BONE LICK PARK BBQ WEEKEND BRUNCH

Cyberspace: http://bonelickparkbbq.com/

Where to Find It? 75 Greenwich Ave  New York, NY

Food Group: Barbecue

How Much to Fork Over: $$

The Grade: B

Faves: $14.95 brunch special that includes an entree and one-hour of unlimited Bloody Mary's, Mimosas, and Margaritas; Huevos Rancheros

Peeves: Crowded; slow service; Certain items on brunch menu can be more than $14.95. (Look for the description below the entree name)

Huevos Rancheros



Feta, Tomato, and Fresh Herb Omelet

Mimosa

Brunch Menu

The Jibba Jab: Small barbecue restaurant located in NYC's West Village.  Not only do they serve lunch and dinner, but they also offer a cheap weekend brunch that includes an entree and one-hour of unlimited Bloody Mary's, Mimosas, and Margaritas.  Although there is a time limit on ordering the brunch alcoholic beverages, the amount of food you get plus the complimentary biscuits will fill you up so you won't be thinking about wanting more.  Brunch food is OK but the deal is great!

Trattoria Cinque

Cyberspace: http://trattoriacinquenyc.com/

Where to find it? 363 Greenwich Street  New York, New York

Food Group: Italian

How Much To Fork Over: $$$

The Grade: A-

Faves: The service; Pear, gorgonzola, and truffle oil pizza; Affogato alla vaniglia

Peeves: Restaurant is too large

Complimentary bread with ricotta

Insalata di casa

Pear, gorgonzola, and truffle oil pizza

Ravioli di brasato

Torta di ricotta

Affogato alla vaniglia (vanilla ice cream, espresso, and whipped cream)

The Jibba Jab:  Huge Italian restaurant located in NYC's Tribecca, which I found online on restaurant.com, where you can find discounted gift certificates.  Dined here with my mother, who is visiting from Texas, and both left here impressed.  The Gorgonzola and truffle oil pizza, complimented with a slightly sweet slice of pear, was surprisingly delicious and the house salad and ravioli di brasato were average in taste.

After finishing a bottle of Montepulciano wine with my mom, we decided to order a dessert, ricotta cheesecake.  When the waiter came with our tasty treat, he showed up with two complimentary shots of limoncello and an order of their wonderful vanilla ice cream with espresso poured on top. 

From the excellent service to the food and wine, you can't go wrong here!

Co.

Cyberspace: www.co-pane.com

Where to Find It: 230 9th Ave New York, New York

Food Group: Pizza

How Much to Fork Over: $$

The Grade: Food B; Service C-

Faves: Salads; Meatballs; Flambe Pizza; Bread

Peeves: Slow service; Overcharged credit card

Avacado toast and veal meatball

Escarole salad

Artichoke salad

Flambe pizza

Margherita pizza

Shiitake pizza

The Jibba Jab: Tried this restaurant as one of our picks for NYC ladies' Supper Club. Located in Chelsea, this Jim Lahey communal seating restaurant offers many inventive types of pizzas and tasty salads. Of the items ordered, the Avocado toast (special for the day), Escarole, Green, and Artichoke salads, veal meatballs, and Flambe and Margherita pizzas were all delicious. The wine was average.

I would have given this restaurant a better grade, but knowing that the waiter overcharged one of our credit cards three times and the service was slow, I had to give it a C-.

NYC Trip - May 2011

So I just returned from an amazing 12 day trip to NYC with my sister, NYC, and I thought I would give you a very brief day by day re-cap of everything we did and all of the places we went.  I’ll let NYC do the reviews.

NYC Skyline (the brightly lit building is the
World Trade Center Building 1)

Day 1 

Satis Bistro - Jersey City, NJ – very cute little BYOB bistro with a great cheese and salumi selection.  They even have a display of cured meats hanging near the kitchen!  www.satisbistro.com

Trailer Park Lounge – NYC (Chelsea) - this place had a strange crowd, but the decor did make you think you were in a trailer park, so we had a few laughs while sipping on a very festive Hawaiian Paradise drink that was served in a real pineapple.   www.trailerparklounge.com

The Green Table - NYC (Chelsea Market) - it looked cute inside and they had a wine special for $6/glass, so we stopped in and had one…..it wasn’t good.  www.chelseamarket.com/thegreentable

Terroir Wine Bar - NYC (TriBeCa) – it’s a trendy place that has been in Food and Wine magazine; we met a couple of girls here for some wine and a few munchies before dinner. The menu is a bit odd, and I didn’t really understand all of the hype about it.   www.wineisterroir.com

Honshu Sushi – Jersey City, NJ – lovely little sushi restaurant; we shared some great Gyoza, the Honshu Roll and Noruto Roll.  www.honshulounge.com

Day 2

Marco and Pepes – Jersey City, NJ – great little patio outside; for brunch we split the Artisan Salad and their famous Mac and Cheese, which we thought was a bit too greasy from the bacon, while drinking a pitcher of Sangria.  www.marcoandpepe.com

Zeppelin Hall Biergarten – Jersey City, NJ – we came here to celebrate NYC’s husband’s birthday and had a blast; fantastic outdoor patio, great selection of beer, but the food is par…..it’s a biergarten.  www.zeppelinhall.com

Day 3

Went to one of those fancy boutique shops with nothing but bridesmaids dresses, which I never knew existed, called Bella Bridesmaid, to help one of NYC’s friends pick out dresses for her wedding. 

Bone Lick Park BBQ – NYC (West Village) – had brunch here because they have a special of endless mimosas, bloody marys or sangria and an entrée for $14.95!  The food was decent, but the price was better!  www.bonelickparkbbq.com

Cooked some pizza at NYC’s home for dinner.

Day 4

Hill Country BBQ – NYC (Chelsea) – I was amazed by this place simply because I felt as if I were in Gruene, TX and because the BBQ is up to par with Texas BBQ.  Very impressive.  www.hillcountryny.com

Day 5

Got my H&M shopping fix in.
Cava Wine Bar - NYC (Flat Iron District) - very cool place in the Limelight Market, which used to be a church, then a night club, and now a market.
Madison Square Market - NYC (Flat Iron District) - we stumbled upon this outdoor market on our way to Eataly and had to stop for a glass of wine because it was so neat with the actual Flat Iron as your backdrop.

Il Pesce in Eataly – NYC (Flat Iron District) – I had to do my Eataly market shopping and then we enjoyed some great seafood for dinner.    www.eatalyny.com

Madison Square Market

Flat Iron

Day 6
Fleet Week begins!!  We had a great view of the Parade of the Ships coming in on the Hudson, as well as a few military planes and  helicopters flying above.

The Frying Pan – NYC (Chelsea) – very cool outdoor bar on a barge on the Hudson river.  www.thefryingpan.com

Co. – NYC (Chelsea) – NYC chose her supper club at this place, and I was so excited to come here because it’s a Jim Lahey (the bread baker) restaurant.  The food was fantastic, but the service was horrible.  One of the girls had her card charged 3 times.    www.co-pane.com

The Half Pint – NYC (West Village) - cool little place with tons of beer on tap.  www.thehalfpint.com

Wilfie and Nell – NYC (West Village) – a small trendier spot   www.wilfieandnell.com

Iwo Jima ship going down the Hudson

Military planes going by

Day 7

Now that Fleet Week had begun, NYC and I really wanted to do the tour of the Iwo Jima, while it was parked at Pier 88, so this day was our first attempt.  It closed early because they had too many people trying to do the tour.  Boo…..we wanted to see some men in uniform.  On our way to Pier 88 though, we actually spotted the Naked Cowboy!  That was a first!

Rink Bar – NYC (Rockefeller Center) – I love this place because in the summer they turn the ice skating rink here into an outdoor bar.  Very cool!    www.patinagroup.com

Light Horse Tavern – Jersey City, NJ – good oysters and burgers    www.lighthorsetavern.com

The Naked Cowboy

Day 8

Another attempt to tour the Iwo Jima.  We waited in one line for over an hour to wait in another line.  I had had enough because A) I hate lines and B) I was starving.

Room Service – NYC (Hells Kitchen) – very cool inside, thai food with a great lunch special, $6.90 for an appetizer and entrée.   www.roomservicerestaurant.com

Hofbrau Bierhaus – NYC (Murray Hill) – on our way to find some cool bars to kill time before dinner, we stumbled upon this place.  Cool sunroom inside, good draft beer, fun shot board, outdoor patio overlooking 3^rd Ave, but you can’t drink out there….bummer.    www.bierhausnyc.com

Rodeo Bar – NYC (Kips Bay) – fun Texas bar, but the drinks aren’t really that great.  I had the margarita and it was terrible.    www.rodeobar.com

Pala – NYC (East Village) – we needed a quick appetizer to tie us over while waiting for our table at Meatball shop.  We even had a real Italian, who was sitting next to me at the bar, let us taste his pizza.    www.palapizza.com

Meatball Shop – NYC (East Village) – cute small place with incredible meatballs    www.themeatballshop.com

Day 9

Sky Thai – Jersey City, NJ – the Drunken Noodle (Pad Kee Mow) and Yellow Curry are fantastic!  www.skythaijc.com

We took the Statue of Liberty ride aboard The Clipper sailboat.  This is a definite must during the summer in NYC because you get an up close look of the Statue of Liberty without having to wait in the lines for Ellis Island.  Also, they have a bar!  Go to goldstar.com to get discounted tickets and do the 2:15 tour because it’s a bit warmer than the evening one.  During this particular boat ride we were lucky enough to see 2 of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey's (the helicopter/plane combo flying machine) fly around and land at the heliport near Battery Park.  Very cool!!

Pacific Grill – NYC (Seaport) – great people watching place, but the food and drinks are mediocre at best.  www.pacificgrillnyc.com

Bin 220 – NYC (Seaport) – small wine bar with great music   www.kegno220.com

Next, we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge.  Another definite must in NYC and it’s free!

Ignazio’s Pizzeria – NYC (Brooklyn) – best pizza in NYC (that we’ve tried) and you can drink out of some cool wine goblets.  www.ignaziospizza.com

After dinner, the guys were on a mission to drink a glass of Johnny Walker Blue…..yes, it was one of those nights, and we tried 3 places in Brooklyn with no luck, so we took a subway back to Manhattan to meet up with some friends.

Soho Grand – NYC (SoHo) – very posh place and yes, they had Johnny Walker Blue (for $8 a sip!).  It also has a really great outdoor area.  www.sohogrand.com

Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey landing

Lady Liberty

Brooklyn Bridge

Day 10

Hungover……got a pedicure and watched Bridesmaids, which was absolutely hilarious!  Guys went golfing in Jersey.

Cooked Mexican food at home.

Day 11 (Memorial Day)

I was supposed to leave this day, but extended my trip 2 more days because I wanted to join in on the picnic that NYC’s friends were having, and I ‘m so glad that I did.  Great crowd, great food and great drinks. 

Honshu Sushi – Jersey City, NJ – Yep….we ate there again because MT and I were too lazy to make the trip back into the city, so we opted to stick around Jersey City after returning from the picnic.  It’s good sushi!!

Day 12

Finally, we were able to tour the Iwo Jima ship without waiting in long lines and it was incredible!

PD O’Hurley’s – NYC (Pier 84) – fun outdoor place with mostly soccer playing Irishmen as the wait staff www.pdohurleys.com

Hogs and Heifers – NYC (Meatpacking) – we promptly left after one drink because of prostitutes and very drunken marines and sailors

Standard Grill Biergarten - NYC (Meatpacking) – great outdoor place with beer and a full bar.  Also, we finally got to have a few drinks with some amazing and fun Marines and Sailors.  Great times!!  www.thestandardgrill.com

Day 13

Uggg…..my final day, but I couldn’t have thought of a better way to end this trip than seeing Sarah Palin up close at the Hyatt in Jersey City.  Many people don’t agree with her politics, but I do, so it was an awe moment for me.  I highly respect her.  She is even more gorgeous in person, and really nice to the reporters, by the way

Markers – Jersey City, NJ – a great little spot to sit outside and people watch everyone coming and going from the Path.  www.markersrestaurant.com

HILL COUNTRY BBQ MARKET

Cyberspace: http://www.hillcountryny.com

Where to Find It: 30 West 26th Street NY, NY

Food Group: Barbecue

How Much to Fork Over: $$ - $$$

The Grade: A

Faves: Texas Decor; Jalapeno Sausage; Lean Brisket; Corn Pudding; Campfire Beans; Blue Bell Ice Cream

Peeves: Usually packed with a wait; Loud

The Jibba Jab: When I’m feeling a little homesick and want a quick BBQ fix, I visit Hill Country Barbecue. This casual Texas Hill Country-themed place with a small-town BBQ restaurant feel is one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. As you walk in, the live country music is playing and pictures of the Hill Country (located near Austin), Texas flags, stars, and of the Lockhart BBQ restaurant, from which was the inspiration of this eatery.

Just like any other BBQ place in Texas, you order your food from the counter and they weigh your meats, which is served on a piece of butcher paper with two slices of white bread. After you have salivated over Hill Country's sausages, brisket, spare ribs, and market chicken, there are many other delicious sides to choose from such as corn pudding, green-bean casserole, campfire beans, sweet potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. You definitely won’t leave here hungry! If you are from Texas or just wanting great BBQ, this place is a wonderful fix for your cravings.

 

 

 

The Grape - A Burger to Remember

Cyberspace: http://www.thegraperestaurant.com

Where to Find It: 2808 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206

Food Group: Neighborhood Wine Bistro

How Much to Fork Over: $$$

The Grade: A

Faves: Outdoor Seating, the Burger, Famous Mushroom Soup, Wine List

Peeves: the Burger is only available Sundays and Mondays

The Jibba Jab:
Ageless Lovey-Dovey. The Grape definitely has an adorable and romantic scene; from the twinkling lights that frame the small and cozy outdoor patio to the segmented rooms on the inside that create an intimacy that is unique to Dallas. Also, their service is so impeccable that it makes you wonder why they don’t send Lindsey Lohan here as a Finishing School. She could learn a thing or two from these guys. Now, their food is just as serious and sincere as their service because Chef and Owner Brian Luscher does not mess around, and when combined with that dreamy ambience and finely tuned service this place could make any date leave weak at the knees.
Starting off with the Roasted Corn, Jalapeño and Crab Hush puppies, these things could make Nene Leakes just shut up and enjoy the darn things in silence! Growing up in Conroe, TX I would consider myself somewhat of a Hush puppy connoisseur because you couldn’t drive 10 feet without finding a All You Can Eat Catfish establishment, which are always accompanied with hush puppies. If you don’t really know what they are, well….you definitely aren’t from Texas or better yet the South. Hush puppies are basically a corn dog with out the dog (or the stick), and shaped into balls about 1”-2” in size. These hush puppies had a little more ‘ummph’ and pep to them with the addition of kernels of corn, spicy jalapeno and sweet crab. They were not too shabby!
Next, I was told that The Grape’s Famous Mushroom Soup was an absolute must, so I wasn’t going to skip out on it…..and…..I think it just might cause Campbell’s Soup to recreate their Cream of Mushroom recipe. They wouldn’t even have to do much digging around because The Grape is more than happy to give it to you. I have it and will post it below just in case you would like to try it out! I think I will.
Now for the main reason we came to The Grape…..the Burger, which is only offered on Sundays and Mondays, and merely available until they run out. It was incredible…. Meatier than Beyonce’s rear end and had more juice running down my arm than tears shed on Extreme Makeover. Definitely come here for the burger if not for anything else. I almost obtained my goal of finding the most incredible burger in Dallas, but I know something out there could be slightly better…..I just know it.

Roasted Corn Jalapeno and Crab Hushpuppies

The Mushroom Soup

The Burger

Trying to show the juice oozing from the burger

The Grape's Famous Mushroom Soup
Makes 16 Servings
 
2.5# button mushrooms, washed and chopped (it's easy to do in a food processor)
1 large onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 dry bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 c dry sherry (optional)
1/2# unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 c all-purpose flour
3 qt beef broth or stock, or the equivalent made with beef bouillon cubes
2 c heavy cream
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
 
In a heavy bottomed 6-8qt stock or soup pot, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add onion, garlic, bay leaf and thyme, and cook until translucent. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until most of the water comes out of them. Add the sherry, if you like, and reduce by ½. Add the flour and stir well to avoid lumps (if you do get some, it’s okay-they can be pureed out later). Slowly whisk in the broth or stock and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. You must continue to stir the soup at this point, or the bottom may scorch. When the soup comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Finish by adding the heavy cream and nutmeg, and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the thyme and bay leaf, and puree the soup either in a blender, or with a hand held blender.

This recipe may easily be cut in half, but it is worth making the whole batch because it freezes so well.