#27 – SPICED FRIED CHICKPEAS at MOTHER’S RUIN

For the third year in a row, I’m going to attempt to eat every single item on Time Out New York’s annual 100 Best Dishes list. In no particular order, here’s my take on their Top 100. Let the gluttony continue…

I guess I’m getting old. I don’t really like bars or restaurants that are too loud. I can put up with a scene, but I still want to be able to talk to the person I’m with instead of look around hopelessly or scream until my throat is raw. I’m just too old for that.

Now granted we came to Mother’s Ruin on New Year’s Eve, which is a night notorious for loud drunken parties. But the fact that the music (which was a nice mix of current indie rock and nostalgic hits from the last few decades) was so loud I could barely order my drink was just annoying. And while we had some nice cocktails and enjoyed the Time Out list item, I don’t know if I’ll be coming back to this new cocktail den of loudness.

There were just two specialty cocktails listed on the blackboard up front and I did get to taste the delicious spiced pear bellini, but I had the bartender customize a bourbon drink for my welcoming of 2012. It was an uninspired, but solid blend of bourbon, lemon, and honey. They also have a slushie machine filled with a rotating libation mix.

Their food menu sounded very promising, but we only had room enough for the coveted spiced fried chickpeas. This was a bowl of addicting chickpeas that had been fried to utter perfection and then tossed with an interesting blend of spices. In addition to the requisite sea salt, there was some cayenne pepper for addicting heat and a healthy dose of aromatic garam masala (a special blend of Indian spices). It was the perfect accompaniment to our drinks and it was difficult to eat just one. These were so full of flavor and crispy texture that I prayed the bowl was bottomless. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.

And through it all, the music blared. I think this bar has potential with their product and laid back vibe, but it seems to be a scene for no good reason. I mean nobody was dancing to this loud music – it wasn’t that kind of music. Strangely, one person at the bar asked me if I knew of another bar close by that would be louder and more crowded. I couldn’t even imagine, but clearly that youngster is looking for a different scene than I am. And neither of us were impressed by the scene at Mother’s Ruin.

Would Mother’s Ruin’s Spiced Fried Chickpeas make my Top 100 of the year? The snacks themselves were dazzlingly delicious so they get a 9 out of 10, but the scene at this bar was not quite for me.