Freemans

Freeman Alley (off Rivington b/w Bowery & Christie)

Dear New York,

Please keep surprising me with your hidden little gems.

Love,

NYCFOODIE17

Nestled at the end of Freeman Alley off Rivington is a cute American eatery called Freemans. The place is virtually hidden from public view. I discovered the restaurant while walking around the Lower East Side one morning and made it my primary objective to eat there immediately.

Saturday afternoon, my dream was realized as I arrived at Freemans 30 minutes before 4pm, the cutoff time for Brunch. The place was packed but I scored a table within 5 minutes.

I started off with a latte and an artichoke dip for an appetizer.

For my entrée, I ordered their version of Eggs Florentine, featuring eggs and spinach in a skillet topped with gruyere cheese, served with buttered sourdough bread. I ordered a side of cheesy grits and gave my sausage links (came with meal) to my dining companion; he ordered chip steak served with eggs on a baguette.

Everything from the latte, to the artichoke dip, to the butterscotch bananas foster with salted caramel ice cream for dessert (I couldn’t resist), was delish. My cup of sugar with splashes of expresso and steamed milk, I mean latte, was literally one of the best I have had in the city; so good, I nearly got one to go the following morning.

The gruyere cheese served with my main dish was a first for me. It had a pungent odor but meshed well with eggs and sourdough bread. However, I doubt I would order it again simply because the smell was a little much.

There is an intriguing cocktail menu worth checking out, possibly on a repeat visit when I need to impress out-of-towners with my knowledge of hidden eateries.

The restaurant specializes in “Rustic American Cuisine” and definitely has the same vibe; think part hunting lodge, part Connecticut home. There is taxidermy on the walls, slightly disturbing but not overwhelming as several other places in the city.

It is on the pricey side, but so are most places in Manhattan.


DAMAGE ~60
VERDICT: Go

Sticky Rice

85 Orchard St

A Thai eatery in Manhattan that’s BYOB…Where do I sign up?

I hit up a Lower East Side Thai eatery called Sticky Rice Friday evening in celebration of its BYOB policy and reasonable prices.

To begin, I ordered 2 appetizers: vegetarian dumplings and fried tofu, each served with their own sauces. For the main dish, I ordered a low-carb vegetarian pad thai on special (more on this later) along with sides of sticky rice and corn on the cob to compliment the meal.

The vegetarian dumplings were delish, the sauces pairing nicely. However, the fried tofu was not. I questioned if they came from the same kitchen or whether the server thought we ordered dry bread because that’s what it tasted like.

Did you know you can have pad thai without noodles? You can when it’s low-carb. I was shocked and slightly disappointed when my dish arrived sans rice noodles. Now that I think of it, the menu tricked me. Nowhere was there any mention of pad thai without the signature ingredient. This is when you say, “Umm, hello? Low-carb? What did you expect?”

Whatever. The items listed in the description—egg, tofu, mushrooms, asparagus—were too good to pass up. The lesson learned here is ask before ordering.

Overall, the food was good, especially the corn on the cob. My companion brought a bottle of Riesling, which paired nicely with everything.

Sticky Rice is worth checking out, if nothing else but for the prices. $41 for everything we ordered felt like a crime. Make sure you bring a bottle when the menu fools you like it did me.

By the way, they serve green rice.


DAMAGE ~41
VERDICT: Go, but beware of menu.

Smörgås Chef (Dinner)

283 W 12th St

I tried; I really did. I’m open minded. People and places deserve second chances, right?

Several weeks ago, I was contacted by the chef of the tiny Scandinavian restaurant, Smörgås Chef. He found my brunch review unfair and offered me a $50 gift card to try again.

Despite my reservations about revisiting the same place twice and my initial experience leading to the unfavorable review, I gave it another go. On a Friday evening, I invited DeeScreenWriter and a colleague to join me for dinner at the West Village eatery.

We were seated in a cozy booth shortly after we arrived. So far, so good. Then I glanced at the dinner menu and things started to get rough.

For the record, I don’t know the first thing about Scandinavian cuisine, nor have I visited the northern European region. However, I imagine there is more than rice and veggie burgers for vegetarians to eat.

Not at Smörgås Chef. Whereas, for brunch I had a plethora of options to choose from, for dinner I had 2; risotto with mushrooms, asparagus, and balsamic vinegar or a standard vegetarian burger. I chose the risotto.

There was nothing spectacular about my rice. I could easily have made it myself, which was disappointing considering the length the chef went to accommodate me. I do not recall what meat dishes my dinner companions ordered, but know they both enjoyed their entrees.

Pluses for the evening included the specialty cocktail I ordered (visually and tastefully stimulating) and the intimate atmosphere/décor, different from when I came during Sunday brunch.

For the three of us, the total bill came to around $80. After the gift card, we split the remaining $30 and paid separately. My colleague’s credit card was charged twice, but I later found out the server reversed the double charge. Apparently, he also believed in second chances.

I get that chefs take a lot of pride and enthusiasm in their restaurants; I take a lot of pride and enthusiasm in reviewing them. What I don’t get is why a chef would go thru the trouble to contact me and offer me to come back knowing I am vegetarian and expecting me to be thrilled the second time around. Oh, and the dust on the glass bottle décor I complained about in my initial review was still there.

Overall, Smörgås Chef is a cozy eatery, but the food leaves something to be desired.

In the meantime, I am re-examining my philosophy on second chances…

DAMAGE ~80
VERDICT: PASS

R Bar

218 Bowery

Is it possible to be angry at a bar? Not the bartender, not the doorman, not any particular person, just the bar itself? That is exactly what happened with R Bar and I on Friday night.

I was invited to the Lower East Side lounge to celebrate a mutual friend’s birthday. What I intended to be a semi-enjoyable evening turned out to be anything but. My first encounter with animosity came from the mandatory $2 coat check. Others have said it; now I will shout it:

IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE A COAT CHECK MANDATORY, MAKE SURE IT’S FREE!

I would rather be charged a $2 cover than have to pay a mandatory coat check fee. My initial reaction was to bolt. Unfortunately, because it was not my birthday, I stayed.

My second encounter with animosity came from the music. The DJ was awful, and I’m being nice. I cringe at the thought of the music as I type these words. He/she would play a good song, followed by three bad ones. There are poles but it doesn’t matter because the music kills any desire to dance. I’m usually pretty open when it comes to club music, but I actually found myself pissed off at the DJ. That has NEVER happened before.

The biggest deal breaker came from the crowd. I have not felt so much like a sardine since Thursday nights at Stingers during my university days. To get a picture of how packed it was, imagine Rockefeller Plaza 2 weeks before Christmas. Now replace the tourists with college students…

Highlights for the evening include the awesome wall décor (old rock star icons in black & white); the bartender recalling my current choice cocktail by heart (gin & tonic); and a couple interesting people I met throughout the evening, including the friendly bouncer who watched over our party of drunk and the random people who danced with me on my way out the door.

There are too many other great places in the area. Hold onto your coat and save your money on this one.


DAMAGE ~ $8-11/ avg. per drink
VERDICT: PASS

Raines Law Room

48 W 17th St It’s time I let the cat out of the bag. There are a handful of places around the city I refuse to blog about simply because they are too special, and I rather surprise people personally. Raines Law Room was quickly becoming one of those places. Because the place is brand new (i.e. still off the radar of New Yorkers), I decided it was safe to review.

I have been to Raines Law Room a number of times. The Flatiron speakeasy that opened end of January 2009 might be my favorite bar above 14th Street.

For my most recent visit, my drink companion and I were led to the open kitchen in the back of the bar while we waited for a table to open up. The kitchen features a large island where customers can watch the bartenders work their magic. Since I had tried nearly every gin cocktail on the menu by this time, I chatted up the bartender/mixologist for a recommendation. I told him I was craving berries, lime, and honey. We decided to drop the honey for a more favorable drink he had in mind.

We were seated at a yellow couch near the entrance. 5 minutes later, our drinks arrived. Typically, the drinks are served with popcorn but we ordered a cheese and olive tray instead. I was expecting something slightly fancier than what we received; 2 different kinds of olives served with sharp cheddar cubes. For the price, it was very disappointing.

On the other hand, my drink was fantastic (it always is). I have no idea what the particular concotion was called but know it contained blackberries and gin. I was very impressed. I do not recall what my companion ordered but suspect it contained vodka. He was quite pleased as well.

Pluses:
EVERYTHING
(see host with French accent; knowledgeable bartenders; doorbell entrance; open kitchen; dressing room bathroom with sliding door; cozy Harvard Law School décor; chill atmosphere; background jazz music, etc.)

Minuses:
Olive tray; pricey

I recommend going to Raines Law Room now. Stop reading and go. It opens at 6pm. If it is before 6pm, go stand in front of the door and wait. If it is packed, put your name on the list. The host will call you. I promise. He has my number memorized. Maybe. Probably.

If you are a tourist looking for a nice speakeasy, Raines Law Room is it. Trust me on this one. You will have better luck of getting in than some of the city’s better known speakeasies. Just don’t go when I want to go; I don’t like waiting.

DAMAGE ~ $13/per drink
VERDICT: GO NOW!

White Rabbit

145 E. Houston St

Saturday night, I found myself at a Lower East Side lounge called White Rabbit. I arrived at 10:30 to a half empty venue that filled to standing room only within a couple hours.

WestSideSurfer and I had not seen each other for many months and scored a comfy seat away from the main bar to catch up as much as the evening would allow.

The lounge was your average Manhattan size bar with plush seating lining the wall. My favorite part was the music. The DJ played many old school beats that I rarely hear nowadays. Because I am completely out of the music scene, I appreciated the familiar jams and even caught myself dancing to a few.

On the back wall, a projector displayed old episodes from In Living Color, something I have never seen in a bar. There are three bathrooms, so the wait was never more than a few minutes. White Rabbit also serves food, though I did not notice anyone eating.

I cannot quite put my finger on it, but something was off about the evening. Perhaps it was my watered down gin cocktails, the old In Living Color episodes (I have never watched a full episode in my life nor do I want to), or maybe the crowd (possibly BTCer’s). Whatever it was, the place definitely did not feel like other Lower East establishments in the area.

The coolest thing about White Rabbit is the name. I doubt I will return save for a networking event or something similar.


DAMAGE ~ $8-11/ avg. per drink
VERDICT: PASS

Sueños

311 W 17th St
My first outing with my new foodie friends found me in Chelsea at a Mexican spot called Sueños. Run by executive chef Sue Torres, the restaurant features great food, cute décor, and attentive service but lacked two slightly important factors.

I tried to convince myself our group of eight would not receive preferential treatment, although I knew the deal. My feelings began with the complimentary arrival of cornbread and their house refried bean dip. Mashed refried black beans topped with tomatillo sauce and cilantro made for a delicious starter while we scoured the menu for options.

The majority of us stuck with the $30 pre-fixe menu, served nightly before 7pm. As the only vegetarian at the table, my choices were simple; I had none. For my appetizer, I ordered the only option available to me, guacamole dip with chips and a tortilla.

For my entrée, I convinced the waiter to let me substitute the one vegetarian dish on the regular menu for the pre-fixe, Grilled Vegetable & Goat Cheese Enchiladas topped with Salsa Ranchera.

I had the Guava & Cream Cheese Empanadas for dessert.

From the initial black bean dip to the three bites I managed of my goat cheese enchilada entrée (I was stuffed by this point), everything about the meal was great. The guacamole dip was good, but I dare say mine is better (I have yet to try any dip comparable); the guava empanadas were sweet but not overwhelmingly so; and my enchiladas made a nice lunch the following day.

Despite the fine food, I was slightly disappointed with the menu. While my dining companions were thrilled, I felt slighted at the lack of veggie options. Should I return, I would be forced to order the same Grilled Vegetable & Goat Cheese Enchiladas again. In addition, most Mexican dishes are served with rice and beans; not so much at Sueños. One person in our group asked for it on the side because he did not feel right eating Mexican food without it.

Besides the menu, my other complaint had to do with the ambience. With a name like Sueños, Dreams in English, I expected a slightly more Mexican vibe than what I felt. I know I am in a good Mexican restaurant when I am tempted to order in Spanish and drink Margaritas, despite my opposition to Tequila. I have been to several other Mexican eateries in the city where this has happened and I left wondering who swiped my passport.

With the exception of the lack of options for vegetarians and the Mexican-less vibe, I enjoyed Sueños and would recommend trying it at least once. I doubt I will be back because I don’t like ordering the same thing twice. If you like Pablo Picasso, be sure to check out the bathroom while you are there.


DAMAGE ~ $40
VERDICT: Go

The Bean

49 1/2 1st Ave (@ 3rd St)

When I asked NYLawStudent to recommend a good place for tea in the East Village, I was hesitant when he suggested The Bean. Under the impression The Bean was more coffee than it was tea, I envisioned overpriced Lipton tea bags and bright lights but agreed to meet there anyway.

Upon seeing the vast tea menu, I was intrigued and enthused. I ordered a medium Ruby Slipper (blood orange and pear) and two overpriced pastries; NYLawStudent stuck with a latte.

As a tea aficionado, nothing particular stood out about my tea except for the color, a pinkish red resulting from the blood orange. However, my pastries were a different story.

The first pastry was a triple chocolate mousse cheesecake. It was soft and sweet without going overboard on the chocolate (despite the name).

The second pastry consisted of a chocolate teacup filled with vanilla custard and topped with mixed berries. By the time I worked my way down to the teacup part, I was stuffed and only managed a few bites of chocolate. Overall, I was pleased with my selections, but my wallet was not.

My initial reaction to The Bean was correct; it is more coffee than tea. That said, the vast tea menu is nothing to scoff at, and the pastries were very good. The medium-size internet cafe was filled with students writing papers, discussing midterms, and checking email. If I were a law student or undergrad, I could see myself enjoying the studious atmosphere. I am neither, so the place was not exactly my cup of tea (no pun intended).

I doubt I will visit The Bean again, partially due to the fact it is a chain (there are a couple locations in the city) and partially due to the expensive pastries starting at $7.


DAMAGE ~ $16
VERDICT: PASS

Jake's Dilemma

430 Amsterdam Ave (@ 81st St)

Friday night, a friend and I found ourselves foraging the Upper West Side for a good place to grab a few drinks. DeeScreenWriter suggested Jake’s Dilemma. I had been once before and remembered having a relatively good time. Thus, Jake’s Dilemma it was.

The divish bar consists of two main areas and a basement nightclub. The front bar has booths, one pool table, and a beer pong table; the back room is reminiscent of an old law school library with couches, books, and tables; and I only passed by the nightclub on my way to the bathroom. The bar was crowded when we arrived at 11, but it emptied out after a few minutes allowing us to score seats in the back. We stuck with pitchers throughout the evening, ranging in price from $13-18.

The best part about Jake’s Dilemma is the crowd. ComicJoy joined us and what followed was an evening of laughs, cries, over-the-top story telling, and crowd mingling. A group of friends chatted us up because they were so impressed by ComicJoy’s enthusiasm. A couple hours later, I had tears coming out of my eyes from laughing so hard. Overall, I had a great time and could not have asked for anything more of the evening.

Despite the location and the feeling you might be at a college fraternity party, the atmosphere is unpretentious. Everyone is there to have a good time, throw back a few, and mingle. They also serve food and have a cheap happy hour. I cannot say if I will be back, as I am not in the area often, but I will recommend it to friends looking for a decent place to drink on the Upper West.

DAMAGE ~ $20
VERDICT: Go if in the area.

Smörgås Chef

283 W 12th St

Painted in yellow on a cute corner in West Village is a cute spot known as Smorgas Chef. Sir Fancy Pants chose the Scandinavian venue as it featured a reasonable pre-fixe Brunch menu.

We were seated immediately at a table for two near a brick wall separator. I got started with a café au lait and SFP, a Bloody Mary. For our meals, I ordered the Eggs Florentine with salad, and SFP had baked eggs with their version of hash browns.

Because I was not in the best of spirits when we visited, I barely touched my coffee and ate half of my meal. The entrée came with a mimosa, which I took a couple sips of before passing it over to SFP. Luckily, my stomach came around later in the afternoon and was pleased with the leftovers. SFP enjoyed his baked eggs, and his potatoes were very good from what I tried.

Despite the delicious food and the cute décor featuring funky light fixtures made of glass bottles, I cannot recommend Smorgas Chef. The brick wall separator to the left of me had literally an inch of caked on dust. As any true restaurateur can vouch, the little things matter just as much, if not more, than the big. The glass bottles scattered as artwork around the room looked as if they had not been cleaned in years. It frightens me to think of what the kitchen looked like.

The eatery has four locations around Manhattan, so no doubt you might stumble upon one someday. Enter at your own risk…


DAMAGE ~32
VERDICT: PASS

Fat Black Pussycat

130 W 3rd St

Fat Black Pussycat seems to be a favorite among locals. I know this because I have been here several times with various friends and get random phone calls from them weeks later at 2 in the morning asking me for the exact address (W 3rd St & 6th Ave).

The bar/lounge features one pool table, booths, bar seating, and an adjoined lounge area with funky chairs that might have come out of the 18th Century.

Fat Black Pussycat is a very different experience during the week as opposed to weekends. Throughout the week, it is a nice relaxing spot to catch up with friends over a couple cocktails. On the weekends, it is standing room only as BTCers cross over and get trashed. It is extremely noisy and expect to get wacked by pool sticks as you cross the single pool table to get to the women’s restroom (directly behind it).

There is a huge black chandelier (close to the size of a midtown studio apartment) in the center of the main room. The adjacent lounge features a flat screen with creepy images playing throughout the evening, probably stolen from Tool music videos.

Downstairs is the Village Underground (and more bathrooms). During my last visit, friends and I started off in the basement nightclub, coughed up the $10 cover charge, and snagged a corner booth for the five of us (actually we reserved it; someone in our group celebrated a birthday that evening).

The house band onstage called Unionn was a mixture of reggae and funk, jazzing up familiar beats with their own unique style. The crowd was young, fun, and full of energy. Everyone in our group had a great time, both upstairs and down.

With cocktails at $7.50 and specialty drinks starting at $11 downstairs, Fat Black Pussycat is a spot not to be missed. There is no question it has the personality and energy of New York. Unfortunately, it gets too crowded for me on weekends.

DAMAGE ~ 8.50
VERDICT: Go… but only during the week