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(This venue is closed.) "Polish-European-American" grocery with a meaty deli counter and, perhaps earlier in the day, a better assortment of typically heavy prepared foods.
Slathered on rye and lightly salted, Szafran brand smalec ze skwarkami (lard with diced pork bacon; 10.2 oz.; $2.59) quickly becomes tiresome on its own; pair it with a sturdy soup or a stiff drink.
Bartek
4602 New Utrecht Ave. Borough Park, Brooklyn
718-851-9171
For a brunch outing, the pho dac biet ($4.95) filled this "combination special big bowl" with rice noodles and "six differences" of beef in beef soup. Brisket, eye of round, and frank (I presume "flank") are familiar enough; omosa (tripe), navel (cartilage from you-know-where) and tendon each add their version of chewy or gelatinous texture, but less pleasantly and less substantively than a good Italian tripe stew. Next time I'll likely limit myself to the more traditional cuts.
We also split a plate of banh cuon cha lua ($5.50), an array of steamed glutinous rice crepes containing minced mushroom, served with Vietnamese ham, toasted garlic, plus sprouts and other assorted veggies.
Pho Tay Ho
2351 86th St., Bath Beach, Brooklyn
718-499-0199
(This location is closed; as of April 2011, the Coney Island location remains open.) This exemplary pie, half margherita and half with sweet sausage ($19.45), had a lightly charred, thin crust that was both firm and chewy. This evening it was a fine platform for fresh mozzarella, imported Italian tomatoes, and plentiful disks of sausage. Two plain slices traveled home, but following a night in the fridge, they didn't fare as well as their doughier cousins from other pizzerias.
Totonno's
1544 Second Ave. (80th-81st Sts.)
(one of several locations)
212-327-2800
The sausage in my jambalaya ($16) may have been smoked, or then again, no; chicken fingers simply don't belong.
Delta Grill
700 Ninth Ave. (at 48th St.)
212-956-0934
Open for (busy) weekday lunch only; likely shares a kitchen with Pampano, around the corner. An oblong alambre torta ($7), with grilled chicken, poblano rajas, and melted manchego, seemed closer kin to a panino than the more typically circular Mexican sandwich. Tasty enough; Pampano's kingfish tacos have an even better reputation.
Pampano Taqueria
805 Third Ave. (49th-50th Sts.)
In the Crystal Pavilion food court
212-751-5257
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
The seven-ounce burger, medium rare ($8) was large but lacking in character; ditto the fries. On the other hand, this vanilla frosted ($4) cost me all of 20 cents more than a standard milkshake, yet thick enough — that's not whipped cream peeking above the rim — that I needed a spoon to tease it out of that mixing cup.
Jackson Hole
517 Columbus Ave. (at 85th St.)
(one of many locations)
212-362-5177
Mint chocolate chip ice cream has been a favorite of mine since childhood, but the chips were too large to serve it well in this trio of gelatos ($4); crema and a very tart raspberry fared much better.
Tarallucci e Vino
163 First Ave. (at 10th St.)
212-388-1190
(This venue is closed.) Described in some quarters as the national dish of Burma, mohinga (about $7) was an enjoyable lemongrass-and-coriander-flavored fish broth with thin rice noodles, minced fish, sliced hardboiled egg, and a fried-onion garnish.
Village Mingala Burmese Restaurant
21-23 East 7th St. (Second-Third Aves.)
212-529-3656
A softshell crab po-boy ($11.95) was overwhelmed by its bread.
Remoulade
309 Bourbon St., New Orleans
504-523-0377
Thank you!
