137 Avenue C
212-529-0005
www.thesunburntcow.com

New York City is full of trendy, sleek restaurants that chic City Chicks must been seen in. However, there’s another side to NYC that City Chicks need to be averse to; the local bar where, the cute bartender knows your name and gives you and your girls a round on the house. A place where the bar food isn’t the usual chicken fingers, Buffalo wings or curly fries. The Sunburnt Cow, in the East Village, resides on Avenue C, a stretch that hasn’t been touched by the recent sterilization and gentrification that has hit its southern neighbor, the LES.

The Sunburnt Cow is an Australian bar with a restaurant, not a restaurant with a bar, with only about 7 or 8 tables. A friend and I decided to go there on a Sunday evening, for a late lunch/early dinner. The atmosphere was raucous for a Sunday at six o’clock. The cute, friendly waiter told us it was a little crazy there just as a couple danced by us to the back lounge. He let us know that the crowd we walked in on was “leftovers” from brunch that had enjoyed the open bar from noon to five pm.

The special that evening was 3 courses – appetizer, entrée or burger, and dessert – also known as the Counter Meal, for $10. Usually the special is $16; still a steal. The menu is small consisting of about 20 items, leaving little room for error on the part of the chef. Be aware that you’ll have to pay for this inexpensive meal with cash only.

I ordered the Cow Salad which was made of bacon, avocado, mango and pecans with mango mustard vinaigrette. The salad was small and like any salad you could throw together at your local salad bar. However the Calamari Oz Style is a worthwhile appetizer. Lightly breaded, the fried calamari is served with kiwi and jalapeno salsa with homemade tartar sauce. The calamari wasn’t overcooked or chewy and the kiwi and jalapeno were flavorful additions. The tartar sauce was just extra, but not necessary to enhance flavor.

For our second choice, we both made selections from the burger menu. The steak sandwich I ordered was made from hanger steak, lettuce, tomato and The Sunburnt Cow’s special sauce, on lightly toasted potato bread. my friend’s Burger on the Lot stood about six inches high with bacon, fried egg, beetroot, cheese, lettuce, tomato and pineapple straight from the Bar-B grill. It’s all held together with a giant skewer. Eventually it fell apart and had to be eaten with a knife and fork. Both sandwiches were served with French fries. If you’re squeamish about eating your red meat red, be sure to mention that to the waiter because they don’t ask how you want it prepared. Both the steak and the burger were medium rare at best.

For dessert we chose the Sticky Date Pudding, at the suggestion of our Aussie neighbors at the next table. The pudding was served warm and very sweet, topped off with even warmer and sweeter caramel sauce. The fresh strawberries and cream on the side was milder in sweetness. I sipped lots of water eating this dessert, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless.

By the time we were ready to leave, the crowd had thinned out a bit and we teased our bartender over his near sexual assault by a drunken patron. Must’ve been the chest hair he was showing. Throughout dinner, a lot of our conversation was repeated, since the music and the crowd singing along was very loud and not conducive to conversation. The iPod DJ “spun” 80’s, old school, hip-hop, pop and of course Aussie favorites. The Sunburnt Cow, although with a decent menu, is the sort of spot to check out for a casual, fun night out. The staff and crowd were very welcoming. As a first time and soon-to-be repeat patron, I was welcomed with open arms and left with a full belly and pockets that weren’t much lighter than when I walked in.

Abigail Ekue-Smith