D’s sister Lisa, one of my favorite Saint Louisians and definitely my most favorite mom, took us to this place in St Loui’s newly restored Lafayette Square. The city’s oldest historic district, with some houses and mansions dating back to the Civil War, Lafayette Square is a tour guide’s delight by day, and by night a hang out spot for herds of enlightened city dwellers. Read more…
D and I headed to this St Marks Place on-the-go food Mecca with one thought on our mind – chickplant! Certain to cause craving attacks and a definite sandwich hall-of-famer – chickplant is a pita stuffed with hummus, roasted (well, lets be honest here - it’s deep fried) eggplant, mashed boiled egg, mixed finely cut greens, and pickles. Read more…
Lydia and I came here for a night cap after our recent Brooklyn escapade. Lydia was lured in by the sounds of live music. I was lured in purely by the sighting of alcohol. Though in the past I was always quick to make fun of Bar Tabac for its overly hipster-like patrons, this time I immediately appreciated the friendly staff, the fun atmosphere and the special attention that we got from the bartender. Read more…
A seeming ChipShop hanger-on, this Euro-pop style bar on Atlantic is a venue in its own right. Floyd serves unexpectedly decent wine and has a great selection of beer (precious Guinness taps included) and whiskeys. The bar’s space is Brooklyn-like - long, wide and spacious enough for a bocce lane. A close cousin of bowling, bocce is arguably one of the most perfect Brooklyn pass-times. Read more…
Best known for welcoming late night East Village party crowds, this 24-hour eatery provides steady, hangover-healing meals. Early Sunday afternoon presented an opportunity for at least 2 in our 7-person gang to put Yaffa’s comfort food menu to a test. We were lucky enough to find a table in the backyard. Read more…
Favored by the perpetually broke NGO workers, NYU students and locals alike, Hi-Fi is a notable East Village attraction because of its generous happy hour, its large and goofy space, and its good selection of draft beers. I would be lying if I said that the always-friendly bartender mixes a good drink. Any vodka or whiskey order should always be put on the rocks with juice/pop omitted for the sake of preserving the original purpose of drinking – i.e. enjoying it, and the original purpose of a liquor drink – i.e. having a taste of the relevant liquor. Read more…
I was introduced to KGB by a fellow Eastern European when I first began investigating NYC alcoholics’ scene. Last weekend I decided to take my new Russian friend there. It turned out that Andrei – who recently moved here from Berkley and went to my high school in the motherland – heard of the place from a New York acquaintance of his. We went mostly to sample imported Baltika – aside from fine porcelain and equally fine views, the best thing to ever come out of our beloved Saint Petersburg. KGB is about the only place in Manhattan that serves it, which is exciting enough for me. Also exciting was the theory that Andrei’s friend had about the bar’s name Read more…
This tiny place obscured by the midtown misery is amazing. Kashkaval takes its name from a yellow cheese produced in Bulgaria and Romania, sometimes apparently referred to as the “cheddar of the Balkans.” The store fronts mostly as a cheese market and though I’ve walked in here before to purchase cheese, I never suspected that the small, dark backroom holds a sit-down eatery. Upon entry, it’s hard to pass up an opportunity to sniff at delicious cheese selections, olives and other snackables. Aside from staff and customers, an ever-changing cast of kitties permanently resides at Kashkaval. Strangely they show no interest in the customers or the cheese and laze about the store or sit by the door looking on to 9th Avenue. Read more…