Not exactly a burger but more of a Chinese pancake sandwich, the Spicy Cumin Lamb Burger ($3) at Xi’an Famous Foods has been a long time favorite of mine since I first had it in the basement of Golden Mall in Flushing four years ago. Since that time, the little stall has done amazingly well — thanks to the likes of Bourdain and Zimmern — with four more locations in the New York area. One even in Midtown! God bless America. Still, in recent years, because of its proximity to the B/D line than anything else, I’ve been cheating on Xi’an with the pork pancakes at Henan Flavor (now Spicy Village). So yesterday, after a dry spell, I decided to revisit the the lamb burger at Xi’an. This time, at its East Village outpost. MORE »
Some days you just want sugar. Loads of it. A treat that’ll have you bouncing off the walls. Other days, you want subtle. Just a kiss of sugar to satisfy your sweet tooth. A few days ago, I wrote about a place that’ll have you flying like a kite. For a light sugar buzz, here are a few options… MORE »

Dinner at Robataya, a restaurant in the East Village specializing in robatayaki (a method of cooking food over hot coals in front of customers), often means a meal and a show. All the ingredients are on display before you, and upon placing your order, the robata chefs grab the ingredients (at times comically crawling on their hands and knees on the counter), grills up the food, and then presents it to you from behind the cornucopia of proteins and vegetables atop a paddle resembling a pizza peel. It’s immense fun, and highly recommendable if dining out with out-of-town guests (as long as they aren’t from Japan), but is the food on par with the entertainment value? MORE »
After a few gorgeous days of bliss in New York, it’s officially miserable today: rainy, windy, and nippy. Cold days call for hot soup, and while you’re at it, why not throw in a hot, crunchy arepa too? If that sounds good, head over to Caracas Arepa Bar. MORE »
Being home the last few days, I’m learning a lot about the restaurants in the East Village. Like at lunch, there are lunch specials! Who knew all this good stuff was happening while I’d been toiling away in Midtown for the past eight years?! Last week, lunch was at Mark Burger on St. Marks, where $8 gets you two burgers, fries, and a soda. MORE »