Braving the sweltering heat and collective grouchiness that pervade NYC streets this time of year, I had a quick bite and beer last night after work with a colleague at what instantly became my new favorite burger joint, Stand, on East 12 St.
Miniburgers, onion rings, fries, potato salad and house-cured pickles and beets on the side, microbrews (man, that beer tasted good after a long hot week in Manhattan!), and a colorful cocktail list. Didn’t get to peruse the wines but was told that they are selected by natural-wine aesthete and NYC wine über-hipster Byron Bates, wine director at Bette. Each table at Stand also sports a plastic jar of Bertman’s Original Ball Park Mustard, imported expressly from Cleveland, OH.
But what completely blew me away was the bio-degradable packaging the restaurant uses for its take-out. The straws were made from corn, the sandwich boxes from sugar, and the utensils fashioned from potatoes. I put the fork in my mouth and started to chew. While the fork was more than firm enough, I could feel it give way to the pressure of my teeth when I bit down. “It probably doesn’t taste so good,” said manager and co-owner Ray Pirkle, “but if you drop it in hot water, it turns into a noodle.”
For the Benjamin Braddocks out there contemplating a career in reduce-your-carbon-footprint take-out packaging… I want to say one word to you. Just one word: potatoes.
In other news, I really liked Dr. Vino’s recent post on billionaires.
Do Bianchi 