Comforted by meatballs (and beer)

After a long week of work, nothing quite cheers you up like a bowl of meatballs. And, when those meatballs are nestled on top of a creamy starch and layered in sauce, you’re not only comforted but you’re also satisfied. Lately I’ve been craving one of the mix-and-match meatballs, sauce, and side dish from The Meatball Shop in Greenwich Village.

What I love about The Meatball Shop is that it’s a small place and it fills up quickly, but if you time it just right, you’re bound to get a seat. Luckily for me, I was able to grab a stool at the bar and become one step closer to satiating my meatball craving. What’s unique about the menu, other than all the options in each category that you get to choose from to create your dish—balls, sauce, side—is that you get to check it off on the menu directly with a washable marker you’re given. You then give your marked up menu to the person taking your order and they’ll put it in.

Of course, after sitting down, first things first: beer. Before even looking at the menu to begin narrowing down what I wanted to eat, I happily asked for an Ommegang Witte. Their selection changes from time to time, but right now they still have Ommegang Witte on tap, which has become one of my go-to beers in New York this summer. Similar to a Hoegaarden, it’s refreshing, crisp, and a bit citrusy—also quite reminiscent of Belgian beers. So, while I know pumpkin beers are out already, if it’s still over 80 degrees outside, I’m sticking to my summer ale for a bit longer. Not that I don’t love a tasty spice beer in the fall! But I’ll get to that another time.

Now for the food order: Typically I go with the classic beef balls and spicy meat sauce over a nice layer of polenta. But this time, I decided to switch it up—a lot. After a quick consultation with the bartender on recommendations and specials, I decided to go with the spicy pork balls (his favorite), over the risotto special of the day—corn, leek, and chives (I can never really say no to anything with corn)—and then topped off with their Parmesan cream sauce (another recommendation). Wow. And now I can’t actually stop thinking about this meatball combination and wanting it again. I’m sure I’ll be back again soon—and next time, I’ll hopefully save room for the ice cream sandwich dessert!