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Underrated Spots in Manhattan
By Sabastian Jimenez
The beauty of Manhattan is that there is every cuisine in the world one block away from each other. Delicious food from cheap to expensive, from borough to borough, makes sure your cravings are satisfied. Everyone has their favorite restaurant spots near their homes to grab some food but here are some underrated spots in New York!
Sauced Up
Chicken sandwiches have taken the nation by storm as every chain seems to be coming out with their own version of a chicken sandwich. Popeyes- Chick Fil A- McDonalds. My favorite chicken sandwich comes from a small pop-up shop in the lower east side: Sauced Up.
I’ve been going to this store for about 2 years now and I’ve seen them add things to the menu and take away things. Everything is delicious. Coming in at about $10 for a sandwich, it is comparative to the same price at Chick’ Fil A. Where this sandwich shines is the beautiful sauce that they put on it- its rich, tangy, sweet, and if you’re into lots of spice, there are heaping amounts of spice you can add. They also have fan favorite sides like Cajun fries or fried Oreos, and the high-quality food coupled with a chill ambiance in the recently renovated store makes it a perfect spot to get your chicken sandwiches from.
Karakatta
A nice bowl of ramen in the winter goes a long way to satisfying the body. Karakatta, located on the lower west side near Washington Square Park, is a quaint shop serving soul-satisfying bowls of ramen. I discovered it a year ago and it's a spot where I always take new friends or newcomers to the city and it always gets a 5-star review from them.
The spicy aromatic broth and the soft tender cha siu pork is the embodiment of a good ramen bowl. They also have vegetarian options as well as different styles of broth and an assortment of toppings. I’ve had tons of ramen in my life and it stands alongside my favorite bowl of ramen from Ichiran Ramen in Japan. It's a perfect spot to take someone on a date and to sit sidewalk-side while you eat some ramen and drink some soothing tea.
Cascarinos
Everyone talks about Joe’s pizza as their favorite spot for a cheap slice but mine is located in Queens. My family has been eating there for years and no pizza is as delicious as Cascarino’s Grandma pie. 9 square slices- fresh basil, mozzarella, and the sweetest, most unique tomato sauce that I have yet to decipher. Their sauce is the most distinct sauce that I’ve been trying to replicate but the bright red sweet sauce cements the pizza as the best.
Some pizzas taste similar like a classic New York slice, but no pizza matches the Grandma pie. 9 square slices, the crispy corner slices are my favorite, and I could eat a whole pie myself. If you are in Queens and want to try the best pizza you’ve ever had, go to Cascarinos.