« April 2010 | Main | June 2010 »
The skinny on Nom Nom is "banh mi truck," but it freely adapts its sandwich fillings for Viet-style tacos like lemongrass chicken, lemongrass tofu, and honey-grilled pork (clockwise from left; $2.50 each). Only thing missing this day: the lemonade.
Nom Nom
Los Angeles
www.NomNomTruck.com
During taping for the Great Food Truck Race, near Union Square, New York
A recently discovered fondness for liquefied sandwich fixings prompted my choice of the Witte burger ($9), which partners cream cheese and malt vinegar aioli with deep-fried bacon and beer-and-Sriracha-soaked onion. It's a very loose partnership, especially for a burger served from a truck and eaten on my feet. Literally trying to hold it all together, I almost overlooked the patty (made with a Pat LaFrieda blend); it's juicy, too.
Grill 'Em All
Los Angeles
www.GrillEmAllTruck.com
During taping for the Great Food Truck Race, near Union Square, New York
Standing in a lineup at Whole Foods
95 East Houston St. (Chrystie St.-Bowery)
Introduced c. 1960, this "new kind of paper mat" was designed to "look pretty as cloth...work better than plastic," and enable busy families to "set a fresh table every day...with these cloth-like mats you just toss away." (Though the word "biodegradable" was coined about this time, evidently it proved problematic to rhyme.)
Your author is not shown at top, though according to a reliable source I sat at other mats from this opened package, retrieved from the basement of the family house in Stamford.
The answer is the first month of the year, but only in a certain national calendar with 13 months, one of them quite short. It's also spelled out on the awning, using an alphabet that, thankfully, isn't used for the menu as well. Can you name this restaurant? (Please post your answer in the comments.)
Dance Africa Bazaar
Saturday, May 29, 12:00-10:00; Sunday and Monday, noon-8:00
Near Lafayette Ave. and Ashland Pl., Fort Greene, Brooklyn
www.BAM.org
I've only attended the autumn edition of the bazaar, but I'll bet the food vendors will be familiar.
Free admission
Greenpoint Avenue Festival
Saturday, May 29, 11:00-8:00
Greenpoint Ave. between 44th and 48th streets, Sunnyside, Queens
Even if it's a run-of-the-mill street fair, there's all sorts of interesting chow nearby.
Free admission
(This venue is closed.) I'd seen this mosaic many times a block west of Arthur Ave., and given the context I'd always assumed it meant "delivery." In fact, the character, which is repeated on the right of the sky blue sign, means "happiness," or "good fortune," or "blessing." Its companion character, all the way to the left, means "come" or "arrive." The restaurant's Chinese name, then, is akin to a promise (or a wish) that luck is on its way.
Regarding the number for delivery orders: Many Chinese consider the number 8 auspicious as well, since its pronunciation is similar to that of the word for "wealth." (For example, in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, which has a large Chinese population, the Petronas twin towers rise 88 storeys.) It's a happy coincidence that the mosaic character is pronounced "fu" — a promise (or a wish) that food is on its way.
Nice Food
571 E. 187th St. (at Hoffman St.), Belmont, Bronx
718-933-8888
I ordered white, not red.
Blueberry is peachy; golden highlights are the giveaway.
(This venue, previously also known as Renacer and Cumbre, is closed.) Local color, they've got.
Thank you!
