Tree has an unassuming exterior that may cause someone to walk by hundreds of times without realizing that there’s anything worthwhile inside. I, for instance, live right around the corner and never paid much attention to the joint. Luckily, my pops insisted we go one night thanks to a very high Zagat rating. After that fateful night, Tree was promptly added to my local rotation. During the winter, it’s warm and cozy interior is the perfect place to take your girl or guy on a cold Friday night. The large backyard garden is the perfect place to dine alfresco on those balmy spring or summer evenings. There’s something a little more mature about Tree than the majority of the restaurants in the area. It’s not filled with young hipsters; the crowd tends to skew a little older. I counted five tables containing guests with gray hair the last time I was there. Basic rule of thumb when it comes to the menu; stick with the heavy sauce dishes and you’ll be a happy camper. Tree kills it with their sauces. Resist the temptation to order the steak frites and stick with the good stuff served in bowls. For the food rundown, I’m sticking with my go-to dishes and nothing else … all served in bowls.
The best pizza grows in Brooklyn. We know this. Perfecting your dough craft outer-borough style before bringing those pie skills to the big time seems to be a theme these days, so it comes as no surprise that with a brand already established in Williamsburg, Mathieu Palombino’s Motorino (which the NY Times awarded “best new generation pizza”) recently opened up their first Manhattan annex in the East Village. Their small pizzeria is in the old Una Pizza Napoletana space on 12th street’s mini restaurant row. Having an award winning oven already in place, Motorino has hit the ground running. The masses will now get a taste of Motorino’s unbeatable margherita and signature soppressata pies.
We have covered a lot of ground in the East Village, and, on the surface, The Redhead looks like one of those places that was left behind as the neighborhood gentrified. It’s a small, nondescript bar that is not (yet) on the hit list of the post-college East Village crowd. What they don’t know (yet) is that the food coming out of The Redhead’s kitchen is some of the best in the neighborhood. The off-the-hook fried chicken has been drawing a lot of press lately, and the rest of the menu is shockingly good – the absolute opposite of what you would expect to get from a dark little East Village bar. It will be interesting to see how the regulars deal with the inevitable increase in traffic. We definitely noticed some dates going down in the room, and it’s probably a good place for that. Just be aware that it’s a relatively quiet place, which will no doubt make those awkward silences extra painful.
Writing this review is a strange experience for me. It’s kind of like writing up my grandmother’s cooking. Actually, if that’s the case I should probably make this a 10.0…sorry grandma. I’m half Lebanese and grew up eating food like this at family gatherings, so I think it’s a pretty big compliment to Balade when I say this reminds me of what grandma has coming out of the kitchen on holidays. The only reason Balade doesn’t get a ridiculously high rating is because I don’t think most people have any idea what a lot of this food is. Obviously you’ve had hummus, or at least some bastardized Whole Foods version with edamame in it (more on that later), and chances are you’ve seen some stuffed grape leaves or spinach pies on a menu at a Greek restaurant. Whatever the case, if you don’t know much about Lebanese food, you should just know that if you like garlic, olive oil, lemon, and meat – you’re probably going to like what you eat at Balade.
There are are a handful of Lebanese restaurants in New York City, and many of them are very good. Some of the newer ones though, like Naya and ilili, are slick, modern, and high end. Balade is certainly no hole in the wall, but it’s relaxed and warm – much more our speed than those other spots. I don’t care what kind of food you’re serving, I don’t want to listen to a DJ spin while I eat. Ever. So Balade gets a leg up for being the right kind of atmosphere, … read more
Our somewhat unhealthy obsession with Momofuku and Ippudo might lead one to believe that’s the only Japanese ramen game in town. As any hardcore ramen enthusiast will surely tell you, that’s not the case. Although not as sexy or exciting as the aforementioned Infatuation staples, Setagaya serves a purpose as the best of the rest – a cheaper, quicker noodle alternative. Instead of long waits, steep prices and pork buns, Setagaya counters with a low key and authentic ramen experience. Like Ippudo, Setagaya is a New York outpost of a popular Japanese ramen chain. We’re not sure if the Japanese noodle slurping championships show on the ramen house TVs in Tokyo, but it’s awesome either way.
