Raoul’s is the shit. That’s really the only proper way to put it. If you can’t have a good time here, you probably can’t have a good time anywhere. This boisterous French bistro has been a Soho institution since the 70’s. It’s that awesome NYC restaurant depicted in your favorite Woody Allen flick, one that probably doesn’t exist in real life. Except it does and in reality it’s just as cool. Raoul’s is useful for a variety of different reasons. Having dinner with friends from out of town? They will feel the upbeat, lively vibe at Raoul’s. Double date with your favorite party couple who like to un-tuck, throw a couple back and grub hard? This is the place. Just be prepared to drop dollars. On the prowl after work with your favorite wing-man/wing-woman? There’s all kinds of good action here and a nice variety to choose from; a classy crowd of spunky ladies and well put together dudes. If you want to be all up in the mix, make sure to request a table in the front of the restaurant. For a more subdued good time, the back atrium through the kitchen is where it’s at. Time to talk food.
In case you haven’t noticed, Cobble Hill is fully stacked with great restaurants these days, many of which are new Infatuation favorites. Right at the top of that list is Char No. 4, and it’s easy to see why. It’s essentially my New York City dream house – a warm, inviting space with a wall of bourbon and a smoker. When we sell this website to Excite or Lycos or whoever is spending money these days, that’s totally what I’m buying. I guess for now I’ll have to stick with my current method of tossing a few woodchips into the toaster and ripping the batteries out of the smoke alarm.
While smoking meat is definitely a huge part of what Char No. 4 does (you’ll notice that damn near everything on the dinner menu is a “house smoked” something), it’s not all just ribs and brisket sandwiches. This is Southern influenced food in New York City, and you will find some really creative things on the menu, like the insanely good lamb pastrami, a ridiculous crispy sweet potato gnocchi, and a more than respectable brunch. We recently decided to put it all to the test by bringing in some palates even more discerning than ours. One of our favorite new bands hails from Dallas, and we decided to introduce them to Southern food, Brooklyn style. Take a look and see what happens when Char No. 4 meets Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights.
Much like other recent openings (see Minetta Tavern, DBGB), Locanda Verde has been a hot topic among food critics and writers of late. Those who faithfully read these reviews will surely come away able to tell their friends all about how Robert DeNiro is still involved, as is an up and coming New York chef, Andrew Carmellini. And they will surely let everyone know how much better Locanda Verde is than Ago was, even though the Ago in LA is fantastic. How nice for them.
Luckily, you come to this site for the real deal (and also because you are awesome), so here it is. Locanda Verde is a very good restaurant, and it is so because the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. What does that mean exactly? The space is nice, but you’re not going to be sending your friends pics from your blackberry. The wait staff is pleasant and well versed in the menu, but they aren’t going to make you want to drop a thirty percent tip. The wine list is nice, though ordering by the glass seems to be the way to go. Most importantly, the majority of the food on the menu is very good on its own, but if you order correctly, the entire meal will be a fantastic experience and you will need a forklift to get your fat ass out of there. Take each individual aspect, add it together, and you have a pretty great dining experience, one that is actually quite deserving of the recent praise. Kudos to Bobby D.
Sitting in Il Buco on a recent Tuesday night, one wouldn’t think our country was currently experiencing severe economic turmoil. The place is packed to the gills with people eating and drinking without a care in the world. Even some of the hottest restaurants have empty tables on “off” nights, but the fact that Il Buco is routinely slammed is a testament to the quality of the food and the unique character of the space. You won’t find another place in town quite like it. The restaurant’s rustic country vibe is as authentic as it gets. Originally opened as an antique store in the mid-90′s, the owners quickly realized their meal ticket wasn’t in the form of selling antique ceramic pots, it was the kitchen.
Il Buco has been a hotspot for a while now, attracting an older, celeb heavy crowd. Our girl Christina Hendricks (Joan on Mad Men) and her Infatuation approved ass got married here recently. The menu has become famous for its seasonal Mediterranean tapas and daily selection of homemade pastas, local poultry and fish entrees. We’d suggest focusing on the tapas and the pasta. Better yet, get a big group together and take advantage of Il Buco’s chef’s table or private dining room in the downstairs cellar.
On a beautiful day when Frank is on full blast it’s like the East Village’s see and be seen answer to Pastis. Everyone at Frank is feelin’ it; “it” being life. The vibe is contagious, and you really can’t escape it. That is, if you can handle people in your personal space. Frank packs ‘em in like the L Train at 8:30am on a work day. What’s that? You don’t like my elbow in your spaghetti? Sorry about that, but there’s no other place for me to put it. I promise I showered this morning.
It’s not like the East Village blew up into this crazy culinary hotspot overnight. Where leaders succeed, others follow. Frank Prisinzano opened Frank in 1998 and quickly became a leader in the E.V. food movement, blazing the tastemaker trail and building an Italian empire along the way (Lil’ Frankies, Supper). Frank has been serving hungry hipsters in this hood for years now and doing it with their own DIY “we do it our way” attitude. The food is consistently solid, though a little underwhelming at times, but you come back regardless because it’s places like this that make the East Village one of the dopest neighborhoods in the entire world.
