Sucelt Coffee Shop, West Village, Manhattan [CLOSED]

NOTE: Sucelt Coffee Shop is now closed.

As noted several times in this site, the West Village of Manhattan has no shortage of great eating places, some of which are not well-known at all. And one that is particularly little-known is a tiny place called Sucelt Coffee Shop on 14th Street near 7th Avenue.

Sucelt is unusual in the fact that it is a coffee shop that specializes in Latin American cuisine. Items such as mofongo, octopus, arepas, tamales, and goat stew can be found on the menu at Sucelt, as well as less exotic dishes.

If you or anyone you know has tried Sucelt in the West Village, post a review here if you would like. Thank you very much!

Here is the address for Sucelt :
Sucelt Coffee Shop
200 W 14th Street
New York (West Village), NY, 10011

The phone number is:
(212) 242-0593

Caracas Arepa Bar, East Village, Manhattan

I don't get to eat Venezuelan food very often, especially considering that I live in Boston, where there are only 2 or 3 Venezuelan restaurants in the entire city. But New York has more than a few, including a place called Caracas Arepa Bar that sounds rather interesting.

Caracas Arepa Bar looks like a very small place, which is common for restaurants in the often-cramped, crowded East Village. But the decor inside does sound pretty nice. Items on the menu at Caracas Arepa Bar include arepas and empanadas, as well as some interesting sounding appetizers and specials. They also have something called quesillo, which is a traditional Venezuelan flan.

If anyone has tried Caracas Arepa Bar in the East Village, let me know what you think. Thanks very much!

Here is the address for Caracas Arepa Bar:
Caracas Arepa Bar
91 E 7th Street
New York (East Village), NY, 10009

The phone number is:
(212) 228-5062

And here is the Web site for Caracas Arepa Bar:
http://www.caracasarepabar.com/

Moustache, West Village, Manhattan

It seems that every time I go to New York, I always end up walking past Moustache, which is a shame, considering that the one time we went to this Middle Eastern restaurant, it was outstanding. This tiny West Village dining spot has some truly delicious dishes, including terrific hummus, heavenly falafel, and tasty and fresh pita bread, among a number of other dishes.

There are so many dining options in the West Village (and Greenwich Village in general) that I just haven't had a chance to get back to Moustache; maybe one of these days I can sneak in there around lunchtime while in the neighborhood.

The address for Moustache is:
Moustache
90 Bedford Street
New York (Manhattan), NY, 10014

The phone number is:
(212) 229-2220

And here is the Web site for Moustache:
http://www.moustachepitza.com/

Freddy's Pizzeria, Whitestone, Queens

Supposedly, Freddy's Pizzeria in the Whitestone section of Queens has some very good pizza, but you wouldn't know it if you talked to a friend of mine who grew up in the neighborhood. According to him, the calzones are the thing at Freddy's, and they are especially good on Friday night.

Some locals also call the place Angelo's, as Angelo used to own the place (his son is running it now, from what I hear).

If anyone has tried Freddy's Pizzeria, please post a message about the place here if you would like. I'd love to hear more about this Queens institution!

Here is the address for Freddy's Pizzeria:
Freddy's Pizzeria
1266 150th Street
Queens (Whitestone), NY, 11357

The phone number is:
(718) 767-4502

El Cid, Manhattan

I am not a huge fan of tapas, but I'll try it every now and then, and there is one Spanish restaurant in the Chelsea section of Manhattan that supposedly does it better than most, and is not very well known. The place is called El Cid, and it is a Spartan place that seems to be known only to the locals. In addition to tapas, El Cid also serves Spanish entrees for those looking for a full meal.

If anyone has been to El Cid, post a note here to let people know what you thought of the restaurant.

Here is the address for El Cid:
El Cid Tapas Bar and Restaurant
322 W 15th Street
New York (Chelsea), NY, 10011

The phone number is:
(212) 929-9332

Press 195, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Press 195 is a dining spot on Park Slope in Brooklyn that specializes in panini sandwiches. For those who don't know what a panini is, it is basically a grilled, pressed sandwich with various ingredients inside, including meats, cheese, and veggies.

I am a huge fan of paninis, so I am kicking myself for not having gone to Press 195 last month when I was in Brooklyn for a few days. Hopefully next time I will be able to head over to this place.

There is a second Press 195 in the Bayside section of Queens, by the way.

If you have tried Press 195 and would like to tell folks about it, please post a comment here.

Here is the address for Press 195:
Press 195
195 5th Avenue
Brooklyn (Park Slope), NY, 11217

The phone number is:
(718) 857-1950

And here is the Web site for Press 195:
http://www.press195.com/press/

Old John's Luncheonette, Manhattan (Lincoln Center)

Old John's Luncheonette in the Lincoln Center area of Manhattan is a favorite of one of my family members who lives in the Upper West Side. And though I've only been there twice, I can't say that I disagree with him. It is a terrific place for breakfast.

The French toast that I had at Old John's was tremendous, though perhaps not quite as good as that of the Popover Cafe in the Upper West Side. The prices are good there, too, and the people are generally very friendly. Not many people know about it other than locals, so even on a weekday morning, it is not all that difficult to get into.

The address for Old John's Luncheonette is:
Old John's Luncheonette
148 W 67th Street
New York (Manhattan), NY, 10023

The phone number is:
(212) 874-2700

Locanda Vini E Olii, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn

Here is a true hidden gem in Brooklyn (that is, a hidden gem for those who live outside of the area). Locanda Vini E Olii is a cozy, intimate little Italian restaurant that is housed in an old pharmacy on Clinton Hill. The cuisine is more Northern Italian than Southern Italian, and includes such dishes as grilled free-range chicken, braised pork, and organic whole wheat fettucine.

Please let me know what you think of Locanda Vini E Olii. This is yet another Brooklyn restaurant that I need to get to someday.

Here is the address for Locanda Vini E Olii:
Locanda Vini E Olii
129 Gates Avenue
Brooklyn (Clinton Hill), NY, 11238

The phone number is:
(718) 622-9202

And here is the Web site for Locanda Vini E Olii:
http://www.locandavinieolii.com/

Vittorio Cucina, West Village [CLOSED]

NOTE: Vittorio Cucina is now closed.

The West Village of Manhattan is full of interesting restaurants, including one I mentioned yesterday (Wild Ginger) as well as several I've already been to (Moustache, Marinella, the White Horse Tavern, etc.). One restaurant that looks interesting is Vittorio Cucina on Bleecker Street.

The pasta is made fresh daily at Vittorio Cucina, and the menu has a number of interesting items, including gnocchi, beef and spinach ravioli, fettucine with pesto, and saffron risotto.

Please tell me what you think of Vittorio Cucina if you have already been there!

Here is the address for Vittorio Cucina:
Vittorio Cucina
308 Bleecker Street
New York (West Village), NY, 10014

The phone number is:
(212) 463-0730

Wild Ginger, Manhattan (West Village)

We almost went to Wild Ginger in the West Village a week ago, but ended up at the excellent Grano Trattoria instead because we were running out of time. But I still want to get to Wild Ginger, as it has gotten some very good reviews, and is in one of my favorite parts of Manhattan.

If anyone has tried Wild Ginger in the West Village, let me know what you think. I appreciate it!

Here is the address for Wild Ginger:
Wild Ginger
49 Grove Street
New York (West Village), NY, 10014

The phone number is:
(212) 367-7200

And here is the Web site for Wild Ginger:
http://www.wildginger-ny.com/

Adelman's Kosher Deli, Brooklyn (Midwood)

We stopped by a terrific Kosher restaurant in the Midwood section of Brooklyn a few weeks ago. Adelman's Kosher Deli was a diamond in the rough, as we were just about ready to give up on finding any breakfast place in this bustling Brooklyn neighborhood.

The interior of Adelman's is a bit unusual, with framed baseball cards and other baseball items lining the walls of the place. Being a baseball fan, I loved it!

The food was excellent at Adelman's. The corned beef omelette has some mighty fine corned beef in it, while the beef knish, kasha varnishkes, and potato pancakes were all better than any similar items I've had in the Boston area.

I'm glad we found Adelman's; it was pretty much an accidental find, but certainly a good one.

The address for Adelman's Kosher Deli is:
Adelman's Kosher Deli
1906 Kings Highway
Brooklyn (Midwood), NY, 11229

The phone number is:
(718) 336-4915

Nomad Restaurant, Manhattan

Another restaurant I have been reading a little about is the Nomad Restaurant in the East Village of Manhattan. They have a combination of French and North African cuisine, and the prices seem to be pretty good, with most entrees being around $15 or so. And judging from the photos I saw, The Nomad looks very intimate and cozy, so it should be a good place to go on a date. The tajines (stew with herbs and spices) sounds really good, as does the couscous and pastilla dishes.

Again, if anyone has been to The Nomad, let me know what you think. Thanks very much!

Here is the address for The Nomad:
The Nomad
78 2nd Avenue
New York (East Village), NY, 10003

The phone number is:
(212) 253-5410

And here is the Web site for The Nomad:
http://www.nomadny.com/

Avi Taam-Tov Restaurant, Manhattan

I have been reading a bit about a place in the Diamond District of Manhattan called Avi Taam-Tov. It sounds like it is a bit like the Diamond Dairy of New York Restaurant, which is in the same neighborhood; both are literally hidden from the general public, and both specialize in Kosher food. And while the Diamond Dairy of New York is in the back of a jewelry store (one flight up, overlooking the store through a plexiglass window), Avi Taam-Tov is on the third floor of a building in the Diamond District, with little in the way of signage indicating that the restaurant is there.

If anyone has been to Avi Taam-Tov, I would love to hear what you thought of the place. Post a message here if you have a chance. Thanks!

The address for Avi Taam-Tov is:
Avi Taam-Tov
46 W 47th Street
New York (Manhattan), NY, 10036

The phone number is:
(212) 768-8001

And here is the Web site for Avi Taam-Tov:
http://nytaamtov.com/

Da Nico, Little Italy (Manhattan)

I haven't been to Da Nico in the Little Italy section of Manhattan for awhile now, but boy, do I ever still remember the pizza at this restaurant. While not quite the best pizza I've had in New York City, it was perfectly fine, with a thin crust, a slightly burnt bottom, a tasty sauce, and cheese that was browned just right.

There are literally hundreds of restaurants I want to go to in New York, so I'm not sure I'll be back to Da Nico anytime soon, but if I end up being in the immediate neighborhood, there are few places I'd rather go than Da Nico.

The address for Da Nico is:
Da Nico
164 Mulberry Street
New York, NY 10013

And the phone number is:
(212) 343-1212

And here is the Web site for Da Nico:
http://danicorest.com/