HUNGRY GERALD

From the 1950’s onward, Hong Fat (long closed) in Manhattan’s Chinatown was HG’s favorite Chinese restaurant. It was unbelievably cheap–even in those dollar friendly years. The seafood dishes were outstanding. HG’s favorite was the crabs served in a number of different sauces–all splendid. An odd custom at Hong Fat–waiters cleaned the tables by pouring hot tea on them before wiping them down. Almost all of the customers were Chinese (HG/BSK were the exceptions). Walls had the names pinned on them (in Chinese) of many special dishes. Customers would order by pointing to their choice, One day, an adjoining table pointed to the wall and were served what seemed to be an appetizing dish. HG told the waiter that HG would have the same. The waiter frowned and said: “You won’t like it. This is only for Chinese.” HG insisted  Still expressing disapproval, the waiter brought the dish. HG tasted. E-e-k-s!! Horror! This was the worst thing HG ever tasted and it smelled like a dirty old sock. The waiter smiled as HG pushed the dish away. Smiling waiter said: “I told you.”

HG’s children and grandchildren have asked 95-year-old HG what New York was like when HG–in the 1950’s–was a young journalist. It was a totally different city–affordable for young folks from the United States and internationally to realize their ambitions in The Big Apple. The changes have been cosmic–but HG will narrow observations to the food and restaurant scene many decades ago. Immigration and wars enriched New York’s culinary choices. In the ’50’s New York had one (yes,one) Mexican restaurant and it was lousy. There were two Japanese restaurants (Suehiro was HG’s choice). No sushi in NYC. No Korean, Indian, Cambodian restaurants. On the positive side, New York had many Greek and Spanish restaurants. There were many traditional French bistros in the theater district and elsewhere on the West Side. Of course, there were over 100 Italian restaurants in the boroughs and much Jewish cuisine –“appetizing stores”, delicatessens, bakeries, seltzer dispensers, kosher butchers, kosher and non-kosher Jewish restaurants; Jewish style eateries like Tip Toe Inn, Lindy’s, Reuben’s; knish joints. There was one Chinatown and it was in Manhattan. Chinatown restaurants were inexpensive and served great food. It was the “go’to” neighborhood for everyone with big appetites and limited means. Best Germans were Luchow’s (14th Street)and Blue Ribbon (in the theater district and a favorite of Marlene Dietrich and Eric Maria Remarque). Irish: Dinty Moore’s (theater district–ultimate corned beef and cabbage), Connolly’s Bar & Grill (E. 23rd Street–a favorite of Police, it served one dish–sublime pot roast in a lush gravy). Irish bars all over Manhattan served steam table corned beef and cabbage—good, bad and splendid.  Yes, you ate well in New York if you ate Italian, Chinese, German, Irish and Jewish food–the cuisines remain HG favorites today. But, HG has added Mexican, Japanese, Middle Eastern dishes to suppers  (these and many, many others are cooked daily by BSK, a talented, creative and innovative cook). BSK removes the necessity of dining in restaurants. Her food is better.

Nom  Wah, the dim sum restaurant on Doyers Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown, used to be the only dim sum restaurant in Manhattan–now there scores in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. HG began eating there about 73 years ago alone and with friends. When alone,HG had a bottle of I.W. Harper Bourbon Whisky on the table and drank copiously (Ah, those were the days when HG could do that and remain erect,mobile and relatively sober). An aged waitress brought individual portions of dim sum on small colored plates–the colors indicated the price of the items. The waitress examined the empty plates and gave HG a bill (A cash transaction since this preceded credit cards). HG would remove 10 plates (HG ate a lot of dim sum as HG read the Times and sipped booze) and hide them on HG’s lap. When the waitress came around to count the empty plates and write the bill, she was startled and shocked. Why so few plates? Finally, HG revealed the plates and there was much laughter. When son Jeremy and daughter came around to enrich HG/BSK’s life, Nom Wah had gone down hill and HG/BSK discovered other tasty venues for weekend dim sum lunches  (From their earliest days, Jeremy and Lesley were big time dim sum fans—as was BSK). Alas, the bourbon disappeared from the table (BSK’s request) and was replaced by tea and beer.  In retrospect, this was a good move. When living in New York (Brooklyn) Jeremy and wife, Maiko Sakamoto, introduced HG/BSK to Dim Sum a Go Go in Chinatown. So good that HG/BSK had HG/BSK’s 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration party there. Very appropriate since HG’s first date with BSK (A bit more than 61 years ao) included dinner at  the long closed BoBo restaurant in Chinatown. Recently, Nom Wah was refurbished and renewed. HG/BSK (In a nostalgic mood) ate there. Too bad. Insipid. The old magic has gone.

Beloved BSK, a very creative cook, has been making lusty suppers with a mix of rice noodles, broth, vegetables, fish and aromatics. The fish is always sparkling fresh (Rhody is aptly named The Ocean State). Yes, it’s frigid weather but HG/BSK are warm and cozy and eat happily in HG/BSK’ spacious Central Falls, RI, loft. Last night, using Whole Foods broth, BSK made steaming bowls of Vietnamese Pho. Lots of rice noodles and veggies plus a surprise—floating on top of the bowls were filets of perfectly poached salmon (silky, medium rare texture). Soy sauce, Frank’s Hot  Sauce, Vietnamese fish sauce were on the table to be used with discretion. HG, who loves noodles, fish and everything Vietnamese, was in culinary heaven thanks to BSK. (If you wish to know about HG’s affection for Jewish noodle dishes, go to the Hungry Gerald archive:  LUKSHEN Feb.14, 2019).

HG is very fond of noodles and there are scores to taste and enjoy. Yes, there’s Italian pasta with an almost infinite amount of shapes and stuffed varieties. (ravioli,tortellini,etc).Then there are Asiatic noodles—buckwheat, rice, egg–that come in many widths and enrich ramen, soups, stir fries, etx. HG enjoys thick, Jewish egg noodles (Manischewitz is the best brand) in a bowl of cottage cheese and melted butter and in a steaming bowl of chicken soup. Farfalle (butterfly) pasta is added to Kasha to make much loved Kasha Varnishkes–and there’s an HG joy–Lukshen (noodle pudding)–savory with chicken fat or sweet with raisins and dried apricots. Last night, BSK made a wonderful three layer noodle dish HG had never tasted. before.  Of course, it was super delicious. The bottom layer was cooked rice noodles. This was topped with a mix of chopped peppers, fennel, onions and garlic. Top layer was two filets of fresh flounder. It got a big splash of olive oil, hot sauce, salt and pepper. It was cooked in the oven and BSK served it with a smile—another BSK culinary home run. Every BSK supper in HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI, loft is a feast.

Each morning HG eats a healthy, keep-the-old-guy-alive  breakfast. It is cooked, organized and served by Wonder Wife BSK. It consists of a smoothie (many varieties of fruit plus nuts), yogurt mixed with a compote of dried fruit—20 vitamins and medications. A large glass of water. It’s followed by coffee and a piece of Italian Panettone. Nice jumpstart to the day. For years in New York and New Jersey, HG’s breakfast was: Black coffee, Marlboro Cigarettes and The New York Times (after the unhealthy Jersey meal, HG would stop at a Montclair, NJ convenience store and buy a box of cinnamon donuts. HG would eat them with more coffee at the HG public relations office in Clifton, NJ.). HG/BSK moved to Colorado–first to a 100-acre horse ranch and then to a super spacious apartment in Denver plus a large office for HG/BSK’s growing government relations firm specializing in media information and land use counseling and guidance. (BSK was the prime figure in the firm). HG’s breakfast dramatically improved. Most mornings HG dined at Pete’s Diner on Colfax Avenue, drank coffee and ate Pete’s sumptuous “Breakfast burrito”—smothered in tangy green chili sauce and containing scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, bacon, onions. (SJ agrees, a fabulous burrito). After moving to Santa Fe, HG’s morning meal was at El Parasol or Sopaipilla Factory–Menudo and cheese enchiladas. Now, HG/BSK live in a very large loft in Central Falls, RI. HG is 95 so HG’s breakfast a la BSK is appropriate.

HG/BSK are fond of Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes. The Israeli chef is an ornament of the London food scene with his restaurants and delicatessens. An HG/BSK fave is his “Lamb, Eggplant,Yogurt Casserole”—a lusty dish that is a happy choice for a winter supper. And, as usual, BSK cooks it perfectly. It is a two layer affair. The bottom layer is composed of ground lamb, cubed eggplant, San Marzano canned tomatoes,olive oil, chicken broth, loads of herbs and spices plus a splash of Frank’s Hot Sauce. The topping is composed of a mix of flour, feta cheese, yogurt and chopped garlic. It is baked in the oven and when BSK presents it at the table it is beautiful and the taste is sublime. BSK gives it a bit of crunch by sprinkling the top with pignolia nuts. The perfect companion is red wine. Though Providence and Central  Falls, RI, are frigid, HG/BSK are comfy in HG/BSK’s spacious loft  and HG is grateful for BSK’s impeccable and lush cooking. HG is 95 but wants to stay alive for many more suppers with BSK.

When HG/BSK lived in Santa Fe, HG would drive  (8 minutes) to the Pojoaque shopping center for lunch. Two restaurants–El Parasol and Sopopillia Factory–served Menudo (Mexican tripe stew). This is HG’s favorite dish–spicy, lush, hearty. El Parasol’s version was rough and ready with an abundant amount of green chili mixed with the tripe. HG topped a steamy bowl with chopped onions, oregano and salt crackers. Drank water (no alcohol at El Parasol).  Sopopillia Factory’s Menudo was suave and smooth and just needed a sprinkle of oregano. Often followed it with a cheese enchilada and drank a Michaelada (mix of beer and Clamato). Living with BSK in a spacious Central Falls, RI.,loft is splendid. (Nice proximity to daughter Lesley R.and her husband, Massimo R. Plus Rhody–the Ocean State–has great seafood and excellent ethnic restaurants). However, HG misses New Mexico Menudo. Yesterday, BSK brought HG a happy surprise—a quart of Menudo from Tuxpan Taqueria (a wonderful nearby Mexican eatery.) The Menudo came with chopped onions, oregano and handmade warm tortillas. It was the best Menudo HG ever tasted–much better than New Mexico Menudos. HG’s life is enhanced, Viva Tuxpan Taqueria !!!!

Yesteryear HG had four favorite restaurants—Gage & Tollner (Brooklyn); Veau d’Or (Midtown east side Manhattan);  Sammy’s Romanian (Lower East side); Lundy’s (Brooklyn).  All have been reopened after being closed for a number of years. Gage & Tollner has been spruced up.The prices are through the roof so HG won’t be eating there (If HG ever gets to New York). Veau d’Or has a prix fixe of $135 (Before tip and taxes). Too pricey for HG/BSK). HG recalls the gratis mussels in mustard sauce at Veau d’Or in the old days–a generous gesture. The brains in brown butter was modestly priced and an HG fave. Sammy’s was a vodka and schmaltz madhouse with Jews getting rid of inhibitions and paying homage to the very good garlic laden food of the old country. Sammy’s has reopened on Stanton Street on LES and the craziness continues. Lundy’s has reopened in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn. Prices are reasonable. Rhode Island fried calamari with hot peppers is on the menu as well as nicely priced oysters and warm, buttery biscuits. It will make HG recall meals there 75 years ago with HG’s Brooklyn-based girlfriend.

Don’t know whether they still exist–“Working Papers”. This document confirmed that you were at least 14 years old, thus making it legal to work at a job. In the Rockaway Beach of HG’s early teen years (Rockaway is where HG’s family summered), this law (to prevent child labor) was not observed by employers. HG began working at 13. First job (at the Woolworth store on B.116 Street)  was carrying and unpacking big (heavy) cartons from trucks. Hard, muscle building work.

Found easier work when HG was 14–shucking oysters and clams, cleaning shrimp at the Harbor Rest restaurant (perched at the edge of Jamaica Bay).  When working at Woolworth, HG ate lunch at the store’s restaurant counter–and HG’s favorite was fried fish cakes served with soft spaghetti in a pallid tomato sauce. Not a gourmet at 13, young HG relished every forkful. As the years rolled by, HG consumed hundreds of fish cakes in New York, Fire Island, London, Paris, Prince Edward Island and Nantucket. The best fish cakes were served at Nantucket’s Downy Flake eatery where they nestled in a lush egg sauce. Runner up fish cakes were the splendors cooked by BSK and gifted daughter Lesley R. Last night, BSK bought fish cakes at two prominent seafood stores and served them for dinner. They were expensive and awful—dry and tasteless. Obviously, fish cakes have to be cooked at home or eaten at restaurants–but never purchased at stores. Supper was saved from the fish cake disaster by BSK’s delectable pot of orzo and a melange of vegetables, herbs and spices in a lush sauce. Orzo to the rescue.