Eating In Translation

Horn and Hardart

Though it's not completely readable from street level, this sign probably pointed hungry New Yorkers to the automat at 1557 Broadway, between 46th and 47th streets. The city's first Horn & Hardart, it opened in 1912 and survived longer than most, giving way to a Burger King in the mid-1970s.

You won't get the same spirit from the tiny, unrelated Bamn! automat on St. Mark's Place — even if you make allowances for different eras of pop music, the pink detailing is a deal-breaker — but my deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich wasn't half-bad.

Surviving signage for Horn & Hardart
West 38th Street (seen from Seventh Ave.)

Ben's Kosher Delicatessen

A sandwich, or maybe half a sandwich, is the way to go.

Salumeria Biellese

This old-time sausage maker really piles it on.

Mitchel London Pizza

At this fraternal twin of Burgers & Cupcakes, my sandwich ($7.95) pressed beef meatballs — oniony, but a bit undercooked and soggy — between warm ciabatta. Good overall; credit also the sauce and the greens.

Mitchel London Pizza
456 Ninth Ave. (35th-36th Sts.)
212-563-7741

Shorty's

Two and a half years ago, when this eatery opened as an outpost of the Philly chain Tony Luke's, the interior was stark, white, and strictly a standup operation. No seats, just a narrow counter along each side wall and a window at the back. Only the handwritten "We Are Open" sign, and reports of one particular sandwich, encouraged me to step inside.

Tony Luke's is famous for cheese steaks, as well as chicken steaks and cutlets, but I had already settled on a triple feature called the roast pork Italian (top photo; $7.95), which partnered the juicy meat with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe. Although my server wrapped it to go, I caught enough of a whiff that I just had to tear open the wrapper and grab a bite at the counter. The bite of the provolone and the tang of the broccoli were fantastic; the pork was just fatty enough; the bread, sufficiently crusty to cope with the juice. Just a winner, through and through.

On another occasion, I tried a green sandwich with sharp provolone ($6.10) — a standard menu item that loosely translates as roast pork Italian without the pork — which was nearly as good, and every bit as messy, once the butter (and perhaps garlic) used to sauté the broccoli rabe had soaked into the bread. (Nearly as good. I don't recall what prompted me that day to go meatless; my server was a little worried, too.)

Since then the New York owners have broken ties with the Philly chain, and Shorty's has added seats, flat-panel TVs, and a liquor license that allows a fine lineup of tap beers including Victory and Captain Lawrence. However, what's now called the roast pork special (bottom photo; half; $5.50) wasn't quite the sandwich I remember, at least on my one recent visit. The broccoli rabe and sharp provolone seemed underrepresented, and they lacked bite; the spicy au jus soaked in so thoroughly that even my half-sandwich was falling apart by the time I finished. Be that as it may, I made sure to corral the stray fillings. Worth another go.

Shorty's
576 Ninth Ave. (41st-42nd. Sts.)
212-967-3055

Djerdan

The belly-filling bill of fare at this Balkan restaurant includes a cevapi sandwich ($10.95) that wedges ten of the skinless grilled-veal sausages into an oversized, pita-like somun; it's sided with chopped onion and the tomato-pepper condiment called ajvar.

On previous visits, other Eastern European standards proved sturdy if unspectacular: slices of the stuffed phyllo pies called bureks ($4.95); veal soup ($4.95); garlicky cucumber yogurt salad $4.95); and peppers stuffed with ground beef and rice ($10.95) which would seem smallish if not for a buttress of mashed potatoes.

Beyond the baklava, the dozen desserts ($1.95 to $5.95) will need some explaining from your server. Though many are no stranger to the fridge, three or four shared selections should send your table home happy.

Djerdan
221 West 38th St. (Seventh-Eighth Aves.)
(one of several locations)
212-921-1183

West African Grocery

If your Ghanaian entrée is simmering on the stovetop but you don't have time to ferment and steam your own corn "sourdough," here's the place to pick up kenkey at the checkout counter (salted or unsalted; $1). Though Asian-run, this market does indeed devote most of its shelf space to African imports, such as "shitor," a chili-pepper condiment that seems very similar to the Malaysian sambal belacan. (It's also available in at least one ruder spelling.)

West African Grocery
535 Ninth Ave. (39th-40th Sts.)

Dimple

Fresh-mixed it was, but my chosen chaat fell flat. Kachori bhel ($5.50) comprised puffed crisps with beans, pulses, and "kachori potatoes" (were they batter-fried? I'm simply not sure) in "sauce and mint water" that wetted down the mix.

As for this masala Coke ($2.50), it was a lightly spiced soda that doesn't bear reordering.

Premises are no more than you'd expect for a Garment District feeding spot, but the staff are friendly and the long menu plays numerous riffs on many themes; I'd be willing to pay another visit.

Dimple
11 West 30th St. (Fifth-Sixth Aves.)
212-643-9464

Jerby's Halal Food Cart

Three nearby taxis clued me in to this busy cart that promises "quick service for cab drivers." After a weighty container of chicken with carrot-and-pea-dotted rice, lettuce, french fries, hot sauce, and white sauce ($5), you might need to sit, too.

Jerby's Halal Food Cart
Northeast corner of Tenth Ave. and 28th St.

Madison Square Garden

A foot-long frank ($5.25) was dry; a box of popcorn ($4.25) had a damp texture. The Rangers and Penguins played an uninspired match, too, but at least the blueshirts won.

Madison Square Garden
Seventh Ave. at 33rd St.

Blarney Stone

For a Rangers pre-game snack, I passed up a $3 knockwurst sandwich in favor of tenderloin ($7) slathered in A1 sauce. Not so tender, but plenty meaty.

Blarney Stone
106 West 32nd St. (Sixth-Seventh Aves.)

New York New York Cheesecake

A slice of the namesake item ($2.75) was as smooth and rich (and did I say smooth?) as any I've had this year. Get your cannoli filled to order here, too.

New York New York Cheesecake
405 Eighth Ave. (29th-30th Sts.)
212-564-7136

Manganaro Foods

The "grosseria" with the trattoria seating in back, not the unaffiliated cafeteria-style "hero boy" next door. A Manganaro's special hero ($7.50) featured ham, mortadella, cooked and Genoa salami, cappocolla, prosciutto, Swiss, provolone, lettuce, peppers, and vinaigrette on a crusty Italian loaf. Good, but not piled as high and not as juicy as the sandwich at Leo's Latticini; the bread, though fresh, was tough.

Manganaro Foods
488 Ninth Ave. (37th-38th Sts.)
212-563-5331

Market Café

Going by its looks, this turquoise-toned diner has had a makeover, but I can't be sure what work it had done. It was buzzing at lunch today, although at the counter a few solo diners lingered over their newspapers; that's probably a tough proposition once the Garment District lets out for the day, and the draft beer and mixed drinks start flowing.

A pair of seared sea scallops over potato puree, with brown butter and mache (pictured; $6) might have been a little chewy, but the greens were lightly anointed with vinaigrette, there was just enough potato to mop up the butter, and the dish was clearly assembled with some care. The garlic in my fettucini with cockles (special; $9) arrived moments before my pasta, and it stayed with me; the noodles were a little overdone, too. Still, I'd give this place another go.

 

Market Café
496 Ninth Ave. (37th-38th Sts.)
212-967-3892

Amazonia

Despite a laboring air conditioner, during my lunchtime visit the conditions inside Amazonia weren't much better than the weather outside. A pina Amazonica smoothie (medium; about 20 fl. oz.; $4.25) was thin; it tasted of pineapple and mango, as billed, but I couldn't taste the coconut milk.

Amazonia
498 Ninth Ave. (37th-38th Sts.)
212-268-0796

Café Veronica

I arrived early for lunch at this Garment District cafeteria; it's always seemed picked-over on earlier drop-bys when I arrived after 1:30. (Don't believe it's open for dinner.) On a sweltering day, the insalata angelotti (cold angel-hair pasta); $7.50) was a welcoming choice. Over a plateful of lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, and radishes, my server added a good-sized helping of pasta with "chunks of parmigiano cheese and fresh-roasted vegetables" — well, small chunks — topped by a tomato vinaigrette. Nice; I'll be back to try the squid salad, too, but not on a Monday.

Café Veronica
240 West 38th St. (Seventh-Eighth Aves.)
212-764-4770

Rong Bao Fast Food

Three selections plus rice and soup for $3.75 is a cheap lunch for the garment district, but the selections aren't nearly as interesting as on Division St. Instead I snacked on a cream-filled bun, the size and shape of a club roll, topped with grated coconut (70 cents). OK.

Rong Bao Fast Food
270 West 38th St. (Seventh-Eighth Aves.)

International Grocery

An almond cake ($3), yellow with a golden brown top, was gently flavored with almond and honey. Not a great selection of baked items here, but this grocery does offer an extensive array of herbs, spices, and the like, as well as canned and jarred goods.

International Grocery
543 Ninth Ave. (40th-41st Sts.)
212-279-1000

Cupcake Café

A sweet potato doughnut ($1.50) was nearly the size of a Big Mac, with a clear glaze. Much larger and with a breadier texture than the Doughnut Plant version, so no surprise it's also less of a sugar hit; that said, I couldn't detect any sweet potato.

Cupcake Cafe
522 Ninth Ave. (at 39th St.)
212-465-1530

Mama Jean's

During a sunny lunchtime, this little Trinidad and Tobago restaurant seemed dimmer than it should have, despite the pastels and the flower prints; upbeat pop music covered for the sparse crowd.

My entrée, a lunch special "mini-lau" ($8) wasn't very large; perhaps a full size pelau ($12) would have been more of a meal. A wad of creamy, spicy potato salad with carrots, peas, and corn was nice while it lasted; a slice of tomato over iceberg lettuce passed for a salad. The pelau itself offered nuggets of caramelized chicken that lent its color to the rice; mingling in were tidbits of green olive, carrot, and more meat, but not the typical pigeon peas. Less filling than it sounds like — and I had to pick out little bits of bone, too.

To drink, a mauby ($3) — "an extraction of the mauby bark infused with spices" — was a dusty pink color with a faint fruity aroma, mildly spicy, and too astringent to be refreshing.

Mama Jean's
536 Ninth Ave. (39th-40th Sts.)
212-268-8924

Hudson News

After a half-dozen misses in Port Authority, I finally found a Peter Paul Mounds (1.75 oz.; 74 cents) at a newsstand as I was headed up to street level. Dark chocolate suits the coconut much better that the milk chocolate in Almond Joy, but Mounds is still way too sweet compared with my co-worker Marie's chocolate eggs, from Rutherford (New Jersey) Congregational Church. Not that Marie's are lacking in sugar: According to the printed notes that accompanied the egg carton, each year the congregation makes about 1,300 dozen from 500 lbs. (dark) chocolate, 600 lbs. confectioner's sugar, and 475 lbs. coconut. Yet even though mine was the size of a small egg (perhaps even a medium), I didn't get that cloying feeling at all.

Hudson News
Inside Penn Station, ticket level B, Eighth Ave.
(one of many locations)
212-971-6800

Soul Fixin's

For a quick meal after picking up a camera at nearby B&H, a "country lunch" of smothered chicken ($8.95) hit the spot. Mac and cheese looked "Krafty" but wasn't too sweet, especially compared with the cornbread; collards were briny but not too bitter. The moist chicken was kind of ordinary, but I licked the bones clean.

Soul Fixin's
371 West 34th St. (at Ninth Ave.)
212-465-9192

Leisure Time Bowling

I have fond memories from years past of bowling-alley fries in a cardboard sleeve, a bit droopy even before the application of several squirts of ketchup. At Leisure Time the shoestrings ($4) come on a plate, and the kitchen seems to have made an effort to cook them thoroughly. They're almost certainly better fries, just not the fries I remember.

Leisure Time Bowling
625 Eighth Ave. (40th-41st Sts.)
(inside the Port Authority Building, second floor)
212-268-6909