The L Magazine - New York City's Local Event and Arts & Culture Guide: Food & Drink

A Family Affair

editor@thelmagazine.com (Kara Zuaro) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0500

This cozy, romantic, not-quite-finished Park Slope hideaway is perfect for holiday dating. by Kara Zuaro The Sackett 661 Sackett St., Brooklyn Rating: 3 of of 5 L's Visiting this boxy little boite is like hitting the housewarming party of a couple that just rented their first apartment together. (So, if you're going through a break-up, subtract an L and grab a seat that faces away from the squared-off dark-wood bar.) Lovebird owners Ann Jhun and Michael Ragolia are still getting settled in—some wiring snakes out from the exposed brick, houseplants in mismatched pots sit on…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Mexico City Blues

editor@thelmagazine.com (Kate Dulin) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0500

This new LES Mexican joint is too loud and too big. by Kate Dulin Los Feliz 109 Ludlow St., 212-228-8383 Price Range: $7-$15 Rating: 2 out of 5 L's For many of us dwelling on the LES, Spitzer's Corner has become a way of life. More often than not, quibbles over where to go out often end with the phrase, "Fuck it, let's just go to Spitzer's." It may not be the best, but it's got something for everyone. Unsurprisingly, the same goes for Los Feliz, the new Mexican spot from the Spitzer's folks,…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

What Would Your Dream Bar Be Like?

editor@thelmagazine.com (Ryan Vlastelica) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0500

Our dream bar would have reasonably priced beer, veggie hot dogs and a television that only played hockey games. Also, a talking dog for a bartender. by Ryan Vlastelica RITA Where she presides: 718, Astoria Favorite drink: Gin and tonic It'd be more like a restaurant than a bar, but it'd still be a beer and shot place. It would have a Hungarian theme, since I am from Hungary. We'd serve Hungarian food, which is really heavy, but that's good because then you can drink more. There would be Hungarian decorations and a dance floor. We'd have live music some nights, more classical stuff for slower ballroom dancing. Actually,…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

The Mayor of Little Yemen Has No Term Limits

editor@thelmagazine.com (Katie Robbins) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0500

A small family restaurant on Atlantic Avenue tells the story of New York City. by Katie Robbins This is the second of a series in which Katie Robbins meets the personalities behind the city's most vibrant ethnic restaurants. Read part one here. Akram Nassir knows Atlantic Avenue. He easily spouts off information about shifts in demographics ("It's changed a lot. It used to be all Lebanese and Syrian," he says. "It's all Yemeni people now") and patterns of store ownership ("This block alone was probably owned by one person, and he sold it off.") He rattles off…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

From Guerilla War to a Scorsese Movie to a Tibetan Restaurant in Queens

editor@thelmagazine.com (Katie Robbins) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

In the first of a series, Katie Robbins profiles the people behind New York's great ethnic restaurants. by Katie Robbins [image-1] It's a rainy Saturday afternoon when I pull up a chair to join Lobsang Sherab and Karma Lama at Shangri-la Tibet Kitchen in Jackson Heights. I'm wet and cold, and the warm mugs of milky-looking tea sitting in front of them look particularly inviting. After a few minutes of niceties Sherab, the restaurant's owner, offers me a cup, and I'm thrilled, thinking of the Indian masala chai that their drinks so closely resemble. But before I can say yes,…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Saltie of the Earth

editor@thelmagazine.com (Keith Wagstaff) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Fast food done nearly perfectly at Williamsburg snack counter, Saltie. by Keith Wagstaff Saltie 378 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, 718-387-4777 Price Range: $6-$15 Rating: L L L L Every morning at 10am, customers trickle into this tiny sandwich shop and bakery, located on a picturesque stretch of Metropolitan Avenue near Havemeyer Street. What they don't see is Caroline Fidanza, Elizabeth Schula and Rebecca Collerton hustling three hours earlier to complete the morning's prep work, consisting of, among other tasks, baking sheets of focaccia bread and Parker House rolls, chopping organic vegetables and brewing family-farmed…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Motley Cru: Beaujolais Winemakers Are Crazy

editor@thelmagazine.com (Kate Dulin) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0400

The feud between Cru Beaujolais and Beaujolais Nouveau is almost as bad as werewolves vs. vampires. Seriously. by Kate Dulin Wine tastings never fail to attract an unusual crowd; and although wine connoisseurs are always good for a few eccentricities, the atmosphere relies heavily on the producers themselves. Get a few small-scale vintners together from a tiny wine region in France, where a centuries-old tradition has been upstaged for the past 30 years by a corporate marketing ploy, and you are guaranteed an interesting night. At least, that's how it is in Beaujolais, where 14 families with centuries-old ties to…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Your Best Halloween Costume?

editor@thelmagazine.com (Ryan Vlastelica) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0400

One time we went as ourselves five years in the future. It totally freaked everybody out, for reals. by Ryan Vlastelica [image-1] Our best Halloween costume ever was an executed death row inmate. We had an orange jump suit, a shaved head, and wires stuck to our head. Also, char marks. Scared our mother. EMILY Where she presides: Stini Yiamas, Astoria Favorite drink: Amstel Light One time I went as Derelict from Zoolander and made a costume out of trash. I got a bunch of Big Mac wrappers and some Wal-Mart bags, which I sewed together. It was very cute and…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

What's That Noise on the Roof?

editor@thelmagazine.com (Mary Block) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Berry Park puts a biergarten in a loft... and it works. by Mary Block Berry Park, 4 Berry St, Brooklyn Rating: L L L L L The owners of Berry Park know how they want it to end up. They want a big open space where you can bring all your friends, knowing they'll fit and have a cheap but stylish good time. For now, it looks like someone put a biergarten in an 80s loft. Smooth, gorgeous wooden tables and carved banquettes fill a cavernous space sparingly dotted with potted ferns and Ikea…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Finally, Meatless Desserts!

editor@thelmagazine.com (Kate Dulin) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:40:00 -0400

Vegan baked goods reviewed by two interns, one a committed vegan, the other not at all. by Kate Dulin When we were offered a seasonal sampler of baked goods from the Bethlehem, PA-based company, Vegan Treats, we were sorta like, "Er, no thanks," and then we took a giant bite out of a ball of fresh mozzarella like it was an apple. And then we remembered one of our interns is vegan. And then we remembered one other intern is sort of a food snob and decidedly not vegan. And then we made them sit in a corner of…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Lobster Rocks

editor@thelmagazine.com (Jacqueline Beach) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0400

The best lobster roll in New York City? Maybe... just maybe... by Jacqueline Beach Luke's Lobster 93 E 7th St, 212-387-8487 Price Range: $4-$20 Rating: L L L L L You know the mark of an excellent meal. It's one you find yourself craving the day after you eat it. You probably think about it once a day, or more. Newly opened Luke's Lobster will serve you a meal like that: shrimp, crab and lobster rolls devoid of frills. Just super-fresh, sweet meat thickly piled on a griddled white bun, atop a smear of…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

What's Your Guiltiest Pleasure?

editor@thelmagazine.com (Ryan Vlastelica) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Our guiltiest pleasure is definitely our sweater collection. We have, like, over 50 sweaters. They make us feel safe. by Ryan Vlastelica JACK Where he presides: Nevada Smith's, East Village Favorite drink: Doesn't drink Watching football. There's nothing else in life like it. (You mean soccer, not "football" football, right?) Right. There's only one kind of football in here. I would say I spend half of every day watching it, though when it gets busy in here, I don't get to watch it too much. We have more than 100 games per week shown here. That's more than any other venue on…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

If You Want Me, I'll Be in the Bar

editor@thelmagazine.com (Keith Wagstaff) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0400

A little slice of Canada (kind of) just past the BQE. by Keith Wagstaff Ontario Bar 559 Grand St, Brooklyn Rating: L L L L L Two thoughts occur to me as I sip a Molson while Neil Young's "Old Man" plays in the background. The first is "My god, I've stumbled through a wormhole and ended up in Toronto circa 1971." The other is that I've finally found that most elusive creature: the perfect neighborhood bar. Creating a successful neighborhood watering hole is no easy task. Make it too casual and you risk…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Not My Casa

editor@thelmagazine.com (Mary Block) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Wow, this bar really sucks. Just to be clear. by Mary Block [image-1] Su Casa404 Sixth Ave, 212-677-6097 Rating:L L L L L A few months ago, the blogs were buzzing about a soon-to-open speakeasy-style bar. There was a lot of hope and a lot of hype: the only info leaked was that it would be above a taco restaurant in the West Village. Well, it�s here. It�s Su Casa. It�s a total disappointment. The place looks like it has promise when you arrive. Up a flight of votive-lit stairs from the…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Me Gusta Fonda

editor@thelmagazine.com (Jacqueline Beach) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Good, but not great, new Mexican food in the Slope. by Jacqueline Beach [image-1] Fonda434 Seventh Ave, Brooklyn, 718-369-3144 Price range: $12-$22 Rating:L L L L L Unless you want to join Floridians and dine at the ungodly hour of 6pm, plan to wait when heading to Fonda, Park Slope�s newest show-off. Chef Roberto Santiba�ez�s (of the Flatiron district�s Rosa Mexicana) diminutive Mexican spot has already attracted quite a crowd despite being only a month old. One reason for its long lines: there are just 37 seats inside (plus 22 outside when usable).…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

What Do You Think of Twitter?

editor@thelmagazine.com (Ryan Vlastelica) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Sure, ee know it's for old people and journalists but we still like it. by Ryan Vlastelica [image-1] We like Twitter. Sure, we know it's mainly for old people and journalists, but it gives us a chance to express ourselves rapidly and without much reflection. Also, it's good in an uprising against totalitarian oppression. VICKIE Where she presides: Cowgirl, West Village Favorite drink: Margarita I hear people talk about it all the time, and I read what journalists like you write about it, but I can't say I really know what it is. I guess it's a…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Lucky Dog Might Be the Best New Bar in Brooklyn

editor@thelmagazine.com (Jonny Diamond) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Great beer, a great jukebox, a great garden, great bartenders and, above all else, great dogs running around. by Jonny Diamond Lucky Us, 303 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn Rating: 5 out of 5 L's It is normally our policy to hold off on reviewing a bar until it has a full liquor license�after all, it doesn�t seem fair, really, to judge an establishment based on half its inventory. Well, fuck it. New Williamsburg bar Lucky Dog is doing more than fine without the hard stuff, and might just be my favorite bar to open in Brooklyn in a long time. The key…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Boozing (and Eating) Across Asia

editor@thelmagazine.com (Keith Wagstaff) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Bia Garden is more than just a clever name. by Keith Wagstaff Bia Garden, 154 Orchard St, 212-780-0010 Price Range: $8-$22 Rating: 4 out of 5 L's Of all the restaurants Michael Huynh has opened in the last two years (BarBao, Pho Sure, Baoguette), Bia Garden is undoubtedly the most fun. That can partly be attributed to the focus on beer�Asian beers to be exact, a much-needed respite from the otherwise welcome glut of European imports and American craft beers in this city. Before the drinking can begin, though, one must find…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

What Was Your Best Summer Vacation?

editor@thelmagazine.com (Ryan Vlastelica) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

One summer we drove cross country with our nuclear family and Christie Brinkley was, like, stalking our dad in a red convertible. It was terrible. by Ryan Vlastelica [image-1] Our best summer vacation was the time we went to the Outer Hebrides and drank beer in a drafty cottage for ten days eating smoked kippers and shortbread. Soooooo fun. Matthew Where he presides: Ruby�s Bar and Grill , Coney Island Favorite drink: Jameson When I was 22 I spent 12 days in Israel. It was a birthright trip. You see, every Jewish kid has the right to a free trip to Israel when you�re between 18 and 26.…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Nothing Plain About the Jane

editor@thelmagazine.com (Mary Block) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Can a super-popular Meatpacking destination actually be ok? by Mary Block [image-1] The Jane Hotel Bar  , 848 Washington St. Price range: Rating: 4L's The last item on the cocktail menu at the Jane Hotel�s bar is a room rate. Ninety-nine bucks buys a night in one of the hotel�s cozy little ship�s cabin-style rooms. Not overly presumptuous on the Jane�s part � the bar�s French boudoir-meets-Dracula�s castle vibe combined with the brazen force of the cocktails could make the most jaded New York scenester feel all moon-eyed and swoony. The…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Daniel Gives Good Sausage

editor@thelmagazine.com (Bret Stetka) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Fancy French goes way downtown... and it is good. by Bret Stetka [image-1] DBGB Kitchen and Bar, 299 Bowery, 212-933-5300 Price range: $19-$29 Rating: 5L's Frequently, during fine-dining experiences, I find myself wanting a pizza. But of all the high-class meals I�ve sat through, none have distracted me from the lure of gooey mozzarella more than my feast at Daniel. It was like smoking crack and making babies at the same time, and didn�t even give me that much indigestion. So when I heard Daniel Boulud would be heading downtown to serve…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]