Patrick/Sarah - funny you mention that article, I actually knew the journalist slightly from the playground our kids are the same age - she was motivated by several things - real estate costs; the flight of the creative class from downtown (too many hedge fund people buying all the apartments!!!) and also her daughter's needs - she has a Chinese background and the journalist felt this was something that she could do for her.

Cheap eats - Momofuku and Ssam Bar ( great food comes in just under $15 tho, not $10.)
Chennai Garden - really good vegetarian south Indian food.
Jing Fong for dim sum
Veselka for breakfast or their borscht.
Rickshaw dumplings
Mamoun's and/or Moustache and or Rainbow for felaffel
Pio Maya on w. 8th Street - incredible tamales, (homemade!!) burritos and very good rotisserie chicken
Waldy's Pizza or Two Boots Pizza

One thing I did not understand was the longing for the 70's. I thought that was a very difficult economic period for NYC. I thought crime was pretty high then too.

sorry MP above post

Sarah, although crime and unemployment were up in the '70's - what a lot of people in my generation remember (with quite a bit of fondness) is this: It was possible to live in Manhattan, work a job like bookstore or record clerk, and still be able to do your art and be part of a community that wasn't centered on money. There was incredible diversity and a feeling of discovery and excitement. Yes, it was also very dangerous and full of sadness - people were lost to drugs and disease - but New York felt like new York - not the over urbanized shopping mall it feels like now . . . sorry for the rant, it's just living around all this new construction of "luxury condos" can make you cranky -- or move to China!!!

not a rant at all mp it was my sentiment also when I left after 17 years.

I like to think a New York of this age is being born somewhere else. Where to find, where to find?

Cafe Metro at 42nd and 5th Ave close to Grand Central Station. They have fabulous pizza, sandwiches, salads and very affordable "combo" meals --also a 99 cent ATM at the Mcdonalds next door!

Dojo has closed. There are stillc heap restaurants in NYC. The following is a list of which we have eaten at each at least twice and most many more times.

Indian-Brick Lane-Banjara, Mitali, Brick Lane

Inexpensive Italian- La Marca (3rd Ave. and 22 Street, only opened noon-10 PM, Mon-Fri)

Medium priced Italian- Cacio e Pepe, Gnocco, Supper, Luzzos (this started as a neighborhood place and has grown into a destination restaurant)

Expensive Italian- I Coppi (For dinner But great brunch pre-fixe

Inexpensive Eastern European- Veselka

Very Inexpensive Filipino-Elvie's

French Bistro-Cafe Deville, Casimir, Flea market (for atmosphere)

Greek-Pylos

Tapas-Xunta. Secretes (more expensive), Bar Carrera, Café Mono (more expensive)

Dessert-Veniero's, DeRobertis for the frozen lemon thing and tortonis. Cones for home made ice cream, way over on Bleecker

Bagels-(Not East Village) Ess-a-Bagel

Brunches-Five Points, Zoe's, Blue Ribbon Bakery (I am cheating none are in the East Village), Turkish Kitchen (outside the area but delectable buffet at a reasonable price.) City Bakery (18th off 5th), Cafecito (Ave C), Clinton Street Bakery ,9th St. Market, small and impossible to get into.

Pizza-Lombardi's (Sue me, it is below Houston), Totonno’s (2nd and 26th.) Pizza Fresca

Hole in the wall-Stage (next to Stomp) great cheap home made soups

French fires-Pomme Frites

Bakery where the people have gotten nicer Moishe-wonderful challah, black and whites, kickel, and sponge cake-

Noodles and dumplings-Momofuku , (we were not impressed with dimpling man on St. Marks.)

Seafood-Mermaid Inn

Thai-Pong Sri (there are few around the city) Friends House 2 (on 14th)

Fried Chicken-Birdie’s (On 1st Ave and about 9th Street.

Dojo's is closed I REALLY FEEL OLD NOW!

Katie,

You could see a nice writeup and pix at their myspace page.

http://www.myspace.com/redhookfoodvendors

Don't feel that old, Dojo just recently closed.

I thought the Dojo near NYU was still open. I heard that the one on St. Marks was closed...

H and H Bagels at 80th and Broadway. Ask for one from the freshest batch availabe...my favorite was hot sesame.

Also street food during festivals--we had a "Transylvanian chimney cake" at a booth on fifth street Memorial Day weekend that was absolutely amazing.

bookmarking

Sorry, I only know the one on St. Mark's.

Chinatown
Jing Fong
Big Wong's
Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

Katz's
And Second Avenue Deli will reopen soon but near 3rd and 33rd.

Donut Plant

There are several restaurants in Chinatown where lunch is less than $5.

Didn't read the whole list but a couple of my cheap eat faves are Momofuku and Bereket.

Oh yeah, Bereket! Definitely good cheap eats.

Regarding Dojo's, here's what I posted back in June up above on this thread:

---
Author: ggreen
Date: 06/18/2007, 11:47 pm
tmontauk - they closed that Dojo's!! I was heartbroken when I saw it shuttered a few months ago - so many memories of my first broke days in NYC when it was one of the truly delicious cheap eats... Happily, the one they started a number of years ago closer to NYU still exists; I ate there in December and the soy burger with tajiki (sp?) and veggies was the same as ever. (If you remember back long enough ago, it's where Swenson's ice cream was on the corner of W. 4th and Mercer.) So yes, add Dojo's to the list!

I think this is the best opportunity to post this link with a video of NYC cheap eats- check out. These are my fav too!

http://travelodeon.blogspot.com/2007...york-city.html