Mermaid Inn
96 Second Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets
NY, NY 10003
(212) 674 5870
6 Train to Astor Place, F train to 2nd Avenue

It has now become a tradition that I spend my birthday at Mermaid Inn. It’s relatively easy to get a 2-person reservation, it’s not fussy or stuffy or all too pricey, the wine is always palatable and affordable; hence, it’s always flawless. Perhaps the tradition began three years ago when an ex-suitor made a “surprise” reservation for my birthday at Wallse. Given that I don’t eat pork, I don’t enjoy German food all that much (my only comparison to authentic Austrian fare), and it was the one restaurant my ex had wanted to go to for some time, I was fairly disappointed once I foiled his surprise and learned my birthday dinner destination. Perhaps it was my giant grimace that gave away my disapproval. Immediately, the reservation was canceled and I was brought to a restaurant which surely wasn’t as extravagant, expensive, or dessert-fancy as Wallse. Yes, that place was Mermaid Inn and it was a favorite of mine then as it still is now.

This year, I enjoyed the same old, same old on my birthday. It only makes sense in my own old age, I assume. My date and I shared 2 lobster rolls with Old Bay-seasoned fries, a dozen West coast oysters, strawberry and arugula salad with ricotta salata, and prosecco (the only one offered by the glass on the menu). As for the salad, strawberry and arugula don’t necessary sound like a match, but the balsamic vinaigrette subtly brought out the unbelievable sweetness of the strawberries. What may be most telling is that I purchased arugula and strawberries the following day to try and recreate the salad from my own home.

The oysters perfectly met my expectations – tasty and almost Kumamoto-esque. The prosecco was affordable and just right for what I was looking for to enhance the flavors of my diverse meal.

Mermaid’s lobster rolls are in no way authentic. They come on rolls, and not in hot dog buns, grilled rolls, that is. Rolls that taste more like challah than anything else. The lobster rolls are filling, just creamy enough, and delicious. Mermaid’s lobster rolls are my favorite in the City – they beat out Pearl Oyster Bar and Ditch Plains (by far). The fries are not overly seasoned and they come out crispy – you don’t have to ask for them to be crispy! And they are the ideal complement to the smooth and flaky texture of the lobster roll.

Oh, and I cannot forget the final highlight of the meal: the complimentary pot au crème. Amazing (except you want more than just the little pot full). Plus, there’s a “magic fish” (aka a red piece of cellophane shaped like a fish) that is given out to diners. You rest the fish on the palm of your hand and assess its movements: are you passionate, fickle, in love? Check for yourself.

I’m never blown away by my meals at Mermaid Inn, but I am always happy when I leave. And that’s saying a lot.

Pop Burger
58-60 9th Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets
New York, NY 10014
212.414.2626
Subway: A/C/E to 14th Street; L to 8th Avenue

I popped (ha) into Pop Burger with a friend after having drinks at Ono at the Gansevoort Hotel. We were starving, and we just needed something to hold us over, not a serious meal.

Pop Burger is a super modern space, and I felt as though I'd walked into a Jetsons cartoon instead of a burger joint. There are multiple "areas" of the restaurant, from a grab-and-eat counter area in front to a loungey, typical Meatpacking District table area in the middle and a bar, pool room and DJ booth in back. Yes, a DJ booth. Welcome to the Meatpacking District.

Upon entering, we wondered if it was closed because there wasn't a soul in the place. As we proceeded to the bar, there were three people sitting apart from each other taking up the entire length of the bar even though they were together. They moved over so we could take a seat.

We didn't order burgers although the Pop "mini" burgers (essentially White Castle-esque sliders) did sound appetizing. We chose the individual lobster nachos with guacamole ($15) and a side of French fries. I nightcapped it with a specialty cocktail, the Flirtini ($12), which was coyingly sweet and almost painful to drink.

The lobster nachos was basically a dollop of a mediocre lobster salad on a tortilla chip with no chunks of lobster to be seen. It tasted fine, and I probably enjoyed it more because I had a few drinks in me, but it was a pretty pathetic dish. The clear winner, however. was the French fries. Medium thickness (not shoestring or super skinny, but not steak fries) with a deep golden hue, these fries rocked. There wasn't a soggy one in the entire batch; every last fry was crispy and delicious.

As an added bonus, Pop Burger has great take-out and makes the perfect party food, as I experienced at a recent apartment get-together. Even though they weren't freshly-made, the sliders were quite good with a crispy brioche-like bun, shredded lettuce and a perfect little plum tomato slice. My only complaint was that the bun to meat ratio was completely off; fortunately, the bready bun was quite excellent on its own so the mini-burger still fares well.

Pop Burger would not be a destination for me. But those fries deserve recognition.