Midnight Meatballs

Two in one day!

I go to restaurants that I hear about. I'm not sure if I said this already but here is my theory on NYC restaurants:

1. You will never go hungry - there is at least 5 restaurants on any NYC block.

2. Of all those restaurants only a few are standouts.

3. It is easy to wander into a bad restaurant and because of that don't just leave your hotel, apartment or work and wander in to the closet place.

4. NYC is expensive. If you are going to spend money on eating out, make sure its worth your time and making a dent in your wallet (and by dent I mean spending $15 on nachos or a burger). There is nothing worse than leaving a mediocre meal and wishing you had just had a $1 slice instead of what you just ate.

5. Only go to restaurants that have been talked about. It doesn't matter by whom - the New York Times, a co-worker or a friend. This way you will know something about the restaurant and, chances are, it will only be on your radar if what was said peaked your interest.

With that said, my dad was in town two nights ago and there is a place I have been hearing about that I wanted to try out. My favorite manager at work was let go about two weeks ago and has since started a blog. He tried this place and loved it. I mentioned it to his replacement (my new favorite manager) and her response, "I used to manage there! You have to try it." Like I said, any recommendation is good, but two from two different Esca managers? I knew I had to try it.

The place is called The Meatball Shop. It is in the Lower East Side at the intersection of Stanton and Allen. The concept is simple. Pick a meatball. Pick a sauce. Pick a side. Choose if you want that "side" under the meatball and sauce or actually on the side. They don't take reservations and are pack from the second they open at noon until last call at 4am. There is a communal table in the middle of the restaurant surrounded by tables for two on two sides and a bar on the other. Take-out is also available.

I went with the special meatball - a bolognese - with a parmesan cream sauce on top of rigatoni. My dad went a non-Italian route. He got the classic beef meatball but chose a mushroom gravy on top of mashed potatoes. Both were unbelievable. The meatballs were so moist (I hate that word but it's the best description), the sauces were rich, flavorful and bountiful. My rigatoni was ok but my dad's mashed potatoes were perfection. Fluffy, airy and buttery. To go along side our meal, I ordered a side of their broccoli which was good but nothing special. Both dishes came with foccacia - used, of course, to get every last drop of the sauces once the meatballs were gone.

As for drinks. They don't have a wine list - just a few options written on a blackboard - or extensive beer list but the choices they have a good. I had two different whites - a verdicchio and a soave. Both are Italian white varietals that I am somewhat familiar with from the restaurant so I thought I'd give them a try. The verdicchio, which is a light, crisp wine, was too light for the meal but nice to enjoy while waiting. The soave, on the other hand, was a nice balance to the beef and pork meatballs and parmesan cream sauce. It is medium plus in body and had a little fruit to it but finished dry. It worked nicely to balance the rich sauce and the salt from the pork in the meatballs. Dad, as always, had a beer (Brooklyn Brown Ale to be exact).

All in all, the meal was great! I can't wait to go back and try another on the of the meatball combinations because the choices, literally, are endless.

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Currently Cooking/Eating: It's a lazy day today so I am making frozen or pre-made food (from Trader Joes of course). I love their refrigerated pulled pork! I'm toasting a white bun, microwaving the pulled pork, baking a few sweet potato fries and steaming a little broccoli. Nice and easy lunch!

Currently Craving: Ricotta gnocchi. We have award winning ricotta gnocchi at Esca and a lot of people have been ordering it lately. I can't wait until the next time I go in and get to have some!

Currently Reading: Nothing :(

Currently Obsessing Over: White truffles. We got our first truffles of the season last weekend and they were gone in two days. We got a few more yesterday and I am mesmerized. I always knew truffles were special and had a sort of mystique about them but I didn't, and still don't, completely understand. All I can say is I can't wait until I have an extra $100 to try our Taglierini Piemontese (traditional 40-yolk pasta, butter and white truffles shaved on top).