We love New York City in the fall for many reasons, including the distinct air of excitement that descends when the NCAA college football season kicks off.  What we don’t love is trudging from sports bar to sports bar, only to find our favorite team on a TV buried in the corner with the sound off. Even worse? When a large group walks in and asks the bartender to change the channel. That doesn’t happen at the Brickyard.

Here’s why:

The Games

We have a full season DIRECT TV package for NCAA Football, so we can show any game, all season long.  Every weekend, we’ll show Featured Games on at least 3 of our 9 HDTVs, with sound on until the end of the action–no matter what the score is. This weekend’s featured games are Ohio State vs. Ohio at noon, USC vs. Minnesota at 3:30 p.m. and Texas vs. Texas Tech. at 8 p.m., all on Saturday, Sept. 18.

We choose the Featured Games based on anticipated interest, and we’ll announce them on this blog by Wednesday of each week. If there is an upcoming game you and a group of friends would like to see be a Featured Game, let us know in advance; your wish is our command.

The Beer

During Featured Games, we’re offering $5 pints of craft beer to anyone wearing team attire. Here’s our Beer List, featuring brews from Ommegang, Sixpoint, Blue Point and many more.

The Wings

Ours are anything but ordinary: very meaty, perfectly crispy with just enough spice and served with creamy New York State Bleu Cheese dressing. Take your pick of Teriyaki or Bourbon glazed wings, or extra hot wings, offered at half price ($6 for a dozen) during the games.

Brickyard's irresistible wings

Groups

Got a big group of friends? Get in touch with us to reserve our private back room. You can also make smaller reservations on Open Table, and let us know what you liked about your meal, or what you think could be improved. We’d love to hear from you!

The Brickyard Staff

One of Brickyard’s most appealing attributes is our proximity to Broadway theater.  Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz is among the most popular shows in our neighborhood, staged at the Gershwin Theatre at 222 W. 51st St.  Have dinner here before the show, and avoid the hectic pre-theater dining scene one avenue over. Our carefully prepared organic dishes are less expensive and our atmosphere is far less rushed, so you’ll get to your seat on time and enjoy your meal at your own pace.

Wicked is one of the rare musicals that is great for kids and adults alike. As nyc.com explains, the story of Wicked is unique and fun, as well as a compelling commentary on friendship and love. This combination is part of what earned the show three Tony Awards in 2004.

Here’s a taste of what to expect, from nyc.com:

“Long before Dorothy drops in, two girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of how these two unlikely friends grew to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.”

Wicked is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel, and features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. Visit Maguire’s website for insight into his upcoming books, including “Making Mischief,” a tribute to illustrator Maurice Sendak.

Wicked‘s venue is also fascinating–the Gershwin Theater takes up six floors of the art nouveau Uris Building, and “has the largest seating capacity of any Broadway theater” except the New York State Theatre and the City Center, according to newyorkcitytheater.com. The Uris is designed to host “lavish musicals” like Wicked and Sweeney Todd, which it hosted in 1979, and has also drawn major performers like Sammy Davis Jr. and Bing Crosby. View a seating chart of the Gershwin Theater and learn more about its star-studded history on the New York City Theater website.

There’s nothing quite like a good steak. Around this time of year, it’s impossible not to catch a whiff of one and be reminded of beachside and backyard barbecues. Our dinner menu features a Glazed Flank Steak, a flavorful cut from the area between the hips and ribs, which tends to be long and narrow.

Flank steak should be sliced on the diagonal, going against the grain to achieve a tender finished product. Watch this Epicurious video demonstrating how to properly cut a flank steak.

We serve our flank steak with glazed and grilled tomatillos, the “sassy” counterpart to other tomato varieties like beefsteak and Roma, according to the Chicago Tribune. Tomatillos are a little bit tart, imbuing dishes with “a refreshing lemony tang” that’s often associated with Mexican food and salsas. But the green fruits, which should be used before turning yellow, are actually incorporated into a variety of dishes by chefs and home cooks.

Food and Wine suggests a recipe for “spicy Mexican-style” Pork and Tomatillo Stew, while The New York Times published a recipe for Melted Cheese Sliders topped with sliced tomatillos. Of course, you can always keep it simple and start with a basic tomatillo salsa; the recipe from Apartment Therapy’s The Kitchn has plenty of serrano chiles and cilantro, along with roasted tomatillos for a smoky flavor.

We haven’t forgotten beer, either. We’ve paired our Flank Steak and Grilled Tomatillos with the sublime Ommegang Abbey, a dark, spicy brew with warm underlying flavors of honey, toffee and chocolate. Abbey was Cooperstown-based Ommegang’s very first craft beer, inspired by the brewing techniques of Belgian Trappist monks. At 8.5 percent alcohol, it’s a strong brew with enough body to stand up to big flavors like steak and tomatillos.

We hope you’ll stop by for dinner and try it.

Yes, lobster rolls are on the tip of every New Yorker’s tongue this summer, and we don’t blame you for that. Take Luke’s Lobster, for instance, an East Village icon that sources the sweetest, most tender lobster meat from Maine harbors. One look at Luke’s lobster rolls and you’re likely to forget any other type of seafood exists.

Well, we’re here to remind you of another, equally delicious, summery and sustainable option: Prince Edward Island Mussels. At Brickyard, we keep the preparation simple: white wine, fennel and shallot, washed down with a Crispin Cider. Can you think of anything more refreshing on a hot, humid New York City summer night?

Before you answer that, consider our sources.

Minneapolis-based Crispin produces small batches of all-natural hard ciders. Fermented using fresh apple juice (never apple juice concentrate) from West Coast apples, the ciders are finished with natural sweeteners like organic honey and maple syrup. The resulting ciders are unusually rich and full, without sacrificing crispness. Crispin ciders are also gluten free, and contain no spirit alcohol or added malt.

Prince Edward Island’s are Canada’s highest produced and exported mussels. Rope-cultured by experienced local mussel growers, these delectable morsels are found inside their familiar blue-black, D-shaped shells. Prince Edward Island Mussels are “filter feeders,” which means all of their nutrition comes from their aquatic environment, resulting in a high-protein product that’s low in fat, cholesterol and sodium. Additionally, the mussels are held in suspended mesh sleeves, resulting in “cleaner shells and grit-free flesh,” according to the website of the Prince Edward Island Aquatic Industry.

Hungry yet? Our dinner menu Prince Edward Island Mussels appetizer, served with Crispin Cider, is available now for just $12.  Hope to see you soon.