Washington Heights ~ An Inside Scoop (Cuba: house, neighborhood, tax)

[crake99]

Well howdy there fellow city-data friends, So it's been a little over one month since I've moved within a couple of blocks of the George Washington Bridge.
In my first thirty days scouring the neighborhood for superior edible food at cheap prices (still a difficult task in most cities) this does not include fast food, fried food, Chinese food, or pizza. All of which I can't eat because of my special low fiber diet.
Here are my results:
Pick and Eat -- (4179 Broadway @ 177th St) reasonable prices but thats where it ends. My plain burrito - $7.00 + ($3.00 extra for guacamole, sour cream, and Mojito De Gallo) was dense and compressed like a Panini, it was filling but that's all. I also ordered Verdoso Turkey Pasta - Penne pasta, creamy verde sauce, lean ground turkey, broccoli, green shallots, and baby spinach --$9.55 + tax. As I don't eat a lot at one meal, it was enough food for about two - three bowls, again filling but that's all. I won't be back to eat here again because then I went across the street to:
Mambi Steak House -- (4181 Broadway @ 177th St) superior
value for your dollars here! I tried two different lunch specials,
Beef Stew-included 3 nice size pieces of beef over white rice,
2 pieces fried sweet plantains, plus a coffee cup of beans for
$6.00 plus tax !!
Cod Stew- a good amount of fish, white rice, 2 pieces fried
sweet plantains, plus a coffee cup of beans for $9.80 tax included.
Each of these specials were large enough to make 2 meals for me!!
Seafood Junior's -- (4235 Broadway between 179 + 180th St)
Dominican counter-style seafood restaurant, inexpensive and
unassuming hidden gem with delicious food !! Clearly the fact that
there is almost always a line contradicts their 3 star eating on Yelp !
My new go-to spot for a quick, hearty, and tasty lunch and open 24 hours !!
I am so pleased I discovered this awesomely small local eatery I can't
rave enough about !! I'm sure I'll be hard-pressed to find a better option
for lunch, but still my search continues. Then just a few steps more
around the corner on 180th St
Anna's Pastry Shop -- (701 W 180th St)
Get your Dominican and Central American pastries here: fresh, delicious,
real tasty, and really affordable!*And a café con leche for a buck that will make your day. *The locals know about it, they're in and out of here all the time. The counter only seats about a half-dozen people, or just take out your coffee, pastry, sandwich, roll, bread, your tres leeches, flan, éclair or guava paste & cheese pie ... and you'll be happy this place is part of our world - authentic baking at affordable prices with superior taste. And if you're not familiar with the regional baking tradition covered by this bakery, all the better: *pick a bunch of items, bag 'em, and enjoy them on the street, in your car, or at home.
If you don't like something, at worst you've wasted a dollar, or two.
At best, you'll become a regular like me !!
Floridita Broadway Bakery -- (4187 Broadway between 177 + 178th St)
Just another outstanding local Dominican bakery. It's covenient and their prices are reasonable. Often times there is a line however it does move rather quickly. Their Dominican beverage called Morir Soñando keeps me coming back every time and I especially love their bread pudding, known here as pudín de pan. They also sell an outstanding Emparedado Cubano
AKA - a Cuban sandwich.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

The area around the big hospital has some decent food. There is a Dallas BBQ, Korean BBQ, and Italian, and i cant remember the others.

[lanikaicoconut]

A couple of more gems:

Elsa Reina de Chicharron -- very crispy juicy pork chicharron
Burger Heights -- if you're craving something like Shake Shack in the Heights

[crake99]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

The area around the big hospital has some decent food. There is a Dallas BBQ, Korean BBQ, and Italian, and i cant remember the others.

NJ Brazen_3133 -- The food in the cafe on the second floor of the NY Prespeterian Hospital, I believe it is called the Milstein Cafeteria is fairly decent, and inexpensive but can vary at different times of the day.