Photo: Courtesy of Amuse Wine Bar.
When we discovered Amuse Wine Bar, a new Lower East Side neighborhood joint, we stumbled in for its $5 happy hour and stayed long after that ended. The extensive wine list, paired perfectly with an array of basic-with-a-twist small bites was the perfect solution after a long day at the office. Mini rice burger sliders shake up the normal wine-bar fare, and the classic charcuterie plate is just as good. Best of all, though, are the sweet potato fries. Now, we're not sure what special recipe was used to concoct this crispy, flavorful nosh, but trust us when we say they're the best we've ever had. It was like a fresh sweet potato took a nose dive into tempura batter and dried off with a sweet-and-savory blanket of flavoring usually reserved for kettle corn. All this is to say, the new spot on Ludlow packs one unexpected punch. And hey, with the happy hour prices being what they are, you might just become a regular.
Amuse Wine Bar 121 Ludlow Street (at Rivington Street); East Village, New York, 212-477-0100.