The Bean

49 1/2 1st Ave (@ 3rd St)

When I asked NYLawStudent to recommend a good place for tea in the East Village, I was hesitant when he suggested The Bean. Under the impression The Bean was more coffee than it was tea, I envisioned overpriced Lipton tea bags and bright lights but agreed to meet there anyway.

Upon seeing the vast tea menu, I was intrigued and enthused. I ordered a medium Ruby Slipper (blood orange and pear) and two overpriced pastries; NYLawStudent stuck with a latte.

As a tea aficionado, nothing particular stood out about my tea except for the color, a pinkish red resulting from the blood orange. However, my pastries were a different story.

The first pastry was a triple chocolate mousse cheesecake. It was soft and sweet without going overboard on the chocolate (despite the name).

The second pastry consisted of a chocolate teacup filled with vanilla custard and topped with mixed berries. By the time I worked my way down to the teacup part, I was stuffed and only managed a few bites of chocolate. Overall, I was pleased with my selections, but my wallet was not.

My initial reaction to The Bean was correct; it is more coffee than tea. That said, the vast tea menu is nothing to scoff at, and the pastries were very good. The medium-size internet cafe was filled with students writing papers, discussing midterms, and checking email. If I were a law student or undergrad, I could see myself enjoying the studious atmosphere. I am neither, so the place was not exactly my cup of tea (no pun intended).

I doubt I will visit The Bean again, partially due to the fact it is a chain (there are a couple locations in the city) and partially due to the expensive pastries starting at $7.


DAMAGE ~ $16
VERDICT: PASS

Two Boots

201 W 11th St

Say hello to the Hollywood version of yet another pizza joint located in West Village. Two Boots centers itself around pies named after pop culture icons, including Larry Tate, Cleopatra Jones, and “The Dude” aka the Lebowski from The Big Lebowski.

I stopped by on a cold but lovely Saturday afternoon and ordered a slice of The Mel Cooley: sun-dried tomatoes, basil pesto, and roasted peppers on a white pie. The place was small but uncrowded and I managed to nab a seat inside the New Orleans Mardi Gras themed interior.

The pizza was average and definitely not worth bragging about. The crust was crispy, but I would have preferred it slightly crispier; the slice did strike me as particularly fresh. The names of the pies were a bigger deal than the actual pies themselves, as many names are in New York City.

Although I might be back to try their garden slice, which looks like—you guessed it—a garden, I cannot recommend Two Boots. There is much better pizza to be had in the area.

DAMAGE ~ $4
VERDICT: Pass

Oh! Taisho

9 St. Marks Place

Oh! Taisho in the heart East Village is a true Japanese establishment. One glance at the menu and you might think you are in the center of Tokyo, rather than New York City. The menu is in part kanji (Japanese characters) and part English, but there are pictures in case you get confused. Overwhelmed with the many options, I was more than happy when Sir Fancy Pants insisted on ordering for me.

With a little help from the waiter, I decided on one of their more popular sakes, and Sir Fancy Pants ordered the following for our meal:

scallops wrapped in bacon
quails eggs wrapped in bacon
chicken skin
quails eggs (for me)
tofu gratinee, no anchovies (for me)
tempura (for me)

Everything was unusual and delicious. The tempura was the best I’ve tasted in the city; the quail eggs were a first and tasted somewhat like deviled eggs; and the tofu dish was unlike anything I ever tried before. Made of silken tofu and smothered with cheese, it had a slight mustard taste to it. I am not mustard’s biggest fan by any means, but I actually liked the taste of the dish.

The server was walking around with a pitcher of what looked like hot sake, refilling mugs around the room.

I still have no idea what was going on with that place, making it all the more intriguing and worthy of a return visit. I did learn from the server “taisho” is the equivalent to owner in Japanese.


DAMAGE ~ $40
VERDICT: GO NOW!

Beard Papa’s

5 Carmine St.

Oh...my…Cream Puff! What a lovely little delight you are! The tiny Japanese Bakery called Beard Papa’s, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, specializes in cream puffs and also features a couple other delicious goodies, including a Fondant Au Chocolate, which you heat in the oven until the chocolate in the center is melted. I ordered one of these and one original vanilla custard filled cream puff. Both lived up to my expectations. The chocolate fondant was amazing, especially for the cheap price, and the cream puff was light with a flaky outside and a creamy center.

Beard Papa’s features a different cream puff flavor each week, ranging from Earl Grey Tea to Strawberry. Their website cites them as the “World’s Best Cream Puffs.” I cannot testify the truth of this statement (as I am not well versed in cream puffery), but they were damn good. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

DAMAGE ~ $4.75
VERDICT: GO NOW!

Pommes Frites

123 2nd Ave.

Several weeks went by before I managed to make my way to a tiny fry place dubbing itself with “authentic Belgian fries.” Pommes Frites in East Village was recommended to me by a friend who lives nearby. The tiny restaurant nestled between 7th Street & St. Mark’s Place on 2nd Avenue that literally sits around 8 is known for having some of the best fries in the city and allows customers to sample their many sauces for free. The wait the first time I tried to go (over a month ago as the temperature was dropping significantly) piqued my curiosity. It was 1am and the line was out the door, despite the freezing weather. I put Pommes Frites on my list and promised myself I would come back at a more appropriate time.

That time came this past Saturday in the morning. I hit the place up right when it was due to open at 11:30 on the weekend. The sign read “Closed.” I hiked the block and returned 10 minutes later. The sign now read “Open” and there was a line. I barely squeezed myself in the front door.

I waited in line watching new batches of cut potatoes frying while the people in front of me sampled and ordered one of the 30 sauces Pommes Frites features with their fries. The fries are served in a cone and come in three sizes: regular, large, and double. Sauces are $1.00 extra, or you can order a combo of any three sauces for $2.50. When my turn arrived, I asked for a sample of the Sundried Tomato Mayo and the Peanut Satay. The guy behind the fry bar handed me a napkin with four small fries on it and a small dollop of both sauces. The Peanut Satay was too oily for me. I ordered a regular order of fries with a combo of the following three sauces: Rosemary Garlic Mayo, Sweet Mango Chutney Mayo, and the Sundried Tomato Mayo. I asked for it to go, and they also give a side of raw onions and regular ketchup with every order.

The regular portion was huge; it took me two settings to finish it. The fries were a bit on the soggy side, but the sauces were very good. The Rosemary Garlic had the perfect combination of garlic and mayo; the Mango was very sweet and tasted almost like Thousand Island Salad Dressing, and the Sundried Tomato was also sweet with a slight kick at the end. I did not favor one sauce over the other as all were equally delicious. The complimentary raw onions were a nice touch as well.

For out-of-towners, if you are looking for an authentic New York experience, Pommes Frites has it. Belgium is known for its frites, so anyplace claiming to have “authentic Belgian fries” is a must go. Although I have had better fries, at another Belgium restaurant no less, the damage to my pocket book was much more appreciative of Pommes Frites. If you have some time to spare, go wait in line, and get your frite on.

DAMAGE ~ $7
VERDICT: Go