Where to Indulge in the East Village!

Wow, it sure has been quite a while since the last time I posted on my blog and it feels so good to be back! Since my last post I have graduated from culinary school and I have secured a job working as a line cook at a wonderful farm to table New York City restaurant. Life is pretty good.

I have also been continuing to eat my way through this crazy city and I am looking forward to sharing some of my experiences with all of you throughout this post! So, without further adieu, I give you the chocolate forest from Spot Dessert Bar in the East Village!

The picture above is one of the most unique and decadent desserts you will find in the East Village. The chocolate forest consists of a rich chocolate mousse cake served with a scoop of pistachio ice cream. If you're a chocolate lover like I am, this is definitely the dessert for you!

Spot Dessert Bar is located on St. Marks Place and has a large menu of extremely creative and delicious desserts. Other great menu items I have tried there are the golden toast and the yuzu eskimo. Pretty much anything you choose to indulge in at the dessert bar will be extremely satisfying and will leave you wanting more!

Now that we have covered where to get your sugar fix in the East Village, let's talk about some of the best places to start your morning off right. Mudspot on East 9th street is one of my favorite places to go for a delicious breakfast and amazing coffee. I always make a point to eat there whenever I have visitors and it never lets me down.

They have a little bit of everything on their menu, but I recommend trying something with Mexican flavors. I love their plantain cake breakfast and huevos rancheros. The pico de gallo is fabulous and the eggs are always cooked to perfection. If you're in the mood for something sweet rather than savory, they also have a great yogurt and granola bowl. 

You can't have breakfast at Mud without having a big cup of coffee with it. I am not a big regular coffee drinker, but I can't resist a cup of Mud's coffee whenever I'm there. It's rich, flavorful and will give you a jolt of energy to tackle to big city for the rest of the day!

Another great breakfast spot located on St. Mark's Place is Cafe Mogador. It is a Moroccan cuisine restaurant that serves incredible breakfasts. I am a big fan of Moroccan and Middle Eastern flavors and this restaurant always satisfies my cravings for pita, hummus and za'atar. 

Pictured above are the Moroccan eggs, which are two poached eggs served with a spicy tomato sauce, pita and homefries. It is a savory, satisfying and energizing breakfast that I highly recommend. Also pictured is the Middle Eastern eggs plate which includes two eggs with hummus, tabouli and pita. Another dish you can't go wrong with that will keep you full until lunch!

Last but certainly not least is the porcini truffle pizza at Falanghina Pizza Bar located on... St. Mark's Place! I should have called this post "Where to Eat on St. Mark's Place." My boyfriend and I indulged in this decadent pizza on one of New York's coldest nights this winter. Not only did this pizza warm us right up, but the atmosphere of the restaurant made us feel welcome and warm as well, (the wine and free Limoncello shot probably also helped).

You can smell the truffle oil drizzled on this pizza as they are walking it to your table and you immediately start drooling. If you have never tasted or smelled truffle, you are in for a treat! It is a unique and earthy flavor that pairs extremely well with the earthy mushrooms and rich cheese. The crust on this pizza is the perfect thickness and stands up well to all that gooey cheese. It is also perfectly crisp after being cooked in front of you in a coal pizza oven.

The East Village is a food lover's dream and if you are ever visiting the city I urge you to try to make your way to the village and try as many restaurants and dessert spots as you can. You won't be disappointed!