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By Brittany Ho, May 31, 2010 11:28 pm

www.moustachepitza.com

Proprietor/Chef: ?

Category: Middle Eastern

Neighborhood: West Village
90 Bedford St, New York, NY 10014
(212) 229-2220

hummus dip

falafel sandwich

Mood: Casual, low key.. plenty of apps makes this place ideal for sharing.

Tastes Like: simple food you can appreciate, but just a little understated for me.  We ordered the babaghanoush & hummus platter.  The pita was amazing, but I thought the dips were so-so.  It lacked a punch of spice that would probably have enhanced the flavor a bit more.  After my experiences at Taim, the falafel pita just didn’t compare.  Maybe they had a one off night.  I love Middle Eastern food and find that it would be very difficult to mess it up.  Everything here was ok, at best.  Would I come back?  Sure.. I want this place to redeem itself.  And maybe I’ll try a “pitza” everybody rants the most about here.

Must Haves: I can’t rant about any particular dish, because they just weren’t stellar.

Stay Away: Which is not to say that there was any particular dish that was horrible either.

Ambiance: Very small shop with a handful of tables, but the environment is very relaxed.  I liked it.

Service: There was 6 of us…so kudos for taking care of our timely needs.

Caveat: I was so sure that this place would be awesome….but I guess I’m going to have to come back to try a few other dishes.  Somehow, everybody else that I was with loved it but me.  Cash only….and slightly a bit more expensive than most other average Middle Eastern restaurants to date.

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By Brittany Ho, May 26, 2010 2:26 pm

Proprietor/Chef: ?

Category: Korean/Chinese, Asian Fusion

Neighborhood: K-town
W. 32^nd St, New York, NY 10001
(212) -629-6450

jja jang noodles & seafood jampong soup combo

seafood noodle stir fry

plain steamed buns

Mood: Noodles….hot, stir fried or soup noodles… they have a great selection.  Great lunch spot as well.

Tastes Like: it will hit the spot for lunch…not so much for dinner.  I don’t know how I feel about Asian Fusion, but judging from the menu, it’s more korean dishes or chinese.  Take your pick.  I opted for a Korean combo of cold black bean noodles (jja jang noodles) and seafood noodle soup (jampong).  For $10, it’s a heaping amount of food that satiates both hot & cold.  We ordered some Chinese steamed white buns as apps, and they were gigantic.  They were decent enough, so no further complaints necessary.

Must Haves: Check out their $10 lunch specials.  Their food is OK, so nothing to rant must haves on.

Stay Away: NA

Ambiance: Definitely more Chinese restaurant style than Korean.  Whatever that can possibly mean.  Let’s just say I’m glad they tidied up the place.

Service: Took a little bit to order, but once we got past that hurdle, all was quick & attentive.  I guess you have to be during busy lunch service right?

Rating: 2.5 stars

Caveat: Obviously, this review is strictly for lunch only.  Dinner menu looks a bit pricey…but maybe decent at best.

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By Brittany Ho, May 25, 2010 11:07 pm

www.shebanyc.com

Proprietor/Chef: Philipos Mengistu

Category: Ethiopian

Neighborhood: Hell’s Kitchen
650 10^th Ave, New York, NY 10036
(212) –397-0610

veggie & meat combo platter

Mood: Something exotic, new and exciting.  This is not your average every day meal.

Tastes Like: you will either love it or hate it.  I personally love it.  I’m not so much into Indian food, but this is kind of like a hybrid between Indian and N. African food.  The spices, the meat, the vegetables, the curry like substance…but the flavors are unique in its own.  It holds a territorial spot in my heart.  And no matter how many angles I try to capture the true essence of this type of ethnic food, let’s face it, it’s not exactly the prettiest to look at.  My first experiences with Ethiopian food was back in DC, where the strip of U St. had Ethiopian restaurants after another.  While, Queen of Sheba was good, it didn’t compare to DC.  (Quite surprisingly I know)  The injera bread takes getting use to.  It’s squishy, with a tint of citrus, tart, I couldn’t quite put my finger to it.  I liked it though and I thought the veggie and meat combo platter we ordered was an abundance of food (if not way excessive, thanks to the extra injera).

Must Haves: Honey beer is a must try.  Light & sweet on the palate.  Their lamb is wonderful as is the veggie platter.  If you can’t decide, go combo style.  You won’t regret it.

Stay Away: There was a pale, yellow-ish beef looking thing, which looked precisely like it tasted.  Pretty bland with starchy potatoes, that reminded me of old stew just rotting away.

Ambiance: It was “interesting”.

Service: The wait was rather lengthy, considering a few empty tables were just sitting there.  The food took a bit of time too and you can just tell the whole atmosphere was lax.  Maybe just a little too lax.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Caveat: The spices here can be temperamental. I think it’s great, but others may disagree.

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By Brittany Ho, May 19, 2010 10:21 pm

www.dinosaurbbq.com

Proprietor/Chef: John Stage

Category: BBQ

Neighborhood: Harlem
646 West 131st St. New York, NY 10027
(212) 694-1777

fried green tomatoes

chicken wings in wango tango sauce

pulled pork & brisket sliders

sweetheart ribs

sweetheart ribs #2

sides: corn & mac & cheese

Mood: Meat!  BBQ style!!  This place is definitely worth the trip up to Harlem.

Tastes Like: BBQ done right with mighty generous portions even your grandmother can’t complain about.  Brisket, ribs, sliders, corn bread, corn, fried green tomatoes!… forget the shrimp & chicken here.  It’s definitely all about the meat here.  Brought a few friends straight from Texas, and they would know what real BBQ taste like.  Their final verdict, it’s close but not quite.  Overall, we were quite content.

Must Haves: the original ribs.  Share the sweetheart with as many people.. it’s a heaping pile of food.

Stay Away: I was told to stay away from the collard greens (one of the sides)… a bit mush and vinegar-y. The corn bread was a little too dry for my taste and not sweet enough.

Ambiance: It’s a BBQ joint.  Family style, and dirty.  What else could you expect?

Service: Thanks to our waiter for putting up with 10 fussy girls and our overall antics.  It was a pleasure.

Rating: 4 stars

Caveat: It’s damn far from NYC…and quite a bit of a walk from the train station.  Careful!

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By Brittany Ho, May 11, 2010 12:20 am

www.thegreydog.com

Proprietor/Chef:?

Category: American/ Sandwiches

Neighborhood: West Village
33 Carmine St. New York, NY 10014
(212) 462-0041

#1 roasted turkey on cranberry walnut whole wheat

portabello with roasted red pepper & mozzarella

grilled cheese sandwich

grey dog club w/ chicken

Mood: Great spot for breakfast & lunch.  Over sized portions call for a hefty empty stomach.

Tastes Like: the greatest carefree spot for lunch.  I like most of their options for sandwiches… To date, I am digging the turkey either on whole wheat or with cranberry, walnut.  The raspberry mustard gives it a nice, sparingly sweet touch.  The sandwiches are massive though, be forewarned.  I can usually finish exactly half my sandwich.  All sandwiches served with chips & pickles.  Both crisp to my liking.  Chips in my opinion are the healthy median between salad and fries.   Substitute with their amazing sweet potato fries… I promise they are killer.  overzealous, much?  maybe, but this place holds a special, albeit small place in my heart.

Must Haves: #1 – roasted turkey w/ brie, plum tomato & raspberry mustard

Stay Away: Portabello mushroom, red peppers with mozzarella.  Eh… the bread was toasty, but I wasn’t digging the whole sandwich.  The whole reduction sauce was a bit too sour for my taste.  Too much “mush” not enough substance.   Also didn’t care too much for their salads here..

Ambiance: small shop, table tops and extremely near each other.  During the day if it’s warm out, the wide open windows will prevail.  Got to take advantage of the sunshine.

Service: no table service…order in line and they’ll bring you your food and even clear the table for you. So be nice & tip generously.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Caveat: i have not yet tried their coffee or desserts.  Isn’t that what they’re best known for?  Maybe?  every day is a whole new kind of special.. brownies, apple pie, strawberry rhubarb.  And did I mention they are mighty generous with their portions?  If only my gluttony in heaven.  I’ll get there eventually at one point…  They also have happy hours…but do not have a full liquor license.  beer & wine only kids.

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By Brittany Ho, May 6, 2010 11:15 pm

www.bltburger.com

Proprietor/Chef: Laurent Tourendel

Category: Burgers

Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
470 6^th Ave New York, NY 10010
(212) 243-8226

Great Blue Hill

Great Blue Hill - medium

BLT burger

waffle fries

Mood: Self-explanatory… burgers & fries…and maybe a milk shake too.  My least favorite BLT restaurant, but if you’re looking for a restaurant without a wait, safe bet here.

Tastes Like: ironically non-greasy, average tasting burger..with my pick of blue cheese & mushrooms.  It’s nothing spectacular and nowhere near great.  I don’t understand… BLT steak is supreme and those damned popovers are amazing.  Even the seafood was excellent. What the hell went wrong with their burgers?  I still ate it, because I was hungry.  And I was mildly satisfied.  Would I go back?  Sure…but I’d be running to shake shack first. My first love & craving in NYC.

Must Haves: sweet potato fries

Stay Away: the regular fries are OK

Ambiance: Typical burger joint with a slight edge on class.  What can I say, but fun?

Service: Great.

Rating: 3 stars

Caveat: None