Cheap Ass Food

This bar existed before SOHO is called SOHO

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:43:07 -0400

Nestled in the jungle of brand new glass and steel loft buildings quietly sit Ear Inn, a historic watering hole that originally caters towards Spring Street’s longshoremen waiting for ships to dock back in 1890’s. Used to be known among sailors as “The Green Door” and sit 15 feet away from riverbanks, Ear Inn witness the thriving and dying of ports and printing business, the construction of West Side highway and now the super-gentrification of Soho west. Nowadays the landmark tavern is frequents by an eclectic crowds range from artists, poets, bikers, construction workers to white collars Joes. The menu (be sure to check out the chalkboard specials) consists of typical pub grubs and English/ Irish specialties. The food qualities are better than other similar bars and the price ranges from $6-$10. The waitresses are always very friendly and cool. The Shepherd Pie ($10) is heavenly delicious. For $9.50 you get a big yummy juicy hamburger served with buttery oven-roasted potatoes and a slight salad. Plus they pour Excellent Guinness.

Beer isn't just for breakfast anymore!

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:24:06 -0400

"Beer isn't just for breakfast anymore!" as the Jeremy’s Ale House proudly boasts on their breakfast menu - is the best way to describe this old time bar. With their no bullshit attitude, disregarding the “green” trend, Jeremy’s pours brews like there is no tomorrow with huge, quart size (32-ounce) Styrofoam cups, large enough to drown my head in. Dirt-cheap is another way to describe Jeremy’s, one 32-ounce beer will fetch for $6-9 depending on what you order, and that’s not just for happy hour that’s all day everyday. It may seem like happy hour never ends at this bar. While the happy times seem endless the time to come is during their happy hour 4pm-6pm, specials like the jr. burgers are $1.50 (4 for $5), calamari legs deep-fried with smoky marinara for $4.95, and buffalo wings for $5.95 are hot and vinegary.

Pridefest 2008

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:42:50 -0400

Pridefest is back for it’s 15th annual event, the LGBT is brining together local residents, community leaders and business owners to celebrate in the streets. The location is new, @ Hudson St. between Abingdon Sq. & West 14th St.
Sunday, June 29th, 2008, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

So bring your pride and festive spirits.

Open to all

For more info go to this link for more info: http://www.nycpride.org/
For tent and table rentals, please call 917-406-5363.
This event is free and open to the public. No tickets are necessary.

Mountains of food with little flavor

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:38:21 -0400

If you have two stomachs this place is for you. As a BBQ restaurant, Jake’s offers the best portion and cash ratio. Last Saturday our friend Richard called up the Chinatown Chow gang to try out this BYOB place in Carroll Garden West/ Red Hook. Richard and Matilda brought 2 bottles of wine. We wanna get some beer but couldn’t find a bodega around. We got the Baby Back Ribs & Short Ribs BBQ Combo ($21.95) with collard greens, steak fries and cornbread as side dishes. Young got the Fried Catfish Fillets with homemade Tartar Sauce ($14.50) and a side salad ($4.95). When the BBQ combo came we instantly regret ordering the catfish and salad. The portion is GIGNORMOUS! It contains Half-Slab of Baby Back Ribs and Three HUGE Knuckle sized Chunks of Beef Ribs. The beef ribs are very succulent with a burnt crispy surface. The baby back ribs however are lack of the most important essence of BBQ- the slow-cook smoky flavor. One can tell they steamed the baby back ribs as part of the BBQ process by the loose texture and flavorless of the meat. The liberal splash of BBQ sauce cannot resurrect it. The collard greens too need a bit more flavor. Despite the blandness of food here the view is beautiful. We arrived in the time of beautiful sunset and from Jake’s window one can see the Manhattan skyline drench in the golden orange hue.

Fish Tacos

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:26:44 -0400

1. To make beer batter: In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Blend egg and beer, then quickly stir into the flour mixture (don't worry about a few lumps). 2. To make white sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and mayonnaise. Gradually stir in fresh lime juice until consistency is slightly runny. Season with jalapeno, and cayenne. 3. Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 4. Dust fish pieces lightly with flour. Dip into beer batter, and fry until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Lightly fry tortillas; not too crisp. To serve, place fried fish in a tortilla, and top with white sauce.

Decline, Depression, Downturn...

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:47:25 -0400

Anyway you say it is a downer indeed, so why not take your ass out and drink the night away, especially when its an open bar. Recently while slumming away at the CAF headquarters aka studio, I found my self-wanting to do something new and fun. But everything has a price tag on it, so I google the word Recession and found a great little site that offers open bars in major metropolitan areas in the US of A. It’s definitely worth checking out, if not for the free drinks at least for the air-conditioned ambiance.

http://nyc.myopenbar.com/

Fireworks seating for the 4th

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:35:54 -0400

Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks
Beginning at approximately 9 p.m., Macy's will have fireworks being released from 3 separate locations around the city. There will be a patriotic flyover at 8 p.m. courtesy of the U.S. Air Force. If you're not in the area, NBC will broadcast the fireworks live beginning at 9 p.m. EST.
East River in Midtown
Fireworks will be launched from the East River, just off 34th Street. The FDR will be closed from 14th-42nd beginning at 7 p.m. for viewing. Pedestrians can access the FDR from 23rd, 38th and 42nd streets. You can also view from areas in Western Queens and Brooklyn where you can see the East River.
South Street Seaport
FDR will be closed beginning at 7 p.m. from the ferry terminal to the Pearl Street ramp. The Pearl Street ramp will offer the only pedestrian access to the FDR. Downtown fireworks will be visible anywhere that offers unobstructed views of the sky south of the Brooklyn Bridge, particularly on the Brooklyn Promenade between Jermone and Cranberry Streets and on Furman between Atlantic and Cadman Plaza West.
Liberty State Park
Located in Jersey City, viewing is best from Liberty State Park. Consult their website for details and directions.

Meals and Deals

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:41:19 -0400

Funayama maybe a sushi lover’s paradise with meals and deals that would spoil any cheapass, for $23.10 one can eat all he desires on Mondays and Thursdays, or get one free sake with meals on Tuesdays. If that doesn’t wet your appetite, on Wednesdays they offer two free salmon pieces or one roll and if your there everyday of the week you better pick up a frequent customer card. However with all the deals and meals comes a hefty price, the sushi portion is massive and densely cut sashimi over giant mounds of rice. While trying to get my mouth around the tuna piece, which was impossible in one bite, it was pretty tasteless. The rice is unseasoned, hard and left my mouth dry. Both Kenneth and I got the all you can eat, got a little zealous, and the waiter gave us a cautious talk, saying that we might not finish. We shrugged it off, thinking we’re not some new kids on the block, we’ve been around had our fare share of all-you-can-eat. So we thought, the waiter was right we barely finished our 1st order and struggled with our 2nd order, which were 3 sushi and one little roll. So take this cautionary tale to heart cheapass eaters, because if you don't finish all sushi they will charge you $3 a piece for each piece you have leftover on your plate!

cheap ass wine: SULA Shiraz 2005

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:12:49 -0400

When I was in Delhi India for business a while back and I was very lucky to stay in Oberoi- the best hotel in town. In the lounge my friend Caroline and I discovered that they serve an Indian wine called SULA. Upon curiosity and stick to my motto of drink locally we ordered that and we both instantly fell in love with it. I think that night two of us probably drank 3 bottles altogether and we had the greatest time chatting until we got kicked out from the fancy bar.

A year and a half past and all of a sudden Caroline pulls out a SULA bottle from her cubicle and surprise me so much I am jumping up and down. Yes, they sell it in NYC now at 111 Lex Liquors and Wine in Murray Hill!

Taste:
-   Ripe cherry and plum fruit
-   Peppery notes
-   Full body
-   Smooth with strong Oak finish

According to their website this wine is great to pair with tandoori dishes and mildly spiced curries. Wow! An Indian wine that go well with Indian food! Frankly, this $13.99 bottle taste better than most $30 bucks ones I have had and of course different peeps have different taste :-)

Here are some history from their site:

Situated 180 km northeast of Mumbai, Nashik is India’s largest grape-growing region, but traditionally never grew wine grapes. Wondering why, Rajeev Samant an enterprising, Stanford-trained engineer quit his hi-tech Silicon Valley job in 1993 to do some investigating.

A little research quickly showed that the Nashik climate was not only perfect for wine grapes, but was also on par with winegrowing regions in Spain, California, and Australia. His determination doubled, Rajeev returned to California in search of a winemaker. In Sonoma County he found Kerry Damskey, an eminent Californian winemaker, who enthusiastically agreed to help start a winery on Rajeev’s 30 acre family estate.

Read more at:
http://www.sulawines.com/

Where to buy in NYC:
111 lexington avenue (btw 27 & 28 st)
New York, NY 10016 USA
Tel: 212-213-2288
http://www.111lexliquors.com

Also online:
http://www.winedelight.com/wine_store/product_info.php?products_id=1442

Got any suggestion for Cheap Ass Wine? Please let us know!

Taiwanese food is the best

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:04:01 -0400

Taiwanese is so popular that one can join a group call “Taiwanese food is the best!” on Facebook.com, I am a fan of Taiwanese food tho, I may be more diplomatic and say that all types of food are great. So this new find is dedicated to all the Taiwanese food lovers out there, San Chia located on 29 Catherine Street, Chinatown, is a must eat! This newly open eatery has a very small menu and only focus on Taiwanese noodles soup and simple rice plate so you won't find the stir fried "A Vegatables" or Three Cup Chicken here. For $4.95 one can get a large bowl of Beef Stew with Thick Noodles in soup, the flavor is quite unique with star anis, and spicy red peppercorn, adds a nice kick of spice. Also suggest the Pork Chops over Rice comes with sour/pickled cabbage and ground pork all for $4.95. The pork chop came juicy and spiced with cinnamon and a hint of fish sauce. While the food is great I wouldn’t say that the décor is the strong point, it very much lacks in that department, with that said unlike most Chinatown eateries it is clean, and brand spanking new.

Waterfall in New York City

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:14:48 -0400

Waterfall in New York City urban seascape may seem impossible but artist Olafur Eliasson has been commissioned by the Public Art Fund, consistsing of four monumental, man-made waterfalls. The Waterfalls are going to be at four sites along the shores of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Governors Island, one by the Brooklyn anchorage of the Brooklyn Bridge, one between Piers 4 and 5 in Brooklyn, one in Lower Manhattan at Pier 35, and one on the north shore of Governors Island.

The official start date is June 26 and will run till October 13, 2008. One would be able see them flowing from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily from any of the 4 locations but if you like to see all four in actions catch them all by the NY Water Taxi. The company will be offering boat tours of the four waterfalls, “…running a special edition of our 1 Hour Harbor Tour designed for optimal viewing of these magnificent works of art. Departing hourly from South Street Seaport's Pier 17.” www.nywatertaxi.com

To learn about the Waterfalls and Artist go to this link:
http://publicartfund.org

Fashion District's best kept lunch secrets

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:25:16 -0400

Hidden in an upstairs location in the Garment district between 7th and 8th ave, Lazzara serves some damn great Thin crust Sicilian (aka Grandma’s) pizza, and can easily be one of the best lunch spots around the area. We come for lunch and order a Lazzara's Special ($9 half pie) and a Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich ($8). OMFG is the square pizza excellent or what?! Thin crunchy crust with sweet sauce topped with HUGE THICK slices of high quality Prosciutto, Sundried Tomatoes and big fat Black Olives. The pizza comes out piping hot and they don’t scam on the ingredients, the sundried tomatoes are pungent and sweet, the olives are rich in flavor. The pie is worth every single penny. The Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich too is DA BOMB- not only it tastes terrific but also it is the size of a bomb! The moist fried Chicken breast is bigger than the hero roll, plus the sweet marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese ensures you that every bite is perfect.

It’s come down to this...

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:03:12 -0400

The price hikes globally has hit us New Yorkers badly, it seems shocking that even Midtowners have to be a little cautious, but no need to fret our good friend at MidtownLunch.com is making a list and checking it twice to see which eateries are forced to raise their prices. A great idea for those who eat out during lunch around that area, a big Thanks Zach!!!

To Find Out more about MidtownLunch and the Price Hike List go to MidtownLunch.com!

Caribbean Spices up the Concrete Jungle

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:33:24 -0400

While in search for the “Jamaican Dutchy” cart in Midtown we stumble upon their new rival “Caribbean Spice”. From what I heard they have (or had) a restaurant in Hells Kitchen. So with our growling stomach prevented us to walk another seven blocks we decided to give it a try. We got the Jamaica’s national dish Ackee And Salt Fish ($10) and Jerk Chicken (Sm $7/ Lg $8.95). Each entrée come with your choice of Rice & Peas, White Rice or “Ground Provision” (Yam, Banana and Dumpling). After 10 minutes of waiting (with only two orders in front of us) finally we got our food. It is my first time trying Ackee, a native West African fruit that later introduced to Jamaica. Only a small part of the fruit is edible and the rest is poisonous. The fruit must only be picked after it has opened naturally, and it must be fresh and not overripe. Immature and overripe ackee fruit are also poisonous. My Jamaican friend told me it is super hard to find fresh ackees in the city so they probably used canned version. To make the Ackee And Salt Fish the salt cod is sautéed with boiled ackee, onions, peppers, tomatoes and herbs. The Ackee resembles looks and texture of a very smooth scramble egg. The sudden flavor of the salt cod and spices greatly compliments the silky fruit. The Ground Provision contains two Boiled Plantains, two Dumplings (quite dry in the center) and steamed cabbage. Upon the friendly & sweet crew’s suggestion The Jerk Chicken comes with Rice and Peas (kidney beans). The birds are blackened with great flavor (probably the reason why we have to wait long cause they are charring them on the grill). It is super tasty, juicy and warning you SPICY! Highly recommended!

smoothie

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:35:36 -0400

put everything in the blender and blend till smooth, if you see that the smoothie is too thick add some water.

Kick Ass Mexican

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:25:08 -0400

“It’s so Good” was all I can utter while stuffing my face with a al pastor burrito ($6.95), Kenneth on the other hand wanted a more descript answer. “It’s really, really good” as I rolled my eyes, and as a sign of defeat he changed his focus back on his tacos ($2.75) and took a bite, looked back at me and said, “so good”. Pinche Taqueria located in a tiny and cozy little shop around Nolita, famed recently for out doing La Esquina, is a charmer without a doubt. With freshly made tortillas, meat butchered on premises broiled and all the pico de gallo (fresh condiment made from chopped tomato, onion, and chiles) are strictly organic. The first bite I took felt like home, no one has ever made a burrito similar to that of NorCal that it almost made me teary eyed. The tacos were just as good, but only one tortilla for each taco which is not traditional but with the high price of corn this cheapass can forgive. The menu is small but covers one basic need for great Mexican food and Pinche has a great selection of Mexican beers ($3.75) and sweet drinks including Horchata ($2.75), which is rare in most New York City establishments.

Q and A with Jill Stoler aspiring competitive eater

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:15:27 -0400

- How long have you been a competitive eater?

The dumpling contest, August 5, 2007, was my first contest. So, almost a year now!

- What made you decide to become a competitive eater?

I was a fan of competitive eating LONG before I started to compete. I always loved watching it; IFOCE star Patrick Bertoletti gave me the inspiration I needed to make the leap from just a fan to a competitor. International Federation of Competitive Eating--Patrick Bertoletti

- How do you prepare for up coming events?

Eat large salads and drink plenty of water.

- Are you going to partake in the hot dog eating contest for 08?

No. I'm not in IFOCE. You have to be in IFOCE (and sign their contract) to compete in Nathan's. I'm with the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters

- If not what are some other events you have lined up?

I did two contests recently, including one where I ate 4.46 pounds of strawberries in 7minutes. As for the future: Who knows? I do contests when I see one that looks appealing.

- What is your best record?

Hard to say, since contests vary in food and in time length. Probably the strawberries, which I mentioned above, or the cannoli contest I won last year (I ate 5 full-size cannolis in 2 minutes).

- What pays the bills?

I'm a Senior Accounting Coordinator for a T-Mobile (phones & services) wholesale distribution company.

- Do you have group outings with other competitive eaters? if yes how do you split the bill?

Even though I live in Brooklyn, I'm part of the United Eaters of Pennsylvania (UEPa), which is a group of competitive eaters that go out and do restaurant eating challenges from time to time. We each pay for ourselves, or sometimes the restaurant gets enough publicity from the event that they don't charge us. The last get-together, at the Niner Diner in Nanty Glo, Pennsylvania made local TV stations and newspapers.

- Last questions do you think I have a chance at breaking my record of eating 8 dumplings for this years dumpling eating contest?

Absolutely! Just pick up the bowl and hold it close to your mouth to cut down on the time it takes to get the dumpling to your mouth.

- OK one more what do you recommend for people who maybe wanting to explore what you do?

Find out when are where eating contests are, then sign up and compete. It's best to just "dive right in", then figure out if it's something you want to continue doing. Or, try doing a restaurant challenge. Many restaurants have something where if you eat a certain amount of their food in a certain amount of time, you get the food for free (or even a prize).

For more info on Jill Stoler check out her blog: http://missgluttonsbliss.blogspot.com/

Soba-Ya, Not So Much...

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:16:06 -0400

After my recent cool down at the Dae Dong, I thought I should try Japanese version of cold noodles, soba. Which can be served hot or cold, Soba-Ya is nested in the East Village serving mostly sobas, traditional root vegetables and regional sake. Like the naengmyon soba are also made of buckwheat but has more of a creamy texture. Impressed by the simple décor, pleasant service, and topnotch food, however I was very disappointed with the overall pricing of the entrees. One could get a moderate meal for under $13 bucks including tip but for what some boiled noodles with a side of dipping sauce, which by the way is not as refreshing as the naengmyon. I had sticker stock when I saw our bill, but first let me tell you what we ordered. Kamonan grilled duck & scallion $15.50, Uni fresh sea urchin with japanese yam $18.50, and one Sapporo $6 with tip and tax came out to over $50. Once I saw the bill I took a double take, and thought I should have gotten the soba with sauce but knew I would inevitability be hungry by the time we got the check. The Kamonan frilled duck and scallions was delicious, came with 2 slices of duck and 2 slices of shitake mushrooms, a dish I would highly recommend if you a diet. And the Uni fresh sea urchin with Japanese yam I would recommend also if you had appetizers before hand.