Reliable breakfast

breakfast
Originally uploaded by i_eat_ny.

I realized I didn't talk about the food at Cheyenne Diner. The food is okay. The bacon was fried satisyingly hard, the white toast was juicy from all the butter dabbed on to it and the eggs were runny the way I like them. The potatoes were average, but I don't always go to a diner for the food, I go there because of the atmosphere. I never feel self conscious eating alone at the bar in a diner. You're supposed to pretend you're in Hopper's Nighthawks, and I love that. You're allowed to feel a little melancholy as you stir your third coffee refill, but then, it's a place to make those little observations about life that you might miss during the busy work week. How did that fry cook pile a huge mountain of onions onto such a small plate? Why are those parents letting their kid eat the free butter mints when he didn't finish his breakfast? What did the old gent say was the reason he only comes to the diner on the weekend? When you're in a diner, time seems to slow down. And in this crazy fast world, that's a good thing in my book.

Cheyenne Diner

cheyenne
Originally uploaded by i_eat_ny.

I've been doing some picture research at work on diner interiors. Check out this excellent website www.dinercity.com for more info. It made me realize that I just don't eat at diners enough. I wish Jones Diner was still around, but it was razed a couple of years ago, probably for a condo. They had great limeade. But I digress. While running an errand at B&H, I remembered how I've been meaning to eat at the Cheyenne Diner (411 9th Ave @ 33rd St.). Cheyenne sports a great neon sign and a painted black and white exterior. Inside there are some tables and chairs, but I like the action at the counter. Unfortunately the grill isn't directly in front of the bar, but I could still see the grill man. It's an art to cook in such a small space.

jojos

jojos
Originally uploaded by i_eat_ny.

Tonight I wasn't very hungry because I had a great Greek lunch at work (Uncle Nick's 9th between 50th &51st). But I felt like munching on something so I tried the pizza place across from my friend's palatial apartment in Chelsea. Belle Napoli (7th Ave bw 23rd & 24th St.) is your run of the mill pizza place, but they have a little item called the jojo ($1.10), which is basically left over meats, cheese, onion and pizza dough wrapped in a pinwheel. I guess it's not very appealing to say left over and I'm just assuming it is, but I like to see such economical use of food. I found some old Smirnoff malt beverage in Laura's fridge and had a fine Friday night meal. Okay, it was a little sad, but I was tired.

Meat Dumps

My favorite dumplings will always be my mom’s mondoo, but since she’s in Texas any dumpling house in Chinatown will do. Because they are so cheap, they are even more delicious. But let’s say, you just spent an hour looking for energy efficient lightbulbs in the new Home Depot on 23rd St. and you’re starving. Rickshaw Dumpling Bar (www.rickshawdumplings.com) is a nice reprieve. Clean and modern looking, Rickshaw offers dumplings (6 for $5, 9 for $7), dumplings in a soup with noodles (add $3) or dumplings with a salad (add $3). I had the Chicken & Thai Basil in the peanut soup. I love the taste of basil and lemongrass, so I wanted the flavor to be punched up a bit, but that’s probably my disabled tastebuds. Ever since my last cold, my sense of smell has been a little off, thus my sense of taste isn’t the same. Really, it’s scary.

The Other Burger Joint

I know I need to branch out, but whenever I go to see a movie at the Walter Reade, I go to either Angelo’s Pizza or the other Burger Joint, which is tucked away inside Le Parker Meridian hotel (118 W.57th between 6th & 7th). It’s an odd location, but the Joint really packs them in. Follow the beige curtain, look for the neon burger sign, then step into the small wood paneled room. Their meat is really good. Tonight my burger (5 bux, 50 cents extra for cheese) was perfectly cooked medium rare and really juicy. The fries are the same old shoestrings that the other Burger Joint sells, but uptown they come in a brown bag for $1.50. I believe this helps remove at least 100 calories of grease. When I save on calories like that, I have no qualms about ordering one of their brownies for dessert. They are great, but I do feel like I need to find a new place to try. Anyone know of anything as cheap and delicious in the Lincoln Center area?

Chicken Wing Relapse

I’m cat sitting in Chelsea at my friend’s place, so it’s nice to try new places in a different neighborhood. While looking for the free flea market (it moved somewhere around here) I stumbled upon Tebaya (44 W. 19th St between 6th & 7th). Their claim to hopeful fame is the Japanese style chicken wing (8 for $4.75). The wings are deep fried without batter, so the skin is nice and crispy. The sauce is soy-based and very simple—not too salty, a hint of sugar, sesame oil and some other secrets. They also serve potemochi. Think rice cake mochi, but made of potato flour. They are buttery and glutinous, so probably not everyone’s thing. I liked them because they reminded me of Korean ttok so you’ll have to try it out yourself. They’re only a buck fifty for three. They also serve chicken on a stick (kushikatsu ) covered with light and flaky panko breadcrumbs then fried. To counter the grease, they also have soba and tofu salads.

Burger Girl

Eating at 99 Miles made me realize that while cheesesteaks are ok, I’m definitely a burger girl. Two of my favorite burger places in the city are both called Burger Joint. The first Burger Joint (241 3rd Ave. and 19th St.) is perfect when you just want a little snack. The sliders (hamburger for a buck, cheese a quarter extra) are formed into balls then patted down as they cook on the grill alongside caramelizing onions. Because they are cooked to order, you do have to wait, but the grill man is a hoot and there’s a Ms. Pacman machine. The fries are your standard shoestrings ($1.50) but they do the trick. I love that they serve RC and chocolate sodas ($1.50) from their fountain with free refills! If you’re really hungry, you might want to get double patties or multiples since the sliders are small. This place is open until 4 am, but remember when they’re crowded, there’s a bit of a wait. I guess that’s why they have the free refills.

Silly Philly

So I tried the cheesesteak at 99 Miles to Philly (94 3rd Ave between 12th & 13th St) today while walking to the Union Square Greenmarket to drop off compost. Poor vegetarian Mica had to watch me talk with Cheez Whiz stuck to my teeth. Must have been gross for her, but the night before I had read the article in Time Out comparing various cheesesteak places in the city and I had a meat craving. It came on a French type hoagie. The meat fell into crumbles, the onions were nicely softened and the Cheez Whiz (real cheese is also available) glued everything together. The article said that 99 Miles was pretty authentic and went on to note that the Philadelphians interviewed for the article refused to try the sandwich at B&B sandwich shop (120 W. 3rd and Macdougal). I know that sandwich. It may not be authentic, but it’s still good. They use a Kaiser roll, white American cheese and a sweetish sauce. Incidentally, it’s a better walk-and-eat sandwich than 99 Miles because the round shape is easier to handle.

Mmmm Donuts

I’d read that Sammy’s Chinese Restaurant had opened up a donut shop, but when I went to the location on Bleecker near West 4th, I didn’t see it. I realized later that the donut shop is next to the Sammy’s on 6th Ave. and West 11th. Now, I’ve only had Sammy’s delivery, which I don’t think is a good indicator because delivery is almost never good. But the donuts are not made onsite. Rather, they are sent to the store daily from the Nightingale Bakery on 118th St (?). If you like cake donuts, this place delivers. For 70 cents, the donut is huge and dense. Perfect for dipping in their mild coffee, which is 1.10 with a donut and twenty cents more without. I thought this price structure was interesting - the donut holes are 3 for a buck, so it’s cheaper to get a big donut than 3 little ones. Lastly, the lids for the coffee are cool because they have a little open and close spout so you don’t spill the brew.