(This venue has closed.) Many menus don't tell the whole story; some don't tell it in more than one language. Squid with rice, also called arroz con calamares on La Caridad's English-Spanish menu, does indeed feature those two ingredients, which are brightened by the addition of peas and bell pepper. Though La Caridad still serves "comida China y Criolla" and employs Cantonese-speaking waiters, Chinese isn't employed in print. The menu offers no possibility of a revelation a la McCawley, no characters whose explication would help you uncover the true nature of the dish — no way, that is, to divine that its predominant color will be black.
This is no attempt at deception or shock, of course, simply an instance of information embedded in a culinary culture but not expressed in words. Consider all the breakfast specials you've ordered without thinking to ask if the eggs came from a chicken. The use of squid ink, though not universal, is very common in Caribbean renditions of this dish; many packaged-food companies sell the rice, squid, and other fixings under the rubric "calamares en su tinta," literally "squid in its own ink."
At its best, squid ink adds a subtle brininess that belies its intense hue. The black pasta at The Daily Catch, in Boston's North End, is one superb example. La Caridad's dish, served with lunch-special speed (it's on the regular menu, too), is not exquisite, but it's more full-bodied and filling than run-of-the-mill rice. The striking color is a conversation starter, too, when your dining buddies peruse the menu but don't read between the lines.
Also shown: orange chicken, shrimp fried rice, and an egg roll; condiments at the table; a Chinese zodiac paper placemat.
La Caridad 78
2199 Broadway (at 78th St.), Manhattan
212-874-2780
www.Facebook.com/LaCaridad