Quick Bites in the East Village (Manhattan, New York)

Strolling through the East Village with my lady (visiting from Chi) we hit up a couple of places I really like for a lunch on the go.

The East Village is lined with small storefronts specializing in one micro-cuisine or another. Some places execute their specialties well (Porchetta - or so I've heard) and others not so well (This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef - abominable; disgusting), while others are merely middling (Wechsler's Currywurst - operated by a Chicago ex-pat - sausages/wieners lack flavor, excellent beer selection and good fries).

One thing that the East Village does particularly well is Japanese. In fact, I don't think there is any other neighborhood in the five boroughs that has a higher concentration of Japanese storefronts (perhaps Midtown??). Most famous is probably the Ramen purveyor Ippudo, perpetually jammed with a long queue, but really quite good. Many other Ramen joints, curry houses, and grills abound.

Japanese was our first stop this weekend. We bumped into Otafuku on 9th street and noticed a small band of high school kids outside the tiny storefront scarfing Takoyaki, or octopus balls. Intrigued, we ordered a set of 6 Takoyako with a side of cabbage pancake. For $9 we received a glorious mess of fresh made Takoyaki, covered with drizzles of mayo, a teriyaki-like sauce, bonito flakes and a few shakes of togarashi. The Takoyaki were very fresh, having been prepared to order in a specially made, iron-clad Takoyaki pan that holds at like 30 or 40 of the little guys. They were slightly crisp on the outside, creamy in the middle, with a small bite of toothsome octopus inside. Great junk food - would make an excellent drunk snack. Ditto the cabbage pancake, which reminded me of a properly made potato pancake, albeit with the additional crunch that fresh cabbage brings.

Our next stop was South Brooklyn Pizza on First Ave., a place I frequent often, and one which my girlfriend always insists we visit when she comes to NYC. South Brooklyn makes my favorite slice in NYC. Operating out of a tiny storefront, only two kinds of pie are available for slices - margarita and grandma (square) - the latter with a rotating set of toppings that yesterday included chorizo and garlic. Much has been said about the quality (or lack thereof) of NYC-style pizza. I'm not sure whether these slices qualify as NYC or Neapolitan style, but rest assured, they are the best slice for miles around, and expose the average NYC slice for what it really is - cardboard with fake cheese on top. The crust is always charred and holds up to lifting (no folding necessary). Cheese is used sparingly and is of very high quality (fresh mozz and either grated pecorino or reggiano). The tomato sauce does not overwhelm, and avoids being too sweet. Condiments include house-made garlic and olive oil "confit" and marinated banana peppers (could use more heat). Slices are $4 bucks – a bit on the high side, but worth every penny, and two slices will fill you up.

I took pictures with my snazzy new IPhone 4, but godamn Itunes deleted them when it "synced" my phone, and replaced them with photos from my old phone. I was really pissed. Pictures of brain curry anyone?

So there you have it – NYC is not all bad. Just mostly. And Apple sucks.

Otafuku
236 E 9th St
(between 2nd Ave & Stuyvesant St)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: East Village

South Brooklyn Pizza
122 1st Ave
(between 7th St & St Marks Pl)
New York, NY 10009
Neighborhood: East Village

Honorable mentions:

Ippudo
65 4th Ave
(between 9th St & 10th St)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: East Village

Porchetta
110 E 7th St
(between 1st Ave & Avenue A)
New York, NY 10009
Neighborhoods: East Village, Alphabet City

Wechsler's Currywurst
120 1st Ave
(between 7th St & St Marks Pl)
New York, NY 10009
Neighborhood: East Village

Just returned from a few days in Berlin (Currywurst = das ist gut). I have been craving pizza like a mofo. Went over to South Brooklyn Pizzeria on First Ave. for a few slices.

Not as charred today as normal - I chalk this up to the fact that they have a rotating bunch of pizzaiolos, each of whom put out a slightly different product. Still, the crust was sturdy and the toppings skillfully applied.

Good stuff, much recommended. Some pics:

The view from outside:

Typical E. Village store front: "Look at all the old appliances! Authenticity!"

The 'za:

Definitely not typical of NYC, cause it is freakin' awesome.

Porca vacca!