New York Eats | Mike’s American Bar & Grill

Of any place in which I’ve ever eaten, Mike’s American Bar & Grill stands out as one of the very best and most memorable- for so many reasons. It was located at 46th St. and 10th Ave. in New York City, in the area known now as Clinton, more appropriately known as Hell’s Kitchen at the time of my patronage years ago. The neighborhood was low-rent, which made it affordable to the many actors who worked in the Broadway shows and for students like myself. It was also home to the many crack dealers, crack addicts, hookers, and their visiting clientele. So, not a pretty picture do I paint. But alas, there was always Mike’s.

I lived one block away from Mike’s, on 9th Ave., while two good friends of mine (Anne Marie and Doug) lived on the way to the restaurant on 46th St. Needless to say, many nights were spent at Mike’s enjoying their grilled pork chops, succotash, collard greens and jalapeno cornbread- along with copious amounts of frozen margaritas (we were very lucky that none of us were driving). Oh, the hell we paid when trying to finish our homework after a full night at Mike’s.

The beauty of Mike’s was not just in the consistently of the delicious food, it was in the people who worked there. The waiters and waitresses were as low-key and comfortable as could be imagined and the decor and atmosphere reflected them to a T, embodying the spirit of the neighborhood and artsy population (not so much the hookers and crack aficionados). The decor was always influx with the mood swings of popular TV and film- the staff would create props and totally redecorate/repaint on a whim.  The New York Times once described Mike’s as eccentric- pretty fair, I’d say.  A memorable decor theme was David Lynch’s Twin Peaks- complete with a mannequin wrapped in plastic, hanging from the ceiling to represent the body of the dead star of the show, Laura Palmer.

So, upon landing my first job after art school, where would I bring the girl of my dreams (now, my wife) on our first date?  There was never a question in my mind that Mike’s would be the place. The dingy neighborhood, broken crack vials under foot, the wonderfully messy and slightly rundown restaurant in the middle of it all, and me- a bit of a mess myself- how could I go wrong? Well, Mike’s delicious food must have counterbalanced anything negative because everything worked out in my favor. I guess the point is to go with your gut (yes, I have a bit of that as well).

As the story goes, Mike’s is no longer in business, which made it impossible to gather the restaurant’s exact recipes, but I’ve done what I could to gather a few that resemble the originals.

Enjoy:

Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Lime Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 (1/2-inch-thick) boneless pork chops

Whisk together lime juice, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking well. Whisk in cilantro.Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-high heat. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill pork chops, covered, turning over once about 5 to 6 minutes. During last minute of cook time brush with lime garlic sauce. Serve chops immediately drizzled with a little addtional sauce. Any remaining sauce can be served on the side as a dipping sauce..
Cooks’ note: If you aren’t able to grill outdoors, chops can be cooked in a hot lightly oiled large (2-burner) ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.

Succotash

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup c
• 1 tablespoon butter
• hopped red pepper
• 2 cups frozen or canned corn, drained
• 2 cups frozen lima beans
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper

Jalapeño Cornbread

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh jalapeños, drained, chopped
• 2-ounce jar chopped pimientos
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 4 slices crisp bacon, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon bacon drippings

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir in cheese, jalapeños, pimientos, onion and crumbled bacon.

In another bowl, beat together the water, oil and eggs. Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened. Melt bacon drippings in an 8- or 9-inch skillet or pan. Pour batter into hot pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Collard Greens

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound smoked meat (ham hocks, smoked turkey wings, or smoked neck bones)
• 1 tablespoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• 1 tablespoon hot red pepper sauce
• 1 large bunch collard greens
• 1 tablespoon butter

House Seasoning:

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder