IN The City That Never Sleeps, the natives won’t be caught napping when it comes to food.
Some of Gotham’s cult favorites are only available at certain times of day, or sell out in a matter of hours. Show up too early, and forget about sinking your teeth into a warm, sesame-crusted flagel (we’ll explain later); too late, and kiss that handmade doughnut goodbye.
But the extra effort pays off – such stellar snacks always seem to taste better when there’s a little struggle involved.
So here’s how to get your hands on some of the city’s most challenging treats.
DON’T CALL THEM BAGELS
By midafternoon on weekdays, lines start forming in Grand Central Terminal – and not for tickets to Westchester. It’s usually around 3:30 or 4 p.m. when Zaro’s Bread Basket ([212] 292-0160) receives a shipment of piping hot breads baked just for homeward-bound commuters.
Flagels (flat bagels, get it?) are golden-brown thins caked on both sides with sesame or poppy seeds, or an everything mix of both plus garlic. Their baton-like counterparts, 16 inches long, are called stragels (straight bagels).
“Did you ever tear out the center of a bagel and just eat the crust?” asked one fan, explaining the addictive appeal of the crunchy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside flatbreads.
“They sell about equally,” night manager Roy Budhram estimates. “Some people like to have something in their hands to chew on, and some like to break off pieces to eat.”
NUTS FOR DOUGHNUTS
The sign on the Doughnut Plant door (379 Grand St., [212] 505-3700) tells the tale: Open 6:30 a.m. until all doughnuts are sold out.
“Every day we make a certain amount and when they’re gone, they’re gone,” warns Mark Isreal.
Known to his fans as the Doughnut Man, Isreal and his team of five bakers hand-cut the oversize rings made from organic flour, spring water and green market fruit.
Valrhona chocolate and vanilla bean glazed varieties are made every day, while other flavors rotate with the seasons. A brightly flavored white-peach glazed one is on the current menu, and tomorrow, doughnuts will come with a little flag in honor of Sept. 11.
The doughnuts will even be featured in a fashion shoot in November’s Glamour.
“My doughnuts are glamorous,” chuckles Isreal.
Hardworking brokers are big fans, as are some folkswho arrive late and say they walked all the way across town. “Don’t you have just one more doughnut?” they plead.
Luckily they can also find them at Dean & Deluca, Citarella and Zabar’s.
STEAK YOUR CLAIM
When Gary Thompson opened BB Sandwich Bar (120 W. Third St., [212] 473-7500) last year, he had no idea how his upscale version of a cheese steak would take off.
“I was so inundated I was selling out at three in the afternoon,” says the former Sonia Rose chef.
His sandwich – the only item he makes – is built of grilled sliced rib-eye and caramelized onions between two slices of Wisconsin white cheese on an oversize poppy kaiser roll.
Once he runs out of onions, he closes the door to the second-floor Village store, sometimes at 8:30 p.m., sometimes at 10.
“On Friday and Saturday I try to make an extra batch so I can stay open later,” says Thompson.
The onions – about 250 pounds per day – get marinated for eight hours in a wet, then a dry spice mixture of balsamic vinegar, sage, rosemary, peppers and cornichons.
Thompson hates to turn away business, but if he gets a really big order – like the recent one for 400 sandwiches – he’s forced to close even earlier.
“There’s nothing I can do about that,” he sighs.
SLICE OF HEAVEN
Plan to be at the Sullivan Street Bakery (73 Sullivan St., [212] 334-9435) between noon and 2 p.m. to get in on their super-thin crust round pies.
One winner is piled with crisp-edged spinach, mozzarella and garlic. The other choice – radicchio, Gruyére and red onion – was MIA by 1:30 p.m. recently.
Sullivan Street’s Roman-style, room-temperature rectangular pizza (with toppings such as zucchini and potato) has an avid following and is available all day at the Hell’s Kitchen store (533 W. 47th St.) as well as the original SoHo one. But you’ll only find the lunchtime round pizza downtown.
