled calamari. Otherwise, there are plenty of other great Italian restaurants in the area, including Il Posto Accanto right next door.
Feature: Infatuation TV: P.O.S.
