My name is Polina Safovich. I was born in Ukraine and speak Russian at home. My family and I moved to America when I was two years old. I graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School. I am currently on the pre-med track, intending on majoring in human biology. I played lacrosse in high school and swam competitively for 10 years, so it’s safe to say I enjoy sports. I am currently employed as a New York City lifeguard.
The East Village has a number of memorable restaurants that serve as popular tourist spots. One such dinner place that I have experienced myself is Panna ll between East 5th and 6th streets. The first time I heard about this spot was through a friend when she was recommending good places to eat tasty Indian food. Sure enough she was right, but that isn’t exactly why the restaurant is so popular. When I went inside, I was instantly taken aback by the overwhelming number of low hanging lights and colorful decorations. The cramped small space actually gives a feeling of coziness for the diner and thus, an unique eating experience. The trinkets and festive lights literally hung a few centimeters above my head and I was surrounded by an orange-pink glow. When ordering the food, I recommend going with a few friends and sampling multiple dishes to get a taste of authentic Indian cuisine. You can expect to see a lot of white rice and curry-flavored meats and vegetables. The Naan fried dough varieties are a must-try when looking at appetizers. To complete the true Indian meal, I ordered a traditional mango lassi to drink, which sweet and refreshing taste balanced out the intense spicy flavors of the food. After my meal, I was given a scoop of mango ice cream for dessert, on the house. As someone who has lived in New York City for the majority of my life, I know dining out in the city isn’t exactly aa cheap way of life. But I was definitely surprised to see how relatively inexpensive this place was compared to the number of other East Village restaurants I’ve been to, and the entire experience it definitely worth it.
