Slices of Uptown

Sheila McManus
NOSHNEWS
‘”Nosh your way from Odessa to Bombay….
And never leave New York”
Issue #20
Summer 2007
$5.00
Slices of Uptown
T
here may be nothing more emblematic of the south of Central Park, but have the more celebratory
changes taking place in Harlem now than what's names of Malcolm X Boulevard, Adam Clayton Powell
happening at the storefront on the northeast cor- Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard north
ner of Frederick Douglass Boulevard and of the Park. Along these avenues and side streets, new
112th Street. For years it was the “Euro-Corner,” a fancy buildings and up-market rehabs have risen steadily during
name for the local Greek-owned greasy spoon.—an island the last decade, bringing along generic retail—banks and
of whiteness in Manhattan’s African-American (and, in- drug stores—and also some great new eateries. My hope
creasingly, African) capital. Ownerhere is to identify wondership changed within the last year, and
ful places that signify the
the awning now reads “Ethiopianbest of Harlem and that I
American restaurant.” There are two
hope will continue to repretake-out menus. Euro-Corner’s, still in
sent it as Harlem evolves.
print (for now), offers familiar breakfast specials, burgers and sandwiches.
There are such great
The second menu lists Ethiopian seplaces—Keur Mame Dilections—beg wat, kitfo, kuanta firfir,
arra, whose owner, Mor
coro alecha—the spicy lamb, beef and
Thiane, is on the cover of
chicken dishes served with the
this issue, and Sokobolie, a
sponge-like millet-based injera bread.
marvelous Guinean place .
I don’t know if the owners plan evenI attended a ribbon cutting
tually to become a full-time Ethiopian
for a “new” Sokobolie in
restaurant, but a visit to their place reJune(attended by the Prime
minds me of what happened with the
Minister of Guinea!), but it
Jackson Diner on 74th Street in Jackwas closed temporarily and
Mor Thiane, Senegalese owner of
son Heights. The original, which I
has yet to re-open. Keep
Keur Mame Diallo restaurant
knew in the early 80s, was a hole-inyour eyes out for it (as will
the-wall near 37th Avenue whose new
I—and check my blog for
Indian owners had begun serving samosas and curries updates!). Let’s support these great places at a time when
alongside eggs and tuna fish When they moved into a some owners confess a sense of unease in the new Harlem.
much larger space up the block, they kept the name—it’s
now virtually a brand—and operates as a full-time Indian … and a slice of Amsterdam Avenue
buffet that draws locals and tourists alike.
Another uptown slice I’ve included in this issue
I doubt quite the same will happen here—there aren’t as
is a stretch of Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West
many Ethiopians in Harlem as there are Indians who live
Side, spanning 97th to 111th Streets. It used to be the quiet
and shop in Jackson Heights. But it’s a possibility I’ve
backyard to bustling Broadway, with a motley grouping of
pondered as I’ve finally closed Slices of Uptown, my first
service stores and small restaurants. It is now changing
issue of Noshnews after a hiatus of more than two years—
for what I think are similar reasons as Harlem: new conand a milestone 20th issue. During that time, I’ve mainstruction and general upgrades are turning Amsterdam
tained a full schedule of Noshwalks, so I’m constantly exAvenue into a new front yard Although the eateries on
ploring neighborhoods. Perhaps none has changed as radiAmsterdam are still cheaper than those on Broadway, I
cally and rapidly during this time as Harlem, which is
predict that much will change, as a number of them are, in
drawing a massively different residential and economic
my opinion, more interesting. Let me know if you agree!
complexion—and new restaurants and amenities.
Although I covered central Harlem in Issue #3
(in 1999), this issues examines an area further west: the
famous boulevards known as 6th, 7th and 8th Avenues
NOTE: Throughout this issue, I will be referring to
Malcolm X Boulevard as MXB,
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard as ACPB and
Frederick Douglass Boulevard as FDB
M
eanwhile, I am hugely relieved that this issue is finished. I’ve already begun working
on the next TWO issues. Some of you were
skeptical that I’d ever come back.
Thanks for your patience ~ and enjoy!
Myra Alperson, Editor
In this issue
Slices of Uptown
1
Getting Oriented &
Tips for Touring
2
Amsterdam Avenue
3
Two Boulevards:
Malcolm X &
Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
4
Frederick Douglass
Boulevard
5
Harlem notes
6
What’s Cooking?
7
NoshNotes
8
Manhattan
North
Central
Harlem
Amsterdam
Avenue
of
erard
hnch
ines.
the
s
s
g
d
d
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e
Getting Oriented
For the destinations on Amsterdam
Avenue, you can take the 1 train to
local stops along Broadway, including 96th,
103rd, 110th, 116th and 125th Sts. The M7 and
M11 buses run north on Amsterdam Ave., but the
M7 then turns east on 106th St. to Manhattan
Ave. before eventually heading to Malcolm X
Boulevard (MXB—also known as Lenox Ave.). The
M11 also runs south on Amsterdam (starting at
138th St. and Riverbank State Park) until 110th
St., when it turns east towards Columbus Ave.
The M104 Broadway bus runs up and downtown
and leaves you one block west of Amsterdam Ave.
For Malcolm X Boulevard (MXB) and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard (ACPB), take the #2 or #3
train to 125th or 135th Streets and MXB. (You’ll
also see signs for Lenox Avenue). Buses include
the M7 (which runs along MXB) and the M2
(which runs along ACPB). The A, B, C & D trains
run along Frederick Douglass Boulevard (FDB).
The B & C make all stops at 110th, 116th, 125th,
135th & 145th Streets as the train edges northwest from FDB. The A & D stop at 125th at St.
Nicholas Ave., a half-block west of FDB. The B
train doesn’t run on weekends. The M10 bus runs
along the entire boulevard, The M3, which runs
north on Madison Ave. and east on 110th, then
follows FDB north to 123rd Street, when it
veers northwest along St. Nicholas Ave.
“Slices of Uptown”
Amsterdam Ave.
Frederick Douglass Boulevard
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd.
Malcolm X Boulevard (Lenox Ave.)
(C)Hagstrom Map Co., Inc., Lic. No: H-2219
A
ll the destinations in this issue are
easy to reach by mass transit.
Some subway routes change on the weekend due
to construction and repairs. To avoid unpleasant
surprises, check for changes ahead of time by
clicking “weekend advisories” under NYC transit
on the www.mta.info Web site.
Tips for Touring
C
hange is everywhere in Harlem, with
modern high-rises seeming top crop up at
most major intersections, with more to
come. But history abounds, and good
guidebooks can help you see it! Four Harlem places
to find them include Hue-Man Books, 2319 FDB
@ 124th St.) , which has an excellent café; Harlemade (174 MXB @ 120th St.), Studio Museum of
Harlem at 144 West 125th St. and Schomburg
Center for Research in Black Culture, a branch
of the New York public library system (515 MXB)
at 135th St. which has a fabulous gift shop and
exhibition space (and the cremains of Langston
Hughes in the lobby, where you‘ll see a tile floor
with passages from his poem “I’ve Known Rivers.”
An invaluable architectural resource is AIA Guide
to New York City (Three Rivers Press, 2000) I also
like Touring Historic Harlem by Dolkart & Sorin
(New York Landmarks Conservancy, 1997)
On your own: A good place to begin a self-guided
tour is 125th Street between ACPB, which was
once known simply as Seventh Avenue—and was
the “Boulevard of Dreams” to many Harlem residents, and FDB—once known just as 8th Avenue
(and still so known to old-timers.). The busy intersection of 125th Street and Frederick Douglass
Boulevard includes the Magic Johnson Center,
which houses a multiplex cinema and retail stores.
Page 2
Nearby you’ll see the celebrated Apollo Theater
(253 West 125th St.), which started out as the Hurtig & Seaman Theater around 1914 and didn’t become a “hot spot” until the mid-1930s. Head east!
The southeast corner of ACPB is home to the
Theresa office tower—once the Hotel Theresa, built
in 1913, which was Harlem’s tallest until the nearby
New York State Office Building on the northeast
corner, opened in 1974. The Theresa was an important local cultural center. The statue to Powell at the
State Office building was erected in 2004. Heading
north on ACPB you’ll notice the former Alhambra
Ballroom at the southwest corner at 126th St. More
recently an outpost of the Department of Motor
Vehicles it has since been transformed into a seafood restaurant & bowling lanes (see p. 6).
Keep going north! On the traffic island on the north
side of 131st Street you will see a colorful abstract
sculpture. It represents the famed Tree of Hope that
once stood on this spot, near where two of Harlem’s
top jazz spots—the Lafayette and Connie’s Inn—
once faced one another. According to
www.apollotheater.com, the tree was removed in
1934 when the Avenue was widened, and pieces of
it were sold. At 2236 ACPB, you’ll come to Big
Apple Jazz/EZ’s Shed (see p. 6). I love the exterior of St. Aloysius Church at 209 W. 132nd Street
The stretch of 135th Street from Malcolm X
Boulevard on the east and Frederick Douglass
Boulevard on the west is anchored by the Schomburg Center and Harlem Hospital, both on Malcolm X Boulevard were key to the Harlem Renaissance; the eastern end is where Harlem’s black
community first set down roots in the early 1900s.
The hospital houses murals on medical and other
themes painted mostly by African-American artists
during the Works Progress Administration, although one, Alfred Crimi, was an Italian-American
raised in in East Harlem.) At the Harlem Y 180
W. 135th St.), many renowned African-Americanb
writers, visual and performing artists worked during
the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 30s. The
Harlem Walk of Fame on the next block features
bronze panels on the sidewalk celebrating Harlemites—living and dead—in politics and the arts. The
blocks of 138th and 139th Streets between ACPB
and FDB contain the landmarked rows of townhouses known as Strivers Row, but were originally called the King Houses in the 1890s.
Your ramble on Amsterdam Avenue should include
a stop at Cathedral of St. John the Divine
(Amsterdam Ave. at 112th Street—see p. 6) and the
Columbia University campus. Peter Salwen’s Upper West Side Story (Abbeville Press, 1989) offers
good historical information on the area.
Amsterdam Avenue (97th to 111th Sts.)
Maud Pamphile put her personal touch on the
Haitian Restaurant Krik-Krak
ike much of Harlem, this stretch of Manhattan is undergoing major change, as
high rise condos will replace the nowdemolished one-story building on Amsterdam Ave. between 99th & 100th Sts.
The tour: Your walk spans 97th to 111th
Streets, with Columbia University and the beautiful Cathedral of St. John the Divine (see p. 7)
creating a delicious complement to your eating.
Getting there: See p. 2. My Upper West Side
Noshwalk starts at Columbia University and
heads south on Amsterdam so that we can conclude with café con leche at El Malecon (764
Amsterdam Ave. @97th St., 212.864.5648). But
El Malecon is also a great place to start! It’s the
little sibling of one of the best Dominican restaurants in NYC (the flagship is on Broadway &
175th St. in Washington Heights). The whiff of
rotisserie chicken, which rotates seductively in
the front window, will draw you in (and it’s my
favorite entrée), but everything I’ve had there,
from the rich soups and hardy stews to the flan,
rice pudding and other desserts, have been immensely satisfying. For years I enjoyed eating at
Pampa, an Argentinean place two stores north of
(C)Hagstrom Map Co., Inc., Lic. No: H-2219
L
find their specials to be particularly imagina- has a nice bar featuring Ethiopian honey wine
tive (grand marnier prawns with walnuts, for and African beer and the platters (starting at $12
instance) and I’ve always liked coming here for a vegetarian combo) are generous. I bring my
because it’s quiet (though busy!) and the food Upper West Side Noshwalkers here, too. Newis excellent. In Haiti the words Krik-Krak mean comer Thai Market (960 Amsterdam Ave.,
“Let me tell you a story,” says Maud Pamphile, 212.280.4575) has struck the right chord in the
who owns a restaurant by that name at (844 neighborhood with its open, casual setting, and
Amsterdam Ave. @101st Street, offering a comfortable place to hang out with a
212.222.3100). (It’s also the title of a story snack (such as a Thai crepe, about $5) or a more
collection by Haitian-American writer Edwige substantial meal, which will set you back only
Danticat.) An experienced restaurateur who about $15, with a beverage. Roti Roll (994 Amhad a place in Long Island, she took over a sterdam Ave., 212.666.1500) became my addicsmall space known for good food but a floures- tion while I was writing this issue. A “frankie” is
cent , uninviting setting whose key clientele Indian street food—basically, a wrap containing
seemed to be Haitian cab drivers. It was beau- some of your favorite Indian combinations—
tifully renovated in 2005 and now draws a curries, paneers, muglais, and so on. When I
varied crowd. I just wish it were larger. Why interviewed manager Anthony Rozario, he mencome? Delicately steamed fish; fragrant tioned that goat cheese options were added to
chicken stew; hot sauces that bring out the add an interesting option to student customers at
flavor instead of drownjing it, and accompani- nearby Columbia. V & T Pizza (1024 Amsterdam
ments of rice with beans, fried plantains and Ave., 212.666.8051) is a Columbia mainstay—a
salad, for prices not much higher than $12 or so traditional and large family-style restaurant with a
for the most expensive dish. Don’t miss the akra, vast menu. To accommodate current tastes, they
fritters made from malanga root, with an excellent dipping sauce—another a Noshwalk treat!
Up the block, Noche Mexicana (852 Amsterdam
Ave., 212.662.6900) has changed from being
one of the narrowest restaurants in Manhattan to
a comfortably wide eatery specializing in the food
of Guerrero, the state where owner Demetreo
Leon was born. To expand, he rented space on
the other side of the main door to the apartment
building housing the restaurant, and there are
separate entrances; the kitchen in the back. I
asked whether there was any difference between
the two, and he quipped, “One is north, the other
is south.” It is a comfortable and quiet alternative
to the raucous Mama Mexico around the corner Demetrios Leon (right) founded Noche Mexion Broadway at 102nd St.—which is a great cana to serve specialties of the Guerrero state
place, too, but too loud & crowded for my taste).
You will have a very different and truly authentic offer an arugula & goat cheese pizza; it’s the type
experience of Mexican food two blocks north at of place where anyone can feel comfortable. It
Los Paisas (898 Amsterdam Ave., would reveal my age to tell you that I remember
212.961.1263), which takes you right into Mex- when the menu offered curry dishes for Indian
ico. Also serving the cuisine of Guerrero, Los students at the university. But I
Paisas caters to Mexican customers, and has a also recall when Hungarian Pastry
market where you can buy Mexican food and Shop (1030 Amsterdam Ave.,
house wares as well as sandals, hammocks and 212.866.4230) was a gloomy,
blankets. Kim’s Grocery (898 Amsterdam Ave. at smoke-filled student hangout.
104th St.) is the only real produce market (with a Owner Peter Bignaris still sells
new fish market) in this area, and offers a good Hungarian specialties such as rigo
sampling representing the immigrant mix in this janczi, a cream-filled chocolate
area of the Upper West Side, including West pastry, great strudels (make mine
Indian jerk sauces, Caribbean herbs and spices, poppy!) and others in the now
Mexican greens and other ethnic specialties. It’s smoke-free venue, along with variacross the street from the International Youth ous coffees and teas. Its outdoor
Hostel (891 Amsterdam Avenue), which is lo- eating and strategic location oppocated in a magnificent building that was once a site the Peace Fountain at the
home for indigent women. Ranchito (924 Amster- Cathedral of St. John Divine offer
dam Ave., 212-865-0018) is a small year-old lovely setting on a beautiful day. 
Dominican place that you
might walk by if you weren’t Amsterdam Ave.—97th St. to 111th St.
looking for it. I was entranced El Malecon (764 Amsterdam/97th St.)
by the murals inside, which Pearls (796 Amsterdam/99th St.)
transport you to the island— Krik Krak (844 Amsterdam/101st St.)
and to the menu, which is Noche Mexicana (852 101st St.)
more extensive than you Los Paisas (898 Amsterdam/104th St.)
might think for the size of the Kim’s Groceries (900 Amsterdam/104th St.)
place. Go for the savory beef Ranchito (924 Amsterdam Ave./105th St)
stew and maduros—sweet Awash (947Amsterdam/107th St.)
plantain. Most everything is
Thai Market (960 Amsterdam Ave./108th St.)
$5 to $7. Ethiopian restaurant Awash (947 Amsterdam Roti Roll (994 Amsterdam Ave./109th St.)
Ave., 212.961.1416) has V&T (1024 Amsterdam Ave./110th St.)
been in the area for years; it Hungarian Pastry Shop (1030 Amsterdam/111th St.)
Page 3
At Roti Roll, these men prepare Indian-style
wraps called “Bombay Frankies”
El Malecon. Despite what I thought was a dicey
location for a place of this type, it drew crowds for
its grilled meats and impeccable service. As this
issue drew to a close, I saw that Pampa had
closed and that “Café Tango” was due to replace
it. I have no details—presumably this will be another Argentinean place. But there was nothing
wrong, in my view, with the old one… Stay tuned!
Pearls (796 Amsterdam Ave., 212-749-0300) is
a survivor of the days when the Upper West Side
was known a Szechuan Valley; it used to be Hunan Cottage on Broadway and migrated here
some years back, I suppose, as rents soared. I
NOSHNEWS
Two Boulevards:
Malcolm X Boulevard & Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard
s I set out to finish this issue, I spotted
a busy construction site at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard & 127th St.
“What’s happening?” I asked a worker.
“New condo. Seven stories,” he told me. It faces a
housing project “Harlem’s changing fast, isn’t it?” I
said. “Too fast,” he replied. He shook his head.
Getting there: Take the #2 or #3 train to 125th
Street and Malcolm X Boulevard (MXB). The M7
bus runs along MXB and M2 runs along ACPB.
The tour: My suggested route begins at 125th
Street and MXB, runs north on MXB, west on
138th Street and south on ACPB to 125th St. The
first sight when you arrive is the hectic intersection where Starbucks, CVS, Marshall's and Staples
make up the dominant retail and overwhelm most
everything else in sight. A block-long cluster of
buildings on the southwest corner were razed a
few months ago, and other big box occupants are
expected. Soon, Harlem won’t look much different
than areas of midtown! Heading north on the east
side, your first sight will be A Slice of Harlem (308
MXB) a pizza place that’s been around for at least
a decade. There’s nothing particularly Harlem-y
about it except its location. But in the rear of the
store, Charles Southern Fried Chicken, whose
chief outpost is at 2841 Frederick Douglass Boulevard near 150th St now offers
fried and jerked chicken and
Malcolm X Boulevard/Lenox Avenue
other specialties. For a more
(MXB)
local taste of Harlem food. A Slice of Harlem/Charles’s Southern
One block north is the main- Fried Chicken (308 MXB/125th St.)
stay Sylvia’s (328 MXB, Sylvia’s (328 MXB/126th St.)
212.996.0660). Sylvia Woods Manna’s Too (468 134th St./MXB)
opened a modest eatery in
Schomburg Center & Harlem Hospital
1962 and now owns the sev(135th St., MXB)
eral buildings it has expanded
Miss
Maude’s
Spoonbread (547 MXB )
into, including banquet rooms
that flank the original counter Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard
area (which I prefer). She has
(ACPB)
also branched into manufacturing jerk sauces, canned Strictly Roots (2058 ACPB/123rd St)
products, sauces and even No Pork on my fork (2065 ACPB/
124th St.,)
hair care products, plus cookbooks. My favorite meal there Tremes (2086 ACPB/125th St.)
is breakfast, at the counter, Harlem Lanes/Pier 2110
(2116 ACPB/126th St.)
but I’ve recently had fried
chicken and baked catfish, Big Apple Jazz (2236 ACPB/131st St. )
both fine and accomplished. Veg Café (2291 ADPB/135t St.)
Between there & 135th IHOP (2289 ACPB/135th St.)
Street, the only other place I Make My Cake (2380 ACPB/139th St.)
recommend is Manna’s Too Sea & Sea (2391 ACPB/139th St.)
A
(C)Hagstrom Map Co., Inc., under Lic. No: H-2219
“Queen of Soul Food” Sylvia Woods and
her grandson, De’Sean Woods
(486 MXB at 134th St, 212.234.4488), Like its
counterparts mentioned on pp. 5 & 6, it has a
great soul food buffet. The walls are adorned with
posters of eminent African-Americans, including:
Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth, and Muhammad Ali.
At 135th St. you’ll see Harlem Hospital &
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
(see p. 2). Two blocks north, you’ll find a homey
ambiance at Miss Maude’s Spoonbread (547 MXB,
212.690.3100). Its menu offers southern & Cajun
specialties—ribs, patties & more—with the costliest
entrees about $15, but most between $9 & $11.
Owner Norma Jean Darden’s first restaurant is
Miss Mamie’s Spoonbread at 366 Cathedral Parkway near Morningside Park. Carl Redding at Amy
Ruth’s in Harlem, gave me her banana pudding
recipe for Issue #3 of Noshnews. Of course I credited Darden, who has written several cookbooks.
Now walk west on 138th Street, where
you’ll pass Abyssinian Baptist Church, where the
first Adam Clayton Powell preached. The church
funds local economic initiatives, and is due to develop the long-vacant Renaissance Ballroom, on
the east side of ACPB between 137th & 138th
Sts., into a 15-story multi-use building. The shell
has unusual tile work on its exterior and may still
have an old chow mein sign that has long since
stopped glowing in neon! Walk north one block to
the huge fish market Sea & Sea (2391 ACPB), one
of 3 branches in Harlem. You can put together a
platter of seafood & have it seasoned and
steamed on-site. You’ll also find spicy sauces and
herbs that cater to the palates of the store’s many
West Indian & West African customers Across
ACPB at 139th St., in one of the Striver's Row
buildings, is Make My Cake (2380 ACPB,
212.234.2344), known for its carrot cakes, cocoanut cake and pies; it has a cozy sit-down café. Four
blocks south, at 135th St., is the Thurgood Marshall Academy, a public high school, which also
houses Manhattan’s only branch of International
House of Pancakes (2289 ACPB 212.234.4747)
on the ground floor. Once the site of the jazz club
Small’s Paradise, its designers preserved Small’s’
façade and added several floors to create the
school. What can I say about IHOP? It’s often
Betty Park launched the Manna restaurant chain
in the 1980s and opened the upscale seafood
place, Pier 2110, in the Alhambra Ballroom, in
2006. It’s an ambitious undertaking in a gorgeous
space that I saw soon after it opened. But at this
writing it was closed and a phone message said it
would open in the fall “under new management.”
packed, but the food & setting were undistinguished (one experience sufficed for me.) Cross
the street & you’ll be surprised at the sweet and
stylish Café Veg (2291 ACPB, 212.491.3223), a
vegetarian restaurant & juice bar, with an ample
menu of wraps, sandwiches, salads and entrees.
In a generous-sized space at 134th St., I saw a
large canopy announcing the arrival of La Marmite
(2269 ACPB), a West African restaurant whose
smaller version at 121st St.,- long closed- was distinguished by a mini-thatched roof above the entrance; I’ll be curious to see its new incarnation!
Your next stop is almost 10 blocks south: Tremes
(2086 ACPB, 212.749.6574), a Jamaican place
whose adjacent Earthly Juice Bar offers complex
combos of fruits, herbs & vegetables aimed at curing all ailments. Tremes’ tasty entrees range from
$4 for small to over $10 for large, all with rice &
peas, and 2 sides.. (Note that even the “small”
sizes are ample!) The juices are not cheap—some
are $5—but are large, rich & luscious. No Pork on
My Fork (2065 ACPB, 212.222.6213) is an Egyptian-owned halal pizzeria that also offers Mediterranean dips. Strictly Roots
(2058 ACPB, 212.864.8699) is a lowkey Caribbean vegan place, where
you’re as likely to encounter a busy
chess game along with delicious lentil
soup & tofu burgers!
Frederick Douglass Boulevard (FDB)
Zoma (2084 FDCB/112th St.)
Ethiopian-American Restaurant (2090
FDB/112th St.)
Society (2104 FDB/113th St.)
Florence (2099 FDB/114th St.)
Melba’s (300 W. 114th St. )
Tribal Spears (2167 FDB/117th St.)
Lovie’s Fish & Chips (2190 FDB/118th St.)
Les Ambassades (2200FDB/119th St.)
Moca Lounge (2210 FDB/119th St.)
Hue-Man Books (2319 FDB/124th St.)
Manna (FDB/2331 125th St.)
Keur Mame Diarra (2345 FDB/129th St.)
Revival (2367 FDB/127th St.)
Yvonne Yvonne (301 W. 135th St.)
Sokobolie (2529 FDB /135th St.)
Page 4
Issue #20 Summer 2007
Frederick Douglass Boulevard
n the 1980s, when I led “gourmet” bicycle
tours of New York City, I avoided Frederick
Douglass Boulevard because of its decrepit
buildings and vast empty lots. Now the
Magic Johnson complex has reanimated commercial activity around 125th Street. At 135th Street, a
luxury apartment building, with Duane Reade,
gives the impression of the Upper East Side transplanted Uptown. At 145th Street, a cluster of condos has created a new bulwark for the homogenization of New York City, with Pathmark & Chase
Bank as anchors. Scattered markets sell ingredients to prepare African dishes but I find them soso. Your best bet is the African wholesale markets
in the Bronx, many near where the Bronx Terminal
Market used to be. I’ll cover these in the future.
(Watch my blog, for updates!)
Getting there: Start at 110th St. and Frederick
Douglass Boulevard See page 2 for transit details.
The tour: (HINT: A good time to go is late afternoon or early evening, when you can join the restaurant crowds.) Heading north from 110th Street,
you’ll find 2 Ethiopian restaurants at 112th Street:
Zoma (see box) and Ethiopian-American Restaurant (2090 FDB, 212.222.3540). EthiopianAmerican restaurant continues to offer both an
American diner menu and Ethiopian dishes, although the three times I’ve gone, they were not
serving the Ethiopian dishes At 114th St. you'll
find a bit of everything Harlem is about these days
Society Coffee (2104 FDB, 212.222.3323) is a
popular exposed-brick-with-laptop café that is
cropping up in gentrified neighborhoods from Park
Slope to Sunnyside to Fort Greene and now Harlem. It’s a nifty looking, comfy place with nice
desserts , coffees, & plenty of networking Across
the street is Florence, an unpretentious place that
serves specialties of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire
(2099 FDB, between 113th & 114th Sts.,
212.531.02870. Owner Florence Mills prepares
delicious chicken, goat and fish stews in an assortment of sauces that include ground nut, okra and
fish. With many customers who drive cabs for a
living, lunchtime ends up being around 4 PM—
that’s when it seemed to buy busiest when I
checked it out! Lovie’s Fish and Chips (2190 FDB)
is a place I walked by many times before deciding
to try it, because it seemed unimpressive. But its
simplicity belies not only its warm and welcoming
service but also the delicious food—in my case,
fried whiting (not too fried) and collards for just
$7.50. The place feels fragile amidst all the
change, and the owner lamented
The “new” Harlem: Sprouting through much of Harlem is a new that while she enjoys the amenities
wave of cafes, galleries and restaurants that clearly anticipates a more the neighborhood now offers, “I
affluent and sophisticated blending of African, Caribbean, European can’t afford them.” As you conand other cultures living together here now. These include Zoma tinue walking uptown, check out
(2084 FDB, 212.662.0620), an Ethiopian restaurant with beautiful the new places I’ve mentioned in
(but understated) Ethiopian artwork in a quiet setting; (dinner only); the box as well as Hue-man Books
Melba’s (300 W. 114th St., 212.864.7777) , a chic and lively restau- & Café within the Magic Johnson
rant-bar that serves supper daily plus a Sunday brunch; Tribal Complex, (see p. 2) At the original
Spears (2167 FDB @ 117th St., 212.666.6550), an awesomely at- Manna soul food salad bar (2331
tractive “art café” that serves coffees, teas, juices,. sandwiches and FDB, north of 125th Street
salads, and also doubles as a space for art exhibitions, performances (212.749.9084) I find myself al& crocheting classes; Moca Bar (2210 FDB @ 119th St, 212- most magnetically attracted to its
665.8081), an intimate place for Cajun and “new American” cui- collard greens cooked in turkey.
sine” (& comedy nights & other programs); and Les Ambassades While the large selection includes
(2200 FDB, 212.666.0078). The oldest of the bunch—it opened in standard salad bar/hot food fare,
2002– it has morphed from a Senegalese hangout into a full-fledged you can also get jerk chicken, ribs,
stewed okra, a flavorful steamed
French-influenced African café-restaurant with North African &
cabbage, and banana pudding for
Asian-influenced dishes along with Senegalese specialties. I ordered
$4.99/pound. There’s seating
Comoros curry, a vegetarian dish in an intriguing-sounding cocoanut upstairs. (Manna’s has 3 other
sauce. Alas, they delivered grilled lamb (which I decided to take—it places in Harlem—see pp. 4 & 6).
smelled, looked & was delicious) in a complex sauce that included The popular Roti Plus (2345 FDB,
tongue-burning peppers. I suppose someone else got the Comoros 212.749.8758) is a Trinidadian
curry. The place is elegant but also laid back—you can have a full place that serves huge rotis stuffed
meal or a delicious French pastry; it opens at 7 AM if you crave a with curried chicken, chick peas or
fresh croissant to start the day! Prices at most of these places are still other ingredients for $6-$7 and
generally very reasonable (entrees $10-$25)and worth exploring.
delicious patties with different fillings for $1.50; I take groups for the
patties. For a diversion check out
the house at 311 West 126th St.,
which to me looks like the type of
place the Darling family in Peter
Pan could have lived in! Back to
reality, Revival (2367 FDB at 127th
St., 212.222.8338), now seems
like an old-timer— it opened in
2001– and offers an eclectic menu
of Cajun & Southern dishes and
tasty Sunday brunch of fruit, grits,
bacon, sausage, hash, muffins and
grilled tomatoes and other vegetables, omelets, waffles, & more. If
you’re not careful you might pass
the narrow entrance leading to
Keur Mame Diarra (2491 FDB,
Florence Mills, right, with her daughter and granddaughters,
212.866.0014), a wonderful, warm
prepares Ghanaian and Ivorian dishes at Florence’s Restaurant. Senegalese place, with friendly
service from host Mor Thiane and
I
NOSHNEWS
Former model Yvonne Richards sells some of the
best Jamaican dishes in New York at Yvonne Yvonne
staff. The interior feels more like a small-town
neighborhood restaurant, but its booths provide a
welcome intimacy. There’s also free coffee! Entrees range from $9 to $12 (most in the lower
range), for stews of lamb, fish or beef in base of
okra, ground nut (peanuts) or tomato, wonderfully
spiced. Try also thiakry, a delicious dessert of sour
cream, fruit and couscous. Further north, Yvonne
Yvonne (301 West 135th Street, 212.862.1223)
is, in my view, the area’s best Jamaican eatery. In
warm weather you can sit outside and see the
landmark City College buildings overlooking nearby
St. Nicholas Park. Opened in 2002, it’s an outgrowth of a mobile Jamaican jerk truck that owner
Yvonne Richards still operates near the Cornell
Medical Center on the East Side. Fried, barbecue
& jerk fish & chicken dishes are staples, ranging
from $4.99/pound to $6.99/pound. Sides include
the usual: rice & peas, mac-n-cheese, potato salad,
yams, plantains, collard greens, steamed cabbage,
mashed potato. Desserts include bread pudding,
sweet potato pudding, carrot cake, black wine cake
& pineapple coconut cake. 
ALERT: I have long adored the Guinean place
Sokobolie
(2529 FDB, 212.491.3969). I’ve
brought many groups there, so folks can sample
its variety and I can indulge my greed to savor its
West African specialties. It’s the only African buffet
I know in Harlem, and there are usually at least a
half-dozen entrees, with as many different types of
rice or couscous, The stews include groundnut
(peanut), okra, spinach and cassava leaf with fish,
lamb or beef. You pay by weight: about $5 per
pound; $2 more brings you pungent ginger beer
and $3 a container of thiakry. As of late August,
the old address was closed and Sokobolie was
due to relocate to a new place across FDB.
Coming in NoshNews:
ISSUE #21: DOWNTOWN STATEN ISLAND
AND OTHER CORNERS OF NYC
And you can look forward (in no specific order)
to…Caribbean Crown Heights (Brooklyn)
Atlantic Avenue (Brooklyn): Middle Eastern Marvels
The New South Bronx—Mott Haven, Longwood
& Hunt’s Point
Newark’s Ironbound: Portuguese
Pleasures
Ridgewood—straddling
boroughs, straddling worlds * Yorkville: Manhattan Lost & Found Corona & Elmhurst (Queens):
Around the world in a few subway stops
The
“other” Williamsburg: Polish and Italian
Maspeth (Queens): Quiet & Multicultural
East
Village (Manhattan): Antique & Avant-Garde
Flushing’s “Little Israel Inwood… and more!
Bowling comes to Harlem.. and other notes
ALL THAT
JAZZ
The old Alhambra Ballroom at Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
Boulevard and 126th Street has taken on new life. A
great new addition is Harlem Lanes (2116 ACPB, 212678-BOWL, www.Harlemlanes.com), a joint effort of
two businesswomen, Sharon Joseph and Gail Richardson. Marketed as more than a destination for strikes
and spares—”Any other place is just bowling,” says
their snazzy Web site, the lanes occupy the third and
fourth floors of the six-story building. When I visited
during a school vacation, quite a few groups of children
were bowling; on the upper floor are a bar and party
room as well as alleys, and the lanes have clearly hit
the right note in the neighborhood. The ground floor
houses the upscale seafood restaurant Pier 2110 (see
p. 4), but the it was closed “for renovation” when this
issue went to press.
Two new statues will have locations in Harlem soon.
One, of Frederick Douglass, will be the centerpiece of a
traffic circle being completed at the intersection of
110th Street and Central Park West to the south and
Frederick Douglass Boulevard to the north. Further
north, where St. Nicholas Avenue crosses Frederick
Douglass Boulevard (around 122nd Street) there will
be a statue of Harriet Tubman. It’s about time we
honor some great women in bronze!
Gordon Polatnick is a
jazz fundi and fellow tour
guide who has been
leading Big Apple Jazz
tours of NYC for years. If
you’re a nightowl, then
his tours are for you! But
he has gone one step
further than most
guides: He has opened
Big Apple Jazz Tours founder Gordon Polatnick
EZ’s Woodshed, an outpost in Harlem, where
many of his tours go, as a place for folks to meet up, have a pastry, and hear
day time jazz. I stumbled on his storefront in January 2006, a week after he had
opened. “We’re everything jazz,” he said, pointing to the array of CDs, paintings,
photos, books, T-shirts, and all sorts of jazz memorabilia filling the space. It also
includes a dessert café, with pastries supplied by “Make my Cake” (see p. 4),
which you can savor with a cup of “bebop coffee.” In the rear is a venue for live
music, which is offered day and night—one of the few places where you can hear
jazz almost any time of day. I visited just before I closed the issue and was excited to see how many people were there! See www.bigapplejazz.com or go
there! It’s at 2236 ACPB; 212. 656.1057.
The Harlem Walk of
Fame, located on the
north and south sides of
the sidewalk of 135th
Street between Adam
Clayton Powell Jr. and
Frederick Douglass Boulevards, celebrates great
Harlemites living and
dead.
Still more places to eat in Harlem!
I
’ve noticed in the last few months that quite a few new places have
opened on 125th Street between Madison Avenue and Malcolm X
Boulevard. Manna’s, the. soul food buffet place that already has
three Harlem locations, including one at Madison and 125th (51 E.
125th St.), opened another several months ago at 70 W. 125th St., on the
south side of 125th Street just east of Malcolm X Boulevard. Pee Dee
Steak House, which has long operated at 3rd Avenue and 111th Street
in East Harlem, opened a new place at 50 W. 125th St. (212-996-11081)
Mobay (17 W. 125th St., 212-876-9300) is a stylish place that offers
soul food and Caribbean dishes as well as regular jazz programs. Two
places with a long history on 125th Street have upgraded or are about
to: Wimp’s Bakery now has a two-story operation at 29 W. 125th
Street (212-410-2296), with a hot buffet as well as its wonderful peach
cobbler and other traditional cakes and pies, and an upstairs jazz bar. A
Taste of Seafood A Touch of Soul, which draws lines of food lovers to
its humble place at 50 E. 125th Street, on the southeast corner at Madison Ave. (212-831-5584) has for months been fixing up a new spot
across the street (59 E. 125th St.). I presume the lines will keep coming,
even with more space! Charles Southern Fried Chicken, best known
for its three storefronts on Frederick Douglass Boulevard at 150th Street
(one each for catering, take-out and eating in) now shares space with A
Slice of Harlem, a pizza place at 308 MXB, just north of 125th Street.
Old-timer Lenox Lounge (288 MXB) has been serving dinner & jazz
for years—it’s a place I haven’t gotten to, yet, alas! South Beach Café
& Juice Bar (277 MXB) has gone through several incarnations since I
began exploring Harlem, and now specializes in Senegalese food, but
offers a side dish of mac’n’cheese!
C
ould it be just a coincidence that all these places are within
steps of the office of gourmand-in-chief President Clinton’s
office at 55 West 125th Street?
Issue #20 Summer 2007
Page 6
Portal of Paradise
I’ve often visited the Cathedral of St. John the
Divine (1047 Amsterdam Ave. between 110th
and 112th Streets), but it wasn’t until an afternoon in 2004 that I took time to examine details
of the Portal of Paradise, the principal entrance to
the church. I knew these carvings were contemporary (work took place from 1988-1997), but I was
startled to see the Twin Towers on the point of
collapse. This jarring image was carved in the
early 90s as part of an effort by the church to
combine Biblical and modern images, and it has
become one of the highlights of my Upper West
Side Noshwalk. British stone carver Simon Verity, with French collaborator, Jean-Claude
Marchionni, was mainly responsible for assembling and training a team of apprentices to create
the Portal. You can get a brochure detailing all
the elements of the Portal of Paradise from inside
the Church (which was undergoing renovation,
following a fire in 200*, at this writing.)
Back issues of Noshnews are available for $5 each. (Discounts are available for quantity purchases. )
All are also available in PDF format, most of them with color photos.
#1: Sunnyside, Queens (always free!)
#2: Bridging Brooklyn: Sunset Park
#3 Renaissance neighborhoods Bronx & Harlem
#4: Astoria, Queens
#5: Kosher Neighborhoods of Brooklyn
#6: Belmont–Little Italy of the Bronx
#7: Siempre: East Harlem
#8: Jackson Heights, Queens
#9: Greenpoint, Brooklyn
#10: Slices of Midtown (Manhattan):
Ninth Avenue; Little Seoul; Curry Hill
#11: Flushing: East Meets East
#12: Brighton Beach, Brooklyn
#13: Lower East Side & Chinatown
#14: Queens Cornucopia: Woodside, Richmond
Hill and Rego Park/Forest Hills
#15: Smorgasbord (Bay Ridge, Brooklyn)
#16: Bites of the Bronx
#17: Heights of Manhattan
#18: Jamaica: Neighborhood on the Verge
#19: Bensonhurst: Continental Divides
What’s Cooking?
Chicken Malai Frankie
(Thanks to Anthony Rosario of
Bombay Frankie)
Ingredients for 3-4 rolls.
1 lb. chicken (mix of boneless breast and
thigh, chunked & strained); soya oil, salt,
lemon juice, yogurt, garam masala*, mint,
cilantro, mango powder, 1 small onion, 1
glove garlic. Roti bread for the wraps (or
you can make your own roti by following the
recipe below)
Pain Patate (Sweet potato bread)
with Rum Raisin Sauce
(Thanks to Maud Pamphile of Krik Krak,
from a recipe by Marie Denise Celestin)
3 large white potatoes; 2 cups coconut
milk; one banana; one tsp. vanilla; 1 tsp.
ginger juice; 1 tsp. cinnamon; 1 cup of
tea (room temperature); sugar and raisins to taste; lemon zest
Peel the potatoes. Cook until soft.
Combine the ingredients in a casserole. Simmer and mix continuously
until paste-like.
3. Season to taste.
4. Turn the mixture into buttered square
baking tin or over-proof glass bowl,
and bake for almost 40 minutes at
To make the roti, mix 10 tsp. white flour
375°. Cool.
and 5 tsp whole wheat flour with 1/2 tsp.
1. Marinate the chicken in 4 tsp. of lemon
juice & salt for 1/2 hour until tender
2. Add 4 tsp sour cream, 2 tsp. cream
cheese and 4 tsp. plain yogurt and 1/2 tsp.
garam masala
3. Marinate mixture overnight in 2 tsp. Of
soy oil. Grill about 10 minutes at 450°
salt, 6 tsps. of whole milk & 2 tsp. of soy oil.
Add water to make the dough. Roll into 2
small dough balls. Let sit 10-15 minutes
while it gets soft. Then roll the dough round
and very thin (diameter of about ** inches),
grill & set it aside. Re-grill about 2 minutes
with drops of soy oil or butter.
1.
2.
Rum Raisin sauce: 2 cups sugar; 4 cups
water; 1 cup raisins; 1 cup rum; 1 cinnamon stick; lime peel.
Combine all ingredients except the rum,
and boil over medium heat to reduce the
*You can buy packaged garam masala, sauce. Add the rum and mix well. Pour
which is a spice mix. Bombay Frankie makes the mixture into a glass bowl and let cool.
NoshNews
Issue #20 (Summer 2007)
Myra Alperson, Editor & Publisher
900 West 190th Street, #16D
New York, New York 10040
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 212.CABBAGE
***
NoshNews is printed by:
Copy USA
210 West 83rd St. (new address!)
New York, NY 10024
Phone: 212.580.8666; Fax: 212.580.8740
***
Noshnews is available by subscription for
$20 for four issues. Single copies may be
purchased for $5 from the publisher or at:
Kitchen Arts & Letters Bookstore
1435 Lexington Avenue (93rd Street)
New York, NY 10128
(212.876.5550)
***
Unless otherwise credited, all text
& photos are by Myra Alperson/
NoshNews & NoshWalks
and may be reproduced only
with permission. Copyright 2007
its own with cinnamon, cardamom, black
pepper, bay leaves, cumin & coriander, When you’re ready to eat, pour the
which it then roasts & grinds.
NOSHNEWS
sauce over the pudding.Bon appetit!
Page 7
NoshNews
900 West 190th Street, #16D
New York, New York 10040
USA
Phone: (212)222-2243
Email: [email protected]
www.noshnews.com
...land see my new blog!
noshnewyork.blogspot.com
Nosh your way from
Odessa to Bombay…
and never leave New York!.
NoshNotes
Sunnyside Up: Sunnyside was the subject of my
first issue of NoshNews and the first NoshWalk
destination. I go back several times a year, often
with custom tours, and was delighted on recent
visits to note 2 great changes. A new Argentinean
steakhouse. Moment’s [sic] (41-08 Greenpoint
Ave., 718.383.6853) has a menu that will satisfy
fans of Argentinean grill (mixed grill for 3 is $45—
cheap!) and vegetarians, with its generous choice of
pastas & vegetarian sides. The triangular intersection at 46-08 Greenpoint Ave. housed a tiny Colombian eatery when I began visiting in 1999. It was
called—surprise– El Triangulo. It went through
many changes, including brief ownership by the
Seba Seba chain, which added a sidewalk café. Last
year it became El Triangulo again—and doubled its
space by taking over the store next door to add a full
bakery to the restaurant.
NoshNews Gets Around! I'm Lori from
the Philippines. I bought your book when
I was on a trip to Kuala Lumpur last
month. Just finished it, and I love love
love it! What a great service you've done
for food lovers all over the world. :)
I've been to NY several times, the last was
in 1999. I know it's been years. I read
your book and highlighted several places
that I'd like to check out once I'm back in
the States again.
I knew NY was diverse, but I didn't realize
just how much so. Your book is droolworthy and makes me want to try Salvadoran and Mexican food. I'd definitely
like to go on one of your NoshWalks
when I'm in NY again. More power and
happy food discoveries to you!
In & Out: Woodside is often called the “Little
Dublin” of Queens, and now has Woodside Irish
Deli (briefly known as Tommy Moloney’s) at 39-86
61st Street, a meat market with many Irish imports—and about a dozen pubs within three blocks.
around the corner at the new Elite Turkish restauBut at 39-71 61st St. the Shane’s Bakery is now a
rant at 805 60th Street. In this Chinatown, it’s the
Colombian restaurant!
only Turkish eatery around!
More expansions: I love when great neighborhood
Hot Dogs, Chile style—No, I didn’t mean to write
places grow! The owners of Tino’s Deli in Bel“chili.” For years I’ve been taking folks to the San
mont, whose old place was squeezed into a narrow
Antonio #2 Chilean Bakery at 36-20 Astoria
space on E. 187th St., bought a building at 2410
Boulevard (#1 is in Valley Stream) during my AsArthur Ave., north of 187th Street, and have turned
toria tour. It comes towards the end of a lot of eating
it into a scrumptious sit-down place. In Sunset Park,
and we usually don’t eat much—maybe a dulce de
you can not only buy Turkish food at the Birlik
leche-filled alfajore. But this time the owners renoMarket at 59-19 8th Ave., but now can have a meal
vated the bakery and we decided to check out its
delicious hot dogs with a sauce of guacamole and
other relishes. I’m not usually a big hot dog fan, but
this was rich and delicious and we’ll definitely stop
here regularly. Oh yes—the owners are delightful!
NoshNews subscribers Al and Alberta Mehr surprised me with a gift of the beautiful Arthur Avenue
Cookbook: Recipes and Memories from the Real
Little Italy, by Ann Volkwein (HarperCollins/
ReganBooks, 2004). It has gorgeous color photos of
the neighborhood, wonderful stories & terrific recipes. Many local stores sell it; it’s a great addition
to a New York food lover’s cookbook collection.
Above and Beyond– Periodically I encounter
places that rarely register on the radar screens of the
likes of Zagat, yet deserve notice. During a trip
when I had 26 folks from rural Pennsylvania visiting East Harlem, we descended on Cuchifritos at
150 E. 116th and We ordered of plantains, alcapurrias and pasteles and other delicious Caribbean
noshes, plus some beverages. They put together a
wonderful platter; remarkably, the bill was just $30.
At A Churrasqueira at 94-29 Sutphin Boulevard,. I
brought a dozen folks to have a delicious Portuguese dessert called Molotoff. I hadn’t called
ahead—I anticipated we’d do it as take-out- but the
weather had turned rainy and crisp, so we asked if
we could come in and have a sit-down dessert. They
set the tables for us as if we were having a fourcourse meal. Of course I’ve been back! At Dhaka
Café Jhill in Astoria (35-55 33rd St., off 36th
Ave.), a group of us came to taste their wonderful
homemade yogurt and the owners treated us as if we
were sitting down for a multi-course meal. Yum!