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No matter what your budget, you'll find it almost impossible to go hungry in New York. But do you want to eat what you can eat any day of the week back home, or do you want a true, uniquely New York eating experience? Read on.
A slice of pizza
Toss some dried red pepper or granulated garlic on it and eat it standing up, folded to capture the grease before it stains your clothes. That's the way New Yorkers have been eating pizza for years. The classic New York slice, however, has been on the decline ever since pizzerias like Dominos and Papa John's have corrupted the pizza landscape. You can still find a good slice, but you need to do your research. Check out Patsy's of East Harlem (2207–91 First Ave.), where you can get old-fashioned coal-oven pizza by the slice, a rarity; Joe's Pizza (7 Carmine St.) in the Village, open until the wee hours, so particularly satisfying for your late night cravings; and Sal & Carmine's (2671 Broadway) on the Upper West Side.
Bagel with lox
Is there is anything more simply satisfying than a fresh, out of the oven bagel topped with schmear of cream cheese and a razor-thin slice of lox? This combination might be one of the most popular breakfast items in New York. And you can find it at just about every diner and deli in the city. But for the best, head to the Upper West Side and Barney Greengrass, the Sturgeon King (541 Amsterdam Ave.) — they have been making this now world famous combination since 1908.
Cuban/Chinese
There used to be countless Cuban/Chinese restaurants in Manhattan, most centered on the Upper West Side. The boom began in the late 1950s after the Cuban revolution and the beginning of the Castro regime. Chinese-Cubans emigrated to New York and opened up restaurants serving both Cantonese-style Chinese food and traditional Cuban food. A few are left, and the best is Flor de Mayo (2651 Broadway). Here you can order a big bowl of hearty wonton soup followed by a huge plate of yellow rice and black beans.
Chicken and waffles
You are out late, it's getting near dawn, and you can't decide whether you want dinner or breakfast. You can't resist the fried chicken, but waffles sound good, too. So you try a little of both together — maple syrup melding with hot sauce; sweet with savory. And that is the purported legend behind this funky combination. You might get an argument from denizens of Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, where you can also find chicken and waffles, but the birthplace of this unusual dish is said to be Wells Chicken and Waffles in Harlem in 1938. Wells is long gone, yet chicken and waffles live on. A number of restaurants in Harlem continue what Wells started. The most popular is Amy Ruth's (113 W. 116th St.), where not only can you get chicken and waffles, but grits and fish cakes, another outstandingly unique combination.
The hot dog
You can find carts selling cheap hot dogs throughout the city. You might be tempted to try one just to say you did. And you should; it is definitely a New York experience. But even better, take the train out to Coney Island and sample a Nathan's Famous dog right on the boardwalk (1310 Surf Ave.). Maybe it's the salty sea air enveloping you. Maybe it's the crisp skin of the hot dog, or the way it's perfectly fried. Whatever it is, your Nathan's hot dog will be memorable.
Pasta fagioli
Some call it "pasta fazool," others "pasta fagioli." Whatever, it's pasta with beans. And, no, this Southern Italian comfort dish is not unique to New York, but having a delicious, hearty bowl at Café al Mercato in the Arthur Avenue indoor market in the Little Italy of the Bronx (2344 Arthur Ave.) is most definitely special. You might want to follow up your pasta fagioli with a wedge of the cafe's homemade focaccia topped with broccoli rabe.
Ice cream with a view
The Brooklyn Bridge is, no doubt, on your New York itinerary. Plan your walk across this grand structure for later in the day, maybe close to dusk. Once over the bridge on the Brooklyn side, head down to the river until you get to what appears to be an old fireboat house right on the waterfront. Inside that structure you will find the best ice cream in the city at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory (1 Water St.). The ice cream is all homemade, and you won't be challenged by too many exotic choices. Keep it simple and just add some of their own amazing hot fudge to whatever you get. By now the sun will be setting and you can eat your ice cream with the visual treat of the twinkling lights on the buildings of Lower Manhattan across the river. Not that it needs the enhancement, but your ice cream will taste even better with that view.
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