Bars of the Burg: 2011 Edition

One less hot and more lovely summer evening, not so long ago, Ry and I found ourselves on a bit of an impromptu bar crawl in our beloved Williamsburg. Since, we have checked out several other new places as well, and they all seem to follow one of two uber popular trends: beer hall or old-timey cocktail mixology. It's made for some good drinking!

Maison Premiere

This cocktail and raw bar is by far the most visually stunning of them all- with a backyard that looks like a total New Orleans French Quarter fantasy! We sat in the front bar, where many mixologists ran around, crafting drinks that often took 5 minutes or more to make. All were southern-inspired gems, such as a champagne julep, served in the silver cup with hand stacked sno-cone like ice cubes, and with fresh mint. Ryan had a Belfour's Hurricane, which looked a bit girly- it was a bit pink- but was by no means light in the punch. Made with Four Roses Bourbon, apple brandy, aperol, and strawberries, Ryan declared it delicious.

Dram

A little further south, Dram is another bar specializing in classy spirits, but this time with the added fun of ordering a "Bartender's Choice" from the menu for $11. I asked for a champagne-based drink, and received a super refreshing champagne, gin, cucumber, and mint concoction. Ryan tried a Mai Tai, and our friends ordered the drink pictured above, which in addition to tasting great, was really beautiful!


The Post Office

This bar has the greatest chairs, situated next to adorable picture windows that open on pleasant sunny days. The bar reminds me of a man's man's bachelor pad, with lots of dark wood and a few touches of antler here and there. The drink menu specializes in whisky and bourbon, yet surprises with a wine menu that is really wonderful (One of my favorite glasses of alberino!) The food menu- snacky- but with delicious things (so says Ryan)- such as a spicy pork taco that was devoured in seconds. I sampled a pickle platter that must have had 10 different vegetables on it and all were lovely to pair with the white wine. We've already been there twice, and will definitely be back again and again!

Berry Park

Just another beer house, but not: a fabulous roof affords amazing views of manhattan, a caesar salad comes with a surprisingly tasty house-made lemon caesar dressing, and best of all: the huckleberry lemonades! Served in mason jars and made with a 44 huckleberry vodka and a splash of citrus, they are not too sweet, and just strong enough. Delicious!

Mode

I was debating if the role of this blog should be to simply recommend and review the places I've enjoyed, or if I should also include a review of a place I would not suggest to others? I've already listed pros and cons of places, or said a restaurant might be better for just appetizers and drinks, or just dessert- but this would be my first out-and-out pan. Well, since I'm writing, I suppose I've decided that yes, the role of this blog is to record my eating adventures, and in this case, misadventure- and so here is my review of 'Mode'.

To start at the beginning: Ryan had read several early reviews of this new spot that said the food was great, and the live jazz spilling out from the bar area made it even more enticing. The interior is dark with a long bar, which features cocktails and several glasses of wine, nothing crazy- a pinot noir, a merlot, and a cabernet sauvignon were available by the glass, all tasty enough. (one early sign that things might be not quite right: the bartender had no idea how much our two drinks were supposed to cost...) Had we known otherwise, this was where our experience hit a high note, and should have come to an end. The original plan was to grab a drink and head elsewhere for food, but the menu- handwritten on a chalk board- promised tasty treats: mussels, peppercorn tuna, a mushroom and leek soup, and a goat cheese salad. These are things we like, so we decided to grab a table.

This is where mode went down the commode- the service was sllllloow: it took about forty minutes for my soup to arrive, and the wait staff had to be repeatedly waved down for water refills, more bread, etc. The mushroom leek soup was tasty, though heavy on the mustard, and the leek was overpowered. But maybe it was the forty minute wait and the fact that I was hungry, so it went down just fine. We then waited an additional half hour until the entrees came for the rest of the table, ironically with my salad not coming out with the other plates. The owner stopped by at this point to offer us desserts on the house! Which we thought was very nice, and made us feel slightly better. However, the food just didn't win us over. Ryan said the burger was just ok- and did not live up to some of the others in the area (dumont, le barricou, etc etc) My friend Liz had a pasta with fresh vegetables and a light cream sauce, which was at best... safe, but she enjoyed it. My salad eventually arrived, and though the goat cheese was nicely puffed in pastry, the greens were overdressed. (Seems picky, but after and hour and a half wait, it should at least be perfect....)

The free desserts, again, sounded good, but took an additional half hour to come to our table (Yes, for those of you doing the math, this dining experience was well over two hours....)There was a truly good raspberry coulis with vanilla ice cream which was a sleeper crowd pleaser, a decent creme brulee, a so-so apple pie, and what I felt was a less-than-yummy flourless chocolate cake, though I am not a fan of the genre to begin with.

To top of the tale, I ended up with a 24 hour, uh... stomach ache, we'll call it to be polite on a food blog- that pretty much sealed the deal for me on this place. But, an ever-optimist, I would say... the jazz was lovely if a bit loud at times- and a cocktail can't hurt anybody. But don't let the charming atmosphere and chalked specials lure you in!!!

Margaritas: Ryan's Recipe, Elote, Arriba, Arriba & Border Cafe

Sometimes when the heat and humidity rise, the only thing that makes sense is to drink copious amounts of margaritas. That more or less sums up the last two days of my life. My husband is a huge fan from the first nice warm day of spring right on through labor day- and for good reason. Nothing like a little lime and tequila to while away the hot summer days... So here is Ry's homemade recipe, and reviews of two margarita joints we like. We avoid any place that uses a mix- that is just a no go. But here is a sampling of margarita spots for refreshment seekers!

Ryan's Recipe:

In a shaker, put two pinches of sugar, squeeze 1 1/2 -2 limes, add about 2 handfuls of ice, a shot of triple sec, 2-3 shots of tequila, (I like Suarza gold), shake and serve!



Elote is always a fun stop with some friends. We shared a pitcher of margaritas, not sure what they normally run, but tonight a mere ($18). The chips and salsa are free and tasty, and the backyard is good for a summer night. We've been coming here for a while, and though the service is consistently inconsistent and the food comes and goes, the drinks are always great! And seeing as Arriba Arriba charged us for a large goblet-glass what this spot charged for a pitcher, worth the money!



Meanwhile, in the city, we stopped in Arriba Arriba for several margaritas as well- these bad boys go down like candy! A little less tart than those at Elote, but silent killers. My one complaint is the price tag- the papa size, which I had two of, are $9 a pop, and the mama- a large daiquiri-goblet-ful, runs a breathtaking $18. So, if you like to drink your gold away, then brave it and pop in here. We sure felt a lot better leaving than we did walking in, which is the point, after all..



And a final shout out to those up in Cambridge, where The Border Cafe serves up mediocre mex, but incredibly cheap and amazing margaritas. For god's sake, it's the best $5.50 anyone could spend, and no wonder a popular place with the students, myself included, for the better part of this past year.

Happy Summer, and Ole!

2 New in the Burg: Goods and Loreley

Goods:
The latest addition to NYC's food truck craze is right on our corner- and Ry and I stopped by last weekend to grab some breakfast. I ordered a sunny-side-up egg and cheese on a buttermilk biscuit- which was nothing short of a gooey, salty, buttery, delicious mess. I could feel my arteries clogging with every bite- and I have to admit, despite the "good"ness, I probably wont order it again due to its sheer decadent nature. Ryan, on the other hand, has been eating the biscuits with jam on an almost daily basis- so he is totally ok with the glory and the goodness. The coffee was strong and tasty. Ryan has also sampled the beignets which were equally delicious, so he tells me. I am looking forward to a late night to stop by and order the fish and chips, and Ryan is already dreaming of trying their brunch special: fried chicken and biscuits. If you are looking for something down, dirty, and good, stop on by!

(So new, no photos!)

Loreley- We stopped by for drinks and to check out the menu. We were a little surprised at how small the bar is inside- and for a reason I can't put my finger on, had more of the decor feel of a chain than a cute burg bar. I think already this is an outdoor, nice night type spot for me, and probably not much more. The drink menu had lots of different beers, but not as many german and austrian wines on selection as Radegast might carry. The menu was meat-heavy, although curry fries and pretzels made an appearance among the sausage offerings. Will definitely keep posting as we sample more.

Bar Crawl for a Cure!

This past weekend Ry, Jon & I decided to spend our Saturday drinking for a cause: a cure for cancer. We heard about the idea of a bar crawl fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, and it just seemed too awesome to pass up. We met some new friends along the way, which really made the whole event a smash. Every bar donated $150 and a buck for every drink sold, which I thought was a totally awesome idea!!

Spike Hill


Our first stop is a Willyburg regular for us, an irish pub that has amazing curry fries, and a decent selection of drinks, including wine for me! Here is where we met some new friends- Sam & Greg, who joined our little group and made this crawl so much more fun!


Brooklyn Ale House

I've always liked this spot- they have a free bagel brunch- darts and a pool table- drinks are cheap, they're dog friendly, and the staff is nice.


Soft Spot

This bar is quite tiny- but has a cute little back yard. We love the speciality of the house- a soft peach, which is a cocktail that uses peach schnapps in an alcoholic lemonade/ long island iced-tea type concoction. Really great on a spring day!


Mugs Ale House

Never one of my favorites, but a bar's a bar. This one is cheap, has TV's, and serves bar food.


The Gibson

Been here once or twice, the foosball is fun, backyard, and a grill serving up burgers, dogs, and now veggie burgers. Yay! Also, they have Wii- which is pretty darn cool!


Gutter

I'd heard of the gutter but had never been. Williamsburg's first bar/bowling alley, definitely a bit of a warehouse/dive, but I can see why it is a popular spot for birthday parties!!


Red Star


This was the last stop- and man did I fall in love with this place! DJ did a good job playing some classic tunes, good drink options, plenty of space, and I was really impressed by the bar food and menu. We tried the nachos, and everyone reported the hot wings were awesome and super hot. I also had the mac and cheese which was really delish! As visible from our photos, the crawl was quite fun and succesful, and we made some new friends along the way, and I was introduced to greenpoint bars- and will be coming back!!

DBGB & Quartino

Ryan and I celebrated my official homecoming last night with dinner at Daniel Boulud's DBGB on the Lower East Side. The place fits its location on the Bowery- lots of raw materials- concrete piers in the dining room, and open kitchen, glass front- and the noise certainly gives the place a buzz. The tables are packed in tight- but booths along the side seemed to offer intimacy for some. The scene reminded me of one of the large food halls in paris, where the waiters buzz around as diners, packed in side by side, well, eat. Gives the place a better vibe for groups, parties, and fun, but not for a romantic, quiet dinner. More sceney and hip, less white linen than its big brother Daniel.

The menu had a ton of choices for meat and seafood lovers- and luckily, one vegetarian option for me. I have to admit, I must have either still been eating meat yet when I looked at the menu, or just didn't pay enough attention, but it wasn't until I was sitting there that I realized my options were fairly slim. Probably not the last time that will happen. I guess I could have asked them to turn out a vegetarian version of one of their other dishes, but I spotted a tasty pasta dish to try, so I went with that. It was really very good- a fresh marinara sauce, with onions and ricotta with lemon. Really clean, nice flavors, and it was a nice portion. (I couldn't finish!). I also had the butter lettuce and chive salad, which was as simple as the name suggests, and had a great 'green' spring flavor.

Ryan tried the tuna crudo, which came in nice size squares with a gingery dressing and cilantro. He then had the 2 sausage combo- and selected from maybe 10 different homemade choices. He went with the Beaujolais-which smelled so good I even tried it! You could taste the wine, and whole pieces of bacon, with a nice smoky finish. The second sausage he tried was the DBGB hot dog- which basically was the finest quality hot dog we've ever come across, garlicky and smokey. It tasted like it came off a camp fire. With a dash of the dijon mustard, nice and spicy- it was delish.

Unfortunately, we just didn't have the appetite to try one of the featured desserts- home made ice cream sundaes. But holy moses they looked good, and I sorta regret not forcing one down.

DBGB is also known for its beer menu, a large variety is on tap, and ryan tried one with his sausages that he really enjoyed.




Before dinner, We popped into this cute looking little wine bar- Quartino. They only serve organic wines, with selections mainly from italy and france. Each serving is a quartino (hence the name). I tried a white falanghina from Italy, and Ryan had a Barbera D'alba from Italy as well. Both were quite nice. I liked the romantic atmosphere and soft light! I'd pop in for a glass sometime again!

Rye & Huckleberry

I have been wanting to take Ry to Rye for a while. Like so many places in Williamsburg of late, Rye features old-fashioned cocktails at a beautifully crafted bar and intimate tables. There is no sign outside, but it stands out on an otherwise residential block. The interior features a lot of dark wood and white candles, and the restaurant was quiet enough to enjoy conversation.
There was an odd smell of chlorine and cleaning products right when we walked in that was not appetizing, however, and seemed out of place in a 'classy' joint...

We were seated right away at a great little table for two, in a curve in the booth that afforded a great deal of privacy, and I liked the people-watching view.

The cocktails were tasty and served on silver trays with hand cut ice cubes, a very nice touch. The wine list had several $9 and $10 glasses that were tasty. I tried the beet salad, which was quite good. The beets were sweet, with a creamy goat cheese and with peppery microgreens on top. We both agreed it was refreshing and savory at the same time. On the other hand, Ryan was not as thrilled with his brisket sandwich, which he reported was not very tender, and actually quite tough. For the carnivore he is, it was odd watching him pick meat off his sandwich- practically unheard of. The side of mac and cheese was quite large, and I found it tasty, but not rave-worthy. A bit bland. Overall, we found the food hit or miss. Other items on the menu looked very promising, but I wonder about execution.




After Rye, we headed over to the Huck bar, which is conveniently located just up from our apartment. Again, offering a selection of old-fashioned and crazy cocktails, this bar is a bit pricey, but upscale for the lorimer stop, and with plenty of wines and cocktails to choose from. Ryan first tried some Witches Brew that was strangely smoky, and later an old-fashioned, and I stuck to wine. I like the atmosphere here, and it's usually full but not crowded, a nice balance. The food is cute and a good nosh, but again, be prepared to burn some money. A fun note, they make their own grenadine, and shirley temples here are not just for little girls!!! I've come here once or twice after being out in the city and wanted to keep the fun times rolling while switching to a non-alcoholic beverage, and this was fun!!

DOC Winebar

I'd like to take credit for actually taking this picture (for once!) A relatively rare thing on this blog. Anyway, last night Ry & I went on a date to what is probably my all-time favorite spot in all of NYC. Yes, grand praise. We've been coming here for almost as long as we've been dating, and it never ever disappoints. I've brought my mom here, friend after friend from out of town, and my Aunt & Uncle most famously last summer. It rocks everybody's socks, so I hope it rocks yours, too. Why the italian meat and cheese counter? Because it might as well be in italy- the food is imported by the owner, along with the wine, on a weekly basis.




The interior of the restaurant is like a cozy italian kitchen, but we prefer to go when the weather is nice and sit outside. The wine menu is extensive and fabulous- ask the owner, (ie the cute bald guy with the killer italian accent), for some recommendations, and be prepared to be blown away (both in taste and quality... and a little less pleasantly in price). Some highlights of past sampling include a fruity, cherry-forward red, and a verdicchio that was neon yellow and had flavors of pineapple. If you are new to italian wine or tend to stick to the boring varieties of pinot grigio (AKA "water") and chianti, then this is a great place to come explore. The menu includes vermentino, verdicchio, montepulciano, nero d'avola, and falanghina, all worthy of your time and taste.

As for the food... wow. As I mentioned previously, the wine is not the only import here. The mozzarella is fresh, soft and salty, with a slightly firmer outer crust. Somehow the tomatoes always taste like summer here, as does the basil. The meat & cheese plate is awesome, and is served with a house-made olive oil and rosemary bread/chip that is addicting. All the fresh, home-made pasta specials and sauces are insanely good, as are the crostini and the salads. I don't think i've ever tried the panini, but I bet they are good too... Even the desserts are delish...



I can only think of 2 complaints. They only take cash (sooooo over this, Brooklyn) and they may or may not charge you your first born child. But hey, after a few glasses- or bottles- of amazing wine, who cares??

Nero D'Avola & drinks at Buddakan

I met my dad for dinner in the city the other night. Ironically, it was St. Patrick's day, and we went for Italian. Go figure. I have walked past Nero several times, and it always looked really romantic inside. It was also always packed, so it was nice to have a reservation on a *quieter* evening. I was really impressed by my glass of montepulciano, and couldn't get enough of the fresh bread and garlic-infused olive oil. We split an appetizer of Crostini- There was an artichoke, a tomato and basil, and a prosciutto- all were great and served with melted delicious buffalo mozzarella cheese. For my entree, I had super think maccheroni- real italian style- in a marinara sauce with eggplant. This is quickly becoming my go-to item- something about the eggplant really makes the tomato sauce pop, and brings out just so many fresh, spring flavors in the sauce! My dad opted for the carbonara, which he reported was also good, though not as good as he has had in the past. Overall, I was really pleased with this spot. There was a ton of flavor in the food- something that can be lacking, but here, it was clear everything was fresh and quality.





After dinner we stopped in Buddakan for a drink and to soak in the sexy atmosphere. I'd been dying to check the bar out for a while, and I figured my dad would appreciate the elaborate decor. This really is a beautiful space. I recommend sitting at one of the low tables- the bar stools were a little rough, but the place was really cool!!

Austin, Texas

Ryan and I love this town. We made our third trip to the great state of Texas, and spent a lovely weekend with two of our favorite people- Lori & Brendan. As always, there was a fair amount of eating and drinking, and good times to be had! If you haven’t been, put it on the list. SO great! Beautiful weather this time of year, warm sunny days (enough for me to get a sunburn) cool nights, and for the music lovers, the SXSW festival. Here are a few highlights from this trip, and a shout out or two for places that are just must-visits:



Gueros- This place is awesome goodness. Now on our third trip, I can confirm that this is a time & again classic. I highly recommend the chicken enchiladas with verde sauce. The salsa is spicy and fresh, the chips are great, but the margaritas really steal the limelight! I seem to remember from prior visits that the queso here is pretty damn amazing too. Don’t miss it!

Doc’s- Cute little lunch spot with ample outdoor seating. Nothing special bar food, good ice tea, and a convenient location.

Uncle Billy’s- barbecue joint offering items like “brisket” “moist brisket” and the like. Try the beer sampler of their house-made brews and receive 6 different tastes.



Steiner ranch steakhouse- We had cocktails at the outdoor bar and watched the setting sun over the lake. Live music added to the vibe, and the place definitely can boast an amazing view. I was a little disappointed that the wine list was fairly limited by the glass, but did have a tasty pour of a blanc de blanc. We didn’t try the food, though rumor has it the steak is quite good. Worth a drive on a pretty day!




Carlos & Charlies- Right on the marina, somewhere outside of Austin, this place is more or less a bucket of fun. The restaurant has a kitschy vibe, with outdoor bars and seating, and lots of neon. We snacked on some wings, which my husband declared both very spicy and really good. Ry & Brendan sampled the oysters and peel & eat shrimp, and Lori & I had Caesar salads. I have to admit that the wings smelled pretty amazing and tempted me to eat some meat, but I managed to get a hold of myself! There was a plethora of fruity drinks and margaritas to be had to wash down our tasty food.


Buenos Aires Café- Another South Austin restaurant we tried on this trip was the BA Café. I have to preface this by saying Ry & I are totally snobby about Argentinean cuisine, having found most of the restaurants to be somewhat inauthentic in flavors and quality. That being said, this place had charm and very good dessert, though maybe not all we dreamed of for our entrees. We started with empanadas, not really the first food that pops to mind when I think of the Tango nation, and they were a bit disappointing. The shells seemed heavy and as though they had sat a while after hitting the fryer. The spinach and cheese filling was a bit bland, and Ryan suspected that the tuna empanada was not the freshest. I had a spinach salad for my entrée, that was fresh and tasty, but perhaps a little overdressed. Ryan ordered a steak special that he really enjoyed. The steak was well seasoned and cooked, and served with asparagus and mashed potatoes. Brendan had the beef Milanese, but after seeing Ryan’s, wished he’d gone with the steak special too.



Hiball- One of Austin's "hot spots" of the moment, this new bar features an old-fashioned bowling alley and private karaoke rooms!! The wait for bowling was quite long, but the rooms were open ASAP, so we went for the karaoke! Ryan was a beast unleashed- singing all sorts of songs, and really rocking out to "Rapper's Delight". Fun times!! I of course had to sing a song by my all-time fav- Madonna.


Mighty Fine Burger- The burger, Ry tells me, was indeed fine- and for a fast food joint, high quality. It has a large, real beef patty- and tasty fixins. But what really knocked my socks off was the chocolate milkshake! They use vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup- and it tastes like a chocolate milk- milkshake! SO good. Thank god this is in Austin or I would be here about once a week, no joke!!



Baby Alcapulco’s

Last but not least, we visited "Baby A's" for Queso and slushy margaritas- complete with secret ingredients: everclear. There were a ton of flavors to pick from- including prickly pear- and all packed a punch! Two seems to be the limit- though I abstained, Ry and Brendan were feeling quite good!!

Oh yes, and a shout out for the best BBQ EVER, though we did not return on this trip, but have loved in trips past-

THE SALT LICK



Don't ask questions, just take my word for it. Best BBQ EVER.

Williamsburg: A back log

So, I tend to eat and drink out far too often. I can't keep up- so I'm going to use the next two weeks to try my best to catch up on some not-to-be-missed venues. The following was a sequence of bars and restaurants we hit up a few weekends ago with Sarah & Eric. There's actually a bar missing, it was random and I can't remember its name, so... not gonna review it.

Radegast Beer Hall

We love this place! I remember waiting for Radegast to open! Now, almost two years later, the cat is out of the bag. But I still love it! There are tons of German and Czech beers on tap, not to mention even more by the bottle. I can't comment directly on the beer other than to say they only serve it in either 1/2 or liter glasses, european style, and everyone else always seems to be enjoying their Gosser or whatnot. I stick to the wine- They have several rieslings and gewurztraminers that are fantastic. I GET that beer is the thing here, but I just can't get into it- so thank you, radegast, for stocking some regional white wines that are delicious. It goes a long way toward making the evening enjoyable!! I wish more bars would get the hint!

As for food, the grill serves up several different types of sausages, including kielbasa, as well as burgers, fried, and sauerkraut. Hits the spot, especially after a long night!!

Our second stop for the evening...

Monkey Town

Some friends were playing in a band in the backroom. Never been before, have to admit the screens made my eyes go a little fuzzy. Way too much TV, way to close to my head. And LOUD. The wine here was palatable, but not good. The mixed drinks seemed fine. The front room, which I really only got a glance of, looked kinda neat. They serve food as well, though I did not sample. I can't say I'd be driven back here, but next time I'm in the neighborhood, I might stop by...

Stop 3- dinner:

Relish

So, this was my second trip to Relish, and both my husband and I really liked it this time. The first time around was several years ago, and we weren't particularly inspired to go back. But this time, I'm not sure what it was, but it definitely stood out to us. I had a pasta dish- rigatoni with mushrooms, sage, and spinach- and it was delicious. Ryan opted for a chicken club sandwich that had lots of flavor. Our only complaint was that we both had terrible glasses of wine. Now, talk about baffling. How hard is it to buy a decent bottle?? They sell so many good wines now for around $10, and at the outrageous markup price of $8-$9 a glass, they could still triple their monies worth.... I just don't get it. I want to go on a campaign to get people to stop selling crap ass wine.

Last stop:

Bembe

So, at this point, it was probably around 1 in the morning. I should warn you, this joint is jumping late at night, to the point where it is almost hard to move. So, if that is not your scene, try and hit it up earlier in the evening. I've been coming here for several years now, and I always have a great time. I also always get irreparably drunk, as they serve all these concoctions featuring rum. I'm a fan of the capeta, a drink made with coconut, guarna, and rum. If you like pina colada's... then I highly recommend. They also have capirhinas, which are just sooo tart, and vodka served from a watermelon. They also make homemade rum punch in a jar on the bar, which the bartender will continually add vodka to as the evening progresses. You've been warned.

The atmosphere is great. Lots of dark wood, candles, incense, wrought iron- and bongo drummers! They play along to a DJ, usually reggae and latin. Downstairs in the basement is a salsa dance floor, but last time I was there I couldn't even make it down the steps as it was so crowded. On slower nights, they hook up hammocks by the bar that guests can recline in. Totally different feeling to it.

Either way, Always a blast!!

Alibi @ The Liberty Hotel

So Saturday night we got our shi-shi on at a Boston bar. It was Ryan's 10 year high school reunion, so my plan was to a) look like a hottie and b) get really, really drunk. Let's just say, mission(s) accomplished. The Liberty Hotel, ironically, opened in what used to be a jail- and the architecture hints playfully at its origins. "Alibi" is dark and dungeon-y, with arrest photos of famous folks hanging on the walls. The drinks were NOT cheap, and we dropped some dough, but they have a nice wine selection and mixed a good cocktail. Don't go by the picture above, they practically had the lights off inside. The hotel itself deserves mention, there is a second bar upstairs, and a restaurant named clink, which looked great. I'd come back for dinner and another round!

Around Cambridge: Bars

So I have been making the bar rounds near Harvard, and wanted to share my finds:

Grendel's Den

This average looking pub has an amazing secret: 1/2 price menu from 5-7 every day, and 7-9 pm thursday-saturday. Yep, EVERYTHING is 1/2 price with a drink. College wallets dream!! The food is not fantastic, but it's solid. The wine selection is atrocious, but beer and their margaritas are just find options. Also has seating right on the square in summer, so a great spot to people watch!

Tommy Doyle's

Great irish bar with some solid traditional food, featuring traditional music as well... Gets insanely packed on thursday and friday nights so be forewarned. Has 3 floors of bars, so explore!

Queenshead Pub

The Harvard bar, located underneath memorial hall. Has a great english pub feel, free pool and darts, and cheap wine and beer. You have to be a Harvard student or know one to get in, so makes friends with the locals!

John Harvard's

I say it's just a bar. Reminds me of TGIF decor inside...

Charlie's Beer Garden

Great in summer for outdoor drinking and dining.

Allen & Delancey and 'inoteca

So it's been a while since I've properly got my food on. Alas, grad school has sent me into a bit of hibernation. But last night I got a chance to check out Allen & Delancey on the LES. We'd heard it was very romantic, which it was, although for us old farts the music was too loud and totally incongruous with the scene. Sorta hipster rock tracks? There are candles everywhere and library books and black and white photos. Very tiny, so be prepared to get bumped on your way in and out. We had a drink at the bar before sitting down, and my prosecco was not properly chilled- which might sound totally snobby, but folks, at $12 a glass, the least they could do is keep it nice and cold! The menu is quite small, featuring about 4 appetizers and entrees to choose from, but a nice variation in proteins. We shared a salad that had a great tart vinaigrette and some awesome tomatoes, not sure what had been done to them, but I think they had cooked them just enough to soften the skins. Ryan had the beef- he reported that it was well cooked, but a little under-seasoned, and was room temperature when he got it. I had the chicken roulade which was very savory- the chicken was extremely tender and the liver mousse was nice and salty. The chicken was in a very vegetably broth, and the combo reminded me of flavors I had last year at Blue Hill. Overall, I was a little disappointed. The dining room was very noisy, both from music and nearby tables, and the food was good but clearly had some service issues. I was also a little surprised by the mixed crowd- if you would have blidnfolded me I would have thought I was in the mid 50's and not the LES, judging by the number of patrons sporting white hair for the evening.

After dinner we took a spin around the block and came across a cute little wine bar, 'inoteca.

We were too full to sample the cuisine, but we did try several of their wines. The imported cheeses looked great, as did their paninis. Nice casual crowd, and we were lucky to get a seat at the window table. Some fun people watching on Saturday night! I'd definitely go back and check out the food!

Le Veau D'or & Flute

To celebrate my trip home to NYC, Ry and I went to a New York Institution- Le Veau D'or. Started in 1937 and still open, and with original decor, it is like walking onto a movie set. The original owner is still alive and greets you at the door dressed in an impeccable suit and waist coat. His daughter now does the majority of hostessing, and with only 14 tables, every diner receives some personal attention.

As for the wine list, classically french with one bottle representing each region, with a slight emphasis on Bordeaux. We ordered the chateauneuf-du-pape, from the Rhone. I had the endive salad and ryan had the mussels as an appetizer, and then had the steak au poive and rack of lamb for our entrees. The lamb is carved tableside, a great touch, and the food is classic. Recently featured thanks to Julie and Julia, this restaurant is one of few where traditional preparations and sauces are proudly on display. There is nothing nouveau happening here, and that was just fine! I loved the au poive, which was spicy but not biting, and the frites were skinny and delicious. Ryan noted the traditional preparation of the lamb, which came quite rare, so if you prefer your meet cooked, order it medium for sure.

For dessert, we tried the peach melba and the "floating island". Really light, and really tasty. An egg meringue in a vanilla cream with toasted almonds, I really enjoyed every bite.

Following dinner we headed downtown to "flute", New York's champagne bar.

Loved the scene, dark and with plenty of tables for two. We tried two different champagne tasting flights, and had several glasses to boot. My only drawback was that drinks here cost as much as dinner. Definitely a great "classic" new york date!!