Off The Rails

November 18, 2011 · Filed under Tempura, Uptown Manhattan

Located at: 1754 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10128

Off The Rails is a solid go-to spot for 3 things:

1. Sexy bartenders (Hi Albert)
2. Cheap booze
3. Booty calls

A romantic evening with your sweetheart after a night at the theater? Not so much. Your best friends birthday at 1 am after a night of bar-hopping? Off The Rails. Having adopted the motley crew of derelicts that once frequented The Big Easy on 92 and 2nd Ave (myself included), before it shut down, Off The Rails feels like the dive-bar equivalent of a home away from home. Your creepy uncle is in the corner by himself, yet somehow it’s weirdly comforting.

Happy birthday Kristina! Honorary Frickle Chick of the day!

I was a little concerned that this establishment serves food, but after taking a tour of the kitchen accompanied by the head chef, I can honestly say the kitchen is in tip-top shape. The chef indulged me by letting us watch him make the frickles from scratch, and even snapping a few photos of the process. All in all, these were mighty fancy fried pickles, carefully dipped in tempura and fried to a golden brown. A wonderfully tasty surprise!

A very serious chef hand-breading the pickles. I don't think he was ready for his close-up.

 

Texture:       Whole Pickle = 4

The batter was tempura, rather than buttermilk or breadcrumbs. It was very yummy, but not what you think of when you envision a fried pickle.

Serving Size:       Huge Ass Pickle = 5 (highest)

We got the special treatment with 2 full trays… a typical serving is probably 1 tray.

Condiment Selection:       Pickle Spear = 3

Came with a yummy barbecue-ranch, but there were no other condiments in sight.

Wait Time:      Whole Pickle = 4

Our frickles were hand-made to order, served in about 10 minutes.

Service:       Whole Pickle = 4

Our waitress was a little all over the place, but it was after midnight at a packed bar, so we can’t fault her too much : ]

Price:       Pickle Chip = 2

$7.00 per order! Ouch!

Overall:         Pickle Spear = 3

These frickles were good, but tempura just isn’t a TRUE fried pickle to these chicks. Especially at $7.00 an order. However, if you are looking for a fancy fried pickle in a not-so-fancy bar, this is your spot.

This isn't the flash, it's God shining down on fried pickles.