subject: Eating on a Budget in Manhattan [print this page] I wouldn't say it's especially difficult to eat cheaply in Manhattanafter all, there's $1 pizza, countless diners, and Chinese lunch specials. You can also be taking a huge gamble by trying a place off the street without a bit of research or recommendation. It can be difficult to find something that's different and delicious, while mostly staying under $10. This is a good starter list of places to try while staying within your budget:
Pho Grand (277C Grand Street, NY NY 10002, (212) 965-5366)- Two people can have a very filling and fantastic lunch or dinner here for about $5 per person. I almost always go with the #6Pho with Fresh Eye of Round. Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup with a very flavorful broth, often garnished with Thai basil and bean sprouts. A regular size bowl, at $4.95 is definitely enough to fill one person up. The larger bowls are prices at $5.95, which is still a very good deal. Though their pho is what they're known for, they also have a large variety of rice and vermicelli dishes that are all very reasonably priced as well.
Wah Fung #1 Fast Food (79 Chrystie Street NY NY 10002, (212) 925-5175)- I may be making a mistake by revealing this hidden Chinatown gem. It looks sketchyit's a tiny hole-in-the-wall that looks pretty dingybut you won't find a better deal anywhere. For $3.50 you get an absurd amount of pork (or chicken or duck) and rice, with some veggies (be sure to get extra sauce too). For less than $5, you have more than enough food for one meal, and almost definitely leftovers for another. Wah Fung has been catching on with more people, so there is usually a wait that could get pretty long, but its worth it, if not for the food, than at least to see the guy who runs it hacking at huge pieces of park with a meat cleaver. Be aware though, it's better to go earlier in the day because they do run out. There is also no seating really, but if you don't want to take it home, you can always eat it in the park across the street.
Pio Pio (see www.piopionyc.com for locations)- Yes, I'm writing about anothercheap chicken restaurant. This one is a little different though, and actually better. It's a Peruvian chain with locations in Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. With their lunch special of a quarter chicken, salad, choice of one side, and a soda at $9.50, Pio Pio fits the bill of great tasting food for not a lot of money. The chicken is moist and spiced perfectly, and it comes with a delicious, slightly spicy green sauce to go with it. Their Chicken Pio, which is a whole marinated chicken, is only $10. Order a side or two and you and a friend can share a great meal for about $8 each.
Caracas (93 E 7th St, NY NY 10009, (212) 529-2314)- Caracas is an East Village favorite. Start out with drinks atYuca Bar, but for less expensive and just as delicious (though very different) food, walk down the street to this place. It is very small, so during peak hours expect a wait, and expect to be very close to your neighbors. Their specialty is arepas, which are corn cakes that are eaten with a topping or split and filled. Here, they are split and eaten with one of their delicious fillings. Prices for the arepas range from $4.75-$7.50; if you're a light eater or not that hungry, one is enough, though two is usually too much for me. I would suggest going with a friend and getting one each, and then one to share. They also have combo platters that come with 3 arepas each, split into 2, which is enough for 2-3 people to share. My absolute favorite arepa they have is La Mulata ($6.25)grilled white cheese with jalapenos, sauted red peppers, fried sweet plantains, and black beans, though all of the ones I have tried, including La de Pabellon ($7.25), La Reina Pepida ($675), and De Pollo ($6.25) are all good. The side of Yoyos ($5.50), which is fried sweet plantains with cheese, is also very good.
La Esquina Taqueria (106 Kenmare Street, NY NY 10012, (646) 613-1333)- While you may be able to find cheaper tacos elsewhere, you won't find ones as good as these. At about $3.25-$3.95 a piece, the tacos at the Taqueria at La Esquina are a delicious deal, and two are definitely enough, which would keep the bill under $10. The taqueria portion of La Esquina is really tiny though, so it can be hard to snag a seat, but getting a table at the sit-down portion of the restaurant means paying higher prices, so it's worth it to get a little aggressive when waiting for one of those bar stools. While they have other items besides tacos, the tacos are what you should come here for. The Bistec ($3.95), Carnitas ($3.50), and the Papa, Nopales, Y Chorizo ($3.25) are my favorites. They also make a pretty good grilled corn ($2.50), but not the best I've had in the area.
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Eating on a Budget in Manhattan
By: Rose
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