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Gambrinus

gambrinus quad

twoshovelI suspect that much of Gambrinus’ appeal stems from being able to sit outside, drink vodka and smoke rather than being related to the Russian restaurant’s swashbuckling theme or the food. The indoor bar is fashioned to look like a boat–and so is the exterior–so peering in from outer porthole window has the potential to suck you into a maritime-themed vortex. For good measure, the male servers wear sailor suits.

gambrinus exterior

It was still warm enough for the picnic tables when I went and that’s where every patron was clustered. I’m also not so sure that it’s a seafood restaurant, despite the full name, Gambrinus Seafood Bar and Restaurant, and the eight different fish involved in the entrees. Soups, grilled meats and potato dishes seemed to get more play.

gambrinus fish platter

Unintentionally, I ended up with three dishes, all appetizers technically, sharing many common ingredients. The assorted cured fish platter with salmon and sturgeon was good, and a concession because they didn’t have all of the meats for the meat platter.

gambrinus seafood blintzes

If there’s a menu section called “dough entrees,” it can’t be ignored. That’s how I ended up with seafood blintzes filled with shrimp, fake crab and cream sauce. People witnessing my broadcast on social media seemed to think this gross, which wasn’t true at all. There’s nothing problematic about dairy paired with seafood, and krab is legit.

gambrinus salad

The “subtlety” salad was in a similar vein, including smoked salmon, roe, and a form of thousand island dressing that was not all that subtle.

gambrinus piano

The benefit of the now cold weather is that the piano player won’t be so alone.

Gambrinus * 3100 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY

 

 

 

 

Time Out NY Eating & Drinking Guide

Delia’s Lounge | 9224 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY
Flourishing in the shadow of the Verrazano Bridge, Delia’s is a little like Saturday Night Fever’s Tony Manero: cocky, but likeably earnest. Nine-dollar specialty martinis scream “big city,” while Brooklyn accents, such as valet parking and a larger-than-life Mona Lisa over the bar, remind you that you’re in Bay Ridge. Godiva chocolate liqueur, Stoli Vanil and heavy cream flow freely, but don’t worry about looking effete. In these parts, even the young Travoltas grooving on Eminem sip key lime martinis and share plates of chocolate-covered strawberries.
Peggy O’Neill’s | 8123 Fifth Ave, Brooklyn, NY
Pink Houses, Bad Medicine, the Unforgettable Fire…It sounds like the makings of an ’80s jukebox, but these are just a few of the cover bands that perform most Saturday nights. Despite wind machines and echo effects, the bar is unlikely to draw a crowd beyond the usual Bay Ridge singles, but you get the feeling that’s fine with them. The music tributes aren’t only for the pros–during Monday-night karaoke, anyone can belt out bygone Top 40 tunes. The rest of the week, this Irish pub feels more like a typical sports bar: TVs are blared, beer is swilled, and darts and pool are de rigeur.
Sunny’s Bar | 253 Conover St, Brooklyn, NY

Lore-choked McSorley’s and the White Horse Tavern may get the attention, but an evening at Sonny’s feels like history in the making. On weekends, this unassuming wharf-side tavern buzzes with intrepid curiosity seekers, a mix of middle-aged and new-generation bohemians (the latter distinguished by their cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon), and the odd salty dog (canines, not sailors). Despite the nautical feel, you’re more likely to hear bossa nova or bluegrass than sea chanteys. This is the East River, after all

Rising Cafe | 188 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY
On some nights men nearly outnumber the gals at this easygoing lesbian bar. Folk and bluegrass lovers show up for the live music, while neighborhood families fill up on ribs and fried chicken. The Southern cooking is complemented by down-home touches such as 1940s farmhouse furniture and a big metal tub filled with Red Stripe and Brooklyn Lager. Lest you forget this a women’s meeting place, Tilt-a-Girl mixers are held on Tuesdays.
Basta Pasta
37 W 17th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-366-0888). Subway: F, V to 14th St; L to Sixth Ave; N, Q, R, W, 4, 5, 6 to 14th St-Union Sq. Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm, 6-11pm; Sat, Sun 6-11pm. Average main course: $23. AmEx, DC, MC, V.

Originally part of a Tokyo-based chain, Basta Pasta draws a predominantly Asian clientele to the pink-linened dining room, facing an open kitchen. Seared foie gras perched atop a brilliant saffron risotto cake mimics a luxe piece of sushi (it’s too small but dazzling). Mussels, clams, shrimp and squid are bathed in tomato sauce and piled over spaghetti; lobster salad with snap peas and a lemon aioli is charmingly springlike, and a nice preface to heftier entrées like grilled sea bass or braised short ribs. Service is gracious and personable, and thank-yous from the staff abound.

Cafe Centro
200 Park Ave at Vanderbilt Ave. and W. 45th St (212-818-1333). Subway: Average main course: $25. AmEx, DC, MC, V.

At this sprawling brasserie, looks matter. Rotisserie chickens spin in a giant hearth; the curved, glass-enclosed kitchen demands attention; and streamlined light fixtures create a clubby feel. Chef Franck Deletrain’s menu is heavy on surf and turf for the expense account crowd. Nods to Morocco include a just-sweet-enough chicken b’steeya with a hint of orange-flower water and garnished with spiced candied almonds. Raw-bar choices are popular, as are meaty crab cakes and the butter topped filet mignon. Many of the showy desserts are crowned with arabesques of spun sugar. A more casual meal is available at the moodier adjoining Beer Bar.

Cafe Lalo
201 W. 83d St between Broadway and Amsterdam Aves (212- 496-6031). Subway: . Average main course: $9. AmEx, DC, MC, V.

Carbophobes, beware: You’re in serious sweet-tooth territory. Upper West Siders and tourists mob this café, especially on weekends. Brunch is served until 4pm daily, and light sandwiches and salads are always available. But the real draw is the sugary siren song of display cases packed with cookies, brownies, cakes, pies and more. Art Nouveau posters, exposed-brick walls and French windows attempt European flair, though many of the desserts are unabashedly American, from apple brown Betty to chocolate-covered Oreo cheesecake. It’s no surprise that scenes from the syrupy Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks comedy You’ve Got Mail were filmed here.

Cyclo
203 First Ave between 12th and 13th Sts (212-673-3957). Subway: L to First Ave. Average main dish: $13. AmEx, DC, MC, V.

Although less trendy than the newer Bao and Boi, Cyclo is hardly a pho-slurper’s hole-in-the-wall. Soothing pale hues and unobtrusive New Agey music allow quiet conversation, and the food is mellow too: Papaya salad is more peppery than spicy, its piquancy balanced by salty dried beef strips. Fresh DIY summer rolls require a deft hand (to manipulate the sugarcane-skewered grilled shrimp with the accompanying pile of vegetables, herbs and fragile rice-paper wrappers), but the results are worth the effort. Chilean sea bass, cooked in a clay pot with creamy bean curd, eggplant and lemongrass, is hearty without being heavy.

Docks Oyster Bar
633 Third Ave at 40th St (212-986-8080). Subway:. Average main dish: $23. AmEx, DC, MC, V.

The cacophonous, multilevel space almost feels like a glorified chain restaurant (it is, sort of—there’s an uptown location). But Docks is a notch above places that serve bottomless baskets of popcorn shrimp. This is a candlelit, white-tablecloth affair (with a buzzing bar scene). Oysters are from Maine and British Columbia. Fried scallops and fish are surprisingly light (the accompanying shoestring fries, however, can be overdone). The creamy, tart key lime pie is ideal for cleansing a breaded and battered palate.

 

Galanga
149 West 4th St between Sixth Ave and Macdougal St (212-228-4267). Subway: F to West Fourth St. AmEx, DC, MC, V.

Chopsticks? Broccoli in the curry? These are red flags to purists—but it would be a mistake to write off sleek little Galanga. Ambient drum ’n’ bass and menu oddities like lychee fried rice, merely veil the real deal. Tell your server that you want spice, and there’ll be no pandering. The seafood salad of mussels, shrimp and squid is dressed with just the right amount of sugar and lime, a perfect foil for the slow, creeping heat. Curries, too, are appropriately rich with coconut milk and properly topped with the shredded wild-lime leaves that are all too often omitted in Thai restaurants.

Good World Bar and Grill
3 Orchard St between Canal and Division Sts (212-925-9975). Subway: F to East Broadway; B, D to Grand St. Mon-Fri 4pm-4am; Sat, Sun 11am-4am. Average main course: $16. AmEx, DC, MC, V.

The occasional shuttle bus to Ikea might be as close as most New Yorkers come to sampling Swedish food. But there’s more to the northern European cuisine than cafeteria-style meatballs and lingonberries. Good World’s no-man’s-land location on the cusp of Chinatown and the Lower East Side doesn’t deter anyone from seeking out the stylishly scruffy alpine lair. Mismatched school chairs and moose head above the bar lend appropriate quirk to the former barbershop. The grill aspect is more apparent during lower key hours. A DJ-driven, clubby scene sets in weekend nights and can make for claustrophobic dining, at best. Many would be inclined to supplement the creative beer and aquavit selection with tapas-style offerings like mustard sauced gravlax, lime and chili marinated salmon cubes and herring served four ways. However, ambitious mains are also worth more than a bite or two. Hearty, braised, cinnamon and cardamom spiced lamb shanks with rich porcinis, parmesan potatoes and rosemary spiked jus are satisfying. Morels, chanterelles and truffles make woodsy appearances in many dishes, and beets and capers gives the requisite burger added zing. Desserts aren’t afterthoughts, a parfait constructed of Kahlua flavored ice cream studded with bits of Dajm (a Swedish candy similar to Skor) and candied lime out-cools faux Nordic Häagen-Dazs, any day.

Izalco
6405 Roosevelt Avenue
718-533-8373
Cross Street: Between 64th and 65th streets

Pupusas are quintessentially Salvadoran, and this whimsically decorated Woodside restaurant serves wonderful examples. Take in pictures of the namesake volcano and clay-tiled indoor roof inhabited by fake iguanas and an armadillo while trying the stuffed, grilled corn cakes. Choose from chicharron, cheese, frijoles or revuelta, a mix of all three. Curtido, a pickled cabbage slaw (sometimes available with papaya), thin, lightly spiced tomato sauce and a bottle of Suprema beer are necessary accompaniments. This isn’t light fare; easily sharable meat-based entrees are served with rice, beans, cheese, sweet plantains and corn tortillas. Simple and satisfying res con salpicon, beef soup, is a weekend favorite.

 

La Bonne Soupe
48 W 55th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-586-7650). Subway:. Average main dish: $13. AmEx, DC, MC, V.

This midtown bistro is full of French country charm (red-and-white-checked tablecloths, exposed beams, waitstaff with accents). The clientele is perhaps less authentic: shoppers, out-of-towners and solo-dining old-timers. Cheese fondue, quiche, crêpes and omelettes are satisfying, but the raison d’être is, of course, the namesake bonne soupe. Whether you’re in the mood for classic cheese-topped French onion or smooth and creamy tomato andalouse, you can get your bowlful à la carte, or as a prix fixe meal with bread, salad, an unmemorable dessert and even a glass of house wine for just $13.95.

Pravda
281 Lafayette St between Prince and Houston Sts (212-226-4944) Subway:. Average main dish: $16. AmEx, DC, MC, V.

The staircase opens into a cavernous subterranean brasserie that almost resembles a Cold War–era movie set. Everything is just so: a cement ceiling, riveted metal, stainless-steel toilet seats. Stylish couples and the Soho working class sit in curved red banquettes and leather armchairs, sipping from colorful martinis. The bloomin’ onion on the menu may give you pause, but your fears will be laid to rest by snacky Soviet fare like spinach and cheese piroshki and blini with a choice of fish. Smoked sturgeon scattered with dill and accompanied by a dollop of crème fraîche is a toothsome choice. Caviar is, of course, found in various guises, including an unorthodox application atop smoked-salmon pizza. Sturdier eaters can choose chicken Kiev or beef goulash. The bracingly bourgeois molten chocolate cake is hard to say nyet to.

Remi
145 W. 53d St between Sixth and Seventh Aves (212-581-4242). Subway:. Average main dish: $24. AmEx, DC, MC, V.

Deep-black risotto, colored by squid cooked in its own ink, is a typical Venetian dish, and it’s frequently a special here. But the lively, playful space—designed by architect Adam Tihany—is your first clue that Remi isn’t too bound by tradition. Chef Francesco Antonucci’s cichetti (Italian tapas), presented in whimsical angular plates, include fried stuffed olives and marinated octopus. His tuna-filled ravioli is a classic, and gnocchi with baby goat is spiked with olives and artichoke hearts. Semifreddo and gelato grace the dessert menu, but why be predictable? Choose the chocolate-banana tart.

Latina.com Local Lowdown

809 Sangria Bar & Grill
112 Dyckman Street
212-304-3800
Cross Street: Between Post and Nagle avenues
www.809restaurant.com

809 owner Cirilo Moronta is banking that Inwood is ready for an upscale take on Caribbean classics. The clubby restaurant, named for the DR´s area code, borrows from more than Santo Domingo. Dainty arepas topped with a trio of shredded chicken, pork picadillo and ropa vieja are among recommended starters. The seafood-heavy menu includes the show stopping pargo relleno, a whole red snapper stuffed with seafood risotto and a lightly spiced coconut-tomato sauce. The mix and match churrascaria will appeal to carnivores who want to choose their cut of meat, side and sauce. The pulsing upstairs lounge going strong Thursday through Sunday draws crowds. If you´re looking for a quieter meal, head downstairs—on a recent weeknight, a prime ivory leather corner banquette was filled with a family, newborn and toddlers in tow, proving that you don´t need to be famous to get the VIP treatment.

Alma Grill
134 East 48th Street
212-593-8387
Cross Street: Between Lexington and Third Avenue

Alma Grill is the handiwork of music mogul Ralph Mercado yet isn’t strictly Latin American in style. Cream tones, rich brown accents and metal beaded curtains give the impression of a tasteful hotel, which makes sense since the stylish restaurant is attached to a Midtown Radisson and primarily serves its guests. Luckily, the food rises above corporate blandness and should attract a broader clientele. Guaranteed favorites like steak frites and roast chicken are available but creative flair can be found in tuna glazed with rum and served with citrus salsa and quinoa salad, as well as lobster ceviche punched up with Thai chiles and passion fruit. Don’t pass up the Alma trio, showcasing of mini versions of crème brule, coconut flan and buttermilk panna cotta.

Barzola
197 Meserole Avenue
718-381-4343
Cross Street: Between Humboldt Street and Bushwick Avenue

This mirrored to the max Ecuadorian eatery on a residential Bushwick avenue bustles, even in the traditionally Puerto Rican enclave. The seaport city of Guayaquil is represented by a ceviche-heavy menu. Deep bowls of octopus, shrimp or black clams (when they’re available) swim in a blush-colored soup of lime juice tangled with tomatoes, onions and cilantro. The broth is a reputed hangover cure, though if you order Pilsener, the national beer, the healthy properties might be counteracted. Humitas—sweet, cornhusk wrapped cheese and corn tamale—are a welcome change from also popular starches: rice and plantains.

Bonita
338 Bedford Avenue
718-384-9500
Cross Street: Between South 2nd and 3rd streets
Bonita has been given the Williamsburg treatment. By retaining the original retro charm of a former Latin eatery, and keeping the subway tiles, counter stools and glowing comida criollas sign intact, Mexican food has been made hip. The menu is short and sweet, focusing on tacos and burritos. Daily specials like guajillo roasted pork shouldn’t be ignored, though. Guacamole mashed in a molcajete the size of a wash tub, and Baja-style fried fish tacos with chile mayonnaise have won over locals. And the three table salsas: verde, chipotle and pico de gallo, are all fresher and spicier than you might expect in this Brooklyn enclave.
Buenos Aires
513 E. Sixth Street
212-228-2775
Cross Street: Between avenues A and B

Argentinean beef is what´s for dinner at this often-packed East Village steakhouse. Diners can choose from eight different cuts of grilled meat or make like a hungry gaucho and order the parrillada teeming with sweetbreads, short ribs, skirt steak, kidneys and two types of sausage. Vegetables are offered in the form of perfectly crisped french fries, ensalada rusa—a potato salad with green peas, carrots and mayonnaise—and baked spinach and cheese empanadas. South American wine is an obvious choice, though a bottle of Quilmes beer feels right when soccer matches are being broadcast on overhead televisions.

El Castillo de Jagua
113 Rivington Street
212-982-6412
Cross Street: Between Essex and Ludlow streets

Savor a rapidly disappearing segment of the Lower East Side at this Dominican stalwart. Florescent lights, linoleum, big portions and low prices are all part of the package. Old timers huddle over steaming bowls of hearty sancocho at the counter while the occasional newcomer stops in for a Cuban sandwich and a bottle of Presidente. Early birds can have mangú for breakfast: the mashed plantains are served with eggs, fried cheese and salami or a gut-busting combination of all three. Just like an old-fashioned diner, coconut and chocolate cakes are displayed on covered glass pedestals near the cash register.

Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen
54 Seventh Avenue
718-230-7700
Cross Street: Between Lincoln and St. Johns places

This diminutive Park Slope restaurant that opened in early 2007 boldly states, “We are not a Mexican restaurant.” Instead, they’ve declared their allegiance to the regional cuisine of Oaxaca, which translates to rich, complex moles in three styles: negro, verde and coloradito. All can be applied to chicken breast, stewed pork or grilled vegetables. The classic thick, burnished negro mole contains over twelve ingredients, including chocolate, sesame seeds and plantains. In their effort to strive for authenticity, ancient beverages like champurrado, a warm corn and chocolate concoction, is offered, and guacamole is optionally served topped with fried chapulin—yes, grasshoppers!

Citrus
320 Amsterdam Avenue
212-595-0500
Cross Street: 75th Street
www.citrusnyc.com/citrus/citrus.html

Latin and Japanese food smoothly co-exist at this cavernous Upper West Side restaurant washed with orange accents. If it’s too tough to choose between shrimp fajitas or tempura, the ultimate roll combination is the perfect compromise. Raw fish is paired with mango, avocados and bananas, wrapped in seaweed and served with spicy dipping sauces like creamy wasabi, chipotle and scallion soy. Dessert can be skipped in lieu of a key lime pie cocktail composed of Absolut vanilla, pineapple and lime juice in a sugar-rimmed glass.

 

Flor’s Kitchen
170 Waverly Place
212-229-9926
Cross Street: Between Sixth and Seventh avenues
florskitchen.com

Venezuelan food is scarce in the city, and fading fast—Flor’s Kitchen shuttered their East Village location in February 2007. The surviving cozy bi-level West Village spot is a diverse and date-friendly nook. Start with quintessential arepas or simply make a light meal out of the stuffed corn cakes. Substantial dishes like pabellón criollo, saucy shredded meat served with maduros and black beans, are also available. Cachapas, sweet, gooey, corn-studded pancakes topped with melted paisa cheese are worth the estimated 15-minute wait.

Gonzalez y Gonzalez
625 Broadway
212-473-8787
Cross Street: Between West Houston and Bleecker streets

Sure, this impossible-to-miss cantina is cheesy figuratively and literally, but sometimes you’re in the mood for nachos, neon lights and a giant sombrero. Avoid the pricey guacamole and stick to Mexican-American favorites like carne asada burritos, enchiladas suizas or decadent drinking snacks like jalapeño kisses, cheese and shrimp stuffed poppers wrapped in bacon. Gonzalez y Gonzalez boasts NYC’s longest bar—margaritas are almost standard issue on every table. The festive décor and biweekly salsa lessons draw crowds from nearby NYU, as well as the Angelika Film Center around the corner.

Itzocan Bistro
1575 Lexington Avenue
212-423-0255
Cross Street: 101st Street

In 2004, brothers Anselmo and Fermin Bello parlayed their behind-the-scenes cooking talent into their own ambitious Mexican-French restaurant, incongruously placed in Spanish Harlem. The shoebox-sized corner bistro romances couples with a candlelit vibe featuring folk art, Frida Kahlo paintings and, oddly, an ’80s greatest hits soundtrack. Unctuous goat cheese flan spiked with jalapeño and epazote, spicy seafood pozole, rich with oregano, hominy, mussels, firm snapper and jumbo shell-on shrimp, exemplifies their Franco-Hispanic style. And their desserts, like the tequila chocolate cake with brown sugar ice cream, are reason enough to squeeze your way into this welcome addition to the neighborhood.

Izalco
6405 Roosevelt Avenue
718-533-8373
Cross Street: Between 64th and 65th streets

Pupusas are quintessentially Salvadoran, and this whimsically decorated Woodside restaurant serves wonderful examples. Take in pictures of the namesake volcano and clay-tiled indoor roof inhabited by fake iguanas and an armadillo while trying the stuffed, grilled corn cakes. Choose from chicharron, cheese, frijoles or revuelta, a mix of all three. Curtido, a pickled cabbage slaw (sometimes available with papaya), thin, lightly spiced tomato sauce and a bottle of Suprema beer are necessary accompaniments. This isn’t light fare; easily sharable meat-based entrees are served with rice, beans, cheese, sweet plantains and corn tortillas. Simple and satisfying res con salpicon, beef soup, is a weekend favorite.

 

Malagueta
25-35 36th Avenue
718-937-4821
Cross Street: 28th Street

Show up early for Malagueta´s Saturday-only feijoada, the Brazilian national dish of stewed black beans, pork, sausage, ribs and bacon served with collard greens and farofa (toasted manioc flour)—it frequently sells out before dinner time. This candlelit white tablecloth café on a quiet Astoria corner melds the tropical moqueca de camarao, a Bahian-style shrimp stew with palm oil, peppers and coconut milk, with dishes you wouldn´t expect on the streets of São Paulo, like lombo de porco, pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes and bacon vinaigrette. For a sweet finale, chocolate mousse is just as popular as manjar, their coconut pudding.

Margon
136 West 46th Street
212-354-5013
Cross Street: Between Sixth and Seventh avenues
www.margonrestaurant.com

Midtown’s Cuban-style, Dominican-run holdout hasn’t changed in years. Three brown vinyl stools facing three foil-wrapped sandwich presses greet you as you squeeze into the entryway. A long row of steam tables filled with a changing roster of daily specials stretches out to the left. Lunchtime hordes line up for aluminum containers of pernil or tripe with rice and beans, but the star might be the toasty sandwiches Cubanos: roasted pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles and mustard are warmed and flattened into compact torpedoes and the inclusion of unorthodox salami slices add extra oomph.

Mojito
82 Washington Avenue
718-797-3100
Cross Street: Between Park and Flushing avenues
mojitocubancuisine.net

Housed in the ground floor of luxury lofts on a gritty block near Brooklyn’s Navy Yard, Mojito seems deliciously out of place. A Cuban cigar box motif blends with the exposed pipes, cement floor industrial-chic, and attracts Clinton Hill denizens and Pratt students in droves. The freebie garlic bread with three piquant dipping sauces promises good things to come. Gently priced ropa vieja and chuletas don’t disappoint, though a less conventional entrée-sized mojito churrasco salad overflowing with grilled chicken, mango, white cheese, avocados, tomatoes and fried onions is a satisfying alternative for the rice and bean averse. Tumbler-sized mojitos are powerful: you’ve got fifteen—yep, 15—different rums to choose from!

Palo Santo
652 Union Street
718-636-6311
Cross Street: Between 4th and 5th avenues
www.palosanto.us

Occupying the ground floor of a Park Slope brownstone, Palo Santo exudes folksy chic. Chunky wooden furniture, colorful mosaics and Andean murals lend a handcrafted touch, while the inventive food also carries a personal imprint. Half-Haitian chef and owner Jacques Gautier melds Caribbean and South American flavors into an ever-changing collection of dishes that are prepared in an open kitchen flanked by bar seating (patrons in these perches can order a $45 chef´s tasting menu). Expect things like seafood asopado, a soupy rice, and obscure herbs that might give a botanist pause. Duck medallions in mole sauce are accompanied with a black bean-topped corn cake graced with fronds of Mexican papalo and pepicha. Don´t forget a full wallet—the establishment is cash only.

Pardo’s
92 Seventh Avenue South
212-488-3900
Cross Street: Between Grove and Barrow streets

Peruvian chicken chains are nothing new in NYC, but this West Village poultry purveyor is the only one straight out of Lima. To the delight of homesick South Americans, the first U.S. outpost opened in December 2006 and has been doing brisk business with all nationalities. Marinated in 14 secret ingredients (likely including indigenous huacatay), pollo brasa is unquestionably the main attraction. Tacu tacu, rice and bean croquettes, yuquitas, yucca fries and knobby Inca corn on the cob are choice sides, and tiny ramekins of mayonnaise and pale yellow aji sauce arrive as dips. Brave souls should investigate anticuchos, grilled beef heart slices on skewers. A list of cocktails is worth a look, from traditional frothy pisco sour to the thoroughly modern Piscopolitan.

Pasita
47 Eighth Avenue
212-255-3900
Cross Street: Between Horatio and Jane Streets
www.pasitanyc.com

The glowing wood-fired oven is a focal point in this welcoming West Village wine bar decorated with dangling lamps and swank decades-old Spanish magazine ads. Thin, charred-edge pizzas topped with ropa vieja and manchego or shredded chicken and crema fresca might belie Pasita´s South American roots, but Venezuelan tapas called pasapalos also complement the reasonably priced list of South American and Spanish vino. Red pepper and cumin-covered cheese puffs, tequeños or arepitas, mini corn cakes with guasacaca (an avocado salsa) and nata cheese pair up nicely with a glass of fruity Zolo Malbec from Argentina.

Pio Pio
264 Cypress Avenue
718-401-3300
Cross Street: Between East 138th and 139th streets

The Bronx branch of one of NYC’s favorite Peruvian pollo specialists is an airy Mott Haven escape. Lilting acoustic guitar and saffron colored walls decorated with Incan glyphs attract extended families that linger over the generous matador combo. The plates just keep on coming, along with a whole rotisserie chicken and a delicious green mayo-based chile dipping sauce. Expect a whirlwind of rice and beans, avocado salad, tostones and salchipapas, a loco mix of french fries and frankfurters. (Why didn’t anyone think of that before?!) Earthenware pitchers of fruit-laden sangria complete the well-rounded meal.

Real Azteca
1013 E. 163rd Street
718-860-1566
Cross Street: Between Simpson Street and Southern Boulevard

This tiny Hunts Point taqueria could easily go unnoticed, and since it’s not in a particularly Mexican neighborhood, traditions aren’t strictly adhered to. Atypical items like shredded lettuce and tomato come default on tacos and hamburgers are even on the menu. But the griddle filled to capacity with quesadillas is a tip-off to their specialty: Tortillas are crafted from fresh masa and pressed before your eyes. Fillings include mushrooms, huitlacoche or chile strips and are held together with melted muenster cheese. Real Azteca’s owners hail from Michoacán in southern Mexico, and their weekends-only birria, a spicy goat stew, is a hallmark of the region.

Sabrosura
1200 Castle Hill Avenue
718-597-1344
Cross Street: Gleason Avenue
www.sabrosurarestaurant.com

Bronx accents mingle with Spanish and Chinese at this nautically themed Castle Hill institution. As Chino-Latino joints dwindle, this crowd pleaser keeps churning out old-school fusion like avocado adorned chofan, chicharron and chicken studded fried rice. Plantains and yucca get equal billing as lo mein and linguini on the laminated picture menu. Inventions such as inside-out mofongo—formed into a bowl shape and filled with creole-sauced meat or seafood—are the result of owner Nelson Ng´s seven years in the Dominican Republic.

Salud! Restaurant & Bar
142 Beekman Street
212-566-2220
Cross Street: Front Street

Lazily whirling ceiling fans, plantation blinds, and congas in the corner might make you forget that you´re steps away from the South Street Seaport. This slice of Miami on the East River draws hungry shoppers and an after work crowd seeking mojitos and Pan-Latino tapas. Artfully plated tasting portions of maduros filled with spicy beef and Monterey jack, Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche and lobster tacos are snacky options, while full-sized entrees like seafood paella and grilled Argentinean skirt steak will satisfy larger appetites. Live Cuban jazz fills the small, multi-tiered space on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

San Antonio Bakery #2
36-20 Astoria Boulevard
718-777-8733
Cross Street: 37th Street
www.panaderiachilena.com

Owner Ruben Guzman, is practically Astoria’s ambassador to everything Chilean. Everyone receives a warm welcome, even if there’s not a South American bone in their body. Substantial, baked empanadas filled with chopped beef, green olives, raisins and hard boiled egg are a good starting point. Completos, hot dogs topped with avocado, sauerkraut, mayonnaise and tomatoes are presented on a little red plastic stand and can be found on nearly every table. Lomitos and churrascos, pork and beef sandwiches come with similar toppings on chewy freshly baked rolls. The front glass case is lined with dulce de leche treats like alfajores, meringue covered cookies. Don’t forget to try a can of Pap, a Chilean papaya soda. If you’re curious where San Antonio #1 is—that’s in Long Island, where all of the baking is done.

 

Sofrito
400 East 57th Street
212-754-5999

When you consider that in New York, finding Puerto Rican fare that’s not served from steam tables at a lunch counter is rare, you’ll soon realize that the moderately-priced sit-down restaurant Sofrito is quite unique. When you consider that it’s restaurateur Jimmy Rodriguez’s latest venture, it makes perfect sense. Jimmy brings glitz, punchy cocktails and sweeping chic to an otherwise subdued Sutton Place street. Flaky pastelitos are a great way to start, and since you can choose beef, chicken, shrimp or vegetable fillings, no one’s left out. Boricua delights have been prettied up and the mariscos are irresistible. Try the creamy seafood stew teeming with shrimp, crab legs and served with tostones on the side or the crispy red snapper bulging with coconut rice stuffing.

Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine
73 New Street
212-809-7755
Cross Street: Between Beaver Street and Exchange Place
www.sophiescuban.com

A Peruvian family, the Lunas, have modernized the classic Latin lunch counter into a successful chain—their fifth location opened March 2007 in midtown. Sophie’s filling and reasonably priced beans and rice combos appeal to all strata of office workers, it’s nearly impossible to snag a seat between noon and 2 pm and the take-out line is consistently long. The unmistakable scent of roasted pork wafts onto the sidewalk, and must be the reason why the pernil is a menu mainstay, Monday through Friday. Other specials like stewed goat and oxtails are only available select days of the week. Cubanos are also a hit and a quick snack can be made of the fried empanadas displayed in the window.

 

Tacos Matamoros
4503 Fifth Avenue
718-871-7627
Cross Street: Between 45th and 46th streets

Sunset Park is teeming with taquerias, and Tacos Matamoros is a Fifth Avenue favorite. Jukebox ballads serenade families and couples in the sparsely-furnished dining room. Pint-sized tacos are only a buck a pop, so take advantage and experiment with fillings! Pork al pastor sliced from the twirling spit is a stand out, but don’t shy away from tripa or lengua. Hearty tortas and cemitas are safe bets and simple platters of grilled bistec with tomato-speckled rice and cotija-sprinked beans are satisfying. You won´t find cervezas on the menu, but sweet horchata and tangy tamarindo are on tap.

Tapeo 29
29 Clinton Street
212-979-0002
Cross Street: Stanton Street
www.tapeo29.com

What’s a wine bar without snacks? Tapeo 29, secluded behind a heavy unmarked door on a Lower East Side corner, provides tasting flights of wine with appropriate Spanish accompaniments. After choosing between red or white, you’ll be given three generous glasses and an equal amount of cheeses or tapas. Your wedges might include murcia, a goat cheese with a wine-soaked rind, smoky idiazabal and sharp cheddar-like mahon. Tapas range from simple olives and grilled garlic shrimp to bacon-wrapped dates and chorizo braised in cider. Diners can sit at the prominent U-shaped bar or share tables against the brick walls of the dimly-lit room.

 

Tierras Colombianas
8218 Roosevelt Avenue
718-426-8868
Cross Street: Between 82nd and 83rd streets

Jackson Heights has Colombian options galore, but this roomy, booth-only diner can almost guarantee that no one leaves hungry: its speciality, Bandeja campesina, is a quick introduction to the cuisine and practically serves as breakfast, lunch and dinner in one! An oval platter barely manages to contain layers of steak, sweet plantains, soupy red beans, white rice, strip of chicharron, arepa, eggs sunny-side up and avocado slices. Daintier options include soups of the day like Saturday’s chicken or Wednesday’s ox tail served with an arepa. Frothy fruit batidos are refreshing and lulo (similar to an orange) is muy Colombiano.

Ureña
37 East 28th Street
212-213-2328
Cross Street: Between Park and Madison avenues
urena-nyc.com

In early 2006 Dominican chef-owner Alex Ureña opened his avant-garde Spanish namesake in the Flatiron district. The narrow room draped in hushed cream, brown and burnt sienna tones attracts upscale clientele and foodies seeking creative flavor pairings. Texturas de foie gras is a decadent triple threat. Paté is presented wonton style with plum puree, in a terrine with cocoa and chocolate and mixed with yogurt and currants in a tiny cup. Cubes of glistening suckling pig crown wilted lettuce and shiitakes and are surrounded by green apple puree and truffle sauce in the cochinillo confitado. Sparkling cava makes perfect sense with the elegantly quirky fare.

La Vuelta
10-43 44th Drive
718-361-1858
Cross Street: Between 10th and 11th streets
www.lavueltabistro.com

This Latino bistro is literally a beacon on an otherwise desolate stretch in Long Island City. Reasonably priced lunches appeal to nearby Citibank workers, but at night things get more ambitious. Local art enhances the brick walls, DJs play world beats and deep house on Friday nights and their garden patio is a warm-weather option. Country-hop with Argentinean skirt steak with mashed potatoes and chimichurri salsa or tropical grilled shrimp with coconut rice and pineapple jalapeño mojo. Brazilian cahaça-laced caipirinhas go along with nearly everything.

Near-Ancient History

NYPost-logo

Stand and Deliver
Guide to the Red Hook ball field vendors, plus how to eat a mango Latino-style

Food of the Mayans
Discovering culinary treats from Southern and Central America

 ‘Dog’ Days
Where to find South American hot dogs (part of a summer food guide) 

Some Like it Hot
A sample of the best spicy sauces on the shelf–from mild to positively volcanic

Real-deal Meals
Don’t get conned by counterfeit Latin cuisine, try these bona-fried feasts 

Strange Brew
This new Mexican concoction is creating quite a “buzz”

Gotta Empanada
The Latino turnover moves away from meat fillings

Pecking Order
A battle of the best Latin birds

latinalogo

Local Lowdown (restaurant reviews)

tony

 Time Out New York Eating & Drinking Guide

Writing Samples: Digital Marketing

Krista Garcia has been covering the retail and digital commerce industry for over a decade and produces data-heavy blog posts, articles, reports, white papers, and webinars with keen analysis.

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Reports
(Full reports are subscription-only)

Luxury Ecommerce Worldwide: A Slow and Steady Shift to Digital

Conversational Commerce 2017: Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

Articles

The Next Frontier for Sales: Voice-Assisted Commerce

Time-Starved US Consumers Spending More on Eating Out than on Groceries

US Diners Are Receptive to Self-Service Technologies

Podcasts

Five Mobile Commerce Predictions for 2017

 

Where I’ve Been Quoted

Marketplace
Walmart Partners with Google to Enable Voice-Activated Shopping at Home

The Washington Post
Walmart and Google are plotting to change your shopping habits

Wired
Google and Walmart’s Big Bet Against Amazon Might Just Pay Off

The San Diego Union-Tribune
This Company is Helping Best Buy, Macy’s and PetSmart Compete with Amazon
In Test, Walmart Employees Moonlight as Delivery Drivers

WWD
Facebook to Test ‘Shopping’ Section
Amazon to Top Macy’s as Largest Apparel Retailer in the U.S.

Bloomberg
Apple’s Failed Retail Revolution: Beacons Still Won’t Be Big on Black Friday
China Shops Alibaba for U.S. Goods From Toothbrushes to Nuts
Gamestop to J.C. Penney Shut Facebook Stores

Digiday
Social Platform Buy Buttons Fail to Catch On
How Madewell Became J.Crew’s Golden Goose

SFGate
Facebook Helps Small Businesses With Ads

Star Tribune
Supermarkets Add Digital Coupons, but Response Has Been Tepid

The New York Times
After Carriers Falter, Questions for Web Shopping
Hey, How Did You Find That Place?
Small Retailers Open Up Storefronts on Facebook Pages

Reuters
Reddit Reaches for Profits Through a Geek-Culture Bazaar

The Wall Street Journal
Clorox Using Facebook to Woo Customers

Daily Finance
‘Like’ This Blouse? New Clothes Hangers Display Facebook Likes

Portland Business Journal
The Clymb Reaches New Heights

 

Eaten, Barely Blogged: Good Burger, Bad Burger, BBQ

elm brunch trio

At The Elm there were a lot of empty tables during the brunch Sunday (and I was still told preemptively  that I couldn’t be seated until my full party showed up, even though I didn’t ask to). What gives? I’ve generally considered myself as a member of the opposition in the war on brunch, but I wanted to try that burger. It’s two dollars cheaper during brunch ($16) than dinner , which I suppose is pricey (remember when $12 burgers used to spazz people out?) but more than ok because it’s one of those special, thick, aged like a steak patties, medium-rare without asking, juicy enough to soak through the bottom of the brioche bun if you chit chat too much while eating. The dinner menu says white cheddar while the brunch one says comte–whether different meals actually demand different cheeses or if the two menus are out of synch is a good question. Frankly, I don’t even remember the cheese because the meat blend was so dominant. The pickled onions and tomato confit were a nice touch, though. The fries were real fries (see below) which is the best one can hope for. You could also have an omelet or lobster benedict.

red robin western bbq burger

Red Robin I hate to say this as a chain apologist, but Red Robin is just sort of off. Both of my adult experiences, the latest being at the new Staten Island mall location to visit the recently opened Uniqlo and to take advantage of a housewarming gift card (thanks, by the way) for the house I no longer live in, have done nothing to persuade me. (Last time there was glitter in my ice.) In every way, it’s the anti-Elm burger. You can’t have it cooked less than medium and it doesn’t matter because the patty is too thin anyway. The bun and toppings are all you taste, and this particular burger comes with mayonnaise despite already being dressed with bbq sauce, which shouldn’t be allowed. The most distressing aspect of this restaurant’s M.O., though, is the bottomless fries premise because they’re steak fries and what kind of monster could or would want to serving after serving of soft, mealy potato slabs? When considering this offering, paying $6.50 more at The Elm feels like a true bargain. I did like the pretzel bites with cheese sauce even if they tasted inexplicably like peanut butter.

rookery scotch eggThe Rookery Even as New Nordic flourishes seep into all corners of the culinary world, gastropubs persist. I managed to eat two scotch egg renditions in a single week without even realizing it (more on Alder, which I’m not calling a gastropub, later).  More pub than gastro, The Rookery has a small menu with West Indian tweaks like curried goat in the shepherd’s pie and oxtail used for sloppy joes, however the egg is fairly straightforward with some bitter greens for balance. Order it and the sweet and sour brussels sprouts (with the rashers, of course) which are spicy more than sweet or sour.

Hometown Bar-B-Q It could’ve been the lateness (is 9:30pm late?) or the brutal chill (it was coat-wearing temperature even in the restaurant) but I was surprised by the lack of patrons on a weeknight. The brisket was very good, both crusty and just fatty enough to freak out the lean brisket-lovers (I know you exist, but why?). I wish I had ordered more of the beef than the pork ribs because a pound is a lot for two people, pink with a perfect smoke ring or not.  I’ve never been able to capture bbq adequately with a smartphone; the all-brown food is always set atop a brown piece of paper on a tray that’s on a brown wood table, creating a dark reddish mud-toned photo that only a Martha Stewart would be comfortable sharing online.

 

 

That’s BREE-osh to You

According to USA Today, unlike those white bread boomers, millennials are demanding “unconventional bread options” for their burgers, and fast food chains are happy to comply.

“For those who can’t pronounce the word, it’s BREE-osh, a light, slightly sweet French bread that’s made with milk, eggs and a rich yeast dough.”

The beauty of being part of a generation that slacked so hard we ceased to exist, at least to marketers, is that no one gives a rat’s ass if I eat my burger on a multigrain bun, Hawaiian bread bun, chipotle-studded bun, pretzel bun or even on brioche, however the youngsters pronounce it.

“Millennials need to have something that says who they are — uniquely them. The more unique the better — hold the raisins.”

I could also eat raisin bread and not let it define me. Or maybe even Craisins, a dried, sweetened cranberry introduced by Ocean Spray in 1993, likely to target boomer moms rather than Gen Xers hitting their peak sell-to-me years. Craisins are pronounced like cranberry minus the ranberry plus raisin.

 

))<>((

While the Time debacle was sucking up everybody’s attention yesterday, a most important (highly unrelated) tidbit was overlooked: the teen from Me and You and Everyone We Know is a chef?

Allumette

As beautiful as the food at Alumette looks, I would have a hard time not thinking of pooping back and forth forever while eating it.

 

Photo: Tasting Table

The Week in International Intrigue: Ping Pong, Pizza Hat, Philly Steaks

mash donald's

Remember when Susan Sarandon got all into ping pong and opened SPiN with her super-young boyfriend? Now Dubai is having that experience, but with gold-plated tables, naturally.

Those ping-pongers will soon be able to brunch at Clinton Street Baking Company too.

Iranians are master fast food appropriators.

Johnny Rockets has been in Kuwait for 18 years and is continuing its Mideast expansion.

What does anyone know about Belgian food beyond fries and waffles? Soon enough New Yorkers will find out when healthy fast-casual EKKi  shows up in Manhattan. Based on the Facebook page, there will be farro, bowtie pasta and couscous.

Charleys Philly Steaks wants to fill “a void in the Russian market for quality, grilled sandwiches.”

Americans love Costa Rica so it’s not really surprising that the country would get a few Dairy Queens.

Photo: niacinsight.com via Buzzfeed

Cerveceria Havemeyer

twoshovelFor me, Cerveceria Havemeyer, newborn kin of La Superior, has been a bit of a lifesaver.  It fills the same super-close, crowd-pleasing (who doesn’t like Mexican food and margaritas?) free seats on a weekend night niche as Taco Chulo, but with better food and music (someone really likes Thee Oh Sees and The Walkmen).

For you, I don’t know? I would say that if you happened to be in Williamsburg and wanted a good sit-down taco al pastor and a strong drink, this would meet, and maybe even exceed your needs. (The now permanent Brooklyn Taco pop-up inside of Donna also thrives in this Williamsburg-Mex genre, but with more emphasis on the cocktail side and fewer menu options.)

cerveceria haveymeyer taco al pastor

Carne asada and tinga are fine standards, but lesser cuts are sorely lacking in the immediate area. So, in addition to the recommended spit-roasted
pork, it’s nice to see cheeks, tongues and skin also put to use (eaten, but not pictured).

cerveceria haveymeyer volcan

Volcanes are tostadas blanketed in melted cheese (the lava?). Rajas work for that vegetarian friend, but meats can be piled on instead.

cerveceria haveymeyer aguachile

The masa-avoidant can have aguachiles (and ignore the accompanying basket of tortilla chips) which are a less lime-marinated ceviche. The shrimp version with truly raw seafood, no firming or pinkening, was powerfully spicy.

cerveceria haveymeyer margarita & chicharones de harina

It’s also fine to just drink and snack on the free (bottomless, as they say in the Red Robin world) chicharrones de harina, Puffed wheat
wagon wheels striped with hot sauce and served with lime wedges. The $12 margaritas (classic, guava, hibiscus, tamarind) are really two drinks in one. Half sizes are available for half the price.

Cerveceria Havemeyer * 149 Havemeyer St., Brooklyn, NY