Geography matters. If one looks at a map of Manhattan, you will see that from 125th Street down to 23rd Street, it is essentially a rectangle, with First Avenue being the easternmost North-South Avenue. South of 14th Street, the island bulges on the east side. Here you have the Lower East Side and Alphabet City – Avenues A, B, C, & D.
This area is one that is furthest from subway lines in the city. It is nearly a mile from Avenue C and the nearest station at Astor Place or 2nd Avenue. I believe that this frontier land location has been one factor in its later gentrification. The area has a rich ethnic history, occupied by the German, Polish, and most recently the Latin community (Avenue C has been given the name Losaida, meaning Lower East Side in Spanish).

In my recent explorations of the community gardens in the area, I discovered a real gem of a restaurant at 145 Avenue C and 9th Street: Esperanto. In warm weather, their French-style doors are open, and there is al fresco sidewalk dining – beautiful, since a large community garden faces each exposure. The food is pan-Latin, with Brazilian and Cuban drinks. There are two rooms with a warm, dark atmosphere. The main room (in the photo) has burnt-orange walls, tiled floors, and a bar. The other room is painted in turquoise. The food is excellent and very well priced. There are prix fixe dinners and brunches. Some have complained about the wait staff being inattentive, but I found it acceptable. Highly recommended…

Related Postings (click any link): Shangri-La, La Plaza Cultural Garden, Albert’s Garden, Devil’s Playground, Howl!, Vegan Chic, Bluestockings