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The Spotted Pig’s menu is so old, it’s collecting social security.

My office is near Penn Station. My restaurant recommendations would be:

Soul Fixin's on W 28th (btw 7th & 8th Ave)
Mooncake Foods on W 30th (btw 7th & 8th Ave)
NY Pizza Suprema on 8th Ave (nr W 31st)
Stout NYC on W 33rd (btw 6th & 7th Ave)
Triple Crown on 7th Ave (btw W 28th & 29th)

Let's be real though: the Penn Station area is a culinary wasteland. I would never recommend anyone come to the area to eat. Eat in the area only if you must because of time constrictions.

I think it's hard to make a banh mi recommendation. It depends upon the filling. Some places do the traditional pork banh mi well, and other places do fish well.

I love the tofu banh mi at Banh Mi Zon and the catfish banh mi at Baoguette. I just tried the V-Nam Cafe's curry fish banh mi a few days ago. It was good, but nothing to write home about.

A few places in Manhattan that you should consider for banh mi:

1. Lan Cafe (342 E 6th St)
2. Company Bar (242 E 10th St). They are serving Brooklyn's Tigerlily banh mi.

The entree prices are pretty steep for the East Village. I stopped by Vandaag on a Friday night (the most insane night in the EV, where I live), and the restaurant was practically empty. There are so many wonderful restaurants in the EV that are more affordable than Vandaag. They will have to convince people that they're a destination restaurant to survive in the EV.

Did any place have veggie momos?

Taim is my favorite falafel in the city; however, I prefer to have it in platter format with hummus and the sauces instead of the pita sandwich. All the falafel flavors are good, but the red falafel is my favorite.

Worth mentioning: You can enjoy Taim's falafel at its sister restaurant, Balaboosta (214 Mulberry St at Spring St).

May I suggest a trip to Inwood? You could go to the Cloisters, which is indoors and inexpensive (admission is by donation). The views from the Cloisters/Fort Tyron Park are impressive. Inwood has a lot of authentic Mexican restaurants that you could check out. Your friend will not believe that he/she is in Manhattan. It's a different world up there.

I know as a New Yorker I'm supposed to embrace the food trucks and street vendors, but I can't. I can't trust that they're hygenic and healthy. Have you seen the video of the rat in the Vinny Vincenz truck? Gross. I did try a cupcake from the Cupcake Stop truck once. I wasn't impressed. It tasted like it was from a box mix.

Nothing beats ChikaLicous' triple chocolate cupcake. Chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, and chocolate ganache in the center.

I'd also give a nod to Butter Lane's blueberry cupcake.

Jason, I live one block away from you, and I have to say there are no decent bagel and pizza places in our lazy 5-minute walk range. You have to walk at least 10 minutes to find decent pizza by the slice and bagels.

David's Bagels (1st Ave between 19th & 20th) is the best bagel joint in the area.

The best and cheapest ($1) pizza slice can be found at Mamani's at Avenue A between 9th & 10th. I can only recommend the cheese slice because it's the only thing I ever get. Other pizza places in the hood, like Stromboli's, Sal's, Vinny Vincenz, have all let me down. For sit-down pizza, I love Luzzo's (1st Ave between 11th & 12th).

I don't suppose they do a veggie burger, do they?

I just had a scoop of pumpkin ice cream from Sundaes & Cones on E. 10th Street. UNBELIEVABLE! It's perfection on a sugar cone!