First Course New York

Shiny New Food at Rockaway Beach

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:11:00 -0400

Rockaway Beach in Queens has completely revamped their food scene. With a brand new selection of top notch eats, not to mention a re-done boardwalk and clean bathrooms, this is undoubtedly the number one beach destination for young, beautiful New Yorkers. Dubbed, “The Williamsburg of Queens”, this newly ultra-hip area of Far Rockaway has come a long way. Gone are the days of mediocre sno-cones and neon yellow nacho cheese dusted with sand. Memorial Day weekend debuted some new, fantastic food stalls serving updated versions of tired beach classics. Now you can nosh a Thai beach burger with pickled mango at Ode to the Elephants, or scarf some potato or chorizo flautas with a side of chips and guacamole at Rockaway Taco. A Manhattan and Brooklyn favorite, Caracas Areapa Bar, has also opened its doors on the shore, offering their signature Venezuelan style arepas and empanadas. The iced coffee is potent and flows like wine right next door at Blue Bottle Coffee, which opens early enough for surfers to catch a quick espresso buzz before riding the waves. Walk down the wooden path to Babycakes and treat yourself to a vegan donut before staking out a place in the sand. With so many choices, it’s hard to commit to just one beach side snack. Don’t deny yourself the fried shrimp goodness or the frozen chocolate dipped bananas at Motorboat & the Big Banana. And if you’re already having trouble squeezing into that teeny, tiny bikini, stick to the cucumber juice with mint and agave at Rippers.

Stretching from Beach 86^th to Beach 106^th Street in Far Rockaway, Queens, , you will find all these vendors open (mostly) daily through Labor Day.

Rockaway Beach is located at the very end of the A train, and accessible by shuttle.

Drink Your Vegetables

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:51:08 -0400

It's glaringly obvious that most Americans aren't eating enough vegetabes. We're too busy! We work too much! Who has time to cook?! They taste gross! Whatever the excuse, it's not legitimate. With the rise of pressed vegetable juices available almost everywhere now, it's a lot easier to squeeze in some vitamins between meetings and social obligations. If you sincerely don't have time to steam your own spinach, understandably so, grab a vegetable juice on the go. If you don't like the taste of cooked vegetables, juice is a great alternative as it is often blended with fruits, spices or supplements that mute the strong vegetal flavor. The following juices are all pre-bottled and incredibly nutritious. "Cold-pressed" juices extracted with a Norwalk juicer will contain the maximum amount of enzymes and nutrients but any vegetable juice is beneficial to your health.

The Juice Press: By far the best juice bar in New York City. Their nectar is pricey but the options are abundant and the flavors are terrific. Both vegetable and fruit combinations are available. Try the sweet potato pie juice or the ginger fireball. The best of the lot- "drink your salad", remniscent of a spicy bloody mary, this mixture of carrot, celery, tomato, beet, parsley, kale and spinach is serious, more of a meal replacement than a beverage. But therein lies the beauty in juice- it can be a snack, combined with a meal or replace a meal althogether. The people working here are kind, knowledgeable and unintimidating.

Liquiteria: Overflowing with organic fruit and vegetables and peppy raw foodists, this friendly juice mecca will cater to your needs. High in price and vitamins these concoctions are worthwhile. "The Grasshopper"- apple, pear, pineapple, wheatgrass and mint, tastes like summer dusk in the south. The powerful "Mr. Green" will make you clean with carrot, apple, beet juice and something called Kidney Lymph Detox. Sounds like that should forgive any and all alcohol or fast food binges in the recent past.

The Blue Print: Available online and at specific retailers such as Whole Foods, these green juices are packed with chlorophyll and help lower acid and balance pH in the body. The Blue Print Cleanse was created by a nutritional consultant fighting a lingering cold. After a 7 day juice cleanse, she was cured and forever convinced raw food juice were the key to great health. If you're curious about a cleanse, they have a fabulous 3 day introductory plan for even the most indulgent eaters.

Wimbledon Treats Takeover NYC

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:39:30 -0400

Manhattan's most popular bakeries, restaurants and food trucks will be adding "A Taste of Wimbledon" to their menus this week- in honor of the traditional Wimbledon treat: strawberries and cream.

HSBC, "the world's local bank" has partnered with local eateries for their fourth annual sponsorship of the tennis championship. From June 16- 24, New Yorkers can visit participating locations for specialty desserts that were created in honor of Wimbledon's traditional strawberries and cream dishes.

On Monday, Former number 1 ranked champions Monica Seles and Jim Courier helped kick off the promotion with an informal live tennis match at Rockefeller Center. For the remainder of the week- complimentary activities will also include tennis time on Manhattan's only grass court, walk-in tennis clinics and racquet restringing, and live Wimbledon matches screened at the HSBC Bank outdoor venue.

Participating restaurants, bakeries and food trucks include:

*CupcakeStop: New York's premiere mobile cupcake eatery will be offering a specialty cupcake aboard its two trucks: Wimbledon Strawberry Shortcake. Track them down on Twitter for truck locations and additional information.

*Carnegie Deli: This famous New York City delicatessen's renowned Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake will be re-named in honor of Wimbledon -- Wimbledon Strawberry Cheesecake.

*Chinatown Ice Cream Factory: This American ice cream parlor with a Chinese twist will be serving Wimbledon Strawberry Ice Cream.

*DessertTruck: A Yogurt Strawberry Tennis Tart will be featured at this Lower East Side pastry shop/cafe, as well as at their traveling truck.

*Dylan's Candy Bar: Strawberry & Cream gummies will be re-named at this high-end candy emporium that features both new and nostalgic treats.

*Serendipity 3: This iconic ice cream shop will be renaming its famous frozen "Strawberry Supreme" slushy the "Wimbledon Strawberry Supreme Frrrozen Drink."

*Tea & Sympathy: New York's own traditional British restaurant will serve strawberries & cream along with "Eton Mess" -- a British dessert consisting of strawberry meringue and clotted cream.

*Wafels & Dinges: One of Manhattan's favorite food trucks will be serving a Wimbledon Wafel with the famous strawberries & cream.

More information about the promotion can be found at www.us.hsbc.com/tennis

Join the conversation on Twitter at #HSBCWimbledonNY

Sugar Cone

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:53:00 -0400

Summer in New York City means baseball games, the Hamptons, rooftops and sweltering heat. Summer means air conditioning, peep toes and iced coffee. Summer means ice cream. In lieu of eating this summer (it’s too hot anyway), replace all your meals with ice cream. With about a million fabulous, trendy, vegan, all-natural, dairy-free, organic options available, there is absolutely something for everyone. Grab a summer crush and shuffle your sandaled feet to your nearest ice cream shop. It’s not truly summer until you have butter pecan running down your chin and melting all over your latest French Connection frock. Grab a cone, cup or sundae at any of the following Joonbug recommended creameries:

Lula’s Sweet Apothecary located on the cusp of Alphabet City and the East Village could be considered a hipster-vegan paradise. Upon walking into this warped world of entirely vegan, dairy-free ice “cream” you’ll realize you’re not in Kansas anymore. All flavors are either soy or cashew milk based, making some gluten free as well! Try the cake batter soft-serve, which mimics its namesake precisely, and top with gelatin free gummy bears or chopped banana. Push those thick rimmed glasses up your nose and lick away. Be sure to wipe your hands before heading back to Brooklyn on your fixie.

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is not your average Baskin Robbins style parlor. A small storefront in the heart of Chinatown houses a bizarre but delicious array of flavors. Favorites include Lychee, Almond Cookie and Red Bean. If you’re daring, treat your taste buds to Zen Butter- a combination of toasted sesame seeds and peanut butter. Warning, don’t expect stellar customer service. Most of the employees scooping the frozen goodness are surly at best.

Sundaes and Cones: A Brooklyn import relocated to the East Village, S & C boasts some of the best homemade creations on the island. Want some wasabi ice cream after that bowl of ramen? Look no further. Haven’t had your daily doses of corn derivatives? Try corn ice cream. Need a weird ice cream cake for your friend complete with sugary feces and fake candy flies? Sundaes and Cones is an eccentric but cozy shop known for friendly service. Feel free to sample the Black Sesame before you commit.

Blue Marble in Cobble Hill and Prospect Heights, Brooklyn is the brainchild of two women with no culinary background whatsoever. But their little ice cream shop is adored by mommies and kiddies alike who flock here for their simple, straightforward flavors. Depending on the season, Blue Marble makes a killer blackberry ice cream as well as a pumpkin and peach variety. Parents will be happy to know there is never any corn syrup used in the making of the ice cream, ever.

The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck is usually parked on the corner of Broadway and 17^th streets in lower Manhattan. But it would be easy to spot this rainbow splashed vehicle anywhere, just take note of the atrocious lines. People from all over wait patiently for their turn to order a “Bea Arthur”- vanilla soft serve with dulce de leche and dusted in crushed Nilla wafer cookies, or a “Salty Pimp”- the same vanilla soft-serve with sea-salt but dipped in chocolate. These cones are worth the wait. But beware- the draw here is the toppings, not the ice cream itself. Don’t expect green tea or pistachio cherry ice cream. Simple flavors like vanilla and chocolate are jazzed up with Sriracha, key lime curd, pumpkin butter or curried coconut. The Big Gay Ice Cream truck is all about accessorizing the plain and morphing it into something totally wild. Go ahead and order that chocolate soft-serve but top it with wasabi pea dust; thank us later.

Weather it's full fat or non-dairy, cashew milk based or gluten free, covered in hot sauce or sprinkles, ice cream aims to please.It's hard to stay grouchy while slurping up a banana split or a sloppy sundae. So escape the high temperatures and hide out in the shade with a sugar cone piled high. Vegetables will still be there tomorrow.

Most Fun Mexican in NY

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:24:00 -0400

'Tis the season for margaritas! Mexican food is rarely boring, especially in our great city of New York. Check out our list below of the best places to have fun while getting your fajita fix.

1. Macondo

Located in the heart of SoHo, Macondo is ideal for large groups looking to have a great time. The menu is full of Latin street food with a gourmet twist, with mouthwatering options like Duck Tacos and Grilled Skirt Steak with Yuca fries. The décor is laidback and casual, the perfect atmosphere for Macondo’s claim to fame, Escanciar Sidra. Though this practice originated in Spain, it is definitely worth mentioning. It is described as “ a traditional and dramatic way of pouring hard cider that originated in spain in which the liquid cascades four feet from a spout into the customer’s glass”.

157 E. Houston St.
(between Allen and Eldridge)
New York, NY
212.473.9900

2. Señorita Margarita’s Maracas

With a name like Señorita Margarita’s Maracas, you know you’re in for a wild night out. This Greenwich Avenue hot spot is a great place for loud music and authentic Mexican fare. The restaurant offers daily specials like Margarita Madness on Mondays, Gringo Bingo on Tuesdays, Karaoke Wednesdays, Free Birthday Celebrations on Thursdays, College Night on Fridays, and All You Can Drink Brunches on Saturdays and Sundays. Maracas is known for being an ideal place to hold all types of celebrations without breaking the bank. See for yourself, the pictures on their website are definitely worth 1000 words.

33 Greenwich Ave # 5

New York, NY

(212) 593-6600

3. Dos Caminos

With more than four New York City Locations and over 150 options of Tequila on the menu, Dos Caminos has been a go to spot for Mexican fare and fun alike for quite a while now. Favorites like Mexican French Toast and classic Carnitas Tacos are just some of the tasty treats available on the authentic menu. The atmosphere is young and hot, where at any given moment you can find patrons enjoying shots of some of the world's finest tequila. So grab your friends and hit up Dos Caminos for a good time at any time of the day or night.

825 3rd Avenue, New York, NY (212) 336-5400

373 Park Avenue South, New York, NY (212) 294-1000

475 West Broadway, New York, NY (212) 277-4300

675 Hudson Street, New York, NY (212) 699-2400

4. El Rio Grande

If the fact that Rio Grande margaritas have been deemed as "lethal" isn't enough to convince you of this spot's street cred, then we don't know what is. A friendly waitstaff that (if you're nice) is likely to take a tequila shot with you, combined with a killer menu give these margarita masters the number four spot on our list. Items like the Chile con Queso and Burrito de Mariscos keep customers coming back for more. Joonbug tip: Don't miss karaoke from 7-10 p.m. on Mondays.

160 East 38th Street

New York, NY

(212) 867-0922

5. El Centro

Located in Hell's Kitchen, El Centro is probably the most authentic restaurant on our list. It offers a no-frills menu complete with tacos, empanadas, and quesadillas, all wrapped in homemade tortillas. The drink menu doesn't disappoint with popular summer options like margaritas and mojitos. The décor is bright and colorful, and the staff is friendly and inviting. But even with all of that Mexican flavor, you won't hear classic mariachi tunes. Instead, patrons enjoy American classics like the Beatles and Bruce Springsteen. El Centro also offers indoor and outdoor seating, making it the perfect summer destination.

824 9th Ave
(between 54th St & 55th St)
New York, NY 10019

(646) 763-6585

Edible New York's Eat Drink Local Week At Nick & Toni's

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 11:31:00 -0400

This week in the Hamptons, East Hampton staple Nick and Toni’s is partnering up with Edible New York to host Eat and Drink Local Week. The event is bringing together restaurants, wineries, and other purveryors to provide diners with local and fresh ingredients. Some participating restaurants include Beacon Restaurant, Fresno Restaurant, and famed Hamptons staple, Ruschemeyer's.

The menu is prepared by Executive Chef and grillmaster Chef Jospeh Realmuto and will cost $45 and $55 a person depending on the day. Some menu items include Crispy East End Calamari with Pea Vines and Sweet Pea Aioli, Local Littleneck Clams, Grilled Lamb Medallions with Nick and Toni’s Garden Swiss Chard, and Strawberry Panna Cotta with Local Rhubarb and Orange Compote.

The event also features a list entitled "The Seven Ingredients". The 2011 list includes items like strawberries, peas, chives and green garlic, rhubarb, lamb, oysters, and yogurt, all of which will be featured in mutiple dishes on the pre-fixe menu.

Check out the event, here!

Win A Legendary Dinner for Two at Per Se!

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:41:00 -0400

Iconic New York Restaurant, Per Se, partnering up with Bloomspot.com to make dreams come true.

Bloomspot, a website that provides daily offers and alerts to locals in New York, SF, LA, DC, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, and San Diego, is hosting a sweepstakes that will allow one lucky pair to enter the famed blue doors of Per Se restaurant for an unforgettable evening.

Per Se is one of only seven restaurants that has been awarded three Michelin stars and was rated the 9th best restaurant in the world by Restaurant Magazine. The winner of the sweepstakes will receive an $800 certificate to dine at Per Se, and the opportunity to sample a nine course menu of world renowned culinary expertise.

To enter, you must be at least 21 years of age and a U.S. resident. The sweepstakes ends on September 1st.

Click here to apply for this incredible opportunity!

Orange-Nectarine Pie

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:06:00 -0400

What would summer be like without pie? Here is a recipe for a fresh new fruit pie. The citrus of the orange balances well with the juiciness of the nectarines. So, make your favorite pie crust (or grab one at your local grocery store) and make this delicious fruity pie.

You'll Need:

7 nectarines, preferably yellow, sliced

1 orange, juice and zest

3 tablespoons flour

½ cup brown sugar

Piecrust recipe of your choice

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange piecrust in a 9-inch pie pan.

In a medium sized bowl, combine sliced nectarines, orange juice, orange zest, flour and sugar. Toss together until mixed well. Pour mixture into piecrust.

Bake pie for 40–50 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Allow pie to cool slightly before serving. Top with your choice of whipped cream or ice cream.

Chef Eddie Huang's Poor Pop-Up Dinner (and How I Made Him Angry)

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:31:00 -0400

Now you see 'em, now you don't. The phenomeno n of the pop-up restaurant is ubiquitous in New York City: a temporary space exhibiting the cuisines of selected chefs, sometimes local, sometimes from abroad, via a fixed menu. If successful, it is a tease leaving you wanting more. If the converse it true, then you are thankful that it will disappear. The latter was unfortunately the case with my experience at LTO (Limited Time Only) promoting NYC chef Eddie Huang of restaurants Xiao Ye and Baohaus (a Taiwanese bun shop in the Lower East Side of Manhattan) for a week. If this menu was a showcase of his best work, then perhaps he should stick to making buns.

That was the first item to be served, and if I had to choose from the selection of disappointing dishes, the fried oyster bun was probably the least so. Served in a soft bun schmeared with liver pate and stuffed with pickled radishes, it was good. Though the oyster didn't need to be breaded and fried, with a nice flavor and consistency on its own. The same was true for the fried gator tail. The soggy breading concealed the particular flavor of the gator instead of enhancing it. Perhaps this was intentional as this meat was rather chewy, akin to sweetbreads, and n ot everyone is a fan of that texture. With a kick of spice, the gator could have held promise if prepared differently. The pool of sour cream it sat in did not impart any flavor either.

Which was another motif in this spread. Many items did not deliver any flavor profile, and were rather bland, which surprised me for a chef that is supposed to specialize in a cuisine that is known for strong spices and bursting flavors. The cold "Lian Pi" noodle salad slipped and slided in a sesame dressing that actually tasted like nothing. Expecting "light and refreshing," as the server assured as he dropped the dish, I was met with a sadly under-salted noodle soup. Embarrassingly, Cup o' Noodles has no competition. The chef managed to deliver another dish that also tasted like nothing: corn hush puppies. Topped with powdered sugar and fried to gold, I was astounded that this was even possible.

Corn in another form, as a salad with leeks and ham hock, was at least more enjoyable. Mainly because I didn't have to work so hard to eat it. Yet another theme for this seemingly ill-thought out menu: too much tedium for so little result. If it takes too long for the food to make its way from the plate to your mouth, it better be worth the effort! And none of these dishes were - frustratingly so. The aforementioned dressing-drenched noodles continuously (and comically if you were an onlooker) slid off my fork and chopsticks, resisting consumption! I was tempted to scoop them with my bare hands, hands that I had to meticulously put to work in dissecting the two mountains of steamed blue crabs - one with a ginger and scallion sauce and the other overly rubbed with a spicy old bay seasoning. A messy job, which could have been masked as fun, if the crustacean had actually rendered any substantial amount of meat, which it disappointingly did not. I was left with crabby claws and note much to show for it.

A resounding echo of my experience with the duck wings. Served "Icebox" cold after marinating and braised in a soy sauce, the rubbery skin would not yield to my bite, and once I finally broke through, my teeth were met with not meat, but bone. So I took to the fork, spending way too much time laboriously scrapping the tough exterior to render something I could chew on. This effort was in vain and what I could muster into my mouth tasted like refrigerated lackluster leftovers. Maybe the wings were just meant to be sucked on, but I am not in need of a pacifier (though perhaps I was by the end of this drawn out dinner, three hours too long).

Other courses were not so strongly aversive. The chewy flank steak skewers served with stringy scallions (which the server mistakenly said was a blistered green pepper - just look at the picture), was a mediocre steak on a stick. A flavor profile akin to fast-food Chinese pepper steak, it wasn't offensive and tasted like something at the very least.

Up there with the bun, the rotisserie-style half chicken with an anise-ginger glaze was a welcomed dish - partially. Still not prepared with the sharing-style in mind (as the menu proclaims), the meat was moist and filling. But yet another snag in the cloth: it was served atop a bed of ill-prepared, overly salty, hard fried rice. How can a Taiwanese chef get rice wrong? Talk about epic fail in this cuisine; at least you should be able to count on fried rice, right? It was gummy and sticky and not in the sushi-style good way. It was like Uncle Ben's Ready Rice gone awry. Suffice it to say one scoop was one scoop too many. While all of these incongruous plates fought to settle in my stomach, the dessert was finally something that came close to satisfying. The soy caramel bread pudding was smooth and dense with a savory pink peppercorn round of ice cream.

I left feeling satiated but not satisfied. The "family-style" menu was in fact not designed for sharing, and the dishes did not appear to blend with each other. The whole concept did not seem to be well thought out, with awkwardly dim but blinding lighting that gave you a headache, and blaring rap music that did not convince you of the $88 per person price tag. Form did not reflect content. The wine list, with the average glass at $16, was presented on two white printer-paper pages affixed with a corner staple. Really?

The lack of refinement didn't end there. When I expressed my dissatisfaction on Twitter in a brief post saying "not impressed," chef Huang went on a potty-mouth rampage like a tantrum-throwing toddler. Via Twitter, he prompted a verbal volley of baseless insults directed at yours truly, including "@RebeRoad I see u taking a dump. Don't waste my toilet paper, no comps on shit tickets." Makes for a perfect quote, as I could not have made this up myself. So eloquently expressive, don't you think? Since he couldn't conceive of a patron not enjoying his food, he was convinced that my sincerely negative response must have stemmed from a personal vendetta, which he completely conjured. He assumed that I was bitter that I got partially (and not completely) comped press entry for myself and a guest. Moreover he expressed that it was "unethical" for me (a writer, ergo, member of the press) to even request media tickets, which the press representative was in fact granting to others, including myself. If the consensus was that this was so unethical, then it was completely in their power to deny the request. But in fact they did not. I was admitted with a discounted price paid for my guest photographer, and if this would have been a point of contention for me, then I would not have accepted it and attended the dinner in the first place! But I guess Huang didn't think that through. They do say kids have wild imaginations.

Any prospect of respect I may have had for Huang vanished as quickly as his pop-up restaurant stint. While he (hopefully) works on managing his poor temper and lack of professionalism, I chuckle at how easily - and unintentionally - I roused his rage. (Though I cannot boast to be the first target of his insults in response to food critique. His bitterness, via his blog, extended to NYTimes critic, Sam Sifton, when he did not award Huang's restaurant a star - and that review was choc full o' compliments! Like Sifton, I really wanted to like it.)

It's evident Huang does not take rejection well. Never could I have expected that honest feedback could fuel such post-dining dramatics from a well-known chef; and I am not too keen on senseless drama. Thus, let us gratefully drop the curtain on this show, as there are many more pop-ups to pop into.

Joonbug's Top 5 Wine Bars in NYC

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:47:00 -0400

If you’re a wine connoisseur, or even if you’re not, there is one thing that we can all agree on: Wine bars are hot this summer. They’re good for date night, a night out with the girls, or even a quiet night out with Mom and Dad. Check out our list below of the Top 5 Winebars to visit in NYC!

1. Black Mountain Wine House
This Wine Bar, located on Union Street in Brooklyn, may very well be the city’s best kept secret. Don’t be frightened by the worn doors on the outside, because it is definitely worth checking out this hot spot. With select wines like a 2008 Italy Pinot Bianco and a 2007 Washington Cabernet Sauvignon, diners a guaranteed a variety of tasty options. The food, $10 across the board, include a Charcuterie plate and the famed Black Mountain Mac n’ Cheese. There are daily and seasonal specials available as well as an extensive selection of cheeses.

Black Mountain Winehouse
415 Union Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
522-4340

2. Casellula

This “hidden gem” located in Hell’s Kitchen is an teeny tiny spot with a menu that’s anything but. How can you go wrong with a philosophy that begins with the line “We like cheese. We really like cheese. A lot.”? The menu also features items such as Mustard Miso Pickles and something called a “Pig’s Ass” Sandwich that lives up to its namesake. Hit up Casellula if you don’t mind a 20 minute wait. We promise, the menu makes worthwhile.

401 W 52nd St
(between 9th Ave & 10th Ave)
New York, NY 10019
(212) 247-8137

3. The Immigrant

Nestled in the East Village, the Immigrant is a cozy space in a renovated tenement building. Their snack menu changes from time to time, but there is always a solid selection of cured meats and cheeses, and in-house specials. To top it all off, there’s live music played by local musicians every Monday. This place is your classic wine bar, and the perfect place if you’re looking for an intimate spot for yourself and significant other.

341 E 9th St
(between 2nd Ave & 1st Ave)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: East Village
677-2545

4. Jadis

This Lower East Side spot is no stranger to international wines. Whether it’s a Riesling from Germany or a Cabernet from California, there’s something for everybody on Jadis’ extensive list of libations. And if you’re hungry, Jadis boasts an impressive selection of cheeses as well as quiches, salads, and sandwiches (and a rumored $1 oysters special on Mondays!). Be sure to hit up this rustic Rivington spot for some good food, good drinks, and good company.

42 Rivington St
New York, NY 10079
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
254-1675

5. Custom American Wine Bar

At this Williamsburg staple, music plays from a jukebox as Brooklyn hipsters sample some of the best wine from around the country. Popular sides like grilled cheese and free popcorn keep Custom American low key and casual. Prices are low and quality is high, just the way we like it.

644 Driggs Ave
(between 4th St & Metropolitan Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - North Side
(718) 387-9463