The menu has things like duck-stuffed dates, smoked mussels in scallion oil, "dumpling knots" with ground pork, and a whole steamed fish with fennel and black beans. Many large plates are under $20.
Contra is the new Lower East Side restaurant from chefs Fabian von Hauske (formerly of Faviken and Noma) and Jeremiah Stone (Isa).
Small neighborhood café across from Sara Roosevelt Park. Order the BBQ pork sandwich: a demi-baguette with mayonnaise, crumbly star-anise sausage, cilantro, and plenty of shredded veggies ($4). Read more.
The pork chop over rice alluded to in the restaurant's name is particularly admirable, two nicely browned chops with tender, crusty, and gnarly bits lubricated with a ground-pork sauce. Read more.
One of Robert Sietsema's top cheap eats: "the falafel sandwich ($3.50) is as good & inexpensive ever, especially with za'atar-dusted shoestring fries ($2). The baba is also better than average." Read more.
