unique

As the weather is getting colder (which I love) I spend yesterday evening all cozed up in my bed with a cup of tea and my computer on my lap. i was going to watch a moive, you know a really girly, cheesy one (which I later did) but I couldn’t resist surfing the web first. I just love that, going around looking at stuff without really looking, not having a particulat site in mind. You never know where you might end up.

Yesterday was also the new start to my healthy, economic life. No more eating stupid meals out and no more spending on unneccessary stuff. I’m done with that and today I even brought my own lunch. How great is that? Maybe not groundbreaking but certainly a big thing for me. So in the era of being economic, I ended up on the New York Daily News website where I clicked myself to a lifestyel blog called “restaurant girl- your guide to the perfect dish“. I saw herre latest post about eating cheap in New York. I think it was called Best of Ten Buck Bites. Perfect! I thought. This is just what I need when I’m cutting down on my spendings, especially the ones on food. And here are the really interesting ones:

Obika
Madison Ave and 56th street
Average price: $4-$8
“A midtown lunch newcomer imported straight from Italy. And so is the homemade mozzarella- made from buffalo milk handshaped. The motto is kind of eating on-the-run and everything is under $10! Best meals are  the salted croissant stuffed with prosciutto or the ciabatta sandwich with basil and tomato and the breakfast buffalo yogurt with maple syrup or sweet bread with ricotta with nutella, both equally compelling.”

Taim
22 Waverly Place, (btwn. 11th & Perry Sts.)
Average Price: $6
“There are falafel joints all over New York City, but this Israeli-owned falafel bar takes this ethnic standard to the next level, which accounts for the long lines at lunchtime. Yes, all three kinds of falafel (pictured right) are excellent.  Especially the parsley-cilantro-mint variety.   But the real draw is the “sabich” sandwich — a warm pita stuffed with a hard boiled egg, lightly fried eggplant, hummus, tahini, salad and amba sauce made from mangoes.  A tip — order the homemade fries and stuff them into the sabich.”

Tiffin Wallah
128 E 28th St., at Lexington Ave.
Price: $6 Buffet
This tiny, Indian eatery in Curry Hill seems perpetually packed for good reason.  Dosas, samosas, and fresh-baked naans to name a few.   Not to mention their lunchtime buffet.  There’s spicy and creamy curries, salads, basmati rice, and a great Mulligatany soup.  Try the potato fritters with sweet spicy sauce.  Last stop, the kheer (rice pudding) with coconut chutney.”

Abraco
86 East 7th Street, (btwn. 1st & 2nd Aves)
Average Price: $8 for food and a cup of coffee
This standing room only spot is known for its stellar coffee, ground in house and brewed to order.  No need for a spoon.  We found a much more satisfying utensil.  Instead, stir with their saffron shortbread.  This is not just your average coffee shop.  Come summer, there’s mini-zucchini boats stuffed with pistachio, basil, pesto, and quinoa.  As the temperature drops, a frittata or grilled cheese sandwich are both tasty options.  For breakfast, there’s a terrific olive oil cake.”

How great is this? These kinds of tips are just what I need right now. So if I were to go out (like for an emergency) I would know where to go to minimize the gulit. And it also sounds like the food isn’t half bad, I’m actually getting really hungry just by writing this. Maybe I’ll try one of these in the near future.