Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Cafecito, Manhattan (East Village)

It wasn't all that long ago that and much of the section of Lower Manhattan called "Alphabet City" was seen as a place to stay away from. But much of this part of the East Village has greatly improved, and some parts are now quite popular with locals and tourists alike. And along with the improvements to Alphabet City are an influx of interesting restaurants, including a Cuban dining spot on Avenue C called Cafecito. Casual, reasonably priced, and unpretentious, Cafecito is a gem of a place that is popular with folks who live in the neighborhood, but is nearly unknown outside of Alphabet City and the East Village. It is small--and can fill up quickly on weekends--but weeknights seem to be fine for grabbing a seat right away.

Authentic Cuban food is the name of the game at Cafecito, with some dishes that might not be familiar to some. Included on the menu are chicken and beef empanadas, roasted corn and black bean fritters, homemade chicken soup, a breaded steak sandwich, grilled chorizo with onions and cheese, char-grilled skirt steak with chimichurri, boniato (sweet potato) hash, and pulled roasted chicken. Sides include yuca fries, plantains, and saffron rice. And for dessert, there is flan as well as a flourless chocolate cake.

If you have been to Cafecito in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, please let us know by posting a comment here. Thanks!

Here is the address for Cafecito:
Cafecito
185 Avenue C
Manhattan (East Village), NY, 10009

The phone number is:
(212) 253-9966

And here is the Web site for Cafecito:
http://www.cafecitonyc.com/

No comments: