u/Silver_Confusion_275

Hi all! Just wanting to share my list of cheap, actual good food under $20 and in walking distance of campus. For context, I’ve eaten at 500+ restaurants in NYC. I hope someone finds this helpful, and please feel free to add your own!

- Santa Halal (Halal cart outside Palladium. The best hands-down)
- Me Chicken Rice (Thai version of Hainanese chicken rice. Very flavorful and filling)
- Xi’an Famous Foods (Authentic Chinese noodles, near Palladium/Founders)
- Grandpa Thai (Good Thai food with pretty generous portions on 8th street)
- Hello Saigon (Better pho than Saigon Shack IMO, and don’t sleep on their rice dishes. Near Paulson, on Bleecker street)
- Rokstar Chicken (Yummy Korean fried chicken on 8th street)
- Jin Noodle & Sushi (Great lunch deals for ramen/sushi on 8th street. Sushi is decent quality especially given price)
- Udon St. Marks (Cash-only yummy udon spot in St. Marks. Hours differ randomly so check online)
- Birria-Landia (Delicious birria taco truck, best I’ve tried dare I say. Near Paulson)
- Tacos 1986 (Close to Washington Square Park. Their chicken tacos are the best)
- Dorado Tacos (Incredibly good steak quesadillas near the SPS building on 12th)
- Santo Taco (Great taco variety on University)
- San Marzano (Really nice sit-down pasta place with cheap prices kinda towards East Village)

I recently had a friend whose phone got stolen on the subway, and the culprit jumped out of the car they were on and disappeared before he could react. Today, I was walking through Union Sq station with my phone in my hand by my side, and while walking through a large crowd (all headed the opposite way), I distinctly felt someone grab my phone and yank. Luckily, I had a really strong grip on my phone, and I reacted fast enough to tug it away, but the force was strong enough that it almost slipped out of my hand. I tried to look behind me to see who it was, but there were too many people that it was hard to distinguish who it was. I’m kinda doubting if someone really tried to grab my phone or if someone just happened to hit it with their hand while walking, but the force was REALLY strong. Is phone theft becoming a thing in NYC like it is in London/Paris/etc? Wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar.