New York has long been famous for its ever-present food vendors. But these days, there’s a lot more cooking on the corners than just hot dogs and candied peanuts. “You get this enormous variety in New York because of all the immigrants,” says Tom Vandenberghe, co-author of the newly released “New York Street Food,” a collection of history, stories, photographs, locations and recipes of the city’s expansive street-food culture. “All the taco places in Jackson Heights are [there] because of the huge community of Mexicans.” But there’s a lot more to nosh on than tacos. From Peruvian veal heart satay to Japanese okonomiyaki, the city’s street-food options are not only down the block, but out of this world. Take a look.
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1. Cactus Salad
Luk Thys from New York Street Food (Lannoo Publishers 2013) Find it at: Taqueria Nixtamalito, 1 Centre St.; 646- 652-9986, Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For the tourists spilling into Manhattan off the Brooklyn Bridge and hungry workers near City Hall and One Police Plaza, Nixtamalito is a welcome pit stop. With a few benches and cafe tables surrounding the gazebo-shaped kiosk, the stand serves a variety of your typical inexpensive Mexican street food, including enchiladas, tacos and tamales. But it also sells cactus salad. “It’s more popular among the Mexicans,” says Marilyn Estrada, a waitress at the original location (Tortilleria Nixtamal, located in Corona, Queens). Chef Santiago Baraggan’s tangy salad ($5) is made from slivers of roasted, needle-free cactus leaves — which have a texture similar to roasted bell peppers — radish, onions, jalapeños and queso fresco. “The Americans who don’t know about it find it weird,” says Estrada. “They think of cactus with spines. But once they try it, they enjoy it.” The dish is served in a takeout tin and can easily be enjoyed at the surrounding seating area.
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2. Okonomiyaki
Luk Thys from New York Street Food (Lannoo Publishers 2013) Find it at: Okadaman food truck, Park Avenue and 47th Street; daily, noon to 4 p.m.
Vandenberghe first discovered okonomiyaki, a savory pancake-like meal, in Osaka, Japan. A few months later, as he was researching the multitude of food trucks around Park Avenue, he saw it again at the Okadaman truck. Oddly enough, the owner was not of Japanese heritage. Instead, his name is Jan Albert, a New Yorker of Czech descent who also fell in love with the dish ($8.25) during a visit to Osaka. There’s a plethora of topping options, but Vandenberghe recommends shiitake mushrooms, spring onions and bacon, as well as finding a place to sit on the steps in front of the nearby Seagram Building. “It’s quite a messy dish, but it’s important to use chopsticks,” he adds. “If you can manage chopsticks, you can eat anything on the street.”
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3. Veal Heart Satay
Luk Thys from New York Street Food (Lannoo Publishers 2013) Find it at: Morocho, 1 Union Square West; daily, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Vandenberghe was visiting the Greenmarket at Union Square one day last year when he discovered Rafael Samanez’s Morocho food truck and, more shockingly, veal heart satay — a mainstay of Peruvian street food. “You don’t get to see [organ meat] quite often in the street,” says Vandenberghe. The hearts ($6) are sliced, marinated in a fresh cilantro, cumin, chili pepper and red-wine vinegar sauce, skewered and seared on a hot grill pan. “It comes on a plate, served with some corn and black mint sauce,” says Vandenberghe. “It’s crunchy on the outside, and the inside is soft.” The skewers make the dish easy to eat — no fork or knife necessary! — but public seating in the park also allows you to sit down and savor your meal. “The city keeps placing more and more little chairs around,” says coauthor Jacqueline Goossens. “It’s very good for the street vendors — they just love it.”
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4. Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie, born from outside the box thinking, an Aquarian strong suit. Luk Thys from New York Street Food (Lannoo Publishers 2013) Find it at: Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie, 185 Van Dyke St., Red Hook; 718-858-5333, hours vary
Owner Steve Tarpin’s version of the classic creamy treat — concoted with fresh key lime juice, condensed milk and a buttery graham-cracker crust — has become so popular that tourists from all over the world now flock to far-flung Red Hook just to try a taste. “We’ve been operating on the edge of the Brooklyn waterfront for 14-plus years, in an area long forgotten, yet people would seek us out,” says Tarpin. “We’re now getting regular visits from foreign visitors who have heard about us.” He typically sells his pies to restaurants and hotels, but also offers individual 4-inch tarts ($5) and the Swingle ($6) out of his outlet in Red Hook and at street fairs like the Atlantic Antic. They’re both easily edible using your hands: The tart is cookie-size, while the Swingle, which is coated with rich Belgian chocolate, is served on a stick.