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?