Ladies and gents, this is the moment you’ve waited for, and no I’m not talking about The Greatest Showman, I’m talking about the opening of The Meatball Shop. The NYC transplant has finally opened their doors on 14th Street after facing some kinks in the permitting process.
After settling into the cheerful spot, which is decked out for Christmas, I was blown away by the variety. Lobster, veggie, chicken, salmon, and the special of the night – CHICKEN POT PIE. I just had to try them all and, luckily, the shop welcomes your curiosity, allowing diners to order anything from a single meatball to more entree-style selections with meatballs served over salads, pastas, and mashed potatoes.
Starters:
We started with the classic mozzarella balls. They were crispy and gooey. The marinara was the perfect sweetness and made for dipping a delight. We also tried the crab cake balls coated in a potato chip crust served with an old bay aioli. The crab calls were meaty! No filler! The potato chip crust was crunchy and delicious and if I could bottle the old bay aioli and put it on everything from now until eternity my life would be vastly improved.
All the balls:
Next came time to try all the balls. The lobster ball, while the priciest of the bunch, was yummy. The pink Maine lobster was plentiful and paired with the lemon butter sauce…it was a rich experience. The chicken ball made with white wine, fennel, and parsley was tasty and well seasoned. The classic ball was one of my favorites. Made of beef and pork, it was an old school Italian meatball just like the New Yorker inside me craves. The chicken pot pie ball was fantastic. Paired with mashed potatoes, it was all the meaty fun of a pot pie without much crust, my least favorite part anyway.
With all the meat in our midst, we thought we should lighten things up with something green. The caesar salad was one of the best I’ve had. The parmesan cheese was thick and smoky and they didn’t skimp on the cheese or the beloved parmesan crisps. It was all lettuce and all cheese and that’s just the way I like it.
Drinks:
The real surprise of the night was the cocktail program. It was outstanding and that wasn’t something I was expecting. You can tell that the same level of thought and care has been put into the drinks as has been put into the food. I tried the Seasonal Moscow Mule (vodka, cranberry, orange, and ginger beer) it was excellent and festive. The Devil’s Juice Sangria is silent but deadly. Red wine, brandy, apple, pear, citrus, and cinnamon make it go down so easy and quick that you hardly realize how boozy it truly is. Last but certainly not least, the Figgy Stardust (vodka, fig, maple syrup, and apples) was so fresh that I forgot I was drinking alcohol.
