adventures of mascarah.

Where to Eat the West Village

Where to begin! By far my favorite neighborhood to dine in here in the city. So many of you have asked me for my favorites in NYC and I almost always send a list that is exclusively in WV. So without further ado, here’s Part II in my Where to Eat in NYC series. You can read my thoughts about LES from last week here.

Cheap Eats

• Taim: One of the best falafels in the city with perfectly salted fries. Bonus: they deliver if you’re local and on warm summer days you can sit out front on the side walk and drink one of their fresh teas or lemonades. Perfection.
• Corner Bistro: You can eat a burger served on a coffee filter with the biggest pile of bacon you’ve ever seen + get drunk for $20. Guaranteed.
• A Salt & Battery: Fish & Chips! Delivery! Hot brits working there! In England these chips might be an abomination but in the US they’re a solid bet.
• John’s Pizza on Bleecker: Basic margherita - all the way.
• Chumleys: If this place ever re-opens, go. Food is good and the history of the place is even better.
• White Horse: So much history here (Dylan Thomas et all), and good bar eats to boot. Bonus points for the outside tables in the summer.
• ‘ino: Paninis and wine in a cozy nook of a restaurant. Perfect for a late night random bite.
• Five Guys: One of my favorite burgers in the city, so cheap. Get it with jalapenos and hot sauce. YUMM. You’ll forget it’s a chain.
• Diablo Royale: Solid tacos, hot bartenders, strong margaritas.
• BLT Burger: I wouldn’t say this place is “cheap” but the shakes are tasty and if you are Five Guys’d out, this is a good second bet for a solid burger.
• Grey Dog Cafe: Hands down my fav place to order delivery. Love all their sandwiches, soups & salads.
• Mexicana Mama: Chicken burrito side of orange spicy salsa.
• Moustache: Middle Eastern delivery yumminess (although extremely slowwww).

Brunch

• Tartine: Great little place to eat brunch outdoors in the summertime. Bring cash, no cards and go early/late.
• Westville: Yumm, yummy y yumm. Be prepared to wait.
• August: Don’t love this joint for dinner but I DO love their baked eggs for brunch paritcularly in the summer in the back garden.
• Market Table: Sister restaurant to Little Owl, great brunch spot and solid second choice if you can’t go to TLO for dinner.
• Morandi: I don’t love Morandi for italian but their brunch (great baked goods, baked eggs, crepes) is a Balthazar knock-off fantastic meal.
• Cafe Cluny: Part of the former McNally empire, a major Odeon knock off but a standard brunch with an awesome BLT.

All Time Favorites

• Little Owl: Love! This place is my #1 all time favorite. You really can’t go wrong on their menu, their staff is amazing, the space is cozy (and famous) without an ounce of pretense. Perfection, one meatball slider at a time.
• Blue Hill: This place doesn’t come close to the Stone Barns location but the food is still solid, fresh and totally delish.
• Blue Ribbon: A solid restaurant with a diverse and inspired menu. Don’t like the service, love the private dining areas downstairs.
• Fatty Crab: I love these guys and their awesome pork buns & watermelon/pork salad and stellar big bowl of crab. Malaysian street food yumm.
• Babbo: Definitely the best Batali joint and probably one of the best meals in the city. Super hard to get a res, but worth the walk in wait. If you can’t eat here, Lupa is a distant (very distant) second.
• Mary’s Fish Camp: Lobster Roll madness with a solid menu if you aren’t a lobster fan. Love to go here on Saturday’s for brunch and eat a trout BLT.
• Mas Farmhouse: One of my first meals in NYC was here and it will always be a favorite. It’s quaint, inviting, romantic and the food is fresh, inspired and totally yummy. Majorly $$$$ though.
• Perry Street: It’s Jean Georges on the best street in this city. I wish I could move in. Ditto on the $$$.
• Minetta Tavern: There’s a reason the only reservation you can get is at 5 or 10 p.m. The burger and meats are to die for in a super cool divey (with a little sceney) vibe. McNally might be just showing off with this one.
• Spotted Pig: You can’t really list food in WV and not list this place. Love the burger, love the atmosphere, prefer to go during brunch or cozying up on a stool super late night.

Other Solid Bets

• Annisa: Great cozy little neighborhood gem. Perfect for that fourth date. You know what I mean.
• Barbuto: Waxman is a legend and his garage door open atmosphere can’t be beat for a lazy summer afternoon filled with day drinking and pasta. Yumm.
• Da Silvano: You can’t mention WV and not mention Da Silvano. Same for Il Mulino. These places have an air of mafia along with a celeb clientele out the yang. Solid food, not my favorite..but pretty tasty (prefer Mulino to Silvano, food wise, vice versa for atmosphere). Silvano can be a fab celeb / people watching scene come warmer weather days. On that note, see Waverly Inn if you’re into that kinda thing (and yes, I do go there still, sometimes…)
• Pearl Oyster: Some swear by this place and the lobster roll. I think it’s good but would choose Mary’s over it any day. What do you think?
• Perilla: Harold’s awesome and his restaurant is solid. Always love his duck dishes and the chef’s tasting (reasonable & delish).
• Wallse: I really love Austrian food and enjoy Wallse. Pretty authentic and warm cozy atmosphere. A bit off the beaten path (although still busy).
• Strip House: A good steak (at a pretty steep price) if you’re craving one of those Ruth Chris style steak-y experiences (much better than R-C).
• L’Artrusi (and their sister restaurant dell’anima): Not my go to places, but great wine lists, good food, and cozy environment x 2.

Avoid

• Bobo: Italian that lacks authenticity and flavor with a crowd that is filled with too many ibankers and bad service. Blah all around.
• The Place: Worst service I’ve ever had in the city with an uninspired menu. No reason to ever go here.
• Choptank: This place isn’t bad but when you’re this close to Mary’s Fish Camp it seems criminal to eat here.
• Extra Virgin: This place’s food is okay…but just so wannabe scene-ster it’s obnoxious.
• Commerce: One one of the best blocks in the city ,this place should be a gem…but it isn’t. It’s like an investment bank threw up in it and the food doesn’t warrant the price, I’d take the Waverly Inn (2 years post its prime) any day over it.
• Centro Vinoteca: Not a fan. Plus the chef gives me the creeps.
• 10 Downing: I want to love this place so much but the $$ for the quality just aren’t there.

Let me know what you think!

Update: By Adam’s request, Chelsea is next up on Tuesday, April 6th. Have a favorite Chelsea eatery? Let me know.