2008 January « WeCouldEat @ the GrubHub

Solid Punch

January 25, 2008 — wecouldeat

Punch
913 Broadway (20/21 st), NYC

Last week we met our friend Eram for dinner at Punch. It is always challenging finding a good place to meet people for a weeknight dinner in NYC. The decision process can be overwhelming when several people are considering so many variables: time, location, cuisine, menu options, atmosphere, service, crowds, and of course, price. After trolling a few hundred places in Zagat’s advanced search, I discovered Punch and I immediately knew it was our choice for the evening. It has a prime location a few blocks north of Union Square. The restaurant is spacious with high ceilings and spread out tables and has a modern vibe. The menu is American with definite Italian and Asian influences and has enough variety for everyone. Our table had the gnocchi with walnuts and the spicy edamame to start. Both were good, although the gnocchi dish could have had more pasta and fewer vegetables. The edamame was a big portion and the spice packed a punch. For mains, we got seared tuna and Asian vegetables, which was fresh and light, the way it is supposed to be; the roasted cod with potato puree, which was soft and creamy and comforting; and the papparadelle and veal bolognese, which I loved – it had a deep meaty wine flavor (see pics below). The dish is usually a big favorite of mine and I was quite impressed with it.

Punch does not pack a wallop, and I won’t be running back next week, but it is very solid in all departments, and is a very good place to meet up with friends or a date, based on our experience there. Note: It has a wine bar upstairs, called Wined Up, which we did not visit, but is supposed to be good and has an inviting small plates menu.

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Great Expectations: The Down and Up of Being a Foodie

January 18, 2008 — wecouldeat

We had last Friday night all planned out… a good ol’ dinner and a movie. First we went to the movie at the Angelika, which was fine, and then we walked over to the LES to the Kuma Inn. We had found it in Zagat’s and were very excited: a funky Filipino/Thai small plate hole-in-the-wall with a 24/15/19/$34 rating. Sounds good, huh? Yeah, well we weren’t the only ones who thoughts that… It turns out when we got there that it was completely booked all night =(. Of course we did not make a reservation, because we are idiots. So for most people finding themselves in the EV/LES at around 8pm on Friday, it doesn’t create a problem. For us ridiculous foodies, it does. We did not have a backup plan, were hungry and had literally a few hundreds options. Totally overwhelming. It was a nice night so we start walking around the LES to find a simple place for dinner and this is how is went: Schiller’s (too trendy)… Clinton Street (too many of the same little unnamed places)… Kate’s Joint (great name, but all vegan)… my great idea to walk over to Bao 111 (packed and overpriced)… oh let’s go to Momofuku (with everyone else in the city)… settle for Taco Loco (too fast-food)… Mermaid Inn (no seafood)… where’s that little French place? No clue… and another dozen or more nameless places… finally after 90+ minutes we are tired, starving and realizing that nothing will do. We stop to look at yet another menu, and are coerced to go in by the shady guy in the doorway. We couldn’t refuse and step into Candella, Candella, a Italian/Cuban fusion place, but as soon as we sit down we know this will not be a good meal.

Candela, Candela
92 Second Ave, NYC

The music is all off, it is too aggressive Euro/club for the setting, the other customers do not look interested in the food, only drinks and each other, and the waiter looks like he just stepped out of an Italian club. We are both thinking of bolting, but order anyway. THe waiter comes over with… Italian bread and ice cold taco sauce in a bowl, I kid you not. He said the “salsa” is for the Cuban side and the bottles of oil and vinegar are for the Italian. Now we are really thinking of bolting, but then our appetizer comes. It is pureed cauliflower and cheese over pureed fava beans. Mush on mush and does not scream Italian or Cuban. But it wasn’t horrible because we were starving. Then the mains: “homemade rolled” pasta with scallops, pancetta, chickpeas and a few other things that didn’t quite jive. Not sure when or at what home the pasta was made, but it wasn’t there and wasn’t recent, at least it seemed. The other dish was something we could have made at home, and it would been much better. It was chunks of pork with corn, red peppers and some other ingredients. Truthfully it was not a very good meal at all. It wasn’t horrible, but the expectations in this city are just through the roof. A good meal anywhere else is just average or below in NYC. We never have a meal that is inedible. And we only have a meal like this once or twice a year, which is actually quite an amazing feat.

Chickalicious Puddin’
204 E10th 1-2 Ave, NYC

But the night quickly redeems itself with an incredible surprise…almost an act of god… we stumble on Chickalicious Puddin’! I am very familiar with Chickalicious, although I have never been there, but had no idea they opened a take out pudding place across the place. I love pudding. Just love it. All kinds. So for a place to be called Puddin’ and have the Chickalicious name, I knew immediately the night would be redeemed. We had both the steaming vanilla pudding with apple cake in it and the “adult” chocolate pudding. The vanilla was warm are satisfying with the soft cake and the rich vanilla flavor. The chocolate was cold and rich and creamy and was definitely the real deal. The counter guys were really nice and the solid cups of puddin’ were only $4.50 each. It is not instant pudding, but it is certainly an instant hit. I’m giving this puddin’ palace a Golden Bonzone.

NOTE: They have changed around the interior and the menu, but still have great pudding and rich molten lava cake.

Posted in GOLDEN BONZONE, dessert, east village, one trick pony. 3 Comments »

Go go to Dojo!

January 15, 2008 — wecouldeat

Dojo
14 W 4th Bdwy/Mercer, NYC

I have been going to Dojo for maybe 15 years and it really hasn’t changed much. There used to be a location on St. Mark’s, but that is gone now, this one was better anyway. The best compliment I can give to Dojo is that I am always in the mood to go there. It is always appealing because its food is interesting, healthy and dirt cheap. If it was in my neighborhood, I would realistically go there 2 or 3 times per week. A few years ago, a Zagat blurb characterized it as “brown rice for starving NYU students.” I’d say that is pretty accurate. The clientèle is definitely college-ish, although they serve a lot more than just brown rice. They have all kinds of meat and meatless burgers, stir fries, great sesame noodles, awesome carrot-ginger salad dressing, and even a Japanese brunch. The menu is pretty solid and with all the Asian influences, it is a lot more interesting than typical healthy East Village eateries. The real kicker is that two people can literally eat for under $10. Spud I went there and got a soy burger and veggie burger, which all the fixins, and our bill came to $8.80. I doubt there is anywhere else in the city that beats Dojo’s prices for a solid healthy meals. In fact, it would be quite difficult to produce their food at home for the same prices. If you haven’t been, it is definitely a good place. It’s not just for wispy vegans either, you can also order fried chicken and bourbon if you wanted to. The service is pretty spotty, although you can’t blame the staff if the average tip is $1.35.

Dojo definitely gets a Golden Bonzone as well as a Hall of Fame induction for Lifetime Achievement. So do yourself and your wallet a favor and go go to Dojo.

Posted in GOLDEN BONZONE, american, east village, healthy, west village. 1 Comment »

Ode to Chicken Kitchen

January 8, 2008 — wecouldeat

Chicken Kitchen
1177 Second Avenue at 62nd, NYC

When I moved to Manhattan and got my first real job in the East 40′s, there was a Chicken Kitchen two blocks. When I switched industries and moved to a cooler company downtown, there was a Chicken Kitchen two blocks away on East 23rd Street. Those locations are gone, and now I am working on the Upper East Side, and while Chicken Kitchen isn’t two blocks away from my job, it is two blocks from where I switch trains when I return home. Chicken Kitchen seems to be a constant for me and I am not exactly sure why, but I am regularly drawn to it. I know it is partly nostalgic, because I used to eat it several times per week, but beyond that it is a solid, healthy lunch or dinner that can feed two for under $15. At this point I have tried everything on the menu and while the chicken sandwich in pita and the chop chop (chopped chicken with lettuce and tomato over yellow rice) are fine, the rotisserie chicken on the bone is really the main attraction. Get a quarter white or dark meat platter (includes two sides and pita) with the delicious mustard curry sauce and you won’t be disappointed, plus it’s like $6. My favorite sides are the black eyed peas, spinach rice, steamed broccoli, and tabbouleh. If you don’t like chicken on the bone, the above mentioned sandwich and chop chop are decent choices. I’m not going to lie, the decor is about as bad as it gets. There are actually pictures of chickens on the wall and that’s about the only thing they’ve done to spruce up the joint. So I recommend take out or delivery, their range is pretty wide on the UES. There may be better rotisserie chicken places out there, but Chicken Kitchen will always leave a special wishbone in my mustard curry heart…

Posted in chicken, ues. Leave a Comment »

Stinkberry!

January 6, 2008 — wecouldeat

Pinkberry = Stinkberry. If you ever pass by one of those Pinkberrys, don’t be tempted. It may look modern and interesting, but they offer only 2 flavors of frozen yogurt – and when I mean frozen yogurt, I mean it tastes like a container of Dannon’s put into a freezer. It’s uninspired and overrated and the fact that they are on an American Express commercial now is appalling.

Posted in dessert. 3 Comments »

“Greek” is the word….

January 6, 2008 — spud

Every great resident of Queens knows that the best Greek food is found in Astoria. There are a multitude of Greek havens found within a mile or so radius. We, of course, have our favorites.

Each one of the four we highlight here are special in their own way.

Taverna Kyclades
33-07 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria
Taverna Kyclades: Undoubtedly one of the most complete Greek meals you will find. They start you out with a whole loaf of crusty bread slathered in nutty olive oil and Greek seasonings. Try the calamari, it’s some of the best I’ve ever had. Lightly battered and fried to perfection, it melts in your mouth. Enjoy a large Greek salad with the ripest tomatoes (I swear that the tomatoes in Astoria are PERFECT!) and creamy, salty feta cheese. Order their shrimp (either simply grilled, or prepared with tomatoes and feta) or the swordfish kebabs, perfectly grilled and succulent. They give you a free dessert of galakoboureko. This is one of the most popular restaurants for Greek food in Astoria, so either come early (around 6 or 7) and dine in an empty room or battle the crowds during the Greek dinner time of 8pm and beyond…..

Agnanti
19-06 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria
Agnanti: This small-plates Greek restaurant is located right on the edge of Astoria Park and has seating outside, cold or warm weather. There is usually a super-long wait as well, and people line the sidewalks for hours waiting to get in to try their tasty offerings. Stick to their small plates and askew the mains here……a basket of bread starts you out (pita by request), try the great eggplant dip, the fresh Greek salad, the shrimp wrapped in Phyllo with a mustard sauce, the Fava Beans are AMAZING and comforting after being stewed all day in tomato sauce, and the stuffed grape leaves are served with a giant scoop of Greek Yogurt in the middle. I also love their free dessert of grain cake and honey cake and a large scoop of Greek yogurt drenched in sweet and sour cherries. The house wine is cheep and flows plentifully and you have to hunt the waiter down after two or three hours to get your check!

Stamatis
29-09 23rd Avenue, Astoria
Stamatis: In our neck of the woods they just re-did the restaurant and they moved across the street, but luckily the food is the same. Large roasting pans stand in the front of the restaurant filled to the brim with slow-cooked Greek food. This is a family restaurant and is large and loud, filled to the brim with Greek families dining into the late hours of the night. Their small antipasto plate is a steal and comes full with eggplant dip, fishroe dip, yogurt sauce and a garlicky potato dip. The fresh crusty bread soaked with olive oil accompanies it well. Stick to the classics here and get the large plates of stews, pasticio, moussaka, and vegetables. Be warned that this is peasant style dining: the portions are large and soaked in olive oil! I would have to say that this is not the best quality Greek you’ll find, but the portions are plentiful and certainly comforting.

Athens Tavern
23-01 31st Street, Astoria
Athens Tavern: This high-class Greek replaced one of our favorites (Anna’s Corner RIP) but there is something interesting in having a High Class competitor using the same ingredients, but jazzing up the presentation (and the prices!). This restaurant is dimly lit and has white table clothes and votive candles abound. We went here with a group of 8 during the very first week it opened, and we look forward to going back. They give you fresh baked breads with small cups of dips to try to start. This is definitely a NYC restaurant in Astoria…..the service is classy and the food is complicated. The whole fish is recommended, as well as the rabbit. Be prepared to spend $75-100 depending on drinks for two.