In certain quarters, it's not uncommon to see raw ingredients atop ready-to-serve food. At Gelateria Naia in Berkeley, California, for example, an ear of corn and a bowl of hazelnuts serve as decoration, for identification, and to assure the customer that fresh ingredients are on hand.
At this taxi-driver pitstop, a bright green slice of pepper on a tray of mashed eggplant makes an assurance of a different sort: This dish has a kick. It's a promise or a warning, depending on your point of view. My combo ($6) also included cauliflower, whose vibrant color sends the same signal.
Little Lahore (also known as Lahore Deli)
132 Crosby St. (East Houston-Prince Sts.), Manhattan
212-965-1777
