Your favorite chow-y East Village spots

[mhughu]

I'm sick of Minghala and not into the Frank's scene. What are you favorites spots in the East Village, the closer to 2nd Ave and 4th, the better. We like to hear ourselves talk without having to pay oodles for the privilege.

Mhughu

[erin07nyc]

I thought I would add OG to this list, even though it's all the way past Ave A. Delicious asian-fusian in a quiet, French feeling room. Delicious dumplings and fish specials. And you can always get a table. No liquor; just wine and sake (and probably beer, too).

[bigjeff]

chow-y? not sure if stage deli counts but the good folks behind the counter (and the grandma in the back) make excellent pierogis (the meat is damn good) and excellent blue plate specials every single night. love that place, full of regulars.

[Pan]

Way informal, but an excellent value. I like their Ukrainian Borsht a lot. Good potato pierogies, too. And they make very good fresh orange juice.

[janethepain]

My vote's for Cacio e Pepe. Or Banjara or Ukrainian National Home for meat pierogies.

[thew]

Ukranian also has excellent flacki (tripe soup) good bigos, and potato pirogies....

[Pan]

Hmmm...I think the place is OK. The tripe soup is good but not great. Actually, nothing I've had there has been great, though a lot is good. I still miss Teresa's.

[thew]

flacki is my father's fave food. he loves it there

[mboxermd]

Moustache
Pylos
and I have heard that Lavagna is good as well

[VillageGirl]

Max on 4th and B (most amazing, hearty homemade italian dishes-- lasagna and black spaghetti to die for)
Assenzio on 4th between A and B (mushroom truffle pappardelle absolutely divine, amazing wine)
Hummus Place on St. Mark's (addicted to their hummus-- best in the city)
Whole Foods (obsessed with their sweet potato pommes frites)
* Baby Cakes (technically LES, but love their banana bread)
Momufuku Noodle Bar (I love their kimchi stew, duck breast, and their buns)

[EBT]

I also like Wine Bar, right on 2nd and 4th. They have a delicious fig, prosciutto, and gorgonzola pizza.

[thew]

euzkadi on 4th between 1st and a. i've only had the tapas there, but great every time. some day i'll try something else on the menu i promise

[roze]

How about Seymour Burton?

http://nyctastes.blogspot.com/2008/02...

[hs70]

For the best Thai food in Manhattan, try Zabb City on E 13th between 2nd and 3rd. A few doors west of the very overrated, too expensive and always crowded Momfuko Saam Bar, it's a small place with with great service and very reasonable prices. They will make it as hot as you want.

[Lau]

oh yeah, i like zabb city as well although i think you need to know what you're ordering there (it specializes in northern Isaan food)

i find the following to be excellent:
- pork labb (get it with stick rice)
- papaya salad (good on its own, but goes awesome with the pork labb)
- duck salad - i love this
- calamari appetizer - nothing crazy, just fried calamari with a sweet chili sauce, but its always good (not too breaded and not rubbery)

i find some of the curry dishes to be just okay and I've had some of their other apps that i didnt think were great either. Someone told me one of the whole fish dishes is good, but I haven't tried it.

[glutton]

Prune would be my first choice. After that, I like Pylos for Greek food.

[Lau]

agree with pylos as well, i forgot about that

[Pan]

Pylos is a very good idea.

For Southern Indian vegetarian, there's Madras Cafe, 2nd Av. between 4th and 5th. Consistently good food and well priced. But Pylos is in a different class.

I like Cacio e Vino, but it can be a little loud there.

[Lau]

soba koh is awesome (better than soba ya), 5th st bet 2nd and 1st...soba is great and generally all the food is good

i like prune (awesome), supper and nickys as well although there are better options than nickys in ctown

[Pan]

I don't agree that Soba Koh is better than Soba-Ya. I rather think the reverse, though I've been to Soba Koh a bunch of times and Soba-Ya only once in recent memory, so if there are consistency problems at Soba-Ya, I wouldn't have had a chance to notice them. I'll not that in my experience, Soba Koh is very consistent and good, but I had things that were more delicious at Soba-Ya, and the selection is much wider there. However, the ambiance is completely different. You can sit and have a relaxed dinner while listening to some sweet modern jazz at Soba Koh (though I already know the entire compilation by ear by now).

[KTinNYC]

I agree with Lau and prefer Soba Koh.

[Pan]

May I ask why or what you prefer about Soba Koh? Don't get me wrong, I like Soba Koh quite a bit, but I don't agree that it's better than Soba-Ya.

[Lau]

the noodles are better prepared at soba koh (i find no comparison here as I dont think soba ya's noodles are that good). I also find the accompanying items fresher and of better quality (i.e. whatever you order with your soba so tempura or uni for example) and I also think the appetizers which are usually specials (b/c they use whatever ingredients that they can get fresh) are substantially better

soba ya does have more variety, but i think there is zero correlation with that meaning its better (dont mean to disparage you at all when i say that). I also think soba ya is not as good as it once was many years ago

[scrittrice]

I also prefer Soba Koh--the noodles have a much more pronounced flavor, and everything else I've ordered there has been delicious. I've gotten some bland dishes at Soba Ya, which might be the luck of the draw, but it just doesn't feel as special to me.

[Pan]

"soba ya does have more variety, but i think there is zero correlation with that meaning its better"

I agree. The variety was an additional point.

[kobetobiko]

Hi Pan,

This thread had a short discussion about sobaya and sobakoh, and the consensus is that sobakoh is quite a bit better than sobaya.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/505601

[Pan]

I don't mind bucking a consensus.

[Aimee]

I always end up at Soba-ya on 9th betweeen 2nd and 3rd. Really good, clean Japanese noodles.

[Simon]

How about *exactly* on 2nd Ave and 4th St?...

Cacio e Vino...cute, charming Sicilian place...huge menu for such a small place, including Sicilian specialities and pastas, and a pizza menu...nice wines...nice staff...