Dining in the Big Apple.

New York is known for some of the best food in the world---and some of the most expensive. When I was in town, I knew I was not looking to see how much I could spend, that’s not my style. I was staying off of Broadway and decided to head uptown to see what culinary delight was calling my name.

I saw Thai, Indian, Cajun, you name it…but these restaurants were calling someone else’s names because anyone who knows me would say, “you won’t find him there.”

While I was driving in from the airport I did see a deli, the Stage Deli, and was looking for it while I walked up the avenue. I obviously didn’t go far enough because I never found it. One of the reasons I wanted to dine there had to do with my being in New York prior to the 1976 Democratic Convention---my Dad took me to the Stage Deli and I wanted to see if what I remembered was true. Of what I recall they had “monster-sized” sandwiches at “monster-sized” prices. These would still be inexpensive by New York standards, but again, I didn’t find the restaurant.

So I turned around, looked in a photography store---what would you expect?

Then it caught my eye, across the street nestled between a number of “food chains” was where I was going to eat…the “Stardust Diner.” I figured, “if it’s that bad, I will just ‘gobble and go.’” I stepped in to the diner and it was a cross between Ed Debevik’s and a theater house. The waiters and waitresses were dressed up in traditional “diner garb,” but the difference was---one of them was singing to the group. I am not talking about “bad karaoke,” I mean she was really singing. It even sounded like the original. At first I was not sure if this was a great lip sync job, but then I realized I was in New York and chances are that is not going to happen with aspiring actors and actresses.

After the applause died down, I ordered my meal. Very much me---I had a Reuben sandwich and asked that they hold the “sour cream.” He looked at me and said, “You mean the sauerkraut?” I smiled and said, “Yes.” Then sure enough, this same waiter walks out from behind the wall where he had just delivered my order, and he is belting away a Beatles tune and I had to do a double take as I was sure it was Paul McCartney behind the microphone. Throughout the dinner, more of the staff sang---the only ones who were not handed the microphone were the bus boys. I don’t think they spoke English.

When I left, I took a card with me. This was a must visit again…and I need to bring my camera with me next time. I am sure many of you are in shock, but I left it at the hotel; I went back to retrieve it, but did not have the “guts” to go back and take pictures. So I took 556 others around Times Square.

The photo above is of a food cart; in Chicago you rarely see them, in New York they are on every corner and in between. I guess part of me says, “I wouldn’t eat from a food cart because I have no idea if it’s edible” but the other part says, “If they are back day after day, they must have passed quality checks.” Next time, I am going to grab a dog and mustard---for lunch---because when you visit the Big Apple, you need to live the life of the New Yorker.

Thanks for stopping by.