More info on West Side Steakhouse

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a new steakhouse coming to 10th Avenue. Well, the owner of the plywooded restaurant recently wrote in to deliver some more details. As such:

1) West Side Steakhouse will feature "traditional steakhouse fare" with "one distinct difference: You will not feel like you got clubbed over the head when you ask for the check."

2) Full bar and reasonably priced wine list.

3) Looking to open in June.

4) Again, the goal here is "fine dining at a reasonable price."

It certainly will be an interesting addition to the eclectic 10th Ave dining scene. More details as they come this way, and a full report forthcoming when the place opens in a few months...

More chocolate--and tea--than you can handle at Burdick's

Saturday afternoon was sunny and almost warm, a perfect cafe day. I had a 5PM coffee rendez-vous planned with my former boss, AA. We met up at Burdick's, the chocolate cafe I posted about when it first opened. This time around, the place was in full swing.

We ordered drinks: for AA, a double cappuccino, for me, a Japanese sencha tea. AA also ordered their signature Harvard Square to nibble on. We grabbed a table near the door and settled in to chat.

Our drinks arrived shortly. Nothing too outlandish to report here, other than the fact that my teabag held about three teapots' worth of tea. When I removed it from the rather small cup, the water level sank by about 1/3. There's nothing really to explain this; there was just no need for so much tea in such a little cup. I mean, I appreciate the generosity, but... curious.

There's about a quarter pound of tea in there

We hypothesized perhaps the latte art was a bean?

As for the Harvard Square, AA liked it, but he didn't love it. It had layers of all different kinds of chocolate-- brownie, ganache, etc.-- and lots of walnuts interspersed within. He noted that while it was chocolatey, he really just wanted straight-up chocolate and found the walnuts almost distracting. Maybe he should just have gotten a chocolate bar?

Looks bigger than it was, but this puppy was powerful

No matter. Burdick's is a nice place to hang out, and it's great for a mid-afternoon or after-dinner indulgence. If you're looking for something sweet to take to Madison Square Park, you can't go wrong swinging by the shop on your way.

L.A. Burdick
5 E. 20th Street, between Broadway and 5th Avenue
212-796-0143

Pros and cons at Craftbar

Saturday night found me at a girls' dinner at Craftbar. I've been to the restaurant once before, almost two years ago, and had had a four-Offset Spatula time. While we definitely enjoyed each other's company while we were there this time around, experience-wise we weren't quite so lucky.

Once we were all there, we were led to a table promptly. Unfortunately, said table seemed to be in the middle of some arctic jetstream airflow, with air conditioning pumping down directly onto the table. I'm especially sensitive to cold, but for the record it wasn't warm out to begin with, and let's just say I was freezing. Once we piped up, they turned the A/C off, but it came back on about halfway through the meal. By the end of the dinner, I was--literally--shivering. Think about that.

Our server was friendly but professional. Unfortunately, one of her other tables was a twenty-person bachelor party seated right next to us and at the exact same time as we were. That meant that the pacing of our meal was off, as both she and the kitchen tended to them. While our entrees were rushed out promptly, our server tended to disappear for long periods of time, stretching the period between dinner and dessert and dessert and the bill far beyond what it should have been.

But how was the food, you ask? Good question. First, the drinks-- KS ordered a cocktail called the earl gray bees' knees, a concoction with earl gray Tanqueray, honey, lemon, and egg white. While that sounds pretty darn foul to my palate's ears, KS loved it and cited it as one of the best things on our table the whole night.

On to the rest of the fare. First, the bread-- Craftbar's traditional breadsticks. These are dense, greasy things; set one on the table, and you're left with unappetizing grease spots dotting the brown butcher paper covering the tablecloth. There's some rosemary in there, but given the denseness, they're just dry. They beg for a dipping sauce. Or rather, they beg to be actual bread so you can have some butter or olive oil and actually enjoy them. Did I say that?

Tall. And greasy.

All the rest of our food came out at once. I went with the arugula, pine nut, and parmesan salad, which came in a salty lemon vinaigrette that stung my lips. This was actually pretty good and a decent portion with lots of cheese shavings, although a little audacious at $12. Really? I could make about 15 of these salads at home for $12. I guess that's not the point, but...

Filling, with lots of nuts & cheese

AC and SL shared the octopus appetizer, which came salad-style with fingerling potatoes and roasted lemon puree. Girls love their octopus, and this rendition was no exception.

Pretty!

Upon KS's recommendation and the server's confirmation, AC and SL also shared the lamb pappardelle. KS caved and ordered it as her entree as well. The concoction is listed as "Papparedelle, milk-braised lamb, stinging nettle, pine nut." KS remembers it as having a flavorful, reduced broth and a memorably tasty character the last time she ordered it. This time around, however, the consensus was: 1) the kitchen forgot salt, and 2) it was dry, dry, dry. Even from across the table, I could see that there was pretty much no sauce coating the pasta, which meant the strands stuck together in a congealed mess after a couple of minutes. The meat was pronounced dry as well. KS left about half of her portion, and AC and SL didn't want to finish theirs either. Disappointing.

See the bottom of the plate? Yeah, that means no sauce

Oh well, more room for dessert, right? Once we were once again granted the server's attention, we consulted the menu and placed an order. After a short delay, the desserts appeared. Upon the server's recommendation, AC and SL shared the pecan tart, an appealing pastry accompanied by a decadent-looking scoop of chocolate sorbet. The girls dove at the plate hungrily, raving about the sorbet, which was almost as rich as chocolate ice cream.

Just look at that glossy sorbet

I chose the carrot cake with roasted pineapple and cream cheese ice cream. Like the lamb, this proved disappointing. I'm used to Billy's Bakery's incredibly moist and almost gooey carrot cake, and compared to that, this carrot cake was austere, much more like dry carrot bread than cake. The crust tasted bitter and burnt, and I realized how dry the pastry was when I found myself hunting around for the occasional baked-in raisin for a welcome burst of moisture. The ice cream, however, was tangy and cool, and the pineapple (with an interesting spice note-- ginger, perhaps?) was a creative complement. Construct a bite with a bit of cake, dollop of ice cream, and a few squares of pineapple, and you're in business. Get a bite of just "cake" and you're left with a sad face.

Looks... wholesome

We paid the sizeable check and left the buzzy dining room. It seems as though you can have a great meal at Craftbar if you choose wisely; you can also leave thoroughly disappointed and much poorer for the experience. I believe the appropriate term for that is "inconsistent." Would I return to Craftbar? I wouldn't avoid it, and I'd come back if someone else were paying. The location is great, and there are some gems buried in the menu. But would I seek it out? Not especially. That means it loses one of its four spatulas this time around, settling around a thumbs-up-thumbs-down three.

Craftbar
900 Broadway, between 19th and 20th Streets
212-461-4300

Give Yipit a try (sponsored post, eek)

I get emails all the time asking me to shill for various products and services. Usually, having no relationship with the thing on offer and not really seeing how they'll help you readers, I ignore them. But when I got an email from the people at Yipit, I actually perked up-- Yipit is something I've used for a month or two now, and since I really like it (honestly), I'll share it with you all.

This is the logo they sent me. Ain't it pretty?

Maybe you've heard of Groupon, or BlackboardEats, or KGB Deals, or any of a whole number of deal sites that deliver NYC-based deals and coupons to your inbox. Maybe you're sick of having all those individual emails clog up said inbox. Yipit solves that problem-- it gathers all those various deal websites in one missive, sends it your way, and gives you a nice little pat on the head. (Okay, it doesn't do the third thing, but it does do steps one and two.) Oftentimes there are some great deals on restaurants and bars, and equally often you'll be whipping out your credit card and buying some coupons before you can say "I blacked out, what just happened?"

So, do you like coupons? Yes, Mr. Ford. Do you like saving money? Yes, Mr. Ford. Click here to sign up for Yipit and it'll make your life easier. Scout's honor.

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled programming...

A stop at West 3rd Common for a friendly drink

A few weeks ago, I got an email from the nice people at West 3rd Common, a new Gastropub in the NYU area. They invited me to come check the place out, so last Thursday I brought my friends SL and SE to see what they had to offer.

The place is really comfortable. Pass the bar/lounge area in front to the bigger dining room in back, packed with comfy, squishy red couches and large wooden tables. Perhaps grab a book from the bookcases on the wall to flip through as you sip your drink, or if you're there with a crowd, see if you can nail down one of the classic board games floating around (Jenga, Scrabble, Connect 4...). That'll ensure your night is either crazy fun or a total disaster, depending on how competitive your companions are. Either way, it's a good ice breaker on a date. The music is loud and varied, alternating between Dave Matthews and some pretty tough rap/metal. The service is friendly and laid-back.

But don't forget to get some food and drinks. They have a reasonable drink list, with some specialty cocktails gently priced at $10 each, a handful of beers on tap, a moderate bottle list, and a few wines by the glass. SE went for a beer, I chose a glass of house champagne, and SL chose "The Elderberry," a champagne cocktail with muddled strawberries and St. Germain (with real strawberries! Extra points there).

We also ordered a range of food to battle the booze. Below, our choices, with comments on each:

A cheese plate. I requested no blue cheese, so instead we got cheddar, parmesan, and some softer-type cheese that I don't remember. The soft cheese was unpleasantly funky, but the cheddar and parm with both good, albeit slightly unusual choices for a cheese plate. The candied pecans were addictive, and the booze-soaked golden raisins were a creative touch.

CheeEEEeese

Catfish ceviche. No, I'm not kidding. To put it mildly, this is something I'd never, ever order anywhere, let alone at a bar, but our waitress recommended it, and SL wanted to give it a go. She and SE dug in and really enjoyed it. And the next day, they were still alive. So props to West 3rd Common for making a tasty and non-poisonous catfish ceviche. Who would've thunk it?

Wow. Well, yup.

Duck sliders. These were cute and surprisingly delicate; SL and SE pronounced them tasty.

Tiny tasty trio

Mac & cheese. This was a side, in a tiny ramekin, and though it was appropriately cheesy, it wasn't the best version I've ever had. Good for those desperately seeking carbs to soak up a bit too much alcohol.

Melted slice of cheese on top?

The burger. This came highly recommended, and it drew somewhat mixed reviews. On one level, it tasted homemade, very beefy, almost meatloaf-y. On the other level, it tasted homemade, not like what one would expect from a dining-out burger. Does that make sense? It doesn't entirely to me, but what the hell, I wasn't the one eating it. For the technical notes, the cheese was really well melted, there was some aioli for flavor, and there were some sauteed onions for extra taste and texture. SL wasn't a huge fan of the bun, which seemed a little too "glazed" rather than the traditional white bun. We all, however, raved about the fries, crisp and hot and spiced with pepper. In fact, if there's one thing I'd definitely recommend you get when you come here, it's the fries. Grab a side of them for only $4-- they're the perfect bar snack.

Highlighting the fries here

Cross-section, cooked through

When we left, on a Thursday night around 10:30, we were some of the last people in the place, in stark contrast to the robust crowd I'd encountered when I arrived around 8:30. That was curious to me, since once we got outside, there were crowds of NYU students prowling the streets. Would I recommend that they make West 3rd their destination? Yes, I would, actually. It's a friendly, laid-back place, a comfortable place to be and sip a not-too-pricey drink for a while. I wouldn't necessarily return for a full-blown dinner, but if you're looking for some solid drunk food that's a little more creative and a little bit better executed than it needs to be, it'll fit that bill nicely. And if you just want an old standby, get an order of fries, grab a beer, and settle into the couch. Ahhh, happiness.

West 3rd Common
1 West 3rd Street, between Broadway and Mercer
212-529-2059

Mr. Softee, a celebratory treat

Last Friday wast the last day at my former job... starting today I'm moving on to a new and very different adventure. To celebrate my transition, I decided to treat myself to something sweet after dinner on Friday. So after reading about the new "Mr. Softee," on Midtown Lunch, I decided to make my treat a delightful Mr. Softee sundae.

I trekked through the wilds of Times Square to find the truck parked at 39th and Broadway, as promised. I used the special limited-time-only code (ahem, "Midtown Lunch") to grab myself a $4 strawberry sundae. Mr. Softee, a.k.a. "Billy Gunnz," was incredibly friendly and glad that I'd read about him on Midtown Lunch. He dispensed a large, perfect soft serve swirl and topped it generously with strawberry goo.

My hand is buried under the mountain of napkins

After paying my nominal fee, I took the giant, sloppy sundae and walked carefully but quickly to Bryant Park. The strawberry syrup sloshed everywhere, coating my fingers and oozing dangerously onto the paper towel and stack of napkins Billy had thoughtfully provided. I found an empty table on the West side of the park and commenced people watching and attacking the sundae. Mr. Softee-- the actual soft-serve, that is-- is a funny thing: the texture is less creamy soft-serve and more whipped marshmallow, almost. And it's not really all that cold. Not sure how they make that happen, but it really isn't that cold, which means it doesn't melt that much. That could be good or bad, depending on your perspective (probably best for little kids to reduce the likelihood they'll get the stuff all over their clothing). The strawberry sauce was surprisingly good-- not too fake-tasting, super sweet, and packed with chunks of real strawberries. The syrup definitely rescued the rather bland soft serve, providing for a satisfying treat.

It was really enjoyable, eating a sundae while sitting in Bryant Park in near-perfect weather, watching the late-Friday crowds pass by. Needless to say, the sundae was so huge I didn't come close to finishing it, packing as much in as I could before my stomach cried uncle. Once I was done, I did my best to mop up my sticky face and hands before waddling home. Ah, the joys of summer.

Mr. Softee, a.k.a. "Billy Gunnz"
Follow him on Twitter

LWF&D tries wine, juice box-style

A while ago, AV found tiny boxes of wine at Best Cellars, a chichi wine store on the UES. He thought they were cute, so he bought one for me. It has sat in his fridge for the past few weeks, until early this week, when I decided to crack (or, uh, twist?) it open.

Just needs a giant twisty straw

Though this particular brand comes in five flavors (chardonnay, pinot grigio, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and "sangria"), he had chosen the pinot grigio, which seemed the least potentially offensive. I stared down the box, roughly the size of a large juice box, and marveled at how it could truly be equivalent to 2/3 of a bottle of wine, as it claimed. Grabbing a glass, I twisted open the top and poured a taste.

The verdict? Meh. The pinot grigio was pretty astringent and young-tasting, kind of like a big mouth of grapefruit. Which I don't like. The next morning, after drinking a glass or so, I didn't feel so great. I know that wine in boxes is having a resurgence these days, and there are definitely benefits (particularly eco-benefits in terms of weight, shipping, storage, etc., all due to eliminating the bulky glass bottles), and I know the boxes are supposed to keep wine fresher. But-- and here's a big but-- you've gotta start with good wine to begin with for any of that to matter. And to that end, I don't think I'll be buying Bandit boxes again. But if you're not picky about your wine and are looking for something fun to bring to a picnic, grab a bandit and go hog wild. I promise you'll regret it in the morning.

Bandit Wine
Available at Best Cellars
1291 Lexington Avenue, between 86th and 87th Streets
212-426-4200