My new favorite haunt
Starfoods (64 East 1st St) is brighter and more spacious than most East Village hipster dives, but don't let that keep you away. Down front, where the floor is tiled like Space Invaders, the bar serves an array of reasonably priced beers and drink specials (my current fave is the Cel-Ray Cup – Pimm’s and Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray Soda, $6). In the back, the tables and booths can be pushed aside when the live DJs do their thing (usually Wednesday thru Saturday nights). The kitchen is open until 4am, and the menu of Southern Fried French Cuisine perfectly suits the scruffily fabulous atmosphere. Don’t forget to try the signature star-shaped biscuits, always fresh out of the oven! – RSL