by Sade Oeder on Boom-chik-boom-chik-boom-chik-boom-chik. Rinse. Repeat. Viva El Toro is rude to their neighbors. They've hung up on me multiple times when I've called (and I was polite). When I showed up in person after midnight once to ask that they turn the music down, the manager wasn't able to hear me because it was just that loud. Once she stepped outside to listen to me, she insisted that the loud music is necessary for the purpose of running their business. She said that she'd turn it down, but that was presumably to get rid of me because it was still just as loud once I got upstairs. I get it. It's a bar. In Williamsburg. But sheesh, it shouldn't be shaking my floor and windows several nights a week. Their music is the same insipid ooncey ooncey nightclub crap that you can get up and down Manhattan, and really, shouldn't you treat your ears better than that? Also, it's usually pretty empty.
by Petra Goynes on Bottomless mimosas for $6 says it all. I've never gotten drunk and then moved onto a hangover all before noon in my life. Once I ordered my bottomless mimosa, the cheap asian in me came out and made sure I got my money's worth. Let's just say the same cheap asian stumbled out of Lime drunk and passed out once I got home. there's no better way to get your daily value of vitamin C.
by Mark C. on South City Kitchen provides a gracious twist on some southern favorites, and for that, I'm thankful. No longer are fried green tomatoes drowning in oil when they arrive at the table, or barbeque so slathered with sauce they slip right out of your hands as soon as you try to pick them up. I had a fantastic Summer Night seasonal barbeque sampler, which came with three different types of meat and three different sauces. The meat was tender and flavorful on its own - throw in your mix and match of sauces, and the result was fantastic. The cucumber-tomato slaw that accompanied the meal was tangy with a nice onion overtone. The meal came with a peach crisp for dessert. Sweet, but not overly so, peaches with a flavorful, buttery topping were nicely accented with the vanilla ice cream, though the menu said the ice cream was supposed to be whiskey. My dining companions also enjoyed their meals, although I heard the jambalaya was a little lacking, while the collard greens were also a little lackluster. Our service was attentive and helpful, and greatly knowledgeable about the menu, which is always a huge plus. Instead of reiterating what's on the description, he described the full preparation, which made everything only sound that much better. The ambiance is fancifully eclectic, bridging the divide between modern restaurant and down-home cooking neatly by combining a rustic infrastructure with dressed up furnishings, clean table cloths and napkins, and a relaxed, modern feel. While most of the other patrons were older and dressed up (sports jackets, no tie), my companions and I were definitely not out of place in more casual attire. This is an excellent place to enjoy some southern and southern-inspired food, without the excesses that often accompany it.
