• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 1751 0

digs, and instead pays homage to the grittier, younger feel of its Lower East Side location. (The name is a wink to the legendary rock club CBGB.) Lined with shelves of pots, plates, and pans (not to mention copperware donated by renowned chefs from around the world), the dining room gives way to a partially open kitchen where you can catch the chefs preparing Boulud’s take on French- and German-inspired pub fare. The menu features 13 different varieties of sausages (the tunisienne, a spicy lamb-and-mint merguez, is a particular standout), decadently sinful burgers (the aptly named “piggy” burger, a juicy beef patty topped with a generous portion of Daisy Mae pulled pork, jalapeño mayonnaise, and mustard vinegar slaw in a cheddar-cornbread bun—not for the weak-willed), and classic entrées like steak frites and lemon-and-rosemary roasted chicken. The $24 three-course, prix-fixe lunch is quite a steal. | 299 Bowery, between Houston and 1st St., East Village | 10003 | 212/933–5300 | www.danielnyc.com | Reservations essential | AE, D, DC, MC, V | No lunch Mon. | Subway: F to 2nd Ave.

Gnocco.

$$ | ITALIAN | Owners Pierluigi Palazzo and Gianluca Giavonetti named the place not after gnocchi but after a regional specialty—deep-fried dough bites served alongside capicola, salami, and aged prosciutto. Head to the roomy canopied garden out back for savory salads, an endlessly rotating selection of house-made pasta specials, pizza topped with mozzarella, truffles, and mushrooms, and hearty entrées like pork tenderloin in a balsamic emulsion with flakes of Grana Padano cheese. | 337 E. 10th St., between Aves. A and B, East Village | 10009-5034 | 212/677–1913 | www.gnocco.com | AE | Subway: L to 1st Ave.; 6 to Astor Pl.

Grand Sichuan.

$ | CHINESE | This regional Chinese chainlet may be low on ambience, but it serves delicious Sichuan specialties like fiery dan dan noodles or crab soup dumplings. Check the Web site for alternative locations. | 19–23 St. Marks Pl., near 3rd Ave., East Village | 10003-7837 | 212/529–4800 | www.thegrandsichuan.com | AE, MC, V | Subway: 6 to Astor Pl. | 229 9th Ave., at W. 24th St., Chelsea | 10001-6601 | 212/620–5200 | AE, D, MC, V | Subway: C, E to 23rd St. | 15 7th Ave. S, between Leroy and Carmine Sts., East Village | 10014-3902 | 212/645–0222 | AE, MC, V | Subway: 1 to Houston St.; A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th St.

Il Buco.

$$$ | MEDITERRANEAN | The unabashed clutter of vintage kitchen gadgets and tableware harks back to Il Buco’s past as an antiques store. Each table, two of which are communal, is unique—the effect is a festive, almost romantic country-house atmosphere. The restaurant features meats and produce from local farms for the daily entrées and Mediterranean tapaslike appetizers. Call ahead to book the intimate wine cellar for dinner. | 47 Bond St., between Bowery and Lafayette St., NoHo | 10012-2450 | 212/533–1932 | www.ilbuco.com | AE, MC, V | No lunch Sun. | Subway: 6 to Bleecker St.; B, D, F, M to Broadway–Lafayette St.

Jewel Bako.

$$$$ | JAPANESE | In a minefield of cheap, often inferior sushi houses gleams tiny Jewel Bako. One of the best sushi restaurants in the East Village, the futuristic bamboo tunnel of a dining room is gorgeous, but try to nab a place at the sushi bar and put yourself in the hands of sushi master Yoshi Kousaka. His five-course omakase, or chef’s menu, starts at $95. (A less expensive sushi or sashimi omakase is $50.) You’ll be served only what’s freshest and best. | 239 E. 5th St., between 2nd and 3rd Aves., East Village | 10003-8507 | 212/979–1012 | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch | Subway: 6 to Astor Pl.

Momofuku Ko.

$$$$ | ASIAN | A seasonal tasting menu full of clever combinations and esoteric ingredients explains the deafening buzz for James Beard Award–winning chef David Chang’s latest venture. Ko’s small, intimate space is sparsely furnished with a counter of blond wood and only a dozen stools. Diners get to see Ko’s chefs in action as they prepare all manner of inventive dishes, including a signature preparation of frozen