NYC 5 Boroughs - A Day Of Eating!

[jrichman]

I am planning to spend a full day in NYC soon - a full day of eating that is!!! I want to hit each of the 5 boroughs, and have some sort of meal. I plan to start in Staten Island, and then move to the other 4 boroughs. I will not have a car, so I need to start in Staten Island at a place close to the ferry - for the other boroughs I can take the subway and walk, etc so distance is not an issue.

The most important point is that I want to stop at Roadfood type places - good food and cheap - you know places that are famous in the neighborhoods. Any recomendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

[TongoRad]

Tall order, that is...

I'm sure you will get a ton of responses that you will have to sift through and organize, but I'll get it started with this:

Try to hit one of the Caribbean Roti Shops of in the South Jamaica and Ozone Park area. You can eat very well for $3 to $4. 'Doubles' are curried chickpea sandwiches, made with two small round fried breads, dressed with a scotch bonnet pepper sauce. Very cheap, very good. 'Rotis' are larger flat breads, like a soft wrap, which are stuffed with curried potatoes, chickpeas, and either chicken, goat, etc. The price depends on the meat.

[jrichman]

Thanks - any one in paricular that you recommend, and by chance would you have an address - the food sounds great - thanks!

Tall order, that is...

I'm sure you will get a ton of responses that you will have to sift through and organize, but I'll get it started with this:

Try to hit one of the Caribbean Roti Shops of in the South Jamaica and Ozone Park area. You can eat very well for $3 to $4. 'Doubles' are curried chickpea sandwiches, made with two small round fried breads, dressed with a scotch bonnet pepper sauce. Very cheap, very good. 'Rotis' are larger flat breads, like a soft wrap, which are stuffed with curried potatoes, chickpeas, and either chicken, goat, etc. The price depends on the meat.

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[ned]

Road food makes me think of joints where the cabbies eat. I can think of two right off the top of my head both tiny--oops three--delis but with samosas and all kinds of good things. One is on Crosby just south of Houston. The other is on 18th street west of Broadway, south side of the street. Both are middle eastern. The third is in Chelsea just off the West side highway across the street from Gagosian gallery which I think is on 22nd street. Oh and there's another in Tribeca, not sure exactly where or even if it's still there. My last visit to this restaurant predated September 11th. It's called Pakistani Teahouse.

Good luck.

Edited April 28, 2005 by ned (log)

[docsconz]

Fun concept. You have tons of great choices! What kinds of foods are you most interested in eating and what are the limits to your budget?

[jrichman]

I like all foods, so I am interested to eat the type of food tht each borough is known for, or specializes in. For example, while in the Bronx I was thinking of Arthur Ave - I really do not have a budget, if the place is expensive, but worthwhile I will go but would like to go to places that are less expensive - real roadfood type places.

Fun concept. You have tons of great choices! What kinds of foods are you most interested in eating and what are the limits to your budget?

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[docsconz]

Arthur Ave. is a very good choice. I would suggest eating right within the market. The problem, if you could call it that, with each of the boroughs is that they are all good for multiple ethnic choices. For Brooklyn, I would suggest Russian out in Brighton Beach. Others can probably give you more up to date specific recommendations. For Manhatten I can suggest Chinatown for dumplings or whatever else you may crave. In Queens, there is a bevy of fine ethnic cuisine. Perhaps the most lauded, at least here on eGullet, is Sripraphai for wonderful Thai cuisine. Queens would also be a good choice for Indian food. Of course this is but the tip of the ice-berg. Check out this link for links to discussions on the "best of" in New York for various categories.

[emmapeel]

I don't live on Staten Island, but I am aware of these two restaurants, and I'm not sure if they are near the Ferry or not.

Bocca

Italian

1435 Hylan Boulevard (Staten Island)

718-980-4470

Bocca, Excellent Italian

American Grill

American

420 Forest Avenue, Between Bard Avenue & Hart Blvd. (Staten Island)

718-442-4742

http://www.americangrill.org

American Grill, Mayor's Favorite

Your tour sounds like fun. How about City Island in the Bronx for seafood. There is some road house spot at the end of the Avenue on the water. Or Arthur Avenue for good Italian. In Manhattan you might try Tony Luke's Old Philly Style Sandwiches

576 Ninth Ave. near 41st St.

212-967-3055

I'm sure you'll get lots of advice.

[Septemberdog61]

Astoria, Queens for Greek.

<www.bigapplegreeter.org/images/QN_Astoria_Feb03.pdf>

I like Stamatis on Broadway between 32 and 33 streets

[zeitoun]

If you decide to venture into Bay Ridge in Brooklyn, then I would urge you to stop by Karam on 4th Ave and 85th Street for a delicious falafel or shawarma sandwich. Another good middle eastern place nearby is Sally's and George's Place on 3rd Ave and 78th Street.

[Pan]

Zeitoun, what do you think of Tanoreen? I've been once only but loved it and plan on going back some time this summer (it takes me about 1 hr 20 min to get to Bay Ridge on the subway).

[georgeb]

While you have a huge choice of places and types in Manhattan, may I suggest Katz Deli on Houston Street? Arguably the best pastrami sandwich in the country...

Bring a cooler for what you cannot finish...

gb

[zeitoun]

Zeitoun, what do you think of Tanoreen? I've been once only but loved it and plan on going back some time this summer (it takes me about 1 hr 20 min to get to Bay Ridge on the subway).

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I've actually never been there and promised myself for quite some time now to try it on my next trip to Bay Ridge. Based on the more than favorable opinions you and other EGullet members have about the place, I'll be looking forward to it, hopefully I'll get to go this summer too..

[jogoode]

Bay Ridge also has La Maison du Couscous, which I'm dying to try.

484 77th Street

718-921-2400

For Brooklyn, I'd go to this place or to Di Fara.

In Mahattan, it would be Katz's, then to Dumpling House, then to Il Laboritorio (just because they're are so close to one another).

Queens: Sripraphai. Can't miss Sripraphai.

Then maybe Harlem before the Bronx, so Senegalese or soul food.

In the Bronx, I'd hit Mike's Deli on Arthur Avenue or Jamaican at Jerk Center.

What a great project.

[hillbill]

I don't live on Staten Island, but I am aware of these two restaurants, and I'm not sure if they are near the Ferry or not. 

Bocca

Italian

1435 Hylan Boulevard (Staten Island)

718-980-4470

Bocca, Excellent Italian

American Grill

American

420 Forest Avenue, Between Bard Avenue & Hart Blvd. (Staten Island)

718-442-4742

http://www.americangrill.org

American Grill, Mayor's Favorite

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I live in Staten Island, near the ferry. Neither of the these restaurants is near the ferry and I wouldn't think of either as being in the "roadfood" category, I think they're both too upscale and too expensive for that.

There are a number of ethnic "cheap eats" places within walking distance of the feryy. There's a couple of Sri Lankan places, a Polish Deli that gets rave reviews, a Taco stand that Sietsma in the Village Voice said made superb tacos (there are a couple of other Mexican groceries that perpare some takeout food also) a couple of Roti joints, and a few diner/bar/hamburger kinda places, among others.

If you want more info or directions let me know and I'll do my best.

[herbacidal]

As someone for whom every trip to NYC involves at least one day of nonstop eating, I say bravo.

You are taking a different strategy than me, as mine tended to be all within Manhattan. I'm just getting to the point where I'd like to do one in Brooklyn, Queens, or both.

Reference the thread on Offal Tour I for the last trip, and I'll see if I can find the rest.

Here and

here are two more.

Edited May 2, 2005 by herbacidal (log)

[jrichman]

Thanks for the info - I forgot to mention that we are starting our day in Staten Island, so we sould like a breakfast type place near the ferry, nothing fancy, just someting basic and quick - a roadfood type place if available - thanks for the info!!!

I don't live on Staten Island, but I am aware of these two restaurants, and I'm not sure if they are near the Ferry or not. 

Bocca

Italian

1435 Hylan Boulevard (Staten Island)

718-980-4470

Bocca, Excellent Italian

American Grill

American

420 Forest Avenue, Between Bard Avenue & Hart Blvd. (Staten Island)

718-442-4742

http://www.americangrill.org

American Grill, Mayor's Favorite

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I live in Staten Island, near the ferry. Neither of the these restaurants is near the ferry and I wouldn't think of either as being in the "roadfood" category, I think they're both too upscale and too expensive for that.

There are a number of ethnic "cheap eats" places within walking distance of the feryy. There's a couple of Sri Lankan places, a Polish Deli that gets rave reviews, a Taco stand that Sietsma in the Village Voice said made superb tacos (there are a couple of other Mexican groceries that perpare some takeout food also) a couple of Roti joints, and a few diner/bar/hamburger kinda places, among others.

If you want more info or directions let me know and I'll do my best.

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[hillbill]

Thanks for the info - I forgot to mention that we are starting our day in Staten Island, so we sould like a breakfast type place near the ferry, nothing fancy, just someting basic and quick - a roadfood type place if available -  thanks for the info!!!

There are a number of coffee shop/take out/diner type places very close to the ferry. I'm not sure what will or won't be open for breakfast, depending upon the time, but some of them will be open. If you follow the pedestrian exit out of the ferry, cross the street (Richmond Terrace) in front of the ferry, there's a large historic building (Borough Hall) opposite the ferry terminal. If you walk up the stairs next to Borough Hall, or walk up Schuyler Street (a half-block to the right, next to a courthouse) there's Stuyvesant Place, a small commercial strip with some of these places. Directly ABOVE Borough Hall (it's all uphill from Richmond Terrace!) there's Hyatt Street, intersecting with Stuyvesant, and there's a breakfast joint. I think it's called Hillside Restaurant, 8 Hyatt Street (from Yahoo Maps.)

If you take a right on Richmond Terrace when you exit the terminal, there's a Country Donuts that's open 24 hours about 2 blocks down (just past the police station. ) Country Donuts is a funky/cheesy/sleazy formica dive with some sit-down booths that serves some basic breakfast stuff in addition to the donuts and coffee.

Just before the police station there's a tiny strip mall that might have another coffee shop in it. A couple of blocks past Country Donuts there's a funky little bodega/deli on a corner with some white plastic seats and a table outside. They (used to) have a sign outside saying something like "best coffee in NYC!"

I never tried it, don't know if it's the best or not. I'm guessing they serve standard NYC breakfast stuff like egg on a roll also.

Edited May 2, 2005 by hillbill (log)

[jrichman]

In 1 borough we are going to get pizza - which borough would you recommend be our "Pizza Borough"

Thanks for everyones help thus far - lots of great ideas!

[TongoRad]

Thanks - any one in paricular that you recommend, and by chance would you have an address - the food sounds great - thanks!

Tall order, that is...

I'm sure you will get a ton of responses that you will have to sift through and organize, but I'll get it started with this:

Try to hit one of the Caribbean Roti Shops of in the South Jamaica and Ozone Park area. You can eat very well for $3 to $4. 'Doubles' are curried chickpea sandwiches, made with two small round fried breads, dressed with a scotch bonnet pepper sauce. Very cheap, very good. 'Rotis' are larger flat breads, like a soft wrap, which are stuffed with curried potatoes, chickpeas, and either chicken, goat, etc. The price depends on the meat.

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I frequent two of them, both quite good. Annie's Roti Shop is at 123-28 Rockaway Blvd. The other one is Island Cuisine Roti Shop, which is at the corner of Lefferts Blvd. and Rockaway, under 1/2 mile west of Annie's. I have also heard good things about Singh's, on Liberty Ave just west of the Van Wyck, though haven't been there yet.

[tupac17616]

In 1 borough we are going to get pizza - which borough would you recommend be our "Pizza Borough"

I'd say either Brooklyn or Manhattan, but there are many wonderful options as far as the specific place. Maybe a couple of slices at Di Fara?

[jrichman]

Since Staten Island is going to be beakfast and the bronx most likely Arthur Avenue - I was figuring that Brooklyn / Manhattan would be the pizza borough - I appreciate everyones help - I am still compiling the responses so please keep the ideas coming - I'll be sure to report the results back when I am done (pictures will be included!)

In 1 borough we are going to get pizza - which borough would you recommend be our "Pizza Borough"

I'd say either Brooklyn or Manhattan, but there are many wonderful options as far as the specific place. Maybe a couple of slices at Di Fara?

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[TongoRad]

Another idea that I thought might be worth considering is to make a late night foray to 5 Star Punjabi for some butter chicken. The place is ostensibly a popular hangout for Indian taxi drivers in the off hours. I've only pulled an all-nighter in the nabe one time, but I definitely made a point to go there and found the vibe to be pretty cool. I've also been during the day numerous times and found the butter chicken to be reliably very good. It's located on the Queens side of the 59th Street Bridge, just off of 21st.

Edited May 4, 2005 by TongoRad (log)

[DanaT]

What a fun idea! jrichman if you're into roadfood and you're going to be around NoHo, the Great Jones Cafe is a great cheap eats for Cajun and a fun atmosphere.

I look forward to reading your report.

[jrichman]

Hello Everyone - Our full day of eating still has not happened, we will be going one of the next few weekends coming up - please keep the sugestions coming along and I promise to write a full report when we return (if I get a digital camera before then I will also take pictures and post!) Thanks Again!

What a fun idea! jrichman if you're into roadfood and you're going to be around NoHo, the Great Jones Cafe is a great cheap eats for Cajun and a fun atmosphere.

I look forward to reading your report.

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