East Village

GoogaMooga Countdown: Watch Northern Spy Food Co. and Landhaus Prep on Food.Curated

With GoogaMooga just a day away, we're savoring the videos Food.Curated created to preview what some of the participating restaurants will bring to this weekend's food festival in Prospect Park.

10 Best Restaurants for Vegetarian Food in New York (Even if You're Not a Vegetarian!), 2013 Edition

There are plenty of vegetarian-friendly restaurants in New York. Some deal in chewy gluten strips and meat facsimiles, others turn out raw foods and seed pastes, but there are plenty of places where you don't need to be a devotee to enjoy the food. Go for a meatless meal at these restaurants for a ... More >>

Olive Oil on Tap at Le Midi; Not Everything's Awful at Bill's Food and Drink

Tejal Rao took a break from professional eating this week, but our own Robert Sietsema kept at it by checking in at Le Midi Bistro. Located in a former East Village Woolworth's building and karaoke den, Sietsema notes in his review of Le Midi that the restaurant "is one of those old-school bistros w ... More >>

Croissanteria and Table Verte Open in East Village

Over the weekend, the East Village got a heaping pile of Parisian flair. Two new French spots opened for business near Tompkins Square Park.

Porchetta's Pressed Chicken Sandwich

It's takes five extra minutes for dish #14, but we don't mind waiting Welcome to 100 Dishes to Eat Now, the tasty countdown leading up to our "Best of 2012" issue. Tune in each day (weekends too!) for a new dish from the Fork in the Road team. [See More: The Story of Hash | The King of Fried Chick ... More >>

What's the Oldest Japanese Restaurant in the East Village?

Dish #36 in our countdown is found on the menu of this long-running East Village restaurant. Welcome to 100 Dishes to Eat Now, the tasty countdown leading up to our "Best of 2012" issue. Tune in every day (weekends, too!) for a new dish from the Fork in the Road team. [See More 100 Dishes: E-Sarn ... More >>

Standard East Hotel Pushes Ice Cream Cart Out Front

In this case, the under-scoop was PB&J. In our quest to bring you the best eats from the five boroughs and beyond, Fork in the Road misses things right under our collective noses. In this case, it's a humble ice cream cart with some of the best in the East Village -- and that includes a lot of ice ... More >>

Chili Crab Dip With Mantou From Masak, Dish #71

Welcome to 100 Dishes to Eat Now, the tasty countdown leading up to our "Best of 2012" issue. Tune in every day (weekends, too!) for a new dish from the Fork in the Road team. [See More 100 Dishes: White Pizza From Dellarocco's of Brooklyn, Dish #72 | Saba Kinuta at Miyagi, Dish #73]

Say Hello To Isola Trattoria & Crudo Bar, Bugs

Isola Trattoria & Crudo Bar at the Mondrian SoHo opened today. It's Sicilian food by executive chef Victor LaPlaca, who spent the last 17 years opening restaurants with Todd English. Signatures off Isola's trattoria menu will include cuscinetto with goat cheese and black olive, baby heirloom tomato ... More >>

Robert Sietsema at Sao Mai; Tejal Rao at Prima

See what NYC's restaurant critics have been up to this week: Robert Sietsema thinks Sao Mai might be New York's best Vietnamese restaurant: "Situated on First Avenue in the East Village, Sao Mai ("Morning Star") was the subject of a partial review by Lauren Shockey in the Voice last February. But ... More >>

POETIC LICENSE

Get your Allen Ginsberg fix

The Redhead Crawfish Boil: $30 for Two Pounds of Crawfish

You don't have to go far to get your hands on straight-from-Louisiana crawfish. It's the second week of The Redhead's annual crawfish boil. Every Sunday until May 13th, $30 will get you two pounds of crawfish, sausage, corn, potato, and artichoke. There will also be New Orleans' Abita Beers on tap.

Say Goodbye to Kate's Joint, Lakeside Lounge

For rent signs are up at Kate's Joint in the East Village. Apparently, the Indiegogo campaign to save the restaurant didn't work. EV Grieve has also learned from a "reliable tipster" that Starbucks might be moving into the space. [EV Grieve] Cafe Katja is temporarily closed for renovations and will ... More >>

This Week's Specials: 5 Favorite Margaritas, Hot Dog Pies

See what we've been up to this week at Fork in the Road: Robert Sietsema lists his five favorite NYC margaritas, and tries (and hates) the spicy chicken sandwich at McDonald's. He also examines Pizza Hut's new British creation, "The Bone," a pie with a hot-dog-stuffed crust, and suggests a hot-d ... More >>

Our 10 Best East Village Restaurants, 2012 Edition

These chicken chile guajillo enchiladas at Downtown Bakery are every bit as good -- and spicy -- as they look. The East Village may be the city's most eclectic and rewarding dining destination, though this aspect of the neighborhood is sometimes eclipsed by its bars and cocktail lounges. You can d ... More >>

This Week's Specials: East Village Eats, Tea Houses

See what we've been up to at Fork in the Road this week:

Behold, the Banh Mi Taco

For this week's review, I went to two new casual Vietnamese spots in the East Village. The first, Sao Mai, offers your standard --though fresh and flavorful -- selection of Viet fare, including pho, bun, and grilled meat dishes. The other, Xe May Sandwich Shop, specializes in banh mi, but also off ... More >>

Olio Verde Novello (Green Olive Oil) at Buon Italia, Gift Suggestion #9

​Note that E.V. on the sign stands for "Extra Virgin," not "East Village." What's cloudy and pine-tree green? Olio Verde Novello, sometimes called New Olive Oil or Green Olive Oil.

Victim in Sunday's Attempted East Village Rape Speaks

Yesterday we posted the video of a man suspected in the attempted rape of a 27-year-old East Village woman. The victim has told the New York Post her side of the story: She fought off the man, screaming, cursing, and kicking, after he followed her into her building on First Avenue at around 3 a.m. ... More >>

Olek Crochets a London Cab

Olek​If you thought that crocheted Astor Place cube was cute, you will love crochet artist Olek's handiwork on a London cab. She's traveling, and tells us, "I am from Silesia, Poland. Very industrial, gray, ugly city. Kazimierz Kutz, a film director from the same region, said that you must lea ... More >>

Chuko, Tabata, and Ramen Misoya: Let's Go Bowling

A slurp through three new ramen joints

Say Hello to Sauce, Battersby, Loi

Here are the latest newcomers to New York City's cutthroat dining scene. If you hear of any new openings or closings, let us know. International Gourmet Kitchen (IGK) is a new lunch spot in Chelsea, offering great value on everything from burgers to burritos to Asian rice bowls. [Midtown Lunch] To ... More >>

An Attempt to Recreate Pigs in Blankets at the New East Village IHOP

​The raw materials When I was a kid in Minneapolis, a visit to IHOP (or its feuding competitor, Perkins Pancake House) was a rare and much-to-be anticipated occasion, and one of the very few meals eaten outside of the house or the confines of the backyard. When my twin brothers and I got the ... More >>

Open and Closed: Say Hello to Café de la Esquina at Wythe Diner, Goodbye to Double Crown

Restaurants and bars, they come and they go. Here are a few making their debuts and bowing out this week. Double Crown, on the Bowery, will close its doors this month and reopen as Saxon & Parole. The adjoining gin joint, Madam Geneva, will remain intact. [Diner's Journal] Harry Boland's Pub, whic ... More >>

Peeing Man Flees Police in Greenwich Village

via​First there was the East Village doorshitter, now the West Village has its very own excreting felon. The Daily News reports via video surveillance that the man -- described as a either black or Hispanic, 5 foot 8 inches and 20 to 25 years old -- was spotted undoing his belt and peeing or a ... More >>

Open and Closed: Say Hello to Betto, Goodbye to South Houston

Restaurants and bars, they come and they go. Here are a few making their debuts and bowing out this week. Southernish restaurant South Houston on West Broadway near Grand Street has closed after little more than a year in business. [Eater] Pick-a-Pita has served its last its french fry-stuffed shw ... More >>

Pepsi Peddles Nutrition in India; ConAgra Sued Over 'Natural' Oils Labels

​PepsiCo may be turning its focus back to cola in some markets, but is looking to boost its health snacks business in India via its global nutrition unit. [Wall Street Journal] The owner of Fu Sushi in the East Village denies that his restaurant was open for business despite being ordered to ... More >>

Realistic Hamburger Hat and Seven Other Useless Gifts Aimed at Foodies

​What happens when the hamburger on your hat looks much better than the hamburger you're eating? Predictably, East Village favorite gift and t-shirt store Alphabets (115 Avenue A, 212-475-7250) has been accumulating food-themed gag gifts over the last couple of years. But do you really want t ... More >>

'NYPD Rapists' Plastered Around East Village

via​Though Friday evening's protest of the Kenneth Moreno and Franklin Mata acquittal in the NYPD rape case seemed like a moment of catharsis, it's not quite over for everyone who felt betrayed by the verdict. "People were pissed," we learned of the protest and apparently they still are: A new ... More >>

Counter Is Still Hanging on to Life, Seitan Burgers

Photo courtesy of Counter​The demise of Counter, the East Village vegetarian oasis, seemed imminent last November when Alex Stupak announced he'd be opening a location of Empellòn in the space the restaurant occupies on First Avenue. But according to a sign on the window spotted by an E ... More >>

East Village Penthouses Are Connected by a Slide, Because Of Course They Are

via​In today's news that doesn't surprise us at all, because we are highly sophisticated peoples of expensive tastes, two East Village penthouses owned by the same dude are connected by a slide. Well, of course they are! How would you connect your East Village penthouses? What's that, you don' ... More >>

Jimmy McMillan Wants to Get Rid of Bike Lanes Because "Idiots Are Getting Run Over"

​Surely you'll recall Jimmy McMillan, the "Rent Is Too Damn High" guy who made a splash just last year at the gubernatorial debate with his karate and badass black gloves and crazy facial hair stylings, and then his various music videos and album release and campaign message and whatnot? Well, ... More >>

Alphabet Lounge Big Band

Mercadito Cantina to Become an Event Space

sheckysnightlife.com​East Village taqueria standby Mercadito Cantina (172 Avenue B, 212-388-1750) will be shuttering its doors at the end of the month and will turn into an event space. Per Mercadito's rep, the space will be utilized for "innovative cooking demonstrations by Chef Sandoval, be ... More >>

East Village Farm and Grocery Also Badly Damaged by Fire

DNAinfo/Gabriela Resto-Montero​ It has been a bad, bad morning for East Village food concerns: a couple of hours before Sixth Street Kitchen was badly damaged by a fire, a similar blaze occurred at East Village Farm & Grocery on the corner of Second Avenue and East Fourth Street. According to ... More >>

More East Side Destruction: Sidewalk Collapses Outside Delancey Resto

boweryboogie.comThere goes the neighborhood.​The East Village isn't the only neighborhood being ravaged by disaster. On the Lower East Side yesterday, the ground literally opened up outside the Olympic Restaurant, at the corner of Delancey and Ludlow streets. Bowery Boogie reports that the sid ... More >>

East Village Dog Owners Have Become Knife-Wielding Vigilantes

​A rash of pit bull attacks on both dogs and humans at Tompkins Square Park has forced some East Village dog owners to take matters into their own hands, carrying "knives and other weapons" when they visit the dog run now, reports DNA Info. "Other weapons" include a varied assortment of possib ... More >>

Open & Closed: Say Hello to Goat Town; Goodbye to Paladar

Restaurants and bars, they come and they go. Here are a few making their debuts and bowing out this week. Chiam Chinese Cuisine, known for its tasty dumplings, has shuttered after 19 years in operation in Midtown East. [Zagat Buzz] Orologio in the East Village appears to be on the chopping block. ... More >>

December CB3 Agenda Suggests That the Sunshine Hotel Will Soon Serve Liquor

​Community Board 3 has posted its December SLA meeting agenda, and it looks like the ground floor of the Bowery's Sunshine Hotel is moving closer to becoming yet another eating destination for the comfortable classes.

Open & Closed: Say Hello to The Darby; Goodbye to Marfa

Restaurants and bars, they come and they go. Here are a few making their debuts and bowing out this week. Cooper 35 Asian Pub, known for its $3 cocktails, will be torn down in the coming months to make room for a new Joe Sitt high-rise. [NYU News via Grub Street] CB Holding Corp. has filed for Cha ... More >>

Wheelchair-Bound Man Totally Schools Store Robber (Video!)

​Yesterday we mentioned that civilians seem to have kind of had it with crime. An East Village woman beat her attempted mugger up at an ATM; a Park Slope shopkeeper warded off his store's thief with a heavy-duty wastebasket. Now, take this group of stalwart Vancouver residents, including one ... More >>

Open & Closed: Say Hello to Ciano; Goodbye to Donald Sacks

Restaurants and bars, they come and they go. Here are a few making their debuts and bowing out this week. Bossa Nova Brazil in Hell's Kitchen has closed to make room for Flavor, which looks like it could be a martini bar. [Life with Food and Drink]​ Donald Sacks in Battery Park is closing do ... More >>

Awesome East Village Woman Beats Shit Out of ATM Robber

​If, like us, you're wondering whether the East Village is degenerating into a crime-ridden slum of yesteryear, you may want avoid this report from EV Grieve about a botched ATM robbery at the Chase branch on Avenue A and 2nd Street. A reader tells the blog that the intended victim, a woman, " ... More >>

Police Release Surveillance Video of Would-Be East Village Kidnapper

​Following up on the story we mentioned earlier of an attempted kidnapping in the East Village...police have released surveillance video and a photo of the man who picked up a four-year-old boy at 6th Street between A and B yesterday and attempted to walk away. The boy's nanny screamed and gra ... More >>

Is the East Village Facing a Return to the Bad Old Days of Crime?

​In today's East Village street crime round-up: A string of wanton mayhem and violence over the past two days, including a drug-related shooting that left three injured, a stabbing that left one dead, and a cell phone robbery that left one perp in tears. The '70s are back, baby. Well, not exac ... More >>

Northern Spy Food Co. Has Opened Its Artisanally Inspired Doors

Thrillist​Painstakingly curated food shops selling market-driven vittles and a steadfastly American artisanal aesthetic are a phenomenon that has been thus far restricted largely to certain neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Until about one hour ago, that is. That's when the Northern Spy Food Co. open ... More >>

Tonguing the Devil

East Village Japanese offers unusual home-style delicacies

Ass Juice and Sonic Youth, but No Vegas

Green Day

Vegetarian delights often include TVP at East Village eatery

East Village Other