Bar Blanc Bistro: Get it while it's hot!

Recessionomics is in full swing across the dining scene in NY. Everywhere you turn there are recession specials here, budget-friendly deals there. So, I've done my due diligence as a (new) New Yorker to scope out the best specials out there. And alas, on Friday night, I believe I found it.

Bar Blanc Bistro, in the heart of the West Village, is the most fantastic multi-purpose venue: date night, girls night out, solo night, etc. BFFOLD (bff of le dish) and I had scoured the menu and read the reviews so we could take full advantage of the 6 to 8 pm happy hour (50% off most appies and booze by the glass! Practically free!). The minute we walked into the marble bar surrounded by gorgeous white tufted leather banquettes, we were taken by the space (other than a freakish faux plant on the end of the bar). Perched on our bar stools, we went to work.

Our new friend Chad The Bartender (who self-imposes a diet of fruits and veggies only...all together now: WHY?!?) professed his love of the mac and cheese and the burger. Four glasses of $6 cava later, we had decided on the duck liver toasts, the white bean and anchovy crostini and obviously, to appease Chad, the mac and cheese with black truffles.

All three of the aforementioned appies were simply delightful. At a mere $4 or $5 a piece, you simply cannot make a bad choice. The duck liver toasts were slightly charred and paired well with the smooth, rich pate. The white bean puree (something I normally would shy away from) was light and salted perfectly by the single anchovy on top. But, the real winner of the night was the mac and cheese. When I tell you that I will be returning weekly (even when the special ends) to consume at least one bowl of this delicacy, I am NOT kidding. The quarter-sized, ridged rounds were covered by creamy cheese and speckled with black truffles. The top was a cheesy crust, the innards were creamy yet not overwhelming. You will understand when you go.

But, get to BBB fast: Chad alluded to the fact that the special will only be running through next Friday or so. Don't worry, I tried my hardest to convince him to extend it indefinitely. You're welcs.

Gee, F+W, thanks for pointing out the obvious

As Eater notes today, Food+Wine does a really excellent job of providing tips on how to save money when dining out. And by excellent, I mean terrible. I mean, seriously, people. Who DOESN'T already booze beforehand and order tap instead of sparkling water? This is NOT brain surgery!

The only redeeming tip?
4. Try a restaurant while they’re new and might still have a BYOB policy or a discount on price.

Thanks for that expertise, F+W!!

Budget-friendly tip #2: online coupons!

Let's not fool ourselves: New Yorkers order in more than those in any other city. Well, lucky for us, Seamless Web realizes this and is offering a $5 off coupon for new online orders in multiple U.S. cities. Go to http://www.seamlessweb.com/AtHome and enter code 2seamless.

Cheers!

Baby, it's cold outside so you know what that means...

....carbs, carbs, and more carbs! As most of you know, I can't turn down a carbohydrate (or chocolate, for that matter) and when the temperature drops, the noodle soups and penne alla vodka turn up. It also doesn't help that my boyfriend only eats (and hence shares with me)foodstuffs that end in parmigiana or bolognese.

So, during a recent chilly night, we ventured to Lil Frankie's, the most casual of the three Frank restaurants. Decked in vintage "heirlooms" and catering to a variety of pastavores (from LES hipsters to UES yuppies), the aroma of heavily seasoned marinara sauce immediately hit me square in the face.

First, we started off with mussels marinara that was served with the most incredible peasant bread I've ever tasted. The airy, thick slices sopped up every ounce of marinara deliciousness and the mussels were hearty and plump. Definitely a great way to prep the tastebuds for what was to come.

We then shared a thin-crust margherita pizza that was probably the most forgettable dish of the night. In my mind, it was merely a barrier to the main event: hearty gnocchi and mezzi rigatoni with baby meatballs. (Don't worry, there were three of us. Ew, that's still an exorbitant amount of food.)

Now, I know I JUST posted about the most delicious gnocchi at Da Silvano but Lil Frankie's gnocchi were a terrific poor man's version of the Da Silvano classic. The thick, blood red sauce coated each little pillow perfectly and the freshly grated parmigiano cheese was evident yet not overpowering. The mezzi rig was probably the weakest pasta dish since I prefer meatballs that don't look like turds. Once I got past the appearance, they were pretty tasty but probably would have soaked up better flavor as a meat sauce instead of mini-meatballs.

Considering the low price-point, cool atmosphere, and abundance of cold weather Italian comfort food, I will definitely be returning to this little gem.