The Cellar at Beecher's Handmade Cheese

Cheese is delicious. It therefore stands that a place which makes its own delicious cheese is okay in my book. Pair that handmade cheese with a full dinner menu, a lounge atmosphere and booze, and well, that figurative book is a bestseller. [Note to any literary agents, editors, publishers and publicists out there - my sound logic regarding bestsellers indicates you should just go ahead and accept my manuscript when I one day (ahem, first write and then) submit it to you].

The main level of Beecher's Handmade Cheese is a factory/store/cafe like its original location in Seattle's Pike Place Market, but the 21-and-over section downstairs (The Cellar) is where the nighttime action goes down. This fairly industrial space of concrete, brick, stone and exposed pipes manages to feel cozy thanks to its dim lighting, quirky art and mix of furniture. Young professionals mingle at the bar, on leather armchairs, on banquettes upholstered with animal hair and on cushioned benches - the base of which are part of the building's foundation. From these several vantage points, one can see Beecher's Flatiron cheese aging behind a glass wall at the side of the room. One can also see intoxicated women flirting with the bartender, but that's not unique to The Cellar.

The menu unsurprisingly includes cheese and charcuterie plates, but an appetizer of fresh cheese curds and several mac and cheese entrees make the cut as well. One mac and cheese is touted as the "world's best," and when asked who made the claim, the waiter said, "The owner...and Oprah." Well then, it must be true.

If there are any lactose-intolerant readers who made it this far through the post, you'll be happy to know The Cellar offers cheese-free options as well. These include spicy rapini, gazpacho, beef short ribs and pate. Oh, it's just me and 86-year-old French men who like pate? That's cool.

The portion sizes are generous, and prices are moderate, but if you head over during the 5pm-7pm happy hour, a variety of full-size dishes are available at half the cost. There are also deals on wine and cocktails, but I just want to make sure my non-existent elderly French companions know where to score a decent early bird special.

So head over to The Cellar at Beecher's Handmade Cheese with the Brooklynite who only wants to meet near Union Square, with your girls who get a little too loud after several glasses of wine or with your boys who like girls who drink a little too much. Maybe they can score points by dropping that bit of Oprah knowledge. More effectively, they could just buy another round of drinks.

The Cellar at Beecher's Handmade Cheese - 900 Broadway, at East 20th Street

Brunch, Part 4 - Benny Edition

The weekend is fast approaching, and you've got a hankering for some early afternoon dining. You already know where to go for cheap booze, where to find the wildly popular spots, and where to order excessively for no good reason beyond, "But I WANT it!" If you now have a laser focus on one dish, and if that dish happens to be Eggs Benedict, I've got a little something just for you (and you and you and you). The subject of today's post is: where to find a delicious twist on the Benny - a twist so delicious, you'll pronounce it "daylishwoz."

1) Petite Abeille - 44 West 17th Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues

There are several locations for Petite Abeille throughout Manhattan, but the one on West 17th Street is Goldilocks (ie, not too big, not too small. Also not too hot/cold, hard/soft, or inhabited by bears for that matter). It is a Belgian restaurant that is narrow up front, informal in back, and equipped with an outdoor space. The main room is decorated with images of Tintin and luggage racks topped with...(dramatic pause)...luggage. The overall effect is cute without being cutesy.

In addition to burgers, omelettes, sandwiches, and salads, the menu touts Belgian classics like mussels and waffles. Fab, but we're not here to talk about any of that. Today's dish is Eggs Benedict and how the Little Bee (English for Petite Abeille, mon amour) does it so well. In this version, the usual English muffin is replaced with a thick cut of crunchy country bread, and thin slices of Black Forest ham do away with the expected Canadian bacon. Topped with perfectly poached eggs and creamy hollandaise sauce, this is a tasty way to kick off your day...or just soak up what's left of last night's drinking binge. I don't know your life. The bonus is the side of stoemp. The who what huh? Stoemp is a mash of potatoes and root vegetables (often carrot or leek at Petite Abeille) and not to be confused with Schtroumpfs - the original name of the Belgian-created Smurfs. I'm guessing a side of Smurf would be less tasty and more horrifying.

2) Fred's at Barneys - 660 Madison Avenue, between East 60th & 61st Streets, 9th Floor

Next up is somewhere a little, shall we say, pricier. Located on the ninth floor of swanky department store Barneys New York, Fred's is a sprawling restaurant equipped with large windows and white linens. Waiters in aprons make sure your bottles of champagne stay chilled, and the bottles of champagne make sure you don't realize the heft of the bill at the end of the meal.

Menu items include enormous salads, French Toast, and several varieties of egg dishes, but it's that Eggs Benedict that keeps caaaaaallin' my name (much like Clarence Carter's "sassified" woman in his explicit hit song, "Strokin'"). What does Fred do to make his version so daylishwoz? He tops it with a spoonful of salty caviar. Simple, effective, genius - and at $24, more expensive than at most eateries around town. Then again, if you are one of the crowd already buying cashmere sunscreen and $145 ankle socks downstairs, this ain't no thang.

Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop

If you heart New York, I've got a restaurant for you. It's not fancy, trendy, or swank, but it has that classic New York swagger only a joint that has been around since the Great Depression can pull off. In fact, its menu (and t-shirts) claim it has been "Raising New York's Cholesterol Since 1929." The place is Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop, and it is a diner in the Flatiron District with a chalkboard out front that reads, "You either get it, or you don't." Ain't it the troof.

A long, slim space, Eisenberg's is dominated by the counter before opening into a small dining area at the back. Two-tops line the wall opposite the counter, and patrons must be careful not to brush a diner's egg cream onto the floor as they make their way to their own table. The counter stools of course face the open grills, so if you order "The Eisen-Burger," you may watch the half-pound of freshly ground sirloin cook to perfection right before thine eyes.

Sandwiches are unsurprisingly available at the aptly named sandwich shop, and they include all the classics from peanut butter and jelly to liverwurst to a corned beef or pastrami Reuben. Soup, omelets, and platters are options as well and span Manhattan clam chowder (Friday only) to cold borscht, "The LEO" (lox, eggs, and onions) to "The Shmoopie" (egg whites, tomato, onion, and cream cheese), and chicken salad to hot brisket with gravy, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. There really aren't many shockers at this old school establishment, unless the idea of pairing tuna fish with egg salad blows your mind - and if that's the case, honeyboodle, it's time to set down the saltines and live a little.

Go to Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop with that friend who works across the street at the Flatiron Building, your neighbor who once mentioned liking fried salami, or your Nana who grew up in Brooklyn and remembers when this $2.50 knish used to cost five cents. She'll wear a fur turban throughout the meal, and you'll squabble over who gets to pay the bill - it'll be fun!

Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop - 174 Fifth Avenue, between West 22nd & 23rd Streets

Sala One Nine

Whenever I say I'm going to a tapas restaurant, people ask, "Topless?!" Either I don't enunciate, or I know a lot of pervy morons. Whatever the case may be, the subject of this post is a perfectly lovely Spanish restaurant, where all guests and staff are fully clothed.

Sala One Nine is logically situated on West 19th Street. West One Nine Street. Yeah, it took me entirely too long to piece that together. There is another Sala located in NoHo on Bowery, and it is sometimes cleverly referred to as Sala Bowery. Though the two locations exhibit similarities, today's focus is on the Flatiron location.

I have been to Sala One Nine countless times, and the food has always been consistent. The menu includes sopas, ensalada, tostas, raciones, plancha, and horno. In other words: soups, salads, toasted bread with various toppings, small plates, larger grilled items, and equally large oven baked dishes. Basically everything is intended to be shared, so the size of your party should determine how many plates you order. Or, you can do what my friends and I do, which is order entirely too much food, because we can't resist certain dishes (hello, fried goat cheese with honey and caramelized onions [insert wink here]). The prices are reasonable, but it is possible to both rack up a sizable bill (see, night out with my girls) or get out unscathed (see, "Paella Sunday's," 2-for-1 happy hour, and any night without all my girls).

The atmosphere in the restaurant is lively, which is why it's tempting to round up the whole crew for an evening out. With two bars in the room (one up front, and one in the middle) and upbeat music playing overhead, the buzz is constant and, at times, outright loud. The lights are dim without being dark, and the rustic look (pockets of exposed brick peeking from behind painted plaster, arches framing the kitchen at the back as well as the stairwell down to the bathrooms, and dark wood tables and chairs) gives the impression of late night dining in Spain. It is also a great spot for a date, as banquets in the back allow for cozying up in the corners as well as face-to-face quality time across small candlelit tables.

I would recommend Sala One Nine to anyone looking for a fun night out with good food (multiple dishes feature serrano ham, yet vegetarian options are plentiful as well) and a substantial wine list (sangria too, of course). Before stopping in, however, it is best to make a reservation, as the restaurant's popularity does not appear to be waning. If you can't get a table until late, try to snag a spot at one of the bars, or pop next door to the Flatiron Lounge for a finely crafted cocktail while you wait. You don't have to be buzzed to enjoy the food at Sala One Nine, but it usually doesn't hurt.

Sala One Nine - 35 West 19th Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues

'wichcraft - For Dinner?

UPDATE - 'wichcraft no longer serves dinner. So...remember the whole point of this post? Well, scratch that. Wah waaah.

So by now we all probably know about Tom Colicchio and his many culinary endeavors. He is one of the head judges on Bravo's "Top Chef," and his restaurants in and beyond Manhattan include - but are not limited to - Craft, Craftbar, Craftsteak (though no longer open in NYC), Colicchio & Sons (that which replaced NYC's Craftsteak), and 'wichcraft. What some may not know, however, is that of the twelve Manhattan 'wichcraft locations to date, the one in the Flatiron District is currently the only outpost that serves dinner.

'wichcraft is Colicchio's (and partners') more casual eatery focused predominantly on sandwiches (get it? sandwiches? 'wiches? 'wichcraft? yeah, you get it) and salads and soups and general lunchtime fare. The location on East 20th Street additionally offers...(anticlimactic drumroll)...dinner. So what is it like? Well, eager reader, allow me to explain.

When you enter, you are greeted by a host/hostess at the base of a flight of stairs. To your left is a counter, and well beyond that is the bathroom. We're not here for counter service tonight, and we just used the bathroom before we left our office, so up the stairs we go.

The second floor is lined with tables - most along a banquette to the right, and some by the south facing windows at the back. The decor is sparse with exposed brick walls, dark wood floors, and a huge ass canvas of a huge ass knife. During my several visits, the room, though small, was never packed with patrons. The noise level is therefore typically low, unless you are lucky enough to be dining at the same time as a party of shrill talkers with grating laughs. Side note - those are always the ones that find everything funny.

So what's on the dinner menu? Open face sandwiches (a hearty slice of grilled bread topped with generous portions of varying delicious toppings...chopped liver with sliced gherkins and whole mustard seeds? Yes, please), salads, miscellaneous vegetable side dishes, and relatively small entrees. The portion sizes vary from plate to plate, but the friendly waitstaff can guide you in ordering the appropriate amount for your appetite. A wine and beer list is also available at reasonable prices with decent red and white house wines for only $5 a glass. Oh, you wanted delicious desserts? They have those too.

This is a great spot for a relatively inexpensive meal proximate to Union Square. Dining is casual but refined, making it a lovely choice for catching up with a friend, meeting your brother's new girlfriend, or the sixth date with that nice girl from Brooklyn - hey, you're going to the movie theater on 19th & Broadway anyway, so why not? 'wichcraft does not take reservations, but I am yet to have to wait for a table. Fingers crossed that's the story going forward as well.

'wichcraft - 11 East 20th Street, between 5th & Broadway

UPDATE - 'wichcraft no longer serves dinner. So...remember the whole point of this post? Well, scratch that. Wah waaah.