Easy American at Annie’s

Holly Sov, Annie Kaing and Moy Im Kaing

If you’re still mourning the demise of the Pearl Street Ice Cream Parlour several years ago, take heart. Those old-fashioned desserts and burgers have now reemerged alongside a full menu at Annie’s Bar & Grill (49 W. 29th Ave.; 343-3813), which opened on April 9.

Annie Kaing, who owned the popular ice cream joint before it became La Perla Pizzeria, has opened a new American-style restaurant and full bar in the space where Blooming Branch Bistro used to be. The décor is simple, but service is friendly and the menu comfortable. On a recent evening, the restaurant attracted a mixed crowd of neighborhood locals and after-work acquaintances still in their button-down shirts. 

As I settled in for a beer at the bar, I chatted with Moy Im Kaing, the bartender and Annie’s sister. “We’re a family-run business and my sister does the cooking,” she told me with an easy smile. “We know how to do burgers, but this is the first time we’ve ventured into alcohol and my first time as a bartender.” She seems a natural, joking with customers and squeezing fresh lime juice for a better margarita. 

If you have a hankering for classic American-style food, Annie’s dishes might just satisfy. The menu includes burgers, French dips, Phillys, salads, grilled pawns and salmon and creamy pesto pasta. It also features several vegetarian items, such as a veggie Philly and a veggie burger, and you’ll find a few Asian-style dishes like pad Thai and chicken yakisoba. Desserts are tempting: banana splits, cheesecake, hot fudge sundaes and ice cream puffs, among others. Prices are moderate: around $7 to $9 for lunch and $12 to $20 for dinner entrees. 

I had already eaten dinner, but a guy next to me at the bar gave the thumbs up to his dish of chicken pad Thai. After that, I broke down and tried a piece of homemade cheesecake. Two words: so creamy.