Our 10 Best West Village Restaurants, 2012 Edition

Uniting egg and eggplant, possibly for the first time -- the sabich sandwich at Taïm

Despite a plethora of overpriced and pretentious restaurants, the West Village is still one of the damned best places to eat in the city in nearly every price range. And here's the list to prove it. Note that there are many fine restaurants that didn't make the list -- but we've decided to confine ourselves to 10 only and not wimp out on our duty to choose boldly.

10. Petite Abeille -- Great beers and wines, killer fries, discount grilled lobsters, a memorable hamburger topped with pancetta, and, especially, moules frites, have long been the mainstays of this unassuming Belgian café, along with a playful sense of restaurateuring and a sidewalk seating area. Watch for the recurring daily specials for steep discounts. 466 Hudson Street, 212-741-6479

9. Taïm -- This Israeli spot with little seating -- though there are benches and walls to perch on all around it in fine weather -- first shocked the dining community by offering falafels in three flavors, but the excellence of its entire all-vegetarian menu soon became apparent, and its sabich sandwich (at the top of the page) became a citywide fave. 222 Waverly Place, 212-691-1287

8. Annisa -- Chef Anita Lo's long-running project has only gotten better over the years, and feasting there on miso-marinated sable with crispy tofu, broiled mackerel with garlic fried milk, or -- pièce de résistance -- a white-truffled roast chicken with slivers of pig foot tucked under its skin feels like dining on a cloud. 13 Barrow Street, 212-741-6699