Best Pad Thai in NYC!

Hi Friends!

This is one place I hold very dear to my heart:

Cafe Tasia 

(On 8th Street and Greene)

This was the very first place my mother and I ate after taking a tour of my Master's Program last February. I was excited and she was hungry, so we found Cafe Tasia. This was the meal we ate after I shook hands with a lot of important people at NYU, so we were in celebration mode. It was also below 20 degrees outside, so Thai Food seemed perfect.

Well months later, after being accepted to NYU and moving to New York, I have been to Cafe Tasia over 10 times, (yes it is THAT good).

Below is a documentation of a dinner my friend Alex and I had in December 2010.

We arrived around 6pm during their Happy Hour.

Happy Hour is: $10 for a drink (alcoholic or not), an appetizer, and an entree! What a deal!

Below is the appetizers:

 Papaya Salad (left) and the Spring Rolls (right)

Both are excellent, the Papaya Salad has a kick to it, so non-spicy lovers beware, and the Spring Rolls are absolutely amazing. The pineapple sauce drizzled over the rolls is an excellent complement to the crispy, savory, bite-sized goodness.

Below is the best damn Pad Thai in NYC:

Alex and I ordered the same thing because, who wouldn't?! The Pad Thai has a perfect sauce to noodle ratio. The flavor is perfect and it is not too greasy. Something about this Pad Thai is magical! 

Below is Alex, enjoying his Pad Thai.

Overall:

Cafe Tasia is ALWAYS consistent. The decor is modern and hip, and there is always a crowd of people eating there. Very kind waiters and hostesses. I have never waited more than 10 minutes to eat there. Perfect food, perfect service, perfect location. You can even sign in on Four Square and get half off of an entree! 

Website:

http://www.cafetasia.com/east/home.html

Ipuddo! Noodle Soup!

So Ipuddo, Japanese Noodle Soup House!

On 4th Ave at 10th Street.

Beware:

Wait was an hour, but WORTH it!

Also, you cannot take out, or bring any food home after, so GO WITH AN APPETITE! 

I went to Ipuddo with my friend Alex, also my dining buddy, and it was only 1 block from where I live! 

We started off with the Hirata buns which were steam buns filled with pork marinated in their house special sauce!!  2/$8 Pork was soooOO tender and out of this world. A must.

Alex ordered their Akamura Modern noodle soup which is what all of the  foodies in the world rave about, including people on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" (Chopsticks Edition) on Food Network.

 I didn't order it because it was spicy.

Instead, I ordered the  Shiromaru Hakata Classic which was $14. This is described as "the original tonkotsu' soup noodle with pork loin chashu, kikurage, menma, 1/2 boiled egg, red pickled ginger, sesame & scallions."

This picture does not do the soup justice. Sorry.

We were very stuffed, but we could not pass up the Green Tea Ice Cream.

OUT OF THIS WORLD!

Overall:

Food was excellent and cooked too perfection. 

A bit pricey, but definitely worth it for quality. 

Busy busy.. expect to wait. 

Fun ambiance..Service was on point.

Place is original..5 star place and I mean it.

Website:

http://www.ippudony.com/

Cocktail Hour! (August 30th)

During our NYU errand day, we decided to stop for cocktail hour in the heart of Greenwich Village at a place called...

This place was so cute! It is an Asian Fusion Cuisine with a stellar bar and an affordable happy hour. 

I had the strawberry margarita. VERY strong, so lightweights (like myself) beware, this will get you buzzed! 

My sister had the Lindemans Framboise Raspberry Lambic Beer. For those of you who do not particularly like beer, try this and you will be very pleased! It is almost like a sweet wine, very pleasant taste! 

We also shared some spring rolls and other appetizers and everything was 1/2 off! 

Overall:

Great decor

HUGE restaurant

Cheap/Tasty drinks

Great spot for NYU Student-Watching.

Website:

http://www.applerestaurant.com