Stanton Social

Stanton Social is an old (well, semi old) restaurant on the Lower East side, an area I tend not to venture to, especially in the cold snow. However, this past weekend was a special occasion. I was going out to a ladies lunch. Seven ladies and a baby (is that a movie?).

I have been to dinner at Stanton Social many times (actually the last time I went there is when I became bf/gf with N!). The menu is practically the same for brunch and dinner. I was expecting more. Brunch additions were (as the entire restaurants is tapas) small eggs benedict, silver dollar pancakes and an egg bruschetta, to name a few. The breakfast bruschetta was the hit for me. Scrambled eggs, asiago cheese and tomatoes on crusty bread. The perfect size for a small bite of well cooked breakfast.

We ordered an old favorite French Onion Soup Dumplings. They are amazing. Six of them in a dish which is literally a french onion soup filled dumpling. Watch out, the first bite is tricky as it may burn your mouth! Next, some people ordered sliders (always a fave) and I ordered a grilled cheese. I am a lover of grilled cheese and this did not fit the bill. I had to open the sandwich (size of my palm) to look for the cheese, which was non-existent. Total and complete letdown. Some onions were involved that made it look grayish yellow. The quesadillas and fish tacos were mediocre at best. Yes, again with the fish tacos. I can’t help it. The fish tacos, albeit flavorful, were stuffed so full that the fish and add-ons (fiery mango & avocado salsa) squeezed out the ends with each bite. The ricotta fritters were unremarkable with their bland crust. They tasted more like a donut.

Good thing I was drinking… I suggest if you have never been to Stanton Social, go to check out the scene (it was in an episode of the new MTV show The City). The bar area upstairs can be fun and you can order dishes at the bar, if there is any room. First timers may be impressed by the inventive food options, but it gets old. Time for a menu change.