Mercadito Grove a Mexican retreat

Trio of Guacamole

Two weeks ago we introduced our friends G & L to korean fried chicken at Mad for Chicken, in return they introduced us to the concept of the Michelada. It sounded delicious so the Mr. whipped out his iPhone and found Mercadito Grove in the West Village that had them, so we piled in to a cab and were on our way. For some reason this Mexican drink has not caught on in Texas which I can not for the life of me understand. It's like Bloody Mary & Mr. Modelo got married and had a delicious baby drink. We got some chips & guac despite being full on the fried chicken and were immediately saddened by the fact that we had so little room in our stomachs. These were some Grade A chips & guac and we decided then and there to come back for an actual meal of food.

Last night I got an intense craving for a Michelada, but didn't feel like going out. Surprisingly, the craving stuck with me and remained just as intense all day. So back to Mercadito Grove we went. Started with the Callo (Scallop) Ceviche and split the Carne Tacos. Delicious, delicious, delicious. The couple next to us got the enchiladas and assured us they were just as good as they looked. Although honestly, you could easily just go and get the trio of guacamole or the trio of ceviche. I also love how if you are sitting facing into the restaurant it is extremely easy to believe that you are actually in Mexico and that the beach is behind you.

A Deluxe Petrie Dish

Afternoon Tea

My Mom was in town and we were exploring the Metropolitan Museum of Art when we got a bit hungry. We didn't want anything too heavy since we were meeting up with the rest of the family for dinner, so we were delighted when we saw that the Petrie Court Cafe and Wine Bar served an afternoon tea! (Note: We are also huge tea drinkers). Sampling the above platter of dips, sandwiches, and pastries while sipping tea and chatting in front of the huge window overlooking the park was one of the most delightful ways to spend an afternoon that I can think of.

Lillie's hits a Valley

I'd walked by Lillie's Victorian Bar & Restaurant many a time and was always attracted to the romantic, Victorian decor. It looked positively adorable, but this doesn't exactly hold a huge appeal for The Mr. So when I had my Mom and Grandmother in town for a girls' day, I knew exactly where I would take them for brunch. The decor didn't disappoint, it is just as cute inside as what I saw through the windows. Unfortunately, they were having problems with their air conditioning and it was the end of July. Strike #1. 

Being from Ireland, and my Mother having spent a good deal of her childhood in Ireland, we know our Irish Breakfast. In most places, we just know better than to order it, but since we are in NYC where real Irish sausage and bacon are available, we had high hopes. See where this is headed? Letdown and Strike #2.

Despite the fact that it wasn't very busy and they seemed to have plenty of staff on hand, we repeatedly found ourselves with a need and no one to help us. Through out the course of our meal I wound up fetching salt from another table and even going to the water pitcher at the bar to refill our waters. No joke. Super slow & non-attentive wait staff? You guessed it, Strike #3.

Such a let down! I was so in love with the ambience and wanted to like it so much. The only thing I can say is that perhaps their strength is more in being a bar than a restaurant.

Hurley's: Pre-Theatre Prix Fixe

Went to see The 39 Steps with some family members and needed a low-key, basic restaurant nearby the theatre. Hurley's had some good reviews on Yelp so I went ahead and made a reservation. The person who took my reservation actually had an Irish accent, which is a good sign for a place claiming Irish roots. We ordered off of the Prix Fixe Theater Menu and I went for the Baked Stuffed Clams, Veal Moran, and New York Cheesecake for $30.50. Was a really great deal because even though it looks like your run-of-the mill restaurant we were all very impressed with the quality of the food. We were also extremely satisfied with our waitstaff who helped get us out the door in time for our show even though one of the member's of our party was significantly delayed.

TBSP does it again

tbsp has quickly become our neighborhood go-to brunch spot. It's close, it's cute, it's laid back, there's (usually) no wait, and the food is fresh & delicious. Sadly, their service has been consistently lacking, but it hasn't reached a point yet where it's bad enough to outweigh the other pros. Pictured here is the French Toast, Huevos Rancheros, & Breakfast Pizza which was my favorite. Sadly it is not included on their newest menu, but I'm hoping and wishing and thinking and praying they will bring it back.