Eat.Here.Now: The Toucan and The Lion

"I've died and gone to heaven" may be the most correct expression to describe this place.  When my friend told me to not walk, but run to this restaurant before it got popular, I did just that.  The Toucan and The Lion opened last December at Mara's Homemade's old spot (RIP crawfish) and my visit was deeelicious.

The cuisine seems to be nouveau american but with an asian twist.  I tasted the Blood Orange and Green Mango Salad and devoured the Chili Tamarind King Prawns.  But the best (by far) was the Duck Confit Mofongo.  Mashed taro root mixed with Chinese sausage and topped with a delicate fried egg.  The salsa verde gave it the perfect hint of tanginess. I will most definitely be back, but I'm sure next time I'll be on a wait list.

The Toucan and The Lion

342 E. 6th St. near First Avenue, East Village)

 What to get, what to get, what to get, what to get

 Clean, white decor with really cool lighting.  Notice the plants?

Mofongo heaven 

The jumbo prawns

messy

 Done and done

 Celebrating this amazing dinner with mama in tow (it's a long distance relationship but we make it work) 

Veniero's, Est. 1894

Veniero's. East Village staple. Decadent Italian desserts. Heaven on earth. Guilty pleasure. If it's been in business since 1894, it has to be good.

Eat.Here.Now: Northern Spy

For me, the East Village is a hidden gem for food. In any random corner there are amazing restaurants that have a rather quaint feel and are yet to be discovered. Northern Spy fits that description to the max. The small restaurant prides itself for serving local and sustainable food, so you can imagine that every ingredient comes as fresh as you can get. The menu serves interesting food combinations, with a New-American flair. There is not much to choose from but it is guaranteed to be cooked to almost perfection.

Recommendations:

Pickled Devil Eggs- Tangy goodness!

Kale Salad- Everyone's favorite. You don't want to miss it.

Fluke- Fresh and simple.

Ginger Carrot Cake with Honey ice cream- So moist. Has the consistency of a bread pudding cake.