THE BEST: "Non-Fancy" NYC Restaurants

[raxelita]

Cafe El Portal is a place I'm unfamiliar with, and I'd love it if you would tell us more about it. What dishes do you recommend, etc.

It is certainly not fancy. Occupies a little basement room on Elizabeth @ Spring, just down from the over-rated cuban place. They make warming soups (I recall one of chicken broth, corn, and avocado that helped my cold), great shrimp tacos, solid carnitas, v.good sopes. service is pleasant though absent. Drinks tasty and inventive. I only go during off hours to avoid waits.

Cacio stands out to me because while the prices are going rate for the area, the charming service and quality ingredients place it above its neighbors.

So have we a working definition here for "not fancy?"

I'm not sure whether to be talking New Pastuer or Landmarc, both of which I'd consider "not fancy" and great, but totally different occasion joints.

[Pan]

[...]So have we a working definition here for "not fancy?"

I'm not sure whether to be talking New Pastuer or Landmarc, both of which I'd consider "not fancy" and great, but totally different occasion joints.

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I haven't been to Landmarc yet; I don't make it down to TriBeCa too often, except sometimes to sit in with friends who play jazz at Dekk, a very pleasant place with noteworthy atmosphere (soundless classic movies playing on large screens on either side of a spacious room) and food that's fairly priced and quite acceptable but, in my opinion, not by itself a reason for a trip that involves a 35-some-odd-minute walk.

I think "non-fancy" is a category that's still open for discussion, and we don't have to all agree on what is or isn't fancy. There was a lot of discussion about what does and doesn't belong in that category on pages one and two of this thread.

[Luckylies]

what about the pepe's? pepe verde, pepe rosso, pepe (yellow) they are all notably delicious and budget.

la taza de oro

elephant and castle

more some time....

[sarashrugs]

The Spottted Pig in Manhattan and Diner in Brooklyn.

[Pan]

what about the pepe's? pepe verde, pepe rosso, pepe (yellow) they are all notably delicious and budget.[...]

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Yellow is giallo, and I used to frequent Pepe Giallo between 24th and 25th Sts. on 10th Av. I seldom have occasion to be that far west, but I always liked their panino tricolore with mozzarella di bufala, fresh basil, tomatoes, and high-quality arugula.

[Luckylies]

what about the pepe's? pepe verde, pepe rosso, pepe (yellow) they are all notably delicious and budget.[...]

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Yellow is giallo, and I used to frequent Pepe Giallo between 24th and 25th Sts. on 10th Av. I seldom have occasion to be that far west, but I always liked their panino tricolore with mozzarella di bufala, fresh basil, tomatoes, and high-quality arugula.

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everything at all their locations is surprisingly high quality, the portions are also huge.

[MHesse]

L'Express on Park Ave South (about 19th-20th).

Open 24 hours too.

[Luckylies]

L'Express on Park Ave South (about 19th-20th).

Open 24 hours too.

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I could never recommend l'express- the service stinks at any hour the food is seriously mediocre. I would say it's good for after going out drinking but the service is so slow, you'd be sober before you got your fries. I used to live around the corner and gave this place a shot too many times. never good.

[StInGeR]

Ajisen Noodle 14 Mott St in Chinatown. V and I found this a cple of months back and I forgot to post about it. We had to be moved from a 2 top to a 4 top because of all the food we ordered, everything ranging from shumai to shishamo to sushi/sashimi to Udon. I think we walked out absolutely stuffed for about $80 and that included beer/sake and tip.

Cheers

Tom

[Pan]

Japanese friends of mine hate Ajisen.

[StInGeR]

Japanese friends of mine hate Ajisen.

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Why? The last 2 times I went in there it was full of Japanese?

[Pan]

Japanese friends of mine hate Ajisen.

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Why? The last 2 times I went in there it was full of Japanese?

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They say that it's the McDonalds of Japanese ramen. It doesn't taste right and at least one of my friends finds it upsets his stomach. Keep in mind that you'll see lots of Americans in McDonalds, too! Doesn't mean it's a great place for American food!

Edited January 8, 2007 by Pan (log)