Only in New York (well maybe a few other places) can a restaurant open,  specialize in one food, and really perfect it. Everyone has seen the cupcake shops, dumpling houses, and whatnot…but a place specializing in meatballs is something that I wasn’t expecting.

That is not to say the meatball can’t be perfected, or that there can’t be many varieties…and that is exactly what the Meatball Shop brings to the table.

The Meatball Shop offers five types of meatballs.  Classic Beef, Spicy Pork, Chicken, Vegetable, and a Weekly Special.  You pick your meatballs, your sauce (Tomato, Meat, Mushroom, or Parmesan Cream), and then have to choose if you will have them on a sandwich (white or wheat) or in a bowl over a bed of something delicious.  The menus are all dry erase, and you check what you want and give it to your server.  Check out the menu here.

Anoop took me the Meatball Shop back on my birthday, and I’ve been dreaming of going back ever since.

I ordered Spicy Pork Meatballs w/classic tomato sauce, provolone cheese, on a whole wheat bread (sliders are also available, and they look adorable).   The sandwich was exactly what you would expect.  The meatballs were tender, cooked perfectly, and the combination I chose was just what I wanted.  Exactly what I expect when I order a classic meatball sandwich (something that I grew up eating).  I would be interested in trying the same combination with the beef meatballs, especially since I was inspired recently to take a stab at making my own.  There were so many combination that I don’t think eating meatballs could ever get old.

On top of it being a top notch sandwich you get an amazing side salad too!  At many restaurants the side salad is an after thought, but at the Meatball Shop I got delicious greens topped with Italian cheese, and a light but wonderful dressing.  This place gets points for presentation too.  It’s a $9 sandwich and salad, but it’s a lot of food…you won’t leave feeling hungry.

The Meatball Shop is a place you can bring just about anyone.  I mean it has vegetarian options, and it can satisfy even my picky family.  It’s comfort food, it’s Italian, and it’s unique.  Definitely worth a try, and after you go you will probably deem it worthy of at least a second or third visit  (I’m really into the idea of the meatball sandwich as comfort food).

Not only did this lunch prove to provide me with one sandwich…but actually two:

There is a much smaller desert menu, but it features a desert sandwich not to be missed…the ice cream sandwich.  This desert menu is set up the same way…pick your ice cream…pick your cookie.  We got Espresso ice cream smashed between chocolate chip cookies.  Perfect size for two people to share, and completely delicious.  A great way to end an already perfect lunch.

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The meatball sandwich and salad run $9, and the ice cream sandwich was $4.  Both well worth it.

The Meatball Shop is located
84 Stanton St
(between Allen St & Orchard St)
on the Lower East Side
New York, NY

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• this post is part of This Week In Sandwiches
  • all my food posts can be found here.

Colorado has been producing a good number of wonderful musicians over the past couple years (ie see M. Pyres!), and one that I started to follow last year was the Fort Collin’s Candy Claws.

Candy Claws have been lumped into the whole chillwave genre that has evolved over the past couple of years, but in actuality they have been making music since 2006.  Hidden Lands, their new album, will be released on August 3rd on Two Syllables, this will be their second full length (third if you include the rarities).

Hidden Lands, much like their previous album In the Dream Of Sea Life(which seems to make it’s way back into my listening rotation at least once a month since I discovered it) in the sense that are both soundtracks written to go along with books. Hidden Lands is said to be  ”A musical companion to Richard M. Ketchum’s book, “The Secret Life of the Forest.”

It’s interesting that Candy Claws say they make musical companions,because in reality I feel that is the most accurate description for their music…they illustrate with sound.  Their music is heavily based in keyboards, electronics, and synths which they use to create lush soundscapes.  In “Sunbeam Show” you can even hear what appears to be bird sounds intermingled into their orchestral like arrangements that encompass you and bring you to a far off place.  This is one of my favorite bands to listen to when I’m reading, especially in the park (man, I wish that happened more often).  The “Sunbeam Show” is the first single to emerge from Hidden Lands, and leaves an air of mystery to the LP (an LP I think will be hitting year end lists).

[mp3] Candy Claws- “Sunbeam Show”

I can’t wait to see this Hidden Lands on vinyl…I’m sure it will be glorious…the band should have CDs on their current tour.  See the tour dates below.

If you haven’t already snagged their great rarities download called Glacier Prey do that now:

[free album download] Candy Claws- Glacier Prey

Or expierence the wonderful world of In the Dream of Sea Life…which I highly recommend it.  A beautiful album overlooked by way too many.  Buy/stream  it here.

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Candy Claws have ventured out from Colorado to play for us on the East Coast!

• Tonight, July 13th 2010- New York, NY @ Pianos w/ We Are Country Mice
• Wednesday July 14th, 2010- Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands w/ Pepper Rabbit, Blair, Baby Alpaca

and the Midwest too:

• 7/16 – The Cave – Chicago, IL
• 7/17 – The Empty Bottle – Chicago, IL w/ BEST COAST!!!!
• 7/19 – Vaudville Mews – Des Moines, IA
• 7/20 – Record Bar – Kansas City, MO
• 7/22 – Skylark Lounge – Denver, CO
• 7/24 – Capital Hill House – Seattle, WA
• 7/26 – Rotture – Portland, OR
• 7/28 – The Hemlock – San Francisco, CA
• 7/29 – Crepe Place – Santa Cruz, CA
• 7/30 – Spaceland – Los Angeles, CA
• 7/31 – Beauty Bar – Las Vegas, NV

One of Candy Claws cars just burned to the ground in an accident….thankfully everyone is safe.  If you see them on these live dates buy some merch, and help them out!  Or donate to help them here.

Candy Claws is not to be missed at these very rare NYC shows…get out there and see them!

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• Candy Claws was just on p4k’s RISING.
• more on Candy Claws here.
• band photos by Matthew Sage. Backgrounds and layout by Ryan/Candy Claws

L’Asso has been one of my favorite places for pizza here in Manhattan for years, and recently we have been ordering the Puta di Mare (a shrimp and broccoli rabe pie with an artichoke sauce), but the past three or four times we haven’t been able to get out of the restaurant with out ordering their Arugula salad.

Ok, I know with a name like Arugula you are probably thinking that it can’t be that special, but I’ll assure you that you are wrong.  This salad consists of arugula, pears, crispy pancetta, candied walnuts, ricotta salata, white wine vinegar, and a little bit of honey.

If the mounds of ricotta salata wasn’t enough to make your mouth water the combination of fresh pear, walnut brittle and pancetta should do it.  The flavor combination on this salad is hard to match, and everyone I’ve shared it with has been equally impressed.

The Arugula salad is pretty expensive, $14, but like I said it’s big enough to share.  Last visit to L’Asso four of us shared this salad…it was big enough for all of us to have decent sized portions, but still have room for the enormous pizza we ordered.

It’s odd for me to gush over a salad (but I do have very fond things to say about the Habitat’s Butter, Bacon and Blue salad), but this one is truly top notch.  A great accompaniment to any pie or pasta you might be ordering, and extremely unique.  I highly recommend it, and even say you are missing out if you go to L’Asso and you don’t order it. It’s not just for salad lovers…this one can impress just about anyone.

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L’Asso is located at
192 Mott Street
at the corner of Kenmare
NoLita, Manhattan

The Arugula salad is $14, and once again it is big enough to share.

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• more of my musings on food can be found here.

Rye is located on the south side of Williamsburg and has been getting press for a while, much of it due to their meat loaf sandwich.  I can honestly say that the SANDWICH in general is one of  my favorite foods (tacos and dumplings are up there too).  Since I started eating meat again, about a year and a half ago, I’ve been open to many more sandwiches, and this is one not to be missed.

Before I move on to the meat loaf itself I would like to let you know about the dining experience at Rye.  Rye is a large restaurant in a more or less unmarked store front on South 1st Street in Williamsburg.  The location is so nondescript that we almost missed it when trying to eat here (beware the buildings are numbered strangely on this blog of South 1st).  The restaurant is dimly lit, with candles on the tables, and has a very romantic vibe.  The wait staff was friendly and informative making the dining experience pretty much perfect.  I hate to compare places to Diner (my favorite), but overall Rye has a similar vibe…maybe even a better date spot than Diner (just due to the romantic nature of the space).

klk and I ordered a lot of food this night including a salad (it slips my mind the exact details of this), a scallop over pork belly with sauteed greens (one of the appetizer specials of the night),  arctic char over a bed of quinoa and beets (also a special, and a very nice piece of fish), a fancy cocktail and a beer (a wonderful cocktail list, and a small but well curated  selection of beers), some fries, and of course the meat loaf sandwich.

All of the food was wonderful, and we were completely impressed.  The scallop/ pork belly appetizer was something really special from the presentation: a single scallop balanced  on top of a choice cut of pork belly, to the taste….perfectly cooked to the point where it almost melted in your mouth.  The arctic char was a big piece of fish which was both tasty and healthy.  The only thing we regretted ordering were the fries, and they were damn good fries too, but we had already consumed so much food.

But now on to the  glazed meat loaf sandwich.

I had seen a picture of this sandwich online and in magazines, and from that moment I knew I had to eat it.  I had no idea what was in it until I did a little more research, and it is a sandwich that includes duck, veal, pork, and shortrib.  Kind of intense for the one time vegetarian, but it is an experience I’m happy say that I’ve tried.

When I think of meat loaf I think of a slice cut off a much larger loaf, but in this sandwich you get an individually made meat loaf stuck on a delicious roll, and topped with crispy buttermilk fried onion rings.  A taste over load.

You can try to compare this sandwich to a burger, but the complexity and density can’t be matched.  This is one of those sandwiches that I feel everyone should experience.  It’s almost too decadent of a sandwich, and similar to a burger in this way, that one can only be consumed every once and a while.  While the sandwich appears to be expensive, $14, it is a huge portion of food.  I was a little surprised that it was served whole, but I guess you need to admire the size of it before you eat it.  I cut the sandwich in half because I thought  I would look ridiculous picking up something so large in a place that felt fancy.

Eating it was both wonderful and a task.  If you don’t pace yourself you won’t be able to finish it.  I’m sure it makes for good leftovers, but for me I was particularly hungry that night.  Even for the hungry it is a large meal to finish.

The texture of the meat loaf it’s self was a little more dense and juicy than I expected.   The meat and the spices seemed to only complement each other, and I think I can safely say it was the best meat loaf I’ve ever had.  The icing on the cake (or sandwich in this case) was it’s  selection of, what I think were, house made pickles.  A nice addition to the presentation, and my plate had not just one type of pickle, but three made in different brines.

Even though I don’t plan to eat another glazed meat loaf sandwich for a while I know at some point I will end up craving this unique sandwich, and at that point I know where to go.   An amazing experience, and if you are up for the challenge of this monster of a sandwich you should definitely head over to Rye.

Rye is a great dining experience, and a must try for those interested in creative dishes (even if you don’t order this sandwich I just raved about).  We were really impressed by the specials, and after tasting two non-menu items  I’m really looking forward to going back.

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Rye is located at
247 S 1st St
(between Roebling St & Havemeyer St)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

check out their menu here.

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We will see if I can keep up, but I’m trying to incorporate food and beer posts into the Great Pumpkin once a week now.  While they both won’t happen every week it’s something that I feel strongly about getting back to the diversity that I had when I started this blog.  Cheers,

• more of my food posts can be found here.
• Photo via Serious Eats.

Cold Cave have a real treat in store for NYC tonight, and that is that they are releasing a super limited cassette, New Morale Leadership, in an edition of 300 copies (one hundred of each of the above, thanks mbv) that will  be available at tonight’s show at Le Poisson Rouge as well as on their upcoming European tour (and maybe select record stores….if there are any left).

Cold Cave have been busy since their signing to Matador with several 12″s to follow the wonderful Love Comes Close 12″ of last year.  Cold Cave’s dark wave synth pop is something that could only be created from a background in punk rock, hardcore, and noise music.   Wesley Eisold, Dominick Fernow, and Caralee McElroy  create a unique blend of these heavier styles styles that culminates to create dance floor sensation.

The newest release by Cold Cave (besides the tape mentioned above) will be a remix 12″ of their wonderful “Life Magazine” which set to be released on June 22nd by Matador.  Here is the original:

[mp3] Cold Cave- “Life Magazine”

MBV was able to bring us two remix tracks from this upcoming record, but reworkings of “Life Magazine.”  The 12″ will feature remixes by Optimo (a Glassgow DJ duo), harsh noise pioneer Prurient (aka Dominck Fernow, who is also a member of Cold Cave), ambient house musician Pantha du Prince, and the famed Arthur Baker (known for his work with Afrika Bambaataa and New Order).

[mp3] Cold Cave- “Life Magazine (Pantha Du Prince First Flash Remix)”

Arthur Baker’s use of Caralee McElroy’s vocals on this second remix is just killing me.  Pretty much amazing.

[mp3] Cold Cave- “Life Magazine(Arthur Bakers’ Not Going Back Remix)”

• Buy Cold Cave’s Love Comes Close (and eventually the Life Magazine Remixes) here.

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Again Cold Cave performs tonight, April 29th, at Le Poisson Rouge w/ Cult of Youth, Beaut, Max, and one of my favorite radio DJ’s Michael Goodstein of Choking on Cufflinks (WFMU).

• Buy tickets here.

While you are there snag one of those super limited Cold Cave tapes.  Should be a great show.  I won’t be able to make it, but  I’ll be trying to get a copy of that tape through much less direct avenues (for those not going who want a copy… I’m checking Other Music, Academy Annex, and Hospital Productions…those places tend to get the hard to find plastic).

UPDATE: New Morale Leadership cassettes are available in person at Hospital Productions (one per person), and on Cold Cave’s upcoming European tour only.

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• more on Cold Cave can be found here.

I’ve been following DOM ever since I heard their first single “Jesus,” and this week marks a big event for this young band….not only will it be their first show in New York it will also be the release of their brand new EP Sun Bronzed Greek Gods coming out this Thursday on Burning Mill Records on cassette (available now), CD on April 1st, and vinyl on May 1st.

DOM’s ’80s laced singles have been an integral part of playlists and mixes for me over the past couple months.  ”Burn Bridges” probably being my favorite so far of this sparkling basement party pop.  Originally a stream only track (that I posted here) it has since been on P4kast as a download:

[mp3] DOM- “Burn Bridges”

These mp3s have been so good that I’m really excited to hear this music on vinyl, and see how it comes across live…a blissed out explosion of electronics, or a heavier more rock driven live band?  We will see soon enough.

DOM’s  Sun Bronzed Greek Gods EP  is available here on tape (CD is out tomorrow, vinyl out May 1st), and they will be hitting NYC for their first live show tomorrow, April 1st.

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DOM will be accompanied by fellow Worcestians’ Golden Girls.  I just grabbed the new Golden Girls track this past weekend when “Newports” started showing up on several sites that I read (Get Off the Coast, p4k, White Guys With Beards…so much so that I actually downloaded the track twice).  These two bands show that Worcester has several different sides.

Golden Girls bringing guitar driven indie rock.  It brings to mind the 90′s, the likes of Pavement and Archers of Loaf  with a heavy layer of classic rock, or maybe the word I’m looking for is cock rock (and I mean that in the nicest way possible), that really shows in the guitar solos.    ”Newports” shows off the bands talent, and I’m really happy to hear a new band that is using vocals that aren’t totally distorted, and if one thing is for sure these dudes know how to play those guitars.  Sometimes it just so nice to hear good straight up rock and roll.

[mp3] Golden Girls- “Newport”

“Newports” is from Golden Girls upcoming ULTIMATE FREEDOM 7″ which will also be released on Burning Mill Records.  You will eventually be able to buy that here.

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After hearing this new Golden Girls track I’m even more exited about this:

WOCESTER INVADES New York: DOM and Golden Girls live:

• Thursday April 1st @ Pianos- New York, NY
• Monday April 5th @ Cake Shop- New York, NY
  • both bands have other shows planned as well
    • DOM’s tour dates can be found here.
    • Golden Girls tour dates can be found here.

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• more on DOM (mp3s, streams, reviews) can be found here.
• Golden Girls photo by Jon Turcotte

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Update:

DOM’s Sun Bronzed Greek Gods Cassette has already sold out.

While it seems that most of the world has been partying at SXSW some bands have actually been on tour playing a different city every night.  One of those bands being the Box Elders, who happen to be on tour with Black Lips.

Box Elders released a wonderful 7″ of self proclaimed Cave Pop in 2008 (which is shockingly still available through Grotto Records), and followed it up with a excellent first LP, Alice and Friends, on Memphis’ Goner Records.

“Hole In My Head” was the first single (on both of the above mentioned records), and I found myself singing a lot last spring while riding my bike.  While Cave Rock might seem like something dark, Box Elders present it in a way that seems cool and damp.  ”Hole In My Head”  is the song that got this band stuck on many music fans iPods, and turntables, and it’s garage rock meets almost a Mammas and the Pappas retro haze.

[mp3] Box Elders- “Hole In My Head”

Alice & Friends carried on this tradition, and I’m excited to get the chance to see them play all of these songs live.  Their live shows are intense, with every member of the band completely enthralled in the music.  Alice & Friends brought a slight calypso tone to the drums at times, and some girl group backing vocals were thrown in to reinforce that same quirky 60′s influenced rock n’ roll that we have come to expect from these Omaha, Nebraska natives.   The title track of the record is named after the bands favorite vegan BBQ restaurant, and comes early on the album…it is a perfect example of Box Elders light hearted hazy rock and roll that I expect will rock Black Lips fans live:

[mp3] Box Elders- “Alice and Friends”

• Both songs are from Alice and Friends.
  • Buy Alice and Friends here.

I’m a little nervous to see them in a venue like Brooklyn Bowl or Bowery Ballroom after the magic of their intimate performance at Bruar Falls last March, and if you share this sentiment you are in luck because the first stop on the Box Elders NYC stint in back at Bruar Falls (without Black Lips).

Whether they are dressed in loin cloths, capes, or just regular clothes it’s sure to be an awesome show…and make sure to keep an eye on their drummer…he is a mad man on both keyboards and drums all at the same time.  Box Elders prove that Saddle Creek isn’t the only thing coming out of Omaha.

I just got my bike back from the shop, and plan on belting out some Box Elders on my way to the show…tomorrow is going to be fun.

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• Tonight: 3/22/10- Brooklyn @ Bruar Falls
• Tomorrow: 3/23/10- Brooklyn @ Brooklyn Bowl (w/ Black Lips)
  
  • tickets here.
    
• Wednesday: 3/24/10- Manhattan @ Bowery Ballroom (w/ Black Lips)
  • tickets here.
• all other tour dates can be found here.
  

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• more on Box Elders here.
• more on Goner Records here.

Cloud Nothings are coming back to New York shortly after the release of Turning On, and this time it is to play with Alex Bleeker and the Freaks (and Beach Fossiles).  I’ve listen to Turning On more times than I can count on my headphones since I got it at the beginning of December (see my post on Turning On here), and I’m ready to see what it sounds like live.  Cloud Nothings’ Turning On is almost sold out at Bridgetown records, and Speaker Tree Records, out of Lynchberg, Virginia is planning to release it on LP toward the end of February (with an extra track).

Breakfast of Champs have posted a newish mp3 from Cloud Nothings that will be on their forthcoming compilation:

[mp3] Cloud Nothings- “Crying Underwater”
(eventually it will be available here)

On top of Cloud Nothings….Alex Bleeker is playing too…

When I got to see Alex Bleeker play with Mountain Man back in December (actually the same weekend I got the Cloud Nothings CD) it was a truly surreal event. Alex Bleeker played a beautiful set, and his only backing musicians were the women from Mountain Man. The crowd was the most respectful I’ve ever seen in New York, and let the quietness and intimacy of the Lutheran Church of the Messiah, as well as the music itself, shine. As wonderful of an experience as that was I’m looking forward to seeing him backed by the Freaks.  But we do have this mp3 to remember that event by, thanks to Chocolate Bobka:

[mp3] Alex Bleeker w/ Molly Sarle of Mountain Man- “Oh, Boy (Girls cover)”
recorded live at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah. via Chocolate Bobka.

Saturday should be fun…you should be there:

Presented by Chocolate Bobka & Group Tightener:
This Saturday, January 16th
Beach Fossils.
Alex Bleeker & the Freaks.
Cloud Nothings.
Nude Beach.
at Monster Island Basement.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Links:

• Buy Cloud Nothings’ Turning On from Bridgetown Records here.
• more on Cloud Nothings here.
• more on Alex Bleeker and the Freaks here.
• Buy the Alex Bleeker & The Freaks LP from Underwater Peoples here.
• more on Group Tightener Records here.