not sure it's kosher to say this, but Veselka's already been semi-ruined. it's murder getting in there, waiting for a table with the tourists. i love their chicken soup, but...
between their move into Avalon Bowery and the Gossip Girl appearance, i'd have to say Andilavs' twitter is correct.
I took my mom there about 6 or 7 years ago when she came in to visit. We got a table right quick. Food and ambience was good and she had a great time. Sure, some tourists but it had a neighborhood feel to it. But now I know this place too is no-no to stop in for obvious reasons next time she visits. How sad!
Go to Neptune - it has that great Polish menu, cheap prices and a brilliant backyard garden that actually has a smoking section. Fuck Veselka and its ever-increasing pretentiousness.
Gossip Girl will NEVER film in Neptune. And that's just Jim Dandy by me.
As for Veselka, I do appreciate that it provides good eats in the middle of the night, which far too few places in the EV do. When I'm getting home late, I'd often far rather eat something better that a slice of pizza, and Veselka does fill that niche.
Hey Neptune girls (or anybody), how does Neptune stack up against Little Poland? I know LP is a little more expensive. Wonder if anybody has had same dishes from each place; burgers, goulash, blintzes? Better? worse? same?
Neptune has gone down hill. They were good now just below average. They fired their long standing female manager a few years ago and they have not been the same since.
I liked Veselka's when it still had that back room. That was my favorite place to sit. It's a different place, but I still like going there sometimes - I think it was the first place I ever ate out in New York! Will try Neptune though (stealthily!).
Here is how I think the few Polish/Ukranian places left stack up.
1. Little Poland - pierogi, blintzes, kielbasa, soup - great; regular food eh. 2. Neptune - breakfast food, sandwiches and other food pretty good - blintzes - eh. 3. Ukranian National Home - right in the middle food - okay; ambience - spectacular. 4. Polonia - getting weirder by the day; but the spicy prychski (sp) appetizing is like crack; food pretty good over all - but the nouvelle Polish cusine seems silly. 5. Odesssa - just went there last week after 25 or so years. Oy bad, but I think the place that used to be part of the old Odessa is by itself now. So I am going to try them.
G-D, I do miss the times when the East Village had like 20 polish/ukranian restaurants and none of them was really a bad bet.
As for Veselka - I do miss that back room and the gingerbread wood trim; but, what I really miss is their front screen door. For years they had an aluminum screen door like you would find going out your grandma's back door. That was eons ago.
wow,Anon 6:37 PM, Really bring back the memories. I concur.
My last really "solid" Polish diner was Theresa's (pre-remodel) after that, the food was still good there, but I mostly did take out.
Had breakfast at The Stage the other day (hadn't been in many years). It was great, but my mouth really drooled as I watched them slice up these huge corned beef sandwiches. I mean they really looked incredible. People just kept coming in and ordering them. Gonna have to give that a try.
i'm also nostalgic for Veselka's old back room. it was dark and cozy, and a little dirty, and i liked it. ever since the renovation, i just don't feel comfortable in that place. it's so loud and bright. i just get stuff to go. or else i go to Neptune.
used to be Kiev was my place. i miss Kiev. and Teresa's.
@Anon 4:10 - OK, the food is a wee bit better at LP, I will admit, but in the summertime, nothing can beat that garden, so Neptune still gets my vote. How wrong can you go with stuffed fried dough pockets?!? (Oh and the Neptune Girls will be playing the old Child's Restaurant in Coney Island in July, come check us out.)
shhhhhhhhh neptunes!!! : ) thank god for that place. i do miss christine's, the food was great and what a trip. it was like time stopped in there. nice people. no, not nice - REAL. real people. you know what i mean?
The Stage diner has the best breakfast in NYC, is there anyplace else in the whole world that fries your bacon to order? And try the grits, with butter.
You should really try the potato-pickle soup at Neptune Mondays only.
"Lisa" and "Goggla" both recommended Neptune, so I (anon 4:10) simply referred to them, collectively, as "Neptune Girls" (because they both like Neptune);
But are you telling me that there is a band called "Neptune Girls" and that "Lisa" is in that band. Or is this just a leg-pull?
@Anon 9:57 - Leg pull, darlin', but "Neptune Girls" really is SUCH a great name for a band that I decided to play with it a little. Hope you don't mind! (Altho in Phoenix in the 1970s I was in an all-girl band called No Boys, does that count???)
I still love Veselka. It's a rare and comforting late night option. The bakery is fantastic - try any of the items at the front counter (I recommend the apple crumb cake, heated with vanilla ice cream). I wish there were more vegetarian options, but the vegetarian borsch is fantastic. Also the buckwheat pancakes are excellent. Finally, don't forget about the chocolate-peanut butter cake.
As for the pierogies (varenyky), they are quite good, but on the expensive side, and not fried properly. For best taste, they should be pan fried in butter, not deep fried.
Anyway, I am very happy to have Veselka in the neighborhood. Other great East European options nearby are Ukrainian National Home, and old standby B&H (which also has excellent soups, like the vegetarian borsch).
I can't believe I forgot Stage and B&H - everything is pretty great at Stage - the specials are always good.
B&H I drop by sometimes - it's worth it for the challah - best challah in the EV.
Anon 10:06 I could not agree with you more about Theresa's - it was my go to before the renovation.
I remember when I first came to the EV - I would eat at either Leshko's when I was broke and upgrade to Odessa when I was flush - food was like 25 cents per dish more. Kiev had a good solid run - but started getting erratic about 1990 or so.
I walked by Veselka last night for the first time in probably 8 years. So sad. The place was packed with trendy yuppies. Not as all what I remember at all. As I walked around the East Village I was shocked at the changes. It actually looked like the Upper East Side except with more garbage at the curbs. Say good bye to the last of the affordable and quirky neighborhoods.....
29 comments:
not sure it's kosher to say this, but Veselka's already been semi-ruined. it's murder getting in there, waiting for a table with the tourists. i love their chicken soup, but...
between their move into Avalon Bowery and the Gossip Girl appearance, i'd have to say Andilavs' twitter is correct.
I took my mom there about 6 or 7 years ago when she came in to visit. We got a table right quick. Food and ambience was good and she had a great time. Sure, some tourists but it had a neighborhood feel to it. But now I know this place too is no-no to stop in for obvious reasons next time she visits. How sad!
Go to Neptune - it has that great Polish menu, cheap prices and a brilliant backyard garden that actually has a smoking section. Fuck Veselka and its ever-increasing pretentiousness.
Gossip Girl will NEVER film in Neptune. And that's just Jim Dandy by me.
@Lisa - Shhh - Neptune is a secret! Don't know where else to find pumpernickel toast.
I'm a big fan of Little Poland, myself.
As for Veselka, I do appreciate that it provides good eats in the middle of the night, which far too few places in the EV do. When I'm getting home late, I'd often far rather eat something better that a slice of pizza, and Veselka does fill that niche.
Hey Neptune girls (or anybody),
how does Neptune stack up against Little Poland?
I know LP is a little more expensive. Wonder if anybody has had same dishes from each place; burgers, goulash, blintzes? Better? worse? same?
I don't know anything about the food, but I am curious as to when and where the next Neptune Girls gig is going to be.
Neptune has gone down hill. They were good now just below average. They fired their long standing female manager a few years ago and they have not been the same since.
I liked Veselka's when it still had that back room. That was my favorite place to sit. It's a different place, but I still like going there sometimes - I think it was the first place I ever ate out in New York! Will try Neptune though (stealthily!).
Here is how I think the few Polish/Ukranian places left stack up.
1. Little Poland - pierogi, blintzes, kielbasa, soup - great; regular food eh.
2. Neptune - breakfast food, sandwiches and other food pretty good - blintzes - eh.
3. Ukranian National Home - right in the middle food - okay; ambience - spectacular.
4. Polonia - getting weirder by the day; but the spicy prychski (sp) appetizing is like crack; food pretty good over all - but the nouvelle Polish cusine seems silly.
5. Odesssa - just went there last week after 25 or so years. Oy bad, but I think the place that used to be part of the old Odessa is by itself now. So I am going to try them.
G-D, I do miss the times when the East Village had like 20 polish/ukranian restaurants and none of them was really a bad bet.
As for Veselka - I do miss that back room and the gingerbread wood trim; but, what I really miss is their front screen door. For years they had an aluminum screen door like you would find going out your grandma's back door. That was eons ago.
wow,Anon 6:37 PM,
Really bring back the memories. I concur.
My last really "solid" Polish diner was Theresa's (pre-remodel) after that, the food was still good there, but I mostly did take out.
Had breakfast at The Stage the other day (hadn't been in many years). It was great, but my mouth really drooled as I watched them slice up these huge corned beef sandwiches. I mean they really looked incredible. People just kept coming in and ordering them. Gonna have to give that a try.
i'm also nostalgic for Veselka's old back room. it was dark and cozy, and a little dirty, and i liked it. ever since the renovation, i just don't feel comfortable in that place. it's so loud and bright. i just get stuff to go. or else i go to Neptune.
used to be Kiev was my place. i miss Kiev. and Teresa's.
@Anon 4:10 - OK, the food is a wee bit better at LP, I will admit, but in the summertime, nothing can beat that garden, so Neptune still gets my vote. How wrong can you go with stuffed fried dough pockets?!? (Oh and the Neptune Girls will be playing the old Child's Restaurant in Coney Island in July, come check us out.)
Veselka is a complete rip-off now.
$11.00 for bacon and eggs....gimme a break.
@Lisa: Can't wait for the Neptune Girls show at Child's in Coney Island. Is it true that the opening act is the Masked Marauders?
shhhhhhhhh neptunes!!! : )
thank god for that place.
i do miss christine's, the food was great and what a trip. it was like time stopped in there. nice people. no, not nice - REAL. real people. you know what i mean?
The Stage diner has the best breakfast in NYC, is there anyplace else in the whole world that fries your bacon to order? And try the grits, with butter.
You should really try the potato-pickle soup at Neptune Mondays only.
The food's still oretty good but they have lost a lot of their charm. They are probably raking it in these days though.
Ok, wait a minute
"Lisa" and "Goggla" both recommended Neptune, so I (anon 4:10) simply referred to them, collectively, as "Neptune Girls" (because they both like Neptune);
But are you telling me that there is a band called "Neptune Girls" and that "Lisa" is in that band.
Or is this just a leg-pull?
@Anon 9:57 - Leg pull, darlin', but "Neptune Girls" really is SUCH a great name for a band that I decided to play with it a little. Hope you don't mind! (Altho in Phoenix in the 1970s I was in an all-girl band called No Boys, does that count???)
Yeah that'll pass. Just don't try to "Runaway" with that one; you might get hit with a ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb.
Too bad though; had great vision of girls in mermaid costumes with guitars hopping around the stage, kickin ass.
Well, now I know what I'm doing for the Mermaid Parade. See y'all on the Boardwalk...I'll bring the kielbasa and tambourines.
I heard a rumor that Puppet Show is opening up for the Neptune Girls at the Mermaid Parade. Any truth to this?
well, the secret on neptune is out, same for its secret garden
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2011/04/best_restaurants_with_outdoor_gardens.php
@esquared - Nooooooo!
@Goggla next thing you know, gossip girls will be filming there, and then it'll be a stop on the gg bus tour...
I still love Veselka. It's a rare and comforting late night option. The bakery is fantastic - try any of the items at the front counter (I recommend the apple crumb cake, heated with vanilla ice cream). I wish there were more vegetarian options, but the vegetarian borsch is fantastic. Also the buckwheat pancakes are excellent. Finally, don't forget about the chocolate-peanut butter cake.
As for the pierogies (varenyky), they are quite good, but on the expensive side, and not fried properly. For best taste, they should be pan fried in butter, not deep fried.
Anyway, I am very happy to have Veselka in the neighborhood. Other great East European options nearby are Ukrainian National Home, and old standby B&H (which also has excellent soups, like the vegetarian borsch).
- East Village Slav
I can't believe I forgot Stage and B&H - everything is pretty great at Stage - the specials are always good.
B&H I drop by sometimes - it's worth it for the challah - best challah in the EV.
Anon 10:06 I could not agree with you more about Theresa's - it was my go to before the renovation.
I remember when I first came to the EV - I would eat at either Leshko's when I was broke and upgrade to Odessa when I was flush - food was like 25 cents per dish more. Kiev had a good solid run - but started getting erratic about 1990 or so.
I walked by Veselka last night for the first time in probably 8 years. So sad. The place was packed with trendy yuppies. Not as all what I remember at all. As I walked around the East Village I was shocked at the changes. It actually looked like the Upper East Side except with more garbage at the curbs. Say good bye to the last of the affordable and quirky neighborhoods.....
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