Mercadito Cantina

...is located at 172 Avenue B in NYC's Alphabet City. On Monday and Tuesday nights they offer an all you can eat taco special for $23/person.

"M" and I went to see just how many tacos we could eat.

First we started with the traditionale guacamole with tomatillo, garlic, lime and cilantro and chips ($11) - the chips were crispy, fresh and warm. The guacamole was nice and chunky with a hint of spiciness.

For drinks we ordered Mentirosas made with Tric-quilla (homemade tequilla). "M" had a Pinapeno - pineapple and jalepeno which tasted soapy. I had a Nicky the Kid - mango and chipotle syrup which tasted spicy.

Then we started to work our way down the entire taco menu:

- Estilo Baja beer battered shrimp, roasted habanero, avocado cole slaw

- Chorizo homemade green chorizo, manchego cheese, tomatillo salsa

- Pollo rosemary marinated chicken, cactus-leek fundido, tomatillo salsa, crispy leek

- Tinga De Mole pulled organic chicken, mole poblano, sweet potato

- Pescado tilapia, chile poblano, tomatillo-garlic mojo

- Al Pastor ancho-guajillo marinated red snapper, grilled pineapple

- Carne hoja santa marinated grass fed skirt steak, salsa verde

- Carnitas michoacán style braised berkshire pork, cacahuate salsa

- Vegetariano mushrooms, huitlacoche, manchego cheese, pickled onion

Our favorites were the shrimp, the red snapper and the steak.

We were so full we could eat any more and had absolutely no room for dessert, but it was worth it!

Milk Bar Midtown

I went back to the NYC Midtown location at 15 West 56th Street for a quick breakfast. I had the ham, egg and cheese bread ($6 + tax). It was slices of ham and cheese and a softly cooked egg baked inside a miniature loaf of bread.

Very cute and innovative take on a breakfast sandwich, but you have to take several bites before you hit the egg. I prefer my ham, egg and cheese on a kaiser roll.

Cheetohs!

Free samples of this new flavor were being handed out in Times Square yesterday. I haven't tried them yet, but they sound snackalicious!

Big Gay Ice Cream Truck

I did not make up this name. This is a real ice cream truck that parks on 17th Street near Broadway in NYC's Union Square.

During this visit I had the Monday Sundae - twist vanilla ice cream, nutella lined waffle cone, dulce de leche, sea salt and whipped cream ($6)...yummm!

And I got the last one of the day!

"J" had the Cocone - vanilla ice cream with toasted curry coconut flakes. Not too spicy with just a hint of curry ($4).

Mark

...is a burger bar (a small restaurant dominated by a bar) located at 33 St. Marks Place in NYC's East Village. Their burgers are small "sliders" and very inexpensive.

The "sliders" are $2 and are served with cheese and grilled onions. I had two with a black and white milkshake ($5).

The sliders were very good - moist and tasty and the buns were nice and soft. They offer 4 sauces at each table. I used barbecue.

I was disappointed with the milkshake - one of the poorer versions I have ever tasted. Although it looked good with whipped cream on top, it was not blended well and they did not give me a spoon. After I asked for a spoon I realized why I could not get any shake through my straw - there were large chunks of ice in the shake (not freezer burn ice, but regular crushed ice).

Nobu Next Door

...is literally next door to Nobu at 105 Hudson Street in NYC's Tribeca.

"M" and went there for NYC Restaurant Week to take advantage of the 3 course prix-fixe for $35/pp.

"M" had a bottle of Nobu Special Reserve beer ($12/bottle) and I had a Pineapple Martini ($16).

"M" started with the Yellowtail Tartare and I had the King Crab Tempura with Amazu Ponzu. Both were very good, but on the small side.

We both had the assorted sushi entree which had several pieces of sushi and a tuna roll. The sushi was good, but not fantastic.

And there was no choice for dessert - we both received the bento box with molten chocolate cake and green tea ice cream. This was a very generous size cake and the ice cream did not have a strong green tea flavor.