Meatball Madness

Just like cupcakes, pizza, and street food, meatballs relay a certain “comfort” that we all know and love. So when times got tough in New York and restaurants began revamping menus, cutting expensive items, and offering discounts, Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow thought up a new idea …

Opening a restaurant that served just meatballs. Well, not just meatballs, but basically just meatballs. The new hotspot, The Meatball Shop on the corner of Allen and Stanton gives the city a taste of (in essences) mini-burgers with all the comforts of Italian-ish home cooking.

Venturing out last night with my city-girls, we were prepared for the lines, the wait, the snooty hipsters, and yes, meatballs.

Ironically in dire need to use the ground turkey in my refrigerator before it went bad, I made meatballs before going out. I didn’t eat them, but I had to make something fast and easy with the meat, so I guess great minds think alike!

The wait was “an hour to an hour-and-a-half” which in hostess terms means, “Thanks, but try again another day.” I love when subtle context clues start flying.

In a restaurant where the tables are closer than people on the subway, and the communal table allows your to rub shoulders with not-always-so-friendly beatniks it was hard to stand and wait.

But if the hostess didn’t want us, the owners sure did, and after meAting (sorry, I had to play on that pun) we were sure our wait would be less. And worth it.

Offering a splattering of meatballs such as vegetarian, beef, spicy pork, chicken, and a special (last night’s was lamb) that can be dressed in a “sauce” and/or sided, served under or “slidered.”

The best part of the evening is the atmosphere, the prices, and the family style food. Oh, and the sauces, which came to near perfection from simple tomato to parmesan. The meal is simple, delicious, and crowd pleasing.

Unlike other food bloggers at the restaurant (there were many, cameras in tote), I didn’t take personal pictures, but do not let that deter you from trying this spot. Maybe give it time to calm down, or go at an off hour, BUT go!

Ok, not the best meatballs in the city. Sorry, Locanda Verde’s lamb sliders still win despite the restaurants rising prices, pompous hostesses and long waits. Little Owl’s come a close second, and the Num Pang sandwich on 12th still takes the cake on the veal, BUT for what its worth this is the place to get meatballs if that’s what you’re hankering for …