LAUT

Place: LAUT @ 15 East 17th Street, NYC

Price: $9

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 *****
Crispy-ness: 4 out of 5
Chewy-ness: 4 out of 5 - quite chewy, but good bite!
Grease Factor: 2.5 out of 5
Tentacles: NO
Dipping Sauce: None


Notes: Listed as Sotong Goreng (Spicy Fried Squid) on the menu...this is a delightful asian inspired malaysian style of fried calamari...A very nice and SPICY savory soy based glaze over the calamari. The onions, peppers and green onion are a nice garish interspersed on the plate. The calamari has a very good bite but sadly it's a very small portion for the $9 they charge, nonetheless it's a nice departure from traditional fried calamari in the city... a mini salad of pickled radish and cucumbers are an excellent palate cleanser in between bites of the small critters... if you have the $, splurge a bit and try this dish @ Laut! Not to mention they have traditional Malaysian dishes as well!

REPUBLIC

Place: REPUBLIC @ 37 Union Sq West

Price: $7

Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 *****
Crispy-ness: 4 out of 5
Chewy-ness: 2 out of 5 - not chewy at all
Grease Factor: 3.5 out of 5 - lot of it
Tentacles: NO
Dipping Sauce: Sweet chili sauce - good heat

Notes: After hearing raves about the calamari @ Republic...naturally I had to try it and I was sadly disappointed! I was a huge an of Republic back in my high school days and I still pop in here and there for their Viet sandwich combo but the calamari was lackluster. IT seemed to be over fried (dare I say almost burnt) and didn't really taste like what fried calamari is supposed to taste like...nothing chewy about it, just a firm bite to the taste. it was just basically squid rings deep fried with a side of sauce... No garnishes for this calamari, just a simple plate of greasy rings...one would've thought we were eating onion rings! Batter could've used some herbs or some jazzing up... I will say I did like the sweet chili sauce as the dip, gives it a nice contrast but granted, it is an Asian restaurant... good portion for one person but sadly this might be a plate you give away to someone else...

THE DISH

Place: THE DISH @ 201 8th Ave between 20th and 21st St

Price: $6.95 ON Sundays, $9.95 all other days

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 *****
Crispy-ness: 4 out of 5
Chewy-ness: 3 out of 5 - good bite
Grease Factor: 3 out of 5 - lettuce absorbed most of the oil
Tentacles: YES
Dipping Sauce: Marinara - thick - not watery

Notes: Stumbled into this place after a drunken night of debauchery... Don't know if this was the $6.95 or the usual $9.95 portion because it was not enough for one person... or maybe they were running low since it was late that night...who knows? The calamari was covered in Italian breadcrumbs (the type you find in the grocery store with all the herbs already in them)... typical lemon on the side, marinara sauce to dip the little guys in - appreciated that the sauce was thicker than most since I love a good chunk of tomato with my squid legs! It also wasn't too coated in the breading which can be a good or bad thing depending on who you ask... but overall a satisfying plate of calamari on a late night... almost a tapas sized portion for the rich folks in Chelsea

YAKITORI

Place: YAKITORI @ St. Marks Place and 3rd Ave

Price: $5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 *****
Crispy-ness: 4 out of 5
Chewy-ness: 2 out of 5
Grease Factor: 3 out of 5
Tentacles: YES
Dipping Sauce: NONE

Notes: TENTACLE LOVERS LISTEN UP! This is the place to indulge in a ton of fried squid legs! Freshly deep fried to perfection, these squid legs are dipped in batter that is drenched with Japanese seaweed! These critters may look greasy but let that oil drip down to the blotting sheet on the bottom and enjoy. No dipping sauce is included (or necessary for that matter) , just a piece of lemon adds a citrusy tang to the already delightful seasoned calamari. Those that like a good bite to their calamari will definitely love this dish, no chewy tentacles at all. At $5, it's a good appetizer for one person that crave their fix.

FILM CENTER CAFE

Place: FILM CENTER CAFE @ 635 9th Avenue b/t 45th and 44th St.

Price: $10

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 *****
Crispy-ness: 4 out of 5
Chewy-ness: 3 out of 5
Grease Factor: 3 out of 5
Tentacles: YES
Dipping Sauce: Spicy Marinara sauce + Chiptole Mayo Sauce

Notes: One of my favorite places to go for a fried calamari fix... at $10, its a good amount of calamari for your $ - and it leaves you wanting more (But this portion is quite enough for 1-2 people). They put a cheese cloth over the lemon so you don't get seeds in your basket! (how thoughtful!). IT usually comes out hot out of the fryer in your cylindrical basket ready to be had! The batter they use to fry the calamri in has herbs in it, making it more fancy shamncy for you. The squid itself has a nice bite to it which is good because you don't want to chewing too much and you get just enough of the crust. The abundant spicy marinara sauce has chunks of real tomatoes swimming in a nice pool of sauce, not too spicy though. The Chiptole mayo is a nice contrast for those who want something more creamy for their crispy squid, a nice back and forth. All in all a great fail proof place for fried calamari in NY if you're visiting the west side of town!

7A

Place: 7A @ 7th St & Ave A (Open 24 Hours)

Price: $8

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 *****
Crispy-ness: 3 out of 5
Chewy-ness: 4.5 out of 5
Grease Factor: 2.5 out of 5
Tentacles: YES
Dipping Sauce: Marinara sauce

Notes: Typical Fried Calamari eaters will be surprised with the coating on this version. It is cornmeal (at least I believe so) crusted, not really heavily breaded, just a light coating of fried cornmeal with your calamari underneath it .It's not that finger lickin good but it's suited for those that don't like their fried calamari too greasy... it tasted like a 'healthy' version of the usual fried calamari we are used to. A simple piece of lemon is included in the basket, which can overpower the taste of it since the coating is thin. Sauce is generic marinara probably from a can but suffice for a 24 hour cafe.

VERLAINE

Place: VERLAINE @ 110 Rivington Street, NY

Price: $9

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 *****
Crispy-ness: 3 out of 5
Chewy-ness: 4 out of 5
Grease Factor: 4 out of 5
Tentacles: NO
Dipping Sauce: Vietnamese Honey - YUM


Notes: One of my favorite places to go to kick back for $5 Sangrias + Lychee Martinis and this fried calamari is one of my favorites because it smells amazing fresh from the kitchen! My only complaint is that its a bit greasy but dab that oil away and enjoy! The lemon gives it an acidity which is needed with seafood... the coating is not too crunchy which is great - dont want to overpower the squid! The honey dipping sauce is unique to this place; usually fried calamari is served with a marinara sauce, but this place gets it right with their honey sauce which can be finger licking good!

The squid isn't too chewy or tough - a great tapas dish to have here! The price is a bit on the higher end but it's well worth it since your drinks are only costing you $5 (till 10pm)

New Beginnings! Calamari here I come!

I've wanted to start this blog for some time now... and I'm sure there are other ones like it... but I don't care really because frankly, I want to share my love for fried calamari with the world! yum yum yum

But this blog will also include other such fine fine fried foods that I will find in my encounters with the world...mainly focusing on the NYC Area but will include any notable place that has amazing fried calamari!

I figure it'd be best to rate on a scale of 1 to 5 - 5 being the best!

I'm grading the crispiness of the coating, the squid itself, and sauce it comes with!

Please feel free to suggest any places with the best fried calamari! I'm on the quest for the best!!!