http://www.vandalnewyork.com
199 Bowery (corner of Spring St.)
212-400-0199
Tapas. How can you not love a meal that begins with eight spoons brimming with tortilla soup dumplings and ends on a chocolate bourbon milkshake shot?
Everything about Vandal is fun. The music, the space, the international menu. It’s as if each member of the UN took awesome cooking classes while working on world peace.
The multiculturality extends to individual dishes too. Their tuna sashimi is crafted tonnato style (crunchy chorizo, lemon zested olive oil, sea salt). Italian influences don’t usually find their way to this dish, but you’ll be really happy they did.
I quickly went from glad to grateful with the classic charred Kobe style beef burger (American cheese, caramelized onions, crumbled bacon, very special sauce). The sauce may be special, yet one taste of that charbroiled goodness and you’ll want to down that slider seven days a week.
I was sad when it was gone but had the old school chicken parm (San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozarella, basil) to help get me through. It arrives pizza style (whole pie), so keeping some for home is a joy inducing no brainer.
Besides, you’ll want to save room for dessert. Like the mind blowing s’mores with graham cracker ice cream.
Or the decadently delicious blueberry crepe cake special (ten layers – lemon curd infused plus a side of toasted almond ice cream).
The crowds pour in and the reasons could not be more obvious. If fun is what you’re craving, come spend the night at Vandal.
Just don’t leave without doing that milkshake shot.
199 Bowery (between Spring and Prince Sts.) 212-400-0199 www.vandalnewyork.com
Tapas. How can you not love a meal that starts with a Knish Reuben and ends on an Irish coffee milkshake shot (espresso ice cream, Jameson, whipped cream). Everything about Vandal is fun. The music, the space, the self-proclaimed street food. It’s as if each member of the UN got together and created a dish (but had taken awesome cooking classes while working on world peace). Their Reuben creation (corned beef, sauerkraut, swiss, thousand island) is just as amazing as it sounds. So is the Banh Mi’Eatball slider (spicy pork, foie gras mousse, pickled this and that). Remaining in pork mode, I pursued the sticky rice dumplings complete with chives and red chile oil. Then it was off to sea with the two pound whole lobster scampi, achieving pure brilliance paired with spinach atop garlic rice pilaf. What’s for dessert? Many things, but I indulged in the mind blowing s’mores with graham cracker ice cream and black + white crepe cake beside fudge swirl. From there, it was a short hop to that incredible milkshake shot. The crowds pour in and the reasons could not be more obvious. If fun is what you’re craving, come spend the night at Vandal.