Eat Here Now

When I started working at a new office in Midtown East a while back (riiiiiiight around the time posts became few and far between 'round these here blog parts), I was pumped to explore lunch options and immediately bummed by the search results.  I could either dine at restaurants requiring more time and money than I had to spare, or I could hustle through proportionately over-priced grab-and-go eateries.  But, refrigerated pre-made sandwiches?  Greasy soups that all somehow taste like chicken tinged with indeterminate seafood?  Non, merci.  Dejected, I one day ambled on side streets and avenues until I saw an awning with the words "Eat Here Now."  With no better prospect on the horizon, I figured, "Ok, awning.  If you say so."

Best awning advice I ever followed, because Eat Here Now turned out to be a reasonably priced coffee shop that gets you in and out quickly and with a smile.  Now, you might be thinking, "Fo'real?  We're talking about a tiny diner?  Lataaa," but pal, you need to kick off your shoes and relax - unless you are reading this in public, in which case, relax, but keep your shoes on.  You're not an animal.

The room is a no-frills coffee shop, and the menu is pages upon pages of straightforward (satisfying) American, Italian, and Mediterranean fare.  The real draw, however, is the people who work here.  

My first visit, I was welcomed warmly and directed to a seat.  I ordered an egg and cheese on a toasted plain bagel with decaf coffee.  The order arrived quickly, and I ate it along with the pickles that also arrived on the plate.  My second visit, I was welcomed warmly and directed to a seat.  I ordered an egg and cheese on a toasted plain bagel with decaf coffee - turns out, I am a creature of habit.  The order arrived quickly, and I ate it along with the pickles that also arrived on the plate.  My third visit, I was welcomed warmly, directed to a seat and asked, "The usual?"  In a city of so many people, in a bustling restaurant that sees crowds of locals and tourists alike, I was remembered, and I was impressed.  The order arrived quickly - this time with extra pickles.  

I have been back countless times, often alone, sometimes with friends, and a handful of lunches with my dad.  We have all been treated with kindness and consideration.  Following my dad's first visit, several people asked me to send him their regards; upon learning what I do for work, the owner put me in contact with another customer in the same field; the whole room sang "Happy Birthday" last May when a waitress noticed me putting a card in my bag.

The best part, however, is that they are this friendly to everyone.  A gentleman took a seat at the counter one day and was greeted with a flurry of "Hello, doctor" and "Good to see you, doctor."  An elderly man once asked to sit in a particular section, and the owner playfully teased that he had a crush on the much younger waitress who in turn played along by flirting.  These are small moments, but they make a big impact.

So head to Eat Here Now after a draining shopping excursion at nearby Bloomingdale's, to kick off your morning before a brisk walk through Central Park, or to escape the elements on a rainy day.  You will likely be given a plastic bag for your wet umbrella and quickly asked if you would like a hot beverage.  They're good like that.

Eat Here Now - 839 Lexington Avenue, at East 64th 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.

Mishima

I have three basic tests for sushi restaurants:

1. Is the california roll more than $5.00?
2. Is raw scallop on the menu?
3. Would I eat said scallop here?

Here is the reasoning:

1. Although I do not often order california rolls, they are a solid standard by which to measure overall price reasonableness of a restaurant. If a fluff item of vegetables and imitation crab costs more than $5.00, the legitimate fish will probably hit the wallet harder than necessary.
2. Scallops are not offered everywhere, and they do not need to be. However, when I am looking for something more than a spicy tuna roll, it is lovely to know the establishment provides interesting options. "Interesting" is subjective, and I would agree there are more off-the-beaten-path choices than this particular one; however, this is a basic test, and something as extreme as poisonous blowfish is not required to pique my interest. Also, I think scallops are tasty, so lay off me, bub.
   
3. The availability of raw shellfish does not automatically mean I will eat it. The combination of the restaurant's cleanliness and reputation for quality goes quite far in this regard.

How Mishima measures up:

1. The california roll was $5.00 at last check. I would forgive an increase to $5.50 considering how well the staff has treated me in years past (a free dish of edamame here, rushed delivery there), but I am not trying to give the management any silly ideas.
   
2. Scallops? Got 'em! Other menu items include both lobster miso soup and clam miso soup in addition to the standard tofu miso soup. Appetizers cover basics like shumai, gyoza, and negimaki while also including nasu-shigiyaki (eggplant with miso paste and ground chicken) and goma ae (spinach with sesame sauce). As for entrees, yes, there's sushi and udon noodles, teriyaki and tempura, but there's also una don (boiled eel on rice) and, at times, hamachi kama (which is Japanese for "yellowtail collar" and probably also for "crazy delicious").
3. Not only do I feel comfortable eating the scallops here, I am compelled to order at least one spicy scallop roll upon every visit. This may have something to do with the spicy mayo sauce, which is preferable in my opinion to the chili flakes/paste/oil used elsewhere, and which is all shades of yum. Now, I am not going to say Mishima is the absolute best Japanese restaurant in Murray Hill, but I am going to note several others have come and gone from this neighborhood over the years while Mishima has remained a constant. Take from that information what you will.

Mishima is noticeable on Lexington Avenue thanks to its three black awnings with simple white lettering. One spans the ground floor picture window and door, while the other two are anchored above the restaurant's second story windows. After stepping down from the sidewalk to the entrance, you have the option of sitting in the narrow downstairs area at one of the tables along the mirrored wall or at the sushi bar. Otherwise, you may choose to sit at the second sushi bar upstairs or at one of the tables in this brighter, larger space. The food and sake taste the same in either location, so don't agonize over the decision. Chances are you will be seated wherever there is room, as the restaurant is typically busy during peak lunch and dinner hours.

So go with that Long Islander who drove in via the Midtown Tunnel and doesn't want to sit in any more traffic, that coworker who spills the best gossip about your other coworkers, or that recent graduate who is living out College 2.0 in one of those Murray Hill "dorms." Run it by your own checklist, and let me know what you think.

Mishima - 164 Lexington Avenue, between East 30th & East 31st Streets