OK, you'll have to pardon me for my terrible grammar in this entry's title. But I had to make a mention of my recent visit to Economy Candy, and I wanted to catch your attention....
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RQS and I had planned to go into NYC today. Sadly, it looked like rain, and we didn't want to risk going to the Nom Wah Tea Parlor and getting caught in the rain going back to the subway station on the way home. So we ended up deciding to go to Katz's Deli for a nice pastrami sandwich and looking for something else to do while in Manhattan.
We decided to take the M train into Manhattan, as its last stop was at the one train station we would have normally used to go to Katz's. (The M train terminates at Essex Street on weekends, and this complicates weekend subway travel a little.) Across from the two of us were two young women, and both of us were saying that they were cute. Given the usual characteristics of a subway rider, it was nice to see two young people enjoying themselves as if they didn't have a care in the world.
Upon arrival at Essex Street, we climbed up several levels of stairs to reach the street. RQS commented that this station is hell for a visually impaired person due to its complexity - and I found that easy to understand. This is a major interchange station which is not well adapted for the needs of the handicapped. Thankfully, both of us were in good enough shape to climb the stairs and then walk to the new site of the Essex Street Market.
Having visited the old Essex Street Market once, I found that the new market was much more inviting than the old one. However, both of us were shocked by some of the prices being charged for meats, fish and cheese. Yet, if I lived nearby, I'd shop here now and then, as all of the expensive goodies were of top notch quality.
Once done with the market, it was off to Katz's. We didn't plan it, but we stumbled into Economy Candy just before it closed. Although we were interested in candy, neither of us succumbed to temptation. We both knew that we'd soon be at Katz's, and that a Pastrami Sandwich would be waiting for us. The candy was tempting us, especially the almond butter crunch pieces. (I used to love Loft's version of these treats, and could easily finish off a whole box of 12 or 16 when I was young.) However, at $22/lb. I was not going to spend my money on candy when I could get a tasty and humongous Pastrami sandwich for the same price.
Finally, it was off to Katz's. I'm sure that most of my readers do not know this, but one has to take a ticket upon entering the place. One needs this ticket to exit, as it tells the cashier how much food you consumed, and how much you have to pay for that food. Instead of getting our tickets and finding an available seat before going to the counter to get our food, we decided on going to the back for waiter service. This was the best decision we could have made. Although the waiter didn't seem to pick up on our order (he didn't bother writing down our order, nor was he giving us his full attention), he got everything right and had it on our table quicker than expected. The man was simply very good at his job, and had no need for pleasantries - a pure professional.
This is what we got for our meal. We shared a giant pastrami sandwich, and I still had leftovers for the next day. The only thing I felt lacking (and this was no fault of the restaurant) was that the split pea soup was missing something - ham flavor. (This can not be expected in a Jewish style deli.) So, I added a little salt, and most of my concerns were addressed about the soup. As expected, the pastrami was top notch, and we'll be here sooner, rather than later.
All too soon, the day had to end. So it was a trip back home with sunset views across the East River....
