Whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably eaten a ton of Sullivan St. Bakery’s bread. Over 250 of New York City’s restaurants and markets serve this fine yeast, from Babbo to Dean & Deluca to Murray’s Cheese. When you dominate NYC’s dough scene, why not start a pizza joint? Co. (aka Company) is the hip, quasi-new addition to the Sullivan St. Bakery monopoly, and features a more complete menu than other next level pizza-throbs like Motorino and Keste. While the pizza is damn tasty, it’s not of the traditional variety. It arrives in awkward shapes and plays out more like awesome bread with toppings than actual pizza…which is by no means a bad thing.
They say the Ocean occupies 71% of our planet’s surface, right? Well, it feels like Oceana occupies 71% of 49th street. This tribute to the sea is massive; probably the biggest seafood restaurant in NYC. Whole fish on ice, crab legs, clams, mussels, oysters and the rest of their impressive raw bar greet you at the door and set the tone. Light blues, sea greens, and different shades of white give the room a tasteful, aquatic feel. Everything in Oceana, from their comfy booths to amicable service makes you feel at ease. Overall, the food is fine; simple and straight forward. It’s an ideal place for lunch during the week, dinner before a trip to the theatre with mom, or to cure a king crab craving, which I get often. Strange? Probably. Oceana is a welcome addition to Midtown’s clusterf*ck of expansive dining halls, and especially enjoyable if you’re not the one paying.
Even before we reached media mogul/baller status here at Immaculate Infatuation, Bar Stuzzichini has always welcomed us with VIP treatment. While we like to believe that this is a direct result of our indelible charm and a general awareness that we would soon be making it rain, we will concede that the place is usually half empty. That said, I personally have had experiences visiting a restaurant on a slow night and being treated like a Swine Flu patient (see Shang), and also to be fair, the dining room at Bar Stuzz is pretty large. What really makes Bar Stuzzichini a staple though are a few superstar dishes, a well priced wine list, and a varied menu that has both small plates and entree size portions with something for everyone at the table. Put it all together and you’ve got the perfect spot for a large group meal, or just to stop in and feel like you own the joint.
A reliable place for a low key brunch, lunch, or dinner in Nolita, visit this little South American cafe for its eclectic crowd, cultural flavors, and communal feel. Although the tables are scrunched together and a bit uneven (assorted chairs and space at a minimum), it works. On weekday mornings, patrons sit solo with their paper and cup of coffee. On weekends, the place is packed with downtown brunchers and usually comes with a short and painless wait. 45 minute long jam-up at Habana? This is your backup plan. My one complaint, as usual, is that the menu is about $5 more expensive than it should be.
Midtown wine bars are pretty high up there on the list of places you won’t find us hanging out. Why? Well, first of all, the majority of them are slightly less exciting than having a glass or two inside your local Pottery Barn. Second, we’re not so down with the menus rife with shitty pizzas and cubed cheese served on cutting boards. Oh and that fig thrown in next to the pile of Wheat Thins? Yeah, that’s not fooling anybody.
On the surface, Bocca di Bacco doesn’t look much different than any of those places. What is interesting, though, is that the food is actually very good. On the menu is an extensive offering of Italian small plates, pastas, and tasty full sized entrees to accompany all the wines that pour from a giant wine keggerator behind the bar. The crowd is a nice mix of Hell’s Kitchen’s hottest residents and some downtowners that know where to get good eats when they’re in the area. We went in on a Twitter recommendation and have now had two solid meals at Bocca di Bacco, along with some nice wines by the glass that didn’t put too bad of a hurting on the wallet. I’m glad we gave it a chance. The ridiculous house music on the website almost doomed it from the start.
Feature: Infatuation TV: P.O.S.
