NYC Health Dept Grades Popular East Village Restaurants

This is not an appetizing post to read or write. But as an avid restaurant goer, I feel we all take accountability for what we eat. And knowledge is power, so here goes. Hope you’ve already eaten before reading further.

The NYC Health Department has just launched its new restaurant inspection website. Grades range from A (0-13 points), to B (14-27 points), to C (28+ points). A quick review of the East Village 10009 zip code found both reassuring and upsetting results of many longtime favorites. Below is just a sampling. A full report can be found at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/rii/index.shtml

The teacher’s pet list includes many of my regular go-to spots (phew): Luke’s Lobster, Caracas Arepa Bar, Café Cortadito, La Lucha, Butter Lane, Rue B and Giano. But guess which establishments were among the list of perfect scorers…McDonald's and Dunkin’ Donuts. Hmmm. Fortunately, Cafetasia and the adorable little Vietnamese shop Bahn Mi Zon also scored a perfect A with zero violations.

On the solid B list we find Il Bagatto, Mogador, Humus Place, Two Boots, Westville, Terroir, V Bar, Back Forty, Pylos, Minca, Northern Spy Food Co., Flea Market Café, Mama’s Food Shop, Sigmund Pretzel Shop, Black Iron Burger, Hearth, Porchetta, Buenos Aires, Lavagna, and Esperantos.

And waaaayyyyy down in third place with 30+ violation points are Desnuda, Bourgeois Pig (sob), In Vino, Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches and Cien Fuegos.

I can’t help thinking if McDonald's and Dunkin’ Donuts can get it right, surely it’s possible.