Veselka — The Diner Enthusiast

Veselka is a Ukrainian diner in New York City’s East Village on 9th st and 2nd avenue. One anonymous Yelp user’s review awards it the prize of “best Polish comfort food in a 24 hour space without outdoor seating seasonally.” That’s a very specific award. Veselka is Ukrainian though, not Polish, so it’s ineligible.

The Diner Aesthetic

Veselka doesn’t look like a traditional diner. That’s because it’s Ukrainian. I have never been to the Ukraine. I don’t know what diners there look like. It would be irresponsible of me to review Veselka’s diner aesthetic.

I did enjoy the beautiful facade pictured above. If you know who painted it, please send the artist my regards. I’d be more than happy to feature him or her on the Diner Wall of Fame. Send the picture to enthused@thedinerenthusiast.com.

The Service

I was not impressed with the service at Veselka. I sat at the bar on a busy Sunday afternoon. On two occasions, waiters knocked things over on my table as they reached for the stack of menus adjacent to me. Neither of them noticed.

My own waitress was not particularly pleasant. She wasn’t passionate about diners either. I tried to discuss their merits with her, but she had no interest in conversing.

The Diner Enthusiast says: “I am not enthused by Veselka’s service.”

The Food

The food at Veselka is inspired. Executive Chef Dmytro Martseniuk must be added to the Diner Wall of Fame for his work. Here’s what I ordered:

Coffee, black
Two eggs, over-easy. Potato Latke, apple sauce.
Waffle, Belgian. Raspberry compote.

~Coffee

I wasn’t enthused by the coffee at Veselka. Watery.

~Eggs and potato latke

Delightful. The eggs were just how I like them. Perfectly cooked, not too dry or grizzled. Excellent shininess. Their albedo effect highlighted the potato latke’s dark crevasses.

The potato latke was also griddled with precision. I imagined it was a small UFO on my plate, and I ate it.

~Belgian waffle with raspberry compote

The raspberry compote is a must for any serious food lover. It’s not syrupy or sweet. On its own, the waffle was tasty, but the raspberry and sprinkle of powdered sugar raised the bar.

The Diner Enthusiast says: "I was very enthused by Veselka's food."

The Price

The total was $19.60 before tip. That’s a fair price.

The Diner Enthusiast says: "That's a fair price."

Closing Remarks

Veselka affirms my faith in diner food. I hope to see it on season 3 of ‘Chef’s Table presented by Netflix’.

Discussion Points

Diners are not black and white. My goal is to discuss diners, not to review them as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. I’ve left a few discussion points below to help start your conversations in the comments section.

What would Valdimir Putin order at Veselka? Would the potato latkes make him smile? What are your thoughts on Ukraine and its relationship with Russia? Discuss.
Why do you think the waitress was cranky? Discuss.
How do they make the eggs so shiny? Discuss.
Do you have any pets? If so, what do you think they would they like to eat on Veselka’s menu? Discuss.