Tag Archives: NYC

I’m in, You’re in – We’re all in for Cherin!

30 Dec

Happy Hours and Hours

Cherin Sushi in the East Village (6th St btwn 1st/2nd Aves) really is an oldie but a goodie.  The long + narrow sushi den has been my go-to byob spot for years now and it’s no mystery why; good cheap food, a relaxed atmosphere, and laid back service make for a consistently enjoyable evening out.

This place is still BYOB (with a small corkage on the weekends), but now that they have their liquor license, they’ve really stepped up their game.  The specials are absurd; all day Monday and from 5-8pm Tues-Thurs almost any 3 rolls on the menu are $9.95 and the drink specials are excellent as well (beers are $2.50/house sake is $3/wine is $4).  The specials are great if you’re looking to get a fun night on, but don’t necessarily want to get “all-you-can-drink” crazy.

It Rolls On and On and On

Beyond the low prices, the food is actually good.  They do some interesting spins on the classics like providing a bed of sea salt for the edamame or offering a spicy variation of the miso soup (which is just great, btw).  The rolls are small but bite-sized, which I prefer and they’re all really creative.  Even the vegetarian rolls bring something to the table (the Crunchy roll with apple in it is my JAM).   My friends rave over the Sushi Surfer roll, which has banana, eel and crunch in it, and the Gillian roll, which is made with tuna, shrimp and avocado on top of crunch & real crab meat.

Cherin is good for a party of 2 or a larger party of up to 10.  The smaller restaurant can get loud but it’s never too much, which I appreciate as a break from the louder party scenes of most sushi spots with cheap drink deals… plus, your server is always a holler away.  I recommend you check it out next time you want a reasonably priced dinner that won’t make you feel like you’re pinching pennies.

Cherin Sushi – now accepting reservations, highly recommended for the weekends – (212) 388-1348.

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The Master Brunch List

15 Dec

It’s about time I sat down and put all my top brunch specials down on one post…

My Top 5 Brunch Spots (mapped out below):

1) Essex (LES: Essex/Rivington) – for $22.95 you get at least 3 included brunch drinks (bloodies, mimosas, screwdrivers).  You can make a reservation, big plus.  Food/vibe is GREAT – it truly is the quintessential brunch spot. Menu is here (My fave dish is the Mexican Matzo Brei – YUM). Know before you go: Brunch is cash only!

2) The Sunburnt Cow (E. Ville: Ave C btwn 8th/9th Sts) – for $18 bucks you get fosters, bloodies, mimosas, screw drivers, greyhounds for 2 whole hours.  Service is great, the scene is awesome, just bordering on crowded.  Food is pretty good, but it’s mostly about the experience, in my book. Menu is here (Go with a Greyhound: Grapefruit juice + vodka = YUM).  Know before you go: Cash only. They only take rezzies for 6+ ppl.  Be prepared to wait, but it’s such a meet market, it may be worth it to hang at the bar for a while…

3) Mercadito Grove (W. Ville: 7th Ave S/Grove St) – for $25 you get AYCD Sangria, flavored Mimosas and Beer (cheladas) for 2 hours.  The outdoor location is perfect for warmer weather.  Menu is here (The Guacamole Granada is so creative and the Huevos Rancheros are AWESOME).  Know before you go: They accept reservations!  But before forewarned, the inside dining room is small, if it’s not nice enough to sit outside.

4) Tapeo 29 (LES: Clinton/Stanton) – for $20 you get your brunch entree (or tapas) + 2 bloodies, mimosas, or screwdrivers.  The bar/resto scene makes it a great hang atmosphere.  The egg dishes are great, particularly the Eggs Benedict and the inclusion of tapas in the special gives more diverse options for those who don’t love b-fast food.   Know before you go: they take reservations so make one for sure.  Also, if you want more than 2 drinks, additional cocktails are only $2 each or $5 for a pitcher!

5) Macondo (LES: Houston – Allen/Eldridge) – Brunch entrees are $7-18 and an extra 9 bucks gets you AYCD mimosas of several flavors (Orange+Vanilla is best) – the scene is very low key. Menu is here (start with the Yuca fries, they are GREAT). Know before you go: get a less expensive entree, it’s a better value, and also – if you’re there with singles – ask to sit at a communal table to meet new people.

*****

Some other VERY good notables:

*Agozar (NoHo: Bowery btwn 1st/2nd Sts) – Unlimited Sangria with any brunch item ($9-14).  The party vibe and food is great, but I prefer to have more drink options.

*Diablo Royale Este (E. Ville: Ave A btwn 10th/11th Sts) – for $22 you get AYCD red/white sangria + mimosas. Service is awesome, vibe is great. Menu is here (The Huevos Rancheros w/cheesy grits on the side – wow).  Know before you go: If you want a bloody mary, there’s a “make your own” bar a la carte @ $5 each.

*Double Crown (NoHo: Bowery/2nd St) – 2 Options, both include an entree +tea/coffee; for $20 you get 1 Bloody Mary, for $32 you get unlimited Bloodies.  There’s a make your own Bloody Mary bar, very cool. Menu is here (The Crispy Pork Belly is a major standout). Know before you go: make a reservation to save yourself the wait!

*Philip Marie (W. Ville: Hudson St/W 11 St) – for $24.95, you get 90 mins of brunch drinks (Saturdays-Mimosas, Sunday-Bloodies).  The food is good, the scene is lower key fun… but the wait can be little much for only an hour and a half of hang time.

*Poco (E Ville: Ave B/3rd St) – For $22 you get 3 bloodies/mimosas.sangrias (sometimes more!)  It’s a total party scene, and the food is great. Menu is here (The truffled mushroom omelet was out of control).  Know before you go: with the party vibe comes the noise factor.  Also, for larger parties you can get a 3 hour unlimited brunch for $28.

*PS 450 (Murray Hill: Park btwn 30th/31st Sts) – $13 gets you an entrée and and 1bloody, bellini, or mimosa; $25 will get you unlimited.  Food is good, the menu is limited though.  More fun if you’re bringing a big group.

*Vamos! (Gramercy: 1st Ave btwn 20th/21st Sts) – add $6 to get unlimited frozen margaritas.  Food is good and the outdoor seating is great but some more drink variety would be nice.

*Yerba Buena (E. Ville: Ave A btwn 2nd/3rd Sts) – add $12 to any entrée and get an hour of unlimited cocktails.  A little pricier, but more of an upscale resto. Cash/Amex only.

Make sure to call in advance to check if any policies/specials have changed!

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Upscale & Unlimited: Brunch @ Yerba Buena

13 Dec

For some time now, I’ve been meaning to try the unlimited brunch at Yerba Buena’s Alphabet City location (Ave A btwn 1st/2nd Sts) and I finally satisfied my curiosity this weekend…  While I did have a few tiny issues with the service, I think the great food, cool atmosphere, and unlimited drink special (+$12 for all you can drink) make it a great brunch spot.

Chips n Sips

The restaurant itself is somewhat small but very tastefully decorated and has an upscale feel to it.  The Maitre D’ was involved in the service and often came over to see how we were doing which was nice; however, the wait staff did seem more interested in canoodling at the bar than at refilling our unlimited drinks.  Normally, I wouldn’t mind but since they do limit the drink special to an hour, the clock was a-ticking (although they did allow us a few more refills once our time was up). I started with a Jalapeno Bloody Mary (not on the menu – just ask) which was spicy and delish, but it was a bit of a procedure to get another.  Your best bet is to go with a mimosa -they had a pitcher pre-made so those were the easiest to have refilled.

Tilapia Taco-Mania!

We got things started with the guacamole + chips which was a really good dish – it was spicy and the queso fresco on top was a nice spin on it.  For an entree, I chose my go-to dish on the menu – the Huevos Rancheros!  The egg on top was a perfectly sized portion, the tortilla was crunchy and the sauce the dish sat in added some heat, I’m big fan.  Another entree on the table was the Tilapia Tacos which looked amazing (minus the fact that I don’t eat fish).

If you’re going to try out this LES Brunch hot spot, make sure you call in advance to make a reservation; you’ll spare yourself the headache of waiting for a table.  All in all, I’d say if you’re looking for an upscale unlimited brunch, and you don’t mind having a bit of patience, Yerba Buena is definitely worth a try.

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Paint, Drink and Be Merry: Little Shop of Crafts

9 Dec

I Heart Little Shop!

I’m always looking for ideas to have a low key night activity that’s outside the norm, which is why finding Little Shop of Crafts made me so incredibly happy.  By now, I’m a repeat-offender guest at the UES location (73rd St btwn York/1st Ave) of this arts & crafts super spot.  I’m constantly coming up with new project ideas as an excuse to go back – you can never have too many mugs!   All you have to do is pick a piece of pottery, choose the colors you want to paint with and you’re ready to go.  The prices are reasonable (you’ll usually spend $20-30) and they’re on Groupon every now and again, so keep an eye out for that to save some moola.

My favorite part of Little Shop is that Wednesday-Friday from 6:30-10pm is adult night – translation: free glass of wine! While they could definitely be a little more generous with the amount of wine they give you, the fact that they offer it at all is nice, and you can always opt to BYOB as my friends and I usually do.  The party room in the back is also a great idea for a grown-up party – I did my 25th birthday there and the “kids” loved it.

No matter what the occasion, Little Shop is the perfect evening of relaxation and always a good time when you’re looking for something different to do – now head on over and get to work on your masterpiece!

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The Redhead: Not Your Average Ginger

8 Dec

For some time now, I’ve heard the whisperings of a great restaurant called The Redhead which is practically around the corner from me (it’s on 13th St btwn 1st/2nd Aves).  I’ve walked past it but never thought to stop in because from the outside, it just looks like a small bar…  But step inside, and you’ll find yourself in a cozy space with a full bar that’s portioned off for a dining room in the back half.

Flat Bread Heaven

While you’re passing the time before getting a table (we had a 35 minute wait), grab a drink at the bar – it’s full of young, hip people and the drinks are equally as trendy.  Jessica and I both opted for the Revival, a lemony gin concoction that was really refreshing.  Once we were seated, we were presented with fresh baked potato rolls that were awesome with the resto’s sweet butter.  Then, after checking out the menu, we opted for the flatbread with mushrooms and marscapone which is a must try dish in my book, and extremely easy to split with a group.  The table next to us asked what it was and immediately ordered one for themselves.

A Few Good Gnocchi

Next up, we had the roasted beet salad (if you didn’t  know, I’m beet obsessed) – the candied pistachios in the mix were a first for me and I really liked them.  As an entrée, we had the potato gnocchi which was chock full of brussel sprouts and chestnuts, but unfortunately I didn’t think it had enough actual gnocchi in it for an entrée sized portion.  That being said, the few I did have were great.

Blondes <3 the Redhead

After having been, I think it’s a crime that I’ve walked by The Redhead as much as I have without stopping in.  It has the quintessential “neighborhood” vibe and does upscale without being pretentious or being insanely pricey.  If you’re in the area, think twice before passing this one by.

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