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What: Café Asean
Where: West Village, 117 West 10th St. (between 6th Ave & Greenwich Ave)
Cuisine: South East Asian
Keywords: Intimate, affordable (cash-only) and unique.
Unassuming and unpretentious, Café Asean (named after the Association of South East Asian Nations) boasts eclectic cuisine inspired from Malaysian, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Filipino, and Singapore nations. Nestled on one of my favorite streets in the West Village, Café Asean is a MUST for a date night with healthy cuisine that’s neither fried, nor covered in goopy, sugar-packed syrups. While the space is somewhat limited (roughly 20 tables), guests have the options to either dine in a warm setting lit by multi-colored hanging lanterns and candles in the front or in the back patio (tented with heated lamps for the winter.)
Can’t-Miss Dishes: Cha Gio Ca (Vietnamese salmon spring rolls with basil/mint dipping sauce), Ca Bam (Sauteed diced monkfish with peanut and herbs, lettuce and shrimp crackers wrap), Pai-Koot (Singapore slow braised short ribs with spicy lettuce) and Bee Hoon (Singaporean fried rice noodles with shrimp and Chinese sausage).
–Joseph Amella, Jr.