Bistrouge

Dropped into this place with my girlfriends a couple of nights ago and was delighted by the intimate dark atmosphere and especially with the impeccably good tapasish small plates. Delicious little grilled meatballs and shrimp salad with fried okra. Cocktails are original and tasty. I had the gingerouge, which is made with a house-brewed earl grey tea infused vodka and house-made ginger juice. Dee-lish! I'll definitely go back.

Pros: Great tapas-style food and original cocktails

Posted 07/24/09

We stumbled into this little place on a Sunday afternoon by happenstance. Brunch was ending in about 20 minutes and the owner said that she could get us in. But we weren't interested in the brunch, we just wanted a drink or two. The Lazy Mary and Crazy Mary were probably two of the best Bloody Marys we've ever had. The owner makes them especially good. We then moved on to some cocktails, the Gingerouse is terrific. The wine bottles were next. Great Malbec and Shiraz. The appetizers were divine as were the entrees. The dessert, decadent. One drink turned into 6 hours and the live jazz added to the perfect lazy Sunday. Hospitable and friendly owners, very passionate about what they do. Highly recommend it.

Pros: Great drinks, food and atmosphere.

Cons: Zero

Posted 03/22/09

Brunch items for $ 9? Great Quality? Innovative and carefully prepared? Its gets 5 stars...The people are nice too..so where is the possibility of a sixth star?
:-)

Pros: food, value, staff

Cons: nada

Posted 01/20/09

Spent a wonderful pre-holiday dinner with five friends at this cozy, warm, brick walled restaurant. The other guests were quite late due to some very heavy rain but the friendly owner had no problem with saving the table for five even though the place is quite small. She even took the time to sit and chat with me while I waited for the other diners. The food was delicious and we had a variety of appetizers and entrees. We all agreed that we would certainly return to this lovely venue and it is highly recommended to all.

Pros: Great food, atmosphere and service

Posted 01/07/09

Best burger in East Village. It was cooked exactly as I wanted and it tasted great. House potatoes that came with the burger were unbelievable. They were so crunchy outside, yet soft in the inside. Roasted tomates were also a big plus.I had a Victory Pilsner beer with the burger and it is a refreshing, crispy beer that goes great with the burger.

Best thing about this place is that the great food and drink doesn't come with a big price tag. Prices are cheap compared to many other places. I will definitely go back again. This is a great place for a quick bite at the bar along with a few drinks.

Pros: burger,bar scene,comfort food,beer selection

Cons: none

Posted 11/29/08

The Black Angus Beef steak is phenomenal!! I can't say enough about it. I've been here countless times and mostly keep getting it repeatedly since it's that good. The meatballs, lentil soup, and hamburger are other delicious entrees. There is a red wine in the menu... Capasso (I think) worth a try! I'm not a wine person, but really enjoyed it. For those that want a lighter drink, I recommend the Pamama. Nice light drink. Overall, about $80-100 for 2 people depending on how many drinks you have. In my opinion, the entrees are well priced for the taste. The amount is substantial too. I never felt the need to order an appetizer since it was just right. The desserts, I enjoyed the bread-pudding. I've recommended this place to all my friends and go there whenever I get a chance.

Pros: Food: specifically that steak. Yummm

Cons: Wish the service was bit more attentive, but they may just be giving you space since the place is intimate.

Posted 11/23/08

all the stars are for the food. I went here for a birthday dinner, paid by someone elses credit card. The service was what you expect from a high end dining establishment - impeccable, unintrusive and unfortunately cold. The food however took my breath away: the grilled black angus sirloin was incredible, even though the presentation was a bit messy for a place like Bistrouge, the caesar salad was perfect.
We ordered 2 glasses of wine.
All in we spend $350 for two and it was worth the food.

Posted 11/15/08

We arrived there at the on a Saturday night with a reservation. The wine list is easy to understand but also our waiter was very helpful with selecting a bottle of wine. We picked a bottle of Albarino which was great. The atmosphere is welcoming and comforting with soft lights and warm colors. We set at the red benches to get a good view of the restaurant crowd. Restaurant was busy, not surprisingly, and the crowd was young and energetic. Grilled San Simon cheese with portabella mushroom for appetizer was a great choice. Cheese was the best I have eaten for a long time. For main course I had the daily special, trout wrapped with prosciutto. It was served with great potatoes and a bunch of spinach. It was a feast to both my eyes and my stomach.

Pros: Helpful staff, very good wine list, delicious food

Posted 11/06/08

This little bistro is my great new find. After reading reviews on a couple of web sites, we decided to give it a try. We enjoyed the delicious food and drinks so much. I started with their Russo cocktail, made with house infused cinnamon vodka and served with a shot of heavy cream. Cinnamon + vodka goes perfect on a cold night, it warms you up from inside. For food I had frisee salad first . Frisee salad is a perfect mix of frisee, honey toasted walnuts and blue cheese. Then I moved on to mussels. They come in a huge bowl with great sauce and potato wedges. The sauce was so great that after I finished all the mussels, I asked for a slice of bread to dip in. I just couldn't let my plate go unfinished ;)

Pros: Great cocktails, Delicious food,Mussels

Cons: None

Posted 11/03/08

Went to Bistrouge a couple of weeks ago. I had the mussels with potato wedges and it was fabulous. Try the Gingerouge, it's one of their signature cocktails and it's very different. The staff is extremely friendly, it's definitely a place you'd want to go back to.

Pros: Great food and staff is very nice

Posted 11/01/08

I am a regular at East Village restaurants and bars and I am always amazed at what this neighborhood can offer. Although I go to places I know, sometimes I like to try new ones. Last week I tried Bistrouge for a few drinks and all I can say is : Oh my god. I have not tried new cocktails like these for such a long time. Sitting at the bar, while checking out their open kitchen, I started with Pernito which is a version of Mojito made with Pernod, an anise flavored liquor from France. It is very refreshing and tasty. Then I moved over to Pamama which has crushed fresh grapes mixed with Pama pomegranate liqueur and more.

I highly recommend this charming place to anyone who wants to stop for a drink or two. And also don't forget to have a nice chat with the bartender and the chef. I will be back soon to try their food as other customers who were eating looked very satisfied with the food.

Pros: Cocktails, design, open kitchen, service

Cons: None

Posted 10/30/08

I've lived on 13th St. for over 5 years and we have not had a decent restaurant in the area for a while. You can tell by the menu and the specials that the chefs really enjoy food and want to share their ideas with the rest of us. I make it a point to stop by and try something new at least twice a week. I highly recommend the Langoustines and the Sirloin Steak. Oh yeah, don't forget to try to seared tuna and the mussels. And the desserts! i recommend the bread pudding. P.S. the potato wedges that they serve with the sandwiches are redunkulous!

As for ambience, it's got a great blend. There is a bar area is great for single diners and couples who enjoy watching the chefs cook. It's like watching Iron Chef while you eat. The seated area is more romantic and I would recommend this as a great date spot, although it's been awhile since I've been on a date. Every time I've stopped by, Eda the owner, greets me and makes me feel like I've been going there forever! Next time you are in the East Village stop by, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

Pros: Food and Service, Great date spot.

Cons: I only have 1 stomach.

Posted 10/26/08

We went there twice already for dinner and cannot wait to go for brunch. Dinner and drinks that we tried so far were amazingly great. Would love to go and try other dinner dishes they have. Staff is extremely friendly and professional at the same time. Do not forget to say hello to the owner Eda, who is there all the time to make sure you leave the place with lasting impression. I highly recommend this place.

Posted 10/26/08

After I saw notification that Bistrouge was starting brunch last weekend, I decided to give it a try. I went there with a friend. Restaurant is located very nicely, not on a very busy street, but very close to subway. I ordered the Shakshuka which is a eggs cooked in a casarole along with peppers while my friend asked for boiled eggs with cured wild salmon. We both loved the food. Coffee was also great. It was bold and flavorful, not the watered down type. After this great brunch I am planning to visit for a dinner soon.

Pros: Coffee, brunch, service, location

Posted 10/23/08

I went there with a friend. I tried the Portugese cod and loved it! Also tried their special 'Gingerouge' cocktail. It is a very nice drink, refreshing yet has a kick to it. Service staff was very attentive and professional. Environment is warm and open kitchen is a great idea. You can sit at the bar and watch the chefs cooking all night.

Pros: Food, Cocktails, Service, Open Kitchen

Posted 10/21/08

I celebrated my birthday on 10/4/08, a Saturday night, with a party of 24 guests at Bistrouge. Their staff was very welcoming & friendly. Our tables were reserved just like I had discussed it with the owner a few days in advance. I had asked them to keep all guests' bills separately so that I don't have to worry about who had what at the end. They fully accommodated my request without a problem although it complicated matters for them. The staff was very patient through out this whole process.

The food was awesome! The portions were huge and prices were cheap. All of my guests loved their Potato Wedges. Favorites of the night were Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich, Angus B Burger, Black Mediterranean Mussels, Italian Ricotta Cheesecake & Belgian Chocolate Bread Pudding. And I loved their red champagne that was as sweet as a dessert wine. I didn't get its name but it's the only one of its kind in their selection.

The tables are of a nice size and seating is comfortable. The decor was a touch modern with a nice blend of antique accents. Lighting was perfect for both a conversation and a meal.

Would highly recommend this place to individuals and small groups! (up to 30 people)

If they simply keep up their professionalism and serve delicious meals at very low prices as they do now, it will be hard to get in without a wait very soon!

Pros: Best Potato Wedges, Awesome Food at Very Low Prices, Huge Portions, Welcoming, Patient & Friendly staff

Cons: Nothing

Posted 10/06/08

I was there past Saturday for a friend's b-day party. The food was great, specially Indian mango base ricotta cheesecake. Let me tell you it was yummy and colorful. I got potato wedges and taste the chicken sandwich and they were both really good. Prices are cheap for the city and food standards.Service was excellent, timely with a nice smile. I did not get a chance to try out the drinks but just looking availability - the bar will great for happy hours:)

The ambiance and decor is very calming perfect place to escape noise of the city. Great place to hang out with friends and I would highly recommend this place.

This place definitely worth to stop by any day for a drink and good food with cozy atmosphere with a great service.

Pros: Friendly service, delicious potato wedges, deserts, nice portions with small prices

Cons: Nothing

Posted 10/06/08

I was walking down the street the other day on my way back from a friends place when I came across this new place. I hadn't eaten dinner yet so I decided to give it a try. Inside I found a nice, cozy atmosphere. The staff was very friendly and attentive, as well as knowledgeable. I ordered the meatballs and a glass of their Malbec based on a recommendation from the bartender. Amazing!!! The meatballs were great, the wine was great too, and the two went together very well. Since I was sitting at the bar, I could see into the kitchen and got a good look at some of the other food items going out. Everything looked amazing, and I even overheard some people at another table saying how great their food was. Based on what I saw, I am going to have to go back and try the mussels, as well as their house ginger cocktail!!! This is a place that is worth checking out!!!

Posted 10/05/08