no3food

Houston and Orchard, a couple doors down from Bereket. It is a real deal falafel joint. They also have baba, malawach, and good Belgian style fries. This is an excellent spot, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned it. The falafel balls are very good, the toppings and pitas are terrific. The falafel is fried fresh. I give it good marks for flavor and internal texture. I wish the outside had a little more crunch. By default falafels come with a lettuce salad and hummus and you can put on other toppings at a self serve bar of homemade salads and pickles. The pitas are also homemade and fluffy. I always get mine plain (I don't believe in lettuce on falafel and I don't really care for hummus) and dress the sandwich with the items at the bar. I usually go for the pink turnips, cabbage salad, onion salad, Israeli salad, pickles, amba and garlic sauce. They have good hot sauce at the tables. The garlic sauce instead of Tahini is a little unconventional, but I'm crazy like that. Truth be told, I would put Taim up there with Azuri and and Ashkara. In terms of just plain falafel balls, it might be the best. Same for the pita. But I knock it down a notch because they don't offer a few toppings I'd really like to see (especially the pink turnips) and because their prices are a bit of a turnoff. ← I think I have also found my pink turnips and garlic sauce! Thanks Zeli! ← oops! Sorry for the typo - zEli

Houston and Orchard, a couple doors down from Bereket. It is a real deal falafel joint. They also have baba, malawach, and good Belgian style fries. This is an excellent spot, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned it. The falafel balls are very good, the toppings and pitas are terrific. The falafel is fried fresh. I give it good marks for flavor and internal texture. I wish the outside had a little more crunch. By default falafels come with a lettuce salad and hummus and you can put on other toppings at a self serve bar of homemade salads and pickles. The pitas are also homemade and fluffy. I always get mine plain (I don't believe in lettuce on falafel and I don't really care for hummus) and dress the sandwich with the items at the bar. I usually go for the pink turnips, cabbage salad, onion salad, Israeli salad, pickles, amba and garlic sauce. They have good hot sauce at the tables. The garlic sauce instead of Tahini is a little unconventional, but I'm crazy like that. Truth be told, I would put Taim up there with Azuri and and Ashkara. In terms of just plain falafel balls, it might be the best. Same for the pita. But I knock it down a notch because they don't offer a few toppings I'd really like to see (especially the pink turnips) and because their prices are a bit of a turnoff. ← I think I have also found my pink turnips and garlic sauce! Thanks Zeli!

Last week. It was the owner's birthday, a Saturday night, and there was a big celebration. The kitchen was also sampling a new dish to put on the menu, which was divine. And prior to that visit, last month, which was also great! Perhaps it is a hit and miss and fortunately the last two times for us were a hit! I know that I am very reluctant to give a place another go if I have been burned no matter what I read on various boards...but hopefully my streak of good luck here continues and perhaps you might hit the same note if you try it again. Good luck!

That's the place Raji. And although no two Ramen are alike, and I am definitely far from an expert on this subject, it seems that the new place might be putting a dent in Momofuko's business - I found the signage a bit strange (I was so used to seeing the menu posted there). Although it isn't traditional Ramen (and I am not sure it should be at $16) and Momofuko does serve much more, when I heard about Momofuko in Montreal, the buzz revolved around their Ramen dish. I haven't tried the new place either and will probably wait for the lines to die down (if they ever do) but I am a big fan of the miso ramen at Rai Rai Ken - this is coming from a palate that hasn't had the pleasure of dining in Tokyo though - but it is definitely a personal preference thing.

In a similar vein, but slightly off topic although these places do serve felafel as well, does anyone know a good Lebanese restaurant where they serve Shish Taouk? They are all over Montreal and they tend to be a bit different in that the pita sandwiches (whether shish taouk or felafel) are typically served with pickled turnips (bright pinkish red) and an amazing garlicky mayonnaise that if consumed in high quantity could ward off vampires through your pores alone! Simple differences that I haven't found with the sandwiches served here so far but that I do miss...

I was blown away by the food at Devi and Tabla - the only other Indian restaurant I would put in that same category/class is an outstanding one in Vancouver called Vij's (if you ever venture North and West this is a place not to be missed). But sometimes you just want what I refer to as "roll-up your sleeves" Indian fare - comfort food that you can just dig into wholeheartedly, that isn't overly pretentious but equally satisfying and for that, so far, I have found Angon on the Sixth to be just the ticket! The dhal fry (although perhaps not 100% traditional) is outstanding and is definitely what cravings are made of, as are their meat dishes - the lamb is cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Their spicing seems to build to a palate-pleasing, but not overbearing, kick (and I love spicy food). And the service is the most personable and attentive that I have found anywhere. Thanks to this thread, I now have other places to scope out!

It appears that the new Ramen place up the street might also be adding some unwanted competition - since the opening I have noticed non-stop line-ups out the door and now, in place of their menu, Momofuko has a little notice posted about the quality and source of the ingredients that go into their Ramen. As I live around the corner, it has been rather unusual to see several empty seats and no individuals waiting in anticipation outside Momofuko's door....not sure how the new place compares, because you can't get anywhere near it for the crowds!

It's interesting that when people move to/visit NYC, they're often taken aback that some restaurants don't meet the standards of "their" origin city. NYC has over 15,000 restaurants and you walk into one and expect it to be great? Little Italy ain't what it once was and hasn't been for 30 years. And if the true nature of a good Italian restaurant is that they show F1 races at all hours, well... No doubt that everything in Montreal is better, but get some guidance from these here boards, shop at the greenmarkets, and in no time you might find something that meets your standards! ← Well I think everyone uses what they are familiar with as a point of comparison not matter where they move from - for better or worse. I have been reading about the NYC restaurant scene for a few years now - between the NY Times, Andrea Strong's Strong Buzz and the whatever else I could get my hands on online and in magazine stores - so I am not sure it is unreasonable to expect it to live up to all the hype - that is the downside of being a city with huge restaurant/chef exposure. BTW - the places in Little Italy that show the F1 are not the restaurants - it was too merely point out that the community in Little Italy is stronger beyond just the restaurants (which in part contributes to the quality of their restaurants) - it isn't a tourist area nor do they strive to make it one, it is a home to the people who are working hard to preserve their culture - they bleed Ferrari red! Remember this was a thread about Little Italy and it was by coincidence that I happened to walk through it and see this posted on the same day, it isn't a dish on the NYC restaurant scene at all. And not everything in Montreal is better - that would be a very single minded assumption on my part - because every city is unique and exciting in its own right. For one thing there are not 15,000+ restaurants to explore (we could not publish a Time Out book dedicated to Eating and Drinking that would be more than 30 pages), there are number of restaurants but once you find "the best of", that dwindles the overall opportunities very quickly and any new ones opening seem to be recycled chefs with less than original ideas. I have eaten amazing Indian, Spanish, Japanese, and Thai food here (so far) and I am looking forward to many more memorable meals (but on the downside I have also had 2 of the worst meals in my life here - but I fully understand that comes with the territory). I am equipped with resources (the Time Out book, Best of New York and Cheap Eats issues and of course this board) and I know there will be many more restaurants that will become places cravings are made of - I am just not sure many of those will necessarily be found in Little Italy (nor is that the place where I can catch much missed F1 races)...

I went out to explore the LES, which took me into Chinatown and then into Litte Italy. Coincidentally I noticed this topic posted and felt it was very relevant to my thoughts as I was dodging the Italian suited individuals accosting people on nearly every corner (all 4 at least). Thanks for the restos and DiPaolo's suggestions - I have them noted and will stop by on my next pilgrimage...

I dined at a Vietnamese Restaurant today that was by far the worst meal I have ever eaten in a so-called Pho place, and the 2nd worst meal I have had since moving to NYC a month ago (the other was a pizza from Patsy's - it was horrible). I believe the place I was at - which appeared to be very busy with regulars (not tourists) was called Pho Viet Huong on Mulberry. Their spring rolls were actually really good - but the grilled chicken with lemongrass over vermicelli was horrendous. My chicken, although cooked with spicy peppers, was a stir fry with huge chunks of red and green peppers in a sauce that not only contained cornstarch but MSG, which was poured over the noodles making them totally soggy, stuck together and gloopy! And this entire concoction was poured over the table salad in the bowl. It was frightening! Could someone please recommend one or two decent Vietnamese restaurants that serve authentic (or close to it) dishes - like good Bun with properly grilled meats, sizzling crepes, and of course a good bowl of Pho (I have eaten at Saigon Grill and it was ok - I found it to Casual Fine Dining - I don't need atmosphere just good, roll up your sleeves, food).....ironically, one of the best Vietnamese restaurants that I frequented often in Montreal was called Pho New York

I was excited to explore Little Italy - I just moved to New York from Montreal last month - and I have to say, it was extremely disappointing. I walked there today, hoping not to dine but to find incredible ingredients imported from Tuscany, Piemonte, Sicily etc. but from what I discovered there were two shops, mostly filled with fresh pasta offerings and lunch items "to go". It seems if you hang sausages from the ceiling it at least looks authentic. And of course on the way there, since it was a rather nice day, the sidewalks were overtaken by the outdoor tables of the Italian restaurants - I am honestly not sure what was worse - the faux Pho Vietnamese restaurant I ate lunch at (remarkably the worst thing I have pretty much ever eaten - since when does Bun come with stir fried peppers on top?) or the flourescent red sauce on every single dish on every table that I squeezed by on the sidewalk. I doubt any Italian would touch that stuff either - oh my!!! It is often hard not to compare but Little Italy in Montreal is thriving - for a bilingual city, Italian is the first language spoken there. From the cappucino sport's clubs to the Jean Talon outdoor Market where there chefs from surrounding restaurants actually shop for the night's menu, it has really captured the heart of what Little Italy should be. They show the F1 races at any hour and if Ferrari wins you hear it across the Island. From what I could tell, sadly, the LI in NYC is just like the one in Toronto - labelled as such on a map for historical purposes with one or two red, white, and green flags still trying to hold post. I guess I'll have to get my fresh mozarella from whole foods

To all - thank you so much for your suggestions. I currently have small prawn tubs of chicken and beef from Citarella and will be trying them tonight. Their website advertises that they do have veal stock, however the manager of the store in Greenwich Village pointed me to their "demi-glace" which contained flour among other kind of scary looking ingredients. I will forage on to 80th and 3rd next.....

Plastic, clear containers with lids - I noticed a lot of prepared soups (like those at Whole Foods) sell them in "prawn tubs" which are so named, apparently, because that is what they used to sell shrimp in....a long, long time ago or so said my culinary arts teacher when I asked the exact same question on day 2 of cooking school....

Rather than homemade, I should've probably defined it as cooking school 101 - a quality stock usually lists the ingredients of the stock on the container - which includes made from chicken bones, water, carrots, celery, etc. or veal bones, tomato paste etc. typically no salt added - basically what you learn in culinary school where you make huge pots of it on a near daily basis and then reduce it for sauces or further for demi-glace - only in this case you are paying a premium for someone else to do it for you. Nothing in a can or juice-box container. I've had the ready-made soups at Whole Foods and they taste like water - which as a base means a flavorless stock for the most part so I would hesitate to buy their stuff. Usually a butcher shop makes these with their "left overs". I'll give the ones you listed a try - thanks!

Just moved to NYC from Montreal (I know everyone comes here from somewhere) and I am in search of homemade stocks - chicken, veal, and duck in particular, preferrably fresh not frozen and reasonably priced to make sauces etc. at home. As a point of reference if you have lived/been to Montreal, Maison du Roti sold stocks in medium sized prawn tubs (veal and duck) for $4.99 and chicken in large prawn tubs for $3.49 which reduced amazingly for sauces. Appreciate all and any suggestions....