Meskel (CLOSED)

“It is just home cooking,” claims the menu, whose modesty is quickly belied by the skillful kitchen. Vegetarian dishes are the strong point at this small, intimate East Village spot, and all seven can be sampled with the combination platter. Among the standouts are the shiro wat, ground chickpeas in spicy berbere, and gomen, a rare dish of shredded collard greens in ginger. The combo is large, the injera generous, but it would be a mistake to pass on the cool avocado salad appetizer. Or to order wine without first asking that it be chilled.