Almost A Great Catch

Lately, I’ve been curious about what the names of restaurants mean when they are in a foreign language. After a little research, I learned that “barbounia” is a red mullet fish found in the Mediterranean waters near Greece, and is thus very common in the Greek cuisine. Seems fitting for a Greek restaurant then! They do have it on the menu, but I was going to Barbounia for brunch, and didn’t think little, fried, whole fish sounded so appealing at noon!

If you have ever walked down Park Avenue South, then you know just how many lofty, upper-end restaurants there are. Barbounia is a newer (opened in 2006) addition that sits on the corner of 20th & Park. From the second you step food in the restaurant, it quickly becomes apparent that you are in a Greek/Mediterranean restaurant. White tiles cover the floors, large columns and archways are scattered throughout the place with very high ceilings to match. One of my friends commented that she felt like we weren’t in NYC when in this restaurant, between the sheer size and the décor of the restaurant. It’s a beautiful space, if not a little bit over-decorated with fake plants and fruit baskets everywhere you look. The bar area is very nice too, and becomes pretty lively and crowded after work and in the evenings.

We were seated at a nice table in the center of the restaurant and began perusing the menu. A basket of bread was brought out, and was filled with the most delicious, fresh breads. Some were similar to a pita, and some were very sweet with cinnamon and raisins.

There were the usual brunch items, but I felt like I needed to get something more authentic. I ended up ordering the Spanikopita that came with a side salad. The menu describes the dish as crispy phyllo triangles filled with spinach and feta, but there were no triangles to be found. What came out looked almost like a pastry - it was round and coiled like a cinnamon roll. Regardless, it was absolutely delicious…super crispy and flaky, very flavorful, and a perfect proportion of feta to spinach. The mixed greens had a very good vinaigrette and was a nice compliment to the spanikopita. My friends both ordered egg dishes that were served with potatoes. One got the Athenian omelette with spinach and caramelized onions, and the other got the eggs benedict. They both enjoyed their dishes a lot too.

I had read a lot of reviews before finally making it to Barbounia about how terrible the service was, and I have to say, I couldn’t agree more. Our waiter barely spoke English, which made it very difficult to ask questions about items on the menu. If he had been Greek, I would’ve let it slide because of the authenticity! But, to work in a restaurant and not be able to communicate the dishes you are serving to your customers is pretty ridiculous. He was MIA when we did need him, but hovered while waiting for us to finish up and pay our check. After all of the dining out I’ve done lately, I think that has quickly become one of my biggest pet peeves.

Despite this, though, I try not to let poor service ruin an otherwise good dining experience between the atmosphere, food, and company. If you are in the mood for some really good Greek food, definitely check out Barbounia. But just walk in with a boatload of patience.

Barbounia
250 Park Avenue South
@ 20th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

Holy Rice-A-Roni!

Rice is a restaurant that I think is suffering from multiple personality disorder. Located in the heart of Curry Hill, I always presumed it was an Indian restaurant. Then, one time when I actually stopped to glance at the menu, I also saw a few Thai dishes. So, I thought to myself, ok, maybe Rice is one of those Pan-Asian restaurants. When I finally went there for diner one night, my friend and I quickly discovered that even that broad category wouldn’t cover all of the types of dishes that Rice has on its menu. This was going to be hard for me to classify for this post! There were Mexican, French, and Lebanese items too! Now I get it…this restaurant includes cuisines in which rice places a big part.

It took us about 20 minutes to figure out what to order. So many dishes sounded really good. We started with the steamed vegetable dumplings and they were delicious. I absolutely love dumplings, but a lot of the times, they are just mediocre with indiscernible vegetables inside and a generic dipping sauce. Rice’s dumplings were freshly made with visible vegetables and were great on their own. Dipped in the sauce, they were even better! The soy-based sauce was so flavorful…a little bit sweet, a little bit tangy.

Next up, we got the Asian slaw, which consisted of shredded cabbage and carrots, sautéed arame seaweed, edamame, toasted sesame seeds, lotus roots, and Asian carrot ginger dressing. We only got a small, but next time I would order that just for myself because it was so good. Really crunchy, fresh veggies and a fantastic dressing.

Now onto our own dishes. I ordered the Mexican chicken soup with avocado, tomato, corn, rice and cilantro. When they served it, I got nervous I made a bad choice because it looked so simple and bordered on boring. But, I was really surprised how hearty this soup was, even though it was just a chicken stock. The corn was really fresh, and it was an interesting twist having avocado actually in the soup. The broth was very flavorful and had a pretty good kick to it. Luckily, I ended up pretty happy with the dish.

My friend ordered the ratatouille, a traditional French stew with zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, and onions. It came with a choice of rice: Japanese, Basmati, brown, and sticky. I tried her ratatouille with brown rice. Having had the dish in France, I can say it wasn’t quite the traditional recipe, but it was really good.

The restaurant itself is sleek and modern and is great for people watching on the main Curry Hill intersection. The lighting fixtures have burlap bags of (what else!) rice as the lampshades…a really creative touch! The service was friendly and fast. Our waitress was really helpful in navigating us through the different cuisines and types of rice on the menu. I am eager to go back to Rice so I can try out more of the dishes, more of the varieties of rice, and more of the ethnic cuisines featured on the menu. Multiple personalities or not, Rice is like a little trip around the world all from convenient Curry Hill/Gramercy location!

Rice
115 Lexington Avenue
@ 28th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

Portions, Not Flavor...to the Max

Since I'm not a red meat eater, I'm not one to frequent steak houses all that often (although I do love the side orders there). My roommate and I were going out for a joint birthday dinner, and she suggested Maxie's. I first thought, oh, Angelo & Maxie's...the steakhouse? Not my ideal pick. But, then I remember hearing that they opened a more casual restaurant behind it.

We met around 7:30, and while the bar area was packed with people having drinks and appetizers after work, the restaurant itself was pretty empty. As I scanned the menu, a handful of items caught my eye…some entrees, some sides. We decided that we were going to go all out and celebrate our birthdays in style with a ton of food….the only way to do it right!

We started with an order of Southern fried pickles and mac & cheese. I know to some of you, the thought of fried going with pickles may sound disgusting, but take my word for it – they’re delicious. I’ve had them at a few Southern/BBQ places around the city, and while Maxie’s version wasn’t my favorite (that title goes to Brother Jimmy’s version), they were still really good. They had a flavorful batter and were served with a tasty chipotle dipping sauce. The mac & cheese was just ok. It had a lot of cheese, especially the layer that was browned on the top that I love, but it needed either more salt or more flavorful cheeses. A little too bland for my liking.

I was feeling pretty full by this point, but I had already ordered my main dish…the Mediterranean Style Vegetable Burger. So, there was no turning back now. The menu said it came with a goat cheese sauce, so it seemed like an interesting twist on a veggie burger. Well, unfortunately, “interesting” is not how I’d describe this one. The burger itself was tasteless, brown mush and the sauce was so heavily seasoned with dill, it overpowered any hint of goat cheese. I picked at the “burger” for a few minutes, but then just gave up. The only saving grace to this dish were the shoestring fries that came with it. It was a heaping mound of crispy fries sprinkled with season salt (a fav of mine).

My roommate ordered the Maxie’s Chef Salad, which came with chicken, steak, and shrimp. Seems like a good pick for an indecisive diner! But, when the salad arrived, it looked like they forgot to finish preparing it. Large pieces of the meats and huge blocks of cheese covered the bowl. I guess they want to make you work for your food in order to enjoy it. It also had nothing else in it but lettuce, so if nothing else, it seems like the perfect dish for someone on the Atkins Diet.

So, Miss Menu has mixed review for Maxie’s, but I definitely think that had we ordered differently, we would have had a much better experience. At least the fries and fried pickles were good! The portions were all very large, so you definitely get your money's worth. Overall, it is a pretty interesting menu, different from your normal bar & grill. They have things like Kobe beef hot dogs and a Mexican burger served in a tortilla. Maxie’s would be a great place for a beer and a burger after work (or maybe during work! I won’t tell your boss.) in a restaurant that feels like a grown-up version of a typical bar, both in atmosphere and food.


Maxie's Bar & Grill
233 Park Avenue South
@ 19th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

No Longer Stoemped for Brunch Ideas

I’ve been fortunately to have some really good brunch experiences since my adventures as Miss Menu began, but after the brunch I had on Saturday, these all pale in comparison. A friend wanted to take me out for my birthday (I think I stretched the celebrations out to almost 2 weeks this year!), so we decided on going to brunch. Of course, it was up to me to decide where we would be dining. I knew exactly where I wanted to go, somewhere I had had in mind since I moved into my current apartment 3 years ago...Petite Abeille.

There are a few Petite Abeille locations around the city, but because it was such a nice day out, we decided to walk to the one near Stuy Town. I don’t know much about Belgian cuisine, aside from waffles and fries. So, I was looking forward to seeing what else we were in store for.

I was expecting the restaurant to be pretty crowded, but we were seated right away at a great table in the back. Waters and a basket with pieces of fresh baguette were brought out to the table seconds later. While first glancing over the brunch menu, it became apparent that a big decision had to be made…order one of the many omelette/egg dishes, or go with a more traditional Belgian waffle. These waffles come with all sorts of toppings…ice cream, strawberries, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, the combos go on and on. While these sound absolutely delicious, I wasn’t sure I could stomach all that sweetness so early in the day. So, we came up with the perfect solution…we each ordered an omelette and we ordered one plain waffle to split as dessert. Genius.

I noticed that almost all of the omelettes had pork in them, but the waiter had no problem with us making substitutions. I ordered the Ardennaise, which came with bacon, mushroom, spinach and onion. I asked if I could substitute gruyere for the bacon, and it was no problem. My friend thought that sounded like a good idea and ordered the same thing (but with egg whites).

I was expecting to see Belgian frites served on the side, but the menu mentioned that the egg dishes were served with a small mesclun salad and stoemp. I had NO clue what that was, but imagined it would be something potato-related, since that seems like a common side brunch item. When our food arrived, I saw what I assumed was the stoemp…a big orange pile of something that resembled mashed potatoes. After one bite, we quickly realized that not only was it a Belgian version of mashed potatoes, but more delicious than any mashed potatoes I had had before. After a little Wikipedia research, I learned that stoemp is dish local to the cuisines of Belgium and the Netherlands. It consists of pureed or mashed potatoes and other root vegetables. Since what we had was pretty bright orange, I’m guessing that that carrots or sweet potatoes were included also.

The omelettes themselves were definitely worth mentioning too. The eggs were cooked perfectly, and there were ample veggies inside, all creating a fantastic taste. The gruyere inside and sprinkled on top gave it a great salty flavor as well. My friend even made the comment that she eats omelettes once or twice each weekend, and this was the best one she’d had in recent memory. Even better than the ones we had at Les Halles, and so much better than the overcooked/burnt ones we’ve had at diners recently. I couldn’t agree more.

To round out a fantastic meal, we dug into the waffle. It was golden brown, light, and fluffy. I rarely order waffles, so it was a real treat, and definitely the perfect “dessert” ending to a great meal.

The decor inside Petite Abeille feels like a quaint Belgian kitchen. Blue and white-checkered tablecloths and Belgian sea salt bottles are found on the tables. Belgian beer bottles line the shelves that circle the space. And, even though they have real menus, the dishes are also written on chalkboards that are scattered throughout the restaurant. All in all, it was a fantastic brunch. The food was delicious and the atmosphere made us feel like we were really dining in a Belgian café on a beautiful spring day!


Petite Abeille
401 East 20th Street
@ 1st Avenue
website
Menu Pages listing

Tres,Tres Bon...Almost

If you've ever watched (or just flipped past) the Travel Channel on TV, there's a good chance you've heard of Anthony Bourdain. Also an author, this chef seems to be everywhere right now. I was always enthralled with hearing about his exotic food experiences. I recently saw an episode of No Reservations in which he went back to his alma mater after not having cooked in a restaurant for 8 years. It was at that point that I decided it was time to finally try this notorious restaurant where he serves as Chef-at-Large...Brasserie Les Halles.

A friend of mine had a few out-of-town visitors and we were brainstorming places that we could all go for a Sunday brunch. Of course, picking a restaurant never comes without some restrictions. That Sunday was Easter Sunday, so it made getting reservations for our party of five a little trickier. We also wanted to go to a restaurant that was central to all of us. It was the perfect opportunity to head to Les Halles for its Revolutionary Brunch.

Upon entering, you really get the sense that this is an authentic French brasserie. The ambiance is lively and the dark wood walls are almost completely covered by antique French posters, giving it a great feel. We were seated at a round table, which is always nice for a larger group.

We all decided to order off the Revolutionary Brunch menu, although the full lunch menu was available as well. This prix-fixe menu includes fresh-squeezed orange juice, a croissant, and your choice of a variety of egg and crepe entrees. I ordered the Omelette Savoyarde (an omelette filled with gruyere cheese - one of my favorites), which came with the infamous French fries. Anthony Bourdain has touted them as the best in the country...and as a wannabe fry connoisseur, it was my turn to put them to the test!

Les Halles is a little pricier than your greasy spoon diner, but the quality is light years better. The eggs were all cooked to perfection...light and fluffy, and not one brown spot to be seen. The omelettes I've always gotten at diners have been overcooked, brown, and dried out. The croissant was melt-in-your-mouth good. It was flaky on the outside and buttery on the inside. So, now to the fries. They were good. Very good. The best I've ever had? I'm not so sure. But, you could tell they were made fresh and in-house, and from what I could tell were fried in peanut oil, which I always think gives fries a much better flavor.

My friends got the Ouefs Poches a l'Ecossaise (eggs benedict with smoked salmon) and the Omelette Forestiere (wild mushroom omelette). It was hysterical hearing them try to pronounce these dishes. But, I give them credit for trying!

So, my experience sounds close to perfect right? Well, here's the bad news: the service was miserable. I cut them a little slack because it was peak Sunday brunch hour and it was packed. But, these are all experienced waiters and waitresses who know what it takes to handle a rush and be a good server. Unfortunately, our server was hoping we were just stupid tourists who didn't know better (like most of the patrons that day) so he could turn the table quickly. He was rude, abrupt, and MIA most of the time. It took us 3 requests and 30 minutes to get water. But, after he put the bill on the table, he was stopping by to check up on us every 5 minutes.

All in all, I'm glad we chose Les Halles to see what all the hype was about. I did love the omelette, the fries, the croissant, and the ambiance. I just think next time I will try to go at an off-peak time in hopes of more attentive, friendly service.

Les Halles
411 Park Avenue South
b/t 28th & 29th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

Get on the L'Express Train

Similar to Pigalle, L'Express is part of the Tour de France restaurant group, which owns eight French restaurants around the city. This group gets it right...simple, French cuisine in an authentic bistro atmosphere, and L'Express is no exception.

L'Express is open 24 hours a day, and seems to be busy at any given time. It's just as crowded for a weeknight dinner as it is for a weekend brunch, as it is for a latenight snack. This versatility makes it a reliable standby in my book. And the food itself doesn't hurt either.

I've been to L'Express for dinner and brunch, and have enjoyed my meals each time. They have a great wine list, with many selections by the glass, as well as by the bottle. The menu itself features some classic French bistro fare (steak frites, mussels, goat cheese salad), as well as some unexpected items (tripe, lamb burgers, and vegetable lasagna).

Not in the mood for a heavy meal, I went with my staple French selections. I ordered onion soup, and split a salad and French fries with my friend. The mesclun salad had a nice twist with warm pears and blue cheese. The onion soup at L'Express has a great, authentic flavor, with the right amount of cheese gratinee on the top. And the fries were really good too, brought out in a huge pile on a plate.

I'd definitely recommend L'Express to anyone looking for a lively dining experience that somehow seems equally New York as it does French.

L'Express
249 Park Avenue South
@ 20th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

East Meets West on the East Side

I don't love going to restaurants more than once because of the sheer volume of great restaurants in New York. I almost feel guilty back because it means I'm missing out on trying somewhere new. Since I decided only to write about restaurants I dine at going forward, I made an exception to this rule...since they'll all be new to Miss Menu! So last night, that's just what I did at Chino's.

When I've mentioned Chino's to people in the past, most of the time they've never heard of it, and can't picture having walked past it on 3rd Avenue. But my experience last night was quite the opposite...very memorable. As I mentioned in a recent post, I've been very drawn to tapas/small plates-style eating lately, whether it be Spanish, Italian, or in Chino's case Asian fusion.

My first experience at Chino's was a pleasant surprise...a cool ambiance, creative dishes, and a great value. And last night was no different. We ordered four small plates for two people, and it was the perfect amount of food. They have the service down to a science...bring out the cold dishes pretty quickly, and then after a nice breather, bring out the hot dishes. A much better approach than bombarding a tiny table with too many plates.

Chino's gets it right. They take somewhat typical Asian dishes and give them all really interesting twists. My favorites last night were the Seared Tuna Summer Rolls and Chino's Chow Fun. Rather than being prepared in the typical summer or spring roll style, these rolls were served like pieces of sushi, along with a fantastic green peanut sauce. The tuna was so fresh, and the papaya gave it a great flavor. The chow fun is a complete 180 from the typical chow fun you'd order from your local Chinese takeout/delivery place, with a really flavorful sauce and mix of fresh vegetables.

Chino's is definitely a hidden gem in a neighborhood that lacks great restaurants. So, if you find yourself on 3rd Avenue, make sure you don't walk right past this place next time!

Chino's
3rd Avenue
b/t 16th & 17th Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

STILL a good deal

If you've ever tried to decide what bar to go to with your friends in NYC, then I'm sure you know what a headache it can turn into. Similar to restaurants, there are just so many options...type of bar, location, type of crowd, cover charge/no cover charge...the list goes on and on. My friends often ask me for recommendations of where they should have their birthday or where they should take their out-of-town visitors. I'm always happy to make suggestions, but I think that'd make up another blog all together! So until Miss Menu is ready to retire, I think I'll stick to restaurants!

I will make one exception now, though, because a) I actually haven't gone out to eat all week, and b) I did eat at the bar I went to last night! Hope you don't mind!

My co-workers decided we were long overdue for a happy hour, and decided last night was the perfect chance. One colleague is leaving for her weddding in India for 3 weeks, and another just started her job on Monday. So, after a bit of brainstorming, I came up with a bar that I thought would please everyone, with good hour deals, subway access that's close to the office, and a location that's not hard for people to leave from when commuting home. We decided on the bar Still.

I had been to Still two years ago on a Wednesday, when they had a great happy hour deal...$10 open bar and 1/2-priced appetizers. When we arrived last night, we discovered that it had changed. Now it was $20 open bar and a special deal on the appetizer sampler. Still (no pun intended!), it was a great deal and everyone was excited for a fun night out.

While it's by no means my favorite bar in the city, it was perfect for what we needed. We got a section of tables at the front of the bar. The bartenders were really friendly. And the food that we ordered was really good. We got three (count 'em 3!) appetizer samplers and an order of chicken nachos. The samplers were perfect for our big group...a little bit of everything on one plate. They also have a full restaurant menu with sandwiches, salads, and entrees.

So, if you're looking for a hassle-free bar or place to get a casual meal near Union Square, I'd definitely recommend Still.

Still
192 Third Ave
@ 17th Street
website