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Why Did You Eat That: Ballin’

By Kirsten|January 2nd, 2012|New York, Recipes, Why Did You Eat That?|

Okay, so many of you have probably vowed to spend 2012 in the gym working off all those winter pounds you acquired while hibernating… and while that’s all good and fine, let’s be serious. You will probably last at the gym for about a week (two tops) before going back to your old ways. And well, that’s okay. Promises are made to be broken, right? Okay, okay. You should keep your promises, but if you happen to have a cheat day and are craving a bit of comfort food, I have the perfect little place (and recipe) to do just that.

The Meatball Shop with three locations in New York, is exactly what it sounds like. A restaurant serving up meatballs with little fuss and lots of flavor. With a straightforward menu (checboxes included), there are plenty of options without being overwhelming. While I opted for a classic meatball hoagie, you could order anything from naked balls, to sliders, to spaghetti with meatballs. There is something to to please everyone’s palate. A small venue that doesn’t take reservations draws in celebrities and locals alike.

Can’t make it into the shop? Here’s a recipe to make your own balls. (Their cookbook is now also available for purchase here):

Ingredients:

2 tbs olive oil
4 tbs unsalted butter
1/3 cup Franks Redhot Sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
1 lb ground chicken (preferably thigh meat)
1 large egg
1/2 celery stalk, minced
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450. Drizzle the olive oil into a 9×13 inch baking dish and use your hands to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.
Combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, whisking until the butter is melted and fully incorporated. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
Combine the ground chicken, hot sauce mixture, egg, celery, bread crumbs, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
Roll the mixture into round, 3/4 inch balls, making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another.
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165 degrees.
Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.
Serve with blue cheese (or ranch) dressing.

Nice balls.
xx,
WhyDid

Why Did You Eat That?: Roll Along Lil Doggies

By Kirsten|January 10th, 2011|New York, Why Did You Eat That?|

While in the midst of packing up the few final boxes of my New York apartment last week, my packing companion informed me he was craving a New York hot dog. Seems reasonable. So, of course, the first place I thought of was Crif Dogs in the East Village. They claim to be the number one weiner in the city, and I would tend to agree.

Now, it’s hard to go wrong when it comes to hot dogs, but Crif Dogs really outdid themselves in order to make sure they would not disappoint. The chihuahua (bacon wrapped dog with avocado and sour cream) is my personal fave. Couple that with some tater tots and cheese dipping sauce and you’ve got a meal made in heaven. So, let’s say you’re ready to kick it up a notch… Well, you’re in luck. It just so happens that Crif Dogs houses a “secret” bar. That way if your hot dog has you ready for a little more excitement, you can enter through the phonebooth located on the left wall to a little place called PDT (Please Don’t Tell). Now, while this is probably not news to most of you, I’m going to go ahead and spell it out for those of you who aren’t familiar:

So, you go into said “phonebooth,” pick up the receiver to get the hostess on the line and ask to be seated. If you have reservations, this shouldn’t be a problem. Otherwise, the hostess will give you the once over and decide whether or not there is any room for you inside.

Once inside, you will have a few rules to follow, but they are totally worth it when it comes to the delicious concoctions from the bartenders (mixologists?). Don’t bother ordering something average. You will be snubbed. If you’d like to just cut to the chase or you get a little snacky at the bar, you can order the same hot dogs from Crif Dogs.

Crif Dogs/PDT

113 St. Marks Place

New York, NY 10009

While munching on hot dogs sounds like a pretty casual outing, you may want to spruce up a little if you want to stand a chance of getting in next door. Try a little bit of casual, elegance with a touch of East Village hipster. (Fellas, don’t even bother coming in your suits- We saw more than a handful of rejects).

Forever 21 Trad Plaid Flannel Shirt, $12.50

Diane von Furstenberg Sequin Dax Shorts, $113

Hue Ribbed Sweater Tights, $22

Dolce Vita Hawk Lace Up Clog Booties, $265

Where my dogs at?

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Eat That: Musical Chairs

By Kirsten|January 3rd, 2011|New York, Why Did You Eat That?|

Once upon a time, I was gallivanting through the West Village when I stumbled upon a big wooden door. Being the ever curious girl that I am, I went ahead and entered said wooden door to see what kind of magic it held inside. Magic was right. I entered a room that looked like it didn’t even belong in New York City. It was old and quaint and had twinkling chandeliers dangling from its soaring ceilings.

I still didn’t know where I was until I asked the bartender. He informed me that I was at One If By Land Two If By Sea. I had heard of it, but had never gone. It was supposed to be one of the most romantic restaurants in the city and now I could see why. I bid the bartender adieu and vowed that some day I would return to this magical place with my very own Prince Charming.

Flash forward seven months, and I returned to One If By Land Two If By Sea this past weekend for their Sunday Jazz Brunch. I couldn’t imagine anything more “old” New York than listening to jazz over bellinis in such a beautiful place. They have several delightful options on their brunch menu (served from 11:30am-2:00pm). I ordered the brioche French toast (with carmelized bananas, toasted pistachios, and creme anglaise) and my handsome companion ordered the leek and bacon quiche. Both were delightful in two very different ways. While his was hearty and savory, mine was like eating dessert for breakfast. I must say that the combination of delicious food, great music, and overall ambience was exactly the way a Sunday should be spent.

One If By Land Two If By Sea

17 Barrow Street

New York, NY 10014

347-706-3072

How does a curious girl get dressed for a magical brunch with her very own Prince Charming? For a place like this, I would suggest elegantly casual with a touch of feminine romance.

Billabong October Beanie, $22

Madison Marcus Long Sleeve Lace Blouse, $238

J Brand 901 Low-Rise Skinny Velvet Jeans, $185

Black Rooster Vienne Bootie, $125

Juicy Couture Alice Plaid Coat, $448

Happily ever after…

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Eat That: Meet the Parents

By Kirsten|December 27th, 2010|New York, Why Did You Eat That?|

During the holiday season, there is a lot of meet and greet with family members. For some this may be the first meeting. For others it is round two, three, or four with the in laws. In either case, it can be quite overwhelming.

Last week, my fiance met my mother for the first time. While the pressure wasn’t really on me, I did want to have an enjoyable experience. For a night out on the town, I chose to take my mom and fiance to Morandi. It’s a great place for your parents to get the “New York experience” without overwhelming them with bottle popping and rail thin model types. Not to mention, the food is pretty delicious.

The staff is very knowledgable about wine and helped us choose a bottle everyone would enjoy. We ordered the olive ascalone (fried green olives stuffed with sausage) and the carciofi alla giude (fried artichokes with lemon). My fiance ordered the guinea hen, I had the gnocchi special, and my mom noshed on pappardelle integrali con pancetta (whole wheat pasta with pancetta, broccoli rabe, and radicchi). Everything was delightful and we were happily stuffed. Seeing as everyone was getting along swimmingly and my mom was a few glasses of wine in, we headed over to Soho House to really get the party started.

So what should a young lady wear when going to meet her future in laws? There is no need for a turtleneck and pearls. No one believes you are that innocent, but covering up a bit and coming across more wholesome than your normal Saturday night tube top won’t hurt. Try a warm and cozy sweater and patterned pants. Looking pulled together and sophisticated will put your future mother in law at ease. No one will ever be good enough for her baby boy, but at least you’ll come close.

J. Crew Cashmere Cowlneck Sweater, $228

Fred Flare Black and Grey Sid Pants, $49.99

Ann Taylor Covered Platform Bootie, $228

Botkier Metallic Night Out Cross Body Bag, $195

Kenneth Jay Lane Black Diamond Chandelier Earrings, $100

Welcome to the family!

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Eat That: Like a Ninja

By Kirsten|November 15th, 2010|New York, Why Did You Eat That?|

We had company who’d never been to Los Angeles in town this weekend and wanted to take him somewhere “sceney” without delving into the depths of hell that is Katsuya Hollywood. To get some great sushi while still catching a little bit of the LA glitz, we headed to West Hollywood’s Katana.

After taking the elevator upstairs to the restaurant, we were greeted by a beautiful hostess and taken through the crowded restaurant full of pretty people. It was a Friday night, so there were lots of single girls and guys as well as cozy couples out for date night. After being seated our waiter came by and suggested a great cold sake for the table. We perused the menu and cheers’ed to our friend’s first west coast visit.

We ordered an array of different things for the table and some of the stand outs were crab dynamite roll, aspara niu maki (filet mignon wrapped asparagus with soy mirlin sauce), tori gyuza (chicken pot stickers with cilantro ponzu, and, of course, the Katana roll.

We felt we did a job well done seeing as our visitor was happily stuffed, tipsy, and impressed with the Los Angeles scenery. So, the only thing left to do was roll out in our Bentley to Soho House.

Katana

8439 W Sunset Blvd

West Hollywood, CA 90069

323-650-8585

When heading out to the “scene” on Sunset, what should a dashing diva like yourself wear? Deflect from all the sparkles and sequins in something sexy yet understated:

Ella Moss Bardot Dress, $144