NYC Tastes

I love finding hidden little gems around New York City my most recent discovery is Hi-Collar in the East Village.  Located bustling East 10th Street this tiny 13 seat spot is what's known as a "kissaten" a Japanese style tea house that also serves coffee.  The menu boasts over 10 different types of beans that can be served pour over, siphon or aeropress in addition to a few specialty drinks like the creamy Royal Milk Tea and my favorite the luscious Vietnamese Iced Coffee. The small food includes Omelets with tomato sauce and rice, a limited Berkshire Pork Katsu sandwich (only 10 per day) and wonderful Japanese Hot Cakes served alongside maple syrup, strawberries and a tangy yuzu butter.  These are quite similar to Western style pancakes but much lighter and fluffier. I felt delightfully content after eating these instead of stomach overload from the usual cakes.   The menu also includes an array of desserts and at 6:00 PM the entire space turns into a bar with...