Moustache, West Village, Manhattan *****

Yes, the little copper-topped tables are too close together; yes, there is this weird rule about ordering everything at the same time -- but I still love Moustache. I've taken scores of folks to Moustache, too, and everybody else I've taken seems to agree with me. It's Middle Eastern food -- falafel, pitza (yeah, they really spell it that way), tabbouleh, hummus, and this terrific dish called a Ouizi. I THINK that's how they spell it. It's pronounced the way you pronounce that gun -- OOZIE. It's sorta like a chicken pot pie made with phyllo. On the inside of the pie is an absolutely delectable mixture of rice, currants, carrots, almonds, chicken, and other goodies. It's served with a yogurt dressing. Somebody near me offered that one can order a vegetarian version of this dish, though it's not on the menu. And, one of the great things about Moustache is that the price is right. One can certainly eat for under fifteen bucks. And in New York, that's sayin' somethin'. So, for your money, you can't beat Moustache, located at 90 Bedford Street in the West Village. I read that they have a new location in the East Village, but I haven't been there yet.

Moustache doesn't take reservations. If you go after 7:00 PM, you'll probably have a wait.