Pianos

"Here at The Infatuation, we put a lot of effort into marrying our passions for both music and food, and we love it when we find examples of other people doing the same. If you have ever been to Pianos to see a band in the back room, you probably didn't expect that it's the kind of place that would turn out some damn good bar food. It's usually crowded as hell with a mix of indie music nerds and girls that just moved to the city who loooove the Lower East Side. Also, it smells like a dirty basement. Regardless, they have a great selection of bar fare that you wouldn't expect to find in a place like this, and it's obvious that they care about quality. The only downside is that tables can be hard to come by if you're there during the Lower East Side high tide of humans and if you sit upstairs, there is a good chance you'll be eating to the special sounds of an amateur musician on a borrowed guitar. Either way, next time you're at Pianos, sit down at a table and grab some chow to soak up the booze. You'll be pleasantly surprised. Food Rundown Grand Pianos Nachos A perfect example of thought and effort going into a bar menu...this is not a pile of Tostitos dumped onto a plate with salsa and cheese. These nachos come with chickpeas and a Mediterranean salsa that make them something completely unique and very good. Fried Calamari Yes, this seems like a bad idea. Any kind of fresh seafood from a place like Pianos seems risky on the surface, but this calamari is slammin'. Simple, but well seasoned and tender. Grand Piano Burger The burgers at Pianos are of the gourmet variety, with twists and turns that make them enjoyable and different. The Grand Piano comes with Emmental cheese (basically a Swiss cheese that melts nicely) and a house tomato sauce. Good stuff. Goat Cheese Burger I am a big goat cheese fan, and this burger hits the spot. Fresh goat cheese and mushrooms, and basil give it a nice light and fresh taste. Seared Tuna Sandwich Again, a rare tuna sandwich is something most would typically avoid at a bar, but this sandwich might be my favorite thing on the menu at Pianos. The tuna is perfectly done, and the sandwich is almost panini style, with avocado and a ginger soy dressing." - Chris Stang