Eating In Translation

Mad For Chicken

Though armed with the correct address, from across the avenue I saw little sign of the restaurant.

La.Sani

Like its neighbor Chandni, which sits on the other side of Masjid Ar-Rehman, La.Sani offers a steam table centered on South Asian food.

"Lunch soda lounge"

The survey website www.14to42.net asserts that this sign "very likely belonged to the Holiday Coffee Shop, located here from 1959 to 1972." The different colors of lettering suggest a "soda lounge," which has a clubby ring — and, nowadays, an alcoholic one, as in "whiskey soda" or "scotch and soda." My guess, though, is that this was the sign maker's innocent shorthand for "soda fountain," which at any decent size wouldn't fit.

Surviving painted "lunch soda lounge" sign
23 West 35th St. (Fifth-Sixth Aves.)

Chandni Restaurant

Well met by moonlight.

The Breslin

The Breslin's first brunch featured a few little items from guest chef Fergus Henderson.

Han Ah Reum

"Do you know what these are?" asked the cashier, knowing full well.

Korean festival

I'm more accustomed to seeing it hanging on the front door.

Nedick's

At summer camp, with lunch we were often served half-pints of something called "orange drink" — as I remember, always in opaque cartons.

Kunjip

This bustling 24-hour Korean has a reputation for turning tables quickly, so I was pleasantly surprised to share my table with no fewer than eight panchan, the little free dishes that precede and accompany your meal. They included kimchi, of course, but also sweet potato, bean sprouts, two varieties of greens, some sort of small dried fish, and what may have been pickled apple. Add a bowl of purple rice, and my lunch special — kam ja tang ($9.95), meaty pork bones, potatoes, and greens piled in a spicy soup — turned into my big meal of the day.

Kunjip
9 West 32nd St. (near Fifth Ave.)
212-216-9487
www.kunjip.net