Schiller’s Liquor Bar

131 Rivington St (b/w Norfolk St & Suffolk St)

Weekend brunch is a highly coveted activity for many New Yorkers. Thus, it is not uncommon to walk down any street in Manhattan on Saturday or Sunday afternoon with every Brunch spot packed to the brim. It is uncommon, however, to wait several hours for a table at the brunch spot of your choice—in my case it was Clinton Street Baking Company. I finally convinced InterSportsWriter to come down to the Lower East Side and meet me for a taste of their infamous pancakes only to learn the wait time was over 2 hours.

With his passport in hand (being from the Upper West Side), we walked 2 blocks south to Schiller’s Liquor Bar, owned by the same people as Pastis and Balthazar. The restaurant was nearing capacity when we arrived, but we had no trouble obtaining a table.

For our meals, we ordered the gorgonzola omelet w/ home potatoes and a sour cream & hazelnut waffle topped w/mixed berries.

The omelet was amazing (as many things with blue cheese usually are); the waffle, however, left me confused. There was no sour cream to speak of, and it was not until InterSportsWriter dissected it that the hazelnuts clumped together in the middle made themselves known. The maple syrup is made with bourbon, adding a nice change of pace to an otherwise standard waffle.

Overall, I was pleased. It’s hard to go wrong with an omelet featuring gorgonzola cheese as the main attraction or a waffle with alcoholic syrup for that matter.

One last thing worth nothing about Schiller’s Liquor Bar is the bathroom. It features a large communal wash basin reminiscent of a 50’s diner, which is probably what the owners intended.

Of the three, I still prefer Meatpacking’s Pastis, but Schiller’s is not a bad second.

DAMAGE ~ $30
VERDICT: Go

Mole

205 Allen St

Craving Mexican food one Sunday night, a friend suggested dinner at Vamos!, a Mexican eatery in Stuyvesant Town. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at the late afternoon/early evening hour of 10p.m., the restaurant had closed; my cravings had not. So I interjected with a tiny eatery I spotted off the Lower East Side called Mole.

As soon as we arrived, we started off with tableside guacamole and “Crepas con Huitlacoche,” 2 homemade crepes with black corn mushroom in creamy poblano sauce.

For the main course, I ordered the “Chiles Rellenos,” 2 fire roasted poblano peppers stuffed with queso fresco and served in fire roasted tomato sauce.

I blocked out what my dining companion had because it contained meat.

The mushroom crepes appetizer was by far the tastiest plate. I was impressed, but then again, how often does an appetizer trump the main course? Is that even allowed? The guacamole dip was not bad, although mine is better.

I found the main dish slightly overkill—my peppers were literally swimming in tomato sauce. Maybe I ordered soup. It’s been a few weeks since I visited.

We also had a side of nopales asadas, or grilled cactus, which turned out to be the most disappointing item of the evening; dry and bland. We barely managed a couple bites between us, but only out of obligation to our wallets rather than our tongues.

What I remember most about the evening was biting into my poblano peppers to find a toothpick. The server explained the toothpick was inserted to hold the peppers in place during the preparation of the dish. Unfortunately, it was too late; my taste buds felt jaded and my stomach remained uneasy throughout the remainder of the meal.

Looking back, I’ve had dishes where toothpicks are added to hold everything together, but this particular one caught me off guard. I apologized to the server for assuming the worst, but it was still hard to convince myself the toothpick was intentional and necessary.

Although the service was good, I can’t say I’ll be back. The menu was not impressive enough to warrant a return; and the complimentary salsa was weak, somewhat of a deal breaker in the land of Mexican restaurants.


DAMAGE ~$80 (CASH ONLY)
VERDICT: Go

teany

90 Rivington St

It’s tea time at teany.

Despite my obsession with coffee and the jitters that result when I don’t get my fix, I’m actually a tea person. I wake up with tea every day and wind down with it nightly. Thus, a visit to teany on the Lower East Side not only makes sense, it is expected. I ventured here one afternoon following an eventful afternoon of watching people dance their way down Broadway during New York City’s annual Dance Parade.

The tiny vegan eatery opened by Moby and his ex-girlfriend Kelly Tisdale features 98 different kinds of tea and a decent selection of salads, soups, sandwiches, and breakfast items. Though crowded, I scored a table upon arrival.

I tried their “Hairy Crab Oolong” tea and a cup of lentil soup. Service was a bit slow and my tea was forgotten (I had to remind the server), but once everything arrived, it was very tasty. The tea was hot and flavorful with a distinctly peachy aroma; the soup was chunky and thick—the way soup should be.

I entered on an empty stomach. A pot of tea and a small cup of lentil soup left me full and satisfied. There is an interesting selection of vegan desserts, but my sweet tooth was not up for the challenge (rare but it happens). The place did feel a bit pricey (oolong tea starting @ $7.50), but all in all, teany is worth checking out.

There is no doubt I will be back. Hopefully the service will be better the second time around.

DAMAGE ~$15 (CASH ONLY)

VERDICT: Go

Allen & Delancey

115 Allen St After a day of fantastic films at Tribeca Film Festival, I wanted to complete my Saturday with an even more fantastic meal. I made reservations for 2 at Allen & Delancey for 10:45, allowing barely enough time for InterSportsWriter and I to trek our way from the festival to the restaurant following the day's last film.

To get started we both order glasses of wine, despite the tempting cocktail menu. It took a while for the complimentary bread to arrive, but I later found out the chef made it special as the regular bread contained bacon.

We ordered the “Crispy Polenta, Mushroom Ragu, Artichokes, Sottocenere Fonduta” for the appetizer. Polenta is made with cornmeal. That evening might have been my first taste of polenta, and all I can say is WOW. It was incredible. I can’t believe I’ve never had it before. The cute little mushrooms were a nice touch as well, in taste and visual stimulation.

For our main course, we were rather limited in options, or should I say option. The only thing we could eat was risotto. Opting away from rice, we talked the waiter into letting us order something off the menu, which turned out to be a mixed veggie platter with mashed potatoes.

Although the potatoes were fantastic, I was saddened at the final outcome of the entree. We shared it because there was nothing else to order.

The dessert, however, was a completely different story. Not only did it improve my mood, it made my experience at Allen & Delancey a memorable one. We ordered the following 2 desserts:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart, Whole Milk Sorbet, & Whiskey-Vanilla Milkshake.

Chocolate Coconut Cake w/ a Thai Coffee Sorbet & Caramelized Bananas.

If it looks and sounds fantastic, believe me when I say it was. The peanut butter tart was filled with a warm chocolate ganache that was out of this world. The milkshake was the size of a shot glass, but it turned out to be just right to finish off dessert. The chocolate coconut cake was great; I stopped myself halfway through because I realized my dining companion had yet to try it.

The server was attentive and friendly, especially after learning InterSportsWriter and I were vegetarian. I loved the intimate atmosphere and could see myself coming back. My only qualm came from the lack of vegetarian options; I nearly walked out after taking one look at the menu. What stopped us was the fact it was 11 at night, and I don’t do 24 hour diners.

To the chef:
Please add 1-2 more vegetarian dishes to your menu. There is no doubt I will return (especially after learning a former Death & Co. bartender designed your cocktail menu; no wonder it looked so impressive [see Death & Co. review]). However, I would like the option of ordering something other than rice and vegetables. It is somewhat insulting to drop $100 on a meal without really eating anything, if you know what I mean.

If you need help, my tastebuds are more than happy to offer up their services free of charge.

DAMAGE ~$93 + tip
VERDICT: Go, but be wary of lack of vegetarian options.

Prune

54 E 1st St

When I dream of Brunch, I long for overcrowded, loud places with extreme waits and overpriced food. Why? It builds character and leaves you with a lasting impression. As a result, you generally expect more from the food and service.

Should the restaurant deliver, you brag about it to your friends and experience long lines on repeat visits. Should it fail, you caution others through flyers, posters, billboards, whatever means necessary to prevent them from making the same mistake.

Prune, located off Allen and Houston in the Lower East Side, is exactly this type of place. I’ve had my eye on its door for many months. One Sunday afternoon craving eggs, Bloody Mary’s, and coffee, I went. An hour 30 minutes later, my Brunch companion and I were seated.

I ordered Huevos Rancheros, baked eggs in tomato and chili sauce with black beans and avocado. My companion (with slight coaxing from myself and the waitress) ordered Spicy Stewed Chickpeas, butter-crumbed eggs with chickpeas served over flatbread.

What exactly is butter crumbed eggs you ask? Pure deliciousness. The more technical description is poached eggs covered in Prune’s own breadcrumb-like concoction.

Everything was really great. At the end of our meal, I ordered a Southwest Bloody Mary from Prune’s eclectic Bloody Mary menu. I asked the waitress to substitute tequila for another liquor I can tolerate (tequila makes me nauseous). It was very good.

Although I was disappointed that most of their other Bloody Mary options contained some form of meat or clam juice, I could not help being impressed at the large selection, each priced at $9. The unusually long wait was a small sacrifice to my above average dining experience at Prune.

The place is pricey, but I left with my stomach full, taste buds satisfied, and bank broke. Mission accomplished.


DAMAGE ~52
VERDICT: Go

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.

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

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

Bianca

5 Bleecker St

For TheStageManager’s last night in New York City, I took him and TexasThespian to a Lower East Side eatery named Bianca, a tiny Italian restaurant family owned and operated. It was my second time to the restaurant establishment, but I knew they had reasonable prices and delicious food.

TheStageManager ordered mushrooms with Ricotta cheese as an appetizer. The mushrooms were cooked to perfection, and it was served with a side of salad greens. For entrees, I had the ricotta ravioli with sage and butter. TheStageManager ordered the lasagna. TexasThespian opted to stick with appetizers as he had eaten a couple hours earlier. I loved my dish, but TheStageManager said his was lacking in flavor, something I cannot confirm or deny as it is made with meat sauce. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate mousse pie, another pure delight that my taste buds repeatedly thanked me for.

The space is small, so the wait can be long to get a table. All entrées are priced near $15. The restaurant may feel cramped (or cozy depending on what kind of mood you are in).

Bianca is one of my favorite places to eat in the city. I cannot stress how much I love this place; I know I will enjoy my meal and not cut up my credit card when I get home, especially since the place is cash only. I recommend running to the eatery as soon as possible. Do not let the long wait be a determent; there is a bar next door and the host will come get you once your table is ready.

DAMAGE ~ $75 (cash only)
VERDICT: GO NOW!