GoogaMooga Sunday: What Really Happened

You have all heard by now that GoogaMooga was canceled on Sunday.  But what really happened?  Well, I know, because I was there.  Let's back in to this though and start at the very beginning.

The short introduction to GoogaMooga for those that don't know (but get with the program people) is that GoogaMooga is a food and music festival in Prospect Park, featuring several restaurants from around the city, serving one dish, and lots of interesting bands. 

I went to GoogaMooga last year with 3 friends: Taylor, Talia, and Meghan.  The tickets were first come, first serve on the internet 6 weeks before.  Like any event that is free and attracts large crowds, we arrived 15 minutes before it opened, at 10:45, and were among the first people in.  We ate at about 9 different stands and had the best time.  The previous day, GoogaMooga's debut, was quite a disaster, with vendors running out of food, so we were glad we picked Sunday.

The first few vendors we hit last year included Crif Dogs and Luke Lobster's.  I thought to myself - these are both in my neighborhood.  We could GoogaMooga near my apartment.  Sure enough, 1 month later, I organized my own GoogaMooga, called KoogaHooga, and made a map of 15 restaurants with small dishes in the East Village.  We met at my place, had a drink, hit up a few places like Baohaus and Mark Burger, went back to my place for more drinks, and headed back out for Tuck Shop, Big Gay Ice Cream, and a few more.  It was fun and relatively cheap because we kept the boozing at my place.  Next up, Talia hosted in Carroll Gardens, with a more booze focused crawl, and Taylor & Meghan rounded it out with a Park Slope crawl, which included both wings and ravioli - so how could you go wrong?  

This GoogaMooga/KoogaHooga/MoogaShooga, etc. is basically our thing.  It owns our social life. I've already hosted a second time.  We love these crawls.  They have maps, bracelets, home bases.  They are organized to a T.  They are epic, delicious, and never a fail.

This year, GoogaMooga was a lottery.  Womp womp.  Meghan bought a concert ticket, so she had a fair ticket.  Taylor won in the lottery.  Talia and I were left in a lurch.  My gracious co-worker Ben had 2 concert tickets, which came with 2 fair tickets, and gave them to me.  We were ready to go.

We agreed to meet at 10:45.  It was raining and quite chilly.  Baseball caps, yoga pants, boots, umbrellas, and vests were worn.  We finally all find each other at 11 and get in the line.  There are only 40 people ahead of us.  We start to come up with a plan.  Even though it's raining, we are happy to be there, and we think we can conquer this fair due to the fact that less people would be there.

Around 11:15, we were still not getting in.  I had to go to the bathroom.  Talia had only eaten a pickle.  Occasionally, they let people in with strollers.  Note to self - bring a baby to a festival.

We check our e-mail.  Now things are getting crazy.  GoogaMooga has emailed us! This was the email:
Good morning NYC! We are releasing additional General Admission tickets as well as a limited number of VIP Cocktail Experience tickets for the final day of GoogaMooga! They will be available at the Main Box Office at the Lincoln Drive Entrance. Food lines have been moving quickly, so bring your appetite and your friends!

Hilarity ensues.  Lines are moving quickly?!  NO ONE IS INSIDE BUT A BUNCH OF BABIES.  We can't even get in, but apparently, food lines are moving quickly.

At 11:25, the announcement is made: "We will not open for another 30 minutes."  WHAT?!?!  They told us we could seek shelter, like it was a war.  

Twenty minutes pass.  The crowd starts to get angry.  Some people yell "Booooooga Mooga."  One woman yells "GO BACK TO TEXAS GOOGAMOOGA."  Newsflash - GoogaMooga is not from Texas.  She was crazy.  Then we start chanting "We want an update! We want an update."  The woman in front of us commented that this crowd of New Yorkers was pretty polite to simply chant for an update.  True.

It's noon o'clock (yup, I said that).  I see my friend Jeffrey who is inside because he is working.  I beg him - Jeffrey! What's happening!  He doesn't know.  We have no information.

It's 12:10.  Talia is outraged with hunger.  I still have to go to the bathroom.  Meghan wants coffee.  Taylor is actually just straight up chillen' because that's how he rolls.  

The clock strikes 12:20. And people start abandoning the line.  What are you doing FOOLS?!?! We've been waiting for an hour and twenty minutes and you are giving up now!?!

A man speaks.  "GoogaMooga is cancelled.  Please go home."  Now, maybe we are morons.  But at no point in this hour and twenty minutes did we ever even consider that the hold up was due to them considering a cancellation.  We figured they were popping shelter tents, vendors weren't prepared for rain, or something.  It never occurred to us that a group of people were conferencing as to whether to proceed.  

We wait a few minutes in case we are on the show Punk'd and really, GoogaMooga is on.  FALSE.  GoogaMooga is cancelled.  The weather is dangerous and the grass will get killed with our rainy selves running all over the place! 

We leave.  We opt to leave Brooklyn because we now see this stampede of hungry people seeking close shelter and food.  We come for KoogaHooga 2.5 - Mark Burger, Dumpling Man, Crif Dog, Good Beer, and Big Gay Ice Cream.  We salvaged the day with our own East Village crawl. 

Now, what are my losses here?  Essentially, nothing.  I am sad I did not get to eat an Umami Burger and a Pat LaFrieda steak sandwich.  But, Umami Burger will open soon and I can eat it.  Meghan wanted a crab cake sandwich from Jeffrey's Grocery, so we are going next weekend.  Yes my story contains several whine moments, but I'm all good.  

The REAL problem lies with the restaurants.  Restaurants are reporting $15,000 losses.  They are trying to re-route GoogaMooga fans to these restaurants to spend money, but that won't make up for the loss.  For places like Luke's Lobster, they literally drove all of those sandwiches to one of their shops and sold them for $2 less than the going price.  But what about the Pork Belly Tacos at Colicchio & Sons?  Are those now on the menu in the Tap Room tonight?  Were they salvaged?  

The other issue will lie with the purported rain or shine fair that couldn't handle rain.  At 11:45, restaurants tweeted that they were ready for the GoogaMooga'ers, rain or shine!  GoogaMooga encouraged people to come less than one hour before they called it off.

Don't get me wrong.  A lot of rain and people can damage Prospect Park, and I would never want that to happen.  But rain is not a surprise, and the contingency plan seemed quite loose, since they obviously didn't know what to do when we all showed up.  I am the benefit of the doubt kind of person though that truly believes you don't know what goes on behind closed doors.  I truly wish I could learn more about the conversation that was had, because it was obviously a long conversation.  I know because I waited in the rain the entire time.  

What happens now?  Look out for how restaurants are dealing, how the fair is helping restaurants, and whether these decisions ultimately put GoogaMooga to rest, after 2 years of some serious issues.  

So GoogaMooga, the thing we learned today was that the GoogaMooga's we plan for ourselves are actually perfect.  We can do it on our own. 

Interested in great ideas for hosting your own GoogaMooga?  E-mail me at kerry at thenycmenugirl.com and I would be more than happy to help.

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

DEAL ALERT: Pitch Madness at Pitch & Fork

There are two things I rarely do anymore.  One is go to the Upper East Side, and two is go to drunk brunch.  When I was invited to try "Pitch Madness," a bottomless brunch on the Upper East Side at Pitch & Fork, I thought I would defy my norms and give it a whirl.

I've steered clear of Bottomless Brunch for the past year after a mediocre experience at Calle Ocho.  The food was fine.  The Sangria was fine.  But nothing about it was exciting.  Now I opt for fancy brunch followed by cheap beers.  

Pitch & Fork recently re-opened as a restaurant, and I would say, so far, so good.  I waltzed in on a beautiful Saturday and had a lovely corner table by the door.  This is one of those awesome restaurants that boasts both street-side seating and a backyard.  There was still work being done in the backyard, but a few weeks from now, this will be the cutest place to spend a nice summer night.

Here is the deal, literally.  For $27, you get a brunch entree and bottomless Mimosas, Bloody Mary's, or Champagne.  This is a great deal because most places charge over $30, you can sit outside, and, they have several lunch type entrees that are huge and will fill you up for the rest of the day, so you are really getting a good food bang for your buck.

We started with the Devils on Horseback, dates with blue cheese and bacon.  I don't like dates (I thought) but I loved these. I always appreciate a dish that turns my mind around about an ingredient.  That's an A+ right there.

We ordered the Organic Chicken Cooked Under a Brick (add $3) and the P.E.I. Mussels & Fries.   The chicken was enough for dinner.  Perfectly cooked and simply delicious.  The P.E.I. Mussels were probably the best Mussels I've had in awhile!  They had delicious cilantro and tomato right inside of the shell, which added flavor with every bite.  Lately, I've found a lot of mussel dishes to be lacking in flavor, so this hit the spot.

Of course, the Mussels came with fries!  These fries were super delicious, especially dipped in the mussel broth (I am a fatty).  

The part that amazed me the most though, was how delicious the champagne tasted.  It didn't seem like crappy Cava or budget Champagne.  The bubbles were flowing!  Usually the drinks at Bottomless Brunch are watered down or headache inducing.  This champagne was delicious, even after four glasses.

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

Spring Cleaning

This past weekend, I started my preparation for sun in the fun with a great shopping trip for summer dresses, and a big apartment switch-over.  By that, I mean that I replaced the scarves on my coat rack with summer totes and put sweaters under the bed to make room for t-shirts and shorts.

In an effort to get ready for weekend trips and weddings galore, I've also cut back on impromptu dining out in favor of luscious salads and chocolate sorbet.  Of course, this hasn't been easy and has been interrupted with the likes of short rib polenta a L'Apicio and burgers at The Brindle Room.  A girl can try.  

I do have some exciting food outings on the horizon, such as a trip to Swine and hopefully a visit to Maysville, a spot I've been dying for.  While I try to watch my waist line and my wallet, I've begun research on great summer happy hours. I'm hoping to hear from some of you on your favorite spots!

Have a delicious day!

NYC Menu Girl

The Marrow

I love Chef Harold Dieterle.  He won the first Season of Top Chef, a show that really turned me on to restaurants.  He opened one of my favorite restaurants in the city, Perilla, that I loved so much I named my adorable tortoise shell cat after it.  Next up was Kin Shop, a restaurant that I also enjoy, but sadly, not great for a cat name.  So, when I heard he had a third restaurant in the works, I was pretty jazzed.  

Harold recently opened The Marrow, again, lacking in the awesome cat name department.  We arrive a little early, and we are greeted by a lovely hostess who is happy to seat my Dad and I, while we wait for Mom.  We meet our server, who is wildly lovely.  He retrieves the bottle of wine we ordered and starts on his night of amazing wine service.  He pours at excellent levels, asking us how we like it.  Honestly, my Dad and I can polish off wine quickly in a restaurant, but Guy made this 1 bottle last the entire meal, with short pours and attentive service.  I was rather appreciative.

Like most menus, I found the apps and sides most intriguing, which is why I ordered the side of risotto with an egg as my starter.  It was rich, tasty, and enough for me to save half and bring it home.  I don't know that I've ever taken an appetizer home as a doggy bag, but I was glad to have not filled up on it.  I also managed my eating by only indulging in 1 piece of pretzel bread, even though it was magnificently delicious.

My Dad started with the fettucini, which was tasty, and my Mom opted for the cuttlefish, which I loved.  We had a nice amount of time before our entrees arrived.  My dad ordered the special steak, which was fantastic whereas Mom stuck to fish.  I ordered the Short Rib with polenta.  The polenta is very thin, more like a sauce, which was the only part of the meal that I found somewhat strange.  The shortrib was fantastic, and again, I boxed up half for home.

The service on top of the food really drives this place home.  I had such a lovely time being a guest of this restaurant.  It's weird to think of being a guest, but sometimes, restaurants are more utilitarian, and simply serve the food. I felt like I was really being waited on and considered at this restaurant.

I recommend it, despite the mixed reviews.  I also recommend opting for more starters and sides, and less entrees.  You can try a lot more!

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

Beecher's Cellar

Beecher's makes delicious cheese in their store on Broadway (and in Seattle).  And beneath this cheese-making retail phenomenon is Beecher's Cellar, a cheese-centric restaurant that almost resembles a cheese cave, or the cave from Fraggle Rock, if that helps you with imagery.  

I went with a group of six ladies, and was seated a big tables with enormous cushioned benches.  I thought it would be strange not having a back to lean on, but it was rather comfortable.  

We intended to share everything, so naturally, we knew we needed a large cheese plate.  We opted for the Beecher's Five Cheese Plate.  Most of the cheeses are cheddar.  You must order this and let it change your life.  These cheeses are simply crazy delicious, and we could have been satisfied with just another plate and a check.  

We also ordered the mushroom and fennel mac n' cheese.  This is the best mac n' cheese in the city.  Every forkful was perfect.  The mac is on the larger side, more like a penne.  The cheese is perfect.  It comes in this bowl that is the shape of a boat.  It makes me want to just buy boat bowls and sail way for a life filled with boats of mac n' cheese.  Life could be worse.

To balance all of that cheese , ordered a very flat flatbread.  And we ordered the rapini so that we could all feel like we ate something green.  

After my experience at Murray's Cheese and Beecher's, I've learned that cheese bars really do straight up cheese the best.  Some of the other dishes may be just attempting to use the cheese in an interesting way, but don't turn out a well.  The menu at Beecher's as more items that are not quite as cheese-centric, which provides a bit more balance.  

I highly recommend this spot for groups or just happy hour with cheese and drinks.  But, I am not the only one making this recommendation, so make a reservation.  It fills up!

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

The List - Barbuto

You know those restaurants that have been around for awhile and you always want to go, but something newer wins out?  I try to keep those restaurants in mind every few months so that I make it to them before they ultimately close and the chance is lost.

I've always wanted to try Barbuto, in it's prime location that seems to straddle the line of Meatpacking ending and West Village beginning. I follow Barbuto on instagram and love their pictures, and hoped it would be as delicious as it looked.

I was greeted by a rather curt hostess, which was a little frustrating.  If you don't like saying hello in a friendly manner, you cannot be a hostess.  It's essentially the primary task of a hostess.  I've been a hostess, and I have to say, I am amazing at it because I always say hi to people in the friendliest way.  I was happy to see though that the tables at this restaurant are very spread out and the noise level is relatively low (and we know the hostess isn't adding to it).  

We were seated and looked at the wines by the glass list.  Our Pinot Grigio loving friend didn't find anything on the list that sounded appealing, and our also somewhat curt waiter brought her several tastes, and when she didn't like any, he brought her a nice flute of bubbles, which was very nice of him.  The friendliness of the staff was turning around. 

To start, Denise ordered the bruschetta with goat cheese.  My mom opted for the soup.  And I looked further down the menu and ordered 2 cheeses.  Everything was great.  The bruschetta was to die for, with four very sizable pieces. The soup was pretty light and tasty.  And the cheese was fantastic.  I think ordering cheese as an appetizer can be very nice.  It was only $10, cheaper than all the apps on the list.  And I am usually so full after dinner that I don't want to do a cheese course, even though I really want cheese.

The ladies ordered the chicken for dinner, which they probably could have split since it was enormous.  Barbuto is known for having some of the best chicken.  I ordered the gnocchi, which was great.  I would eat piece after piece, and it was right towards the end that I realized how full I was getting.

For dessert, we ordered some meyer lemon almond tart thing, which was fantastic.  It was the perfect non chocolate dessert!  Also, I should note, that as I went to the bathroom, I noticed a little semi-private room, that probably seats 12-14.  But, you basically walk through it to get to the bathroom, which is weird, and makes it not so private.

Also, go here when it's warm out and sit outside!

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

The List - Willow Road

There's a cushy address in Chelsea where some of the fanciest food can be found - 85 Tenth Avenue.  On the corner of 15th street, you have Colicchio & Sons and on the corner of 16th, you have the fancy carpets outside of Del Posto.  For the past few years, sandwiched in between them was a vacant space left behind by The John Dory Oyster Bar when it relocated to the Ace Hotel.  I was delighted to read an article about a new restaurant called Willow Road that would call 85 Tenth Avenue home.  

Willow Road boasts a celebri-chef, Grayson, from Top Chef Texas.  I doubt Tom Colicchio was expecting his cheftestants to take residence right next door to his 3 star restaurant.  I invited 2 of my favorite dining companions, Ray & Brian, to join me at Willow Road.  They are regulars from my restaurant days and instead of finding them seats at the bar, we now dine together.  

Willow Road is bumpin' with no g.  I waited at the bar, with the one bar stool left.  This place is overflowing with people. I ordered a glass of Hermann Wiemer Dry  Riesling, which is an epic wine in my opinion.  I am always overjoyed to find this on a wine list. 

I observed my surroundings, and made a few important notes that I must share with you.  First, most tables are meant for large parties or are communal tables for small parties. Tables that look like they should seat 4 seat about 5 or 6 and tables of 6 seem to sit 10.  The tables right behind the bar are packed with people. I recommend you go to the bathroom before sitting down. Then, there is a communal table by the bar that seats various small groups, and accommodates 12 total.  I think there are only 2 tables of 2 that stand alone.

We capped the communal table, with me at the head.  We were lucky to not be in the middle, but also lucky that I am not a 250 pound man, because my seat was tight.  We ordered beers most of the night.  The wine list is relatively limited, but it seems to be more of a whiskey and beer joint anyway.

The menu offers comfort new American meets Southern type of food.  To start, we ordered the hunk of aged cheddar, which is my idea of a full meal.  It's nice to just have some cheese and bread while you wait for your other dishes.  We also ordered the mac n' cheese, brussels sprouts, chickpeas, fried chicken and mussels.  We had no shortage of food.

The mussels were fantastic and extremely light.  The sprouts and chickpeas were also a great compliment to the meal. The fried chicken was definitely a winner for me and a must have at this restaurant.  The mac n' cheese was not very cheesy, which I thought was strange, so it lacked in excitement for me. 

Overall, the food is here great.  The scene is very...sceney.  It's a bit loud and not a great spot for a romantic night out.  It is perfect though for a big group about to hit the town and wants to fill up on some fried chicken first.

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

Would it be different? Part 2.

Last week I wrote a post entitled "Would it be different?" outlining how it's more important to define what makes you happy than it is to wonder if you would be happier if something in your life had gone differently.  I tried to spend a decent amount of time going through the events of each day and defining what made me happy and what I found rather unpleasant.  I am only up to Thursday, as time has slipped away.  But it has been a fun exercise so far.  

In order to figure our elements of happiness, I would write down a positive situation and then extracted the elements of that situation that I enjoyed, so that I could keep them in mind going forward.  Here are some examples:

1. Real relaxation means doing just one, peaceful activity. I am the type to always have my computer on my lap while watching a tv show, instead of just totally spreading out on the couch and enjoying the tv show.   Sometimes, you just need to focus on one thing, and veg.  
2. Make people smile when they least expect it.  My co-worker and I left a bunch of baby books on another co-worker's desk, since he just had a baby.  It was great to see him come back to the desk and look through all of the books.
3. Indulge in gratitude.  Do you ever feel like people say "You like nice today" and you think "Eh I feel fat actually, or I hate this sweater."  Sometimes when people say nice things to you, you should just enjoy it.

And then there were imperfect moments:

1. If you go the gym, then be at the gym.  I went to the gym after a late night out, and I barely worked out.  It wasn't worth it.  This sort of goes back to the doing one activity thing.  Sometimes, you just need to be somewhere, fully.  
2. Always eat dinner.  That seems obvious, but I chose not to eat dinner before a free open bar.  And that always leads to drunk pizza eating, which is sometimes awesome, but other times, less than stellar.
3. Have enough energy to get through each day.  I went out a bunch last week and found that by Friday at 2 p.m., I was over it.  But, the work day wasn't over, so I had to keep on keeping on.  You have to make time for yourself and your health, whether it be sleeping, exercising, or staying in and painting your nails.  

There's a lot more obviously, some of which are more related to personal health and growth, and others related to connecting with others, and connecting others, and of course some of which are too personal for blogging.  But, I highly encourage this exercise.  It gives you a chance to really run through the events of your day and pick out what you liked and what you didn't like.  I am hoping some of the imperfect moments lead to better choices this week.  

The next time I do this exercise, I may do it just for food!  It would be fun to run through every food moment of the day to define when food made you feel great and when it led to making you feel a little less than awesome.

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

Jo's Press Tasting

I was invited to Jo's for their press tasting and brought my trusty former roommate Vanessa along to give it a whirl.  I trotted over to Elizabeth Street, right below Houston, and entered through the curtain.  At first, I was surprised to see very few tables and a casual setting, only to quickly realize that the restaurant was in the back, with the private dining room behind that.  It goes on for days!

I sat down and perused the cocktail menu. I am going through a liquor phase, trying to branch out a bit.  And this was definitely the menu for me, since so many combos sounded delicious.  I had The G Spot and Strawberry Fields.  Both were perfect!  Vanessa ordered the Sancho with extra tequila, because she rolls hard like that.

To start, they brought out the Curried P.E.I Mussels, which came in the awesomely large bowl.  I loved the equally large bowl they brought out for the shells.  Makes a lot of sense.  We also had the Sambal Shrimp Tumis, which were crazy goood.  It was definitely a good start.

We moved on to share the Galangal Fried Chicken.  This was our favorite dish, and we ate every piece of chicken.  It was truly awesome.  I hung out with Vanessa on Saturday and were singing it praises.  We couldn't believe after mussels, shrimp, and fried chicken, that there would be more.  Alas, the Beef Rendang came out.  The Beef was also tasty.  We didn't eat a lot of the coconut rice, since that was also a side dish with the Fried Chicken.  

While all of these dishes are coming out, we had the pleasure of chatting up our server Eric and the Chef.  The staff here is very friendly and definitely makes you feel at home.  The atmosphere makes you want to just order a ton of interesting cocktails, lots of dishes to share, and kick back and relax.  

Just when we thought there was no room left, we had three ice creams and a s'mores bar.  These really drove the meal home.  One of the ice creams was a salted caramel, which was one of the best ice creams I've ever eaten.  And the s'mores bar was a layer of chocolate on the bottom, PEANUT BUTTER, marshmallows and some graham cracker crumble.  These are the kinds of desserts you make room for.  

Overall, we had an awesome time.  This place still seems to be building a crowd and a buzz, so now is the time to check it out.  And keep in mind that this is not your dainty portions type of place.  This restaurant will get you nice and full, and pretty drunk if you stick to cocktails. 

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

Would it be different?

Do you ever think about how a particular aspect of your life would be totally different if a certain event or life choice hadn't occurred?  People say that if they hadn't gone to X college, they wouldn't have met X people whom they love and adore.  Or if they hadn't randomly ran in to someone on the street, they wouldn't have exchanged cards and got that perfect job that changed their life.  Or maybe if they hadn't stopped home and quickly ran through some craigslist postings, they never would have found that amazing apartment they landed.

Honestly, I hardly ever think about that kind of stuff, but I think most people do.  In my opinion, the whole point of living is that you make decisions and they take you down certain paths.  And naturally, different decisions would have led you different paths, with different outcomes.  I could say that if I had not gone to law school, I would not have met these amazing people that I spend a majority of my time with.  But I guess I hope that if I hadn't gone to law school, I would have done something else and maybe have made amazing friends doing that something else.  And moreover, I did go to law school and I did make amazing friends, so who cares if I hadn't?  

This philosophical diatribe actually stemmed from a dining experience, which is why I even bothered to raise it in this forum.  I had dinner at The Marrow last week (more on that later) and it was great.  I was thinking that our server, Guy, really hit a homerun with his level of service and he transformed the dinner for me.  He managed to provide 3 star service in a casual and approachable way, and I was appreciative.  So, I started thinking about how I may have felt differently about the restaurant if I had a different server who wasn't quite at Guy's level.  And after a second on that thought train, I said, but Guy was my server, and my night was amazing because of him.  It doesn't matter if it would have been different with a different server, because Guy was my server and he wowed me.   

I encourage you, and I will as well, to look at some great experiences you have this week, and try to reflect on what elements made that experience great.  Did you have a great meal with friends, and the element of laughter with loved ones and amazing gnocchi just made your night?  Or, did you do have a successful meeting at work, and the elements of your hard work on a presentation and a receptive audience made that experience wonderful?  Did you kick off your week at a spin class, and the elements of kick-ass music and a particular instructor just revved you up for a great week?  

Those are the elements that define your happiness.  Being aware of them allows you to be well equipped to head down the better path or find the more interesting situation in the future.  Even being aware that my server made my night with his extraordinary wine service means that I find extraordinary wine service very satisfying and therefore can have a great night out if I find a place that focuses on wine service.  

Equally relevent is extracting the elements of a poor experience, and trying to eliminate it going forward, whether it be as severe as a toxic friend or as simple as dirty dishes in your sink making your home feel less like a home, and driving you totally bananas.  

That's a whole lot of reflecting for one blog post.  I promise to post again on this topic next week, to tell you the results of defining the elements of life that make me smile.  I hope you will join, and even share!

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

Sons of Essex

Brunching is a form of art.  Where to go, how long you are willing to wait, how interesting the eggs are, how hungover you appear to be, and whether you choose to get decked out or wear yoga pants are all part of this weekend morning ritual.  I enjoy all of these aspects of brunch, and welcome every combination known to man.  

Last weekend, we opted for a reservation, very interesting eggs, no hangover, and relatively decked out, for a fantastic afternoon at Sons of Essex.  We were greeted by two lovely ladies in name tags, only to realize that everyone dons a name tag.  It sort of screams TGIF's, but it is oddly endearing, especially over their relaxed, hipster dress code.  

We, meaning me and three lady friends, were seated in a circular booth big enough to fit 7.  When greeted by our server, his name tag was totally unnecessary since we used to work together at a different restaurant.  That's always a fun surprise.  I opted for a coffee, while my cohorts opted for Bloody Mary's, which looked pretty good. 

Now, brunch is typically a one dish meal.  Actually no, since the side of bacon comes on the side, in its own dish.  What I mean to say is that several courses, tapas style, or simply sharing dishes is not as common with brunch out as it is at lunch or dinner.  You usually order the eggs benedict, the turkey and avocado sandwich, the omelette, the french toast, etc.  You pick one and you go with it.  But, brunch doesn't need to be typical, and more and more restaurants are expanding their brunch menus to be more of a dining experience and less of a serve it up and go type of scenario.  

In this case, the menu offered better options for sharing.  We ordered the blt guacamole, the truffle mushroom pizza, the eggs benedictowitz, and the tater tots.  We couldn't resist the guac or the pizza, so we figured we should just share everything!  We weren't quite hungry enough to order apps to share, and then entrees, so we shared everything. 

First, the blt guacamole with toast points was totally amazing.  You should order this while you wait for your brunch, if you don't opt to share.  The mushroom truffle pizza, more like a flatbread pizza, is definitely a contender for one of the best things I ate this blog year (which comes out in October).  It was incredible.  Ricotta, mascarpone, goat cheese, mushrooms, arugula, and truffle oil?  Are you serious?  You could feed that to me on a spoon!  

The eggs benedictowitz was a take on eggs benedict, but with a potato pancake in lieu of an english muffin.  Like I said last week - the best eggs benedict dish is the one that takes at least one of the usual components and swaps it out for something unique.  This did the trick!  It was definitely tasty.  For $14 though, I would get the pizza over this dish, since the pizza is almost three times the size!  But hey, gluttony isn't everything. 

The tots were pretty good tots.  We were also graced with a surprise brunch pizza, which was also a big hit.  Throw in good service and, wait for it, a LIVE JAZZ BAND that doesn't play so loudly that you can't hear people talking, you have a pretty good weekend on your hands.

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

These Bars and Their Deals

The real dilemma of drinking in the city is deciding what's worth it.  There are all of these bars that range in price, decor, ambiance, clientele, location, service, freebies, specials, bathroom cleanliness, food services, and games.  So, a beer is not just a beer.  A beer is a beer with free cheese puffs, a shady bathroom, good games, and weird people, but it's cheap.  A beer is a beer with sexy bartenders, a lemon wedge, a chilled glass, and a high sticker price.  When you ask yourself: "Is this beer worth $8?" you are actually asking yourself: "Is everything aside from this beer worth me paying $8 for the beer?"

It's sort of an obvious concept that the price of food and drink at an establishment includes everything that comes with it, but this is so easy to forget when you are literally talking single dollars.  If you could get a Sixpoint Sweet Action for $5, you start to wonder why you would EVER pay $7 for it, even though you do sometimes.  You don't remember the divey crowd with your $5 beer, or the nicer bartender with your $7 beer.  You simply remember that this beer is more expensive at one place, and therefore, you feel like a fool for paying the premium. 

For me, when I am trying to decide where I want to grab a beer, I usually think about who I am with.  For example, my friends and I waltzed in to The Levee a few weekends ago, after some fancy beers at Radegast.  This bar sports free cheese puffs, awesome games, questionable bathrooms, a backyard, and is animal friendly.  And the happy hour deal is $1 off each beer.  We started with Lighthouse Ale, normally $4, and now only $3.  We moved to PBR, normally $3, and now only 2.  And we ended with Carlson Black Label, normally $2, and now only $1 (look at all that math I just did).  By the end, you get that feeling - why would I go anywhere for happy hour, when I can drink $1 beers here?  Well, if you are going to meet people, it's not the best crowd.  The seating is somewhat limited when it's too cold to go outside.  And maybe you don't like animals in bars.  But, for a group of friends that just want to hang with each other, $1 beers sort of trumps every other quality a bar can have.

Flash forward two weeks later, and I meet a friend for a beer at Epstein's Bar.  It's happy hour, and ALL draught beers are $3 and ALL appetizers are half off.  So a blue moon, 3 IPAs, french fries, and mac & cheese for the two of us came out to $17....total.  Again, why am I not here ALL of the time?  I can get a $3 beer and $1.50 fries between 5 and 7 every weekday?  If I leave work at 6:30, I can get there just in time to make this deal?  It's clean, the staff is friendly, and the crowd is decent.  Seems worth every very few pennies it cost. 

But, we don't all live in this city to drink the cheapest beer at a dive bar.  There's something to be said for an $8 beer at Radegast, where you can order a delicious pretzel, get waited on by a very attentive server, have the benefit of big tables for big groups, and have the luxury of choosing from delicious beers that you can't find at that $3 happy hour.  Or, you may enjoy a trendy bar with an $8 that is served in a 12 oz glass (what a rip off!) but the cute bartenders and the crazy scene give you a sense of enjoyment that you can't get while gorging on $1.50 fries. 

It can really be a challenge when deciding what to do with your night (or day).  You have to make these decisions upfront, about what you want out of your night, so that an expensive drink doesn't upset you.  But, this isn't the easiest decision because not every bar has a great website, or the prices of their drinks.  So, you have to ask a friend.

I would love to hear about your favorite bars!  I am ALWAYS looking for recommendations.  Help a girl out :)

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

Apiary

Apiary is one of those restaurants that I recommend often, even though I've only been once as of less than 2 weeks ago.  I recommend it to those in the neighborhood who want that over $20 an entree dinner.  The East Village is great for cheap eats, and doesn't specialize in the almost fine-dining type of places.  Since I recommend it often, I had to give it a whirl myself. 

Apiary is small, endearing, and not overly trendy.  The sommelier is on hand at all times, so you shouldn't have trouble choosing a wine.  The menu is new American with dishes that are inventive enough, but are mostly intended for approachability.  The constant pressure in NY is to find that hot new dish that is so unique and mind blowing that you waited a month for a reservation.  Sometimes you just want perfectly cooked, classy food without all the frills.  

I ordered the Green Salad, with fines herbs and shallots.  It was light and balanced well with the absurd amount of bread I consumed.  To follow, I ordered the Braised Rabbit Pappardelle.  Well, this may not be as "no frills" as you imagine, but it was essentially pasta with meat.  After a long week, I scooped up every single bite. 

If you are looking for something quiet, approachable, and tasty, this is a great spot.  I think this would actually be pretty good for a date.  The food isn't too wild, and the scene isn't too distracting. 

DEAL ALERT
Monday is no corkage night!  Enjoy your meal with a little BYOB action.  

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl

Your Ticket to a Fun Night!

I already told you about my second website in this post, so I won't heavily repeat myself.  I host wine tastings in NYC and Westchester homes and apartments!  I am certified as a Sommelier and have a pretty good sense of humor, so each classes promises to be educational and fun.  

Why host a wine tasting in your home?

1. Take your usual dinner party and add a little flair to it.  You were going to drink anyway, so surprise your guests with a little pre-dinner entertainment.  With drinks in hand, they won't be disappointed.
2. Turn that potentially inappropriate bachelorette party in to one with a bit of class!  You can always get wild after, since you will have tasted a bunch of wines.  
3. You secretly don't really know or like your dinner guests so you want a booze-driven buffer.  That's me.  
4. And, because life is too short to drink bad wine, but how do you know if you are doing it until you learn a little?

The next few month are booking up fast, with dinner parties, a bachelorette, and even a fundraiser.  So, the time to book your garden party is sooner rather than later!  Just e-mail me: kerry @ housewinenyc.com for more details, and definitely check out the site. 

It would be a pleasure to drink with you.

Have a delicious day!

NYC Menu Girl

Rye

Rye is a hip, yet not so super hipster, restaurant in Williamsburg.  It also happens to be a drink of my general enjoyment these days.  Wine is my passion.  Beer is my reliable standby.  Whiskey is my new friend, who I don't know that well yet, but that I want to get to know better.  Yet, I digress.  

I must introduce you all to my brunch companion at Rye, Eleonora, a great friend of mine who I have the privilege of sitting across from at work.  She loves going out to eat and have really amped up our dining out adventures as of late.  Therefore, she deserves a proper blog-troduction.  

She suggested we brunch at Rye, among other places.  We arrived at 1:00 and only had to wait 15 minutes. We got an unfortunate seat near the door, meaning we were very cold.  But, we were fine.  We were definitely better than the woman who seemed to pass out and within minutes, an ambulance whisked her away.  It was definitely eventful.  

I ordered the Eggs Benedict, on a biscuit, with pork belly.  I thought it was pretty delicious!  Since I have yet to make hollandaise sauce myself, I always find eggs benedict to be a real treat.  But for it to be an awesomely real treat, I like an element of it to be slightly different from the usual english muffin, ham, and poached eggs.  So, pork belly and a biscuit really fit the bill!

The prices here are good - with items around $12.  The service is a bit frantic, but still lovely.    And the food is delightful, without being too overwhelming, too basic, or too over-complicated, which is all too common these days.

Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl