Sunburnt Cow

A friend was coming to visit me and I was looking for a fun, cheap place we could have brunch at since she's a med school student trying to save up. "Alphabet City" was not an area I had really explored, but The Sun Burnt Cow was a great find. For $15, we had our choice of brunch entrée (she had eggs something, I had a turkey burger) and unlimited beer or mimosas. We were there for several hours and by 3pm, stumbled to 14th street definitely having drunk our money's worth. It has a cute back "outback" seating area with an Australian theme, and equally attractive Australian waiters. For $15, you can't go wrong! more

I love the Cow! The food is great, the prices are fabulous, the staff is friendly, the music is good, and the crowd is usually pretty chill. It's also as authentic Aussie as you'll find in NYC, and since I miss Sydney all the time, that does my heart very, very good. There isn't a thing on the menu I don't like, but I especially recommend the Bara (sometimes served over chopped shrimp, potatoes and bacon, sometimes served over a papaya fruit salad), the Bessie (skewers of beef with horseradish sauce served with a vegetarian lasagna), and the Chook sticks (that's chicken, served over risotto, and it's pronounced "chuk"). For desert, you must try the Pav (that's Pavlova for the unfamiliar). It's an amazing confection of whipped cream, meringue, and other tropical fruits and is sort of the Aussie equivalent of strawberry shortcake. The Cow is always having great specials, and on Monday night, everything is $5 -- each entrée and each drink. Food is tapas-sized, but on the large side for that, so one entrée works for those on a diet, and two is enough for most people. The mixed drinks are great, although some, disturbingly, are served in baby bottles. Also, you may need a particular sense of humor to face the story of why the place is called The Sunburnt Cow. They also have an excellent brunch. In the summer the roof over the back room is retracts, providing bright, airy dining. Since the restaurant is adjacent to a community garden, you won't even feel like you're in New York. The place is very generous with its customers, and when I held my birthday there a few years ago, they were quite kind with the buybacks. more

I can't say from experience how authentically Australian the Sunburnt Cow is, though there is kangaroo and vegemite on the menu, but what is important is that the food is good and the price is right. Of course, the attempt at rustic outback charm is there as well. Mondays are 555 nights, $5 food, 5 hours of music and $5 drinks. Wednesdays, on the other hand, is "Cinema Down Udder" night, with free beer and popcorn to go with an Aussie flick. However, even if you're not able to make it on a special night any day of the week will find you an enjoyable meal, fast friendly service and a bit of Aussie charm in the middle of NYC. more

OK probably not. But the Sunburnt Cow combines what you like in a local on Monday and Tuesday nights and then draws a good crowd on Thursday and Friday who get trashed and dance to brazilian house music. All food on Monday is $5, with interesting, if slightly small, dishes to choose from. If you can beat the cook at EA Fight Night on the Playstation you eat for free. Drink enough Moo Juices (fruity shots served in baby bottles) and you probably think you have a chance to. more