Claire Brings Her Own

I am Claire Kiefer and I love BYOB. I hope to share my experiences of eating food and enjoying friendship, while drinking wine that I bought at a different establishment.

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Brooklyn Bridge Park

Hood: DUMBO 

Cuisine: Champagne

Closest Liquor Store: David's man-satchel 

Star Rating: 10+ out of 5

Description: Getting engaged 

Bonus: David Forever  

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Gagopa Karaoke

Hood: Korea Town, NYC (28 West 32nd Street) 

Cuisine: No Cuisine, just Singing 

Closest Liquor Store: My recommendation is to get your goods before coming to this neighborhood, because prices are high in midtown manhattan

Star Rating: 5 out of 5

Description: This is a BYOB Karaoke venue. It's wonderful! For some odd reason, you can bring Beer, Wine, Champagne, and Sake. However, no Liquor. Don't tempt it, they search your bag. Large groups welcome. 

Bonus: They charge you per person per minute. So friends can come and go and you get billed accordingly. Very fair! 

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Lucali

Hood: Carroll Gardens, BK (575 Henry Street) 

Cuisine: Pizza

Closest Liquor Store: Carroll Gardens Wine & Liquor, Scotto's Wine Cellar, and others 

Star Rating: 6+ out of 5

Description: As my rating suggests, this place is exceptionally good! No wonder the Queen Bey herself makes the trek to eat here. I think it's how she keeps her figure. One can only order few things on the menu. Pizza with various toppings of your choice (Basil and Garlic come free if you desire them which I imagine you must desire them because of their taste) And the CALZONE! Eat the Calzone with all the sauce you can possibly load and then order some more sauce to add to your next piece of Calzone. 

Bonus: You can call ahead to put your name down since there is always a wait, you can drink outside while you are waiting for your table, and you can watch-a the pizz-a being-a made-a!

What a pie!

What a slice!

What excited faces!

Someone's happy!

David likey pizza

Marry me Calzone, I'll take good care of you. 

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SPECIAL TRAVEL EDITION - CALIFORNIA! PARKSIDE CAFE

Hood: Stinson Beach, CA!

Cuisine: American 

Closest Liquor Store: Don's Bolinas Liquor (18 Brighton Ave) or have one of your friends bring 12 bottles (or more?) in her car. 

Star Rating: 5+ out of 5

Description: A magical lagoon-filled bachelorette weekend with women off a winding road would not be complete without a BYOB dinner. Thank you to Emily for setting this up and negotiating a $10 corkage fee for each bottle. I don't really have any pictures of the food, but you can see some below the smiling faces. I recommend eating here though! And going to Stinson Beach! Also, our waiter's wife (girlfriend?) worked in town and sold us friendship bracelets just two days before! I don't remember how this was discovered. 

Bonus: Is a corkage fee really a corkage fee when it isn't on your bill?

                                            THE WOMAN

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SPECIAL TRAVEL EDITION: Pho Ha

Hood: Philadelphia (610 Washington Avenue)

Cuisine: Vietnamese/Pho House Baby

Closest Liquor Store: Wine and Spirits Shoppe (1237 S 11th Street). This is not exactly "close by" so please think about when/where you need to purchase your booze before you head out. 

Star Rating: 4 out of 5

Description: This is my second Philadelphia post and it won't be my last. The city of womanly love is filled with restaurants that don't have liquor licenses...so RUN don't walk for your next dinner date! Or take a $13 Bolt Bus ride! Pho Ha is easy and simple. Lots of table, lots of light, friendly (fearful?) waitstaff, and no music. Just the sound of happy slurping. You can make your own Pho or go with their set choices. Small bowls are $6.50 and a large will cost you an extreme 30 cents more. Either way, you won't finish your meal, both sizes are massive. Also, they close somewhere between the hours of 830pm and 930pm and start to give you "leave now please and pay in the back" signals mid-meal (see last photo below for evidence). 

Bonus: You may be so happy and phull with your Prosecco, Pho and Philawomen that you miss a concert. 

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Limon

Hood: Kips Bay (238 East 24th Street)

Cuisine: Middle Eastern/Turkish/Mediterranean

Closest Liquor Store: Welcome Wine & Spirits (424 2nd Avenue)

Star Rating: 4+ out of 5

Description: Who goes to Kips Bay? Why is it called Kips Bay? Honestly though, I don't think I've ever been to this neighborhood or that block. If you ever find yourself here or live in this neighborhood (anyone??), go to Limon. It's small and lovely. Their menu looks like any Mediterranean menu, but it's fancier. See our dipping sampler photo below for evidence. We also got something called Karides Guvec, which is "baked shrimp, mushroom, red pepper, onion, and tomato casserole topped with melted Turkish kasar cheese and served with Turkish rice." And grilled calamari and something else delicious. All displayed in the foreground of the high quality photo of Hannah and I below. 

Bonus: Round 2 Valentine's Day Dinner with my lovers and their lovers minus my lover.

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Tartine

Hood: West Village (253 West 11th Street)

Cuisine: French

Closest Liquor Store: Manley's Wine and Spirits (35 8th Avenue)

Star Rating: 5 out of 5

Description: Tartine is small and fabulous. We went early (6:45pm) to avoid waiting, This was a good call as we were able to enjoy a leisurely meal until 2 hours later when the staff tried to offer us paper cups to take our wine to go as a way of getting us out. To be fair, we were done with our meal and on our third bottle. Anyway, the food was amazing. Things ordered: Tuscan Kale Salad, Artichoke Gratin, Bouche (chicken filled pastry puff, yum), Sauteed Chicken w/ Lemon and Garlic, Thyme Roasted Salmon, Chocolate Cake, and Creme Brulle. I really want to go back. 

Bonus: It feels cool when other people want to be sitting down in the restaurant that only seats 20 and you are one of those people. 

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Alachi Masala

Hood: Upper West Side (488 Amsterdam Avenue between W 83 & W 84)

Cuisine: Indian

Closest Liquor Store: Mitchell's Wine and Liquor (200 W 86)

Star Rating: 4+ out of 5

Description: I don't think I know how to discern good Indian food from bad Indian food and always think it's great. FYI. However, we all really enjoyed our meal and thought it tasted delicious. In addition to some standards, we got Chicken Makhani (butter chicken) as guided by Erin and it was excellent. 

Bonus: once your clinical group, always your clinical group

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Oaxaca

Hood: Various Locations. This was in Park Slope (250 4th Avenue)

Cuisine: Mexican

Closest Liquor Store: Brooklyn Barrel (252 4th Avenue)

Star Rating: 5 out of 5

Description: Tacos are good and yummy. Corn with cheese aioli is good and yummy. It's also very affordable. Eat and drink here before and after da clubs. 

Bonus: wall art = bottle opener

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Chez Jose

Hood: Williamsburg (@ Lake Trout, 160 Havemeyer Street)

Cuisine: Farm to Table

Closest Liquor Store: Nini's Wine Cellar (132 Havemeyer Street)

Star Rating: 5+ out of 5

Description: This was pretty sweet. Two chefs create this 8-course meal two nights week, with two different seatings (7pm, 9pm) for $55 per person. It's a very intimate environment, with room for about 16 guests total. Unfortunately, I went over a month ago and can't give a detailed description of the delicious food we ate. Things remembered: an incredible corn/lobster chowder served in mini cups, the best whole beet I've ever eaten, this insane dish of rice with dry mushrooms and then the chef pours hot butter on it in front of you, bread with butter that doesn't taste like normal butter, and lots of other things that I wish I could tell you. I highly recommend doing this, the food kept coming and it kept on being great. 

Bonus: When you make a reservation with Chez Jose ([email protected]), he sends you a secret email with the location. This makes you feel special. Though, I just told you where it is. 

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Kuma Inn

Hood: Lower East Side (113 Ludlow Street)

Cuisine: Filipino

Closest Liquor Store: September Wines (100 Stanton Street) plus a lot of other places

Star Rating: 4+ out of 5

Description: The sister restaurant of Brooklyn's Umi Nom (see post! http://clairebringsherown.tumblr.com/post/22148202214/umi-nom) Go to address above, follow the dark creepy stairway with no signage and ye shall find a food oasis. Reservations recommended. We had trouble deciding what not to order. Everything is for sharing and loving. Some highlights: special pork buns, grilled octopus, filipino chicken wings, coconut rice, AND YOU MUST GET the arroz valenciana. Dessert was awesome too: coconut lemon panna cotta and pan-fired plantains with  mango and caramel. Minor downsides: $5 corkage fee and you can't linger forever since they need the tables. 

Bonus: Women Love 4Eva

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Kaz Au Nou

Hood: Park Slope/Prospect Heights (53 6th Avenue between Dean and Bergen)

Cuisine: French West Indian, Creole

Closest Liquor Store: Sip Fine Wine (67 5th Avenue), Gary's Wine and Liquor (80 St. Marks)

Star Rating: 5+ out of 5

Description: After attempting to go here several times on weekends and the wait being too long, at long last the time had cometh! Even on a Wednesday night, this place was completely full. I think this is a good sign. The small menu is mighty. The lights are dim. The one waiter is kind. Appetizers consumed: escargots (classy?) and maple roasted pears with blue cheese (highly recommend). Entrees consumed: shrimp and dumpling in spicy sauce and smoked jerk chicken (yes). 

Bonus: Romance! Also, you are literally right next to the police station so if any crime should come to you during the course of your meal, they are on it. 

Pears

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Aaheli

Hood: Hell's Kitchen (826 9th Avenue between West 54th & 55th)

Cuisine: Indian

Closest Liquor Store: Ninth Avenue Wine (860 9th Avenue at West 56th)

Star Rating: 4+ out of 5

Description: This lovely little hole in the wall is only given a B rating from the Dept of Health, but I think this is a grave injustice to society and the restaurant's owner. The food was delicious! Who cares if there are potential health hazards!? I believe the first picture is called Bhelpuri, puffed rice with tamarind sauce. Yum. There was also your standard getting tikki with it, saag it to me, garlic naan o' war, and the easily pronounced Hyderabadi Bhagara Baingain (eggplant). Then ice cream for dessert. One given to us for FREE. Flavors: mango and pistachio. 

Bonus: Look no further for the most beautiful eyes you've ever seen - the waiter. 

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Amarin Cafe

Hood: Greenpoint/Williamsburg (617 Manhattan Avenue)  

Cuisine: Thai

Closest Liquor Store: Greenpoint Wine & Liquor (89 Nassau Avenue)

Star Rating: 3+ out of 5 (This was hard for me. Lowest score I've ever done, but please don't let this change your decision about dining here.)

Description: Not sure what to say here. It was OK Thai food. I wouldn't get the "fresh" spring roll. Fake duck with pineapple was yummy. Same for noodles. For what it is lacking in ambience, it makes up for in friendly staff that don't rush you out. It is also cheap. 

Bonus: You get to ride the G?

Johann is so excited to be spending a quality meal together!

fake duck on left, noodles on right

I'm wondering why David decided to buy the worst wine in the world

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Bellini

Hood: Upper West Side (483 Columbus Avenue Between 83rd and 84th)

Cuisine: Italian

Closest Liquor Store: West Side Wines (481 Columbus Avenue) and 86th Corner Wines (536 Columbus Avenue)

Star Rating: 4 out of 5

Description: We went here some months ago and then our pictures of the dinner were lost in a phone that was lost in a cab. Alas. However, it was a lovely Italian meal with pasta, pizza, and some more carbs to start off with. Also, we sat outside in the front so we could watch people go by instead of having to make conversation.

Bonus: The people next to you could be rather friendly and want to do everything like you, so they order the same exact dishes as you.

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SPECIAL EDITION: PHILADELPHIA - EFFIES

Hood: Philadelphia (1127 Pine Street)

Cuisine: Greek

Closest Liquor Store: Fine Wines and Good Spirits (1111 Locust Street). Located within a fine restaurant.

Star Rating: 4+ out of 5

Description: What is only a short two hour bus ride away that is filled with happiness and joy and friendship? The city of Brotherly love?! Why yes! It also has strict liquor laws apparently, so many many many restaurants are BYO! Effies was wonderful. Delicious hummus, a bomb salad, crispy fries with lemon sauce, chicken skewers, and the usual greek fare list goes on. We over order. And drank a lot. Go here. Make a reservation.

Bonus: Large parties of young sorority folk sit down next you and you can mock them quietly.  

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Cuban Pete's

Hood: Montclair, New Jersey Baby! (28 Bloomfield Avenue)

Cuisine: Cuban

Closest Liquor Store: 1) Amanti Vino (30 Church Street); 2) Romany Liquor Shop (227 Glenridge Avenue)

Star Rating: 5 out of 5

Description:  Little known fact - Montclair, New Jersey is teeming with BYOBs. It's also really easy to get to on NJ transit and you get to feel one with the true commuters on it after a hard days work. Cuban Pete's is really big with great decorations and an exciting atmosphere. Not only have you gone to Jersey, but also a short/legal trip to Havana! They have a lot of yummy tapas like manchego cheese and spinach empanadas, goat cheese fritters with honey, bite sized cuban sandwiches, and ham croquettas. Entrees include a wide range of Cuban specialties with mostly meat options. All are served with coconut rice and yamas or black beans and sweet plantains. You can also order a pitcher of their virgin sangria and put your own wine in it. 

Bonus: Authentic NJ mob members sit right next to you! (see photo)