Why Come Here? Fantastic Vietnamese dishes, cheap eats, rarely crowded, escape the sceney restaurants in nearby MePa
Co Ba is one of my favorite restaurants in the city and one that I keep coming back to. Despite being located just a few blocks north of Meatpacking, it couldn’t be more different than the trendy and overpriced restaurants nearby. That said, the space is still nice if not terribly exciting and service is friendly. The food is based off of the food traditional food stalls in Vietnam (often called Co Ba’s) and differs somewhat from the typical NY Vietnamese menu. It’s all very good though and when you consider waits are short and entrees mostly come in under $15, you have all the ingredients for a place you can keep coming back to.
If I had one complaint, it would be that Co Ba is not open for lunch on weekends. Given that they serve up some of the city’s best Banh Mi, this comes as a big disappointment. Of course, I still make the inappropriately long weekday lunch trip there at least a couple times per month. If you can swing it, I recommend you do the same.
At this point I’ve sampled much of the menu and you can see all my reviews on DishEnvy. However, here are my top picks:
Banh Mi Cha Ca (Fried Fish) *** All the banh mi here are at least very good and covered with japaenos, cilantro and picked carrots and onions. The Cha Ca is my favorite because I love the taste of the fried fish and dill.
Bun Co Ba *** Noodles with Shrimp, Spring Rolls and Pork it’s a great way to try a lot of the deliciousness Co Ba has to offer. Katherine orders it every time we go which means I get a bite 🙂
Ga Ko Xa Ot *** This is probably the spiciest thing on the menu (although still not that spicy). The curry is thick and tangy with a generous amount of chicken and onions.
Bo Bia *** The roll itself is tasty and fresh with a mix of herbs and veggies. However, it’s the sauce is what makes this dish so great. The mix of peanuts with sweet and tangy bean dip is good enough to eat on its own.
Co Ba
110 9th Avenue (17th & !8th Sts.)
New York, NY
