via TheMeatballShop.com
A wealthy man was having an affair with an Italian woman for a few years. One night, during one of their rendezvous, she confided in him that she was pregnant. Not wanting to ruin his reputation or his marriage, he paid her a large sum of money if she would go to Italy to have the child. If she stayed in Italy, he would also provide child support until the child turned 18. She agreed, but wondered how he would know when the baby was born. To keep it discrete, he told her to mail him a postcard and write “Spaghetti” on the back. He would then arrange for child support. One day, about nine months later, he came home to his confused wife. “Honey,” she said, “you received a very strange postcard today.” “Oh, just give it to me and I’ll explain it later,” he said. The wife watched as her husband read the card, turned white, and fainted. On the card was written: “Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Two with meatballs, one without.”
Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!!! That was one of the many jokes of the day from the Meatball Shop on the Lower East Side.
The Meatball Shop is one of those places you fall in love with easily. The one downside is that they do not take reservations and the wait is usually long. They are expanding to two new locations very soon – one in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (recently opened) on Bedford Street and the other in the West Village on Greenwich Avenue near Percy.
Culinary Institute of America graduate Daniel Holzman is the chef/co-owner along with FCI grad Michael Chernow who is the general manager/co-owner. The menu has a humorous vulgarity about it and changes daily. For example, the “naked balls” come with a choice of ball and sauce served with a piece of focaccia bread. There are options and choices for sliders, heroes, smash, sides and seasonal items. Holzman says the most popular item is the Mediterranean Lamb Meatballs. You may also want to try one of the delicious Floats with Root Beer. The restaurant is very affordably priced and keeps you wanting to come back for more every time. Save room for dessert. The mint ice cream is exceptional and comes “meatball-style” with two large cookies to turn it into an ice cream sandwich.
—Murray Yanker
The Meatball Shop
84 Stanton Street
sounds wonderful… can’t wait to try it…