New Restaurants On The Radar: MARK, Ardesia and Carnival
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<strong>MARK:</strong> It's time for a new cheap burger. No more paying $26 at Minetta Tavern. No more blue cheese sculpted masterpieces. Just a good quality, cheap, manly burger. <a href="http://www.stmarksburger.com/">MARK</a> is attempting to bring this to St. Mark's place (though they might have some competition with longstanding favorite <a href="http://www.paulsburgers.com/">Paul's</a>.) The building they're in carries some history, having been home to poet Anne Waldman and the storefront for the original Manic Panic store, and MARK is trying to invoke that good juju with a 19â-long mural by NYU Professor Mick Stern; an ode to notable East Village characters. <p></p>But back to the burgers. Their Beef Slider is made from in-house ground chuck, short rib and sirloin and served with caramelized Vidalia onions. The Bacon Slider adds some smoked pork belly into that mix, and they're all served with whole pickles and the option of some skin-on fries. <p></p>You can wash those down two ways. On the alcoholic side there are some fancy imports, or the wintertime special Glögg, "a heated, spiced and sweetened wine for guests looking for a warm up." There is also a selection of creative milkshakes. The most inventive has got to be the Guinness shake, with Guinness beer, Guinness reduction and vanilla ice cream, but classics like Black + White, Pistachio and Cola are also there. The best part? Everything on the menu is in between $2 to $6.50. <em>33 St. Marks Place, 212-677-3132</em>
<strong>Ardesia: </strong>Hell's Kitchen's latest wine bar is attempting to bridge the gap between the neighborhood's gritty past and glitzy future. Run by Mandy Oser of Le Bernardin, Ardesia offers wine and some upscale snacks at prices bordering on affordable. Their 50-seat interior features slate floors and a white marble bar in contrast with cozy, plush couches for lounging. The main draw of the place, however, is the two-story wine wall, "meant to evoke the fire escapes of the area's old tenement buildings," that the bartenders must scale to retrieve your selection. If only all of our fire escapes were filled with wine!<p></p> Most glasses are under $16, with a wide range of regions and styles to choose from. A menu of homemade cheeses and charcuterie complements the wine selection, and heavier plates include house-cured duck banh mi and homemade pretzels served with cheese fondue. <em>510 West 52nd St, 212-247-9191</em>
<strong>Carnival:</strong> This fun house wonderland above Bowlmor Lanes has been getting a lot of hype before their opening. And really, why the hell not? There are circus performers, waitresses in skimpy costumes, a "fun house" dance room, and goldfish to be won at a hammer slam and ring toss for $4 a game. Snacks follow the circus theme, with hot dogs, popcorn, alcoholic snow cones and candy by the pound. If that isn't enough of a challenge, enter the "Dunk Tank," a $70, <em>two gallon</em> mix of vodka, gin, Malibu and fruit juice. If you somehow manage to finish the whole thing, you get to keep the tub! A selection of 20 beers is also at your disposal in case you don't feel like conquering that monster just yet. <em>110 University Pl, 3rd Floor, 212-255-8188</em>
<strong>Carnival:</strong> This fun house wonderland above Bowlmor Lanes has been getting a lot of hype before their opening. And really, why the hell not? There are circus performers, waitresses in skimpy costumes, a "fun house" dance room, and goldfish to be won at a hammer slam and ring toss for $4 a game. Snacks follow the circus theme, with hot dogs, popcorn, alcoholic snow cones and candy by the pound. If that isn't enough of a challenge, enter the "Dunk Tank," a $70, <em>two gallon</em> mix of vodka, gin, Malibu and fruit juice. If you somehow manage to finish the whole thing, you get to keep the tub! A selection of 20 beers is also at your disposal in case you don't feel like conquering that monster just yet. <em>110 University Pl, 3rd Floor, 212-255-8188</em>
<strong>Carnival:</strong> This fun house wonderland above Bowlmor Lanes has been getting a lot of hype before their opening. And really, why the hell not? There are circus performers, waitresses in skimpy costumes, a "fun house" dance room, and goldfish to be won at a hammer slam and ring toss for $4 a game. Snacks follow the circus theme, with hot dogs, popcorn, alcoholic snow cones and candy by the pound. If that isn't enough of a challenge, enter the "Dunk Tank," a $70, <em>two gallon</em> mix of vodka, gin, Malibu and fruit juice. If you somehow manage to finish the whole thing, you get to keep the tub! A selection of 20 beers is also at your disposal in case you don't feel like conquering that monster just yet. <em>110 University Pl, 3rd Floor, 212-255-8188</em>
<strong>Carnival:</strong> This fun house wonderland above Bowlmor Lanes has been getting a lot of hype before their opening. And really, why the hell not? There are circus performers, waitresses in skimpy costumes, a "fun house" dance room, and goldfish to be won at a hammer slam and ring toss for $4 a game. Snacks follow the circus theme, with hot dogs, popcorn, alcoholic snow cones and candy by the pound. If that isn't enough of a challenge, enter the "Dunk Tank," a $70, <em>two gallon</em> mix of vodka, gin, Malibu and fruit juice. If you somehow manage to finish the whole thing, you get to keep the tub! A selection of 20 beers is also at your disposal in case you don't feel like conquering that monster just yet. <em>110 University Pl, 3rd Floor, 212-255-8188</em>