Eat-a-Sode 1: Lazy Summer Sundays

Our first official 2 plus 2 outing... the day that started it all! The four of us are constantly out enjoying New York and on this day, we decided that we had to start documenting it. The plan was as follows...  2 plus 2 would start out the day apart, meet up at a Red Bull soccer game in New Jersey and finish off with dinner in the city. That was as planned as it got... it was just a relaxed, lazy, summer Sunday. We were winging it...

Kristen and Manny began out in St. James, Long Island after recovering from a wedding the night before. They decided on brunch at Maureen's Kitchen in Smithtown, a local breakfast hotspot. After waiting for a little while and having OK food they started their long journey to the Red Bull's new european-style soccer stadium in Harrison, New Jersey from out on eastern Long Island.

Ang and Lee drove into the city from Nassau to grab some brunch before the game. We hit up Arte Around the Corner, a quaint little cafe on the Upper West Side for some gourmet iced cappuccinos and tasty quick bites at the street side tables. After enjoying the beautiful summer weather and the butter filled breakfast, we drove into Jersey... we were dreading the traffic...

Tickets gave us access to the scheduled double header... Lisbon vs. Totenham and Red Bulls vs. Manchester City. Ang and Lee arrived for the end of the 1st game... traffic wasn't too bad, but the parking was absurd... there were people everywhere, and no one knew which way to go! Kristen and Manny made it to the stadium time for the 2nd game. It took 2 hours- the Long Island Expressway to Queens, train from Queens to Penn, a quick walk to the Path and then the Path to New Jersey... talk about dedication! Finally the crew is together! It was a long morning.

Red Bull Stadium was brand spanking new and provide a real soccer experience. The fans were pretty dedicated, however their enthusiasm wasn't quite up to Europe's crazy standards. The food situation left much to be desired... nondescript sausage, long lines, not enough food and no vendors in the stands. However, the Red Bull won the game against England which made the whole hike worth it!

When the game was over, 2+ 2 piled into the car in search of dinner. There is NOTHING in the area! On the way back to the highway we passed the Path train entrance. The line was blocks long with 10 sweaty people across... gross. Wow were we glad to be in a car! Looks like return Path train tickets should be bought before or during (I think they sell them at the stadium) the game.

La Bottega at the Maritime Hotel was our dinner destination. Manny was the only La Bottega virgin. Our table was in the large outside patio area and overlooking 9th avenue, beneath a hundred hanging lanterns. The vibe was extremely relaxed... very much like hanging out in a friend's backyard in Italy... only your in Chelsea! We ordered Rose, a couple of gourmet pizzas and took dessert to the next level. Everything was really delicious! As always, we walked out in an absolute food coma but also with our new blog as an exciting thought in our heads!

Brunch- Ang and Lee (A + L)
Arte Around the Corner

274 Columbus Avenue, NYC 

212-875-2195

www.artearoundthecorner.com
Italian, Coffee/Wine, Manhattan

Seating inside is tight and the locals certainly have the place on lockdown. Sit outside. Enjoy the people watching and extra space while having one of the young, attractive and extremely experienced baristas behind the counter whip your drink up exactly how you like it. There is an assortment of baked goods and simple, but tasty snacks with an Italian flare. At night, the place becomes a quaint wine bar with a great ambiance.

What we ate...

• Iced Cappuccinos (A+L) 
• Panini Flat Bread with Roasted Eggplant, Goat Cheese and Pesto (A+L) 
• Ham and Cheese Croissant (A+L) 

A: My iced cappuccino was ridiculously good and I was very surprised at how tasty the food was. The panini was as delicious as it sounds. This place might blow Starbucks away...

L: With the quality of Starbucks getting worse and worse, having a local coffee shop that properly prepares your coffee drinks is a true find. Throw in some fresh food and good service and you have got yourself a keeper.

Our Ratings

• The Scene- Relaxed, A Locals Neighborhood Hang Out 
• Food/Drinks- 3.5: Pleasantly Stellar! 
• Tip Worthy- 5: The New Yorker 25-30% 
• Coordinates- 4: Neighborhood - Centrally located... lots to do 
• Restaurant Return Rate- Green light 
• Price per person- $15 for coffee, food and tip

Breakfast- Kristen and Manny (K + M)
Maureen's Kitchen

1 Larson Avenue, Smithtown, NY

631-360-9227

Breakfast, Coffee, Suffolk

Maureen's is a well-known breakfast spot in Smithtown, NY. It is also famous for its outrageous wait, especially on weekends. No one seems to mind the wait because everyone's heard it's great. A way to beat the line is to ask for the counter. The wait for the counter will be a tenth of the wait for a table. If you are a small party, it's certainly worth it. 

Maureen's is situated in a townhouse that serves breakfast and lunch, but it is most recommended for its breakfast and weekend brunch. The black and white decor inside is overwhelming. HOLY COWS. Cows everywhere.

Maureen's offers big American-style breakfasts: omelets, french toast, waffles, pancakes, and more. At lunch, you can find staples like burgers, sandwiches, and milkshakes. The menu is relatively similar to your local diner, with perhaps bigger portions and a seemingly fresher taste.

If you are heading out to eastern Long Island, perhaps driving out east to go wine tasting, or just in the neighborhood, and don't mind the wait to experience the hustle and bustle at Maureen's Kitchen, go for it. But if you are hungry, want something simple, and in a hurry, you may want to consider another option.

What we ate...

• Regular coffee (K + M) 
• Omelette with roasted red peppers, zucchini, and (way too much) mozzarella (K) 
• French toast with fresh fruit (M) 

K: On that morning Maureen's chalkboard read: "Homemade Chili Omelette." Delish. Why did I second-guess this? For some reason, I talked myself out of it and ordered the overly cheesy omelette with a hint of vegetables. I had eater's regret, and wish I ordered the chili omelette. The coffee is your typical diner coffee-- regular and skim milk only. I prefer soy, but had to settle for skim.

M: The coffee was just as good as a deli in Mineola. The french toast was good, but I have had better. I really should have gone with the recommended dishes, maybe then I would say it was the best place to eat brunch in Long Island. But if you are passing by and you don't have a big group, stop in ask for the counter seat, and have a bite. Otherwise, if you have to wait 45 minutes to be seated, I would look up another place nearby that might be quicker. Unless of course, you have the time.

Our Ratings

• The Scene- Holy Cows! Casual, crowded, country-feel. 
• Food/Drinks- 2: Edible (Think glorified diner) 
• Tip Worthy-3: Gratuity included 
• Coordinates-2: State: Bring your GPS 
• Restaurant Return Rate- Red light 
• Price per person- $25 for coffee, breakfast, and tip

Lunch- 2 + 2

Red Bull Arena

600 Cape May Street, Harrison, New Jersey

http://www.redbullarena.us
Home of the NY Red Bulls Soccer Team

Take the Path Train from NYC or drive in? Definitely drive in! The traffic still beats the line that forms after the game at the NJ Path train station back to NYC. It's madness. Plus, there is a brand new parking garage just a block away... and it was only 10 bucks.

The Red Bulls have a great new soccer (futball) stadium. There isn't a bad seat in the place. Unfortunately, there isn't anything out in Harrison yet, other than the stadium! The plan for little shops and restaurants looks great, but it's just a picture right now... and you will be looking at that picture, dreaming of a place to grab a drink and some nachos, while the Path train line just keeps growing and growing... it was about four blocks long! Just carpool it, and hit up the city on your way home for some eats.

As for the inside of this place, it's state-of-the-art... but they are still getting the kinks out. They cannot handle big games just yet. After standing on line for 45 minutes and missing just about the entire second half of the game, it was only to find out they were out of nachos. Ahhhh! That was it for us. A giant line and no nachos! We ended up settling on the mystery sausage sandwiches. How does a stadium run out of food during the second game of a double header?

The lack of wandering vendors selling beer and popcorn in the stands so you don't have to miss the game was surprising. Soccer games aren't that long. Those vendors are a must! The highlights of the experience were the pre-made Luigi's Italian Ices, and the Red Bulls beating Manchester City!

What we ate...

• Soggy pretzels (A+L) 
• Warm beer (2+2) 
• Nondescript sausage sandwiches (M; K took one bite and declined) 
• Luigi's Ices (A+L) 

A: So I'm not much of a team sports fan, but I can tolerate soccer slightly more than the rest. To my surprise, it was a good time. We had great seats and you felt so much more apart of the game than with other sports. I think I actually may have been paying attention... whoa!

K: I was really excited to see the new Red Bulls' Stadium. Finally, our NY MLS team gets their own venue! After recently visiting the new Yankee Stadium, I was expecting the Red Bulls' new space to be a similarly grandeur forum. Both the outside and inside have a bit of a communistic appearance. Overall, it was a great time to see the Red Bulls play Man City. Perhaps the Red Bulls should have taken some tips from the newly built stadiums out there.

L: The stadium is really in the middle of nowhere but its worth the trip. Never thought I would see a soccer specific stadium in The States and certainly not for the Red Bull. The Red Bull fans sitting (e.g. going nutz) behind the goal really gave the game a European feel. Next time I know where I am going to sit.

M: Loved watching the game. The stadium really doesn't have a bad seat anywhere. Can't wait to see what they do to the outside of the place. They need to be more prepared for big games and not run out of food at halftime. I want to see more games but next time I'll be driving in and maybe tailgating.

Our Ratings

• The Scene- Sporty, casual with a euro flair. 
• Food- 1: Send it back! Smuggle in your own snacks. 
• Drink- 3: Typical sporting event beverages and service. 
• Tip Worthy- N/A: If a tip was warranted, we'd pull a Mr. Pink. 
• Coordinates- 1: Country- Like a night out in Siberia. It's in Harrison... New Jersey... What do you think? 
• Activity Return Rate- Yellow light: Depending on who was playing. 
• Price per person- $120.00 for tickets, parking and food.

Dinner- 2 + 2
La Bottega at The Maritime Hotel

Dining Under the Stars

88 9th Avenue, NYC

212-243-8400 
www.themaritimehotel.com

Italian, Wine/Cocktails, Manhattan

La Bottega is a fantastic summer time find.  An Italian trattoria with a large outdoor patio area.  In the warm weather, the ambiance is awesome, sitting beneath the hanging paper lanterns and overlooking the avenue. We got a bottle of Rose and sat back and relaxed... They brought out some really good rosemary oil for    dipping the mini pita breads which was tasty enough to have for the entire meal. 

 

Inside Dining Room

The menu includes interesting salads and traditional cheese and antipasti selections like Burrata Caprese and Steamed Mussels. Favorites include the Beef Carpaccio with black truffle puree and the Arugula Insalate with cannellini beans.

There is a good selection of pastas and pizzas. This is a great place to get a couple of items and share. We went with the Robiola pizza with truffle oil, the Prosciutto pizza with tomato and arugula, and the Gnocchi with roasted eggplant. Everything was really good. Pizzas were crispy with great flavors... truffle oil makes anything better.

We love dessert and there was one on there that we just couldn't pass up... Pizza Dolci con Nutella... whoa! We had to do it! Then we took it to the next level with vanilla gelato on top. It was heavenly.

La Bottega is the perfect spot to chill out and have a couple of bottles of wine. Service is a bit slow, but it doesn't matter... you aren't in a hurry anyway. Get in an Italian mindset, dinner is time to wind down and relax!

What we ate...


Drinks

Manny devouring dessert pizza

• Bottega Rosso (House Rosé) (2+2)
• In-House Reverse Osmosis Triple Filtered Sparkling Water (2+2)
• Elderflower Cocktail- Prosecco, Elderflower Liqueur, Soda (A)

Appetizers

• Pita Breads with Rosemary Oil (2+2)
• Carpaccio- Black Truffle, Parmigiano (A+L)

Entrees

• Robiola Pizza- Imported cow's milk cheese, white truffle oil (A+L)
• Gnocchi- Roasted Eggplant, Spicy Pomodoro Sauce, Ricotta (A+L)
• Arugula Insalate- Cannellini Beans, Parmigiano (K+M)



Lee loves banana and nutella!

• Prosciutto Pizza- Prosciutto, Tomato, Mozzarella, Arugula (K+M)

Dessert

• Pizza Dolci con Nutella, Mascarpone, Bananas with Vanilla Gelato (2+2)
• Cappuccino and Espresso (A+L+M)

A:  This is not the type of place you come to if you are in a hurry.  But when you are in the mood to grab a couple of drinks, chat with friends and enjoy the weather, this is your spot.  

K:  Bottega is like a little European haven in the middle of bustling Chelsea. Once you step onto the lantern-lined terrace, you may feel as though you've stepped into a Southern Italian piazza. What a great way to spend a lazy summer Sunday with good food, drink, and company.

L:  I can still taste the nutella pizza and gelato... I cant stop thinking about it. I would be 10 pounds heavier if I lived near this place.  The night we were there was perfect for sitting outside as most everyone was.  That being said, the decor inside the restaurant was really nice.  Kind of like Italian bistro meets old ship.  The bar was dead when we were there but I have heard it pack up on Friday and Saturday nights.  

M: I ordered a Glass of Rose for $10.00- what they think is a glass, to me, is a tasting glass.  So the next drink I ordered the $40.00 bottle of Rose, its a wiser choice. The Cappuccino was tasty, might have been illy coffee, no sugar needed. The main meal was good, but what made this place a green light for me was the Nutella Pizza, and adding the Gelato needed to be done. It would have be a crime to all that is dessert  if we didn't get the Gelato. It was Great! I would go back there just for Coffee and Nutella Pizza to my. 

Our Ratings

• The Scene- Chill, like you are hanging in someone's backyard in Italy.
• Food and Drinks- 3.5: Pleasantly Stellar! 
• Tip Worthy- 3:  Gratuity included- Our waiter, Mr. White Pants, appeared to disappear. 
• Coordinates- 4: Neighborhood- Centrally located... lots to do.
• Restaurant Return Rate- Green light
• Price per person- $60.00 for drinks, food, tip.

Coming Soon: Eat-A-Sode 2