Greek food is great, but it’s just not something I usually find myself going out to eat. Thanks to a rabid following on Yelp and a high Zagat rating I figured it was time to bring my best Greek buddy here to see if this place was worthy of such high praise. It was a nice night, the front of the restaurant was open, and every table was filled with lively groups of friends and family. The decor matches the vibe well. Clay pots appropriately hang from the ceiling (Pylos means ‘made of clay’ in Greek) while Greek wines line the walls. It’s a very cozy, friendly environment inside as the entire restaurant is situated along shared pillow covered benches on either side and also features a communal table in the back. Are you striking out on Agape Online (Greek J-Date)? Maybe try your luck at the Pylos communal table one night. Pylos received the authentic Greek seal of approval and is now immediately going into my buddies Greek eats rotation.
Local produce is hot right now, Padma hot. Last week’s Top Chef revolved around the local produce of Napa Valley (and Padma of course) and I feel like every restaurant I go to now is making a big fuss about it. Bandwagon initiated. Hop on board, drink some Blue Point and eat some pigs that grew up in Dix Hills.
This brings us to East Village newcomer Northern Spy Food Co. which recently popped up around the corner from Infatuation HQ and prides itself on serving – yes you guessed it – local produce. Interest was piqued when Eater posted Chef Nate Appleman’s tweet saying he had his “best meal of 2009″ here. It’s a chill spot, and they succeed in establishing the country vibe. It’s set up as both a sit-down restaurant and a take-out market. Think of it as Westville light with a smaller menu (that changes every week) and hotter waitresses. Northern Spy is a solid local hang with a very reasonable price point. It’s not necessarily a destination restaurant, but if you live in the hood, it needs to get into the rotation, if only to grab a beer poured from the taps protruding out of the wood paneled wall. We feel that.
Believe it or not, it’s possible for Immaculate Infatuation to love a place even when the food isn’t the main attraction. It’s rare, but it’s possible, and Esperanto is the perfect example. A local Infatuation mainstay, Esperanto’s got that little something special that keeps it in heavy rotation despite average food. It’s consistently packed with people looking to hang out and have a good time. The vibe is contagious, especially after a couple six dollar Caipiroskas (vodka, lime, sugar) to the dome. Going out on the town on a Friday or Saturday night? Esperanto is the perfect choice for your pre-game food and drink, especially when it’s nice out, with the windows open and the outdoors in full effect. The price is right too; all entrees are under twenty dollars. Just beware, there’s almost always a wait during primetime but they move pretty fast. Big group? Make a reservation.
Muzzarella has long been an Immaculate Infatuation favorite. We’ve been coming here for years, and even though it’s not the most consistent when it comes to quality, we keep coming back. Why? When Muzzarella is good, it’s damn good. The whole pies usually deliver really well, and their chicken, tomato, and onion slice is one of our favorite things in the entire city. The standard cheese slice is solid, though could use a little more crisp on the crust and the lasagna slice is a unique offering and cult favorite. Yes, it’s true that Muzzarella is a grimy hole in the wall, and yes, we’ve seen rodents out front so big that they could operate the cash register, but that chicken slice at 2am is really hard to beat.
It should be pretty apparent at this point that the Infatuation meter skews higher any time a decent burger is mentioned on this site. That said, we have our favorites in this town (see Burger Joint, Shake Shack) and will not hesitate to take a verbal dump on those that don’t make the cut. Black Iron Burger is a new player on the scene, and definitely has promise. It’s a simple place, with a handful of high tables and hole in the wall charm. The burger here holds up (adding grilled onions to the burger is recommended), and though it’s not at the top of the heap, it’s a well spent seven dollars. The beer list is solid, and the fries are dead ringers for McDonalds’. The onion rings were not particularly impressive. Black Iron Burger is open late, so it’s a great option for that late night last stop on the way home.
Feature: Infatuation TV: P.O.S.
