So we're told the sign/name switcheroo happened in the middle of last week here on Second Avenue at East Fifth Street ... goodbye Moonstruck Diner, hello The Kitchen Sink...
As we understand it, the ownership is the same... and while the diner standbys (burgers, omelettes, sandwiches, etc.) remain, the menu has been glammed up a bit, which would explain the cringeworthy arrival of Punk Rock Shrimp...
The owners revamped the space back in January ... this was on top of the fall 2014 revamp that ushered in the arrival of a new bar, draft beer and multiple flat-screen TVs ... (and — mason jars!)... running a diner in NYC is a tough business these days with rising costs and changing tastes.
Anyway, we've stopped by several times in recent months for dinner ... and the food was always solid, and the service friendly… we'll give The Kitchen Sink a whirl one of these days too, though the thought of saying We're going to eat at The Kitchen Sink doesn't sound so appealing…
So appreciate the arrow...
ReplyDeletePunk Rock Shrimp, meet Electro Calamari
ReplyDelete"Punk rock shrimp" - how is that supposed to make sense? That's like "prog-rock venison," or "EDM asparagus."
ReplyDeleteOne more, and the hemp bar will be able to open.
ReplyDeleteSorry can't get past that name, maybe because my own sink needs constant cleaning. Mason jars are soo.... edgy, not.
ReplyDeleteI hope it's still a decent atmosphere for the elderly women who go have lunch there during the week and after church on Sundays.
ReplyDeleteMason jars don't have to be edgy -- they're functional, and people like them. What's so bad about that?
ReplyDeleteAlso, punk rock was all about making money. Who didn't have a Ramones t-shirt? The CBGB store beat this place by about twenty years.
I noticed they also offer this controversial item on the menu:
ReplyDeleteToasted Bagel Special: bagel selection: plain bagel, sesame seed bagel, poppy seed bagel.
"Mason jars don't have to be edgy -- they're functional, and people like them. What's so bad about that? "
ReplyDeleteNothing says hipster joint like Mason Jars, earthy fake retro and suggesting "green" choice when a standard glass is just as sustainable. This is like your parents getting a wrist tattoo you know its over then.
I usually take it for granted that a restaurant will season its food. Apparently that's a selling point, though. Either that or excess verbiage is.
ReplyDeleteGross name, bad logo. Stupid name for fries. Even the name "diner" is a problem now?
ReplyDeleteDang Moonstruck, if you want more customers, cook better quality food. Every piece of chicken I've ever had there has been freezer burned to $#@!.
ReplyDeleteI have been in there so many times. I have never enjoyed it. It is a staple in the community that is just there. I thought the last redo where they added the metal chairs and tables was not thought out. You couldn't move them, they were uncomfortable and cold. Having said all that I will be back to sit and enjoy my friends. I hope the food gets better.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but the sign looks like it's for a plumbing supply company.
ReplyDeleteI've always supported this place in all its incarnations as the food is decent, the staff always friendly, and it's one of the very few places left where a 'regular' person can eat and read a book. I'd be happy if they did away with the silly mason jars and tall tables, but I wish them well.
When it was Cooper Sq diner across the street, then on this side, then Moonstruck, it was a decent diner place. A few of their remodels have caused mishaps (i.e. serving everything on HUGE plates that didn't fit on the table), but the latest one has just made it darn uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteIt's like they were hoping to be the Sports Bar that once sat there decades ago, but still serving omelettes.
It's so bewildering to see people (businesses) flounder around like this (St Marks place especially). Just so clueless. How do they do it? They'd do better just hitting the casino.
ReplyDeleteThis place is a fail before the even (re)open the doors.
Poppy Bagels. CODE FOR HEROIN- WAKE UP PEOPLE THIS JOINT IS A DRUG DEN!
ReplyDeletePunk rock shrimp is probably a play on the name "rock shrimp" and a reference to punk rock. Punk rock is a popular genre of music that has deep roots in New York and the East Village. One of the earliest and most influential punk bands was the Ramones, who were from Queens but made a name for themselves at CBGBs, a seminal live music venue that was located on the Bowery. Rock shrimp are a variety of shrimp named for their hard shells.
ReplyDeleteNothing says punk like shrimp with spicy mayo.
ReplyDeleteThey should add to the menu the Chicken Patty Smith, the Allen Ginsburger, and the Quentin Crispy Calamari.
ReplyDeleteTerrible name; they'd have done better with "Kitsch-n-Sync"!
ReplyDeleteGo to little Poland on 12th and second. Great and cheap. Support that place before they turn into a Quiznos!
ReplyDeletePatty Smith wouldn't even eat here. She's a patsy to celebrity chef restaurants that have transformed our city. The restaurateurs that feed celebrities and luxury condo owners.
ReplyDeleteThey got rid of the Wilshire sandwich and so it has rendered itself worthless to me
ReplyDelete