The Meatball Shop
84 Stanton St (Between Allen and Orchard St), Lower East Side, (212) 982-8895
Getting There: F/V to 2nd Ave
http://www.meatballshop.com

Veiled just blocks from the bustle of Houston Street in the Lower East Side, comes one of Manhattan’s newest niche eateries, subtly titled “The Meatball Shop.” Lined with a long bar with a short but effective wine and beer list, and an accompanying twenty seat table smack in the middle of the restaurant for larger parties, the versatile restaurant has been routinely congested with patrons since its opening in early February. In fact it is not uncommon for wait times to consistently break the 45 minute mark. But as good things come to those who wait, evidently, so do delicious meatballs.

Since its official opening, the Managing Partners, Daniel Hozman & Michael Chernow have taken a hands on approach to their business. In fact, when our wait time approached the one hour mark, we were delivered a fresh meatball stromboli on the house, to accompany our affordable red chianti, while sitting at the bar.

Once seated, the laminated menus with felt-tipped pens are a nice addition to what is an interactive ordering process, as patrons are encouraged to check off any number of combinations of food pairings. With six different types of meatballs to choose from (beef, spicy pork, chicken, salmon, veggie, and the weekly special), and four diverse sauces (classic tomato, spicy meat sauce, mushroom gravy, and parmesan cream), The Meatball Shop offers a variety of alternatives for repeat business. And all of the options are affordable on any budget. For an added bonus, ask for the Spicy Pork Smash, served on a large, fresh bun, and pressed together with cheese and spicy meat sauce.

The Shop offers the aforementioned meatballs and sauce ($7, four in a bowl) with delicious focaccia bread, sliders ($3 each), or heroes ($9) on a lightly toasted baguette. As for the sides, we like the creamy, whipped mashed potatoes ($3), the savory, sauteed mushrooms ($3) and the white beans ($3), which were appropriately recommended by the Owners.

We would also be remiss if we failed to mention the delicious desserts. In the same vein as the meatballs, patrons select any of 5 house-made ice creams, sandwiched between 2 freshly baked cookies. We recommend the walnut meringue cookies with the caramel ice cream for a rich, explosive taste. The mint ice cream is also a nice change of pace and a pallet cleanser.

Overall, the exceptional service, inventive menu, and dedicated ownership and cooking staff at The Meatball Shop make “going out for meatballs” a satisfying experience at a fun restaurant with reasonable prices. One thing is for sure, This ain’t your Grandmother’s meatball!