La Churreria

New Yorkers experiencing a bout of wanderlust may want to stop by La Churreria, a lively Iberian sandwich shop that transports diners from Mulberry Street to Madrid. Attached to parent restaurant Socarrat Paella Bar, the recently opened storefront offers traditional, Spanish pressed sandwiches (Bikinis) along with chorizo filled breakfast rolls and Bocatas (sandwiches served on a baguette). The standout is the Calamares Fritos Bocata ($8), which manages to transform the popular appetizer/bar snack into a surprisingly elegant sandwich. Lightly battered rings of fresh squid are tossed with a spicy aioli and placed a top an airy baguette. The end result is a sprightly sandwich that’s satisfying without being too heavy. And if you find yourself  with room for dessert, there is always the shop’s namesake dessert (churros), which can be ordered with a cup of chocolate sauce for dipping.

284 Mulberry Street
(212) 219-0400

Jack’s Wife Frida: Poached eggs with grilled tomato and halloumi

I’ve often wondered why halloumi, the brined, semi-hard cheese from Cyprus, is not incorporated into more brunch dishes in New York. I first discovered the cheese in Vienna, where I spent a third of my allotted weekend travel budget at a trendy Turkish restaurant one morning. My expenditure, while reckless, was not entirely in vain as I ordered a halloumi omelet that would go on to haunt my dreams for the next several months.

Once back in New York, I had pretty much given up on enjoying the Cypriot cheese at brunch until I learned that the recently opened Jack’s Wife Freda serves poached eggs with grilled tomato and halloumi at breakfast (there is also a halloumi appetizer available on the dinner menu). I finally got a chance to stop by the SoHo hot spot (the restaurant’s crowd is noticeably attractive but unusually down-to-earth) this weekend. Expectations were high, but Jack’s Wife did not disappoint.

The dish ($10) is simple, but effective playing on the strengths of its three components. Halloumi’s natural saltiness is subtle enough to allow the freshness of the poached eggs to come through while imparting the majority of the dish’s flavor. Because of its abnormally high melting point, the cheese is able to maintain its firmness between the eggs and underlying grilled tomato adding texture while absorbing the tomato’s sweetness. A side of sourdough toast accompanies the trio and is best left to clean up duty as you will most likely want to leave behind an empty plate. I would also highly recommend ordering a side of the $5 fries as the dish, while flavorful, is not particularly substantial.

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No. 7 Sub

Rarely does one describe a sandwich shop as sexy (sorry Subway), but the second outpost of No. 7 Sub that recently opened in Greenpoint is about to change that notion. Unlike the original location at The Deuce, sorry I mean, Ace Hotel, the Manhattan Avenue addition has 50 seats and a full bar. The menu features No.7’s signature, chip-stuffed sandwiches along with several new additions and comfort food companions like tomato soup ($4) and Muchim pickles ($2). Try the Fried Broccoli ($9) -a bread-based riff on the popular tempura broccoli dish served at the No. 7 restaurant in Fort Greene. Whichever sandwich you decide on, be sure to order one of the $9 cocktails, which are just as inventive as the subs.

No. 7 Sub, 931 Manhattan Ave, 718.389.7775

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Meat hummus at Mimi’s Hummus (1209 Cortelyou Road)

Dinner Special

Note - Below is a story I wrote for a blog that ended up not getting published, so I decided to post it here. I am the first to admit that I do not consider a $20 or $30 dinner (plus booze) a cheap meal. I see this as more of a guide to the nightly specials of popular restaurants that often aren’t heavily publicized.

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It is usually around the third week in January when firmly made New Year’s resolutions begin to show their wear - cleanses are cut 5 days short, gym memberships remain unused. It is also around this time when those who vowed to eat out less have become sick of Chinese food and store bought pasta. The good news for the latter is that there’s no need to throw in the towel just yet. Some of Brooklyn’s best restaurants offer weeknight dinner specials as a way to lure in diners on traditionally slower nights (typically towards the beginning of the week). While it’s not as cheap as a packet of ramen, taking advantage of these deals could add a couple of extra dollars to that new savings account.

James, Photo via James

James - Sunday and Monday
605 Carlton Avenue, Prospect Heights

Budget-conscious Brooklynites wanting to try Prospect Heights trailblazer James may want to consider the restaurant’s Sunday suppers. For $30, diners receive a three-course meal with menu items like butternut squash risotto with truffle oil and spinach salad with pine nuts. Looking for something more casual? The restaurant also hosts a burger and slow roasted pork night on Mondays. $9.50 gets you a classic burger with Vermont cheddar and herb fries. A lamb burger with goat cheese and a slow roasted pork sandwich are also available.

The Brooklyn Star - Sunday and Monday
593 Lorimer Street, Williamsburg

Williamsburg Southern joint, The Brooklyn Star, offers family style feasts on Sunday and Monday nights. Unlike the other restaurants mentioned in this article, this deal requires some work on the diner’s end - there is a three person minimum ($20 per person) and reservations must be made ahead a time. Of course, the diner, and his or her guests, will be sweetly rewarded with fried chicken and three side dishes.

Buttermilk Channel - Monday
524 Court Street, Carroll Gardens

Carroll Gardens comfort food haven, Buttermilk Channel, serves a three-course, $25 dinner on Monday nights. Sweet potato soup, buttermilk fried chicken with cheddar waffles, and a mini pecan sundae all make an appearance on the menu. If that’s not enough to lure you down Court Street, the restaurant’s serious street cred (Jay-Z and Beyonce rang in the New Year there and Mayor Bloomberg recently stopped by for some fried chicken) should. 

Chicken and Waffles at Buttermilk Channel, Photo via Zagat

The Vanderbilt - Tuesday - Thursday
570 Vanderbilt Avenue, Prospect Heights

Casual neighborhood spot, The Vanderbilt, offers a featured entree with a complimentary draft brew for $15 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. Entree specials tend to be menu items that pair well with beer (think mussels and fries, St. Louis style ribs). The full menu can be found here. Arrive before 7 to take advantage of the bar’s happy hour ($4 drafts, $5 glasses of wine).

The Good Fork - Tuesday - Thursday
391 Van Brunt Street

Quirky, New American-Korean restaurant, The Good Fork, also offers a nightly prix fixe menu Tuesdays through Thursdays, which includes three courses for $25. Menus are updated daily on the restaurant’s Twitter account (@goodforkredhook). Recent specials have featured hearty winter fare like spicy chicken and chorizo stew and cider braised pork belly.

Places to eat near the New Museum

[Photo credit: Gothamist/Katie Sokoler]

The Carsten Höller exhibit at The New Museum, which features a 102 foot slide that travels from the museum’s 4th floor to its 2nd, has finally opened. Anyone who visited the similar Höller exhibit at the Tate Modern in 2006 and 2007 knows it is something not to be missed. Make a day, or even a date, out of it by visiting the museum and then one of the excellent restaurants located near-by.

Brunch:

[Photo credit: Eater]

Peels (325 Bowery, 646.602.7015) - Although older sibling Freeman’s is technically closer to the museum, visit Peels for classic Southern American cooking on what was formerly skid row. Brunch offerings include shrimp and grits and biscuits and gravy as well as some lighter options like yogurt with granola. Either way, meals are best finished off with a slice of pie.

Cafe Gitane (242 Mott St, 212.334.9552) - What better way to end a trip to a museum than with some of the city’s best people watching at this hipster haven? The solid French Moroccan fare (baked feta with capers, olives, and tomatoes, Moroccan couscous with merguez sausages) is a pleasant change from the standard challah French toast and eggs Florentine found at most trendy brunch spots.

Pizza: 

[Photo credit: Pulino’s]

Pulino’s (282 Bowery, 212.226.1966) - The slightly over- hyped pizzeria seems to have finally hit its stride with chef Tony Liu - Village Voice just voted their pizza best of 2011. As with any Keith McNally restaurant, expect a lively dining room filled with beautiful people. 

Forcella (334 Bowery, 212.466.3300) - This Williamsburg export sets itself apart from other Neapolitan pie joints by deep frying its pizza crusts. The end result is worth a try. Added bonus? Bragging rights - the restaurant just opened on October 27th.

Dinner:

Peasant (194 Spring St, 212.965.9511) - For over 10 years, Frank DeCarlo has been wowing crowds and critics with his simple Italian cooking. Grab a glass of wine and tuck into an order of burrata with wood roasted tomatoes at the restaurant’s candlelit bar after the exhibit. 

[Photo Credit: Eating in Translation]

Torrisi Italian Specialties (250 Mulberry St, 212.965.0955) - If you have the time (the restaurant only has 18 seats and does not accept reservations) and the appetite, head over to Torrisi Italian Specialties, a restaurant which has managed to impress the city’s top critics with its culinary twist on typically pedestrian Italian-American classics. At $50 a person, their tasting menu is still one of the best deals in town.

Hot Bird

Hot Bird, 546 Clinton Ave - On a particularly industrial stretch of Atlantic Avenue, amidst storage centers and auto garages, lies one of Brooklyn’s handsomest bars. What was once itself an auto repair shop, is now a Clinton Hill hot spot (New York Magazine highlighted its Pickup Scene in their 2011 Where to Drink Edition) with exposed pipes, vintage signs, and a variety of liquors from local distilleries. Their rotating beer selection is filled with well-selected micro-brews which, during a recent visit, included a Pretty Things Saison and a deliciously hoppy Firestone IPA. Go during the bar’s happy hour when all beers are four dollars (well drinks are five) until 8 p.m.

A weekend above the city

Barrio Chino

Despite its fashionable location and attractive crowd, this popular Lower East Side joint remains pleasantly accessible serving fresh Mexican fare at reasonable prices. Tacos and homemade tortilla chips are best washed down with a Michelada or one of the bar’s specialty margaritas. High ceilings and large, street-facing windows create a breezy ambiance while paper lanterns pay tribute to the restaurant’s location on the cusp of Chinatown (Barrio Chino translates to ‘Chinatown’ in Spanish). Given the limited amount of seating and space, waits can be long, but hosts happily take down phone numbers so larger parties can grab a drink at a near-by bar.

253 Broome St
212-228-6710

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Fort Tilden (from 2010)

Free bagels

More interested in bloody marys than eggs Benedict after a late night out? Both Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Ale House and Greenpoint’s The Mark Bar offer free bagels to their bleary-eyed patrons on Sunday afternoons (Brooklyn Ale House also offers them on Saturdays). Added bonus - both bars have an excellent selection of draft beers and are usually pet-friendly. 

Brooklyn Ale House
103 Berry St, Williamsburg

The Mark Bar
1025 Manhattan Ave, Greenpoint

Salty + Sweet

Cool and refreshing but sweet, ice cream has always put us savory types in a bit of quandary. Fortunately, some of the city’s top ice cream purveyors have created flavors that combine the best of both worlds.

Salty Pimp, $5
Big Gay Ice Cream Truck (usually 17th and Broadway, check their website for exact location and hours)
Big Gay Ice Cream Truck spices up the classic chocolate dipped cone with Dulce de Leche and flecks of sea salt- an amalgamation so good that you’ll find yourself asking for salt instead of sprinkles the next time you order soft serve.

Salted Caramel Pretzel, $3
Fort Grace at The General Greene (229 Dekalb Ave, for exact hours check their Twitter)
Don’t be fooled by its simple appearance, the use of pretzel salt packs a powerful, but toothsome punch.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich with Brown Butter and Candied Bacon Ice Cream, $5
CoolHaus Truck (various locations, check their Twitter)
Chunks of candied bacon make this ice cream sandwich from the new L.A. import not that far off from a real sandwich.

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Fette Sau, Williamsburg

Van Leeuwen

One of the first New York food trucks to go brick-and-mortar, Van Leeuwen serves up their creamy, all natural ice cream in a tiny storefront on Manhattan Avenue across the street from fellow food-cart-turned-restaurant, Calexico. Standard flavors like vanilla and strawberry share menu space with more unique offerings such as Earl Grey and red currant. In addition, the shop serves Intelligentsia coffee, assorted pastries, and decadent sundaes. Seating is limited, but near-by McCarren Park is an ideal alternative on nice days. Van Leeuwen’s three original, yellow tinged trucks can be found at various, rotating locations in Manhattan as well as swarmed with hipsters off the Bedford Avenue stop in Williamburg. Check the ice cream shop’s Twitter for exact locations. There are also two other standing storefronts in Boerum Hill and the East Village.