Summer has officially begun, and that means it's time to eat, drink, and be merry no matter how sweltering the heat may be. The city's food scene is playing along nicely with barbecues, smoked wings, and delectably small Spanish bites. Time to put on a pair of shorts and dig in.
courtesy of House of Yes
It'd be borderline un-American to not find yourself around a steaming barbecue grill at least once on Memorial Day weekend. But there's no need to worry—House of Yes has you covered. The Bushwick DIY space is best-known for high-flying acrobatic shows, but on this very Monday they'll be hosting a pig roast out on their open-air patio, with mojo roasted pork, chimichurri skirt steak, hot dogs, grilled seitan, and more. Of course, there'll be drink specials, music, dancing, wild costumes, and all manners of weirdness. This'll help you start summer off proper.
Specializing in classic Basque cuisine, East Village bar Donostia is rolling out a brand new happy hour this Monday that'll last all summer long. It's centered around the Spanish tradition of pintxo-pote, a small bites approach to dinner that puts plenty of emphasis on alcohol. Their special menu will include topped Montaditos breads, and skewered bites of seafood, cured meats, and cheeses (also known as Banderillas). There'll also be mussels, clams, tuna belly, beer, cider, sherry, and Spanish wine, guaranteeing that your stroll home through Tompkins Square Park will be boozy and blissful.
The fine summer-loving folks at Lolo's Seafood Shack are throwing a "Caribbean Week" party full of smoked wings, Belizean conch fritters, jerk ribs, steamed crawfish, homemade johnnycakes and more. Starting Wednesday and running through Saturday night, the Harlem favorite will let customers choose from a $30 prix fixe menu or plenty of a la carte snacking options. Their shack-style backyard picnic area will definitely be packed this week. Only a fool would miss out.
courtesy Tarallucci e Vino
If for some odd reason you tire of finger-licking barbecue-ish meals this week, Tarallucci e Vino is featuring something a bit more refined. Their "Garibaldi Week" starts Thursday, June 2nd and will celebrate Italy's 1946 abolition of its monarchy—a vote that lead to their modern republic. Each day for a week, Tarallucci will feature a special dish that draws upon regional Italian ingredients and techniques, from Milan all the way down to Sardinia. You'll get risotto, cacio e pepe, pasta fagioli, spaghetti aglio olio and more.
