Where To Go When You’ve Eaten Everywhere In The East Village - New York - The Infatuation

"You’ll probably find this hard to believe, but we aren’t perfect. Sometimes, we forget about restaurants - like Van Da, for example. This Vietnamese spot on 4th Street is a great place for some cocktails and a few small plates, and it often slips our mind. But it’s a great spot to impress a date or an out-of-towner, especially if you forgot to make a reservation elsewhere. It’s a two-story space with a small upstairs dining room and a basement that feels like a downtown art gallery that was converted into a lounge, and the menu is split up into little sections dedicated to various regions of Vietnam. We suggest you split a bunch of things like the short rib grilled cheese (that comes with a side of dipping broth) and the crispy mochi dumplings." - bryan kim