::PepperBlog::
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pongal
location: 81. lexington ave. new york. ny 10016
phone: 212.696.5130
south indian, kosher, vegetarian, bad/arrogant service, rude waiters
'pongal', in tamil (south indian language), refers to a festival that marks the welcoming of the harvest season. it also refers to the main dish (made of rice) that is prepared during the festival. as for 'pongal' - the restaurant - it is one of the most overrated one in the city. the food is half-decent, but even that is negated by the worst service their waiters mete out to the customers.
a couple of incidents for reference: it was a weekend brunch time, and the restaurant was more than half-empty. a couple behind us were asking the waiter if they could change their table due to some uncomfortability. the waiter arrogantly refused any change with no rhyme or reason, much to the amazement of patrons in the next table. the other incident was on the same day when the waiter got all rude and impolite because i had my seat jutting out a little. and this was my second time going there only to see that they had not changed an iota from the first time i was there.
overall, 'pongal' sucks. waiters are rude-extraordinaire. half-decent food. TOTALLY UNRECOMMENDED
fyi: there are other places for good south indian food!
location: 81. lexington ave. new york. ny 10016
phone: 212.696.5130
south indian, kosher, vegetarian, bad/arrogant service, rude waiters
'pongal', in tamil (south indian language), refers to a festival that marks the welcoming of the harvest season. it also refers to the main dish (made of rice) that is prepared during the festival. as for 'pongal' - the restaurant - it is one of the most overrated one in the city. the food is half-decent, but even that is negated by the worst service their waiters mete out to the customers.
a couple of incidents for reference: it was a weekend brunch time, and the restaurant was more than half-empty. a couple behind us were asking the waiter if they could change their table due to some uncomfortability. the waiter arrogantly refused any change with no rhyme or reason, much to the amazement of patrons in the next table. the other incident was on the same day when the waiter got all rude and impolite because i had my seat jutting out a little. and this was my second time going there only to see that they had not changed an iota from the first time i was there.
overall, 'pongal' sucks. waiters are rude-extraordinaire. half-decent food. TOTALLY UNRECOMMENDED
fyi: there are other places for good south indian food!
madras cafe
location: 79. 2nd avenue. new york. ny.
phone: 212.254.8002
indian, dosas, vegetarian and kosher, east village, moderately priced
new yorkers have been made to believe that the good indian restaurants are either on lex (curry hill), or on 6th street in east village (of course, i am not including jackson heights). truth be told, 6th street is predominantly bangladeshi, while lex has decent fusion offerings. however, this east village joint has the owner/chef from south india who appears to cater more authentic (south) indian food than many other in the city. it serves 'dosas' with sides of coconut chutney and indian 'drumstick' sambar. try the 'vadas' and 'idlis' for appetizers instead of the usual 'samosas'. these are considered traditional south indian snacks. for the more mainstream focussed, the fire-roasted 'roti' is a must that proves indian food can be non-greasy! and for those who are conscious of carbs in the dosa-filling, you can have them hold the filling back. or you can even order a smaller version from the appetizer menu.
'madras cafe' is a neat and clean setup, but ambience and service logistics could be improved. recommendations for the hungry include 'tamilnadu thali' and 'kingfisher' lager beer.
fyi: you are close to a ton of bars including 'sin sin', and 'lit'.
location: 79. 2nd avenue. new york. ny.
phone: 212.254.8002
indian, dosas, vegetarian and kosher, east village, moderately priced
new yorkers have been made to believe that the good indian restaurants are either on lex (curry hill), or on 6th street in east village (of course, i am not including jackson heights). truth be told, 6th street is predominantly bangladeshi, while lex has decent fusion offerings. however, this east village joint has the owner/chef from south india who appears to cater more authentic (south) indian food than many other in the city. it serves 'dosas' with sides of coconut chutney and indian 'drumstick' sambar. try the 'vadas' and 'idlis' for appetizers instead of the usual 'samosas'. these are considered traditional south indian snacks. for the more mainstream focussed, the fire-roasted 'roti' is a must that proves indian food can be non-greasy! and for those who are conscious of carbs in the dosa-filling, you can have them hold the filling back. or you can even order a smaller version from the appetizer menu.
'madras cafe' is a neat and clean setup, but ambience and service logistics could be improved. recommendations for the hungry include 'tamilnadu thali' and 'kingfisher' lager beer.
fyi: you are close to a ton of bars including 'sin sin', and 'lit'.
miracle grill
location: 112. 1st avenue. new york. ny.
phone: 212.254.2353
southwestern, east village, brunch, garden, moderate price
this is the east village counterpart of the restaurant on bleecker street. i tried this restaurant for brunch on sunday. never thought about the existence of blue corn pancakes before i stepped into this cozy setup. they served their pancakes with a load of fresh fruits, honey-orange butter, and of course, pure maple syrup. the pancakes were soft and the most delicious i have had in a long time. you can feel the ingredients as they melt in your mouth with the honey orange butter. most of their othere mainstream brunch menu comes with a choice of homefries/grits and cornbread.
some negatives of this restaurant despite serving up quality food is that they serve brunch only in the garden. (the restaurant had all the seats empty inside when i went there about noon). the garden also allows smoking which is a no-no at least for me. the most notable negative however is that their brunch does not include any drink or beverage.
fyi: its close to the st. marks theater and also few blocks from activities in tomkins sq park .
location: 112. 1st avenue. new york. ny.
phone: 212.254.2353
southwestern, east village, brunch, garden, moderate price
this is the east village counterpart of the restaurant on bleecker street. i tried this restaurant for brunch on sunday. never thought about the existence of blue corn pancakes before i stepped into this cozy setup. they served their pancakes with a load of fresh fruits, honey-orange butter, and of course, pure maple syrup. the pancakes were soft and the most delicious i have had in a long time. you can feel the ingredients as they melt in your mouth with the honey orange butter. most of their othere mainstream brunch menu comes with a choice of homefries/grits and cornbread.
some negatives of this restaurant despite serving up quality food is that they serve brunch only in the garden. (the restaurant had all the seats empty inside when i went there about noon). the garden also allows smoking which is a no-no at least for me. the most notable negative however is that their brunch does not include any drink or beverage.
fyi: its close to the st. marks theater and also few blocks from activities in tomkins sq park .
rue b
location: 188. avenue b. new york. ny. 10009
phone: 212.358.1700
live jazz, salads and sandwiches, bar seating
some nights, you want to forgo the dj and fashionistas and avoid the drinking masses of NYU students. when that happens, rue b is the place to go. i was immediately at home in cushy booth seating and happily people-watching in the glow of soft table lanterns. as for dinner, there was nice selection of gourmet sandwiches and salads with upscale additions like brie and toasted walnuts. but the reason to eat the simple fare, is for the bread. warm, crusty and substantial, i never even missed the pitas when our hummus arrived surrounded by civilized slices of chunky bread.
don't forget dessert, because rue b's lack of fancy entrees is supplemented by such yummy items as a 'chocolate sin cake' with the tastiest of whip creams on the side.
fyi: if you are dining with a date or just a good friend, conversation is easy with the soft volume of the live jazz. Finally a bar that knows what volume control is!
location: 188. avenue b. new york. ny. 10009
phone: 212.358.1700
live jazz, salads and sandwiches, bar seating
some nights, you want to forgo the dj and fashionistas and avoid the drinking masses of NYU students. when that happens, rue b is the place to go. i was immediately at home in cushy booth seating and happily people-watching in the glow of soft table lanterns. as for dinner, there was nice selection of gourmet sandwiches and salads with upscale additions like brie and toasted walnuts. but the reason to eat the simple fare, is for the bread. warm, crusty and substantial, i never even missed the pitas when our hummus arrived surrounded by civilized slices of chunky bread.
don't forget dessert, because rue b's lack of fancy entrees is supplemented by such yummy items as a 'chocolate sin cake' with the tastiest of whip creams on the side.
fyi: if you are dining with a date or just a good friend, conversation is easy with the soft volume of the live jazz. Finally a bar that knows what volume control is!
tournesol
location: 5012. vernon blvd. long island city. ny
phone: 718.472.4355
french, quality wine, sea food, moderate price, romantic, long island city
alright. we confess that we did go to queens for some french food. but the trip was more than worth it because tournesol is one of those hidden french eateries serving up moderately priced, but excellent collection of wine, and a wide variety of well-taken-care-of sea food. the service is very friendly and the food is more authentic than their peers. ask the owner/chef for recommendations and you will not regret it. the grilled fish on skewer served on a bed of veggies is something to try. if you want to impress someone with your know-how on french food, go here. bet even the french go here! :-)
fyi: if you are here in july or august, you may want to check out the 'PS1 Party'. Its kickass!!
location: 5012. vernon blvd. long island city. ny
phone: 718.472.4355
french, quality wine, sea food, moderate price, romantic, long island city
alright. we confess that we did go to queens for some french food. but the trip was more than worth it because tournesol is one of those hidden french eateries serving up moderately priced, but excellent collection of wine, and a wide variety of well-taken-care-of sea food. the service is very friendly and the food is more authentic than their peers. ask the owner/chef for recommendations and you will not regret it. the grilled fish on skewer served on a bed of veggies is something to try. if you want to impress someone with your know-how on french food, go here. bet even the french go here! :-)
fyi: if you are here in july or august, you may want to check out the 'PS1 Party'. Its kickass!!
pat pong
location: 93. e 7th street. new york. ny
phone: 212.505.6454
thai, east village, cheap sake
in a city where there are dime-a-dozen thai restaurants, pat pong stands unique in many ways. for one, the food here is different and they serve more than just red and green curries. pat pong is located on 7th street between avenues 1 and a. their 'flat noodles with basil and chicken' is interesting. served in a clay pot with a lid to hold the aroma, the 'tofu in coconut curry' is one of the best preparations in the realm. on a cold winter night you can warm up with reasonably priced warm sake, and on a hot summer night you can warm up with the cold. ;-)
the ambience is typical of east village restaurants - tiny, dark, cozy and a little quirky. overall lovely food and decent service.
try their mango ide cream with raspberry and kiwi sauce.
fyi: its close to the 'stomp' show... and 'the blueman group' plays by as well!
location: 93. e 7th street. new york. ny
phone: 212.505.6454
thai, east village, cheap sake
in a city where there are dime-a-dozen thai restaurants, pat pong stands unique in many ways. for one, the food here is different and they serve more than just red and green curries. pat pong is located on 7th street between avenues 1 and a. their 'flat noodles with basil and chicken' is interesting. served in a clay pot with a lid to hold the aroma, the 'tofu in coconut curry' is one of the best preparations in the realm. on a cold winter night you can warm up with reasonably priced warm sake, and on a hot summer night you can warm up with the cold. ;-)
the ambience is typical of east village restaurants - tiny, dark, cozy and a little quirky. overall lovely food and decent service.
try their mango ide cream with raspberry and kiwi sauce.
fyi: its close to the 'stomp' show... and 'the blueman group' plays by as well!
penang - upper east side
location: 1596. 2nd ave. new york. ny 10028
phone: 212.585.3838
malaysian, intriguing, fantastic, great cocktails, friendly, upper east side
this is part of a malaysian chain that has a fantastic and intriguing interiors with semi-private domed booths, very prompt service, and tasty food. serves a little bit of pan-asian food, but the focus appears to be malay. the cocktails stand out in taste and variety. interesting mixes include, 'malay tai', 'mango martini', 'coconut martini', and 'singapore sling'. 'roti canai' and 'char mee hoon' are a must-try, and so is 'mesak lemak', which comes with a choice of white meat chicken, beef, or shrimp, in a gravy with carrots, red peppers, and onions. a side order of coconut rice is highly recommended.
fyi: spend the day in the park or the museum mile and head over here for chill cocktails!
location: 1596. 2nd ave. new york. ny 10028
phone: 212.585.3838
malaysian, intriguing, fantastic, great cocktails, friendly, upper east side
this is part of a malaysian chain that has a fantastic and intriguing interiors with semi-private domed booths, very prompt service, and tasty food. serves a little bit of pan-asian food, but the focus appears to be malay. the cocktails stand out in taste and variety. interesting mixes include, 'malay tai', 'mango martini', 'coconut martini', and 'singapore sling'. 'roti canai' and 'char mee hoon' are a must-try, and so is 'mesak lemak', which comes with a choice of white meat chicken, beef, or shrimp, in a gravy with carrots, red peppers, and onions. a side order of coconut rice is highly recommended.
fyi: spend the day in the park or the museum mile and head over here for chill cocktails!
mudspot
location: 307. e 9th st. new york. ny
phone: n/a
cafe, brunch, cute ambience, garden, super oj, east village
it all began with a truck that i used to drink coffee from at astor pl. these guys are now owners of this spot on 9th street in east village that caters to the hipsters and others alike. great coffee (or 'Mud' as they have branded it), and super orange juice with their brunch. of course, mimosa is available as well. the food is pretty decent, but i guess the place holds up for their coffee more than the food.
the ambience is cute, but has the kitchen in the middle of it all. however, there was a dude on his "mac ibook" and he appeared all comfortable. they do have a garden in the back that looked more spacious than the interiors. definitely worth a try!
fyi: there are some cute stores nearby that you may want to check!
location: 307. e 9th st. new york. ny
phone: n/a
cafe, brunch, cute ambience, garden, super oj, east village
it all began with a truck that i used to drink coffee from at astor pl. these guys are now owners of this spot on 9th street in east village that caters to the hipsters and others alike. great coffee (or 'Mud' as they have branded it), and super orange juice with their brunch. of course, mimosa is available as well. the food is pretty decent, but i guess the place holds up for their coffee more than the food.
the ambience is cute, but has the kitchen in the middle of it all. however, there was a dude on his "mac ibook" and he appeared all comfortable. they do have a garden in the back that looked more spacious than the interiors. definitely worth a try!
fyi: there are some cute stores nearby that you may want to check!
la palapa
location: 77 st. marks place. new york 10003. ny
phone: 212.777.2537
(more authentic) mexican, sangria, appetizers, romantic, east village
walk in and you will feel the tropical set up of this restaurant - from the main door to the rear door, including the bathrooms! [you have to check out the bathroom for its mirrorwork].
after having gone to a ton of mexican restaurants we feel that this restaurant has something that makes it stand apart from others. is it the food, the service, or the ambience? honestly, all three are great here. their 'enchiladas de pollo verdes' [green sauce] is to-die-for. of course, if you want to kiss someone without that onion breath after eating this dish, you may want to ask them to hold the onions back. the attentiveness you get from a waiter can be gauged from how often he/she comes to fill your glass of water as you empty it. well, that happens swiftly at la palapa.
while the dinner may not turn out to be all that inexpensive, they have under $10 brunch specials. you can sit out on the sidewalk watching the punks of st. marks place walk by while you sip your mimosas/bloody mary on a sunday afternoon.
overall, this restaurant scores on food, ambience, and service. reservations are recommended during weekends.
location: 77 st. marks place. new york 10003. ny
phone: 212.777.2537
(more authentic) mexican, sangria, appetizers, romantic, east village
walk in and you will feel the tropical set up of this restaurant - from the main door to the rear door, including the bathrooms! [you have to check out the bathroom for its mirrorwork].
after having gone to a ton of mexican restaurants we feel that this restaurant has something that makes it stand apart from others. is it the food, the service, or the ambience? honestly, all three are great here. their 'enchiladas de pollo verdes' [green sauce] is to-die-for. of course, if you want to kiss someone without that onion breath after eating this dish, you may want to ask them to hold the onions back. the attentiveness you get from a waiter can be gauged from how often he/she comes to fill your glass of water as you empty it. well, that happens swiftly at la palapa.
while the dinner may not turn out to be all that inexpensive, they have under $10 brunch specials. you can sit out on the sidewalk watching the punks of st. marks place walk by while you sip your mimosas/bloody mary on a sunday afternoon.
overall, this restaurant scores on food, ambience, and service. reservations are recommended during weekends.
agave
location: 140. 7th avenue south. new york. ny
phone: 212.989.2100
south western, brunch, west village, margaritas, coffee
located on 7th avenue, in west village, this restaurant serves up one of the best brunch specials in the city. before facing the monday blues go here for the sunday blues. yes, they have these aqua margaritas that are a bright start for the day. the 'three beef hash' served with a side of homemade hash browns and a tad bit of tangy sauce has the beef in its most succulent avatars.
the ambience is pleasant and welcoming with white walls and wood. the service is prompt and friendly. reservations are recommeded.
fyi: if you retained your date from last night for a breakfast (kudos!), go here for the brunch! you may stand a good chance to repeat the game!!
location: 140. 7th avenue south. new york. ny
phone: 212.989.2100
south western, brunch, west village, margaritas, coffee
located on 7th avenue, in west village, this restaurant serves up one of the best brunch specials in the city. before facing the monday blues go here for the sunday blues. yes, they have these aqua margaritas that are a bright start for the day. the 'three beef hash' served with a side of homemade hash browns and a tad bit of tangy sauce has the beef in its most succulent avatars.
the ambience is pleasant and welcoming with white walls and wood. the service is prompt and friendly. reservations are recommeded.
fyi: if you retained your date from last night for a breakfast (kudos!), go here for the brunch! you may stand a good chance to repeat the game!!
