PrintWin Tickets to This Year's 'Village Voice' Choice Eats
This isn't a white tablecloth, fancy-pants restaurant event. Those affairs are fine and dandy, but they don't really bring Serious Eaters much in the way of different or delicious ethnic fare, which is a shame given how much terrific ethnic food there is in Gotham.
That's why the second annual Choice Eats, curated by Village Voice critics Robert Sietsema and Sarah DiGregorio, is such a cool idea. They've brought together over 50 restaurants (almost doubling last year's count) that will offer tasting-size portions of specialties at the Armory on Lexington Avenue (between 25th and 26th Streets; map) on Tuesday, March 31, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Thanks to the kind folks at the Village Voice, we've got two pairs of tickets to what promises to be an extraordinary event. To enter to win, just tell us your favorite little ethnic restaurant here in New York. We'll pick two winners at random and have their tickets waiting for them at the door. Only guests 21 and over will be admitted (sorry—their rules, not ours).
Unfortunately, if you don't win, the event is already sold-out—so here's your big chance!
Comments here will close at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 13. One entry per community member. The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.
Comments are closed: 142 Comments:
I love the Thai food at Sripraphai. Was dragged out there one time and now I can't get enough.
poorstudent at 3:34PM on 03/09/09
Tehuitzingo
bhgrossman at 3:35PM on 03/09/09
Isle! Their lunch combo is cheap and satisfying.
GaffeyGirl at 3:36PM on 03/09/09
punjabi
j at 3:37PM on 03/09/09
When I'm not devouring the deliciously authentic Italian food at the Olive Garden in Times Square, I love getting my Vietnamese fix at Pho Tay Ho.
misterjosh at 3:40PM on 03/09/09
Tai Thai in Williamsburg
DustinM at 3:40PM on 03/09/09
My favorite is Ariana Afghan!
swiss eats at 3:42PM on 03/09/09
venezuelan at caracas arepas bar!
sarahlucy at 3:44PM on 03/09/09
Il Passatore in Williamsburg.
mscherryclafouti at 3:45PM on 03/09/09
taim in the west village
mkojulie at 3:46PM on 03/09/09
Joya, its a cheap and tasty thai food experience
hackattaq at 3:47PM on 03/09/09
Kati Roll Company
vegny at 3:47PM on 03/09/09
Bahn Mi Saigon Bakery
FlyingH20 at 3:53PM on 03/09/09
Tehuitzingo grocery deli!
Runningwithbeaters at 3:54PM on 03/09/09
Acapulco on Manhattan Ave. in Greenpoint -- tacos good enough even L.A. snobs like 'em!
sklose at 3:55PM on 03/09/09
Wondee Siam in Hells' kitchen. The original, not Wondee Siam II or III.
ayangeks at 3:56PM on 03/09/09
Awash on 106 & Amsterdam. Totally wonderful.
withgrace at 3:56PM on 03/09/09
Sam's Falafel - Liberty Plaza; Best Anywhere!
Aindiscute at 3:58PM on 03/09/09
tulcingo del valle
crk71 at 4:00PM on 03/09/09
Afghan Kebab House
Tigheger26 at 4:03PM on 03/09/09
Tacos Matamoros in Brooklyn
dpetc at 4:04PM on 03/09/09
red hook ball fields
foodinmouth at 4:06PM on 03/09/09
Cinqo de Mayo on Cortelyou
Dedaa at 4:12PM on 03/09/09
pam's real thai on 49th and 9th -- best thai in manhattan (and at choice eats...)
nycvivi at 4:12PM on 03/09/09
Rhong-Tiam on LaGuardia Place. AWESOME Thai food, I'd say the best in the city
theshah2002 at 4:14PM on 03/09/09
Pho Grand on Grand Street. Scrumptious pho and very fresh ingredients.
laurelie at 4:15PM on 03/09/09
DUMPLING HOUSE.
spend ten dollars, eat for a week.
imatwork at 4:17PM on 03/09/09
Banh Mi Saigon Bakery!
frostrockr at 4:19PM on 03/09/09
Grand Sichuan House in Bay Ridge.
Pezdro at 4:25PM on 03/09/09
The taco truck on the northwest corner (the corner where the Capital One is) of Wyckoff Ave and Gates Ave in Bushwick.
semarr at 4:26PM on 03/09/09
Unequivocally Little Pepper (Xiao La Jiao) in Flushing.
pupilindenial at 4:27PM on 03/09/09
Pork burritos at Taqueria y Fonda on Amsterdam and 107th St (followed by the pork soup dumplings at Joe's Shanghai on Pell Street or the roast duck at NY Noodletown on Bayard)....
klg19 at 4:28PM on 03/09/09
Caracas!
julie719 at 4:30PM on 03/09/09
Colbeh in Midtown or Avli in Bayside.
YUM!
lm3929 at 4:30PM on 03/09/09
my favorite is Lahore
1. best chai in the city, only $1
2. raised my cultural and geographical awareness (did you know Lahore is a city?)
3. good cheap spicy-ish curries
4. friendly guys behind the counter
okaygo at 4:30PM on 03/09/09
thai son in Jackson Heights
PHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
chenovitz at 4:34PM on 03/09/09
Sripraphai
floretbroc at 4:34PM on 03/09/09
Absolutely Caracas! 100%!
misstrionics at 4:35PM on 03/09/09
La Kabbr on 9th Ave.
andrearode at 4:36PM on 03/09/09
Kuma Inn
jackl at 4:42PM on 03/09/09
Turnip cake vendor, Mott Street.
eleeb at 4:42PM on 03/09/09
street cart in front of the mexican embassy is pretty great.
Whitney at 4:43PM on 03/09/09
sura thai on 101 and broadway.
gregwong at 4:43PM on 03/09/09
Pho Grand for sure - the crispy squid alone gives them the top spot, although the beef rolls and pho aren't too shabby, either.
zoverman at 4:43PM on 03/09/09
Angel's Bakery on 5th Ave. in Sunset Park, the best cemitas!
CarolineFR at 4:48PM on 03/09/09
Rhong Tiam
EddieH at 4:48PM on 03/09/09
Ivo and Lulu, delicious French Carribean food.
kggreenpoint at 4:54PM on 03/09/09
Mandoo on W. 32nd St. in Koreatown for their crazy-delicious (and fresh!) dumplings, as well as their tofu stew. Yes!
Edith at 4:56PM on 03/09/09
The little falafel place across the street from Mahmoun's in W. village.
Rizbon at 4:59PM on 03/09/09
Saigon Bakery - love the bahn mi
burgerluver at 5:01PM on 03/09/09
San Antonio Bakery, on Astoria Blvd, for the Chilean hot dogs. One-of-a-kind in NYC!
Harlan at 5:05PM on 03/09/09
Kati Roll
jordo2798 at 5:09PM on 03/09/09
Grill 21, hands down! It's a small Filipino restaurant on 21st between 1st and 2nd. By far the best and most authentic of Manhattan!!
The Lumpia Shanghai is my favorite and if you are lucky, they often have ube ice cream!!
kiki05 at 5:09PM on 03/09/09
Roti Roll Bombay Frankie in the UWS!
Koreanita at 5:12PM on 03/09/09
Another vote for red hook ballfields. I can't wait for summer!
Laurel E at 5:12PM on 03/09/09
the absolute wealth of great asian food here in nyc! all the southeastern places have had their shout outs. mine are the upscale japanese sushi yasuda and sugiyama, or aburiya kinnosuke, all of the robata and yakitori places, and though the food isn't close to what it is at home or in korea, i still love me my korean places in midtown (cho dang gol!!) and in flushing!
musicjess at 5:19PM on 03/09/09
Super Taste in Chinatown! Those hand-pulled noodles, they call to me!
AlsoAlwaysHungry at 5:25PM on 03/09/09
queen of sheba, in hell's kitchen.
it introduced me to the sublime wonders of unidentifiable puddles existing in the orange-brown spectrum... and i have never looked back.
cafepeach at 5:42PM on 03/09/09
Taqueria y Fonda La Mexicana, 107th and Amsterdam. So good.
sarahinnewyork at 5:42PM on 03/09/09
For the food Ivo and Lulu, for the atmosphere/sheer fun Panna II in the East Village.
moniyer at 5:50PM on 03/09/09
Turkish Kitchen in Murray Hill. Their special fish dish is absolutely AMAZING.
aloh1010 at 6:03PM on 03/09/09
Mei Li Wah Bakery, Manhattan's Chinatown (formerly Mei Lei Wah Coffee Shop: purveyors of the best coconut bun in town, and the city's most underrated dim sum)
P.
Polecat at 6:09PM on 03/09/09
Pukk
Ilikefrenchfries at 6:12PM on 03/09/09
Taqueria DF
Brettsy at 6:19PM on 03/09/09
Puebla Mexican Food on 1st av and 3rd street. Chicken Burrito with everything (including their signature Salsa Verde) is my ticket to happy town.
TreacleTart at 6:19PM on 03/09/09
caracas!
cariden at 6:33PM on 03/09/09
Fine & Shapiro for pastrami and pickles
brittney at 6:39PM on 03/09/09
Double Escalator Palace... i mean, Jing Fong for dim sum. :)
mh330 at 6:45PM on 03/09/09
Nha Trang. Pork chops and crispy squid!
thesixthguy at 6:50PM on 03/09/09
Chenmai Gardens for their delicious kosher vegetarian Indian food.
masha339 at 6:56PM on 03/09/09
Roomali on 27th St. Chicken tikka roll is a clutch snack.
sweetsandcarbs at 7:38PM on 03/09/09
T Thai in Park Slope.
wecrunch at 8:08PM on 03/09/09
love love love Rico's Tacos in Sunset Park. So glad I can still get my torta fix!
tortor at 8:53PM on 03/09/09
Mamoun's falafel. serious comfort food for me. really.
engmcmuffin at 8:57PM on 03/09/09
One of those places in the Golden Mall in Flushing.
maportofu at 9:02PM on 03/09/09
Flor de Piaxtla in Sunset Park for breakfast chilaquiles and tacos al pastor. And a constant stream of Mexican soap operas on their TV. (Super Taste is a close second).
marthagrace at 9:38PM on 03/09/09
I notice many people are raving about thai spots-- I'm going to be another one of those people(lol). There is a spot on 5th Ave in Brooklyn called NANA. Great lychee martini, tasty food, good service and lovely decor. Most importantly, the prices are very affordable! Check it out! I do on a regular basis:).
foodieneophyte at 9:43PM on 03/09/09
Currently, it's Gen on Washington Av in Pros Heights. Insanely good curry and sushi.
brooklynchower at 9:51PM on 03/09/09
Sip Sak on 2nd Avenue and 49th. My favorite Turkish food in the city.
AnnBe at 10:07PM on 03/09/09
Sanur on Doyer's Street!
wencheung at 10:42PM on 03/09/09
Sigiri - Sri Lankan, on 1st avenue.
firni at 10:54PM on 03/09/09
XE Lua
86 Mulberry St (between Bayard St & Canal St)
The best pho in the city. Get the one with the "pork chop on the side." It's awsome.
Soup2Nuts at 10:55PM on 03/09/09
Doyer's Vietnamese in Chinatown
QK224 at 11:21PM on 03/09/09
The awesome-always-packed Caracas arepas bar. i love their gooey goodness of sweet and savory in the crunchy arepa pockets.
arathi at 11:43PM on 03/09/09
Nyonya for Malaysian food in Chinatown or Flushing :)
eve101 at 11:48PM on 03/09/09
Taqueria de la Fonda y Sol by 107 St. Finally, real tacos in NY.
thesu at 1:23AM on 03/10/09
Choa Thai in Elmhurst Queens!
gurizzy at 2:39AM on 03/10/09
Kinara on 5th avenue in Park Slope for awesome Indian.
avryan at 6:29AM on 03/10/09
is Pizza ethnic.? it's italian right?
my fave is John's Pizza
mcspacebar at 6:58AM on 03/10/09
This is hard, but at the moment Nha Trang.
bionicgrrrl at 8:34AM on 03/10/09
I'd say my favorite right now is Beyond Thai Kitchen in the West Village - delicious, and conveniently next to the Blue Note Jazz Club! :)
riri8337 at 9:15AM on 03/10/09
Taim. I am addicted.
bauwau2u at 9:41AM on 03/10/09
Chennai Garden on E. 27th. The curries are heavenly and the buffet is always FRESH!
jmsmnz at 9:42AM on 03/10/09
Prosperity Dumpling.
Pork and chives, how you haunt my dreams.
Lower Yeast Side at 9:51AM on 03/10/09
It's a tough call on this one. Papacitos in Greenpoint hands down has the best burritos in NYC. Stir It Up off Atlantic Ave. makes impeccable West Indian Food. I go there when I feel homesick and it's just like my grandma makes it—straight from the heart.
moonsta693 at 10:00AM on 03/10/09
minar in midtown. they serve delicious salmon tandoori on wednesdays and thursdays!
chokpocky at 10:01AM on 03/10/09
gahm mi ok on 32nd street for the suh long tang and bin dae duk.
erha2 at 10:25AM on 03/10/09
Frankie's 457 in Carroll Gardens (and the LES) for delish Italian- love, love, love.
limonadam at 10:27AM on 03/10/09
red hook ballfields...another vote!
stinkycupcake at 10:31AM on 03/10/09
hands down ...Tanoreen in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
tpinel at 10:34AM on 03/10/09
Tu Casa Dominican restaurant in Queens.
crazy_betty at 10:38AM on 03/10/09
Cafe Gitane - great Moroccan/French food - more affordable than you would expect.
wmdwmd at 11:04AM on 03/10/09
Zaab City - The only Thai food in this city that actually tastes the way they make it in Thailand...including Isaan food - where ya gonna find that around here? Thai food in New York doesnt usually deserve the name, but go to Zaab City (or the original Zaab in Queens) for the real deal.
xexpat at 11:15AM on 03/10/09
Mei Li Wah Bakery -- roast pork bun deliciousness
swordfish at 11:39AM on 03/10/09
Nyonya for sure!
layatp at 11:51AM on 03/10/09
as long as pizza counts i'm going to have to go with DiFara's - pretty well known but most certainly a hole in the wall.
Shelby at 11:56AM on 03/10/09
i like roti plus near 125th
lildiv at 12:02PM on 03/10/09
East Village Ukrainian Restaurant. 2nd ave btwn 9th & st. marks. Underground and delicious. My wife spent 9 months in Ukraine. Now we eat there once a month. They have the best veal meatballs!
jsalky at 12:05PM on 03/10/09
baden baden in k-town.
hollerpineapple at 12:16PM on 03/10/09
Lan Zhou Handmade Noodle
and ANY dumpling shack in chinatown
mollsrawks at 12:21PM on 03/10/09
Pho Bang in Elmhurst
mchow at 12:23PM on 03/10/09
flor de mayo!
llama at 12:26PM on 03/10/09
wondee siam!
shozgirl at 12:37PM on 03/10/09
Not that little, and not that ethnic, but Kashkaval in Hell's Kitchen
Dee at 12:38PM on 03/10/09
Pão! at Spring Street/Greenwich, is my fave. Being Portuguese, I've grown up with the food, and Pao does it well, and with sophistication and simplicity.
unintendedbliss at 12:45PM on 03/10/09
Uncle Vanya at 54th between 8th and 9th. Cheap and delicious. Try their infused vodkas :)
Visnapuu at 1:16PM on 03/10/09
Room Service Thai seems to never be on anyones radar but this kitchy place with its room service menus and tables behind numbered hotel doors is always on my best thai list. Their spring rolls are out of this world and the curry is always excellent. There are chandeliers everywhere and the all purple interior is surprisingly classy for a restaurant with such great pices. Make sure to visit the bathroom as well - it's like your own private dance party!
JCE989 at 1:51PM on 03/10/09
rai rai ken on 10th st. b/w 1st and 2nd ave.
qkatie at 2:02PM on 03/10/09
Spicy and Tasty in Flushing!
LexRush13 at 2:24PM on 03/10/09
Little Ochi Hot Spot, the friendly guys in the colorful van serve up great Jamaican food and there is always reggae playing to make your wait painless.
captunderp at 2:25PM on 03/10/09
Super Taste!
craig_g at 2:35PM on 03/10/09
Café Glechik in Brighton Beach. Yum!
jmack at 3:22PM on 03/10/09
Pam Real Thai in Hell's Kitchen!
abby728 at 3:42PM on 03/10/09
Hard to nail it to ONE place, but if I had to: Madras Mahal in Murray Hill
VikramP at 3:51PM on 03/10/09
bon chon chicken murray hill :)
Mahira at 5:08PM on 03/10/09
Sripriphai.
NYCviaRachel at 6:08PM on 03/10/09
Panna II on Second Avenue & 6th Street
SuperKyle at 6:26PM on 03/10/09
African Kine in Harlem
Delicatesseny at 7:13PM on 03/10/09
Shanghai Cafe on Mott and Canal. The Tron style lighting adds a add'l dimension to the flavor.
peaspls at 10:58PM on 03/10/09
Super Taste on Eldridge.
spanky28 at 11:42PM on 03/10/09
Malaysian Grill on W 104th
fattycrab at 12:37AM on 03/11/09
Taqueria on W 108 and Amsterdam!
mmmmmmm at 9:45AM on 03/11/09
and Taipan Bakery on Canal... :o)
mmmmmmm at 9:46AM on 03/11/09
The Hummus Place (a few locations, I've been to the upper west side one)
food2d2 at 10:33AM on 03/11/09
Ihawan Filipino Barbecue in Woodside
Lahori on Lexington for the best kheema samosas in Manhattan
JungMan at 10:35AM on 03/11/09
bahn mi saigon! best bahn mi/jewelery store in the city.
whitewhale at 10:44AM on 03/11/09
Margon in Midtown for greasy Cuban/Dominican food.
fdurant at 12:32PM on 03/11/09
Ali Baba in Murray Hill. Best little Turkish restaurant that almost made me think I was back in Istanbul sitting by the Bosphorous eating lahmujan and smoking sheesha.
HolyShitake at 1:35PM on 03/11/09
Xe Lua
itisijessica at 2:09PM on 03/11/09
Arepa arepa to go against the Caracas horde. His arepas are crazy awesome and I love the juices he comes up with.
bjornsen at 2:18PM on 03/11/09
Paris Sandwich
stephpeng at 4:02PM on 03/11/09
Food courts in Flushing, and the Kebab carts.
winkyj at 2:33PM on 03/12/09