Met up with two parts Ape School and two parts Tigers and Monkeys at Pianos for some burgers and Indian-style nachos. Nice Happy Hour special –mostly $5 burgers and $3 beers. I think I shot a music video for Ape School and none of us knew it.
Then after it was definitely time to run across the street where the cab drivers roam at Punjabi. Samosa Chaat and Pakora. The cab driver that picked us up afterwards even chatted us up (or “chaatted” us up) about Indian food. We made plans to hit Jackson Heights for some non-microwaved Indian fast food, but just not that night. Ready to hit the hay …not one moment to blog!
Pianos – 158 Ludlow St (@ Stanton St) New York 10002 Punjabi – 114 E 1st St, NYC 10009 Ape School – myspace
Passed by this luncheonette I’ve never seen before close to my work. It seems harder and harder to find these little places. The awning said it was the home of the Sloppy Johny. That’s grilled chicken, bacon, onions, cheese and coleslaw on a hero. I wish it was a lot more sloppy, Johny. I’m not sure why the sandwich is famous, but I have to say the Melissa Munch – Hot Roast Beef, Sautéed Mushrooms, Onion Rings, and Melted Mozzarella on Garlic Bread sounds pretty awesome. Maybe make that sloppy with some potato curry or something.
Johny’s Luncheonette – 124 W. 25th Street (btw 6th & 7th Ave) New York City, NY 10001
The day started off when I stood next this Indian girl Shilpa Ray on the train this morning, who was in this cool band called Beat the Devil. I stared at her and she didn’t respond so I wasn’t sure if it was her. Then I stared at a Budweiser ad and felt like she was staring at me wondering if I was who I was. I didn’t know if it would be awkward to come in 5 mins later saying hi, so the whole train ride was awkward …at least in my head.
For lunch I did a little research and found out what people in Mumbai eat for street food. Bhel Puri (fried rice crunchies mixed chaat) and Pav Bhaji (buttered bread with Indian sauce). Found a place on Curry Hill that had both. It was really good, but I wish the place was a hole in the wall for the sake of this post. I guess most people rather not eat from a whole in the wall, so it’s probably just me. Their buffet looked pretty tasty.
Later in the evening went to see my Indian friend Shonali and non-Indian friend Marcellus perform at Pete’s Candy Store. Pooja was there. She’s Indian, but I think from Britain so I don’t know if she counts. Jody and I ended the night practicing our stand-up on stage after everyone left. What do you get when Jimmy Walker and Barack Obama rent Slumdog Millionaire on Blu-ray? …Jive-Hope!
DhaBa – 108 Lexington Ave (Btwn 27th & 28th St), New York 10016
Went to this mardi gras house party in Greenpoint. They had food shipped from New Orleans. All so good. The turtle soup is what lured me in. Tasted like pork gravy sauce. I liked it a lot. Had a girl show me how to eat the crawfish. I think she freaked a little when I said I was allergic to shellfish after I ate two of them. Is turtle soup shellfish?
Jessica and her sister Stephanie hosts a meet our new dogs brunch. I’ve never had such a fancy apt brunch. I’ve never had a brunch that lasted 7 hours.
You guys make name suggestions for the gray puppy or new captions for my pics.
A Friday night in the East Village. Pomme Frites for fries. I remember this was my first planned destination when I came to NY in 2002. I saw it on the Food Network and I knew I had to go there. I got there well before it opened so I hung out at the church across the street where they were having a bake sale. I had a muffin and saw some creepy old man hanging out by the parking meter. This girl that looked like a beat-up Nicole Kidman asked me for the time. I told her and she was really grateful. Then a minute later I saw the creepy old man and the beat-up Nicole Kidman walking down the street together and turning off at a corner. From there I figured it out. Pomme Frites finally opened and had some of the best fries ever. They should make it so you can have a ketchup cup assortment of sauces if they don’t already. That’d be awesome. Anyway after I finished and was walking out, I ran into the beat-up Nicole Kidman again. She asked me for $2.63 for a frappaccino. That’s really odd isn’t it to ask for exact change? I dug into my pocket and pulled out a few coins. She was so grateful again and wished me a good day. Then as we walked our separately ways, I heard her throw my coins down pissed-off on the sidewalk. That was my first day in New York.
Back to Friday night after Pomme Frites, headed over to Bowery Electric for Chelsea’s birthday. Apparently it was a joint birthday with a guy named Eric and Gideon Yago. Dang remember him? Had a blast. We danced up a storm. My friend Alex Moreno was spinning some hot tunes. There was even some spinning chair craziness.
Pomme Frites – 123 2nd Ave (btw 7th St & St Marks Pl) New York, NY 10003
Passed by this old school lookin NY Chinese restaurant on 14th. They serve both chinese and latino food. The waiters were old school NY Chinese restaurant guys. The customers were Latino construction workers. I got the oxtail stew lunch special for $6.50 and an egg roll. If I had it to stay, they would have given me the wonton soup. This place is pretty cool. They have Tsingtao. The oxtail is cheaper and just as good as Sophie’s …minus the green sauce. I feel like going back to the 70′s and having lunch and a beer here. How is this place on 14th St? How is it not a Quizno’s by now?
La Nueva Rampa – 149 W 14th St (Btwn 6th & 7th Ave) New York 10011
Went to the last place I had memories eating with both my parents years ago –a cute little Chinese noodle restaurant on Bowery and Canal. I remember my mom and I didn’t like the noodles, but I figure it’s been years and this place’s name has noodles in it. If I’m going to foodblog, I better get the noodles. I think I just don’t like this type of noodle. The meat was good. Next time I’m going to try suckling pig over rice $5.75!
Went to see the How’s Your News Band open up for State Radio at the Bowery Ballroom. It was a lot of fun. They were really awesome. Lucas on guitar shreds. He plays solos with his teeth. State Radio sounded familiar but still didn’t know who they were. Then Shonali and I realized we were asked to go on tour with them about a year ago, but couldn’t make it. I didn’t know who these guys were and I was amazed everyone knew the lyrics. Then we found out that the singer was in another band I never heard of called Dispatch that sold out Madison Square Gardens for three nights in 2007. Not Wamu but the arena. That’s amazing. I can’t really think of any band I’ve heard of that can sell out Madison Square Gardens three nights in a row. I’m not sure the Knicks sell out three nights in a row.
Happy Birthday Barack!
Matt's Bachelor Atlantic City Party
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