Nixta Sinks

Bye bye, Tasty Tiger

A mere month after I had written about how delicious the food at Tigerland is, I got an e-mail from Miranda, the Cupcake Mistress, that the place was closing down and that this Sunday (well, today, in other words) is the last day.

Dani and I decided immediately to eat there every evening until the place closed down.

Alice, who introduced us to Tigerland a while back, and who must be credited with discovering the place for this circle of jerks (not least because she actually did discover it for us, but also because she gets really REALLY upset if you even accidentally insinuate an affinity with the place independently of her - then again she gets really REALLY upset at the prospect of Dani and me not having kids - a clear sign she's straight from Bizzaro World), has been in tears since.

I was going to list all the things Dani and I have eaten at Tigerland since Thursday, but it's too long. Suffice it to say we were still stuffed on Friday when we went in and had to limit ourselves to starters, then Saturday we skipped starters and had just two mains (one each - a restrained effort for us).

I'm starving myself today. Tonight will be a massive blow-out.

A sad day.

Here are the things I will miss:

• Miranda's Cupcakes
• June's Sangria
• Shaking Beef
• Caramelised Shrimp
• Heritage Pork
• Shiitake Fried Rice
• Ginger Soda

I hold the incessant gentrification of the East Village to blame. I've been part of that and it's going to bite me on the ass soon because my rent's about to go up to a level I can't justify, but it's always been important to me to support local businesses, particularly good ones. But if a Landlord decides to fuck everyone over by shooting the rent through the roof, what can you do? It's time to despair that everything is normal again.

Labels: cupcakes, despair, hunger, tigerland

Tigerland. It's Grrrrrrreat!

On Thursday, the DMC and I went out to meet our new chum from the beach house, a man of some considerable foodie heritage and knowledge and not a little professional experience, Larrold (or Larry), for sangria and burgers. Since we wanted the best of both we started with sangria at Tigerland which, if I haven't written about it before, I'm going to recommend thoroughly right now.

Go there. Eat there. If it's the only restaurant you hit when you're next in New York, so be it. Mention us for extra credit and friendliness. Tigerland. Yum. Get the shaking beef. Get the spring rolls. Get the shrimp and bacon. Get the Shiitake Fried Rice. Get the home-made cupcakes. Every penny is well spent, even if you can't eat it and have to take it home.

It's an organic restaurant with its roots firmly in Thai food, although the chef trained in Paris. It's not the organic that draws us to it (as I mentioned to Larry, it's just a great bonus), nor really the Thai (though that's nice too). Not even the admirable way they source the food locally and in person. No. It's just so damned good. In fact, it's amazing. And to boot, their sangria is fantastic as well.

Following on from that, we were set on the new best burger in town, according to the New York Times. Dani had read about it a while back and we've been meaning to try it, so Larry's jaunt down from the hell that is the upper west-side was purposefully for a visit to Royale on Avenue C.

The burger (image gratuitously nicked from eater.com til I get my own)

Our walk up from Tigerland was surprising. Avenue C, which I had last visited about a year ago, had progressed from fledgling gentrification into a fully-matured and thoroughly happening strip of packed bar after packed bar. Royale was perversely empty, although the NYT review explains why - aside from the burgers, it's a very ordinary place. However, contrast the bustle of Avenue C with the decline of Musical Box just a block away on B and there's surely a story there.

Anycrap, the burger was terrific. Spot on. Succinct, slightly smokey, not greasy, nor dry, and deliciously tender. Cooked, as the NYT review also mentioned, exactly as requested. We broke the cardinal rule of burgers and had wine with it, but who cares? Wine good. Burger perfect.

I finished it and, as Jonky Cat at Corner Bistro, wanted another. Where he had balls, I exercised restraint, and have been hankering for that second burger ever since. Tonight, I think, is the night. I'll probably get two.

Labels: burger, nyc, restaurant, royale, tigerland