Diablo Royale

189 W 10th St
Picture this: me walking through West Village craving a Bloody Mary and Sir Fancy Pants, a Mimosa. Add a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, a Mexican eatery called Diablo Royale, no line, and you have my brunch experience last weekend.

Given that Mexican is my favorite cuisine ever, I could not resist stopping in for a quick bite and dragged SFP with me. We sat at the bar, ordered drinks, and decided to share one brunch entrée of my choosing.

I ordered the Huevos Rancheros—scrambled eggs with ranchero sauce, black beans, and sliced avocado over a crispy tortilla. I also asked for a side of chips and salsa and SFP ordered a side of bacon. Everything was good, but not spectacular.

It’s hard to go wrong with such a staple dish as huevos rancheros. What did stand out about the meal was the drinks. You know you’ve had a good Bloody Mary when your lips are on fire and your throat burns, yet still you continue to drink the spicy beverage because it is that good.

This was not the case at Diablo Royale. The Bloody Mary was good but nothing worth going back for. However, the Mexican hot chocolate I had at the end of the meal was noteworthy, something definitely worth having again. It was thick and had a slight kick to it. The tortilla chips were also very good but on the salty side.

The spot is cute and relaxed, but there is better Mexican to be had in the area.


DAMAGE ~36
VERDICT: PASS

S & S Cheesecake

222 W 238th St, Bronx

Say hello to the nation’s best cheesecake, at least according to Zagat’s. The pies emerging from S&S Cheesecake are packed full of the freshest, most natural ingredients for a taste unlike any other.

I trekked out to their ONE location in the Bronx, rang the bell, and bought 2 small cheesecakes: original and carrot. Sir Fancy Pants, 60sBumbleBee, and I shared the first slice of the original. Although I am not well versed in cheesecakerey, SFP and 60sBumbleBee are, and both died upon their first bite. No really; I had to revive them to help me finish the slice (which I did by giving them more bites). 60sBumbleBee did not want to carry on with her life because she knew she would never have another cheesecake as good as S&S, at least not until her next visit to New York.

Original

What makes S&S cheesecakes so good? Perhaps it is the fact they use only the freshest ingredients in their pies—no artificial anything. The cakes are dense and creamy with no funny aftertaste. Perhaps it is the crust; baked to perfection without being crispy, soggy, or flaky. Maybe it’s the fact they have not sold out like so many other places (see Junior’s (yes I said it. Have you been to Times Square??)). Every single S&S cheesecake comes out of the tiny windowless warehouse off 238th Street in the Bronx, as it has for over 50 years.

Carrot

As I write this review, I am eating one slice of the original and of the carrot. S&S Cheesecake is the real deal. It has set the bar so high in cheesecake land that I will never be able to eat another slice of cheesecake without thinking of S&S. In fact, I am not sure I will ever be able to eat another slice of cheesecake from anywhere other than this place.

S&S Cheesecake is open M-F 6am-3pm. If you can’t make those hours or are scared to trek out to the Bronx, the surrounding stores sell their cheesecakes plus several other stores and restaurants throughout New York City. They also ship to anywhere in the United States. Pies come in 6 varieties and start at $12 for the original New York Style when you buy it from the warehouse. Cheesecakes are certified kosher.


DAMAGE ~24
VERDICT: GO NOW!

Flatiron Lounge

37 W 19th St

Flatiron Lounge is a speakeasy designed to be not so speakeasy, rather just easy. It has that exclusive relaxed vibe without being too exclusive. It is not well known enough to be a hot spot for tourists, but it is arguably one of the top three bars in Flatiron. If you disagree with my statement, please do tell in my comment box.

60sBumbleBee and I stopped by on a Saturday because we were in the area. She ordered a drink called the Cherry Royale (although I don’t recall what the ingredients were) and I ordered something off menu called the Jitterbug (substituted with gin and made with honey). Both of us were pleased with our drinks.

Cherry Royale

Several months ago, I would have given this a RUN! Now that I have been there a few times, I realize the atmosphere is just not there. I blame it on the location. The Flatiron District has one cool building, perhaps you’ve heard of it. Other than that, it’s a dead neighborhood. Walk around any night of the week; the streets are bare. You might even feel like you’re in midtown. Flatiron Lounge is primarily a space to be used for a couple cocktails following a long workday. Other than that, I would steer clear.

Pluses include the eclectic drink menu and a bartender that looks like Adam Brody. The bathroom has some pretty cool jazz art, and there is a downstairs near the entrance of the lounge, but I have not seen it in the three times I have been—the last two times it was closed off.

Although Flatiron Lounge is one of my favorite spots in the city above 14th, there is a serious disconnect in terms of what is happening in New York City once you cross that street, largely due to the young student populations of NYU, the New School, and Cooper Union, all located in East and West Village. I won’t be going back to Flatiron Lounge unless I am above 14th and can’t get into the latest speakeasy that just opened two weeks ago on 17th…

DAMAGE ~28
VERDICT: Go…but only for after work cocktails.

No. 28

28 Carmine St

Got pizza? West Village does.

It is not my intention to scope out every pizza eatery in the Village; it just works out that way.

Sir Fancy Pants recommended No. 28, aka 28 Carmine, on Saturday night after I mentioned 60sBumbleBee and I nearly braved the lines at Grimaldi’s (supposedly the best pizza in the city) but decided against it due to the cold weather. No. 28 was closer and the wait was only 10 minutes.

SFP, 60sBumbleBee, and I were seated in front of the brick pizza oven and its master, away from the overcrowded main dining area. We ordered two 18” pizzas from the 19 combinations. SFP and 60sBumbleBee shared the Pizza Marinara with garlic, red chili peppers, anchovies, oregano, and cappers; I had the Pizza alle Patate with ricotta, potatoes, walnuts, and rosemary, which I also shared with my dining companions.

My pizza came on white crust pizza bread without tomato sauce because (as told by the waitress) the acidity of the sauce ruins the pizza. Potato as a pizza topping was a first for me, an interesting combination with the ricotta cheese and walnuts. It was good, but I would have preferred the crust to be crispier. SFP and 60sBumbleBee enjoyed both pizza selections.

No. 28 is a true Italian pizzeria. From the Italian flag over the entrance to the Italian speaking staff, you feel as if you are getting the real deal without actually traveling to Naples.

My biggest gripe about the restaurant was the cleanliness factor; my silverware and the brim of my wine glass were dirty. Unfortunately for No. 28, spotless utensils and drinking ware is a must, especially if you expect me to refer your establishment to my friends.


DAMAGE ~60 (CASH ONLY)
VERDICT: PASS

Extra Virgin

259 W 4th St

Saturday for brunch, Sir Fancy Pants, 60sBumbleBee, and I sat down in a West Village eatery called Extra Virgin. I picked the restaurant based on the location and several reviews I read on yelp.com claiming Extra Virgin as the best Brunch ever.

To get started, SFP and I ordered a Mimosa and a Bloody Mary respectively; 60sBumbleBee stuck with tea. For our main courses, SFP ordered baked eggs with a side of bacon; 60sBumbleBee ordered the omelet of the day, and I ordered the Virgin Frittata with goat cheese, tomato, arugula, and basil pesto.

The Virgin Frittata can best be described as a Greek style omelet. It was twice the size of a regular omelet and the texture reminded me of a quiche. I also ordered a side of Fries with Gorgonzola Fondue for the table.

I recently developed an addiction to blue cheese, and the fries with the gorgonzola dip were nothing short of amazing. Besides the Gorgonzola Fondue, nothing blew me away about Extra Virgin. My Bloody Mary was watery and weak; my Virgin Frittata was somewhat dry (I nearly asked for a side of Hollandaise sauce); and my café au lait was too watered down to be considered coffee. I was more excited about eating my meal for lunch the following day with my own olive oil and vinegar than I was while at Extra Virgin.

On the other hand, SFP and 60sBumbleBee loved their dishes. SFP was thrilled at the many strips of bacon that came on the side for only $5.00. Each plate ranged in price from $9-13, relatively cheap by West Village standards, and the portion sizes were quite big, almost to the point of overwhelming.

Although I was impressed by the Mediterranean influenced varied selection of Brunch dishes, the hype surrounding Extra Virgin combined with my unsatisfactory drinks and meal ruined it for me. I would go back for that blue cheese fondue…

As we were leaving around noon, I noticed there was a wait to get a table. I suppose the place is more popular than I originally thought.


DAMAGE ~84
VERDICT: PASS

Little Branch

22 7th Ave S
Milk & Honey is one of the most popular bar establishments in New York City due to their unique drink concoctions, their highly skilled bartenders, and the satisfaction once you finally obtain entry. The only way to get into Milk & Honey is to call during the day and make reservations for the same night. There is one problem; the phone number is unlisted and nearly impossible to find. Add to this they change their number every few months. Even if you do manage to score the number, chances are it will be different by the time you call.

So I did what any other suave New Yorker would do. I visited its’ sister bar Little Branch and asked the hostess. Not only did she give me the wrong number, she claimed she had to research it first and to check back with her before I left. Had I not been so focused on obtaining that damn number, my experience at Little Branch might have been more relaxed and merry.

Several times, Sir Fancy Pants and I made plans, but for one reason or another (e.g. long lines in the rain, time constraints, etc.), they fell through.

We finally made it in around 8:30 on a Wednesday evening. Upon entering the front door, we walked down a tiny flight of stairs to the underground bar. The hostess took down my name and said it would be a 45 minute wait to get a table. Because we had dinner plans after, we left after one drink.

I went for the bartender’s choice and told him I would like a semi-sweet drink with gin and honey. He replied, “Say no more.” I was served a concoction called Bees’ Knees consisting of gin, lemon, and honey. It was delicious but definitely meant for sipping. Sir Fancy Pants had another bartender’s choice concoction with grapefruit juice, which he liked very much.

Little Branch, what a little place you are. The outside exterior is completely unassuming; I would never have known there was a bar down below had Sir Fancy Pants not pointed it out. The place is made to represent a speakeasy with live jazz on the weekends. Inside, the space is cozy with only 5 or 6 tables for seating plus standing room around the bar. Cocktails are $13 a pop, but the interesting concoctions make up for the steep price.

The bathroom was nice and clean with individual hand towels for drying your hands. The entire visit was pleasant, but I could not help feeling discomfort over the Milk & Honey number.


DAMAGE ~ 29 (CASH ONLY)
VERDICT: Go

Centro Vinoteca

74 7th Ave S Do you want to know one reason I love New York City? Plans that fall through.

Sir Fancy Pants and I had no intention Wednesday evening to visit Centro Vinoteca. We made plans to check out a tapas place in West Village. Tapas place was closed due to construction, so we stumbled upon the Italian gem off 7th Avenue. Well, not so much stumbled…we both walked by the place numerous times. Finally, we stopped to check out the menu. Five minutes later we were seated drinking water.

The hostess initially sat us near the window, but the table behind us was too loud, so I asked to be moved. Surprise! They have an upstairs; we were reseated at a corner booth on the second floor. Surprise #2: Restaurant Week! I had no idea Centro Vinoteca was even on the list, but since Restaurant Week has been extended through the end of February, we lucked out.

The waitress started us off with a bread basket filled with focaccia and European crusty loaf. Sir Fancy Pants and I ordered the following from the Restaurant Week menu:

SFP:
Appetizer: trio of piccolini shrimp & chickpea fritter with lemon aioli & truffled deviled egg
Main: grilled rack of lamb w/ black mission figs
Dessert: sweet tarallucci w/ salty caramel
ME:
Appetizer: sunchoke soup w/ hazelnuts, chanterelle mushrooms & hazelnut oil
Main: kabocha squash ravioli w/ walnuts, brown butter & vin cotto
Dessert: chocolate cake filled w/ chocolate mousse coated with dark chocolate ganache
Perhaps it would be easier to start out with what I did not like about my meal... the soup was on the salty side and the ravioli dish portion size was small (there were maybe 5 or 6 raviolis).

Other than that, everything was fantastic! The focaccia bread from the bread basket was literally the best focaccia I have ever tried. The soup was delicious, and the squash ravioli ranks in the top five Italian dishes I’ve had in my life (and no, I have not been to Italy…yet). Sir Fancy Pants has and nearly passed out when he tried my dish; it was that amazing. The chocolate cake was good as well, although it was not quite as impressive as the focaccia bread or my previous two dishes.

I also had a bite of the deviled egg that came with SFP’s appetizer and ate nearly half his dessert, both very good.

I am so happy we ended up here. The food was great; the service was great; and I will never look at focaccia bread the same. The only downside was the pricey regular menu.

DAMAGE ~ 120
VERDICT: Go