Manic Pixie Dream Pizza
And an A+ idea for a birthday party.
I have eaten a lot of pizza in New York City. But I can honestly say that last week was the first time a pizzeria presented me with a handmade, silkscreened book of staff poetry. Plus, Will checks in at Socceria now that the crowds have gone home, and Willa reports on an inspired birthday-party restaurant buyout I may need to shamelessly copy one day. —Molly Fitzpatrick
The following scene reports are (lightly edited) daily updates from our team Slack channel #where-we-been.
The Rainforest Cafe For Grownups
Pizza 4P's (that's pronounced "for peace") is a weird, beautiful place. I nearly collided with a decorative boulder on my way in, then got seated beside a wall of vegetable-dyed tapestries of plants and animals. I’d put the music somewhere between Pure Moods and nature sounds. Loved the housemade burrata—get it with smoked duck and Meyer lemon—but so far, the pizza is a mixed bag. I liked the tangy sourdough crust, but the lotus root, garam masala sausage, and hummus pie didn't totally work for me. I respect the wackadoodle ambition, though. Surprise highlight of my meal: Playing with the Rube Goldberg machine by the bathroom. –MF
Socceria Is Hungover
The kind of hangover where you sit at a diner the next morning, and almost have more fun chatting with your friends over weak coffee and pancakes about last night. The weak coffee, though, is a very tasty Medicina Latina cocktail, and the pancakes are either chilaquiles, or an absolutely delicious Ramirez burger. There are way, way fewer people here, but the windows are just as big, the sunlight is just as bright, and the food and drinks haven’t lost a step. There’s still soccer on the TV, except it’s Real Salt Lake instead of Lamine Yamal. Oh well, it had to end sometime. –Will Hartman
BYO Everything But The Food At Spicy Village
Did you know you can rent out Spicy Village for a birthday? It’s amazing what can be possible if you simply just ask. We did 8-10pm (but really 10:30pm as they never kicked us out) for $1100, which included both the space and the food for up to 22 people, though prices vary. (7:30-9:30pm was $1400, and 7-9pm was $1200, for whatever reason.) We brought batched paper planes, a Party City balloon arch, a cake, and a speaker, and then went absolutely ham on soup dumplings and spicy big tray chicken all night long. It was a Top 10 most memorable New York night. I want to find more places that quietly do this too, should you have any intel. In exchange, I’ll plan your birthday. –Willa Moore
WHAT WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT
Zig Zag Oyster Bar opens tonight. I repeat, Zig Zag Oyster Bar, the seafood spot from the Cervo’s team, opens tonight. On the menu: Two options for a seafood tower, crab dip, peel-and-eat shrimp, and oysters (duh). I fear I will be there as much as physically possible. –WM
About a week ago, I grabbed dinner at a beachside clubstaurant in Sardinia where yard-long fish are presented tableside and a roving three-piece band provides live entertainment. It’s called Nammos, and it’s part of a chain with locations in all your usual Cartier-and-white-linen locales like Cannes and Mykonos. According to a server I spoke with, they’re opening another in Midtown. Meanwhile, Bagatelle is being revived in Chelsea. I wouldn’t say I’m breathlessly waiting on either, but I do look forward to the clubstaurant resurgence, if only for the plot. –Bryan Kim
Shania’s Max Bet is a new Atlantic City-inspired cocktail bar in Gowanus, named after none other than my close personal friend, Shania Twain. I’ll have to get down there to represent the New Jersey dirtbag community and drink a Midori Sour.–MF
IF RIPPERS IS TOO BUSY…
Go to Panino Bozza. The Italian sandwich spot in the Rockaways is right around the corner on Beach 96th St., and you can get their sandwiches in half or full portions. –WH
Someone made a video game for Clandestino, so you will never have to be too far from Dimes Square. As it appears, the game’s third-highest scorer is none other than the owner of Food.
Some Bistrot Ha walk-in intel: A colleague of ours showed up at 6pm last Friday without a reservation and was seated immediately.
Crevette’s patio is one of the great places to sit outside in the village. They’re adding an Apero Hour, with lots of half-off drinks and snacks—but go soon, because scaffolding is going up later in the summer.
Mexican pizzas are $1 at Taco Bell today and today only. Do with that information what you will.
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Re: bookings for birthdays/events: I once went to one where they booked Ingas bar in brooklyn heights, although not sure how their reservation process works.
Good food and chocolate cake, but also most impressively, after you have enough drinks in you can take the group for an evening walk along the brooklyn heights promenade to look at the nighttime city skyline, and also if inclined walk down the hill through dumbo and get an ice cream nightcap at Oddfellows. Maybe even take a spin on the dumbo carousel. Another top 10 type of NYC night tbh