The Weekend Dish

This is The Weekend Dish, a weekly Friday post that provides you with weekend meal suggestions. Share your weekend picks with us.

Friday Dinner: Honey BBQ wings and BBQ pork ribs at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (646 West 131st St. at 12th Ave.).

Saturday Lunch: Italian sausage, butternut squash mustard, and fontina panini at Ino (21 Bedford St. between Houston and Downing St.).

Saturday Dinner: Panzanella salad and grilled Langoustines at Da Silvano (260 6th Ave. between Houston and W. 3rd St.).

Sunday Brunch: Cranberry-bacon-cheddar omelet at Popover Cafe (551 Amsterdam Ave. between 86th and 87th St.).

Sunday Dinner: Matzah ball soup and chicken fingers at Sarge's Deli (Delivery anywhere in the city)

Your Time is Precious

Your Time is Precious is where we feature popular restaurants with no reservation policies and decide if they're worth the wait.... or not. Please email us your suggestions!

Not Worth The Wait

Tartine
Tia Pol
Extra Virgin
Great Jones Cafe

Worth The Wait
Any Blue Ribbon Restaurant
Bar Pitti
Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridian
Momofuku Ssam Bar

That's Amore!

The Big Apple has always been recognized as the home of the best pizza in the country. But nowadays it (unfortunately) seems as if there are as many lousy pizza joints as there are good ones. That being said, whenever I am in the mood for a slice, there is only one spot that really does it for me. This place is none other than Joe’s Pizza at 7 Carmine St.** For years, Joe’s has been pumping out quality slices to the masses. Like any classic NY pizza joint, offerings are limited to the following slices: regular, fresh mozzarella and Sicilian. They offer a number of toppings but truth-be-told these slices need absolutely nothing to make them better, and I never opt for any additional toppings. My personal favorite is the plain old regular slice: atop a thin, crispy crust lies a thin layer of perfectly sweet tomato sauce with just the right amount of cheese sprinkled on. If you haven’t been already I strongly advise to head down to the west village and give Joe’s a try I promise you will not be disappointed.

**For any of our west coast readers, Joe’s has recently opened an outpost in Santa Monica. Now you can get that famous New York flavor all the way in Cali.

The Weekend Dish

This is The Weekend Dish, a weekly Friday post that provides you with weekend meal suggestions. Share your weekend picks with us.

Friday Dinner: Greek Salad and grilled Branzino at Kefi (222 W. 79th St. between Amsterdam Ave. and Broadway).

Saturday Lunch: Tuscan bread salad and potato pancakes at E.A.T. (1064 Madison Ave. between 80th and 81st St.).

Saturday Dinner: Hand cut steak tartare and organic chicken with crushed poricini potatoes at Employees Only (510 Hudson St. between Christopher and 10th St.).

Sunday Brunch: Poached eggs on fontina sausage buns, braised greens, and hollandaise sauce with cheddar grits at The Little Owl (90 Bedford St. at Grove St.).

Sunday Dinner: Sweet fried chicken wings with rice and a roll at Bon Bon Chicken (Delivery TriBeCa and Soho).

New York's Take on a New England Favorite

Having spent my summers at overnight camp in Maine during my more formable years, I have a fond memory of sneaking away from camp on parent’s weekend to go to the local lobster pound like The Lobster Pound in Naples, Maine, where lobsters are simply served steamed with drawn butter on a picnic table with plastic bibs and paper towels. I always opted for the twin lobster (two lobsters, 1 lb each) because the meat is sweetest when the lobsters are smaller. Transitioning my lobster pound memories to NYC we replace the picnic tables for a set of chairs and a table and choose to compare three downtown Maine lobster shack concepts: Pearl Oyster Bar, Mary’s Fish Camp, and Ed’s Lobster Bar.

Pearl Oyster Bar (18 Cornelia St. btw. Bleecker St. and W. 4th St.) – Rebecca Charles opened this New England clam shack in 1997 and set the course for a new culinary trend in NYC. The menu is split up amongst chilled seafood, small plates, and large plates. Bellybusters recommendation includes: ½ dozen Little Neck Clams on the half shell, PEI Mussels with wine, mustard and cream, Lobster Roll and shoestring fries (described by NY Magazine, “so good it makes Poseidon jealous.”), and a whole boiled lobster. In the wintertime we suggest substituting the clams or mussels for a bowl of Pearl’s creamy Clam Chowder. For dessert the Butterscotch Praline Parfait is to die for. Also keep an eye out for their whole fish-of-the-day - Pearl frequently offers harder to find whole fish from the Mediterranean.

Mary’s Fish Camp (64 Charles St. at W. 4th St.) – After spending a couple years as a chef/partner at Pearl; Mary Redding defected and opened up her own version of the New England style seafood spot. The menu at Mary’s is not as narrowly focused than her competitor, just a short walk away. Bellybusters recommendation include: Fried Oysters and Clams, Steamers with Butter, and Jumbo Lump Crab Au Gratin to start. For the main course we suggest the Lobster Knuckles, Lobster and Butternut Squash risotto, and any of the whole fish daily specials, grilled.

Ed’s Lobster Bar (222 Lafayette St. at Spring St.) – This Soho newcomer opened in 2007 and drew the immediate criticism/lawsuit from Rebecca Charles of Pearl. Rebecca claimed that Ed McFarland copied “each and every element” of Pearl Oyster Bar from the wainscoting to the dressing on his Caesar salad. Not to mention, Ed was Rebecca’s sous-chef for six years. Bellybusters verdict: Menu and décor are spitting images of each other. However, Ed’s is in no way the same ballpark as Pearl or Mary’s. We have to admit that the Lobster roll at Ed’s is a good alternative if one cannot patiently wait out the lines at either Mary’s or Pearls.

Alternative to the Pearl family tree:
Lure Fish Bar (142 Mercer St. at Prince St.) - If you are in the mood for seafood but are looking for an alternative to the “Maine Style Lobster Shacks” look no further than Lure Fish Bar, located in a subterranean space on Prince St. Lure’s authentic nautical décor will make you feel like you have just boarded the SS Minnow minus Gilligan and crew. With fresh sushi and raw bar items readily available, any seafood lover can surely be accommodated here. Add in a phenomenal grilled Caesar Salad and possibly the most overlooked burger in the city, Lure is a sure fire hit among any crowd.

The Weekend Dish

This is The Weekend Dish, a weekly Friday post that provides you with weekend meal suggestions. Share your weekend picks with us.

Friday Dinner: Clams on the half shell and lobster sandwich at The Mermaid Inn (LES: 96 2nd Ave between 5th and 6th St. or UWS: 568 Amsterdam Ave. between 87th and 88th St.)

Saturday Lunch: Fried chicken at Maroons (244 W. 16th St. between 7th and 8th Ave.)

Saturday Dinner: Melizanosalata with pita and Lamb Boureki at Snack Taverna (West Village: 63 Bedford St. at Morton St. Soho: 105 Thompson St. between Prince and Spring St.)

Sunday Brunch: Bagel and Lox at Barney Greengrass (541 Amsterdam Ave. between 86th and 87th St.)

Sunday Dinner: Fried dumplings and sauteed chicken and broccoli with brown sauce at Charlie Mom (Delivery, South of 34th St.)

Valentines Day Reservations Still Available

Take advantage of last minute resevations available at NYC White Castles.

http://www.whitecastle.com/ValentinesDay/

According to a February 11th press release from White Castle HQ, "Not only can cravers dine with candlelight, the tables will be adorned with flowers and decorations. Customers will be presented with a special menu and will recieve table side service."

We have a double date at the 8th Ave. location. Hope to see you there!

Breakfast of Champions - Situational

Joe Jr.'s
167 3rd Ave (between 15th and 16th St.)
482 6th Ave (at 12th St.)

This pair of better than average greasy spoons are a perfect go to option after a night out. With locations in the West Village and Union Square areas, the menu offers staples such as diner style omelets and buttery grilled cheeses. Sitting down for breakfast here will make you feel like you are in Seinfeld. While these places in Manhattan are quite common this is our go to.


Upstairs at Bouley Bakery
130 West Broadway (at Duane)

Instead of sending your girl on the "walk of shame" show your gentler side and head on over to David Bouley's casual dining spot down in TriBeCa. Located directly above a bakery, Upstairs boasts an open kitchen where you can watch the chef churn out everything; from French waffles topped with cinnamon butter and pears (our personal favorite) to cinnamon and vanilla scent oatmeal sprinkled with brown sugar.


Clinton Street Baking Company
4 Clinton St. (between East Houston and Stanton St.)

A LES perennial favorite known throughout the city is a great choice for brunch with friends. Enjoy everything from buttermilk biscuits with homemade jam to pancakes loaded with blueberries or banana walnuts and maple butter. An ideal choice for a side is the sugar cured bacon. Top it all off with a cup of their hot chocolate and you are good to go. If you can bear the notorious long wait you are in for a wonderful treat.


Murray's Bagels
500 6th Ave. (between 12th and 13th St.)
242 8th Ave (between 22nd and 22rd St.)
Zucker's Bagels & Smoked Fish
146 Chambers St (between Hudson and Greenwich St.)

These sibling bagel shops are a great takeout or delivery option for the bagel and lox set. Choose from nine variations of smoked salmon to pair with their freshly baked bagels. If your not a fish person we suggest their egg salad or their flavored cream cheeses (including Tofu spread). For the health nuts they also offer an array of organic and whole wheat bagels.

San Loco - Best Post Booze Food or Ruckus in the Making

For those of you lingering outside your nightlife destination of choice contemplating why you are so hungry and how you are going to satisfy that need, San Loco a Mexican chain in the EV/LES is a trip worth your time. Uncertainty is one way you could describe the experiences inside San Loco late at night. At San Loco you never know what to expect. Whether it be a table turning fight amongst patrons or the all too familiar battle for margaritas (San Loco has embattled many liquor license issues) one thing is for sure, expect the unexpected.

One thing you CAN expect time after time at this favorite of ours is the Guaco Loco (trademarked by San Loco). Its comprised of a flour tortilla smeared with guacamole and wrapped around a hard taco shell, and stuffed with you choice of meat; chicken, beef, pork, or catfish including freshly shredded lettuce and one lonely hunk of tomato. For you vegetarians (weirdos) out there they have a rice or beans version.

Remember when satisfying your late night hunger at San Loco keep your head on a swivel and watch out for that flying hot sauce.

You can visit San Loco at:

151 Ave A (between 9th & 10th St)
124 Second Ave (between 7th & St. Marks Place)
111 Stanton St (between Essex & Ludlow)

160 N. 4th St, Brooklyn (between Bedford & Driggs)

One ROYALE with cheese please

When craving a burger, New Yorkers in the know may think their fix lies in the Burger Joint at le Parker Meridian or Corner Bistro in the west village. Well friends there is another top burger on the block and it lies on Avenue C between 9th and 10th street in a watering hole turned burgers lovers lane adaptly named Royale.

Royale is not the new kid on the block. However, we feel as though it has not gotten the acclaim it deserves for their perfectly sized and hand packed patty that we have traveled across town on numerous occaisions for. In size, Royale's burger falls somewhere in between the afformentioned burgers of Burger Joint and Corner Bistro.

This beautifully seasoned char broiled patty rests itself in between one well proportioned sesame seeded brioche bun with all the typical accoutrements included. The subtle buttery bibb lettuce, sliced tomato, raw onion and crinkle cut pickles blend perfectly with the meat, bun, and cheese; if one shall choose. The charred patty creates a crusty exterior while locking in the natural juices making this burger a definate roll up your sleaves and dive in adventure.

For all you mid 80's babies enjoy your Pork Slap Ale while listening to a playlist ranging from Bush to our favorites off the Varsity Blues soundtrack.