Mercer and Houston - any recos in walking distance

[princeofpork3]

I am meeting a friend on this corner tonight and I am tasked with choosing a dinner spot. Drinks somewhere before would be a plus. Not looking for 4* then again this hood doesnt have much of that. Ethnic is always good and would like to avoid pub food. Any help would be appreciated.

[princeofpork3]

Went to B&B. Had the short rib tacos which were outstanding. So were the brussle sprouts and bacon.
Brussel Sprouts have to be the hottest vegetable on menus these days.

[alepenazzi]

Lure Fishbar is a favorite of mine.. Same owners of B&B, always consistent (in my experience) and not too fancy..

[sam1]

really? i always thought the fish was not fresh, the crowd lame, and you feel like youre eating on the deck of a cruise ship.

[alepenazzi]

The feeling of eating on the deck of a cruise ship is the point of the restaurant design...

I go there pretty often for lunch and I always found the fish to be fresh.. Lobster roll, tuna burger, crabcakes... I went for a dinner two weeks ago and I remember a really nice whole dourade too..

I never had sushi though..

[RCC]

Lure hasn't really been a hit with us the last 2 times we've been early this year .. not our choice the 2nd time around. Wait staff service was awful both times and we haven't found any of our dishes as something to write home about. The "inside of a cruise ship" decor is the one that I find lame. Lame crowd go for that lame ambiance.

[alepenazzi]

Why is it lame? At least is different from the majority of the other restaurants around that area which looks all pretty standard...

Have you tried their whole dourade or the lobster roll?

I think lame crowd goes for overpriced and over rated restaurants made for the only purpose of watching (and being watched by) people (bagatelle, serafina, etc etc) rather than places like Lure...

[foodwhisperer]

I think the decor at Lure is fine, and they did an excellent job building the place, at a high cost i;m sure. The only other fish place in the area of note is Aqua Grill. I have no issue recommending Lure. Btw, I aint lame. Blanc et Rouge I like a lot and wish more people would frequent this place. It's another place that needs more business, it is on a quiet street, so not much street traffic. A few block further walk would be Bar Pitti for Italian food, Maybe Pulino or DBGB.

[alepenazzi]

Yep, big thumb up for blanc et rouge... Great ambience!

[RCC]

"Lame" might be the wrong word that I really wanted to describe Lure as. It actually is "cheesy"-looking. imho.

[Barcelonian]

For dinner: Lupa, The Dutch, Blue Ribbon, Il Buco AV. Cheaper: Parm or Rubirosa on Mulberry, Cafe Gitane on Mott, Cafe Habana on Elizabeth, Bianca on Bleeker - all within walking distance of Mercer/Houston

[kathryn]

For ethnic nearby, there's also Bohemian and Hecho en Dumbo.

You could also try to walk into Lupa, Acme, or Il Buco.

[Sneakeater]

I tried to do those last three last night. Nothing approaching luck. Maybe because I've been burned, I'd be wary of walking into Balthazar, even.

(I thought you needed the Secret Phone Number and a reservation to eat at Bohemian. Have they abandoned that?)

[mitchleeny]

Or, what we've been known to do...Pegu followed by Arturo's.

[thegforceny]

Go sit at the bar at Balthazar and slurp oysters, drink chablis; maybe get some steak frites. 5 minute walk.

[Lacrosse_Gastronomic]

Ushiwakamaru is close by. If you're willing to walk a bit further, parhaps Wong or Kin Shop.

[Alan Henderson]

These two don't actually make a corner anywhere do you have another cross street?

[Sneakeater]

Of course they make a corner. The corner of Mercer and Houston. It's where the Angelica Theater is.

Drinks are easy: Pegu Club, on the south side of Houston just east of West Broadway. (Little signage so hard door to spot: it's just to the east of Dos Caminos, a restaurant with a big outdoor terrace.)

Food is harder. There are a number of good places in the area -- but they're mostly hard to get into. For ease of entry, I'd suggest the excellent Rouge et Blanc, on MacDougal St. south of Houston. Or, if burgers will suffice, B&B on the south side of Houston just west of Mercer.

[Alan Henderson]

The original post was asking about Bleecker and Houston for the record.

[Sneakeater]

You're right about THAT. Good luck finding THAT corner!

[princeofpork3]

I have been to B&B and love it. Looking for a change.
I also changed the post title within 3 min, you guys are quick.
I am going around 6PM so I am hoping no place will be a tough table.

[Sneakeater]

Go to Acme, then.