Typhoon Lounge - Swept Away

There are some nights when you don't want to deal with the hassles of eating out at another trendy chi-chi restaurant in NYC, and you just want a quick dinner at a dependable, no-frills restaurant with grub that hits the spot. Typhoon Lounge in the East Village fits the bill perfectly--the turnaround for a table is very quick, tasty, satisfying food is served very soon after, and in no time is your appetite satiated!

The options at Typhoon Lounge tends to be on the heartier, heavier side, so it's perfect for those days when you plan on drinking a lot of beers and need something in your system to absorb all the alcohol. If you're watching your figure, you probably shouldn't head over here, since there's no way you can resist the temptations of all types of fried meat and carb-heavy offerings. But if you do succumb to the pressures, as I always do, you'll find some reassurance in knowing that those calories were well spent on something tasty.The multiple times I've been to Typhoon, I always order the saikoro steak, which basically consists of cubed steak and diced potatoes stir-fried with some yakisoba noodles, simmering in the sweet juicy goodness of the meat's natural fatty juices and soy sauce. It's served with a jalapeno dipping sauce, but I find that swirling the meat cubes in its own rich sauce is all the flavor you need. The taste is reminiscent of a Korean galbi (beef short-ribs) dish that my mom makes, so if you're a fan of galbi, you'll like this. The saikoro steak will usually be the anchor dish that we always order, and then we'll grab 3-4 other sides dishes and a rice/noodle dish to finish things off. Most of the portions here are tapas-style, so dinner is a fun event where you can nibble on a variety of options rather than limiting yourself to one or two things. I was a big fan of the fried calamari, which comes with a great sweet, dipping sauce, as well as the shrimp and pork gyozas (broiled dumplings) and spicy chicken wings. The octopus balls on the other hand really creeped me out with its weird texture and appearance; it almost felt like you were staring at a quivering jelly-fish type organ.

If you're feeling especially hungry, order the okonomiyaki or Japanese-style pancake, which really is not so much a pancake as it is a savory casserole molded into a circular shape. At first glance, it looks like a crazy mess of noodles, seafood and meat topped with a gravy-type tonkatsu sauce and fish flakes, but despite the mumbo-jumbo of ingredients it is actually very tasty.

There are so many offerings on the menu, I've probably only covered 1/16th of the menu in this entry, it's impossible to try out most of them at one sitting. Which makes multiple visits here entirely necessary, and you won't be bored since you'll keep ordering different things even on your fifth time there. So come here for dinner soon and be blown away by a storm of options at Typhoon Lounge!


Typhoon Lounge
79 St. Marks Pl., New York, NY 10003
212-979-2680
(St. Marks Pl. and 1st Ave.)

Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: Japanese
Prices: $6-$12 (great value)
Summary: Go here if you're looking to grab something fast, filling and cheap in a bustling, casual environment, a perfect prelude to a late night out.

The Little Owl - What a Hoot!

The Little Owl is everything you would expect from a cute and cozy West Village neighborhood restaurant. Everything about it reeks of cute—the name Little Owl, for starters, the small size of the restaurant (only 10 tables) and the locale at which it roosts (buried within the quirky nooks and crannies of Bedford and Grove). Which probably explains why the dining clientele is made up mostly of parties of cute girls in their 20s and 30s all dolled up in their fabulous Intermix clothes, as well as girlfriends dragging their reluctant, oversize boyfriends into this tiny, romantic dining getaway.

For an appetizer, my friend and I shared the soft shell crab risotto. The staff went out of their way to split the dish for us and plate each of our portions prettily; I just love little details like that that show how much the staff cares about making your stay there pleasant, it definitely makes you want to come back. The soft shell crab was the right level of light crispness and the asparagus gave the smoothness of the risotto some good texture. But honestly, there was something about the crab and the risotto pairing that lacked cohesion, they probably would’ve worked better as separate yet superb dishes. Everyone around us raved about the gravy meatball sliders, so it’s probably worth trying them if you pay a visit.

As for the entrée, I chose the crispy chicken with asparagus home fries, marinated in sherry and dijon. I know, I know, chicken is the safest and most boring item you could ever order from a restaurant, but you know what, this is The Little Owl, their specialty is in preparing simple, comfortable and tasty dishes, not elaborate, exotic ones. And guess what? Scoff all you want, but the chicken, in all its perfect simplicity and uncomplicated splendor, was really fabulous. My friend ordered the pork chop with parmesan butter beans and wild dandelion. The flavor of the pork chop was almost as if the meat were lightly marinated in some sort of licorice or sassafras type sauce. I didn’t like this flavor combination at all, although my friend enjoyed it very much. I guess if eating black Twizzlers with meat sounds like a good idea to you, then by all means order this dish.

All in all, I would definitely come back here. It’s hard getting a reservation since there are such few tables and things get booked pretty quickly for the weekend, but they do reserve around three tables for walk-ins. If your party is small enough, and you arrive at around 6:30 or earlier, you won’t have to wait an unreasonable amount of time for a table. Again, if you’re looking for a light, fun and stylish atmosphere where you can actually talk to and hear the people you’re dining with, then I would highly highly recommend this place. Girls will love the cutesy charm of this place, so if you want to impress a second date, this should do the trick. But if you’re looking for something rowdier, somewhere to do sake bombing or pig out on comfort foods, then you’ll feel a tad awkward here at this delicate, frou frou place. Otherwise, come visit The Little Owl’s nest in the West Village, and you’ll be sure to come back hooting for more!

The Little Owl
90 Bedford St., New York, NY 10014
212-741-4695
(Bedford and Grove)

Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: American
Prices: Appetizers $9-$15, Entrees $20-$25
Summary: Go here if you're looking to grab a moderately priced, tasty American-style dinner with a few friends in a comfortably chic setting.

(Pictures courtesy of the NY Times and NY Magazine).