When the weather is disgusting and cold as it's been, sometimes a large bowl of spicy Pho is all you need to take the edge off. Set in a small, but comfortable space, Bao Noodles delivered so much more than a good meal. Not only was our waiter patient with our questions, he was so friendly, it was hard for us to get moving to our second location.
After a day of shopping, the girls decided to get some Pho. One beef, one chicken, and one spicy beef and pork, hue style. Within minutes the giant bowls of soup were at our table and we were all working away. Whether you want to do the fork/spoon method, or my preference, the chopstick/spoon method, you're going to quickly be warmed by whatever dish you decide to eat. There are non-soup dishes, lots of slow braised iron pot dishes, and a plethora of rotating specials, including ice cream. Try the durian ice cream if you've ever been tempted but didn't want to purchase the fruit itself and fill your apartment with the stench.
While the restaurant is small, they take reservations, and despite the website warning, they did accept credit card. I plan on going back and trying the salt and pepper shrimp. Yum!
WHAT TO BITE? Spicy beef and pork - hue style, $8.95.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Mermaid Inn, 96 2d Ave (btwn 5th and 6th)
I came to The Mermaid Inn for the first time with a friend who sadly I've lost touch with, but who I will always think of whenever I dine here. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the restaurant is split in half with a few steps and a narrow hallway, with the front of it being a typical "New England Seafood Restaurant", while the back is reminiscent of a glass covered version of a typical crab shack in Maryland.
The food is standard, no frills New England serving everything from catfish to salmon, shrimp to escargot (including a few dishes for non-seafood diners such as short ribs and roasted chicken). The atmosphere is always loud enough to keep dining companies occupied, but quiet enough for conversation. In the summer, they open the windows in the back and the front so it's fantastic for Second Avenue people watching, which is my personal favorite. They also do not put any endangered fish on the menu, which you have to respect them for. Your meal will end with a fortune telling fish (like a mood ring, but in the shape of a thin plastic fish) and an espresso-sized cup of chocolate pudding, since they do not have a dessert menu. You'll walk away with meal that is healthy, the chef pulls the reign in on his use of salt, which few in New York seem to do these days, and for seafood, wallet friendly.
WHAT TO BITE? Happy Hour and a Half, $1 clams, or if you're dining in the evening try the Rainbow Trout, $23.
The food is standard, no frills New England serving everything from catfish to salmon, shrimp to escargot (including a few dishes for non-seafood diners such as short ribs and roasted chicken). The atmosphere is always loud enough to keep dining companies occupied, but quiet enough for conversation. In the summer, they open the windows in the back and the front so it's fantastic for Second Avenue people watching, which is my personal favorite. They also do not put any endangered fish on the menu, which you have to respect them for. Your meal will end with a fortune telling fish (like a mood ring, but in the shape of a thin plastic fish) and an espresso-sized cup of chocolate pudding, since they do not have a dessert menu. You'll walk away with meal that is healthy, the chef pulls the reign in on his use of salt, which few in New York seem to do these days, and for seafood, wallet friendly.
WHAT TO BITE? Happy Hour and a Half, $1 clams, or if you're dining in the evening try the Rainbow Trout, $23.
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