It was one of those days when I couldn’t decide what to eat. Walked around for an hour. Then I couldn’t believe it. No line when I walked by Rainbow Falafel –1:20pm this sunny Thursday. So I walked right up. Falafel sandwiches are up to $4.50 these days. 😯 It’s been a while since I had one of these. Not very bold in flavor, but great texture. A few people started to line up behind me, but still …only a few.
Rainbow Cafe Falafel – 26 E 17th St (btwn 5th Ave & Broadway) New York, NY 10003
I’ve always been curious about this dirty looking Chinese take-out across from the projects and down the sketchy street from me. Todd said when you go in, you come out smelling like grease. Ho May means “good aroma” in Chinese. So I wanted to know what if this “good aroma” really smelled like grease.
I ordered the Sweet & Sour Chicken with Pork Fried Rice ($6) from the other side of the bullet proof glass. You have to stick your arm through the slot like a mouse maze to pay and get your food. Looking at the bullet proof glass, their specials are mozzarella sticks and Tang. The food was solid as any regular Chinese-American take-out goes. The chicken’s fried battered breading had a slight thin airy crunch to it. I was satisfied and stuffed.
I did end up smelling like Chinese food though. Sorta like how I could smell my parents all the way from my bed when they got home from work at their restaurant –like Chinese food. Like comfort.
Ho May Kitchen – 100 Woodpoint Road (@ Kingsland Ave) Brooklyn, NY 11211
I walked by this place past 4am and wondered why the hell it was still opened. Because it opens til 6am every day, that’s why. M Noodle Shop on Metropolitan is brought to you by the people behind M Shanghai on Havemeyer and is only a couple weeks old.
I got an order of steamed roast pork buns (2 for $6). A little pricy for char siu bao, but what do you expect at four in the morning in Williamsburg? I’m curious about the soy sauce and chopsticks they gave me with my pork buns. I’m curious why every drunk person walking in thought I worked there. I’m curious about the economic and social consequences behind feeding wasted kids in the middle of the night. Immigrant Chinese chefs becoming insomniacs and no one can fit into their skinny jeans anymore. I’ve been worried about my jeans.
M Noodle Shop – 549 Metropolitan Ave (btw Union Ave & Lorimer St) Brooklyn, NY 11211
Ordered the Great Burrito burrito from Great Burrito. It has chicken, beef and pork with this mushy rice that I’ve never liked. It’s been years since I’ve had it and wondered what I would think now that I’m used to this type of Mexican food (meaning not Chipotle). It’s actually pretty good. I didn’t mind the rice this time. Maybe go with just the roast pork. It’s the best of their meats.
Taking my lunch back to work today, there was a lady shouting on her phone behind me. “No, I’m not asking! We’re having dinner tonight! …We ARE having dinner tonight! …I’m not on my period!” I wonder where they’re eating.
Great Burrito – 100 W 23rd St (@ 6th Ave) New York 10011
Went to the post office to apply for a passport –not to go anywhere in particular, but to leave myself open to a great adventure. I had to check the mirror because I forgot what color my eyes were for the application. I stopped over at Jimmy’s House to point and pick some Chinese food over rice. The price went up 25cents, but still a good value.
Jimmy’s House – 162 E 25th St (btw 3rd Ave & Lexington) New York, NY 10010
I was walking down the Avenue of Puerto Rico in Brooklyn looking for some new Air Jordans. A man handed me a slip of paper that said “God Wants Change Your Life” and when I took it, he laughed loud like a crazy maniac.
I got a spicy beef patty ($1.50) and coco bread ($1) from Mama’s Caribbean –a converted Golden Krust. I never thought Golden Crust made good patties, but I knew no two are equal and wanted to give this empty converted restaurant a chance. The flavor wasn’t bad, but why do they all make their meat pâté-like and their coco bread from a store bought bag? I would love to find patties and fresh baked coco bread comparable to Caribbean Spice in Gainesville, FL. That food was so awesome and the Jamaica travel poster with the big breasted girl was a nice touch too. Tebow should send me some Caribbean Spice!
Mama’s did have roti and I’m interested to try that with curry goat.
After looking at some Air Jordan knock-offs and looking for the old man who passes out in his chair on the street selling socks, holding them up in his sleep, wearing sunglasses and jaw dropped (like Weekend at Bernies), I decided to go and get the real thing at ACTIVE warehouse. It has a fuzzy swoosh. I’m a happy man.
Mama’s Caribbean Grill & Bakery – 715 Broadway, Brooklyn NY 11206
Met up with the Brooklyn Fishing Derby gang at the N.5th and Kent Pier –beautiful and hidden behind the Dubai-esque sky rise condos and construction. A good amount of folks fishing there with kids running around and hipsters sunbathing. Unfortunately they’ve just closed down this pier for the rest of October, suspiciously when the fishing derby ends. I wonder what would happen if the derby ran a few months longer.
Russ and I had a few drinks and sportsmans at the Levy afterwards. There’s a food truck called Eurotrash right next door that I’ve never seen before. It’s in a lot that looks like it’s for a junkyard, small warehouse, an apartment or apparently a recording studio? I heard some drunk girl rave about about the fish and chips and it’ll only be fitting after a day of fishing. It was really good. The fries were Belgium style frites. I’m curious about the meatballs and Bangers and Mash.
EuroTrash Vending Truck – 106 N 3rd St (btw Berry & Wythe) Williamsburg, Brooklyn
I revisited the B&B African and Caribbean spot with steamed trays lunch buffet at $5.99 a pound. My small box came to $5 filled with a lot of different flavors and curries –perfect for the Fall season rolling around. As you can see I put tiny spoonfuls of different dishes and didn’t even get to all the ones I wanted to taste on the buffet.
I feel ever closer to Lindsay Lohan’s character in Mean Girls. Oh, I just watched Mean Girls. Oh, she’s African in the movie. Oh, my roommate made me watch it.
B&B African Restaurant – 165 W 26th St. (btw 6th & 7th Ave) NYC 10001
