drod's Profile
Pegu Club
Not to take away from any of the well-established Manhattan cocktail bars, but if you are willing to go on a little adventure, I highly recommend 2 cocktail bars in Williamsburg that are great fun. If you havent been able to check them out, Hotel Delmano and the Huckleberry Bar totally rock. Unfortunately Hotel Delmano has become quitethe popular spot, so its best to get there as early as possible on a Thursday or weekend night. But the ambiance pretty much steals the show from the well made drinks. Huckleberry is more relaxed and I must say offers up one of the best made cocktails in the city. Plus their prices are extremely reasonable. Ive had a delicious Sazerac on many occassions there. And their Signature cocktails are creative and fun.
Pegu Club
EO on the wrong night is a nightmare. Smallish area by the bar doesnt really promote standing around, but people do it anyway. Now EO on an Sunday evening or Mon/Tues night is pure pleasure. Now hand me a Pisco Sour and I would dare call it a perfect night.
Pegu Club
Think Pegu Club is a nice enough bar, but you are better off visiting on a non-weekend night (Sun night though Wed.) if you dont want to wait for a table. As as poster stated, I think the ambiance is much more enjoyeable during less crazier times. The drinks can be tasty, but Im of the opinion that the matini glasses are quite small, especially for the price. In addition, Im yet to have anything even profoundly good foodwise. Sorry for those that enjoy the food there. Just not worth the price.
If you are looking for a good cocktail place, Employees Only is another great place, as well as Little Branch, PDT ( a bit hard to get into because of limited space), and Flatiron Lounge. Employees Only remains my favorite for their quality drinks and ambiance...on the right night.
Enjoy.
Joeyness - Great falafels!
My pleasure! And yes, there are so many dishes I want to try. Just near impossible trying to do so by oneself. I'll be back real soon! And I meantioned to Joey and his family that I had heard about his place on your blog, so they were extremely thankful. They have your pictures everywhere around the eatery.
Joeyness - Great falafels!
Recently read (http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2007/07/14/nj-dining-joeyness/#comment-57182) about this place in Fort Lee called Joeyness. Its a Middle Eastern (i.e. Lebanese) eatery that upon reading the article on Off the Broiler, I needed to check out.
I've got to say, it was a great food experience. The falafels were one the best I have ever had, and I've eaten at some of the better known places in the city. They are beyond tasty. I will say this, read the blog. It pretty much nails down my experience at Joeyness. The people that own this establishment, are the nicest I have ever encountered. They are friendly, enthusiastic and charming.
I ended up keeping things simple, with just an order of the green bean salad and combo falafel/chicken sandwich named after a patron that first ordered it called Dr Dave. Both were delicious and satisfying. I wish I would've had space for more food! But alas, I will just have to revisit to get a taste of all the homemade food. I did have their iced coffee before going, and it was outstanding.
Please note, seating is minimal...almost non-existant. They have one small table inside that will accomodate 4 people. In addition, they have some small outside tables. So please dont go thinking its a full fledged restaurant. But it remains worth the effort.
I just realized they have a webpage, so check it out. But as far as Im concerned, the little bit I had will have me coming back for more.
(http://www.joeyness.com/joey/)
Fette Sau to open in Williamsburg Fall 06
Think the beer selection is quite nice. Why not support Brooklyn, since its a local brewery. I wouldn't consider Victory Pils as widening the selection. The beer list is meant to serve a purpose...to go with the BBQ. You will not find the same beers at Fette Sau, that you can easily get by just walking across the street to SD.
And yes, I felt the pulled pork was a bit dry. But otherwise the other meats were good to great. Im sure these issues will be ironed out in time.
Fette Sau to open in Williamsburg Fall 06
The private party was great, but they ran out of food. To be expected since it was crowded and free. I went back Wednesday to get me some grub, and it didnt disappoint. The bbq was tasty with the brisket and ribs being a favorite.
early is the way to go with Fette Sau. They will run out of food. BBQ is a time-consuming endeavour, so expect food to dwindle on busy nights at a much quicker pace.
I like their angle with this place. Its different. It will fustrate a lot of people. But not every place is made to be loved by all.
Fette Sau to open in Williamsburg Fall 06
Fette Sau will be opening up Wednesday 3/28/07. I'll be there tomorrow at the friends and family party. Cant wait!
Best take home from Grand Central
Lucky you! A lot of folks have chimed in. I always drop by Murray's and love that a Penzeys has opened up. I've also gotten some delicious sausages from the German meat provider.
Brief BRGR review
That's pretty damn sad. But it seems to be the norm, when a place is doing well and popular, that there's no need for hospitality and good service.
I've been lucky, both instances I've gone to brgr at off-hours, and pretty late in the evening. So my wait times have been not existant, except for waitng for my burger to cook. As for the decour being the leading factor of why the prices are so high...they are taking a big chance with doing this. NYC is a fickle town, despite having many having a nice disposable income. When it comes to something like a hamburger, its either good, or bad, and this easily also gets impacted by the price. There are so many other great burger joints in the city, offering up a better burger, at a more decent price. And at the rate things are going, I have no doubt there will be a few more to pop up before this burger braze begins to fade away. Like I said, I've had a good experience both times I visited. Think the burgers are pricey for what you get...but they are still good. Think the seasoning they use is nice..but it really does have a lingering aftertaste. Will I go again...sure...if Im in the area. And as long as I dont have to wait in a long line.
Best Pizza in Queens ??
I went to Nick's a couple of weeks ago, and have to say, I had an enjoyeable experience there. The pizza was great (brickoven thin crust), and the service was top-notch. Very clean and cozy. No dount I will return, and according to my pizza-loving 7 year old...it was the BEST pizza she's ever had! lol
If you are driving...good luck. Finding a parking space on Forest Hills, is a pain.
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Nick's Pizza
108-26 Ascan Ave, Queens, NY 11375
Brief BRGR review
I've been twice...most recently tonight. I have to agree, they have some tasty burgers with good toppings. Yes, they are thin...but thats the way I like my burgers. Perfect candidate for a double if it wasnt for the price points. Ouch. Think this is what hurts them the most. I know I can go to the Burger Joint and have a tastier burger with fries and coke for the starting price of some of the BRGR burgers. Damn shame really, because both times, the experience has been good. Friendly and prompt service and think the grill is coming into its own.
No doubt I will go again, but why cant these new places be more realistic about the price of their burgers.
Best Burger in Queens ???
Joe's Best Burger on Main St in Flushing is like crack. Im a huge fan of In and Out style burgers from California and this one comes the closest in my opinion. The burgers are beyond tasty. Get the cheese fries with cooked onions...it rocks!
The only other place in Queens I've been to was Donovan's. Went there based on so many reviews and articles. Didnt finish my burger. WAY too big, and it wasnt too flavorful. Steak fries were a plus.
is johns pizza on bleaker better than the one in times sq ?
Been to John's in Times Sq quite a few times. My most recent visits have been somewhat disappointing with the quality of the pizza and service. Although much larger than the one on Bleecker, its still a madhouse of sorts because of the area. Especially now during the holidays. I would say give it a shot. You have nothing to lose, but don't walk away thinking you are eating one of the city's best pizza experiences....
Great sandwich at 'Wichcraft
Would totally vouch for the Fontina and truffled mushrooms!
Good Fork
Was there a couple of weeks ago. My girlfriend and I tried a few plates, the most memorable being the skate and the crab cake appetizer. A few general opinions....thought the atmosphere was nice and unique (service was really good). Thought the quality, and flavor of the food to be above avg. w/ some standouts, but I did consider their prices to be quite high for the amount of food they offered. In the end, I would probably go again if I happened to find myself in the area and hungry. Otherwise, not a destination restaurant. But you'll have to make that decision for yourself. I say give it a shot.
Sophie's Cuban Madison Avenue
haha. La Isla in Hoboken is good. Owned by Cubans, but its changed over the years. Use to be a great, divey cafe with great prices. Now the prices reflect "Hoboken" authentically. Expensive. Hoboken also has another restaurant called Zafra.
If you are going to pay 'mucho dinero' for Cuban food, my recommendation in Jersey would be Azucar in edgewater. Its easy to get to without a car. Just hop on the NJ transit 159 bus towards Ft Lee.
http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/41645062/
But Cuban food and expensive are like oil and vinegar. To have a great experience you dont need to pay too much. For my local Cubano fix (if Im not going over to mom's!), I usually go to the
La Gran Via
La Gran Via Restaurant - More Info / Map
3905 Bergenline Ave, Union City, NJ 07087
Category: Restaurants
and to La Pola (this is the place with the mojo on the Cubanos)
La Pola Restaurant - More Info / Map
5400 Palisade Ave, West New York, NJ 07093
Also, another bakery I can recommend for Cuban bread and pasteries...
Artemisa Bakery - More Info / Map
5103 Bergenline Ave, West New York, NJ 07093
Category: Bakeries
Artemisa actually makes my favorite pasteles de guayaba. They are small, rather thin and crispy. Not overbearing with the guayaba and utterly delectible. My mom tells me this is how they use to really do it in Cuba. At least some bakeries. you wont find this even in a lot of Miami bakeries.
Oh yeah, another good restaurant (unfortunately hear the owner died, so dont know their current status food-wise) is El Siglo Xx - More Info / Map
520 39th St, Union City, NJ 07087
Category: Restaurants
Worth a try, since its right around the corner from La Gran Via.
Hope you find the info useful. There was a time that West new York/Union city could easily compete with Miami for Cuban cusine. But alas, the community as really watered down. But there are still some bright spots.
Sophie's Cuban Madison Avenue
If you're interested in some authentic cuban bread, then take a little trip to New Jersey. Theres a great bakery in West New York, called La Cubana. As good as it gets without taking a trip to Miami.
La Cubana Bakery - More Info / Map
5700 Hudson Ave, West New York, NJ 07093
Sophie's Cuban Madison Avenue
Would disagree you slightly. Although a cubano doesnt usually take mojo, nor need it, it does not detract from the essential sandwich. Nor should it be given a different name because it has it. In essence a Cubano is made of some basic ingredients, which Im sure you know. Did you know that sometimes, yellow mustard is also used on Cuban sandwiches? A condiment does not define what a sandwich is. If you want a great cuban sandwich, make your way over to Hudson County in NJ. Believe me, there are some remanants of the Cuban community left in the area and they are delectible. Oh yeah, one of the best and most authentic places that makes one hell of a cubano, uses mojo. I never saw one Cuban, old or new complain, myself included.
Farm on Adderly (Cortelyou Rd)
Went this past Sunday (8/27) and had a very good experience. First off the place/atmosphere is extremely warm and inviting. The food experience varied. I had the Cucumber Soup (gazpacho style-cold) that had some interesting flavors. If you love cucumbers, you'll love this. The pate left a little to be desired. Too meatloaf-like. My girlfriend had the Hanger steak w/ fries (it was sliced and very delicious) and I had the Artichoke ravioli (which I thought was marvelous). There was a nice and very affordable wine selection. We also share a dessert, which was the sponge cake, covered in blackberries. Although it had a nice taste, it was not very sponge-like, but the small size was appreciative after having so many entres. In the end, the tab was extremely great for all the good food we had. My only realy complaint is the service. Although everyone was very nice, our waitress got completely lost after our apps. Didn't get to see her until it was time to order dessert. We had gotten there for an early dinner around 6pm, but not too long afterwards a massive dinner crowd packed the place. I guess it caused some chaos. BTW, I wouldn't hesitate to visit again (Im from NJ and my GF is from Queens).
