Eating In Translation

Radio Perfecto

(This venue is closed.) For a post-Wiffleball meal with my friends Ed, Max, and Gil, we sat at two sidewalk tables that tilted uptown with the sidewalk — so much so that I rested my Weihenstephaner pint ($5) on the more-reliable-looking table next to me. One Menupages reviewer used the metaphor of a "slippery slope" for both the service and the food; can't top that.

My appetizer of catfish fingers with "homemade," slightly crunchy tartar sauce ($7.95) were mildly spiced, with a texture on the firmer side of mozzarella sticks. The portion seemed a little small, but perhaps that's because everyone had a bite or two while we waited (and waited) for our entrees. Gil's giant blackened grilled pork chop ($13.95) was probably the holdup; we agreed it was just fine, though not as good as the "grilled tropical salsa" that topped it.

Max was happy with his bacon cheeseburger ($10.95). My "medium rare" burger ($8.95), which arrived an even gray through and through, had the bland taste of ground hamburger before adding the "helper." Very thin shoestring fries were no better. Ed's Greek salad ($9.95) went overboard on the lemon dressing, he said, adding that the olives clearly came from a can.

Radio Perfecto
1187 Amsterdam Ave.
212-932-0808

Vesuvio Café and Bakery

(This venue is closed.) Disappointing, although Mom and I did visit late in the afternoon during a holiday weekend. My vanilla cannoli ($3) and Mom's almond-and-chocolate-topped cheesecake round both seemed a little dry. My iced coffee ($2.50) — made from "fresh-ground and brewed imported Aroma di Napoli coffee" — was nice and strong. Our server was happy to customize Mom's café mocha (large; $4), though he needed to ask the counterman whether they were out of whipped cream.

Based on Vesuvio's reputation, I'd want to catch them at a better time — certainly, earlier in the day.

Vesuvio Café and Bakery
160 Prince St. (Thompson St.-West Broadway), Manhattan
212-925-8248

Caffe Reggio

A sidewalk table near Washington Square Park was the principal attraction for Mom and me to have a nosh here. My crepe Reggio (spinach and ricotta; $4.95) and Mom's crepe braciola (broccoli and mushrooms; $4.95) were smallish, and otherwise disappointing enough that we decided to go elsewhere for dessert. My glass of amarena soda (wild cherry; $3.75) was OK if overpriced; may have been made from syrup and seltzer.

Caffe Reggio
119 McDougal St.
212-475-9557

City Market

(This venue is closed.) Can't understand how a place this disorganized can stay in business. The only two people there needed five minutes for a price check, after which they asked (and I paid) $2 for a 280 ml. bottle of Laziza nonalcoholic malt beverage. This was supposed to have been the apple-flavored variety, but when one of the employees returned it to the case for a colder one (and it was), he retrieved the unflavored variety instead. Too bad; perhaps the apple would have offset some of the bitterness.

City Market
723 Newark Ave. (near Summit Ave.), Jersey City
201-795-5585

Al Nooor

Friendly if undistinguished Middle Eastern deli. Fayrouz sparkling malt beverage, pear flavor (330 ml.; $1), from Egypt. Good balance between malt and fruit; the pineapple flavor might fare less well.

On a visit last year, a nonalcoholic Sindbad malt beverage with apple flavor (330 ml.; $1) was more an apple juice with faint malty undertones that cut the sweetness.

Al Nooor
772 West Side Ave. (Duncan-Fairmount Aves.), Jersey City
201-324-0050

Rowena's Delight & Cake House

A plate of "seafood-flavored noodles" ($3.50) with ground beef, shrimp (well, one shrimp), scallions, and sliced egg, was blander than it looks. When I mentioned this to the gal at the counter (Rowena's, like most Filipino restaurants in Jersey City, serves cafeteria-style), she took pains to note that these weren't their (apparently well-regarded) pancit noodles, which wasn't ready at the time.

She also treated me to a compact fried spring roll with hot and sweet dipping sauce (nice, if heavy on the wrapper) while another server freed up a skewer of four deep-fried dough balls (extraordinarily tough, gummy, and hard to chew, but only a buck). Rowena's is worth another try, though, for a second pass at the entrees.

Rowena's Delight & Cake House
444 West Side Ave. (Virginia-Ege Aves.), Jersey City
201-435-1567

Christine's Bake Shop

A mini ube ensaymada (purple yam sweet roll; 1.5 oz.; 90 cents) was very light and fluffy; sticky sweet on top with a little purple striping inside that added a subtle yam taste.

Christine's Bake Shop
743 West Side Ave. (Duncan-Gautier Aves.), Jersey City
(one of several locations)
201-332-8332

West Side Market

Samuel Adams Honey Porter (12 fl. oz.; $1.99), from Boston. Ruddy dark brown with a thick tan head; honey overtones, apparent amid the smoky malt aroma, come on stronger in the mouth and linger stickily.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale (12 fl. oz.; $2.19), from the Brooklyn Brewery. Bright orange with a yellowed tan head; fresh pumpkin aroma and flavor mellowed with malt; round mouthfeel, though lacking finish.

Blue Star wheat beer (12 fl. oz.; $1.99), from Mendocino, California. Murky but well-saturated orange-yellow with a thick white head, onto which I dribbled the yeast that clung to the bottle. Gently rounded malty aroma; flavor is somewhat citric; fuzzy mouthfeel.

Magic Hat Jinx ale (12 fl. oz.; $1.99), from Burlington, Vermont. Orange-tinged brown with a tan head; woodsy-nutty aroma; toasty malt flavor is very round at the front, but doesn't quite finish. Strike that; headiness piles on toward the bottom of the mug.

Baron's lager and Baron's Black Wattle Superior (12 fl. oz.; $1.99 each), from Australia. The lager is deep amber with a scant white head; it has a malty-orange aroma and a smooth, round, and malty flavor, but it lacks sufficient bite from the hops. Its brandmate, prepared with "roasted barley and wheat, subtle hopping, [and] an infusion of Australian wattle seed," is orange-brown with a creamy parchment-colored head. Roasted malt aroma and flavor; creamy, slightly effervescent mouthfeel, though little finish.

White stilton with blueberries or with lemon peel (each $5.99 per pound, on sale). Cream-colored; firm (though the lemon is somewhat crumbly); pleasantly tart aromas; blueberry tastes sour, while lemon comes on sweet.

English shropshire blue cheese ($9.99 per pound). Orange-tan with prominent blue veins; semi-firm, smooth; aggressive, acrid aroma, biting taste.

English stilton blue ($12.99 per pound). Cream-colored with prominent blue veins; crumbly; acrid blue-cheese aroma and taste.

Blue d'auvergne ($14.99 per pound). Parchment-colored with prominent blue veins; semisoft and creamy; pungent, even a little earthy, with only the smallest acrid taste at the back of the mouth.

Point Reyes blue cheese ($14.99 per pound). White with few visible hints of veining; sliceable, though will crumble given the chance; fresh creamy aroma with pungent undertones; slightly sour, uncomplicated taste.

French Roquefort ($21.99 per pound). White with prominent blue veins; soft bordering on runny; pungent, almost floridly so. Couldn't manage more than a few nibbles; for a cheese this extravagant, I'd probably do better with a guide.

West Side Market
2840 Broadway (at 110th St.)
(one of several locations)
212-222-3367

Nutrisserie Natural Food Market

Many items here seem determined to give no offense in any way at all; all I wanted was something cold to drink. Lemon ginger beer from The Ginger People (12 fl. oz.; $1.49) had the typical taste duo of sourness at the front of the mouth, bite at the back, but mellowed considerably. Cloudy — from the addition of ginger, according to the label.

Nutrisserie Natural Food Market
142 West 72nd St. (Columbus-Amsterdam Aves.)
212-799-2454

Grand Sichuan International

"Green parrot with a red mouth."