Don’t ask me to pronounce the name of this restaurant.

I said don’t!

However you pronounce it, Oxomoco is worth the hype.

We showed up on a Saturday at peak brunch hour (around noon?) and while it was crowded, we were able to snag a table with no wait. I mean, we had to be gone by 1 pm to accommodate someone’s reservation.

I took this to mean “you are revolting and we don’t like you.”

But we were starving, so FINE!

(I read stories of several hour waits, so this was a relief).

We started with cocktails, naturally. My frozen watermelon margarita was excellent, not too sweet. The Bloody Maria was horseradish heavy, which I love.

The burger is only served at Brunch and so of course, I had to have it.

If it’s exclusive and overpriced, it has to be mine!

The burger, if you count the egg, is $22 bucks. Not the most expensive burger out there, but not exactly cheap.

But it’s perfection. Drenched in a mild enchilada sauce, this dish is presented to you stabbed to the heart with a big steak knife. The Enchilada sauce has the appearance of fresh blood.

My problem with theme burgers is that the dozens of accoutrements distract from your standard burger flavors.

If you’re craving a burger, you don’t order a burrito.

What Oxomoco does is merely enhance rather than overwhelm. At the heart of it, it’s still a burger and a damn good one.

When I looked around, I was not-so-secretly envious of everyone’s Bacon Burrito.

Once you get past the unnecessary garnish of pretty but pointless greenery, you get a very tasty, egg heavy breakfast burrito with hints of potato and bacon.

Many eateries will try to cram a ton of distractions into a breakfast burrito when what actually distinguishes this meal as breakfast is often hard to find.

Often you’ll encounter a meat and potato burrito with egg filling in the blanks.

The decor at Oxomoco is also gorgeous in that famous reclaimed everything Brooklyn way, definitely come there to impress someone (or yourself).

128 Greenpoint Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11222

oxomoconyc.com

Bacon Burrito – $18

Hamburguesa Pambazo – $19 ($23 w/ Egg)

Some food trends bore me to tears.

Others, I’m all here for.

Speaking of which, I’m 100% here for the simple, fast food take on gourmet burgers that are popping up everywhere.

Gone (hopefully) are the days of the boring enormous steakhouse burger.

There was a forgettable bun, a 10 inch tall flavorless patty of unnecessarily artisan meats, a thick slimy slice of tomato and a scant amount of pretentious cheese.

Basically, too many toppings that rendered actually eating this bland monstrosity with your hands impossible.

Perhaps this all started with the West Village’s Happy Endings bar with their faux In and Out Cheeseburger (which I did not care for)?

Then The Spaniard came out with a simple, cheesy cheeseburger of my very wettest dreams.

And then Chicago’s famed Au Cheval came to town with their legendary cheeseburger and it was all over.

Now it was time for the copycats.

Who are more than welcomed!

Keith McNally’s restaurants are all the same.

Gorgeous French Bistros.

All with, I think, the exact same menu. And the same moody antique yellow vibes and vintage Paris décor.

Boogie but still a touch casual. Always sporting a quite dense tourist population (Balthazar, Minetta Tavern).

Pastis (of Sex and the City fame) closed right before I moved to NYC, back in 2014.

I had always heard rumblings of it’s eventual return. Like an aging actress who had spent the past few years doing Hallmark movies but had a big indie film ready to explode upon the festival circuit.

And just this summer, that indie film came out.

And it was poignant.

I’m only going to comment on the burger. Because it was truly delicious.

And totally riding the simple, just cheese/meat/special sauce fast food train that has firmly arrived in New York City.

It was perfection (as were the fries).

May this train never leave.

52 Gansevoort St
New York, NY 10014 b/t Washington St & Greenwich St
West Village

pastisnyc.com

Tea and Sympathy is this quaint little café in the West Village that seems like it doesn’t really want you to come inside.

It’s tiny and cramped and always packed with people.

You know, the kind of place where the windows are always sweating?

Whenever I walk by, I try to guess exactly how hot it is and my answers are often over 120 degrees.

On top of that, there are some intimidating rules posted hastily on the front door (dubbed “Nicky’s Rules – they’re also printed on your menu) that give off the vibe that perhaps you’re intruding somewhere you don’t belong.

Basically, even though the place is called Tea and Sympathy, you can’t just order tea.

If you do, they will have zero sympathy for you.

And so will I, because I just warned you.

But once you get passed the rules, temperature and spatial limitations, the overall experience is still charming and the food (at least what we ordered) was delicious.

They have your typical British fare (shepherd’s pie, beans on toast, bangers & mash) but I think the thing to order is the Selection of Tea Sandwiches.

For about $15 you are presented with a huge assortment of coffin shaped sandwiches and they are all winners! The usual types are included; egg salad, chicken salad and cucumber cream cheese.

I ordered the sausage roll entrée (with mash and beans, $15.95) and it was enjoyable but not as good as the tea sandwiches.

I do think no matter what you order here, you’ll walk away satisfied.

As long as you haven’t broken any of Nicky’s Rules, that is.

I mean, they’re not too bad. Just basically reminding you that the waitstaff is always right, you must order $12.50 worth of food/drink per person and remember that tipping is customary in the US.

Basically, just reminding you how to eat at a restaurant like a human.

108 Greenwich Ave
New York, NY 10011 b/t Jane St & 12th St
West Village

(212) 989-9735

• Business website teaandsympathy.com

Hudson Yards gets a lot of flack for being “not of the people”.

And that assessment is not incorrect.

This enormous mall that bulldozed it’s way into a somewhat blank section of Manhattan and created it’s own neighborhood was not built for you.

The owners know you aren’t the ones shopping at Neiman Marcus or casually dining at Thomas Keller’s insanely priced Tak Room.

But you know what makes them such kind, thoughtful folks?

They built us Poors an H&M!

See? Something for everyone!

But they also gave us the Spanish Diner.

I have to admit, I am constantly charmed by the quite contrived Mercado Little Spain. Jose Andres’ answer to Eataly.

The place reminds me of how Spain would be presented to us if Disney’s Epcot center were built today. It’s cheesy and over the top and I do very much enjoy it.

I’ve eaten at several Hudson Yards restaurants and so far Spanish Diner is the only place serving delicious food at a decent price.

Must be a fluke!

And not only that, the portions are pretty enormous!

We took home leftovers of pretty much everything.

Make sure you order the gazpacho! It’s prepared tableside and so tasty!

Big warning about the Canelones Gratinados con higado de Pato, it’s RICH AF!

Probably one of the richest dishes I’ve ever had.

It’s basically these chicken, pork and duck liver enchiladas covered in béchamel and cheese! Very tasty but maybe share it with 1 or 12 other people.

Even if those other people aren’t even sitting with you.

347 10th Ave
New York, NY 10001 b/t 30th St & 31st St    

https://www.littlespain.com/restaurant/spanish-diner/