Tag Archives: meatballs

August 13, 2012 · 3:57 am

The Meatball Shop

You wouldn’t think a small shop specializing in one item would blow up to become New York’s greatest obsession since the cupcake and bacon desserts. The two bald-headed owners Dan Holzman and Michael Chernow opened their first place in the East Village just a few years ago, and since then people have been popping in from the tri-state area to get chicken, pork, beef and even vegetarian meatballs from morning until 4am (on weekends) in all three locations. With one conveniently situated.5 miles from my apartment, it’s hard for me to remotely consider the nearby mix of trendy restaurants like Morandi and L’Artusi for meatballs when I can get them at this cozy spot for 1/10 of the price.

sliders

I went last week at 6pm with no problem getting a table, and instead of ordering my usual – the three sliders, all with different balls – I ordered a plate of vegetarian balls with two sides. I chose the market salad and the steamed spinach, but the broccoli and special salad with a creamy dressing, pecans, and radicchio was my favorite. Don’t judge my order – I had a deal with my date that we would trade a ball for ball, so I got a chicken one with mushroom gravy as well. After eating the nut-loaded, someone undigestible vegetarian balls with red sauce, I confirmed that the best part of this place is its concept and ice cream sandwiches. The food is great – no doubt about that – but the success lies all in the simplicity of the clearly outlined whiteboard-style menu that gives you limited variations of one very special food, which makes the process of selecting and circling your order a breeze. The pick-your-ice-cream-and-cookies ice cream sandwiches are ridiculous. Salted caramel and chocolate? Forget about it. Next time, I’m going for the gold – beef (I know…but get over it) with red sauce and cheese on a hoagie, followed by an ice cream sandwich the size of my face.

delish

 

massive ice cream sandwich – just $5!

Grade: A-
Location: 64 Greenwich Ave between 6th and 7th Ave
Website: http://www.meatballshop.com

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Filed under Affordable Date, American, Cheap Eat, Drinks & Apps, East Village, Erin's Favorites, Fun Group Dinner, Italian, Vegetarian / Vegan, West Village

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September 14, 2011 · 3:14 am

Frankies 570

photo taken from website

Since I found out that the Frankies West Village location opened to the public this weekend, I have been trying desperately to squeeze in a meal. When I walked by today after a manicure, I became ecstatic that the hostess table was crowd-free, so I ambitiously walked in, took a seat at the bar, and called my friend Sharon to join me. We ordered some of my old time favorites (crostini) and a few new items: meatballs, linguine with crab, and lentil soup with bacon. 

crostini

When I think of Frankies, I think of crostini. They know what they’re doing. The mushroom and truffle oil is always my favorite, but this time I tasted a cannellini bean with lemon that was deliciously creamy and savory. I have to say that I prefer the ricotta crostini rendition at the Clinton Street location, as this one had a little too much sweetness that overpowered the subtle sheep’s milk flavor of the cheese.

The sauce on the meatballs was better than the meatballs themselves, which creatively but oddly incorporated plump raisins and pine nuts. I may just be accustomed to my moms crispy, salty, pan fried meatballs, but this version tasted more like an insanely dense meatloaf with tomato sauce shaped into a ball. And, I am all about classics with a twist but I am not convinced that dried fruit was the best option for a flavor enhancer.

meatballs

Despite executing perfectly al dente noodles, the linguine with crab was a letdown. The sauce was watery and bland, and I spent more time avoiding crab shells than I did enjoying the pasta. I had to salt the dish excessively to make it worth eating.

linguine with crab

The standout was surprisingly the lentil soup with bacon, which the bartender claimed was a house favorite. Earthy, light, and well seasoned, I definitely foresee this becoming a staple for takeout nights in the winter.

I may have had more than one unexciting meal at Frankies, but there’s one thing that keeps me coming back: the crostini. I just can’t get enough of it. And considering its neighborhood-restaurant vibe and well-priced, unpretentious food, I am still ecstatic that Frankies is now situated just blocks from my home.

Grade: B

Location: 570 Hudson Street at West 11th

Website: http://www.frankiesspuntino.com

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July 15, 2011 · 1:50 am

Mémé

from front window

Though my mom flew across the country for a weekend of wedding dress shopping (for my sister), she came with every intention of eating good meals for the entire duration of her stay. Knowing this, my sister and I decided to take her to one of my favorite Mediterranean restaurants in the city, Meme. Meme opened only a few months ago, but has since garnered a hefty following for its diverse menu and intimate window-seat tables.

After a casual amuse bouche of feta-tomato bruschetta, olives, and olive bread, we started with the appetizer special of prosciutto wrapped figs with warm mozzarella and balsamic glaze. The five small dumplings combined an awesome mix of the delicate sweetness of the fruit and sharp saltiness of the crispy seared ham.

special appetizer

For my entree, it was a tough choice between the chicken tagine and the striped bass with chick peas, cumin, coriandor and roasted peppers served with a side of rice. I decided on the bass, which was beautifully prepared in a flavorful red broth perfect for olive-bread dipping. Though the dish would have benefitted from some citrus and salt, it was easily fixed with my mom’s extra tzatsiki.

roasted bass

Considering the food sharers my family members are proud to be, I shamelessly stole a few bites of my mom’s baked meatballs with yogurt and mint, served in piping hot in a clay pot. My sister loved these, but they were a little too rich for my taste – definitely a better dish to share.

meatballs

My mom’s chicken kebab, however, was definitely something I’ll order next time – served with roasted vegetables, rice pilaf, and on a generous portion of my favorite – tzatsiki, they would be the perfect thing to pair with a salad.

chicken kebab

The food at Meme is hearty and refreshing, and the restaurant, like Cafe Gitane and Bill’s, is a cozy haven in a neighborhood of overwhelmingly packed and scene-y hot spots. The service is spectacular – actually, so attentive that at one point in the night my mom and I were convinced that our waitress had the hots for my sister. Meme is definitely a must if you are in the village and looking for something easy with a variety of options, unpretentious waitstaff and a solid full bar.

Grade: A

Location: 581 Hudson St between 11th St & Bank St

Website: http://www.memeonhudson.com

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Filed under Affordable Date, Drinks & Apps, Fun Group Dinner, Mediterranean, Parents in Town, Seafood, West Village

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April 3, 2011 · 4:07 pm

The Meatball Shop

For about 6 months straight last year, I couldn’t escape the buzz around Daniel Holzman & Michael Chernow’s new Meatball Shop in the Lower East Side. Every food publication across the country made some sort of mention of it, but surprisingly, I wasn’t inclined to put it on my “to-eat” list. My mom’s meatballs are perfection, so I knew that if they weren’t identical to hers, they would undoubtedly disappoint.

New Yorkers at 2am

inside behind bar

Then finally, the perfect opportunity presented itself. At 2am last night, after far too many vodka cocktails and hours standing in heels, I left the bar in search of food. And of course, right in front of my eyes grew a crowd of drunk young adults vying for space at the Meatball Shop. With liquid courage, I busted through the door, found a seat at the bar, and called the only person whom I knew would join me at this moment: my fellow foodie Sonia.

As I anxiously awaited her arrival, I scanned the menu, which with images and checkboxes attempts to be simple, but is actually complex. Meatballs on sliders, meatballs in a bowl, and meatball sandwiches scattered across the menu made my eyes dart far too many directions in a short period of time. So rather than pick my option by checking I box, I told the bartender exactly what I wanted: a normal bowl of meatballs with tomato sauce, some risotto (if they even had it), and one chicken meatball with mushroom sauce. Fortunately, they had all of the above.

The chicken meatball slider came on a lightly toasted bun, and for $3, was a great little snack to tide me over while politely waiting for Sonia. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t that good. Maybe the fact that it was late had something to do with it, but the meatball was room temperature, and the mushroom sauce reminded me of Campbell’s soup cream of mushroom. When Sonia arrived, we dug into the bowl of regular meatballs with fresh tomato sauce. These were definitely better, but the balls lacked the salty, subtly crispier edge that I so love about my mom’s meatballs. These were more traditional, fluffy and made with more filler than what I’m accustomed to. Regardless, these were definitely tasty, and for around $9, a great buy.

meatballs

slida!

The risotto was just not good. It desperately needed cheese, it was cold, and the starchiness of the arborio rice was overwhelming.

cold risotto

I’d like to assume that in the middle of the night, the chefs were a little off their A-game, and the food here is normally as delicious as most critics claim it to be. After viewing pictures on Yelp, I regret not trying the meatball sub – with hot bread and cheese, I can’t imagine being disappointed. Though my high expectations of the Meatball Shop weren’t met last night, I’d like to give it another try to fairly judge (meaning 100% sober, and at a reasonable hour) before writing it off as overrated. That said, his place gets major brownie points for having mix and match ice cream sandwiches (which I’ll definitely try post Lent) and serving food until 4am on Saturdays.

Grade: C+

Location: 84 Stanton Street @ Allen

Website: http://www.themeatballshop.com

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