http://www.josephleonard.com/
Is that seriously a website? Way to not seem pretentious…
I guess that is what happens when you are the owner of a couple of the best and hippest restaurants in the west village. I did blog a while ago about Little Owl didn’t I? I will remember the soft shell crab with asparagus risotto forever.
When I first heard about Joseph Leonard, which is apparently the names of the owners grandfathers, all I heard about was that it was a place for “daily candy girls with ponytails and skirts” and that the oysters were for some reason not on ice (kind of gross and probably not healthy…). So, I had a wait a bit to let them work out the kinks and stereotypes. Ok let’s be honest. I am the stereotype. But hey, we “ponytailed girls in pairs” drop some dough on a good wine list.
The dimly lit joint had a romantic overtone, while still having an upbeat and lively vibe. The ex-little owl front of the house man turned owner of JL, Gabe Stulman, is on the scene each night serving up drinks and talking to patrons. We sat at the bar, so we were front and center. The bartender and the owner were ribbing each other the entire time about not paying enough attention to the drinks they were making.
We started with the Shrimp and Grits, because I had read that it was one of the top apps. But, it didn’t jump out at me as anything special. I actually thought the grits were rather bland and the sausage and shrimp just didn’t have enough umpf to get the dish going. Now, I’m told that grits is always bland? What’s the point of that then? I would much rather have a risotto! (I’m obsessed…). For entrees, we had the Skate, which was actually pretty phenomenal, and the turkey. Yes, a restaurant was serving turkey for dinner and it wasn’t even Thanksgiving (too bad, I love Thanksgiving). The skate was lightly battered and cooked. It was easy to peel apart, which is my favorite quality of a skate fish/wing, besides the taste. The turkey was a special that will be added to the menu in the winter. Nothing like a heavy, tryptophan(ic) meal to start off your night! It’s well worth it.
I like to count Joseph Leonard as one of those places that you can go for the scene as well as the food. Btw – we went on a Saturday night with no reservations and were seated relatively promptly at the bar.
Showing posts with label Bar Scene. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bar Scene. Show all posts
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Charles
WE HAD A FEW CANCELATIONS THIS EVENING AND WAS WONDERING IF YOU WOULD STILL LIKE TO JOIN US AROUND 8… LET ME KNOW
CHARLES
234 W.4TH ST
(THE CORNER OF W4TH @ W10TH)
Oh… thanks… although considering I already had a reservation confirmed for 7:45, I’ll pass. If only I saw this before I got there! We sat immediately at 7:45 on a Saturday night and there were probably only two other tables filled at the restaurant. I guess that is what you get for having your windows boarded up as if they place is condemned and don’t take walk-ins. Anyway, enough complaining (for now).
The Charles is actually a very cool new spot in the west village. Like I said, it looks like it’s a boarded up place outside (be careful of the door with no window). Inside is a different story all together. The design is so cool that it reminded me of the architectural digest exhibit I went to when the Time Warner Center opened a couple of years ago. The walls were grey, studded leather (or so I thought) and the dim lighting made it feel like you entered into a speakeasy. The music was awesome. We Shasamed (IPhone app) ½ the songs and sang along to the other half throughout the meal. The only issue was the seating. When we sat at the two top, we were the only ones in the section. This lasted for about an hour until the place really got packed. We were then smashed in between two tables of 8 like sardines. To be honest, I actually felt a little claustrophobic. Because of the last table that joined in on the fun, we had to move our glasses or water and wine to the other side of the table. One of the girl’s hair almost dropped into my water, and she knocked my friends martini into her food (not 100% her fault as there was really just no where to go, although she seemingly did not notice). Luckily, we were done with our meal and moved to the bar area, which was small but hoppin. Great for a quick drink before dinner or to meet up with a friend to catch up (although very few seats available, they did have hooks for our coats!). The drinks were good as well. I had one of the drinks on the menu that the waiter said would “put me on my ass” but, no fears, it did not. Still good and different. Oh, right and the drinks were $16 a pop. Nearly forgot to mention that little fact. Might make some recessionistas steer clear until they come back down from the moon.
Ok, onto the food. Immediately upon sitting down, our waiter told us that everything on the menu was made without butter. What? NO BUTTER? But then how will my food taste good? Isn’t that the point of going out to dinner? Taste? But, ok, I’ll embrace it and hope to be pleasantly surprised…. Which I was!
My date (thanks for joining me HH) and I each ordered appetizers that were the specials. I had the crab cake (as the waiter said – made with all crab) and she had the tomato soup (remember… no butter or cream). In between ordering and getting our apps, we were able to enjoy the hot grilled flatbread with olive tapenade. (Remember, no butter, so they had to get creative with what they served with the bread.) The tomato soup was amazing. My friend asked if it was more like a gazpacho, but it was not (since warm). I was still expecting a puree. This was more than that, as it didn’t have the chunky consistency of a puree. I was very flavorful and creamy, without the cream. The crab cake was as called, all crab. I didn’t notice any bread filling. It was slightly pan seared to a light brown, served with a small salad with light dressing. For entrees, my friend went with the salmon (semi-reluctantly, as we both think salmon is pretty boring) and I had the scallops (I’m going to try going forward not to order the same thing over and over again… but we will see). The salmon was nicely done, nothing terribly special. The Scallops were very tender and tasty, not fishy whatsoever and not overcooked. They were over a cauliflower puree, which is the winter favorite for NYC restaurants. I think this is because it’s a lighter and tastier mashed potato-like option. In addition, the scallops were topped with a sliced green apple salad, another favorite for restaurants to prepare with scallops. Overall, the food wasn’t overly imaginative, but it was still simple and good. Its worth the email traffic to score a reservation. Plus, any out of town guest will think you are in-the-know. Definitely easier than getting into the Waverly Inn, and although most likely not actually chicer, it does look like it.
To get reservations you can email: reservations@restaurantcharles.com
Tell them Jackie sent you… or not since they apparently have no idea who I am (re: email above).
CHARLES
234 W.4TH ST
(THE CORNER OF W4TH @ W10TH)
Oh… thanks… although considering I already had a reservation confirmed for 7:45, I’ll pass. If only I saw this before I got there! We sat immediately at 7:45 on a Saturday night and there were probably only two other tables filled at the restaurant. I guess that is what you get for having your windows boarded up as if they place is condemned and don’t take walk-ins. Anyway, enough complaining (for now).
The Charles is actually a very cool new spot in the west village. Like I said, it looks like it’s a boarded up place outside (be careful of the door with no window). Inside is a different story all together. The design is so cool that it reminded me of the architectural digest exhibit I went to when the Time Warner Center opened a couple of years ago. The walls were grey, studded leather (or so I thought) and the dim lighting made it feel like you entered into a speakeasy. The music was awesome. We Shasamed (IPhone app) ½ the songs and sang along to the other half throughout the meal. The only issue was the seating. When we sat at the two top, we were the only ones in the section. This lasted for about an hour until the place really got packed. We were then smashed in between two tables of 8 like sardines. To be honest, I actually felt a little claustrophobic. Because of the last table that joined in on the fun, we had to move our glasses or water and wine to the other side of the table. One of the girl’s hair almost dropped into my water, and she knocked my friends martini into her food (not 100% her fault as there was really just no where to go, although she seemingly did not notice). Luckily, we were done with our meal and moved to the bar area, which was small but hoppin. Great for a quick drink before dinner or to meet up with a friend to catch up (although very few seats available, they did have hooks for our coats!). The drinks were good as well. I had one of the drinks on the menu that the waiter said would “put me on my ass” but, no fears, it did not. Still good and different. Oh, right and the drinks were $16 a pop. Nearly forgot to mention that little fact. Might make some recessionistas steer clear until they come back down from the moon.
Ok, onto the food. Immediately upon sitting down, our waiter told us that everything on the menu was made without butter. What? NO BUTTER? But then how will my food taste good? Isn’t that the point of going out to dinner? Taste? But, ok, I’ll embrace it and hope to be pleasantly surprised…. Which I was!
My date (thanks for joining me HH) and I each ordered appetizers that were the specials. I had the crab cake (as the waiter said – made with all crab) and she had the tomato soup (remember… no butter or cream). In between ordering and getting our apps, we were able to enjoy the hot grilled flatbread with olive tapenade. (Remember, no butter, so they had to get creative with what they served with the bread.) The tomato soup was amazing. My friend asked if it was more like a gazpacho, but it was not (since warm). I was still expecting a puree. This was more than that, as it didn’t have the chunky consistency of a puree. I was very flavorful and creamy, without the cream. The crab cake was as called, all crab. I didn’t notice any bread filling. It was slightly pan seared to a light brown, served with a small salad with light dressing. For entrees, my friend went with the salmon (semi-reluctantly, as we both think salmon is pretty boring) and I had the scallops (I’m going to try going forward not to order the same thing over and over again… but we will see). The salmon was nicely done, nothing terribly special. The Scallops were very tender and tasty, not fishy whatsoever and not overcooked. They were over a cauliflower puree, which is the winter favorite for NYC restaurants. I think this is because it’s a lighter and tastier mashed potato-like option. In addition, the scallops were topped with a sliced green apple salad, another favorite for restaurants to prepare with scallops. Overall, the food wasn’t overly imaginative, but it was still simple and good. Its worth the email traffic to score a reservation. Plus, any out of town guest will think you are in-the-know. Definitely easier than getting into the Waverly Inn, and although most likely not actually chicer, it does look like it.
To get reservations you can email: reservations@restaurantcharles.com
Tell them Jackie sent you… or not since they apparently have no idea who I am (re: email above).
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Macao Trading Company
Set on a quiet Tribeca street, the only thing that notifies a passer-by of Macao Trading Company is the red light above the door. Oh yeah, and the bouncer ready to pounce. Other than the bouncer thing, Macao Trading Company is a seemingly compete departure from the owner’s first place, Employees Only. (The bouncer there is either your best friend or your worst enemy. He once suggested that I call the cops on him, as I was first in line to get in with three of my girl friends, I guess us quietly talking to each other and patiently waiting made him think I was upset about something? Little does he know…)
This place deserves the buzz it’s getting. Behind the velvet curtain (and the bouncer… who cares if you are there for dinner or drinks at 7:30?) is a dimly lit restaurant with a lot of style. Don’t forget to check out the owner’s rendition of a phallus wall on your way downstairs. The restaurant takes reservation for the upstairs, which I would guess seats 50. The downstairs and the bar are first come first serve. We got there at 7:30 and the place was pretty much empty. We were given the option of sitting upstairs in the main dining room, but could only have the table for an hour (er… no thanks) or we could sit downstairs in the lounge which serves the full menu. We chose the downstairs, which can also be rented out for a private party. If you are looking for a place, this would be great. There is a separate bar, separate music and a separate entrance/exit. Perfect for a b-day party, although I have no idea how much it costs. I didn’t see too many large tables for groups, but the lounge area is great for apps and meeting up with friends.
To start, there is a good wine list and a very imaginative cocktail menu. As you can see, the menu is split into Portuguese and Chinese styles. We chose the Chinese style shrimp, Portuguese style meatballs and mushrooms for our small plates, as well as the Portuguese style pork ribs and Chinese style sea bass. Most of Chinese small dishes are fried (not hearing any complaints from me). I got the mushroom and shrimp dishes on a recommendation and I would recommend these along. The shrimp was served with a spicy sweet chili sauce accompaniment while the mushrooms croquettes were wonderfully done with the inside made of mushrooms and cream with truffles (awesome). The meatballs were tender and excellent. Not being a full on meat eater, its not often I enjoy a meat dish without any complaints. The meatballs came in a red sauce and were filled with cheese (maybe that was the kicker). The large or house dishes were not as enjoyable as the smaller ones. My suggestion is to stick to the apps. The pork ribs were more like pork tips, very fatty and covered in sauce. I couldn’t even eat a full one. The bass was decent, over a light soy sauce. There were parts of both dishes that we couldn’t eat because of the fat (ribs) and the tough middle part of the fish.
Overall, I liked this place a lot. The prices are reasonable, especially in comparison to other similarly sceney restaurants in the city. I think our cocktails were more expensive than our appetizers. Some of the small dishes are hard to share with more than two people, as they mostly came in orders of two to three pieces. It seemed like a very cool and hip scene. I will definitely go back, if not only to meet people at the bar. Anyone want to hit up Sway after?
This place deserves the buzz it’s getting. Behind the velvet curtain (and the bouncer… who cares if you are there for dinner or drinks at 7:30?) is a dimly lit restaurant with a lot of style. Don’t forget to check out the owner’s rendition of a phallus wall on your way downstairs. The restaurant takes reservation for the upstairs, which I would guess seats 50. The downstairs and the bar are first come first serve. We got there at 7:30 and the place was pretty much empty. We were given the option of sitting upstairs in the main dining room, but could only have the table for an hour (er… no thanks) or we could sit downstairs in the lounge which serves the full menu. We chose the downstairs, which can also be rented out for a private party. If you are looking for a place, this would be great. There is a separate bar, separate music and a separate entrance/exit. Perfect for a b-day party, although I have no idea how much it costs. I didn’t see too many large tables for groups, but the lounge area is great for apps and meeting up with friends.
To start, there is a good wine list and a very imaginative cocktail menu. As you can see, the menu is split into Portuguese and Chinese styles. We chose the Chinese style shrimp, Portuguese style meatballs and mushrooms for our small plates, as well as the Portuguese style pork ribs and Chinese style sea bass. Most of Chinese small dishes are fried (not hearing any complaints from me). I got the mushroom and shrimp dishes on a recommendation and I would recommend these along. The shrimp was served with a spicy sweet chili sauce accompaniment while the mushrooms croquettes were wonderfully done with the inside made of mushrooms and cream with truffles (awesome). The meatballs were tender and excellent. Not being a full on meat eater, its not often I enjoy a meat dish without any complaints. The meatballs came in a red sauce and were filled with cheese (maybe that was the kicker). The large or house dishes were not as enjoyable as the smaller ones. My suggestion is to stick to the apps. The pork ribs were more like pork tips, very fatty and covered in sauce. I couldn’t even eat a full one. The bass was decent, over a light soy sauce. There were parts of both dishes that we couldn’t eat because of the fat (ribs) and the tough middle part of the fish.
Overall, I liked this place a lot. The prices are reasonable, especially in comparison to other similarly sceney restaurants in the city. I think our cocktails were more expensive than our appetizers. Some of the small dishes are hard to share with more than two people, as they mostly came in orders of two to three pieces. It seemed like a very cool and hip scene. I will definitely go back, if not only to meet people at the bar. Anyone want to hit up Sway after?
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Commerce
Let me start with a little rant on Opentable… I think it’s a great new addition to the restaurant scene, especially since I just got my first $20 check in the mail! However, I also feel like it is some sort of a scam. When the restaurant called to confirm our reservation the day before for 8:30 on a Thursday night, there was an excess of tables available around that same time. Yet, when we walked into the restaurant it was unbelievably packed.
The restaurant, which looks like a glorified diner, is super loud with an overly crowded bar area. I was hit multiple times with people going back and forth in the walkway between the bar and the tables. Although, it looked like people were not going to be seated with their reservations (the dreaded overbooked or ghost reservation), we were sat within 20 minutes of us all getting there, which is decent in NYC.
On to the important stuff… I have been to Commerce three times now (which I guess says a lot for it). The first time was almost a year ago to the date. I think it was too early to tell then if the place was going to make it past the hubub and into small group of stable west village eateries. The best thing that came out of that meal was the Oysters in Champagne. I know, sounds uber weird, but really, it was amazing. I love to pick the most random looking thing on the menu and give it a go. It really tends to show off the chefs creative prowess. This time, I went for the Grilled White tuna as an appetizer and the Mushroom ravioli appetizer as my meal (ok, so I don’t pick the weird things every time…). One of the great things about Commerce is that they have twice as many appetizers than entrees. I love that. For some reason I just find appetizers much more…well…appetizing. Because I’m a little aloof, when the tuna came grilled I was taken aback. 100% my fault. I thought I was ordering sashimi. The menu was completely obvious (as in it said grilled and I just completely overlooked that fact). Even with the little surprise, I was happy. The Mushroom and Fontina Ravioli w/ sunchoke puree & parmesan emulsion was great. Two words, truffle oil. Considering that truffle oil is a delicacy (?) of sorts, Commerce uses it very liberally in this dish. It was so strong that the entire group smelled it when my plate came to the table. It smelled like a little piece of heaven. Oh yeah, and the Salad of 20 Herbs and Lettuces with manchego cheese, olive oil and lemon isn’t half-bad either.
It’s a good restaurant on a very secluded west village street. Not a special occasion place, but good for a random night outing.
Late Addition: If you care about this stuff, I was just reading the bio of chef Harold Moore. He has been an apprentice to some of the most noted chef's in the city.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
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.
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.
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