Bite into Sausage, Inc.

Lamb and pistachio sausage

Here's a great little Cheap Eat in honor of Tax Day.

Tucked under a Greenwich Village block of scaffolding is a little sausage shop with big flavor. Somehow six month old Sausage, Inc. fell under the media radar despite the customer raves. Time to change that.

A small variety of artisan sausages - including a meatless option - are ground fresh daily and served grilled on a pretzel bun and sauteed onions. A hefty mouthful for $5.51.



A tiny sandwich shop with big taste

The most popular is the classic pork and basil filled Blanco. The Farmer blends beef and bacon into meaty goodness. The Thanksgiving, packed with turkey, stuffing and cranberries, is basically a holiday on a bun. Watch out for daily specials including the juicy lamb and pistachio. It gets better. There's a row of homemade sauces for experimentation. Any place with homemade condiments gets high marks from me. Go crazy.

I wish the artisan sausage culture were bigger here. The humble food is often maligned in our country for mystery additives. Sausage, Inc. uses prime cuts of meat with no chemicals or MSG. My vote for additions to the menu: the English banger, Moroccan merguez and Spanish chorizo for starters.

106 University Place (between 12th + 13th Sts.)

212 414 4344

11 am - 2 am daily



The Hype on Lotus of Siam

Tasty Nam Kao Tod Crispy Rice at Lotus of Siam

New restaurant hype is such a double-edged sword. Expectations are built up so high and tolerance for error is so low. Take the debut of Vegas-based Lotus of Siam, billed as the "single best Thai restaurant in North America" in Gourmet magazine.Talk about setting the bar high. It opened last week, so, drum roll, please...

It’s a letdown in so many ways. Just knowing it came from Vegas, I expected at least some glamour and wow factor. On the contrary, the corner space on Fifth Ave. at 9th St. is so sedate, it looks leftover from former restaurant Cru. The walls are mostly bare, the Italian china is floral and the rice is served in traditional bamboo baskets. It just doesn’t really gel. Neither does the pared down menu.

The starters sounded really exciting on paper, but not on the plate. A som thum traditional green papaya salad ($9) lacked texture and layered flavors. Only heat and soggy papaya taste came through. The pik khai kra pao krob ($8), crispy fried chicken wings in chili garlic sauce, were bland. The only starter that delivered full ,complex flavor was the nam kao tod crispy rice ($9), with bits of Thai sausage mingling with hot chilies, crunchy rice, peanuts, and red onion, in a ginger lime dressing. Moving on to the main course, the kang dang with beef ($18), traditional red curry with chilies and bamboo shoots, tasted completely average. The fancy prices don’t fit the unmemorable fare or the lackluster service. Apparently, they still serve the 6-course $65 tasting menu promoted opening week, but you have to ask for it as it’s not on the menu. Probably for the best.

24 Fifth Ave. at 9th St. 212 529 1700