Frankies Spuntino (17)

SPUNTINO (spoon'tîno), noun: An informal meal or a snack; also, a casual Italian eatery.

If you're looking for a fresh, delicious Italian meal, you're not at a loss for options in NYC. What makes Frankies Spuntino better than the rest? The friendly faces and comfy feel…oh yeah, and the meatballs.

Frankies had long been on “the list” but due to the no reservations policy, it’s only appropriate for certain evenings. When Eric and I planned to grab a bite on Friday evening with no real plans after, this was a perfect destination. We walked in and were told it would be a half hour wait…we were expecting longer. The people who walked in five minutes later were told an hour and 15 minutes, so I guess we arrived during the sweet spot. We stood around the bar area with some wine, beer, bread and olive oil, conversing with the bartender about his favorite dishes, so the wait seemed to whiz by.

Upon sitting, we ordered the Cremini Mushroom & Truffle Oil crostini, which was good, but not nearly as delicious as our recent crostini binge at Corsino. We also ordered the Meatballs with Pine Nuts & Raisins, which were the star of the meal. They didn’t come with quite as much marinara as we needed to cover each bite, but regardless, they were a dish we would order again and again.

Eric got the house-made Cavetelli with Faiccos Hot Sausage & Browned Sage Butter, which he promptly devoured. Cavetelli is an interesting pasta because most people have no idea what it is. The best way to describe it would be to show you a picture. See below. The portion was large but not over-the-top, the pasta was perfectly cooked, the sausage added a ton of flavor & a nice kick, while the browned sage butter lightly coated it all and added a ton of flavor. All in all, a fantastic ordering decision.

I got the Roasted Vegetable Salad, which was a mix-up of beets, sunchokes, mushrooms and other yummy roasted vegetables. No lettuce in this salad…it was light and packed with flavor. On an evening when I didn't want to eat too heavy, this was the perfect choice.

Frankies is definitely a unique and cozy New York spot. We're looking forward to dining at Frankies (457) Sputino in Brooklyn...the original. Check it out!

Five Points

Last night, Jess & I went to Five Points with her parents, Ed & Val. Once again, BlackBoard Eats came through for us. This time with a 30% off coupon.. cha ching!

The restaurant reeks of Fall and as soon as you walk in, you feel like you're home. The mix of wood, exposed brick and pumpkins evokes a ski lodge vibe and warms your soul.

We got prime seating in the back of the restaurant right by the kitchen. We even got a few strong whiffs of truffle oil, which is always welcome.

The drink menu was both seasonally appropriate (hot spiked cider & Smuttynoses's winter ale) and unique (lavender gimlet & the unknown Flight of Martinis). Everyone was happy with the drinks that started our meal.

The appetizers were also all top notch - panchetta pizza (possibly the highlight of the meal), salad (dates + blue cheese + walnuts = yes sir!), and mezze (squash dip, wild rice, beets, & some other tasty dips served with warm pita-like bread). We all agreed that the pizza was phenomenal - caramelized onions FTW.

After a longer-than-normal break in between courses, we got served wreckfish (Jess), pasta (Val), steak (Ed), & chicken (Eric). If we are keeping score at home, we went .500. Val & I loved our main courses & didn't leave a trail on the plate. Ed & Jess... not so much. Ed felt the steak was too chewy and Jess thought her fish didn't have enough flavor. I thought the pumpkin chutney was delish but can't speak about the fish (somewhere between cod & trout?).

On the positive side, my portion of chicken was hearty (2 pieces - I think breast & thigh/wing), super moist, and juicy. Served alongside a handful of parsnips & a cooked-to-perfection potato gratin, this dish hit the spot. Dipping the chicken & parsnips in the juices made every bite flavorful. The only complaint I have is that the skin wasn't very crispy. A crunchy exterior would have texturally balanced the dish quite well & taken it/me to an even higher level.

For dessert, we decided on the honey apple cobbler with whipped cream. It was good, not great, and the four of us didn't even finish it. We all agreed that it was lacking that something something - cinnamon? more butter? vanilla ice cream? better "crumble"? Who knows... it just wasn't there.

What we all did agree on was that we had a fabulous night out and while some of the food wasn't out of this world, I think we'd all be happy to come back and try out some of the other cocktails and dishes (pizza as an entree, anyone?) on the menu.

Pizza! Brunch! Thai! Oysters! Chinese! & MORE!!

Jess and I are in the process of moving in together (!!!) so we have a ton of expenses to deal with right now. As a result, we have not been eating out at as much recently and spending all of our money on food.

Instead, we've gotten our eats from take-out, pick-up, etc... And since we are fortunate enough to live in New York City, the options are plentiful AND delicious. Here are some notable spots for good, quick, cheap food:

Yummy House - With so many grimy Chinese take-out places, YH is refreshingly just the opposite. Their food always delivers (no pun intended, well, maybe it was) and this past occasion was no exception. Orange Chicken, Chicken w/ Cashews, & Shrimp Lo Mein were enjoyed by all who got involved. Plus, their dinner pick-up special is one of the best around. Check 'em out!

Gracefully Market - This is a go-to favorite of mine when I want something healthy & hearty. They have a grilled chicken & vegetables salad that is MORE than enough for one person and it only costs $6.99. It comes with your choice of dressing & I suggest trying out the Sesame Ginger. I will have this salad anywhere from 1-2 times per week. They can be found on 1st Ave btwn 18th & 19th.

Kati - Jess and I tried their Thai food for the first time and were both impressed. It was delivered in no time and was very affordable (less than $10/person). The Pad Thai & Curry Tofu dishes were exactly what you'd expect... yummy!

Artichoke Pizza - If you haven't been here, do yourself a favor and go right now! It can be argued that their famed artichoke slice is more similar to artichoke dip than it is to pizza, but that's for another time. The slice is phenomenal & can fill you up for a mere $4.50 (recently raised from $4). The simplest description of this slice is artichoke dip topped with parm & muzz cheese placed on top of thick pizza bread. It will make you melt!

The Sicilian & Margarita slices are some of the best I've ever had, and this comes from someone who grew up eating LI/NYC pizza (yeah, I just tooted my own horn). They skillfully combine marinara sauce, parmesan & mozzarella cheese, and basil on their pizza to stand out (and way above) almost all of the other pizza joints in the city. The best part of their Sicilian slices is its crust - crunchy, crispy, & oily!

Oh, and I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't make mention of a few more things:

1) Aside from a couple of benches in front of their shop, it's all take-out.
2) There's always a line in front of their small pizza shop (14th St btwn 1st & 2nd).

3) The service is unfathomably bad so expect to wait & don't get frustrated. It's hard to know if they don't know how to efficiently run their store or if they like the buzz they get from the line. Either way, grin & bear it cause the pizza is well worth the wait!

Our one splurge of late was a brunch we shared at Cookshop last Saturday morning. Our friend was in from out of town (of course I took him to Artichoke to have New York's finest). So, we went out hard the night before (to my favorite bar, Hi Fi) and woke up needing a hearty breakfast to aid in our recovery. Plus, we wanted to get there one last time before Jess moved away from the neighborhood. I got their pancakes, and since they are big, light, & fluffy... they are perfect for a wicked hangover. They come topped with caramelized bananas & a cinnamon butter. I requested some chopped walnuts on top for an added crunch. Plain & simple, these flapjacks are some of the best NYC have to offer.

Jess followed suit by ordering one of her brunch staples... the egg white frittata. It comes baked in a small skillet filled with fresh vegetables, cheese and is nice and crispy on top. It's healthy, filling and delicious.

Did it cure our hangovers? Pretty much, yeah! Did it give us the necessary fuel to enjoy a sun-soaked day in this great city we live in? You're damn right it did!

We're sad to move away from Cookshop but I got a feeling we'll be back sooner rather than later.

And to celebrate a friend's birthday, Jess recently went to Mermaid Oyster Bar down in Greenwich Village (our new hood!), a sister restaurant to the Mermaid Inn (East Village and Upper West Side)...

It's a casual joint that serves up a variety of fresh oysters and yummy treats from the sea. We started with some drinks and the seafood tower, which comes packed with oysters, crab and other goodies. For four people, it was the perfect way to go. I also got the the sauteed calamari with shiitake & cremini mushrooms, feta cheese, and frisee lettuce, which has got to be one of my favorite dishes in all of NYC. It's a starter but is enough for an entree if you get something else as a starter. The calamari is complemented by the flavors of the mushrooms and cheese - everything melts together. It's a nice change from fried calamari or an Italian calamari with tomato sauce - it's definitely something you should try!

And so is Mermaid Oyster bar - with their cute complimentary cup of chocolate pudding and red fortune teller fish at the end, it's a fun eating experience!

Marlow & Sons

On Saturday we had plans to go to a friend's rooftop party in Williamsburgh, so we decided to hit up Marlow & Sons before. It's not every day that we find ourselves in the outer boroughs so when we do, we want to take advantage of the great food options that exist.
It's not very big but the space is filled with soft lighting, old school decor (think lots of dark brick & chandeliers), good music and people everywhere. We sat at the bar since there were no tables available and we got placed right in the heart of the hustle and bustle.

Even though the menu is tiny, we still had trouble deciding what to order (not surprising for the two of us)! It's one of those places where you know anything you get is going to be tasty, but you still want to make sure you nail your order. We opted not to get oysters, which seemed to be a big deal there, because there were too many other items we wanted. We started with the fried corn which was buttery and delicious. It's not coated in anything, just simply fried until the edges get crispy and super tasty. It was served with tomatoes, herbs and a delicious butter sauce. Corn & butter is a classic combination.

For the entree, I got the seafood salad appetizer because it sounded too good to pass up. Scallops, calamari and clams in a white wine sauce with huge chunks of tomatoes served over crusty bread - it was deliciously flavorful.

Eric went with the brick chicken. What's brick chicken? I think it's chicken served on a brick, but I really can't be sure. (NOTE: I've since learned "brick chicken is usually chicken that is cooked on a grill or griddle with a brick on top so as to smash it and make it cook more evenly." Thanks Val!) What was put in front of me was a half chicken (bones in) oozing with flavor juices. The bird was cooked perfectly and wasn't the slightest bit dry. Just the opposite as there was more than enough juices so that each piece could be dipped in said juices. The skin was crispy & seasoned well, providing a little texture to each bite. Served alongside the chicken is eggplants, zucchini, capers, & squash. All well & good, but the star of the dish is the chicken. And you should know by now that nothing was left on my plate.

All & all, we both really enjoyed our entrees (hooray for good ordering!) and would happily come back here with some friends to try some of the other tasty offerings on the menu. We recommend you check it out & let us know what you think.

Rooftop view of NYC