Ruben's Empanads |
Excellent |
Tini little empanada shop with counter service and a half-dozen small tables. Empanadas are small dough shells filled with a variety of yummy ingredients and then baked. The dough is more flaky, like pot-pie, rather than chewy (like pita bread).
And they are really good and inexpensive. Empanadas are $3.50-4 and can come stuffed with broccoli, corn, mushroom, potato, spinach, spicy chicken, ham & cheese, tuna, Argentine sausage, etc. They also have breakfast empanadas, soup (very nice gazpacho), salads (pretty large for $2.50) and dessert empanadas (cherry, apple, guava and cheese). I've had the spicy chicken, ham&cheese, spicy tofu, and Argentine sausage (ground beef and pork). They were all very good, highly recommended.
I would love it if this store were, like, across the street from my apartment. I would stop in, probably, every day. (2005-10-04)
Paquitos |
Very Good |
I had despaired of ever finding a good "downscale" Mexican restaurant in the East Village. Of course, Cosmic Cantina is good (3rd avenue), but too far north (near 11th st) to be really in the "St. Marks Neighborhood", and La Palapa is good but it's more upscale.
But it looks like Paquitos might fit the bill. Have only eaten here once, so this is just a starter review. The Enchiladas Con Pollo was very good. Light, tasty, fresh ingredients, good rice, and tasty black beans (they give you a choice).
Appetizers ($2-5), salads ($3-7), Entrees ($5-8), Vegetarian ($3-6, they have a very good vegetarian menu). These are the take-out prices. Apparently the sit-down prices (the dining room is right next door to the take out counter) are a tad more expensive. (2006-01-21)
La Palapa |
Excellent |
Upscale Mexican restaurant. Considerably more expensive than most of the other two-bit Mexican places in St. Marks, but also considerably better.Simple things like the chips and salsa are just wonderful. Guacamole which tastes like fresh avocado, chunky fresh tomato salsa. Lots of dishes using mole sauce. The chicken enchiladas with red mole sauce was excelent.
Or, you can order the tacos and quesadillas separately - they come in small dishes of 2 or 3 items. Recommendation: order several tacos and/or quesadillas to share. I had the chile rubbed roasted chicken tacos and the three cheese quesadilla. Both very good.
$5 tacos (soft), $6 quesadillas, $7-11 appetizers, $15-20 entrees. (2005-11-05)
| Also In: | Restaurants / Categories / Highly Recommended Restaurants / Categories / Cleanliness Award |
Caracas Arepa Bar |
Excellent |
What a discovery! I had never had Arepas until yesterday, but I enjoyed mine so much that I dragged my collaborator back today.An Arepa is a Venezuelan sandwich. Like a pita, but harder and made of corn flour and stuffed with all kinds of wonderful meats, cheeses, and vegetables (esp. avocado and plantains).
The Arepas at Caracas are wonderful - very tasty and very fresh with wonderful spices and ingredients you are unlikely to find elsewhere. Be sure to try the Papelon con limon - it's like tea but with sugar loaf which gives it a smooth creamy taste.
Caracas itself is a charming but tiny hole in the wall, about the size of my apartment living room. I recommend eating at the bar and watching the staff (it's an open kitchen) - all five employees perform a sort of dance as they prepare the food and clean up.
(2006-7-28) Hey! They opened up a full restaurant next door (the hole-in-the-wall is the same, mostly take out, but you can still eat there). Congrats! (2005-09-14)
| Also In: | Restaurants / Categories / ** Extra Special ** Restaurants / Categories / Cleanliness Award |
Itzocan |
Very Good |
Note: No Credit Cards! Cash only. (2008-01-23)
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