The Vegetarian Option: Tsampa

Posted by Maggie Hoffman, June 21, 2010 at 1:45 PM

[Photographs: Maggie Hoffman]

The East Village may be one of Manhattan's most culinarily rich neighborhoods, but you have to wade through the teenaged crowds on St. Marks Place to enjoy it. Even the mediocre brunch spots have throngs of late-risers swarming outside their doors every weekend, so it's rare to find a restaurant that doesn't cram them in and make you shout above the din.

Tsampa on East Ninth Street is a calm pocket in the storm, offering lightly spiced, reasonably priced Tibetan fare to meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. The room—which is bigger than you may expect from the outside—is adorned with prayer flags fluttering to the soothing tones of Buddhist chant.

A special appetizer of potato and scallion croquettes ($5) seemed like a good place to start. They were skillfully spiced but doused in a yogurt dressing, which ended any chance they had at crispiness.

Our favorite appetizer was the squash crepe ($5), another item from the specials menu. Delicate and crisply fried, each little packet yielded to the tooth to reveal a sweet and creamy squash filling. They tasted a little bit like donuts, and we've got nothing against eating donuts with dinner.

The Lhasa Momo ($5) were agreeably chewy and thick-skinned, but missing something in the flavor department. They were supposedly stuffed with garden vegetables and shiitake mushrooms, but it might have just been cabbage and potato. A little more salt may have helped; unfortunately, the accompanying dipping sauce could only be considered hot by the truly wimpy.

The entrees fared better. The eggplant sauté ($9.95) was mashed and enriched with warming spices: cinnamon, ginger, and a bit of chile heat. The cubes of tofu are a nice, satisfying addition. If you're a fan of Indian Baigan Bharta, this dish is an old friend of yours, and this version has a particularly likable freshness and lightness. I'd happily include it in my weekly delivery rotation.

Several friends had recommended the Tse Gyathuk Ngopa ($9.95), a baked noodle dish with garlic, ginger and vegetables, but we weren't really wowed. The noodles had a great chewy texture, and the slightly bitter greens on top were more flavorful than your everyday steamed spinach, but the dish reminded us a little too much of slightly greasy lo mein. If you're drinking, this might be the perfect antidote, but otherwise, we're sticking with the eggplant.

Tsampa is a pretty good deal—three of us ate heartily for $35 before tax/tip. There's a whole section on the menu for vegetarians, and meat eaters can order free-range, organic chicken. While some might find Tsampa's flavors a little mellow for their taste, it could be that a little serenity is just what we all need.

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Tags: Asian, East Village, Manhattan, The Vegetarian Option, Tibetan, Tsampa, vegetarian option