Cheap Eats - One Mile House NYC

Ever since I wandered into One Mile House NYC while waiting for the Moon Taxi show back in December, I have been curious about this place. First of all, how did I not notice that there is a cool pub right next door to Bowery Ballroom? And it's been open almost a year? I guess by the time I reach the front door of the BB I've been pre-gaming elsewhere, and my vision has been too hazy to realize it. Well tonight was different. I was on a mission, and with a Christopher Owens (of Girls fame) show in my future I was ready to grub and booze up before groovin' out to that sultry jazz flute (I snapped a couple of pics at the show which you can check out below).

I didn't have a chance to try the food last time I went to One Mile House NYC, but I was intrigued by their menu which had included playful shared plates like Cheddar Bacon Matzoballs and Buffalo Fried Frogs Legs plus wood-fired pizzas among your typical bar food favorites. That said, when I came back there were no Buffalo Fried Frogs Legs on the menu anymore (Not to mention no Oyster Sliders, no Salt & Vinegar Pork Rinds . . .you guys really need to change your menu online! You had two disappointed ladies in house on Monday night!) BUT it was okay we made do with what we had.

The menu still boasted a few interesting dishes, and HOLY SH*T! CHECK OUT THAT TAP LIST! The beer list alone makes this place worth visiting. Another fun fact: If you use Foursquare on your phone, you can "Check In" and get a free 12 oz. beer of the bartender's choice. This was especially lucky for me on Monday when my friend Rachel decided she was too hungover to drink her freebie. Score 2 free Foursquare beers for me! The one downside is, I have no idea what the beer was! I will tell you it was deliciously hoppy and seemed to have a nice alcohol content because I was feeling good by the time we headed next door for the show.

For food, we settled on the Shortrib Stroganoff Pierogies ($12), a veggie bar pizza pie ($11) and an order of the Mexican flatbread ($9). The portions on these were pretty good for the most part. The Pierogies were a small dish (which was a bummer because they were the best bite of the night), but our waitress thought to warn us about that. We must have looked hella hungry. These were so yummy. The dough to meat ratio was perfect, the outside was just crispy enough without being too greasy, and the Porcini cream and herbs on top were dope as hell. DOOOPE.

Next up was the Bar Pie. I liked this dish fine, though it was definitely not the best pizza I've ever had. This pizza had a nice char on the crust which I appreciated, and the toppings were generous. It featured tomatoes, portabello mushrooms, spinach, ricotta, provolone cheese and cracked black pepper. The portion on this one is awesome for sharing and could have easily been split between three people if you were getting another dish. That said, me and Rach are effin' fatties and left one piece behind (which I considered eating, but opted to be a lady instead.) This pie could have benefited from some spice. It was lacking the heat I wanted, but I think the fresh veggies were awesome and it was a really nice looking pizza, especially for a bar.

The last dish was recommended by our waitress (who's lack of enthusiasm was somehow endearing. No seriously, this chick was like, so chill about everything, that at first I thought she hated her station in life. But then I thought, "Maybe she's just been listening to Tame Impala all day?" She was an enigma, much like the idea of those elusive buffalo fried frogs legs that I would never have a chance to understand. This is just a roundabout way of me saying, we liked our waitress. GREAT JOB!) Personally, I liked this dish okay (Rachel wasn't a fan), but again it needed some oomph. It just wasn't all that special. It was basically a quesadilla with chihuahua cheese, tomatoes, black beans and corn salsa. The crunch on the outside was great, and the chipotle lime sour cream was my JAM. Also, extra points for presentation! It has some seriously awesome notes, but overall, the dish fell a little flat. It's too bad, I really wanted to dig that one.

Overall, it was a fine meal. Nothing too amazing, and nothing too disappointing (other than the lack of the buffalo fried frogs legs - yes, I am bringing it up again). It was definitely way above average for a bar in both the food and atmosphere department, so they should be pleased considering it's their first year in existence. I also noticed that they had a special for a Guiness and 6 oysters on the half shell for $11. This place has potential for greatness, but they just have to up their game a little bit. The deals are pretty good too, and I would definitely consider going back before or after a show at Bowery Ballroom because it's convenient, and the beer selection is insane. Apparently they also have a notable happy hour from 4-7 and 11- Close that offers $4 pints. Worth it. I think this place has a long life ahead.

And as for Christopher Owens, the show was cool. He played all of Lysandre from start to finish, and followed it up with a damn solid cover of Cat Stevens' Wild World. I feel like I got what I wanted from the show but I wouldn't scramble for tickets to see him again in the future. You see, the thing is, I have a real problem with artists who don't act/look at all excited to be practicing their craft for a crowd of screaming fans. Half of his band looked straight up miserable. Look, I know we were on the LES and we're way to cool to geek out about how effin' baller it is that you're headlining Bowery Ballroom, but still, a little enthusiasm goes a long way for me! That said, your new album, Lysandre IS A REVELATION. Just tell those girls on stage to smile once or twice and I'll show you some more love.

THE DAMAGE: $21 dollars per person (including tax + tip) DAMN! That's cheap. The Foursquare Freebies definitely helped in this department!

OTHER DAMAGE: 

- Christopher Owens concert ticket $24.97

- Brooklyn IPA at BB - $9.00

- Dead iPhone because after installing FourSquare, my phone  notified me every time my friends "Checked In" somewhere for the next two days. (I figured out how to turn it off, but seriously, that is as rapey as it gets.)

- Sinus pressure as a result of having to freeze my balls off while smoking a shitty rolled cigarette that I'm complaining about now even though a stranger was nice enough to give it to me because I'm a TERRIBLE PERSON.