Hana "fight carbs with carbs" B.'s Profile
DateNew York, NY 10014
(212) 414-4142
Prodigy Coffee
Category:
Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: West Village
1 Previous Review:
-
1/23/2012
Walking by this cute little place after work I thought , "oh look, yet another Manhattan cafe that thinks they do espresso right" (yes, I am a self-confessed coffee-snob). And yet one rainy day half out of desperation, half out of optimistic hope - I took a quick stroll over in the search of cheer in a cupful of coffee.
There was a bit of a line-up when I got here. The place is still very new and smells more like paint than coffee still. All of the few tables were occupied on a weekday around 2 pm, surely a good sign right? And with that in mind, I promptly decided I did, indeed, want a large latte.
They have a tempting assortment of biscotti(whole wheat being one of the options), pound cake in apple+rosemary and orange+ricotta flavor, some croissants and oatmeal cookies. I tried my best to resist. Also available are 3 different types of pre-roasted coffee beans to choose from. All of them looked interesting, but I wasn't going to be fooled until this place passed the initial beverage test.
The barista was quite friendly and even gave me a stamp card, your 11th coffee is free I believe? The card has no details on it. Five minutes later, I was walking out the door with my latte.
One little sip. I was on cloud nine! Could it be true? Another big swig... HEAVEN!! best latte I have had in the city so far... yes that includes you too Williamsburg! I'm definitely going to be a repeat customer. I even contemplated changing which train I take each morning, just so this place is more "on the way" to work. Smooth, mild, creamy, and in absolutely no need of sugar, just how I like my lattes!
If you are serious about your coffee, this is by far the best option in the neighbourhood.
Manhattan, NY 10012
(212) 477-3333
Masala Times
Category:
Indian
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Eclectic Bollywood inspired decor, with generous helping of color. Pictures of movie stars on the chair backs, and a Hollywood vs. Bollywood poster thats quite funny and true.
The roll itself was EXTREMELY HOT on all three occasions that I was at this establishment. So even if you are very hungry, don't try to scarf it down and desensitize your taste-buds, because you'll regret it. The paratha wrap itself is soft, flaky, ghee-laden and soft. The filling - tender lamb portions in a tomato sauce with just the right amount of spice and salt. I think this is head and shoulders above the nearby Kati roll in terms of quality and appropriate sodium content.
I've also tried their "boxes" as a lunchtime takeout option before and although they are filling and probably healthier than the roll, not quite as satisfying. I also ordered a Masala Chai in my online order but they didn't have any when i went to pick up my order and was offered soda instead, which was a bit disappointing since they could have called me, given me a refund or listed it as something that takes a while to prepare online.
Great cheap or casual eat. Roll $6, Box about $11. Open late.
3.5 stars.
New York, NY 10010
(800) 290-4924
The Bistro Truck
Category:
Mediterranean
Neighborhood: Flatiron
1 Previous Review:
-
10/19/2011
This truck is by far my favorite in the SoHo area as a lunch option. Fantastic lamb burger that was juicy and perfectly seasoned. Also loved the lentil soup that was hearty and filling. The wait time is about 5-10 mins on an average/non-rainy weekday lunch in the summer. Their other menu options look fantastic too.
Almost considering hiring them for my wedding.
I got the Gluten free meatballs with Ziti, a gluten free brownie cupcake and a honeysuckle oolong tea.The meatballs were super good, moist, soft, melty, flavorful and perfect with the parmesan and chilli flakes my bowl was garnished with by the chef himself. I am unsure if the ziti was also gluten-free because it sure didn't taste it(but i havent had proper glutenous pasta in about 6 month so might be a bit rusty on this). $5, 375 cals.
The brownie cupcake didn't have that cakey heavy delicious taste, and wasn't as rich or chocolately or even decadent as the name made it sound, but what do you expect for $2 and 77 calories eh? Tasted like it had some sort of alcohol in the batter which i think made it a bit medicinal tasting, was quite fluffy and not very sweet. I'd skip this next time.
The oolong tea was very mild, just a touch sweet(naturally) and perfectly refreshing at 0 calories and $1.
Other options on the menu included turkey black bean enchilada, a low-carb chicken soup, brocoli chicken stir-fry, all for $5ish.
The whole meal was super affordable and 100% of the proceeds go to feeding less fortunate hungry children. Double whammy!
4.5 stars for the meatballs, 1.5 for the brownie, I'd go back again!
New York, NY 10014
(212) 243-1311
The Path Café
Categories:
Coffee & Tea,
Music Venues,
Sandwiches
Neighborhood: West Village
Grabbed a latte a couple of times while exiting the station for work. No lineups at 8.50am, which was awesome in itself! Latte was quite decent, not upto Toronto independent cafe standard, but best in the neighborhood so far. It was rich and creamy with a dense foam. $4.
I hear there is live music and I really liked the ambiance and friendly service here. Need to visit again for lunch soon.
No big lineups, usually a warning sign, but it was raining so I gave them the benefit of the doubt. The preparation was quick, and the service friendly.
The food however was tepid, probably because the half a box of salad, the beets and cucumbers added in were all cold. So despite me just traveling up with this food in the elevator, it had already become cold by the time i got to my desk.
The merguez was not as flavorful as expected but somewhat redeemed itself with hot sauce. The salad was spring greens, not iceberg lettuce, which may have stayed crispier longer.
Even though the quantity of food was decent I found the platter overpriced for what it is at $8. I think this truck would fare better if the food was spicier and hotter in temperature, prices were lower and they served salad in a separate container.
A so-so experience. Will not be buying again.
Toronto, ON M5A 3C4
Canada
(416) 207-1709
Balzac's Coffee Roastery
Categories:
Coffee & Tea,
Venues & Event Spaces
Neighborhoods: Distillery District, West Don Lands
My latte however, was made out of burnt espresso beans and was bitter. I usually don't add anything to a latte, and I had to add cream AND a teaspoon of sugar to this one to make it drinkable. I almost judge it to be worse than Starbucks on a good day.
Will not be returning.
Toronto, ON M6J 1R5
Canada
Yelp's Tequila Takedown
Category:
Local Flavor
Neighborhoods: Ossington Strip, Trinity Bellwoods, Beaconsfield Village
I love love love Reposado, especially their patio in the summer to catch up with friends and grab a drink or two. I was extremely excited about this event, and saying it did not disappoint would be a major understatement.
Loved being greeted by Mel, Vivek and a guy who seemed oddly familiar (turned out he's the Yelp Brooklyn CM Peter who I'd met before at one of the events he organized on his home turf)
The "Paloma" was quite refreshing. The shots, thumb-wrestling game, the free swag the pinatas and photo-booth all brilliant additions to making this event so much fun. Didn't quite get to catch up with everyone I wanted to - so many cool Yelpers, so little time!
It was a great night, and will be remembered(perhaps a bit hazily). Can't wait for the pictures!
Toronto, ON M4N 2H9
Canada
(416) 485-8686
NAILSENSE
Categories:
Hair Removal,
Nail Salons
Excellent attention to detail - from taking your coat as you come in for an appointment, to cuticle work, polish application, making sure your nails are totally dry before letting you step out. They even help you put on your coat and shoes.
This may sound weird and I haven't seen this done elsewhere but, they even put extra cuticle moisturizer and wrap up your feet with some cling wrap if you are wearing close toed shoes (under your socks) to make your feet extra soft!
Also, they "wrap" the tips (http://bit.ly/bxbKSD) while painting your nails to make your manicure last. Mine lasted 6 full days without a chip, despite the fact that I shower with extra hot water, and do my dishes without gloves.
AND you get all this for a really reasonable price. I would be here way more often if it was closer to my place.
New York, NY 10016
(212) 685-5200
Haandi Restaurant
Category:
Pakistani
Neighborhoods: Kips Bay, Flatiron
Boy, did I find out I was wrong! They tried to rush me through my order when there was no one waiting to order after me. A lot of the dishes looked unrecognizable, and when I inquired about whats what, it seemed like they were out of half the dishes on the menu.
I ended up getting the chicken biryani, beef kebab, nihari, and naan. The messed up my order, DESPITE the fact that there was no language barrier since I was speaking Urdu. They failed to tell us that the nihari is chicken and not beef (its less common) and gave us chicken tikka instead of the beef kebabs. The biryani smelt odd, and the rest of the food was tepid, bland and served sloppily - exactly what I'd expect in a Pakistani prison.
Now for the "ambiance" - headache inducing flourescent lighting, flies, and Pakistani national news in Urdu on TV. The bathrooms were decent.
Sure, this place is cheap but it's also the worst Pakistani food I have ever had the displeasure of tasting. I strongly urge you to take your $8 elsewhere.
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New York, NY
Yelping SinceJanuary 2009
Things I LoveMeeting new people, Ethnic Food, Steak, Coffee, Photography. Museums, Twitter, Mad Men, Random Adventures, Makeup, Travelling
My HometownToronto, ON
My Blog Or Websitehttp://hanab.yelp.ca, @hburney on twitter
When I'm Not Yelping...I'm out with my friends hanging out and chilling.
Why You Should Read My ReviewsWhy wouldntcha?
The Last Great Book I ReadSnow - Orhan Pamuk
My First ConcertSilverchair
My Favorite MovieAmelie
My Last Meal On EarthAmada Philadelphia
Most Recent Discoverymicrowave cake in a cup. Life-changing!
Current CrushDon Draper
The search for good coffee places in Manhattan continues..........