581 Hudson Street – West Village
Mediterranean, Outdoor Dining, Cafe, Neighborhood Gem
http://www.memeonhudson.com

Meme on Hudson is a quaint little West Village cafe, the kind you see on every block.  I have passed it on many occasions, whether shopping or stopping by the nearby Dublin 6 for a drink.  Now that my career path has luckily landed me in the West Village, I decided to try it for lunch on a bright sunny day.  There’s a park across the street, so the sidewalk seating is pleasurable.

I perused the menu and was quite pleased with the selection which ranged from Tapas & Salads to Burgers & Sandwiches to full Entrees and even Weekday Brunch.  The offerings are all truly Mediterranean with the likes of Sambusak, Hummus, Merguez sausage, and Kebabs.  I decided to go with the daily special, which was a shrimp salad.  It came with a cup of the soup of the day, which was split pea.  I must say my expectations were for something mediocre.  The food took a while to arrive, but when it did I immediately knew why.  The shrimp was warm from the grill, peppers and beets freshly roasted.  It was topped with a slices of perfectly ripe avocado and drizzled with a yogurt dill dressing.  Wow, nice.  And gorgeous too.