Grape and Grain/Against the Grain

There is a restaurant in the East Village, which is really a wine bar and a separate annex offering craft beer. What? Well you see, first there is Grape and Grain, a wine bar that serves dinner seven nights a week and brunch on the weekends. Then there is Against the Grain, which is a sliver of a bar next door serving nibbles and brewskies. Yes, you may order wine and beer at both venues, but the more extensive list of vino is available from the former, while the full list of light, white, pale, amber, dark, and darker beers is found at the latter.

Grape and Grain is a small establishment equipped with an L-shaped bar and several sturdy wood tables. Seating is a mix of mismatched stools, wood chairs, benches along the walls, and pillows in the front windowsill. Ornate little chandeliers hang from the pressed tin ceiling, which help to illuminate the votive lit room. The close quarters, dim lighting, and exposed brick walls add up to all shades of snug and cozy. The pan European food, flowing wine, and increasingly loud conversations mean all sorts of satisfaction and happy. The menu here includes appetizers (such as white bean dip with spiced pita chips), cheese, sandwiches (including brie and ham with whole grain mustard and tomato), pizzas (eight different varieties), and dessert.

Against the Grain is situated just on the other side of the building's residential entrance in an even smaller space than that of Grape and Grain. One raised table runs down the center of the narrow room toward the minuscule bar at the rear. Wooden stools abound, as do hooks on which patrons may hang their belongings. Exposed bulbs and votive candles provide the room's light, while a ledge runs along the left exposed brick wall that is adorned with rotating collections of art. According to the restaurant's website, Against the Grain is ideal for groups of twelve to thirty people, though smaller parties should have just as much fun. The menu here includes charcuterie plates, beer steamed cockles, and beer sausages as well as limited options from next door (why yes, I would like a meatball pizza with caramelized onions, thank you very much). The waitstaff hustles between the two venues delivering food and clearing plates, so at times, the wait is long, and the service is harried. That's ok, though - you have your drink and your date to amuse you in the meantime.

So head over to Grape and Grain with that small group who is conspiring to set that one friend up with that other friend. Down the line, you can all celebrate their engagement by reserving the main table at Against the Grain.

Grape and Grain - 620 East 6th Street, between Avenues B & C
Against the Grain - next door

Fried Dumpling

On a street in Chinatown you have probably never walked sits a wee eatery unremarkable for its ambiance, service, and selection. The square footage is minimal, the counter staff is brusque, and the menu is seven items long - a generous tally considering three items are beverages, and one is just a frozen version of another. Yet, you still need to know about this place. With the location comes charm, with the experience comes laughter, and above all else, Fried Dumpling might be the greatest value in Manhattan.

The menu is displayed on the glass window facing the street, and it reads like so:

Fried Dumpling - 5 pieces - $1.00
Fried Pork Bun - 4 pieces - $1.00
Soy Bean Juice - Small $0.75 - Large $1.50
Hot & Sour Soup - Small $1.00 - Large $2.00
Frozen Dumpling - 30 pieces - $5.00
Coffee - 1 cup - $0.50
Tea & Milk - 1 cup - $0.50

I mean...what? If you were to order everything, and large sizes at that, it would only cost $11.50, and you would burst from overindulgence - not to mention indigestion, as those thirty frozen dumplings probably wouldn't go down so easily. It is therefore possible to have a satisfying meal at Fried Dumpling for under $3.00, beverage included.

Now to be honest, the dumplings are not the best I have ever had given my preference for a thinner dough. However, they are by no means the worst, as that title has been reserved for a certain joint (that shall remain nameless) out on Long Island. Also, it turns out I hate warm soy bean juice, but for $0.75, it was worth trying. It was not, however, worth carrying around all day and trying again later after refrigeration...and then for a third time after adding a sweet green tea powdered mix...but we'll chalk that up to determination...and stupidity.

So next time you are in Chinatown, stroll south on Mott from Canal, and turn right when you reach Mosco Street. You will find Fried Dumpling situated on this narrow street that slopes gently west toward Columbus Park. Given the limited counter seating, you might opt to eat your purchase in the park, hustle it back to your office, or devour it on your way to tell your friends about the great deal you just found. Those who used to enjoy Fried Dumpling's now-closed location on Allen Street should be happy to learn their dream of tasty, cheap-ass, greasy food lives on.

Fried Dumpling - 106 Mosco Street, between Mott & Mulberry Streets

Tia Pol

Allow me to take you on a guided tour of Tia Pol, an authentic tapas restaurant worth the hike this far west in Chelsea. I'll ask that you please proceed single-file and keep large purses tucked by your sides, as we will be navigating through narrow quarters. In the off-chance you disturb a patron, he may growl but would be unlikely to strike. If, however, you obstruct his path to the pinchos morunos (juicy, tasty lamb skewers), we here at Fresh Pepper will not be held responsible for the carnage.

Right then. On your left you'll find the wood and marble bar. Here, you may order beer on tap, wine from the all-Spanish list, or an entire meal comprised of small plates (sandwiches are available at lunch, and egg dishes make the menu at brunch - more on the food when we reach the back room. Please hold your questions until then). Perch on one of the mismatched stools, and be sure to check out the daily specials scrawled on the chalkboard. You may enjoy a welcomed breeze in warm weather, as the entire glass front of the establishment can be opened to the sidewalk. In colder weather, people waiting for seats will cram in this area behind you along the brick wall and will mentally will you to eat faster.

As we come to the end of the bar, you will take note of the raised tables to the left. You sit on the high bench along the wall or on one of the backless stools while enjoying your meal in this area. That banging you hear is the bartender brewing fresh espresso. You will either get used to it, drown it out with your own chatter, or know to ask for another table next time.

Alright folks, a few more steps further into the restaurant brings us to...(drumroll for no reason)...this section. Here we find more small tables and stools to the right, perfect for serious heart-to-heart conversations as you dine face-to-face with your mother, brother, lover, significant other, or, you know, buddy. To the left is the kitchen. Peer through the opening in the wall to catch a glimpse of hard-workers working hard.

Anyone who needs the restroom will take this opportunity to go now. It is through this door on the left, and you will find it to be surprisingly spacious and delightfully clean. Everyone else will kindly direct their attention to the alcove where larger parties can be accommodated more comfortably than at the options up front.

Now, if we are all ready, please follow me into the back room, and be sure to mind the step. Here, there is plenty of seating for everyone at the several long tables, which are sometimes used communally for multiple parties when the restaurant is at its busiest. Settle in on the chairs with backs, because I am about to let you in on a little secret (which actually isn't a secret at all, but sometimes I like to be dramatic for no reason, as you may have noticed from that earlier drumroll): The food at Tia Pol is great.

Sometimes the food at tapas restaurants has a commercial feel to it. They offer croquetas which may or may not have come from a box, patatas bravas, a tortilla with egg, potato, and onion, and then there is usually a bowl of mixed olives and/or almonds. Now, that is all well and good (and offered at Tia Pol too), but thankfully Tia Pol realizes there is more to Spanish cuisine than that. Here you will find sweet peppers filled with potato salad and topped with imported white tuna (piquillos rellenos de ensaladilla rusa), a fava bean puree with beyos cheese on toasted bread (montadito de crema de habitas con beyos), razor clams and cockles (navajas y almejas), chorizo finished with sherry (chorizo al jerez), and unexpectedly addictive fried chickpeas (garbanzos fritos). Soups, salads, cheese plates, and cured meats make the menu too, as does a selection of desserts that cover more ground than just the expected flan. It is also wise to pay attention to the daily specials, as this is where you may find gems like flash fried peppers with sea salt and indulgent bone marrow toast.

Lunch is when the menu is more limited but includes sandwiches of crispy squid, serrano ham, pork loin, and chorizo with chocolate. Yep, chocolate. Lunch is available Tuesday through Friday from noon until 3:00pm. The weekends are the time for brunch (11:00am until 3:00pm) when chocolate couples with churros, serrano ham pairs with watercress and a poached egg, and a croissant is warmed a la plancha and served with orange marmalade and sweet cadi butter. Is it wrong that I could maybe eat that butter straight with a spoon? Probably. Not to worry, new friends, I won't. Probably.

Now that we have reached the awkward butter-confession portion of the tour, it is time for us to part ways. Be sure to make a reservation for your next meal at Tia Pol, as you have surely observed seats are fairly limited and customers are not. Come back with that scruffy professional before catching a show at the nearby UCB Theater, on date night with your girlfriend of four years, or by yourself when you are craving juicy, tasty lamb skewers so badly, you could physically harm anyone who obstructs your path to them.

Tia Pol - 205 10th Avenue, between West 22nd & West 23rd Streets

Lupa

Lupa is a Mario Batali restaurant. You know Mario from his television appearances, his cookbooks, his kitchen products, and maybe even from a mention on your favorite blog (ahem). You may have been to his wine store, you may have seen him and his ever-present orange footwear at Chelsea Market, you may have even been to one (or six) of his restaurants. You might therefore also know that Mr. Batali often partners in his endeavors with Joseph Bastianich, and there is no exception in the case of Lupa. Mr. Bastianich has had a hand in Batali's seafood restaurant, Esca, in his 3-star triumph, Babbo, and in several other projects throughout New York, Las Vegas, and California. Also partnering at Lupa are Jason Denton (of 'ino, 'inoteca, and Batali/Bastianich's Otto) and Chef Mark Ladner (sous-chef at Babbo's opening and yet another Otto contributor). All of which is to say, Lupa's owners know a thing or two about Italian restaurants, and thankfully, at Lupa, it shows.

For starters, the food is prepared well. Sadly, the same can not be said for every Italian restaurant throughout Manhattan. Basics like pasta are often overcooked, drenched in sauce, or they arrive cold at the table. Mercifully, Lupa's pasta dishes are al dente, flavorful without being overworked, and hot. The style of the food is Roman, as the restaurant's full name is Lupa Osteria Romana. According to the restaurant's website (and Italian speakers the world over), "Osteria Romana" means "Roman Tavern," and "Lupa" means "She-Wolf." Parenthetically, you have no idea how badly I want to crack a Shakira joke.

The menu is divided into categories: verdura, carne, insalata, pesce, primi, secondi, and piatto del giorno (aka, vegetables, meat, salad, fish, first courses, entrees, and daily specials). A good portion of the menu is written in Italian, but a glossary on the back will help in the deciphering process as will the waitstaff, who are typically friendly and engaging. The food may be shared family style, or you may opt to hoard a selection from one of the above mentioned categories for yourself - hey, if you can annihilate an order of house made coppa cotta by your lonesome, who am I to say otherwise?

The restaurant is divided into two rooms, both of which are casual yet polished. The front room is packed with wood chairs at dark wood tables, approximately 9 stools at the bar to the left, and a large wine hutch anchoring the right wall at the rear of the space. The floors are ceramic, the walls are a rusty orange color, and the noise level is lively. Pretty much exactly what one might expect of an Italian trattoria. Arched doorways lead to the smaller back room in which the tables have cloths, cushioned banquettes line the wall, and a chandelier coupled with wall sconces provide the light. This back room may seem more serene than the front at first glance, but the noise level and energy in the space depends largely on the patrons at any given time.

So let's talk particulars. Reservations are highly recommended for dinner, though you may have some luck strolling in without one for lunch. The food is moderately priced considering the quality, but there are ways to pay less than what you might otherwise expect. Lupa offers "Roma Mezzanotte," which is a late night price-fixed menu for $26* per person. It is available Sunday through Thursday from 10:00pm until midnight, and it includes three courses (antipasta, pasta, and dessert) plus a glass of wine. The regular menu is also available during this time.

Lupa also hosts events from time to time which showcase a particular seasonal ingredient, method of cooking, holiday tradition, or region of wine (Bastianich is an owner of several wineries; one of which includes Batali as a partner. Not surprisingly, Lupa's wine list is extensive.) A good way to learn about upcoming events is to visit the restaurant's website and/or join their mailing list. Additionally, you may host your own private event, as Lupa is equipped to accommodate up to 80 guests (up to 30 guests at dinner or the entire restaurant at lunch). It should be noted that any party larger than 6 at lunch or dinner is required to partake in a price-fixed menu option rather than dining a la carte.

So next time you are hungry like the wolf, grab your favorite she-wolf and head over to Lupa for an evening in Roma without ever leaving New York, New York. (I couldn't resist.)

Lupa - 170 Thompson Street, between between Bleecker & Houston Streets

UPDATE - The price has increased. I repeat. The price has increased. Lupa's Roma Mezzanotte will set you back a cool $3 more than before at $29 per person. We can storm the streets in protest, OR...pay it. Yeah, just pay it. Occupy Lupa sounds like too much of a headache to organize.

Lamazou

This was initially intended to be a post about several more-special-than-your-average-deli delis, but I realized I had more-rambling-than-your-average-blurb to say about each. Without further delay, it is time to discuss the first of the few: Lamazou and all its amazingness.

Lamazou used to present itself as a cheese shop - and it is. With a rumored cheese cave in the basement and a display case full of camembert, epoisse, comte, robiola, cheddar, reblochon, brie, smoked gouda, manchego, herbed goat, gorgonzola dolce, vacherain, stilton, havarti, and so much more, it certainly covers the cheese spectrum. However, as indicated by Lamazou's relatively new sign out front, there is more to this gem than a lactose intolerant's nightmare. It now additionally and appropriately advertises itself with words like "sandwiches," "catering," and "gift basket."

For starters, there's the meat. A refrigerated case behind the cheese display houses a large enough assortment to slake your thirst for various cured proteins for years to come. From spicy sopressata to garlic sausage, serrano ham to proscuitto di parma, mortadella to genoa salami, roast beef to bresaola, french ham to chorizo, there's something for every taste. More of a poultry fan? They offer honey turkey, roast turkey, smoked turkey, grilled chicken, and buffalo chicken.

"Yeah, but I can get a turkey sandwich anywhere," you say.
"True, but how about smoked duck breast? Venison pate? Truffle liver mousse?" I retort.
"Ew," you say.
"I just meant they have more than your typical corner bodega. Feel free to order whatever makes you happy," I explain.
"I see. Let's never fight again," you say. And we lived happily ever after.

Beyond the cheese and meat, Lamazou also offers salads, Mediterranean selections (such as tabbouli, humus, babaghannouj, and stuffed grape leaves), grilled vegetables, marinated vegetables, cole slaw, tuna fish, smoked salmon, and egg salad laced with strong roquefort (Something that is better to know beforehand than to be surprised by after the first bite. I promise).

All of the above options may be combined in whatever manner you see fit to make hearty sandwiches on a variety of freshly baked breads (including baguettes, ciabatta, pumpernickel rolls, multi-grain rolls, sliced rye, and semolina) with or without dressings, garnish, or condiments (such as horseradish, cornichons, pesto, or simply lettuce and tomato). Suggestions of well-crafted Lamazou sandwiches may be found on Lamazou's website, and they (as well as any other sandwich you create) may be ordered as a half ($4.90-$5.95) or whole ($7.75-$9.99) portion. Lunch specials are offered from 11:00am to 3:00pm, which include soup (selection changes daily) and a sandwich. Grab a Pellegrino from the refrigerator, a box of dried apricots near the register, and don't be surprised when your coworkers ask, "Wheredja get that?" (I don't know why they're asking so inarticulately either).

Maybe you are not interested in a vast cheese selection, meats from around the world, or enough vegetarian side dishes to keep your crunchy visitor from San Francisco sated. Maybe you would like some imported goodies to remind you of your trip to London (Hob Nobs, Ribena, and Heinz Salad Cream, perhaps), to recreate your favorite Parisian crepe at home (a jar of Nutella, bien sur), or to finish off that antipasti plate you are planning for dinner (tuna stuffed olives should do the trick). Lamazou offers shelves upon shelves of gourmet delights from tea to caviar to jam to truffle oil to biscuits.

So stop by this sliver of a storefront when you are hungry for a meal on the go (as there is no seating at Lamazou). Send a thank you to your in-laws after a weekend at their country home (from the gift basket menu or by filling a hand-picked decorative basket hanging over Lamazou's counter with whatever you think they would like best). Drop hints at your next office meeting the boss would prefer a catered Lamazou lunch for her birthday over whatever the jerk from three cubicles over was just suggesting (you know she thinks he's an idiot anyway).

Lamazou - 370 3rd Avenue, between East 26th & East 27th Streets

Mizu

So he says to me, he says, "Hey! Fresh Pepper!" Though you know it sounded like "Peppah."
And I'm like, "Word?"
He goes, "I'm ten blocks south of Mishima, and I ain't tryin' to walk for no sushi."
So I'm like, "Oh yeah?"
And he's all, "Yeah! What you got?" But it comes out like, "Challenge!"
With my brightest Colgate smile, I go, "Mizu, homes!"

I hope you enjoyed my entirely fictional and unnecessarily affected dramatic sketch. The moral of the story is: there is a Japanese restaurant in Gramercy called Mizu, which is worth checking out if you are in the neighborhood. The food is fresh, the service is prompt, and the atmosphere is a touch trendier than the previously discussed Tomoe and Mishima.

Whereas the other two restaurants are sparse in their decor, Mizu's design elements include exposed brick (along one wall), slate tiles (along another wall), and illuminated rice paper (throughout the room and most noticeably in a palm frond formation on the ceiling). Even the wood-framed glass door and floor-to-ceiling front windows are ornate in that each panel is comprised of multiple glass panes in varying geometric shapes. However, plastic tabletops, plastic-cushioned metal chairs, and exposed air conditioning units render the overall feel of Mizu casual. The loud crowds and music are contributing factors as well.

So how does Mizu measure up against my sushi restaurant test? The california roll was $6.50 at last check, which indicates prices are not particularly low. Regular rolls range from $4.00 (cucumber roll) to $8.00 (tuna/avacado/caviar roll) with an average of $6.00. Special rolls range from $6.50 to $15.00 with an average of $11.00. This is by no means outrageous, but it is not a bargain either. As for my spicy scallop roll, they have one, it is tasty, and it costs $9.00.

I recommend Mizu for one of those fun Thursday nights that feels like a Saturday after several after-work flutes of champagne at the aptly-named Flute across the street, for a double date with that couple who both wear fedoras on a regular basis, or for lunch with your nephew - he's already in the neighborhood and unwilling to walk the ten blocks to Mishima anyway.

Mizu - 29 East 20th Street, between Broadway & Park Avenue South

Perry St

First things first - Perry St is indeed located on Perry Street, but its entrance is around the corner on West Street. This information should save you the inconvenience of walking into the lobby of the building's residential section, and it should save the doorman of said section from redirecting yet another disoriented diner. You're welcome.

So yes, the restaurant is located on the ground floor of a Richard Meier building - a building comprised of swanky multi-million dollar condominiums, one of which is home to Perry St chef/owner, Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Needless to say, the restaurant is not too shabby a space. From the outdoor slate tiles by the mini infinity pool-esque water feature, one enters through the glass vestibule into a sleek space of muted tones and minimalist decor with industrial touches. The host/hostess stand is in front of you, the lounge is to the left (beyond which is the coat check), the bar is to the rear, and the L-shaped dining room is to the right.

The lounge area is outfitted with barely-plush couches, leather benches, and knee-high tables under dangling filament bulbs. In the main area, diners sit on white leather banquettes and armchairs at rectangular tables or around high-backed rounded banquettes at round tables. Light in the main room is provided by shaded floor lamps arching over tables and by the sunlight pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows through which one spies the Hudson River beyond the West Side Highway. Glare is tempered by lightly colored sheer shades, which complement the dark chocolate carpet, light gray cement pillars, and varying hues of wood throughout the room.

Like at other Vongerichten restaurants throughout and beyond Manhattan, you can ultimately count on a great meal with attentive service. Dinner at Perry St will be a smidge more casual than his namesake at the Trump International Hotel & Tower at Central Park West. That's ok, because the prices are a smidge lower accordingly. The atmosphere at Perry St will be less ornate than his Spice Market in the Meatpacking District - less boisterous than the ambiance at Mercer Kitchen in Soho - less stodgy than the nuances at JoJo on the Upper East Side - more refined than the cafe-like touches at Nougatine back at Central Park. That's ok too, because it seems the point of Perry St is a return to basics, in which attention is predominantly focused on the food.

The food at Perry St is American at its core with French and Asian influences. The meal starts with an amuse bouche from the chef, usually a soup, which varies with the season. From there, you may order a la carte or from the price-fixed menu. The restaurant offers a $26 lunch and a $38 dinner, both of which are three courses (two plates and a dessert; additional plates are $13 each). The dinner promotion is offered between 5:30pm and 6:00pm as well as after 9:30pm everyday except Saturday.

Appetizers at Perry St include the likes of a beet salad with goat cheese and champagne mango vinaigrette, crispy poached eggs with caviar and vodka cream, and sweet chili crab dumplings with cilantro and sugar snap peas. Entrees include slowly baked arctic char with white asparagus and basil vinaigrette, fried chicken with a spicy pea puree and pickled onions, and braised rabbit with lemongrass and ginger sweet corn. The desserts are artfully composed as well. At one point, there was a chocolate mousse with crystallized violets on the menu; at another time, white chocolate and meringue with yuzu sorbet.

So make a reservation at Perry St for your favorite forty year old who would prefer a quiet birthday celebration if you must celebrate this new decade at all, for your date with the woman you are finally ready to introduce to your friends (maybe meet them afterward for cocktails at the Jane Hotel five blocks north), for lunch with Calvin Klein and Nicole Kidman who were rumored to live upstairs (in separate apartments, of course) at one point or another. That is, if you actually know them.

Perry St - 176 Perry Street, at the corner of West Street