The Food at Bailout Ballfield

The menu at the Mets new stadium has been announced. Yes, they'll still have hot dogs and pretzels. But they'll also have Danny Meyer. That's right: the restaurateur who brought us Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe will be feeding the masses at Bailout Ballfield.

I'd be concerned that the Mets were getting all hoity-toity on our blue and orange asses, except that Danny's done some fare in the realm of "ballpark appropriate" as well. Blue Smoke makes a mean barbecue, and the Shake Shack is all about the burgers and fries. Oh, and shakes.

Danny claims to be a big baseball fan, so in addition to his Shake Shack menu, he's making food he would want to eat while at a ballgame: pulled pork sandwich on a brioche roll, steamed corn on the cob with a dusting of a fancy-pants cheese I've never heard of, kosher "dog bites," and a few other things that sound mighty fine to this middle-class palate.

He will, of course, also be running the club restaurant that people like me don't get into.

Food was just one of the many complaints about Shea Stadium (may it rest in peace). And I'm glad that Danny has seemingly appeared to keep his audience in mind. Mets fans want their meat. Their beleaguered wives may need some vegetarian/pescetarian options.

Now, if the Mets could just do something about the ticket prices at Bailout, I could maybe even get to a game this year...