Chicken soup to cheer up your day: Totto spicy ramen ($11), topped for this bowlful with chicken rather than char siu pork. The rich, milky white broth soon took on the color of the rayu, that dark slick of spicy sesame oil, and seemed to get only richer as it sat waiting for kaedama ($2.50), an order of extra noodles.
Totto Ramen
366 West 52nd St. (Eighth-Ninth Aves.), Manhattan
212-582-0052
www.TottoRamen.com
Surviving signage at 500 Ninth Ave. (at 38th St., above the Esposito Pork Store), Manhattan
Surviving signage at 679 Ninth Ave. (at 47th St.; now Hell's Kitchen restaurant), Manhattan
The kitchen, too, can adjust the seasoning, even before you reach for the fish sauce.
Behind door number one of this twin-track business on the outskirts of the Garment District, a steam table proffered quite serviceable chicken tikka masala.
Continue reading "Bombay Deli Pizza & Tandoori Restaurant" »
It's the thicker picker-upper.
"Secret nest."
This chewing-gum package with a Beeman's palette was proffered by Steve Powers, an erstwhile graffiti artist whose previous works include ESPO Bakery.
"Fresh! ESPO flavor"
Steve Powers (ESPO), date unknown
West 40th St. near the southeast corner with Ninth Ave.
No apparent relation to the Franco-American Food Company, whose most famous product is now sold under the Campbell's brand name. A map of Hudson Yards Redevelopment Sites indicates that a planned midblock park will spare the building, passing just to the west; it also shows that if you can see the Franco-American sign, the south tube of the Lincoln Tunnel is immediately below your feet.
Surviving sign for the Franco American Baking Company
509 West 38th St. (Tenth-Eleventh Aves.)
For a change, not with chocolate.
(This venue is closed.) Ironically, dill is the most authentic component.
Ghanaian entrée simmering on the stovetop? No time to ferment and steam your own corn "sourdough"?
Rudy's mascot is masked against human flu, you'd hope, and not because he took it personal, that bit about "a crying disgrace...they saw your face." In addition to assorted alcoholic remedies (but no big black cow), Rudy's is famous for dispensing free hot dogs. What meat is inside, the masked mascot won't say.
Rudy's Bar & Grill
627 Ninth Ave. (44th-45th Sts.)
212-974-9169
www.RudysBarNYC.com
Sparing but not spartan.
Go for the gold.
The phyllo is exquisitely flaky.
The nearly 50 flags on this playground mural, you'd imagine, represent the "extremely diverse student body" of the Adolph S. Ochs School (click on the photo for a better look). PS/IS 111 is a "community school," the website also notes, so the students live within walking distance of dozens of ethnic restaurants — but imagine how much home cooking can be found only behind closed doors!
"Hell's Kitchen" mural
Playground of the Adolph S. Ochs School (P.S. 111)
Tenth Ave. between 52nd and 53rd Sts.
It's won praise from one surprising quarter.
Squeeze past the deli-grocery in front, and you'll find even fresher treats in back.
Sometimes the fixings upstage the falafel.
Thank you!
