The Little Owl: A Favorite of the Village and Lou Reed

If you are looking for a wonderful meal in a quaint, non-touristy locale, visit The Little Owl in the Village. My mom had read an article on the Owl and decided it was our type of spot. After purchasing winning (we scored front row seats to 33 Variations with Jane Fonda and Colin Hanks the day of the play!), we hopped on the 1 train and headed from Midtown to the Village Sunday morning for brunch. Upon arrival, the small restaurant was full, but there was only a ten minute wait. The hostess said we could wait outside on the benches under the awnings or we could 'wait right up there'. She pointed to the corner of the restaurant to indicate 'up there' and it was a two-step waiting seat, almost like a balcony window but you climbed a three-step ladder to get up there and you were looking down at everyone eating! We had to have our photo taken up there because it was so funny. There were pillows and you could order drinks while you sat...'up there'. You could squeeze three to four people up there but two sat very comfortably. We ordered drinks and waited less than ten minutes and our table was ready. Seated by the window, we were able to watch the Villagers walk their dogs or take strolls on this semi-rainy Sunday. The rain does not slow down New Yorkers! I chose the Gravy Meatball Sliders, made with beef, pork, veal and pecorino, and the Asparagus endives and vinaigrette. Nikki* had the Poached Eggs fontina sausage buns, greens and Hollandaise and the Cheddar Grits. The sliders were absolutely wonderful, that melt in your mouth flavor. The asparagus was also splendid, the endives, potatoes and scallions gave the vegetable a taste twist I had not experienced previously. Nikki was very happy with her poached eggs and cheddar grits. The atmosphere was very enjoyable and apparently, Lou Reed dines there from time to time. Another bonus! My only complaint (and I should have known or asked) was the price of soft drinks...$4 and they did charge you for refills. It is soda and just a little ridiculous. I should have ordered a shot for that price. I would have certainly had more bang for my buck. While in Norfolk, I would boycott a restaurant that charged this for a soda (I NEED a diet Coke in the morning!), it is New York and my leniency is greater. I highly recommend The Little Owl. Try to sit in the waiting area 'up there' - it is a great way to see what everyone else is eating and it might help you choose your meal. I eyed the sliders from 'up there' and knew right then that those would be my selection. Hoot-hoot over to The Little Owl.

~Alex

The Little Owl is located in the Village at 90 Bedford Street, New York, NY 10014 and serves lunch and dinner during the week and brunch and dinner on the weekends. View their menus at http://thelittleowlnyc.com/

Cercle Rouge: Tribeca and a French Brasserie

Upon arrival New York on Saturday, Nikki*, my mom, and I jumped into planning mode. We decided a ride on the Staten Island Ferry followed by a nice lunch at The Little Owl was our plan before we had to head to God of Carnage with James Gandolfini and Jeff Daniels that evening. We made it over to Staten Island and back, passing Lady Liberty and admiring the Manhattan skyline (you will be able to climb up to the crown of the Statue of Liberty beginning July 4th - mark your calendars). Departing the ferry, we found ourselves in a Romanian festival outside the Customs House in the Financial District. What fun - there were many vendors showcasing kabobs, corn cakes, falafel and other amazing choices, clothing, jewelry and other items. Of course, I had to stop and check everything out, so that delayed us a bit and we also saw a church from the ferry and wondered if it was the church that became such a moving focal point right after the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. This was not that church, but after walking a few short blocks we did come to St. Paul's Chapel (see St. Paul's Chapel entry below). After our time at St. Paul's, Nikki and I stopped in an Irish pub around the corner to take a breather (aka beer break) and decide what our next move was. We had missed brunch at The Little Owl, but we knew we had spent our time more wisely. After a beer or two, we set off towards Tribeca in hopes we would find a restaurant on the fly that was to our liking. We passed a few that looked good, but nothing that made us want to run in and order. Finally, we spotted Cercle Rouge, a lovely French bistro. Since we love bistros, we knew this was the place. It was absolutely charming inside and while it was hard to decide at first, we both settle on the burger and pommes frites. I must admit that we spied burgers at another table and decided that we each HAD to have one (we did a lot of food-hawking on this trip). Furthermore, it was around 4pm and we had not eaten all day, so we needed something fulfilling. The burgers looked scrumptious! We both settle don Gruyere cheese, so I can only review one plate, but trust me, it was worth it. We also had a side of the creamed spinach which was made with a very light cream and a lot of garlic - very, very good. Service was very good - everyone was the opposite of pushy, which is a nice change from some restaurants that want to throw you out the second your food hits the table. Full and happy, we relaxed a moment before heading back to Midtown. I highly recommend Cercle Rouge but maybe not if you are in a rush. I think this is a relaxed staff and your meal might take a bit, but remember, good things come to those who wait! I was on vacation, so my usual impatient nature was on the back burner.

Located in Tribeca, Cercle Rouge services lunch and dinner Monday through Friday and brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday.

~Alex

Unlike me, my friend Alex does not look for child friendly places to dine. In fact, she probably prefers places that ARE NOT. However, when researching this restaurant my attention was peaked when I noted that Brunch is held on both Saturday and Sunday. In addition, it is accompanied by a magic show with balloon giveaways for kids. I can only assume that Alex overlooked this feature...

_Laine

http://www.cerclerougeresto.com/

Saint Paul's Church: Unwavering Spirit

While this is not a restaurant review, I must take a few moments to mention St. Paul's Chapel. Entering the graveyard, you see tombstones so old that the engraving is no longer legible. The church yard and the church itself are beautiful. Built in 1766, St. Paul's is Manhattan's oldest public building in continuous use and the home to an extraordinary eight-month volunteer relief effort after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. Nikki and I spent some time going through the church and I cannot describe what comes over you upon entering the church. Unwavering Spirit, a new interactive exhibit, honors that ministry and its legacy of love and compassion. This exhibit shows the strength, courage and enormous outreach that those rescue workers and volunteers put forth September 11, 2001 and the days, weeks, months and years following. If you visit New York, I encourage you to visit St. Paul's Chapel.

~Alex

http://www.saintpaulschapel.org/