Cheap, good food in NYC
Just because we are on a budget does not mean we cannot eat like royalty. Here is my short list of places/foods to try. Question is, can we squeeze all these in on a 3-day weekend? Of course not. In reality, we need to stay for a minimum of 5 weeks. We will be forced to pick and choose, agonizing, wringing our hands and gnashing our teeth.
German food cart ("NY's wurst restaurant"): Hallo Berlin
626 Tenth Ave. (Midtown West)
between 44th and 45th Sts.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/8238.htm
Italian panino: 'ino
21 Bedford St. (West Village)
between Houston and Downing Sts.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2342.htm
http://www.cafeino.com/index.html
Chinese, Cambodian & Vietnamese soup: Bo Ky
80 Bayard St. (Chinatown/Lower Manhattan)
between Mott and Mulberry Sts.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2135.htm
Foul (fava beans with lemon juice), keshik (flat bread with dried goat cheese), and chicken shawarma: Bread & Olive
24 W. 45th St. (Midtown West)
between Fifth and Sixth Aves.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2448.htm
NY deli food: Katz's Delicatessen (oldest NYC deli; the When Harry Met Sally deli)
205 E. Houston St. (Lower East Side)
at Ludlow St.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2471.htm
http://katzdeli.com/
Cantonese congee and sauteed frog: Congee Village
100 Allen St. (Lower East Side)
between Delancey and Broome Sts.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/8136.htm
Kimchee and Korean dumplings: Mandoo Bar
2 W. 32nd St. (Midtown East/Murray Hill)
between Fifth Ave. and Broadway
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2411.htm
http://www.mandoobar.com/frontpage.html
Sour cherry soup and Hungarian goulash: First Hungarian Literary Society
323 E. 79th St. (Upper East Side)
between First and Second Aves.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/9211.htm
Venezuelan empanadas and cachapas con queso: Flor's Restaurant
149 First Ave.
between 9th and 10th Sts. (East Village)
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2152.htm
Pain au Chocolat: Ceci-Cela
55 Spring St.
between Lafayette and Mulberry Sts. (SoHo/NoHo/Little Italy)
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/8330.htm
Sushi, black edamame and goma tofu: Kasadela
647 E. 11th St. (East Village)
between Aves. B and C
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/9401.htm
http://kasadela.com/
Chocolate baklava: The Yoghurt Place II
71 Sullivan St. (SoHo/NoHo/Little Italy)
Between Spring & Broome Streets
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/8599.htm
Also, we must (of course) go to H&H Bagels and drink Ricard at Pastis. And remind me to look up the Steingarten essays in which he lists the best French baguettes and pizza in NYC.
I have to prepare for my radio interview now. (Prepare meaning, smoke a cigarette and crack open another Diet Coke.) I will research more NYC food later. (You thought I was done? Ha! I am just getting started.)
PS: Steve Almond, author of Candy Freak, was just on The Splendid Table, talking about the chocolate/marshmallow candy, Valo Milk. I wanna try it! http://www.valomilk.com/
German food cart ("NY's wurst restaurant"): Hallo Berlin
626 Tenth Ave. (Midtown West)
between 44th and 45th Sts.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/8238.htm
Italian panino: 'ino
21 Bedford St. (West Village)
between Houston and Downing Sts.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2342.htm
http://www.cafeino.com/index.html
Chinese, Cambodian & Vietnamese soup: Bo Ky
80 Bayard St. (Chinatown/Lower Manhattan)
between Mott and Mulberry Sts.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2135.htm
Foul (fava beans with lemon juice), keshik (flat bread with dried goat cheese), and chicken shawarma: Bread & Olive
24 W. 45th St. (Midtown West)
between Fifth and Sixth Aves.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2448.htm
NY deli food: Katz's Delicatessen (oldest NYC deli; the When Harry Met Sally deli)
205 E. Houston St. (Lower East Side)
at Ludlow St.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2471.htm
http://katzdeli.com/
Cantonese congee and sauteed frog: Congee Village
100 Allen St. (Lower East Side)
between Delancey and Broome Sts.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/8136.htm
Kimchee and Korean dumplings: Mandoo Bar
2 W. 32nd St. (Midtown East/Murray Hill)
between Fifth Ave. and Broadway
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2411.htm
http://www.mandoobar.com/frontpage.html
Sour cherry soup and Hungarian goulash: First Hungarian Literary Society
323 E. 79th St. (Upper East Side)
between First and Second Aves.
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/9211.htm
Venezuelan empanadas and cachapas con queso: Flor's Restaurant
149 First Ave.
between 9th and 10th Sts. (East Village)
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/2152.htm
Pain au Chocolat: Ceci-Cela
55 Spring St.
between Lafayette and Mulberry Sts. (SoHo/NoHo/Little Italy)
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/8330.htm
Sushi, black edamame and goma tofu: Kasadela
647 E. 11th St. (East Village)
between Aves. B and C
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/9401.htm
http://kasadela.com/
Chocolate baklava: The Yoghurt Place II
71 Sullivan St. (SoHo/NoHo/Little Italy)
Between Spring & Broome Streets
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/8599.htm
Also, we must (of course) go to H&H Bagels and drink Ricard at Pastis. And remind me to look up the Steingarten essays in which he lists the best French baguettes and pizza in NYC.
I have to prepare for my radio interview now. (Prepare meaning, smoke a cigarette and crack open another Diet Coke.) I will research more NYC food later. (You thought I was done? Ha! I am just getting started.)
PS: Steve Almond, author of Candy Freak, was just on The Splendid Table, talking about the chocolate/marshmallow candy, Valo Milk. I wanna try it! http://www.valomilk.com/