Rice Avenue
Jackson Heights’ newest Thai restaurant, Rice Avenue, is one more reason Manhattanites should hop the 7 train. “Over there, in Manhattan, people cannot handle too spicy,” says owner Juttana “Moo” Rimrearpwate, who’s also a partner in the popular chainlet Spice. “Over here, in Queens, this is the real Thai.” True to his word, Moo’s kitchen turns out unflinchingly hot dishes like pork larb, a fiery green-curry fried rice, and crisp and fatty duck in basil sauce, all gently priced and full of pungent, distinctive Thai flavors that come with their own exclamation marks. To lure the inner-borough crowd, he’s given the streamlined restaurant a very mod Manhattan look, with a periphery of artificial rice sprouts and a creamy white color scheme to match the motif.
72–19 Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights
718-803-9001

Ivo & Lulu
Fans of A, the itty-bitty French-Caribbean café on the Upper West Side, will feel right at home at Ivo & Lulu, its marginally roomier offshoot near the entrance to the Holland Tunnel. The twenty-seat storefront shares A’s mellow vibe, its BYO policy, and its commitment to organic produce, D’Artagnan game, and Silver Moon Bakery bread. Chef-owner Roberto Reid used to cook at A, where he mastered the art of stuffing grilled avocados with spinach mousse and swathing truffle-scented pheasant terrine in an herbed Brie crust. There are four other dishes on the minuscule menu—plus one dessert—and everything falls in the equally palatable $6 to $10 range.
558 Broome Street
212-226-4399

Basso Est
With New York practically drowning in red sauce, it’s almost impossible to tell one new Italian restaurant from the next. Basso Est distinguishes itself with a refreshingly warm welcome; enthusiastic, accommodating service; and chef-owner Paolo Catini’s toothsome pastas, especially the maccheroni alla chitarra with lamb ragù, a specialty of his native Abruzzi. The all-Italian wine list offers nine by the glass, all priced fairly at $6 or $7. And in keeping with the spirit of the neighborhood—basso est means “lower east”—nothing costs more than $17, which buys a trio of herb-marinated lamb chops or a sliced grilled steak.
198 Orchard Street
212-358-9469

Down-home Scone
If currant scones with clotted cream are too froufrou for you, try one stuffed with a layer of portobello and ground sirloin at Podunk, the homey East Village tearoom. The compelling juxtaposition of airy dough, meaty filling, and a hint of citrus brings up a point of etiquette: Should you raise your pinky ever so slightly, or keep it firmly planted? Either way, they’re delicious, especially served warm with apricot-ginger and lingonberry-cayenne dipping sauces. “I’m from the Midwest,” says Podunk’s Elspeth Treadwell. “I’ve got to have some corn-fed stuff on my menu.”
Podunk
231 East 5th Street
212-677-7722