Posts from the ‘American’ Category

Oct 19

Odeon

1/2

I think that this is one of those big in the '80 places, not that I would
know first hand, as I was a youngster back then, and nowhere involved with
the NYC dining scene or any scene, for that matter. This was a James
suggestion, something about the $30.01 restaurant week deal, and as we're
supposed to be supporting Tribeca and all that, it seemed fitting enough.
Actually, I wanted to go to Le Zinc so we put our names on both lists.
Unfortunately for me, the half vs. one hour wait at Odeon got James his
wish.

Not that anything was wrong with the meal. It was perfectly pleasant, I
didn't even mind waiting in the bar, there were even seats. Who needs the
crammed Le Zinc and their ungodly wait. A passed-out girl was being revived
by paramedics when we arrived. Probably overexertion from standing and
waiting so long. I went all simple and got the 1/2 roast chicken with mashed
potatoes and spinach, started with a frisee salad (can't resist anything
with lardons in it) and all was good and well.

Earlier James had been going on about wanting apple pie, and I didn't
figure Odeon would serve it. But when the dessert menu came 'round it just
happened to be on the list, immediately followed by the waitress warning
they were out of the apple pie. What were the odds? I went all-American
(well, not quite as American as apple pie) and split the hot fudge sundae.

Odeon * 145 W. Broadway, New York, NY

Share on Tumblr

Sep 16

Paul’s Palace

Palace may be a bit of a stretch. Joint, perhaps. I must've walked
past this nondescript place a million times and never even noticed. It's
just like that. I was told they had a good Philly cheesesteak, which is good
information to have.

Saturday night, it was the first weekend out since the World Trade
Center attack, and people were drinking more than usual. Talk turned to
cheesesteaks (not that inebriation and cheesesteaks necessarily go hand in
hand). James became convinced we needed one, unfortunately Paul's had just
closed (he called). He became utterly obsessed with the idea of driving to
Philadelphia to get a 24-hour original (see above review). I like whimsy and
spontaneity as much as the next person, but just wasn't in the mood that
evening.

The next day we were grocery shopping when I brought up Paul's. It
appeared that the previous night's mania had already slipped his mind. We
decided to have a go anyway. I opted for a big, messy, blue cheese burger. I
hate to be a party pooper, but I almost prefer flat, dry, fast food burgers.
Blasphemy, I know. Real restaurant burgers are always drippy and
unmanageable (I had to eat this one with a knife and fork. But then, I do
the same thing with pizza, which is a total NYC faux pas). I was just about
to start talking about how I'm not even a burger fan, it's not a craving I
have very often, but dammit, typing this is making me really hungry for one.

Of course James got the cheesesteak, however, it came with provolone.
People have this notion that cheese whiz is low brow so they change the
cheese. Fine, but it's not authentic, and just plain wrong. I think it was a
perfectly fine sandwich, but not a primo Philly specimen. The hunt
continues…

Paul'sPalace * 131 Second Ave., New York, NY

Share on Tumblr

Aug 21

Blue Ribbon

1/2

I've never been to the original so I won't commence with the Manhattan vs.
Brooklyn comparisons. I am aware they're known for their seafood, which is
boldly displayed in the front window. The spendy, yet impressive looking
fruits des mer platters are a signature item, which I hope to try at some
point. As it was a random weeknight, I went the other direction and tried
the duck with spinach, sweet potato puree and a cassis sauce. Very nice. The
shrimp and chorizo appetizer was also pleasing. Duck? Chorizo? Well, no one
ever said I was a light eater.

The vibe was more welcoming than stand-offish, moderately upscale, yet
mellow. You could call it a potential date place, which made me glad I ended
up there with a boyfriend, not the stalkerish chap I was out with earlier
who'd half-heartedly suggested the very restaurant (take note: don't attempt
Blue Ribbon with the unemployed, it'd just ruin the fun). If by chance the
ambience causes you to forget you're in Park Slope, glance up from your
goodies and observe the proliferation of children, young pregnant women and
lesbians. Ah, the incongruous flavor that makes up this semi-suburban 'hood.

BlueRibbon
* 280 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, NY

Share on Tumblr

Aug 18

Buzzy’s Fabulous Roast Beef

It seemed like the Philly cheesesteak stand of Boston so I had to check it
out. As it was around 2am, the place was hopping and a huge line was
forming. One might consider changing the name to Buzzed, as I could see how
the place might get a little rowdy. The lines certainly didn't move as fast
as in Philly, though the people were chattier. That's one thing I noticed
about Boston, people aren't so hard as to not comment or compliment. Much
ado was made over my Hello Kitty tattoo, and I got into a discussion with
some teenage girls about the Hello Kitty toaster (they were envious). I
guess Boston's not all bad.

I'd already eaten dinner that night so I didn't want to go too
overboard. I got an Original Buzzy's Roast Beef sandwich, no fries, rings
etc. It was alright, but nothing special. I'm not sure what cheese was on
it, something white. And it was cold. Was it supposed to be? I also felt it
should be more like $3.95 or $4.95 than $5.95, but that's just me. I think
Buzzy's is more of an experience/institution than an amazing food venue.

Buzzy's Fabulous Roast Beef * 327 Cambridge St., Boston,MA

Share on Tumblr

Jul 20

B-Bar

B is for blech. The place used to be called Bowery Bar, and I guess it used to be "cool" in a 90s cosmo-drinking sort of way. Not my idea of cool, mind you. I didn't see any beautiful people, just incompetent waitstaff, boring food and overpriced drinks.

It was one of those nights when I just couldn't make up my mind about anywhere to eat. I was open to anyplace between 13th St. and The Angelika, so lord only knows why I wandered in here. To add insult to injury, after having a heck of time getting the check, I was late to the opening of "Ghost World" and then I forgot my damn leftovers in the theater. The movie was great, my wild mushroom pizza with truffle oil was just OK…so the loss wasn't a total travesty.

B-Bar * 40 E. Fourth St., New York, NY

Share on Tumblr

May 12

Tommy DeNic’s

Now this is what I call a sandwich. The roast pork with provolone is
amazing, flavorful and enough for two meals. I got the greens too, which can
put the whole thing over the top sog-wise. Be prepared for a delicious mess.
You'd never know anything special was coming from this lunch counter in the
middle of Reading Terminal Market. I guess that's why you've got to sample
like a madman. Too bad a stomach can only hold so much.

Tommy DeNic's * ReadingTerminal Market,
12th and Arch St., Philadelphia, PA

Share on Tumblr

Apr 7

Cooper Square

I wouldn't mention this place at all, but a certain sandwich needs to be talked about. I was at a birthday party at Leopard Lounge across the street, and I noticed James kept peeking out the window. I guess he was dreaming of cheesesteaks and looking for nearby options. Now New York isn't a cheesesteak city anyway. I'm not even sure where you get one during the day, let alone at 3 a.m. Short of driving to Philly (which was tossed around as a viable option), we decided to take our chances on the closest 24 hour place.

When I saw a "New York Style" steak sandwich my curiosity was peaked, yet I knew I was in trouble. Whenever someone takes a regional specialty and puts their own spin on it, you know the results will be mixed. (When I was home last Sept., Ringler's Annex had "Portland Style Cheesecake" on the menu, which was baffling. I didn't order it, but I wondered all night what could possibly be Portland-like about it. Filberts? Marionberries? Salmon?!)

The New York style sandwich came out open faced with thickish long pieces of meat on hamburger buns with cheddar cheese melted on both sides and some onions strewn about. There was too much meat to close the thing, and the pieces weren't thin like I'd wanted. And to top it off, they appeared to be suited for a hoagie bun, not a round roll. It disturbed me. The oddest part was the bottle of HP Sauce that was brought to the table as an accompaniment. Philly cheesesteak by way of New York with a pit stop in England? What kind of freaks do they have working in that kitchen anyway? I did like getting to dip my fries in the brown sauce, but it just wasn't the sandwich I was craving.

Cooper Square Restaurant * 88 Second Ave., New York, NY

Share on Tumblr

Mar 26

B3

Closed: Huh, this is the first time I've become aware of a closing within 24
hours of the establishment actually shuttering its doors. Often months (or
even years) might pass before I realize a restaurant is no longer with us.
(6/7/05)

It's hard to give a well-rounded assessment since the only thing I've
ever eaten at this establishment is the B3 burger. James and a coworker
almost swear by it, but I'm not all that impressed. For one, it comes with
chips. Homemade chips, granted, so they're all fresh and crisp from the
fryer. But I don't like chips. I've got horrible eating habits and love junk
food, yet somehow I've never managed to develop a taste for chips, hot dogs
or soda. I wish I could say the same for sweets of all sorts and french
fries. I can't resist a fry, and call me a traditionalist but that's what
burgers should come with.

The B3 burger sounds good in theory: blue cheese and pepper bacon, but
the cheese is barely recognizable. If you're going to put that much extra
fat on a burger, it ought to be tasted. Oh, I've also had mussels, which
were perfectly fine. The weird part was when the waitress (who was crouching
next to the table–I hate it when they do that chummy stuff) asked, "are
mussels good for you?" and my first thought was that she must mean are they
high in fat because that's all girls seem to care about. So I told her they
were very low in fat, but she wanted to know about nutritive value, which I
was pretty clueless about. So mussels=fine, burger=passable. I'll have to
try something else next time, and I'm sure I'll be back since it's just one
of those places. (3/26/01)

B3 * 33 Ave. B, New York, NY

Share on Tumblr

Feb 10

7A

There's nothing inherently wrong with this restaurant. It just doesn't put much of a smile on my face. I never look forward to dining there, yet somehow I've found myself inside more times than I'd like to admit. For a city that supposedly never sleeps, it's odd that this is one of the few 24 hour options in the East Village.

This Sat. we got a late start–too late for pizza at Time Cafe or mussels at Belgo (It was a Lafayette kind of evening). We wandered, all the while knowing in the back of my head that 7A is where we'd end up. I threw a minor fit like some bratty food snob (which I'm really not) when it was suggested. This is drunk food and I've actually had some memorable 4am moments there, but it's not where you should begin the evening. 7A a last resort of blah sandwiches, burgers and nachos. At least you won't leave poor and still hungry, I suppose.

The funny thing was that on this crabby night, we ended up running into the people we were supposed to be hooking up with for drinks later on. No fancy- meeting-you-heres were even exchanged. I mean outside of Odessa (which I like) and Stingy Lulus (which I'm so-so on), where else would you be eating after midnight? No surprise at all.

7A * 7109 Ave. A, New York, NY

Share on Tumblr

Jan 27

Maasbach’s

This place has been right under my nose and beneath the M tracks for the
past two and a half years, and yet I just now ventured within. I always
imagined the interior to be sort of akin to an un-remodeled Denny's with a
senior crowd. This guess was not far off. I didn't realize there were two
sides and that on this occasion, I'd chosen the diner entrance. I was
greeted by wood paneling and turquoise puffy seats like the place hadn't
been touched since the early 70's (possibly late 60's). I don't know if the
clientele has changed much in 30 years either. There were plenty of old guys
harassing one of the waitresses about her (one of many) boyfriends, some
better behaved elderly women who went to the restaurant section and MTA
workers who sat at the counter.

Oh yes, the food. It's nothing to write home about. Hamburgers, chicken
salad and the like, though the kids' menu is amusing with plates named after
animals like the Donkey. Don't go out of your way, but if for some strange
reason you find yourself on the M in Ridgewood, hop off and grab a bite to
eat. You'll probably get some free entertainment in the deal. (1/27/01)

It's gone! I only moved away a year ago and they've already changed the
neighborhood on me. I feel like an old-timer.

Maasbach's * 6694 Fresh Pond Rd., Ridgewood, NY

Share on Tumblr

Posts from the ‘American’ Category

Odeon

Paul’s Palace

Blue Ribbon

Buzzy’s Fabulous Roast Beef

B-Bar

Tommy DeNic’s

Cooper Square

B3

7A

Maasbach’s

Featured

Occasional Instagramming

Yes, it’s come to this

My Other Blogs

What?

The Past Will Haunt You

Pigeonholing 101