April 13, 2006

 MUDtruck - Jolly Orange Giant

The friendly orange truck parked near the Astor Place Uptown 6 Station is a familiar sight to East Villagers, and a pleasing alternative to the well-known corporate behemoth, which has occupied strongholds within eyeshot to both the east and the west. The coffee is better, the prices are better, the music is better, and you don't need to learn a new language to place an order (the sizes, refreshingly, are "small" and "large"). So if you find yourself undercaffinated in Astor Place, do yourself a favor -- drink orange!

Posted by Sam on Apr 13, 2006 | Permalink | Comments & User reviews (1)

March 08, 2006

 From Atlantis with Love - Late-night Cornucopia

It's a virtual cornucopia spilling out of From Atlantis With Love, a late-night cart just up the block from legendary venue CBGBs. Peppers, corn, beans, eggplant, red cabbage, long strips of shaved carrots, and dangling ropes of garlic are just some of the vegetables arrayed in front of Michael, the soft-spoken man who vends from the custom-designed cart.

It's a slow moment, so I get a story with my wrap, told in a cadence much slower than the clipped street-talk I'm used to from New Yorkers. He tells me about the patent he's trying to get for his sandwich wraps "because nobody else makes anything like it -- caramelized ginger and Native American spices," and about the custom design of his cart; it's a story interspersed with comments about the ingredients he is adding to the growing pile of meats (chicken and turkey bacon), sauces (yougurt-garlic and barbeque) and vegetables (everything above!) going into my sandwich (and did I mention the cheese?). And finally, there it is, a savory melange, a robust torpedo wrapped in a tortilla and two layers of tinfoil, enough food for a meal now and a snack later. Enough to launch a story of its own.

Posted by Sam on Mar 8, 2006 | Permalink | Comments & User reviews (1)

February 27, 2006

 11th St @ 1st Ave - East Village Halal

This pushcart is as remarkable for its location as for the high quality of its food. Tucked away in the East Village, far from the commercial thouroughfares of 3rd Avenue and Broadway, you might wonder how it draws enough customers; that is, until you look across the street at the Mosque and Islamic Center, and see the need this Halal cart fills. And judging by the knot of Muslims hovering around the broad back of the vendor, it's filling that need admirably.

"Busy, busy" is how he answers the question "How are you?" He is, and it's clear why. His lamb is moist and laced with savory peppers and onions, his chicken is richly spiced, his platters come with special touches (like a few french fries thrown in), and his hot sauce has the marvelous unmistakeable smokeyness of harissa. It's good stuff, it's cheap, and it keeps 'em coming back -- even the non-muslims.

Posted by Sam on Feb 27, 2006 | Permalink | Comments & User reviews (2)