Spice Market - another top restaurant in New York City's meatpacking district

Spice Market – Another Top Restaurant in New York City’s Meatpacking District

What is it about the meatpacking district of New York City that draws in so many entrepreneurs to set up restaurants – and why is that so many of these meatpacking-district-based restaurants become top crowd-drawers that gain widespread recognition from the culinary and gastronomic worlds? Spice Market is yet another of these restaurants that we described, considered among the 25 leading restaurants of the city. It is considered a moderately- to expensively-priced restaurant, with food prices ranging from $15 to $30 for one meal alone. But chances are the prices are not the first thing you will notice about Spice Market – the first thing that will strike you upon entering is that this is one BIG restaurant (estimated to be as large as a bus depot actually.) Then you will notice that the food is predominantly of Southeast Asian influence – Southeast Asian street food that is.

Some well-loved dishes are the softened short ribs that come with green chiles and onions; the curried duck (tagged at $19); and the chicken wings sprinkled with a sticky yet sweet chile sauce. Other dishes that you could sample as a newcomer are the grilled chicken and kumquats (priced at $18); pork vindaloo (that costs $16); cod mixed with a basil-and-chili sauce (which runs to $19); the $29.50 lobster cooked in chili and garlic; a tomato egg-drop soup (priced at $6.50); $10.50 chicken samosas; a $14.50 shrimp dish cooked in black pepper sauce; fried chicken wings (one of the cheapest offerings of the place at $9); the very , very inexpensive $7.50 steamed mussels with lemongrass; and mushroom egg rolls that cost $9.50. There are also the avocado with radish salad, and seasoned minced chicken dishes which reviews say are quite good.

Spice Market does not only keep prices affordable, it maintains high standards for preparation of its dishes – so much so that it has garnered different awards, such as the Best Hot Date award in 2004 from the Best of New York Awards; the Sweet Successes award in 2005 (also from the same body); and the funny Best New Restaurant that isn’t Masa or Per Se award in 2005 (also from Best of New York Awards.) The list of the 101 Best New York Restaurants for 2006 also did a feature on the Spice Market, while the New York Magazine honored Spice Market with a full review back in 2004.

Spice Market operates from Sundays to Thursdays from 12 noon to 12 midnight, and also on Fridays to Saturdays from 12 noon to 1:00 in the morning. You can sample its full bar which surprisingly offers the sake and sojou beverages, aside from other alcoholic drinks. The restaurant accepts reservations online (and why shouldn’t it, with all the space inside the restaurant?) It is possible to reserve a table on the same day that you intend to visit the Spice Market. You can pay for your meals with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Diners Club, and American Express.