Gossip About Gossip

Gossip is a new "Irish pub" located on the west side, once you walk inside this elegant bar, eat their amazing dishes and wrack your brain for Trivia you'll realize there's is nothing pubby about it.

More of a restaurant than a pub, Gossip is decorated beautifully. Sit at the bar for a few drinks or have a party up to 175 people in the back room, either way this bar has a wonderful atmosphere for parties or just a quick drink.

Thank god they weren't showing "Gossip Girl" on the televisions inside the restaurant but it was a little weird that they chose to play sitcoms on the dining room televisions. You'd think they'd have some kind of sports displayed on the screens.

Finally, the food. At Gossip you can order anything from Nachos, to a mini cordon bleu, to Panko crusted pork medallions. And for all the vegan's out there, they make a delicious Black Bean Burger with chipotle mayonnaise that tastes as good as a real burger for only $9.

To start off, we ordered the spinach artichoke dip ($10). Somewhat of a connoisseur of artichoke dip, myself, I found this dip to be extremely satisfying. Dip into this creamy spinach concoction and you'll forget all about your dinner.

For the main course I ordered the pork medallions and wasn't informed that they were out of them until 5 minutes before half of my table got their food. How do you run out of pork at a restaurant? Yes, there were 15 of us, but I didn't like that they brought our food out in waves. It was my sister's birthday and she didn't get her plate until half the table had finished their food. I was kind of surprised at this hiccup in their service.

The service proved to be an issue for other customers as well. "I don't know how they do it, but as soon as you say one thing POW! The waitress disappears. We tried "And..." It didn't work. We tried, HOLD IT! Didn't work. As soon as the food or drink came, they ran away," explains Mykel Harris, 21.

Anyway, I made a rush decision and chose the Philly Cheese Steak Wrap, complete with real slices of steak, onions, peppers, and cheese. It tasted pretty good for $11, but it wasn't what I really had my heart set on.

Ippudo - EAST VILLAGE

Food Network is not the only one praising this diamond in the rough, although there is a considerable wait time, Ippudo in the East Village is definitely worth it for their outstanding ramen and upbeat atmosphere.

Also featured on Food Network's “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” you cannot blame the huge customer base for their crowed wait around the bar. A tangled mess of one-hour-waiters, it only took them 45 minutes to seat me, which is always better than waiting the full expected hour. Once your table is ready, prepare yourself for the best Ramen I have found in New York City.

“Irasshaimase!” the waiters scream as you enter the dining area, making each and every one of their diners feel welcome and even special. With a beautifully simplistic décor, you feel as if you’re part of a fancy restaurant without the extremely daunting prices.

If there was ever a time to over-order, Ippudo is the place you cannot go wrong. Order the Yamitsuki Goma Kyuri, a delicious Japanese cucumber lightly seasoned in sesame oil dressing. This fresh and crunchy appetizer is just light enough to tie you over before your meal comes. With a pinch of heat, you cannot go wrong with this healthy, $8.00 starter.

The Akamaru Modern ($14.00) is all the rage at this Ramen House and the dish I waited all evening to sink my teeth into. Kakuni and Menma are the companions to this dish, just some braised pork belly and bamboo shoots. Upon sight, you must take in the arrangement of colors stuffed into one bowl of broth-y goodness. With its vibrant garnishes and milky broth, your stomach will yearn for the first bite. Take a sip of silky, sumptuous, and somehow rich broth, making sure to capture every flavor within the first bite. Adding a thick strand of perfectly cooked noodle is the only thing that can improve this dish. One of the best parts about the ramen experience at Ippudo is the $2.00 kae-dama. Finish your noodles before the broth? This always seems to be the let down of a ramen dish but for 2 measly dollars your waiter will bring you an extra “ball of noodles” and place it in your bowl. It’s so good; you may have to close your eyes.

“I’ve been looking for good ramen since I left Japan,” William Kimura, age 27 explained, “This is the best place I’ve found coast to coast in the US so far. If you love ramen you must go here.” Now a Boston resident, Kimura claims that he has yet to find a ramen place that comes close to Ippudo. “Quite simply, it’s amazing.”

Dallas BBQ - TIMES SQUARE

TIMES SQUARE – Dallas BBQ on 42^nd street is an enjoyable excursion for any college student with its cheap prices and great food, so bring your appetites and your Ipod because you’re in for a long wait.

The “Texas” size drinks are the first things on the menu that must receive credit. Order a Texas-size Coke, and be prepared for a goblet full. This holds true for the margaritas and daiquiris, too, yielding little tubes full of liquor held steadily by these frozen concoctions. Ask for an extra shot and be prepared for three shots worth of your favorite liquor, which you can pour into your drink or take separately.

However the drinks aren’t the only thing spicing up this two-story monster of a restaurant. You cannot go to a BBQ restaurant without trying their baby back ribs and Dallas BBQ is no exception. Although these ribs are steamed and then grilled, which is somewhat false advertising seeing as BBQ ribs should be smoked, this $8.99 platter comes with no description. Messy, of course, prepare yourself for some tender BBQ taste. Customers raved about their original BBQ flavor and overall service.

“The ribs were fall off the bone tender and very tasty,” Alice Thompson gushed, “We immediately ordered Texas size margaritas with an extra tequila shot, the crispy combo and half an order of hot wings. The value is great here, I think our bill was $120 for the 4 of us.” Traveling from Atlantic City, New Jersey, Alice, 28, could not stop raving about the excellent service.

This “excellent service” became a product of subjectivity, on the other hand, as other customers were heated about the long wait. “We were corralled like cattle ready for slaughter while waiting for a table,” Cadence Grover, 38, growled. After 45 minutes of hungry waiting, “We were given a seat with a view of the ladies room and the HUGE lineup of women waiting to use the facilities.” Our neighbors from Barrie, Canada continued to complain about the lacking service and waiters’ blatant “disinterest” in taking orders or delivering food.

The Onion loaf, which claim’s to be the “Best in NYC.” Although I couldn’t call myself a connoisseur of onion loafs, Dallas BBQ’s was definitely something to remember. Only $5.99 in price, this crispy mass of softly battered onion strands is a delicious tower of less-than-greasy goodness. “You HAVE to try the onion loaf,” waitress Jennifer Grotin recommended, “it’s an unfair fight if you don’t.”