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January 2002

Spotlight: New York City

Touring Italy Through New York City
by Kenny Klein

Take a Bite Out of the Big Apple
by Catherine Skrzypinski

Touring New York City Free
by Jodi Jill

New York City: a photojournal
by Michael Goldberg

Roof Perspective
by Carly Sachs

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Archives

January 2002—Spotlight: New York City

Touring Italy Through New York City
by Kenny Klein

New York City is a glutton's paradise. You can find every ethnic food imaginable, and every restaurant is better than the last one. There is a bakery, deli, bistro or pasteria on every block, and each neighborhood has it own ethnic flavor. I've met New York anorexics but I just don't know how they do it.

My favorite kind of food is Italian. I grew up in Brooklyn in a "mixed" neighborhood, meaning there were both Jews (like me) and Italians. Most of my friends were Italian kids, with last names like Rucco, Corrado and Vitorelli. Sometimes when I think of my childhood, I am happily reminded of the smell of meat sauce, thick with garlic and basil, wafting through air damp with sea salt. In those Italian homes there was always enough food for one more—a fact of which I often took advantage (sorry, Mrs. Corrado). Over the years, I gained a healthy appreciation for the culinary delights of my neighbors' kitchens.

When I was a little older, I moved to Manhattan's East Village. To my delight, I found cafes and Italian eateries aplenty, both in my new neighborhood and in nearby Greenwich Village. These areas share a long tradition of authentic and delicious Italian cuisine.

In the Nineteenth Century, Italian immigrants seeking work and a safe haven flocked to New York, making it one of the most densely Italian cities in the US. Many Italian Immigrants settled on the Lower East Side, along with Jews and Poles who had also recently arrived. The Marx Brothers inclusion of an Italian character, Chico, reflects the ethnic mix in which they grew up. Because of the Italian love for cooking and coffee, as these newcomers integrated into American life, they began to open cafes and small eateries. Near Little Italy was affluent Greenwich Village (pronounced "gren-ich"), a village considered "uptown" from busy New York City . Today Greenwich Village is part of NYC. It was in Greenwich where many entrepreneurs chose to open their establishments. Over time, these successful Italian cafes and businesses spread into the neighboring East Village and other areas in and around New York City.

Today, my girlfriend and I tend to spend a lot of time on the West Coast, but we return to New York City every year, usually a few times. The first few days we always spend on the Italian Food tour, and the destinations are delicious.

Start out on Mulberry Street in Little Italy. Just take the 6 train to Spring Street and walk east on Spring to Mulberry. Mulberry is two solid blocks of cafes. While you're here, try the espresso. If you've never had it, (and I mean New York espresso, not that Starbucks stuff), it may seem pretty tart at first. They serve it in small cups with a lemon wedge on the side. Suck the lemon wedge before and after you sip the drink. You can also drink espresso in steamed milk for a less tart taste.

Done? Good. Next stop is Stromboli's Pizza on the northwest corner of Saint Marks Place and First Avenue, just a few blocks from Mulberry Street. There are only a few stools at a small counter against the large shop window, but that's the best people watching spot in the city. You can get a regular slice or a Sicilian. I recommend the Sicilian. This tasty pizza is authentic enough to transport anyone straight to Palermo.

Ready for dessert? Head up First Avenue and turn left on Eleventh Street where you'll see a neon sign guiding you to a little cafe called Veniero's. There, the twenty feet stretch tothe restaurant's seating is lined with delicious-looking pastries and the most incredible chocolate cakes you've ever seen. When looking around the little cafe, savor the very Florentine atmosphere. Take tiime to enjoy an iced cappuccino (iced with coffee flavored gelato), and then choose between butter cookies and chocolate cake (a very tough decision), or just order both.

Another great cafe on the corner of Bleeker Street and MacDougal is Figaro. There are four cafes here, and Figaro is my favorite. When I was young and had never really left New York City, I was sitting outdoors at Figaro on a sunny New York afternoon, having my daily espresso. A family sat down next to me, and it was pretty obvious that they were not native New Yorkers. The father noticed me looking them over, and started a conversation. He asked me, "Is there anything special going on here today?"

"No," I said."Just a usual afternoon. Why?"

"Well," he explained, "we're from Minnesota, and even at rush hour there are never this many people walking on the sidewalks." Yes, that's New York City.

Past Figaro, down another block to Houston Street, turn left (east) on Houston and walk two blocks. At the corner of Houston and Thompson is Arturo's. For dinner, there's no place like Arturo's. This small restaurant with an Old World feel serves some of the best Italian food in the city. Arturo's is well known especially for its friendly and familial service (the family that owns Arturo's usually works as servers) which makes eating there a warm and comfortable experience. Any of the pasta dishes are sure to please, and the mussels are excellent as well.

Full? Good. Now head back to Bleeker Street and MacDougal to Figaro's. The walk there will hopefully clear up just enough room for a little cappuccino. And maybe a butter cookie or two. You only live once, right?

After getting a good night's sleep and dreaming of the tasty Italian treats of the day, head to Rocco's in the morning. You can find Rocco's by taking Bleeker Street west from Sixth Avenue and walking about another block. Here, you can start the day right with some tasty pastries. Take your last few bites, and you've finished the Italian Food Tour. Luckily, although Italy might be miles from home, a taste of it always waits for you in New York City.