East Village

Cinco de Mayo at Zaragoza

May 6, 2011

Hoping everyone had a happy Cinco De Mayo! After a long day’s work, I knew I would find a celebration at this East Village Mexican deli on Avenue A and 13th. Sure enough, Los Gorriones played for hours and a neighborhood fiesta ensued. The carnitas tacos with salsa verde weren’t bad, either – salud!

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Apiary

September 7, 2010

Chef Scott Bryan worked in the New York kitchens of Gotham Bar and Grill, Bouley, Le Bernardin and Lespinasse, and was the executive chef and co-owner at Veritas for years.  As one would guess, he is extremely assured and yet he is completely unpretentious.  He believes in clean, pronounced flavors that stand alone, (more…)

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6th Street Kitchen

August 30, 2010

You may remember chef Gregory Torrech from our first meeting at Brown cafe (over the body of a suckling pig). As of a month ago, he is the chef at 6th Street Kitchen where he has brought his progressive American cuisine using seasonal ingredients. He and his crew of four work in an open (more…)

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Satsko

August 10, 2010

Seven years ago, Satsko Watanabe left a career as a computer consultant to open this sake bar and restaurant.  Having no background in the food industry, she drew from her experience as a someone who loves to cook and entertain.  She incorporates the traditional cuisine of her native Japan with ingredients such as brown (more…)

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Rai Rai Ken

July 2, 2010

This restaurant has a narrow kitchen, serving ramen and gyoza to a clientelle seated along an equally narrow bar.   Three or four people work in the kitchen at one time taking turns cooking, serving and cleaning.  English, Spanish and Japanese are spoken.  Tacked to the kitchen ceiling in phonetic chinese characters  is a (more…)

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Decibel

June 21, 2010

This 17-year-old East Village subterranean sake bar is dark and mysterious.  It is easy to miss the small sign, and yet weeknights often finds the place packed.  One has to go down a small flight of stairs and wait at a dusty velvet rope to be seated at a table down a narrow hall. (more…)

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Minca

June 14, 2010

While touring throughout Japan as a jazz drummer, the owner of this ramen noodle shop,  Shigeto Kamada, visited some of the country’s most famous ramen noodle shops.  When he settled in New York, he vowed to bring his knowledge and love of authentic ramen to the city.  Tuesday evenings, Shigeto can be found (more…)

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Zum Schneider

May 24, 2010

For the last ten years, Sylvester Schneider’s authentic Bavarian haunt has been a popular destination for those who love traditional German food, a festive atmosphere, and of course beer.  The kitchen is not large, and will have four or five people working in it each night, but its well-organized set up makes for (more…)

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Arcane

May 24, 2010

Owners Christine Ebel and Benjamin Alter, a brother and sister team, decided to bring the laid back atmosphere and French Carribean flavor of the Guadaloupe, where they grew up, to the East Village.  Their chef, Vule Dabethic, has worked in kitchens throughout the city after a stint living in Brazil.  In the kitchen, Spanish, Serbian and English (more…)

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