Tag Archives: cheap eat

January 10, 2011 · 3:17 am

Cafe Condesa

What seems like ages ago, I lived in a tiny 2 bedroom apartment on Christopher street, and Cafe Condesa was my go-to neighborhood spot. Last night, I decided to get a blast from the past after learning about the one hour wait at Joseph Leonard. Cafe Condesa at first site appears to be a neighborhood coffee shop – with just two or three chefs cooking on electric stoves behind a small bar, 10 wooden two-tops max, and an exposed bathroom door, it definitely doesn’t have the fixtures and amenities of most restaurants in the area. Regardless, the vibe is satisfyingly relaxed, romantic, and cozy, and the food, which is a essentially American with a tiny Mexican twist, is consistently delicious. For the bare-boned-ness of the space, the menu offers a wide selection of sophisticated comfort food, from warm brie and honey to roasted salmon and grilled skirt steak, and an affordable variety of wines by the glass to wash it all down. And, even more impressive is the instantaneous serving of warm baguette with fresh butter, the real key to my stomach.

Despite our waiter’s tempting description of the butternut squash soup special, I decided to stick to my long time favorites and ordered the three cheese portobello salad with pecorino, shaved parmesan, spinach and balsamic glaze as my appetizer. The spinach leaves were whole, whereas in the past they were coarsely chopped, but the mushroom filled with the savory, smooth cheese medley was just as delicious as I had remembered.

I could have chosen blind-folded and been happy (I’ve yet to order the chicken enchiladas), but fond food memories urged me to order the pan seared sea scallops, which are served on a bed of creamy potato puree, a hearty portion of char-roasted cauliflower, poblano pepper sauce, and brussels sprouts.

Each component of this dish is so delicate, but equally hearty and comforting, and the flavors, colors, and differing textures make it utterly satisfying. Whenever I visit Cafe Condesa, I can’t help but be simultaneously impressed by the quality of the food and the fact that two cooks in a makeshift kitchen are the ones responsible. Even more amazing is the fact that they’ve managed to keep almost every menu item under $20.00, and there’s rarely a wait for a table…not to mention, it’s in the West Village.

The only disappointing part of the meal was the moment our waiter confirmed they were out of their delicious chocolate souffle. Probably for my own good. The pecan pie would have been a good replacement, but at that point it was 11:00pm and dessert felt like an obligation.

I’m happy a rediscovered an old favorite; Cafe Condesa is sure to be top of mind especially as venturing out of the West Village becomes more daunting as temperatures dip to the teens. Next on the list: Cafe Condesa for brunch.

Grade: A

Location: 183 West 10th Street @ 7th Ave South

Website: http://www.cafecondesa.com/

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Filed under Affordable Date, Beans and Rice, Cheap Eat, Erin's Favorites, Mexican, West Village

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December 5, 2010 · 5:47 am

Lovely Day

I couldn’t envision a restaurant described as “hipster” until tonight, when my sister and I met my cousins for dinner at Lovely Day in Nolita. Lovely Day is one of the many cozy, quaint, cash-only restaurants on or near Elizabeth street that specialize in a unique variety of ethnic food and specialty cocktails at fair prices. The place doesn’t take reservations and is very casual, so much that you may feel unwelcome dolled up in New York- chic attire. The service is super laid back, and the waiters more closely represent the majority of the urban Lower East Side than the more often seen aspiring actors doing their day jobs to pay the bills.


For such a chill, no-frills establishment, I was surprised to find such an interesting list of alcoholic beverages. I went for the gin and ginger cocktail, served in a dainty champagne coup, yet ridiculously strong. Unfortunately (or fortunately) it went down a little too smoothly and I was feeling quite fine after just two or three sips. Perfect appetite enhancer, which led us to get started ordering our food immediately.

To start, we shared two of the Ginger Fried Chicken appetizers, which were served hot and lightly pan fried accompanied by lime wedges and a garlicky chili aioli. Considering I despise mayonnaise, I was thrilled by the combination of
aioli and tangy fried chicken breast. I couldn’t necessarily taste the ginger in this dish, but overall the chicken with the sauce was a beautiful take on Asian fried chicken. No heavy batters needed to make this dish taste decadent.

For my main course, despite the long list of classic noodle and rice dishes, I chose the seared salmon with mashed sweet potatoes, market greens, and orange cream sauce, which really called my name. The salmon was cooked rare just as I had requested. The orange cream sauce rounded out the citrusy flavors in the salad and the heartiness of the chunky sweet potato mash. Everything on my plate was delicious, and as a salmon skin lover, I was really pleased with the crispiness of all angles of the fish.

My sister had the Chicken Pad Thai, which I happily shared, but I wouldn’t say was some of the best pad thai I’ve eaten. With muted spice and flavors, this resembled a mild chow mein with lime. I could go so far as saying it was bland, but it was far too good for that label – it just wasn’t as stand out in Pad Thai terms.

Despite the dinner overload, we decided on the warm chocolate cake to end the night. Though the menu promised homemade whipped cream, the cake came out seul and I had to remind the waiter that it was missing a key ingredient. He simply stated “we didn’t make any whipped cream tonight.” He’s lucky that the cake was good on its own because it’s rare that I eat a chocolate dessert without milk, ice cream, whipped cream, or some white side to balance out the richness.

All in all, Lovely Day is a fun spot for a younger crowd not intent on a michelen star, upscale meal. For those on a budget expecting atmosphere, cocktails, and a half-assAsian menu, Lovely Day fits the bill. Even better, it’s in a great location in a night life center for post dinner bar-hopping – that is, if you can stand after consuming two of their severely stiff cocktails.

Grade: B+
Location: 196 Elizabeth Street @ Prince Street




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June 5, 2009 · 8:28 pm

Baoguette – Tasty cheap eat, but don’t go for the ambiance

For the past few months, I’ve read a new article almost daily about the thrill of Vietnamese sandwiches, or Banh Mi as they are more traditionally known. Banh mi are traditionally made of thinly sliced pickled carrots, daikon, onions, cucumbers, cilantro, jalapeño peppers and some kind of meat, and shops that sell them have recently popped up all over NYC.

To be honest, though, sweet and spicy Asian ingredients on a warm french baguette at first thought sounded like an excessive clash of flavors and cultures. That’s like putting beans, rice, salsa, sour cream and carnitas on sliced bread. But being a die hard food trend follower, I decided to suck up my reservations and taste one. And, considering “Baoguette” opened directly beneath my apartment, I really had no excuse to deny them.
Baoguette is a tiny place with multiple locations, and a little more modern in appearance than what one would normally imagine a Vietnamese sandwich shop to look like. The restaurant is clean with zen-like decor, and vary narrow in shape. There are only about 4 booths and three small tables, but the front of the restaurant is lined with a bar for solo eaters. But, don’t be fooled by the bar – the place has yet to receive its liquor license, though it welcomes outside beverages. My first time around, we brought in coronas, which actually coupled the food quite nicely.
Fortunately there’s quite a bit of variety on the menu for a traditional sandwich/pho shop. I decided to start with the Vietnamese shrimp summer rolls – pretty traditional with rice paper, poached shrimp, noodles, and a sweet and tangy peanut dipping sauce. I was happily surprised that they were only $5 and tasted just as good as any other summer roll I’ve tried. For my entree I tried both the beef broth Pho and the BBQ chicken sandwich. Both were excellent, though the pho could have come out a bit hotter. The noodles of the pho were long and thin, and it is served with a generous plate of bean sprouts, mind, basil and all of the other awesome fixings that generally come with pho.
The BBQ chicken Banh mi was absolutely delicious. Tender pieces of dark meat chicken, thin slices of cucumber, bean sprouts, and carrots stuffed into a warm, crispy baguette actually worked perfectly as a unique combination. With its perfect consistency and doughiness, the bread really stood out. Be warned, however, that the sandwiches come with mayo – something not in the menu description. But if you make the mistake it can be easily corrected: once our servor overheard us griping about that, he immediately came out with another sandwich – this time without mayo. Great service in a small sandwich shop at low prices? Quite a deal I might say.
I would definitely eat Baoguette again – in fact I’ve returned there since my first visit – but I wouldn’t waste a night here if you’d like to be “wined and dined.” Though its food is cheap and delicious, the place is in desperate need for business, making the restaurant feel starck, empty, and stale. Not a fun environment to spend time in. However, give it a chance, and it may change your mind about your expectations of fusion cuisine … definitely changed mine!
Baoguette/Pho Sure
Address: 120 Christopher Street @ Bedford

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March 28, 2009 · 4:09 pm

Mercadito Cantina – a perfect cheap weekend cheap eat fiesta

Friday rolled around and I wanted Mexican, but I didn’t want the two extremes of common Mexican restaurants: a really cheap hole in the wall/chain or a super over priced and overdone upscale establishments (such as the shitty dos caminos – hate that place). So, I did some research and stumbled upon some positive reviews of Mercadito Cantina in the East Village, and decided to make a reservation. Not knowing what to expect, I entered the place with trepidation but instantly was relieved by the fun, upretentious vibe, communal wooden benches (similar to Momofuku), and latin music drumming the background.


(Above image is just an example of the things they offer)
I tasted:
1. La Palomita (drink): This restaurant only serves beer, wine, and tequila so I decided to go with one of their many tequila concoctions. Served in a tall tumbler, this had grapefruit jarrito, lime, and epazote, and was perfectly sweet and salty. (5)
2. Cacahuate Salsa: grilled tomato salsa with a peanut finish: Have never tasted a salsa so interesting, more of a puree with a very distinct peanut buttery taste. Not necessarily what I would love to eat with chips, but worth a try for its originality (3).
3. Veracruzana Zalsa: A roasted tomato, bell pepper and pickled jalapeños with a great chunky, tomato-y texture and a smokey, earthy taste. Wish it had been a larger portion. (5)
4. Mole poblano Guacemole: The resto offers a variety of guacemoles, this one with pico de gallo, plantain, mole poblano, chile serrano. Hands down the best non traditional guac I have ever had – had chunks of plaintains to give it a subtle sweetness and a chile glaze that brought all of the ingredients together. Perfectly seasoned for the salty chips that accompanied it. (5)++
5. Estilo Baja Tacos: 2 tacos with crispy chunks of beer battered shrimp, roasted habanero and avocado cole slaw. Slightly skimpy on the shrimp, but crunchy salty combo tasted delicious (5).
6. Pescado Tacos: 2 tacos with sauteed chunks of buttery tilapia, chile poblano, tomatillo-garlic mojo. These tacos melted in my mouth and were perfectly seasoned. (5)
7. Pollo Tacos: Two tacos with tequila grilled chicken, corn pico de gallo and salsa verde. The corn pico de gallo is what made these interesting: huge pieces of corn kernels added a unique texture. Otherwise, next time will opt for something more different, as the chunks of chicken were nothing special. (3)
8. Green rice Casserole (Arroz Verde al horno): one of my fave dishes of the night. Piping green rice covered with crispy, melted manchego & oaxaca cheese. Addictive!!
9. Vegetarian black beans: meh….nothing special, a little watery and tasted canned, but no offense taken – how interesting can beans really be? (2)

You have to love tacos to enjoy this place, because there’s not much else in terms of main courses on the menu…but considering the variety of the tacos that they offer, this little yet vibrant Mexican joint is DEFINITELY worth the try – the vibe puts you in a good mood and the food is light enough to make it a perfect pre-Saturday nigh party din din. And they take resos!

I give it a 5!

Address: 172 ave. b (10th & 11th st.) and various locations
Website: http://www.mercaditony.com

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March 27, 2009 · 2:10 am

I Tre Merli Bistro – my new favorite for week night coziness

I pass by this West Fourth corner cafe every day and I am always so curious why such a cute, quaint little European bistro never fails to have two or three empty tables. After eating there, I am even more perplexed! Though quite cozy, this place is a gem – moderately priced, delicious food with an expansive dinner and dessert menu. AND, unlike well priced restos in this neighborhood – they have cocktails!

Ok…enough blabbing Erin, enough blabbing. I tasted:

1. French bread with oil – pungent extra virgin olive oil on soft, fresh baguette: priceless
2. Arugula and Radicchio salad with grilled vegetables and tomatoes – interesting combo, you say? Ya, that’s because I invented it myself. This restaurant list all possible salad ingredients and you can choose whatever for different (low) prices. Awesome idea for a salad lover!! and they come in big bowls, with own choice of dressing. Cool! (5)
3. Homemade spaghetti with pomodoro sauce: the person to my left was eating this and I had to get it because the noodles looked so fresh and the sauce looked amazing. Tasted as good as it looked – perfectly al dente spaghetti noodles with fresh chunks of bright tomatoes and basil. And, it comes in half orders! (5)
4. Grilled calamari with fennel and cherry tomatoes: Ok, squid was a little chewy, but the fennel was deliciously grilled. very light, but tasty appetizer. Did the job, but I give it a (3).
5. Spaghetti a la vongole: I never would order this on my own, so not a fair judge, but tasted just like my mom’s. Since my mom is an awesome cook, I would say it was delicious. They were very generous with the clams and pasta, and the sauce came out piping. (4).

Didn’t have it in me to order dessert but the menu looked scrumptious – love a menu that has more than 2 chocolate items. Love it! Would DEFINITELY go back here for a twist on the crappy week night order ins/take-out meals. Unpretentious but vibrant atmosophere, good service, tasty food, well-priced.

I give it a 4 (which is great!)

Address: 183 West 10th at 4th
Website: http://www.itremerli.com

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