Marco Polo Cafe

12/9/2009
East Village: 102 St. Marks Place (btwn 1st Ave and Ave A) - (212) 228-8456
Rating (1-10): 7
Price: Cheap Eats

"Home Cooking"
Marco Polo Café is a tiny Asian-Italian mix of food offering both take out and potentially, as was in our case, a private party the size of the small eating area. The food is solid and at times creative with fusion-y creations like the moo goo gai panini. It is simple and palatable to a wide audience, affordable and perhaps most distinct about this place, has the warmth of home cooking. In fact, the kitchen does look like a home kitchen, with only a curtain separating the kitchen from the eating area. Look back there and it's a two-person operation, with one handling cooking, serving, cash-registering and pretty much everything else. I love these kinds of places: it's the epitome of a scrappy, bootstraps small business operation. These are the stores that give New York variety, vibrance and distinctiveness.

The chicken dumplings are crispy and delicious, the moo goo gai panini is an interesting, deluxe panini, the bison meatballs are quite tender, flavorful, and moist (atypical of bison), and the red bean cake desserts are soft and sweet and a great way to finish off the meal. I struggled to see some of the Italian-Chinese crossover, but again, manage your expectations, it's the thought and the fun that counts.

We came as a group of 9, which all but maxed out the capacity of the eatery. I was pleasantly surprised by the owner's laid back and utterly accommodating attitude: she let us move the tables around however we wanted, adjust the music according to our tastes, and order on the go, really do however we pleased. I could imagine some people taking this too far and trampling the place, but hopefully this hasn’t happened and won't happen to Marco Polo Café. With nice artwork adorning the walls and quirky decorations, it's got a lot more character than just your run of the mill food cafe. It's clear that the people running this place enjoy welcoming, hosting, providing a personal experience.

Marco Polo Café is good for a quick grab and go and it's also good, believe it or not, for a dinner party. You will have the whole place to yourself - and BYOB makes it the most affordable way to rent out a restaurant in New York City.

JG Melon

6/24/2009
Upper East Side: 1291 Third Ave (near 74th St) - (212) 744-0585
Price Range: Cheap Eats
Rating (1-10): 9


If you’re in the mood for a burger, look no further than JG Melon. By now, this classic Upper East Side establishment isn’t new to the scene but it keeps up just fine with anything that is. The burger has a deliciously juicy, meaty flavor and comes in a refreshing refined portion-size: plenty enough to satisfy the hunger and yet not disgustingly huge and impossible to bite into. Added to that is an undeniably New York character which sets the mood not only for burger eating but for casual relaxation and the enjoyment of feeling like you’re in the lifeblood of one of the greatest cities in the world. It’s the kind of place you could rock alone but probably better enjoyed with a friend or two. The confines are small and the place remains popular, so you might expect a wait, but then again, a beer scrunched up at the bar might just be part of the experience.

JG Melon is known for the burger and rightfully so. “The best burger” is a hotly contested topic and its ultimately subjective (as many food matters are), but certainly, there has to be something said for a place that can deliver a burger that can compete using a simple list of components – chief among those beef. For example, these days it’s not uncommon to find bacon, brisket or other fatty meats mixed into the patty – delicious no doubt, but sort of cheating. While I’m not sure exactly what is in the JG Melon burger, the bacon is only served on top, and the highlight ultimately remains the beef flavor. If you want bacon flavor to take it to the next level, the baconburger is superb, and the crispy bacon matches the softly-packed patty tremendously well.

The restaurant is also known for its cottage fries, which are small disk-like fries. They were soggy and flat in flavor. They didn’t appear to be salted prior to arrival at the table, which is fine since there is salt on hand – but a few dashes of decent salt right out of the fryer would go a ways to add taste. Passable potatoes perhaps, but passable on the menu as well. It seems like something a burger joint should do better.

Though there is talk of shaky quality of service at JG Melon, it was perfectly pleasant, friendly and prompt in this experiment. While outright rudeness is never excusable, there’s a certain no-frills, borderline gruff, style that you gotta expect at a place like this. In fact, it’s something that can even be strangely entertaining and fun. It’s a bar and a burger joint, after all.

The décor is as much a part of the experience as the food. The pictures, drawings, mirrors and other framed décor is clumsily packed onto the walls, giving it a classic New York feel that’s also original and un-manufactured. The atmosphere is lively and loud, with a packed bar area and tightly seated back eating area. While the establishment is not as old as a McSorley’s or Old Town, you get that old school feel , one that is often imitated but rarely feels like the real thing. It’s places like this that are guardians of a distinctive city culture – New Yorkers and the restaurant itself should take pride in it.

Whether you’re looking for a great burger, good brunch, New Yorky experience, or just a beer, pop in to JG Melon (no reservations).

Viet-Nam Banh Mi So 1

6/2/2009
Nolita: 369 Broome Street (btwn Elizabeth and Mott) - (212) 219-8341
Price Range: Cheap Eats
Rating (1-10): 8

Sometimes we all need a reminder that eating well in New York need not involve wallet-bruising prices or this week’s hot news in the food media. In fact, if there’s any city where we should be aware of this, it’s NYC. A perfect example is Viet-Nam Banh Mi So 1, whose banh mi sandwiches are rich, savory, utterly satisfying, and all of $4. It doesn’t seem to make economic sense especially when you taste these sandiwiches which deliver wonderful porky taste typical of these Vietnamese sandwiches.

The sandwiches are composed of roast pork bits, sliced pork, pork pate, pickled carrots, cucumber sticks, and cilantro, on a baguette. The most flavorful element is clearly the roast pork, which is nicely balanced by the acidity in the vegetables. I made quick work of the whole thing, which left me pleasantly full and also feeling healthy – though I’m not entirely sure if it was. My street food compadre insightfully noted that the baguette wasn’t really a baguette. If there was a weakness for me, it was the bread, which was more akin to a deli sub than a baguette. Taste-wise it was fine but perhaps missing the airy dough and the crisp crunch of a traditional baguette. This brings up the question, however – how much can you really ask for $4 – less than the average price of a pint of beer in a bar? I’m ok with the fact that it’s not Balthazar bread. It was still delicious, and at the end of the meal, I was happy and full without being overfull. Are there better deals in the city? It's possible but I’d be hard pressed to find one.

Buddy's Burrito & Taco Bar

9/26/2008
Carroll Gardens: 260 Court St (near Butler St) - (718) 488-8695
Price: Cheap Eats
Rating (1-10): 5


Buddy's Burrito & Taco Bar is a slightly above average Mexican food joint. It's better than a Chipotle or some kind of chain Mexican and affordable at about $3 per taco. But I also think it's more for the "I need to eat" situation rather than a "I want something awesome" situation.

The tacos come with two, tasty soft shells and you can get beef, chicken, shrimp, or fish. The chicken is fine, the beef was probably best, and the fish was not good. The steak is marinated and thin sliced with a nice char from the grill. The fish taco comes with a deep fried rectangular rod of fish. It always confuses me why a company would produce a product like this since we all know that there are no right angles on a fish. In any case, it tastes fishy and just reminds of what one might find in the frozen foods section of Costco. On the fish is a pinkish, spiced mayo-like sauce which does not add appeal to the taco.

My favorite part is probably the availability of several different types of sauces, red and green in varying degrees of hotness. I always find that these sauces are essential in adding a bit of flavor and heat, fresh feeling, and moisture to tacos. The eatery part of Buddie's is sort of hot and doesn't seem that clean - not the most pleasant dining area although not entirely objectionable either. If I had a nice spot outside or at a nearby friend's place, I'd get it to go.

Overall, I'd say I haven't found a better quick grab n' go style Mexican food joint (other than the Mexican ballfields in Red Hook) in Brooklyn.

Pinche Taqueria

9/21/2008

Soho: 227 Mott St (and Spring St) - (212) 625-0090

Price: Cheap Eats

Rating (1-10): 6

Pinche Taqueria is a fun spot to drop in and grab some cheap eats done well and light. It's casual and kind of hipster New Yorky but not in an annoying way. Prices are very fair and for around $10, you can grab a filling meal, and hang out in the small eating area or just outside (if weather is nice) and enjoy the SoHo scene.

The menu is pleasantly varied selection of tacos, burritos, salads, and other fixins - with fish, pork (braised and grilled), beef, shrimp, chicken - and the food comes out quick. It's mostly good but it's not a homerun. The braised pork taco (carnitas) has a porky flavor although tougher than most things braised. The chicken (pollo asado) had char flavor but a bit on the rubbery side and the fish taco (pescado), a deep fried piece of fish, is soft and tasty, especially with a squeeze of lime. The tacos are served with crispy onions, cilantro, a pleasantly unadorned guac, and a side of green or red salsa. (If you can get extra salsa, I'd recommend giving it an extra douse for extra flavor.) What's nice is that, thanks to the toppings, these tacos have a light, fresh feeling, even the deep fried fish. For what is essentially street food, it's comfortably above average in quality, taste and healthiness.

If you're looking for a quick and affordable bite or if you got a hankerin' for some Mexican food, I'd recommend popping in on Pinche Taqueria. Chances are, you'll at least think it's worth the ~$10 you spend.

Standard Bakery

7/18/2008
Portland, Maine: 75 Commercial St - (207) 773-2112
Price: Cheap Eats
Rating (1-10): 8

Standard Bakery is a haven for baked goods. Maybe it's a general thing about bakeries, but happiness just seems to pervade this place.

Standard is the kind of place that makes you look forward to waking up so you can stumble over and get a coffee and chose a treat of your choice - scone, croissant, cookie, or some other torturously good looking thing. It's probably not the most healthy thing in the world, but in small doses, it won't kill you. The breads, which are also served in Standard's upper-scale sister restaurants, are high quality as well and could be a satisfying meal by itself.

The staff is friendly and the atmoshere is warm, as a bakery should be, although as far as seating, there's only really a small patio area just outside of the front door. As long as you're not looking for an elaborate sitdown breakfast or brunch, this is all you need to chill out and enjoy a quick bite.

So if you're in Portland, Maine and looking for a simple breakfast or baked goods, this is the place to be.

Go! Go! Curry

6/4/2008
Penn Station Area: 273 W. 38th Street (and 8th Ave) - (212) 730-5555
Price: Cheap Eats
Rating (1-10): 5

Full review:
Go! Go! Curry is a fun little joint, which serves fairly good value food for the price, and would be a great lunch break spot or quick and cheap meal to grab for dinner, by yourself or with a couple friends. Be careful though because you'll be really full and might not feel apt to work or do any kind of exercise afterwards.

People who have eaten Japanese curry tend to associate it with comfort and happiness. Mention Japanese curry and faces will light up, and empassioned discussion on the topic quickly ensues. For that reason, Go! Go! Curry, a small, simple joint inspires a good deal of excitement, at least with me.

Japanese curry actually came by way of England, which got it from its former colony, India. The Japanese variety has different spices and less heat than Indian curry, it's a bit sweeter, and usually contains a wider variety of rough cut vegetables (carrots, potatoes, onion, are common) - and of course, the rice is Japanese style, not basmati. Meets are sometimes stewed in it, or the sauce can be accompanied by breaded, deep-fried meat of some kind; it's flexible.

The Go! Go! Curry menu offers only 6 plates and several small sides, and it's all cheap by NY standards. The curry is rich in flavor, and certainly passable as Japanese curry. For less than $15, you'll be able to pick any of the entrees, which are sized as "Singles," "Doubles, and Triples," and get the appropriate fixins (cabbage, pickled veggies, etc.) This isn't the easily congealed-when-cooled Golden Curry variety - it's better than that, with better texture and more marrow flavor. It is a bit too thick however, and comes atop a pile of rice that is a soggy and overcooked. You'd do yourself well to chose one of the plates that comes with a serving of friend pork or chicken cutlet and/or fried shrimp atop your dish as well. (If you're gonna go...go.) Although the deep fried cutlets are very crispy, they're cut too thin and end up being dry and chewy. There's still plenty of reason to get it, but a slightly thicker cut would prevent this overdoneness.

The friendly, quirky, courteous young Japanese staff will take your order and call out your number when your food is up. For a place in this price range, don't forget how indifferent, disconnected, and outright rude cheap eats places tend to be. This is Japanese food with Japanese feel ("Birthday Happy Matsui" sign on the wall). They make an effort to make this place inviting and playful - and it all centers around Hideki Matsui whose number 55, which is everywhere, including in the phone number and name of the restaurant ("go" = 5 in Japanese). Most of the decor is homemade whether newspaper clippings of Matsui and other Japanese athletes or different construction paper cutouts/signs. The restaurant is about as fanatical about Matsui as Matsui is about porn - and both are a little strange. They're trying to provide atmosphere and character on a budget, and it's far more enjoyable than some kind of faux-nice but strangely ornate and obviously cheap decor.

You shouldn't come here expecting high-end cuisine or even the best curry you've evre had, but you'll get your Japanese curry on and leave very full, definitely satiated, and most likely sedated.

Ippudo NY (Hakata Ippudo)

5/20/2008
East Village: 65 4th Ave (at 10th St) - (212) 388-0088
Price: Cheap Eats
Rating (1-10): 8

If you're looking to kick back, enjoy a long, leisurely meal and conversation, this isn't the best spot. But if you're ready for the 100 yard dash of eating, go to Ippudo because there's no better ramen in NYC. Chances are, if you're going out for ramen, you know what you're in for: leaning your face into the hot steam rising off of a bowl of noodles and broth, probably sweating, maybe nose running, eating as fast as you can, making slurping noises, and loving it. With ramen, it's important to eat fast because the taste changes by the minute and after 10 minutes, it won't be any good. In Japanese, it's called "nobiru" and it's basically like the noodles go stale.

Ippudo is a distinctly Japanese joint and seemingly everyone who works there is Japanese. At the same time, the decor and space are not traditional of a cramped and narrow countertop ramen joint. There's still that frenetic feel but it's also spacious and hip. The back opens up to a large eating area with communal tables, as well as private tables and booths - with open kitchens surrounding the window-less room. The design is truly impressive and they didn't cut any corners with their decor or furtniture. In short, it's cool and you feel cool sitting in the room.

The Tonkotsu ramen, the rich pork broth ramen featured at the top of their menu, is an intensely falvorful, buttery bowl of broth with perfectly cooked homemade noodles. These arent the curly, starchy, gelatinous, cook-it-till-you-kill-it college dorm-style noodles; these are thin, straight, firm, and delicious. Just like a great homemade Italian pasta, you don't realize what noodles can be until you taste it. The Tonkotsu is probably the best bowl I've had in NY (only RaiRaiken would rival). As my friend pointed out, the ramen is salty in a pleasing way, and not over-salty. I wasn't guzzling down my water as happens when food is too salty, even when it tastes good - instead I was just sweating and trying to eat more, faster. What's more, you can order a second helping of noodles to throw into the leftover broth for only $2, which basically doubles the portion (just be sure to have them bring the noodles when you're nearing the end of your first serving - otherwise, they'll sit and go bad).

The Miso Ramen broth - which is miso-based as the name suggests, is similarly balanced, salty and good. For pork lovers, it doesn't have the same depth of flavor and porkiness that you might crave after the Tonkotsu but on the other hand, if pork isn't your thing, this, and other bowls, are great alternatives and also have perfectly cooked noodles. The downside is that for non-Tokotsu bowls, you don't have the option for a second serving of noodles. In all honesty, one serving was filling for me.

As for weaknesses, the garnish was too sparse. Perhaps it allows the noodles and broth to be showcased but I'd consider it more balanced than a bowl of carbs, if there were more than just two thin slices of pork tenderloin and a forgettable portion of veggies. The Miso Ramen included a non-traditional garnish of red and yellow peppers - which didn't add flavor or substance - and cubed carrot - whose sweetness didn't match the rest of the dish. To boost the volume of the garnish, I added mo' pork - the braised pork belly side. For $3, it was was decent enough but surprisingly tough, almost as if it had been reheated in the microwave.

While the service is friendly, that's the one part that seems to lack a little of the Japanese touch. The pace of the service is so hurried that I couldn't help but get the impression that they wanted me out, and the next table in, as quickly as possible. Less than 1 minute after we were seated, the server came to take our order. When we received the bill, the same thing happened and two other servers asked if it was ok to take the bill after that, before we had even put anything in the bill. In the end, we dropped our credit cards at our own pace and lingered. In a train station ramen joint in the middle of Tokyo, this kind of fast-paced eat-and-go mentality might be appropriate but that's not acceptable here. Also a bit surprising was that the server told me to remind him of my request for second noodle helping later in the meal. I don't know if it's because Ippudo hasn't figured out a good system to time the delayed second noodle helping, but regardless, the onus should not be on the customer.

When you say ramen, a lot of people still envision the packs that contain the brick of noodle and mysterious packet of flavor. At Ippudo, you'll see what real ramen is all about. The overall experience feels like a cool, unique thing to do - something different from the well-trodden genres like Italian, French, sushi, burgers-and-beer pub food, etc. The prices for this ramen experience can approach close to $20 (food, tip, etc), which is expensive for ramen - so you should expect to get more than your average Asian noodle bowl joint. But they'll do it right and it'll be worth the extra couple of bucks.

Soho Park

5/7/2008
SoHo: 62 Prince (and Lafayette) - (212) 219-2129
Price Range: Cheap Eats
Rating (1-10): 3

Soho Park is a nice place to grab some beers after work or before a dinner. But only get food if the weather and your company is good, and you don't really care about the quality of the meal; on a nice night, the open air design offers atmosphere, breeziness, and people-watching that allows you to enjoy the experience and ignore the food quality.

The restaurant is situated in SoHo along a popular thoroughfare and it's a converted garage so it can open up to the outside better than most traditional restaurants. The food isn't good - I had a bratwurst sandwhich that would take second to any brat casually cooked on a summer grill - but it's also pretty cheap, with most things under $15. Still, in this price range, there are a number of other outdoor-ish/backyard summer eateries, most notably Shake Shack.

Also forgettable at Soho Park are the cocktails which, at $10, are overpriced. I had a mojito that was disappointing in size and alcohol content, and other ones that I saw seemed to be the same. It's NYC so you get NYC prices but it's also expected you get NYC creativity or quality - both were lacking.

So what's this place good for? Beers. They're normally priced and when the weather is nice, the atmosphere is great - so with the two together, it ends up being a good deal.