Kick'n it w/Keith McNally

Restaurateur, Keith McNally of Balthazar, Pastis, Schiller's Liquor Bar, Odeon, Lucky Strike, Morandi, Pravda, Minetta Tavern, and most recently (opened in February 2010), Pulino Bar & Pizzeria http://www.pulinosny.com/, brings affordability, great taste, and appealing eye candy to NYC’s East Village.

McNally’s baby resides on the notoriously busy corner of Houston & Bowery with downtown’s trendy crowd swarming on the street corner hoping to be seated inside (or out) to get a taste of Nate Appleman’s brick oven pizza and modern Italian antipasti (http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/pulinos-bar-pizzeria/menu).

Pulino’s corner is truly the crossroads between the Lower East Side (LES), SOHO, East Village, NoLita, and (Meat Packing’s rival), the Bowery. Seaming that it was a Saturday night between the hours of 8pm and 11pm in downtown Manhattan, I was surprised my mother and I were seated so quickly. It could have been the Hebrew connection we had with the Maitre D, or simply our modest party of 2 on such a busy night.

With Daniel Boulud’s more affordable (than Daniel), burger joint, DBGB (http://www.danielnyc.com/), across the street, Pulino’s competitive prices may also attract the price conscious customer. The rise of the sister restaurant has become more common in Manhattan over the past few years. As fashion designers create a sister line such as DKNY is to Donna Karan, or Polo is to Ralph Lauren, CK is to Calvin Klein, so too is DBGB to Daniel Boulud and Pulino to Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern. With antipasti ranging from $8.00 for the Roasted Olives (with dried fruit & almonds) to $15.oo for the Smoked Sablefish (with bottarga, celery, capers & dill)...The pizzas are priced anywhere from $9.00 for the Bianca (extra virgin olive oil & sea salt), to $18.00 for the Gamberi (rock shrimp, speck, tomato, garlic & oreganoand). The most expensive bites on the menu are $29.00 for the Roasted Scallops (with grapefruit, olives, shallots, herbs & radicchio) and the NY Strip (with anchovy butter, potatoes, rosemary & parmigiano). http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/pulinos-bar-pizzeria/menu

Pulino follows a similar model like sister restaurant, Schiller’s Liquor Bar, (http://www.schillersny.com/), where the wines are listed by category under the headings “cheap, decent, and good,” except at Pulino, if you opt to not buy a full bottle of wine, you have the option to get an 18 oz. carafe categorized under red/white, “light, medium, full body.” They are $18.00 and serve approximately three glasses of wine…AMAZING!