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.

Barney Greengrass

UWS -  Amsterdamn Ave between 86^th and 87^th 

Kosher Deli

Welcome to Barney Greengrass, put your name down, and wait.   At Barney’s the atmosphere will take you back to Sunday brunch with your grandparents.  Bagels, smoked fish, cream cheese, eggs, potato pancakes and blintzes; Barney Greengrass hits all the spots. 

Barney’s moved to the current location on 86^th Street and Amsterdam Ave in 1929, ironically coinciding with the start of The Great Depression, which explains the choice of wallpaper.  Barney’s has been going strong for over 100 years of business. Forging on through two World Wars, The Depression, Savings and Loan Crisis, and Dot-Com Bubble, Barney’s continues to flourish on the Upper West Side to put my wallet through The Great Sunday Recession. 

At Barney’s the premium lies in the quality salmon, sable, white fish and sturgeon, along with the history and atmosphere that come with your breakfast.  I highly recommend Barney’s Specialties.  Mainly, the Nova Scotia Salmon Scrambled with Eggs and Onions.  My advice: add cream cheese to the mix to bring it all together.  While it may go without saying, you can’t go wrong with the Nova Scotia Salmon platter for however many people you are with.  Pick your bagels, sip your coffee or fresh squeezed orange juice while anxiously awaiting a breakfast that will meet all expectations. 

If you’re in a rush, grab a dozen bagels, nova, cream cheese and some black and white cookies at the counter to go.  Gary Greengrass sits at the register on top of his Throne as if he’s Sasha Baron Cohen in Borat.  “King of the Castle, King of the Castle.” 

Just remember, cash is King at Barney Greengrass, and your only way to settle up. 

 

Boat Basin Café

UWS – West 79^th Street

Bar & Grill

If I had a dollar for every bar and grill in NYC that allows you to eat and drink outside on the water with TV’s to watch games, that not only allows but encourages you to bring your dog, well –I’d have $1. 

After having a discussion about the nearly impossible feat of finding a bar and grill that provides the ability to watch sporting events outside while enjoying the weather, I came to the premature conclusion that it simply didn’t exist.

That was until Manifest Destiny led me to West 79^th Street, past Riverside Drive, around the red clay path down the steps and underneath the Henry Hudson Parkway.  I know what your thinking – I just recounted the filming of an all too familiar Law & Order rape scene.   

Anyway, Boat Basin Café is best known for reasonably priced drinks.  Specialties including their own Electric Lemonade, as well as the standard Piña Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri.  Looking to grab a beer?  You can’t go wrong with Liquid Gold on tap or a bucket of Coronas.  

The café serves food, but set your expectations low.  Not as low as the dog food stationed on the floor at the end of the bar, but low nonetheless.  Have a few too many drinks and you may actually enjoy the frozen chicken tenders or out-of-the-box burgers.  

If it's Sunday, if the sun is out, and if you cant find me, I’m at Boat Basin Café drinking the day away, begrudgingly eating the mediocre bar food while petting some stranger's dog.  Just remember; you can't let your Mondays ruin your Sundays.  

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.