Westville East

Cuisine: American
Location(s): 173 Avenue A @ 11th St & 210 w 10th St b/w 4th St & Bleeker St
Phone #: (212) 677 2033
Method(s): Eat In & Delivery
Price Range: $$
Food: A
Value: B+
Service/Atmosphere: A
Overall Rating: A-

Westville East is one of those East Village spots that (pretty much every time you walk by) is packed and people are hanging out outside waiting for a table. However, it doesn't give off the vibe of being trendy or pretentious, so in this case the fact that it is crowded makes it inviting. It is a cozy, intimate setting with fantastic service and when it's warm out they have large floor to ceiling windows wide open to the outside.

What I liked
Make sure you always look at the specials menu when you are coming to Westville. One of the best salads I've had anywhere is the Chef's Salad ($16), which has high quality diced steak over organic mixed greens with avocado, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, feta and lemon olive oil. It is just as light and delicious as it sounds.

In terms of appetizers, the Mac & Cheese ($7) w/ bacon ($8) is definitely worth mentioning, as are the Crab Cakes with Spicy Tartar Sauce ($10), Chicken Tenders with Buffalo Sauce ($8) and Turkey Chili ($7.50). All of these are excellent options to start off with and split with your eating partner.

In terms of staples, the Hamburger ($9), Turkey Burger ($9) or Veggie Burger ($10) are all worth trying if you're in the mood for that kind of thing, as are the Hot Dog ($2.50 or $3.50 for Vegan) and Steak Sandwich ($11). Forgive me for not being overly excited because although I have tried these items and they are good, these are not necessarily why a person should be inclined to go to Westville East.

I like to consider myself a proud meat-eater, but in terms of veggie spots, Westville East is the best I've found. What truly makes this restaurant unique is the selection of market vegetables they offer ($5/1 or $13/4). I know it sounds boring at first but, believe me, it is anything but. Each vegetable option is prepared in a special, unique manner. I will talk about my favorites in the Killed It! section below, but some worth mentioning in this section are the Lemon Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan, Asian Style Bok Choy, Roasted Zucchini with Cherry Tomatoes and Mozzarella cheese, Broccoli Rabe with Cherry Tomatoes and Parmesan, Fried Plantains with Cotija cheese and Roasted Butternut Squash. You can't go wrong ordering any of these (or probably any of the others not listed here, for that matter).

What Could Use Work
The items off the "plates" section of the menu that I have tried have all been pretty plain. The Lemon Dill Grilled Salmon ($13) and Herb Lemon Grilled Chicken ($13) are two examples of that. If you're trying to go healthy then I recommend sticking with the market veggies.

Killed It!
As I mentioned above, Westville East is one of the only places I have been where I can order only vegetables and leave feeling completely satisfied. The $13 for 4 veggies plate is plenty of food and is a tasty, healthy option for lunch or dinner. My all time favorite vegetable here is the Brussel Sprouts with Honey Dijon. Never before have I been so enamored by brussel sprouts. The honey dijon mixed with the crunchiness of the brussel sprouts is just fantastic. In fact, before I tried the variety they serve here, I really didn't like brussel sprouts. Now I eat them everywhere. My mom would be proud. Also exceptional are the Artichoke Hearts with Parmesan Cheese and Cauliflower Dijonaisse. Lastly, although they are not vegetables, the Sweet Potato Fries and Garlic Mashed Potatoes are listed in the same area of the menu and are a good way to cheat if you don't want to eat ALL veggies. I will leave you with this message: Enjoy the veggies while you are here, but make sure you get back to eating meat very soon!
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Momofuku Milk Bar

Cuisine: Bakery/Desserts
Location(s): 207 2nd Ave b/w 12th & 13th St (entrance is on 13th St)

Phone #: (212) 254 3500
Method(s): Eat In
Price Range: $$
Food: A
Value: A-
Service/Atmosphere: A
Overall Rating: A-

For my first ever bakery/dessert place review, I obviously had to give the honor to the great David Chang. His next location in line to receive a glowing review by me will be Momofuku Milk Bar. Much like Noodle Bar, I absolutely love this place. The fact that there is typically a long line doesn't bother me, because (unlike Artichoke), the workers are moving as fast as they possibly can and the reason for the line is that there are simply a lot of people trying to order stuff. The music blaring over the speakers is always awesome (in typical David Chang fashion), and the overall atmosphere is hoppin', but not too trendy. Most importantly, the food here is ridiculously good and the menu is constantly changing.

What I liked
If I was forced to choose to order only one item at Momofuku Milk (which would be torture), I would have to choose the Cookies ($1.85/1, $5/3, $10/6 and $20/12). They used to change up the flavors of the cookies pretty regularly, but it seems they have chosen their 4 varieties (at least for now). You truly can't go wrong, but in order of quality, here they are: Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow (it's sticky because of the marshmallow, and mixed with the cornflakes and chocolate it is amazing), Compost (pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch, chocolate chips-as ridiculously good as it sounds), Blueberry Cream (dried blueberries and milk crumbs-very good) and Chocolate-Chocolate (stuffed with chocolate crumbs-very chocolately but not as unique as the others).

It is truly hard to rank the items at Milk Bar since they are all so very good, but again if I was being forced to rank, next up would have to be the pies ($5.25/slice or $44/pie). I have had the pleasure of tasting Candy Bar Pie (chocolate crust, caramel, peanut butter nougat and pretzels-amazing, tastes like Butterfinger filling in a pie), Crack Pie (toasted oat crust and gooey butter filling-as addictive as crack, not that I would know), Cinnamon Bun Pie (brown butter & cheesecake filling-actually tastes like cinnamon bun in a pie) and Grasshopper Pie (brownie & mint cheesecake filling and marshmallows in a graham crust).

They maintain 4 different flavors of Soft Serve ($4.15) at all times, which they vary every so often. The one flavor that I do not believe will be changing anytime soon is Cereal Milk. They have even copyrighted this name, which was a smart move by Chang. Just as it sounds, it tastes like the bottom of a cereal bowl that once had Frosted Flakes or some other sugary cereal in it. They recently changed out the other 3 flavors to Cinnamon Bun, Blueberry Muffin and Zucchini Bread. As you can see, Milk Bar doesn't have conventional soft serve flavors. Some flavors in the past I can remember include Cream Cheese Frosting, Red Velvet, Carrot Cake and Pistachio. Again, you truly can't go wrong with whatever flavor of soft serve you decide on (you can even have 1 free sample). My one gripe is that some of the flavors are occasionally somewhat salty, but this comes with the territory. If you are feeling ambitious, you can always order a Milkshake ($6), for which they ask you to choose one of that day's soft serve flavors and combine it with your choice of milk flavor. I had the Cereal Milk soft serve/Cereal Milk milkshake and it was tasty and filling.

Incredibly enough, you can order the famous Momofuku Pork Buns ($9/2) at Milk Bar, which are always a good appetizer for your dessert (if that makes any sense). The quality does not suffer just because you aren't at Ssam or Noodle; they are the same perfect Pork Buns. Don't worry, they keep Sarachi on the table.

In terms of the daily bread, for the first time I recently tried the Bagel Bomb ($6), which is an everything bagel style bun (no hole) with bacon-scallion cream cheese in the middle. Definitely unique to taste the bacon with the cream cheese, but a bit of a rip for $6 in my opinion. I also tried the Volcano ($9), which was a one-of-a-kind taste of potato gratin, pancetta, onions and gruyere cheese baked into dough. I couldn't have described this bread any better than Serious Eats does here.

Unfortunately, I haven't tried their famous breakfast sandwich or the other different breads they offer (variety changes daily), but I intend to try them soon and they always look good. I also haven't had the honor of purchasing their milk (it varies but they typically have cereal milk, fruity cereal, coffee milk or strawberry milk) by the 16 oz container ($5), but if you're into milk then this might be what you want to order as a side -- for cookie dunking purposes. The place is called Milk Bar, after all.

What Could Use Work
You guessed it, no complaints about the food. Only thing I can think of is that, as mentioned above, there typically is a line here, even on a weeknight at an obscure hour, but if you go during the day on a weekday you can probably avoid that fate. Like I said, when there is a wait it is warranted and typically moves quite fast.

Killed It!
I hadn't gotten around to ordering their famous cake by the slice by the time they stopped serving slices (they now serve cakes in their entirety only since they make them in Williamsburg). Thankfully, I recently had a friend's birthday come up so I had the opportunity to purchase an entire Chocolate Chip Cake ($38), which is made of passion fruit curd, chocolate crumbs and coffee butter-cream. These are super tall 6" cakes which serve 6-12 peeps and are like nothing you've ever tasted before in your life. Just try it next chance you get, that's all I can say.

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Zaragoza

Cuisine: Mexican
Location(s): 215 Avenue A b/w 13th & 14th St
Phone #: (212) 780 9204
Method(s): Eat In & Delivery
Price Range: $
Food: A-
Value: A
Service/Atmosphere: C+
Overall Rating: B+

In terms of "hole-in-the-wall" spots, you really can't beat Zaragoza. The awning on the outside of this place doesn't even give you any indication that it serves fresh food, it only reads "Zaragoza Mexican Grocery" (although they do typically have a chalkboard sign outside on the sidewalk which resembles a menu).
It apparently survives on word of mouth alone because every time I walk in there, there are others like me, standing pushed up against the counter and asking "what do you have today?" The reason you need to ask this question is because the menu changes daily so they don't bother with the conventional type written menu. They cook the food offsite and keep it warm in typical cafeteria style metal hot food containers, which they are happy to open one by one as they tell you what they have for the day. Their method of heating the tortillas is via microwave. As opposed to many other Mexican restaurants, you can count on finding real, live Mexican customers at Zaragoza every time you walk in there. They are typically drinking cervezas at one of the 4 tables, bumping salsa music over the jukebox, and watching soccer on the 6 inch mini TV screen that is perched up near the ceiling. Classic setting for some cheap, heady eats. This should give you a general image of what you are getting into if you decide to come to Zaragoza. The most important point is that the food here far exceeds the restaurant's presentation.

What I liked
One of the best deals on the menu is the Tacos ($2.50/small or $3/large). I list the different types of meat in the Killed It! section, and they are pretty much in order of my preference. The carnitas tacos at Zaragoza are excellent, but as I've tried all the different taco places in the area I have slowly come to realize that, in a sense, you get what you pay for. The tacos are very cheap at Zaragoza but are also somewhat smaller than their competitors (La Lucha, Dos Toros, Mercadito, etc). They simply do not have as much girth. You are going to end up paying $1-$2 more per taco at these other spots but I am starting to think it may be worth it for the better quality and size.

On the other hand, the Tostadas ($3) are massive in my opinion. They load up your choice of meat with black beans and melted cheese on a crispy tortilla and the result is delectable. The tostada has quickly become one of my favorite things to order at Zaragoza.

Also worth mentioning are the Tamales ($3), which typically contain pork but it varies. These are similar to other tamales you may have tried. If you are not familiar, Tamales are a Mexican comfort food made of masa, which can best be described as a starchy, corn-based dough, which is steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper with the other ingredients (like pork) already in the mix. It comes out piping hot and very tasty. This is a unique flavor if you like corn.

Lastly, the Chips & Guacamole ($4) are worth a try, even though this is not your typical guac. This is closer to a guac salsa, because it is so liquidy. The chips are freshly made and crispy, so it is still a nice side dish with your super cheap meal. They also include sides of both the green and red salsas to keep things interesting.

What Could Use Work
The one time I ordered the Veal I regretted it big time. It was extremely fatty and gross in my opinion. Additionally, this place really needs to either expand or change its layout, but I suppose that will come one day as they become more successful.

Killed It!
The Burritos ($6) are the star of the show at Zaragoza. Whether you order one with carnitas (my personal favorite), chipotle chicken, shredded beef, carne asada, ground beef or goat, you really can't go wrong. They load up your choice of meat with rice & beans, wrap it up in an extra large tortilla, and slather in green hot sauce on one side and a spicier red hot sauce on the other, with a hearty sprinkling of cheese down the center. Truly a work of art and as an added bonus it has the colors of the Mexican flag if you look closely (green, white and red), very creative!
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This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef

Cuisine: Sandwiches
Location(s): 149 1st Ave b/w St Marks Pl & 9th St
Phone #: (212) 253 1500
Method(s): Eat In & Delivery
Price Range: $
Food: A
Value: A
Service/Atmosphere: B
Overall Rating: A-

From the creators of the madhouse that is Artichoke Pizza comes their latest creation: a no-frills sandwich place which, like Artichoke, has only 4-5 items on the menu. Unlike Artichoke, you don't need to deal with waiting in a ridiculously slow moving line that is typically 20 drunk people long.
However, This Little Piggy does share an affliction with Artichoke in that once you place your order you do need to wait about 10 minutes (or more) for your food to come out. This is more understandable at a sandwich place which makes the food fresh than at a pizza place, but I can still foresee this becoming an issue as This Little Piggy becomes more popular and crowded. One important footnote is that they just started delivering ($10 minimum) a few weeks ago, so you can avoid the wait and just sit in your apartment while the food is being made if you so desire. Good call by them to start delivering, since sandwiches are typically a food that still taste good even when delivered.

What I liked
All 3 sandwiches are stellar at This Little Piggy. To start, "This Way" ($4.50) is roast beef with au jus and cheez whiz on a roll. Not only is this sandwich dirt cheap, but it is extremely special as well. The au jus melts its way through the roast beef and into the roll which gives this a "french dip" taste. You can also order the "This Way" on a hero, which tastes even better than it sounds.

"That Way" ($7.50) is roast beef, mozzarella and gravy on a hero. Sounds kinda plain but, believe me, it is anything but. The same succulent, almost melts in your mouth, roast beef is used for "This Way" and "That Way" and it is absolutely the star of the show. If spiciness is your thing then I would recommend loading up "That Way" with Frank's Red Hot and enjoying the incredible flavor blast in every bite.

Last night I tried "The Other Thing" ($7.50) for the first time, which has pastrami, mustard and cole slaw on rye bread. Although it is not their namesake, the pastrami does not disappoint. If I had to compare it to a familiar Jewish deli I would have to choose Katz's (review forthcoming), since their pastrami is also cut relatively thick compared to other places. Like the roast beef, it is extremely succulent and pretty much melts in your mouth. I wouldn't say this is better than a Katz's sandwich (that might be sacrilegious), but I can sleep OK at night knowing that I mentioned these two places in the same sentence.

Lastly, I haven't tried this, but I heard you can order a sandwich called the "F@#k It," which basically contains a mix of all of the ingredients from the other 3 sandwiches. Certainly sounds interesting but try this one at your own peril.

What Could Use Work
I have no complaints about any of the food (especially since I am a fan of places that only make a few things which they are very good at), but my lone complaint is regarding the service. I do realize that it takes some time to make fresh sandwiches, but the 3 or 4 times I've eaten here, the wait has been noticeable. The wait for our delivery was about 45 minutes which isn't too bad, but it was kind of frustrating since they had originally indicated 15 minutes. I realize these are petty gripes but I struggled to think of something for this section since the food is so damn good.

Killed It!
The Beef Stew Fries ($6) are an item that is not on the menu, but I once overheard someone ordering it and I immediately said I had to have it. They layer their delicious beef stew over their extra large steak fries, with some cheese whiz to top of it off. Requires a fork and knife to eat if you want to stay clean, but this combo is incredibly tasty and worth the potentially upset stomach you might feel later.
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Ippudo

Cuisine: Noodle Shop/Japanese
Location(s): 65 4th Ave b/w 9th & 10th St

Phone #: (212) 388 0088
Method(s): Eat In
Price Range: $$$
Food: A
Value: B
Service/Atmosphere: A-
Overall Rating: B+

Already a hugely successful chain with 34 outposts all over Japan, Ippudo made its way to NYC in 2008. The creator, Shigemi Kawahara, is such a legend in Japan that he is actually called "The Ramen King" there, and he is quite famous. He creates a special variety of ramen for each Ippudo, which is definitely a cool idea. In general, Ippudo specializes in tonkotsu (pork-based broth) ramen served with spicy miso sauce and it will certainly taste different from other bowls of ramen you have tried in NYC. They open early at 5PM and I would recommend getting there not much later than that, unless you intend to wait 45 minutes to an hour. If you do end up waiting, the saving grace is that they have 2 for 1 beers at the bar during happy hour, so you can get a bit sloppy while you wait to eat your ramen. Once you are finally seated, make sure you are prepared to be greeted with the cooks and servers yelling "welcome" in Japanese as you walk toward your table. In fact, you should be prepared for loud banter throughout your meal, which adds a certain element of chaos to the experience (for the better in my opinion).

What I liked
In my opinion, the eternal debate between the pork buns at Ippudo ($8) vs. those at Momofuku is not even a debate. Momofuku's are far superior. However, the buns at Ippudo are quite good and certainly different from Chang's version. The big difference is that instead of cucumber, these have lettuce. Perhaps most importantly, Ippudo's have a "special bun sauce" on them, which I would describe as "mayonnaise." They are tasty but just pale in comparison to the competition. The Samurai Ribs ($10) are extremely tender and delicious; the meat almost falls right off the bone.

As far as the ramen goes, Ippudo does not disappoint. The flavor/broth is extremely unique and is best described as spicy and porky. Besides the variety referenced below, I have also tried the special ramen ($14), which is much spicier than the rest, as well as the Shoyu Ramen ($13) which is a different broth from the tonkotsu and is more soy based. Pay attention to the "Ramen Toppings" options, which could add some flavor to your dish if you so desire. I added a poached egg ($2) to my shoyu ramen and I feel that it added that perfect element of egginess, but you can also add extra pork belly, hard boiled eggs, extra Ippudo spicy paste, etc. Also make sure you ask for the chili flakes and Sarachi hot sauce (if that's your thing) because without those ingredients the ramen at Ippudo is not all that spicy in my humble opinion.

What Could Use Work
The wings were pretty tasty, but the fact that they serve 3 wings for $7 makes them just a bit less tasty.

Killed It!
For a first timer, I would recommend ordering the Akamaru Modern ($13), which is tonkotsu soup noodles with ippudo's special sauce, miso paste, garlic oil, pork, cabbage, onions, kikurage & scallion. My roommate tried this variety for the first time last night and was absolutely floored by the explosion of flavor. I couldn't agree with him more, this dish is to die for and would be high up on the list if I was considering a "last meal" before my execution. Make sure you leave some extra broth in your bowl so you can get an order of Kae-dama ($2), which is an extra serving of Ippudo's delicious noodles that you can plop right in to the halfway eaten ramen.

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Caracas

Cuisine: Venezuelan/Arepas
Location(s): 91 & 93 1/2 E 7th St b/w 1st Ave & Ave A and 291 Grand St b/w Roebling & Havemeyer

Phone #: (212) 529 2314
Method(s): Eat In and Delivery
Price Range: $$
Food: A
Value: A-
Service/Atmosphere: B+
Overall Rating: A-

On both sides of Luke's Lobster resides another East Village foodie behemoth: Caracas Arepa Bar (one location is for sit-down and one location is for delivery/to-go). It is always mobbed so if you want to eat there I would recommend going on an off hour or otherwise be prepared to wait in a pretty inhospitable, crowded environment. For this reason I have only eaten there twice, but I've gotten Caracas delivered countless times.

What I liked
Needless to say this place is all about the arepas. If you are not familiar, an arepa is similar to a pita sandwich, but imagine if the pita was made of corn bread instead of dough. They are truly delicious. Besides the variety mentioned below, my favorite arepas at Caracas are La Pelúa (shredded beef with cheddar cheese, $6.75), De Pabellón (shredded beef, black beans, white salty cheese & sweet plantains, $7.25) and La Sureña (grilled chicken and chorizo with avocado & spicy chimi-churri sauce, $7.50). All 3 of these have the perfect flavor of saltiness, sweetness and cheesiness, especially De Pabellón with the mixture of sweet plantains with white salty cheese.

The empanada version of De Pabellón ($5.50) is also worth mentioning, which is the same ingredients but instead of being stuffed into a corn bread pita, in this case the ingredients are stuffed into a pastry. Also very tasty; the empanadas are much crispier than the arepas.

In terms of their "sidekicks" (appetizers), I would definitely recommend the Guasacaca & Chips ($6.25), which is Venezuelan style guacamole with very crispy chips that are quite tasty, as well as the Tequeños ($8.75), Yoyos ($5.50) and Tajadas ($4.50) which are all various combinations of fried cheese and plantains.

What Could Use Work
The one time I was adventurous and did not base my meal around arepas, I went for the Cachapa ($11.75), which is a corn pancake with melted guayanés cheese & shredded beef. It wasn't bad but it is tough to stand up when you are being compared to the deliciousness that is the arepa.

Killed It!
My favorite arepa at Caracas is probably one of the simplest varieties: it is De Pollo ($6.25), with grilled chicken breast with caramelized onions and cheddar cheese. I can't get enough of this one, it's delectable and quite filling for the price.

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Luke's Lobster

Cuisine: Seafood
Location(s): 93 E 7th St b/w 1st Ave & Ave A

Phone #: (212) 387 8487
Method(s): Eat In and Delivery
Price Range: $$
Food: A
Value: A-
Service/Atmosphere: B+
Overall Rating: A-

It's funny how the economy crashing can lead to unexpected benefits for the NYC food community. Founder of Luke's Lobster, Luke Holden was witnessing the slow demise of his father's lobster business up in Maine (Jeff Holden's Portland Shellfish), so he made a decision to import the lobsters wholesale from his dad and open a small space in the East Village that specializes in lobster rolls and other basic seafood dishes. The great taste has apparently led to great sales because Luke recently made the decision to quit his day job in the finance industry to allow more time for him and his partner, Ben Conniff, to concentrate on the existing location as well as a new location on the Upper East Side that is opening next month ( the new one will be a much larger space that seats 20-30 people). Good for them, because they certainly serve some quality eats!

What I liked
The Lobster Rolls (small/2oz $8, large/4oz $14) are the star of the show at Luke's. Although $14 might sound like a lot for a roll, it is actually a bargain, compared with the competition. They load the lobster meat onto a hot dog bun (they only put the sweet knuckle meat and claw meat into the rolls) to the point that it is overflowing. They take it easy on the fix-in's, by only adding a small squirt of mayo and a shake of celery salt. All in all, it is an extremely fresh flavor which leaves you quite satisfied. The Jonah Crab Rolls (small $5, large $9) and Shrimp Rolls (small $4, large $7) are also not to be taken lightly. They both pack a flavorful punch as well.

What Could Use Work
The Empress Crab Claws (4 claws for $5) are certainly a bargain, but are not very satisfying.

Killed It!
My roommate and I are obsessed with the Lobster Bisque (small/12oz $7.50, large/16oz $9) from Luke's. On first glance it might appear to be relatively plain (and expensive), but after your first few bites you will see how truly wrong you were. It won't take long for you to realize that this soup is chock full of chunks of tasty lobster. The sheer amount of lobster in the bisque puts every other version of Lobster Bisque I have had elsewhere to shame.

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Boka

Cuisine: Korean
Location(s): 9 St Marks Pl b/w 2nd & 3rd Ave, 104 John St & 207 w 38th St b/w 7th & 8th Ave
Phone #: (212) 228 2887
Method(s): Delivery
Price Range: $$
Food: B+
Value: B+
Service/Atmosphere: N/A
Overall Rating: B+

From the geniuses that brought you Bonchon Chicken comes their first downtown location, Boka Chicken. Korean Fried Chicken is another big fad in the past year, progressing from being a little known snack to a midtown lunchtime food for the masses (with the long waits that come along with that). For this reason, I opted to get delivery from the St. Marks Boka location to avoid any of the hassle associated with waiting in a stressful line with a bunch of people in suits.

What I liked
As an appetizer my roommate and I had the Emperor Rice Cakes ($14), with korean rice cakes, skirt beef, vegetables and their special house golden sauce. These rice cakes are good, but not in the least bit comparable to the Momofuku rice cakes, so I was definitely spoiled by Mr. Chang in that regard. Either way, this is a tasty appetizer that is definitely recommended.

What Could Use Work
They surprisingly have a pretty extensive sushi menu, but the 2 rolls we ordered left something to be desired. The dumplings were nothing special either.

Killed It!
It is obvious that the legendary Korean Fried Chicken is going to end up in this section. If you are not familiar with this dish in general, it is basically regular fried chicken, but with a delicate crust, addictive seasoning and moist meat. From what I've heard, Bonchon serves relatively authentic chicken (comparable to what they have in Korea) and if this is true then the Koreans truly know what they are doing. This stuff is absolutely delicious. Every bite you take you hope it never ends (yes it's that good). The two choices of flavors are soy garlic or spicy, and both are excellent. Beware of the spicy as it truly packs an intense heat that will stick with you long after you've finished your last bite.
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Momofuku Noodle Bar

Cuisine: Korean/Asian Fusion
Location(s): 171 1st Avenue b/w 10th and 11th St

Phone #: (212) 254 3500
Method(s): Eat in
Price Range: $$$
Food: A
Value: A-
Service/Atmosphere: A
Overall Rating: A

Let me start off this review by saying this: I am over-the-top obsessed with David Chang's restaurants, especially Momofuku Noodle ("Noodle"). It may actually be a sickness that doctors should invent a name for. Until about 6 months ago, every time I walked by and saw the crowd of people standing outside either this location or Ssam Bar on 13th & 2nd, I would scoff in that general direction and wonder why anyone would want to go to such a "crowded and trendy" place. Finally, when I decided to give it a try (of course I showed up on an off hour when there was no line), I was absolutely floored. Ever since that fateful evening it has been my go-to place for heady eats. If you have hesitations about how hectic this place can get, I would recommend either going for lunch (when it is usually not too crowded) or right when they open for dinner at 5:30.

What I liked
Where to begin? Pretty much every dish I've tried at Noodle has been incredibly tasty and unique. It is nearly impossible for me to choose a favorite since they are all so very good, but I will certainly give it a whirl.

As lame as it sounds, if I were to be forced to choose a favorite dish, I would have to go with their signature (and relatively unoriginal) dish, the Momofuku Ramen Bowl ($16). I have tried a good amount of different ramen places in NYC including the infamous Ippudo (which I love by the way -- review will be forthcoming), but I would have to say that Noodle takes the cake as the tastiest version. The sheer amount of pork shoulder in the broth is staggering, and that's before you even begin to discuss the tender pork belly, masterpiece of a poached egg, and all the other typical ramen ingredients (scallions, seaweed, fish cake, sarachi, etc).

Next up would have to be the Kimchi Stew ($18), which is certainly more unique than the Ramen Bowl. It contains a broth that is a scary shade of red (for fear of what it will look like coming out the other end), with delicious braised kimchi, more pork shoulder and (my favorite part) the rice cakes. If you have had Korean food before then you might be familiar with this style of rice cakes (as you can imagine Noodle's are a far superior twist to this, with a somewhat crispy exterior). If you have not had the pleasure of trying Korean food, the best way to describe these rice cakes is a doughy, somewhat gnocchi like cylinder of goodness (with the afore-mentioned crispy exterior). Be warned that the Kimchi Stew is massive and spicy. By the end of it my head was on fire and I could barely breathe I was so full. Extremely mouthwatering!

Last night, I decided to be adventurous and try a new dish: Chilled Spicy Noodles ($12) with Sichuan spiced sausage, spinach, cashews and don't forget the chili oil, which is certainly the overriding flavor of the dish. The first few bites of this dish are innocent enough, but by the time you get to the middle of it if your mouth and entire head will be numb due to the extreme heat of the chili oil. Despite this numbness, this dish is really tasty and I definitely recommend it. The mixture of the flavors of the sausage with the cashews and noodles is delicious.

The last main course I will comment on is the special Fried Chicken Dinner ($100). This feast requires a reservation which you would typically need 3-4 weeks notice for, and 4-8 people to split with. It is certainly worth the advance notice, because the massive plate they bring to the table contains two whole fried chickens, one korean style and the other southern style (with old bay seasoning to add some kick). They also bring mu shu pancakes and an assortment of veggies and sauces to compliment this incredible dish.

To comment on a few appetizers, the Roasted Rice Cakes ($10) and Smoked Chicken Wings ($9) are definitely worth ordering, but see below for the ultimate Noodle app.

Also worth mentioning is the soft serve ice cream dessert. They change up the (always interesting) flavors depending on the week or month, for example I have had olive oil/pickled cherry twist with a ritz/saltine cracker crust and a wine/cheese twist. They taste authentic and are similar to the flavors offered at Momofuku Milk Bar on 13th & 2nd Ave (review forthcoming).

What Could Use Work
I have not one complaint about this heavenly place (rare!).

Killed It!
Pork buns are another big fad over the past few years in NYC, culminating in the opening of Bauhaus in the LES which exclusively serves these delectable snacks (review forthcoming). In my humble opinion, there is no better pork bun in this great city than at Noodle ($9) (yes, even better than Ippudo's). You can also order these buns with chicken or shiitake mushrooms, but why waste your time? The pork belly served in these buns is extremely tender, and this saltiness combined with the cucumber and sarachi hot sauce is absolutely one of the best flavors of all time.

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Happy Holidays

In honor of the holiday today, I wanted to spread the word on this cool guide on NYC munching on 4/20. Enjoy!!
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Baby Bo's Cantina

Cuisine: Mexican
Location(s): 627 2nd Avenue b/w 34th and 35th St

Phone #: (212) 779 2656
Method(s): Eat in and delivery

Price Range: $$$
Food: A
Value: A-
Service/Atmosphere: A-
Overall Rating: A-

If I had to pick one type of food as my favorite, it would have to be Mexican. I believe that most Mexican dishes have the perfect mix of spicy, cheesy and meaty. For this reason it's extremely meaningful when I call a restaurant my favorite Mexican place in the city. In terms of food alone, Baby Bo's Cantina in Murray Hill is my favorite Mexican place in NYC, so definitely go try it next chance you get.

What I liked
Besides the outrageously tasty, one of a kind surf and Turf Quesadillas (see below for more on those), the Grilled Skirt Steak Nachos are my go-to appetizer. They are the type of nachos that are pre-made, so every single tasty bite you take is full of monterey jack cheese, refried beans, guacamole, jalapenos, as well as slices of blatantly high quality skirt steak. My go-to entrée is the Chicken Chipotle Enchilada, which is easily one of my favorite entrée of any type of food in all of NYC. Much like the steak, you can taste the high quality of the chicken, and the spicy chipotle sauce slathered over the top of the enchiladas completed this masterpiece. Another very unique entrée I've enjoyed a few times recently is the BBQ Duck Burrito, which contains roasted duck in their deliciously spicy tequila-habanero BBQ sauce, black beans, crema and monterey jack cheese wrapped in tomato tortillas. Lastly, the margaritas are always strong and excellent.

What Could Use Work
In terms of food I am honestly at a loss to hate on anything I've ever eaten at Baby Bo's. My only (admittedly nitpicky) complaints are that the salsa that they put on the table with the chips is sometimes a bit watery (although they keep the rounds coming so they make up for it) and the decor is a bit spooky sometimes with all the crosses and ominous lighting.

Killed It!
The legendary Surf and Turf Quesadillas are a perfect fit for this section. If any appetizer has ever "killed it" at any restaurant, it's gotta be these quesadillas. Until about a year ago these used to contain steamed lobster and the above mentioned high quality skirt steak on a tortilla with headstash mexican cheese, roasted peppers, black beans and cilantro. This was heaven on earth. They then changed the recipe (I am assuming due to, what else, the economy) and replaced the steam lobster with shrimp. You would think that this change would destroy or at least take away from the dish, but surprisingly it is still an amazing mix of flavors, despite the loss of the lobster.

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Baoguette

Cuisine: Vietnamese/Bahn Mi Sandwiches
Location(s): 37 St. Mark's Pl b/w 1st & 2nd ave, 241 3rd Ave b/w 19th & 20th St, 120 Christopher St, 9 Maiden Lane & 61 Lexington Ave b/w 25th & 26th st
Phone #: (347) 892 2614

Method(s): Eat in and delivery

Price Range: $
Food: B+
Value: A
Service/Atmosphere: B
Overall Rating: B+

Baoguette is the mastermind creation of Michael "Bao" Huynh (not to be confused with Bao Noodles or Bauhaus which are unrelated to Mr. Huynh). There are 5 locations around Manhattan and Mr. Huynh is certainly bringing heady Vietnamese food to the masses.

What I liked
As an appetizer I had the Vietnamese Crepe ($8), which I thought was fantastic. It contained pork belly and shrimp cooked into a crepe like wrap (hence the name). It also came with a spicy dipping sauce and lettuce wraps to top it off. A totally new flavor for me that I really liked. Another incredible app is the Vietnamese Corn on the Cob ($5/2 pieces) which was coated in chili salt and scallions and was no like no corn I've ever tasted. Spicy, salty and just insane. Try it ASAP.

Baoguette is best known for the Bahn Mi Sandwiches, which is just another way of saying a Vietnamese sandwich on a French baguette. The signature of a Bahn Mi sandwich is typically the freshness of the bread as well as unique spices like lemongrass and cilantro. I tried the Grilled Pork Chop Sandwich ($8) and it did not disappoint. The pork chop alone was extremely tasty on the fresh, soft baguette, but when you mix in the different tastes of the fried egg and jalapeno as well, you just bought yourself a one-way ticket to flavor-town.

What Could Use Work
Despite being dubbed the "classic" I was just not a fan of the Baoguette Classic. Perhaps it was a mistake choosing this particular variety of bahn mi (pork, terrine, pate & fresh herbs), but the fact that it was their classic convinced me to go for it. The mix of the sweet fresh herbs with the salty pork and bread was a good try, but ultimately failed, in my opinion. Pate in general is just not substantial enough in terms of the amount of food it offers. What's more, the bread was just too crispy this time I got it -- to the point that I started to grow concerned about the mess I was making from eating the sandwich (anyone who knows me can attest this is usually not a concern of mine, so it must have been damn messy). Next time I'm going to play it safe and order one of the BBQ Chicken, Sloppy Bao Beef or Catfish Signature sandwiches.

Killed it!
Ever since I had my first NYC bowl of ramen last year (not the cup o' noodle kind if that's what you were thinking), I have been hearing things about this "other" asian noodle soup called Pho (pronounced "fa" like "phocking good"). I have tried the Pho Special ($8) and the Pho Chin Nac ($8) and let me tell you: Pho lives up to all the hype. It is similar to ramen in that it contains noodles (although shorter and thinner than typical ramen noodles) and other ingredients like pork and/or beef in a spicy broth, but beyond that they are actually quite different. Whereas ramen's overriding flavor is usually the saltiness, pho's overriding flavor is its sweetness (while still being a bit salty). The Pho Special has rare beef, brisket, tendon & anise broth. Don't be frightened by the rare beef, since it cooks plenty in the steaming hot broth. If the "rare" thing freaks you out then stick with the Pho Chin Nac, which contains well done brisket only in an anise broth. Be generous with the sarachi hot sauce and hoisin sauce they include with the order (just dump it all in the broth) and then enjoy this delectable soup.

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