New York Eats (Weekend Round-Up)
New York, a city that doesn’t really sleep and one that everyone complains about as soon as the snow hits.
I’ve only been to NY for work so I was due for an actual trip back, and what better excuse than to go celebrate my sister’s birthday? Since it was freezing, we spent most of our time keeping warm in coffee shops and eating almost every hour.
From this weekend getaway, I decided to compile a list of places we went to and loved, in case you’re in need of ideas of where to go too. Enjoy!
Coffee, Juices, & Boba
Project Cozy
Mi Tea
Joe & The Juice (also located in LA)
Coco (also located in LA)
Bluestone Lane (also located in LA)
Project Cozy
398 Broome Street, New York, NY 10013
If you’re looking for a dope spot to study & grab a cup of coffee or juice, Project Cozy is the place to go. Especially if you’re a fan of hip hop because the music is on point here.
I loved the vibes but did find it really hard to find a seat. It was pretty packed for a Friday afternoon, mainly with students. Overall, a great vibe and coffee (I didn’t get to try the juices).
Mi Tea
135-29 Roosevelt Ave Flushing, NY 11354
Located right across from 886, this cute tea shop specializes in teas with cheese foam. I couldn’t try the cheese foam (lactose intolerant), but KSOLE said it was light and delicious. They also have hot tea options and desserts. Cute spot to chill, that’s pretty spacious and clean.
Coco
So there are a few locations in New York and also some in LA. It wasn’t my first time there, but I love visiting familiar chains when I travel because I know what to expect.
I had a boba date with Hang, who is the sweetest NYC blogger out there and of course, I ordered my standard milk tea with boba (hah).
Joe & The Juice
I didn’t realize that there were a few of these spots in LA, but my first time trying it is in NY. We needed a place to kill time and found Joe & The Juice in SOHO. It was the perfect refreshment after a few hours of walking and shopping. There is also a photobooth in the back, which is free, so take advantage of that too!
Cafes & Restaurants
Madame Vo: Vietnamese
Pado: Japanese
Citizens: American
Ipanema: Brazilian
886: Taiwanese
Madame Vo
212 E 10th St, New York, NY 10003
*Reservations strongly suggested
I always get excited when I find a good Vietnamese restaurant when I travel. I can eat Vietnamese food all day and never be sick of it, but then again it is probably because I am half Vietnamese.
We were suggested this place from a friend (thanks Nicole) and I am so glad we were able to snag a reservation last minute! This place isn’t huge and is quite narrow, but the food certainly does attract people as they were full within the first 10 minutes of opening up.
I suggest starting off with the soft shell crab appetizer, which was seasoned nicely. Both my sister and I got bun bo hue, which is my favorite dish ever, and KSOLE had the garlic noodles with lumps of crab and shrimp. We all loved our dishes and of course, I had to get the Vietnamese coffee while KSOLE had a beer from the same brewing company we visited in Saigon last year (Pasteur Street Brewing Co.).
I certainly loved the hip vibes and music, along with the great customer service, and food. Highly recommend it and cannot wait to visit again the next time we come to NY.
Madame Vo merchandise
Bun Bo Hue (my fave Vietnamese dish)
Passionfruit Wheat Beer from Pasteur Street Brewing Co in Saigon - We tried this place while in Vietnam last year!
Garlic Noodles
Pado
199 2nd Ave New York, NY 10003
We stumbled on Pado randomly before our dinner reservation, as we were already starving and wanted some appetizers.
The place was pretty empty, but it was also its soft opening, however the decor was gorgeous and the food was amazing. The flavors were on point and the fish was really fresh!
We ended up ordering the bang bang shrimp, tuna and salmon sashimi, and crispy rice. They gave us complimentary miso soup, which was also pretty good. I certainly want to return for dinner here whenever we return to NY.
Citizens (of Gramercy)
362 2ND AVE NEW YORK, NY 10010
A recommendation from a friend (thanks Rachel!), which did not disappoint.
This cute cafe featured a selection of vegan and healthy options, so there is basically something for everyone. I loved their freshly squeezed OJ, coffee (they have an array of milk substitutes), and their muesli was the best I’ve ever had.
We also ordered the shakshuka and salmon eggs, which were both delicious as well. Not to mention the aesthetics here is on point!
Ipanema
43 West 46th St, New York, NY 10036
We found this restaurant while doing a last minute search for dinner, as our initial plan of going to KBBQ failed.
By the way, if you get the chance to try COTE (KBBQ), do it! We tried making reservations last minute and there was nothing available for a couple of days. Our friend had suggested it and I was bummed we couldn’t make it during our trip.
Anyways, we were craving meat and so Ipanema seemed like a good choice. It was close to our hotel and had several steak options. Here’s what we ordered:
Fried calamari - the accompanying sauce was delicious
Side of fried bananas - one of my favorite things ever
Skirt steak with homemade Brazilian chimichurri - tasty and perfect portion
Paelha - Jumbo shrimp, clams, mussels, chicken, sausage & scallops cooked in saffron rice (a bit heavy and huge portion so maybe share it between two people)
Vatapa - Traditional Brazilian grilled monkfish and shrimp stew made with regional spices and dende oil
886 NYC
26 St Marks Place New York, New York, 10003
*Reservations highly recommended
Taiwanese food is one of my favorites and living in the 626, I have quite a few spots that do it well. So, when Ewa (@nom_life) suggested 886 to me, I knew I had to try because she knows her food!
886 is located in East Village and is very small. Be prepared to be very close to your friends at the table and those around you (hah). However, they’re always booked out and we were lucky to snag a last minute reservation while we were in town.
The vibe is very chill, lighting is dim, and music is great. The menu selections are pretty straight to the point, not overwhelming. We started off with pineapple & shrimp, chicken wings, and shaky fries. To be honest, the fries weren’t that great but the shrimp was, so I say skip the extra carbs!
My sister ordered the classic tomato & egg, I had the Ge Song lettuce cups, and KSOLE had the spicy fried chicken sandwich. We enjoyed all our dishes, however KSOLE mentioned that the spice level on the sandwich was out of his comfort zone (hah). He still finished it, but drank a lot of beer to wash the spice down.
There are no options for dessert, but we had zero room left for it anyways. Overall, a hip and fun place to grab dinner with friends.
Desserts
Milk: Granted there is one in LA now, NY’s locations are still way better (according to KSOLE). If you’re not familiar with Milk, it’s a bakery known for their ice creams, cookies, and cakes.
Daly Pie: Another random Yelp find while we were in Brooklyn. The storefront is cute and the inside is pretty cozy. We had the pumpkin pie and potato curry hand pie, both which were delicious. I overheard that they sell out of their whole pies often so it’s best to reserve if you’re seeking them for a special occasion/event.
Eileen’s Special Cheesecake: My sister was on a search for the best cheesecake and heard that Eileen’s was it. It’s a rather small location and was pretty packed. I couldn’t eat it but my sister said it was good!
Misc.
Chow Exhibit at MOFAD
