Luke's Lobster

East Village – E 7^th Between 1^st and Ave A / UES- 81^st Between 2^nd and 3^rd

UWS- Amsterdam Ave Between 80^th and 81^st / FiDi- 26 S Williams Street

Seafood

Luke Holden, former UBS and CS Capital employee, enters the foodie arena giving new meaning to “claw backs” while bringing New Yorkers a fresh take on lobster.

Luke grew up in Maine working for the Portland Shellfish Company, his father’s seafood processing business. Between M.E. and Y.O.U, his strategic partnership with his father’s company solidified his leap of faith from crunching numbers in Excel to excelling in the restaurant business.

Luke’s is able to supply New Yorkers with lobster straight from the source, in what he claims takes 24 hours from sea to sale. His partnerships allow him to charge a steady rate of $15 for a New England top-split bun filled with succulent lobster, celery and butter. Splurge an extra $2 for a meal, which comes with a soda, chips & a pickle, or go the distance and turn that soda into an original Maine craft beer that you’ve never heard of… for an additional five dollars.

Each restaurant is decorated with buoys, lobster traps, and wood planks to provide the true Maine atmosphere to go along with the authentic Maine flavors. The lobster bisque sounds delightful but it’s a little too salty… almost as salty as every other lobster shack owner in NYC that actually pays a distributor.

Luke's Lobster, Portland Shellfish Company is your father.

Dos Toros

West Village – Carmine Street Between Bleeker and 6th Ave

Union Square – 4th Ave Between 13th & 14th / UES – Lexington Ave Between 77th & 78th 

Mexican 

Where should I eat?  What am I in the mood for?  Should I eat something healthy?  Are you calling me fat? What should I order?  Should I add guac for a dollar?  Why is guac always a dollar?  Sometimes, deciding what to eat just isn’t easy.  If you constantly suffer from indecision, have no fear; Dos Toros is here.

Bite one, all wrap… bite two, some guac… bite three, a little sour cream mixed with a mouthful of guac and signs of cheese on the way.  Bite four, did I get chicken or steak?  We’ve all experienced disappointing burritos. Not at Dos Toros, where the protein allocation is proportionally as big as Barry Bonds' head.  Barry, did you know the human head weighs eight pounds?

Dos Toros hails from the San Francisco Bay Area with a simple menu and simply delicious Mexican food. Burrito, taco, or quesadilla; braised pork, grilled chicken, or grilled steak.  Cheese, salsa, and sour cream are included.  If you feel like that was too easy -- go ahead, add guac, or get your burrito on a “plato.”

When I walk into Dos Toros I feel like Steve Young circa 1994 -- in the shotgun position with the secondary giving a generous cushion.  Go deep with a burrito?  Hit a ten-yard buttonhook with some tacos or check down to a quesadilla?  Unlike 49ers punt returner Kyle Williams in the NFC Championship game, you can’t really make a mistake at Dos Toros.

I recommend the check down, or the quesadilla if you will.  Let’s face it, Alex Smith can’t throw the deep ball like Steve Young (and the burrito will most likely put you into a food coma).  The tacos come fully loaded, but I feel like I need to hit the showers when I’m done.  The quesadilla is basically a perfectly sized burrito, not your standard flat press.  Call it what you want -- quesadilla, perfectly sized burrito, whatever it may be -- it's the Golden Gate Bridge from hunger to satisfaction.

Move over Rice-a-Roni, New York’s got its own San Francisco treat.

J.G. Melon

UES – 3^rd Ave and 74^th Street

American

Walking into JG Melon is like going up to the hottest girl at the bar right off the bat. You don’t really expect her to have the slightest bit of interest in you, or in this case you know you’re not about to just prance in with your Polo and Sperry’s on and sit right down at a table; but what the hell, worth a shot right?

Enter the Burger Nazi. Yes, JG Melon is a comfortable old fashion burger bar once you’re seated, but the owners didn’t exactly read Dale Carnegie's book How to Win Friends and Influence People. From my experience, it seems like Mien Kampf may be more in line with their summer reading list growing up.

No room for a hostess stand here. Melon’s occupies a small space on the NE corner of the street and does a good job getting people seated considering the limited space. The owner walks around with a clipboard, taking names and dishing out waits. Once you put your name down, say thank you, take two penguin wattles to the left and get out of the way.

When it comes to the food, Melon’s slaps together one of the best burgers in NYC. I recommend starting off with the chili cup, followed by a juicy bacon cheeseburger (medium rare) and a side of cafeteria-style fries. The perfect trifecta.

Just remember, cash only, or no burger for you.

Sable's

UES – 2^rd Ave Between 77^th and 78^th

Deli

It’s Sunday morning, and that means the Sunday night anxiety monsters are only hours away from creeping into your brain. It’s going to be okay. Put down the zany-bar and go to Sable’s. Danny and Kenny Sze’s world-class smoked salmon joint should help buy you some time with peace of mind. If nothing else the taste will distract you from the reality; this time tomorrow morning you’ll be stick’n it to the man.

Owners Danny and Kenny Sze started Sable’s after managing Zabar’s for 12 years in the Appetizer Department. In other words, our boys graduated Magna Cum Lox from the University of Zabar’s, three times! Their quality smoked nova, and famous lobster salad are evidence that they took great notes.

Moving on… The deli is filled with character. Aside from the catering posters and salami hanging from the ceiling, the walls are decorated with Polaroid pictures of the owners with celebrity visitors such as Michael Jordan, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Rodney Dangerfield, Cindy Crawford, and fellow foodie Anthony Bourdain, sprinkled in with some average Upper East side Joe’s to fill space.

The food is a little pricey but great quality take-out. Head back to your flat and become one with the couch. After all, you earned it this week, and you’re about to earn it all over again starting tomorrow.

Pio Pio

UWS - 94th & Amsterdamn / Hells Kitchen - 10th Ave Between 43rd and 44th

Murray Hill - 34th Between 2nd and 3rd / UES - 1st Ave Between 90th and 91st

Peruvian

When I first moved to the City, I asked a friend to suggest a good cheap restaurant. He recommended Pio Pio. He gave me a taste and I’ve been hooked ever since. Similar to the taste Bobby Brown gave Whitney Houston, it was to die for...Too soon?

Anyways, call me insensitive but the Peruvian chicken is about as addictive as their prices. The Matador combo truly grabs the bull by the horns. $32 for a whole rotisserie chicken, avocado salad, rice and beans, and fries topped with sliced hot dogs. $24 for a whole rotisserie chicken, large fries and avocado salad. The owners must be on crack. If you feel like “splurging,” I recommend kicking your meal off with the fried calamari.

Prices are great, but what separates Pio Pio from the rest of the rotisserie chicken world is the secret green sauce. I once tried to call up for the ingredients claiming to be allergic to practically everything, but Pio Pio wouldn’t budge. The green sauce add a spicy creamy chicken kicker and acts as a great compliment to the avocado salad. Thank you Pio Pio for filling my stomach without emptying my wallet.

Nicola's

 

UES - 84th Street Between Lexington and 3rd Ave

Italian

It would only be right to pop my blog cherry with sweet sweet Nicola’s. First post goes to my all-time favorite.

Nicola's is an old-school UES Italian staple. Since 1991, Nicola's has delivered top-notch Northern Italian family style cuisine. The restaurant is always filled but never has much of a wait. The Goodfellas family atmosphere and waiters with thick Italian accents adds some flavor to the overall experience. The owners are not about thrills. Simply delicious Italian cooking. While the restaurant is always full of life, enjoying a nice family dinner without screaming across the table is never a problem at Nicolas.

The pollo parmigiana is unparalleled. I would put Nicolas chick parm up against any challenger, ALL IN. I tell everyone I know to go here with extreme confidence that they will not be disappointed even after my overexcited hype job. The pressed pollo parmigiana fills your entire plate and comes equipped with a side of green beans. I recommend asking for a side of spaghetti and marinara sauce as well. The essence: extra marinara sauce. Yes, that’s in addition to the marinara sauce with your spaghetti. Trust me on this one. If it wasn’t weird, I would drink it out of a glass.