Eat Me Daily » Manhattan

NYC McDonald's Stays Open During Renovation, Subjects Customers to a Construction Site

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:00:43 +0000

The owner of the McDonald's at 541 6th Ave (between 14th and 15th Street) in Manhattan is keeping the location open while it undergoes a much-needed renovation. Subjecting customers to the indignity of a construction site, there's exposed drywall, missing dropped-ceiling tiles, a random application of blue tape, and worst of all, fold-out metal chairs and tables made fancy with disposable plastic tablecloths, below a huge sign announcing "Pardon Our Appearance During Remodeling."

This specific McDonald's always had a tired-but-vintage early 90s charm, in that almost futuristic formica-meets-vinyl-meets-Zubaz-leopard-print kind of way (see photos below). According to renderings of the coming improvements hanging on a wall, it's going to be replaced with one of those future-thinking McDonald's that'll include a glass front, communal seating, subdued lighting, columns with writing in French, and knockoff Arne Jacobsen chairs.

Now, the owner might argue that profit margins are slim, that rents are high, that you can't close down, but this is just pushing the limits of decency and sanitation. Some might use the term "fucked up." It would have been better to shut the place down and get the renovation over with, especially before the department of health steps in. On with the show:

More photos »

Martha Stewart Visits Momofuku Milk Bar, Crack Pie Made by Christina Tosi and David Chang [video]

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:00:06 +0000

Today, as part of The Martha Stewart Show's erroneously-named "10th Street Restaurant Tour" of Manhattan's East Village, Martha paid a visit to Momofuku Milk Bar (which is actually on 2nd Avenue and 13th Street). But no matter, the Stewart / Chang culinary bromance is further cemented. In this segment, the history of Momofuku is explored; Christina Tosi and David Chang make crack pie; Martha is impressed.

The video »

Martha Stewart Visits Rai Rai Ken [video]

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:00:40 +0000

Yesterday, as part of The Martha Stewart Show's 10th Street Restaurant Tour of Manhattan's East Village, Martha paid a visit to Rai Rai Ken, the famed ramen restaurant. We get an instruction from Martha on how to make a chopstick holder out of paper, and an awesome inside look at the ingredients of the broth.

The video »

New York City Street Cart Episode of Dinner: Impossible [video]

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:00:45 +0000

In a recent episode of Dinner: Impossible, Michael Symon was tasked by Bon Appetit's editor-in-chief, Barbara Fairchild, to prepare hors d'oeuvres for a party with Bon Appetit staff and people from the James Beard Foundation. The snag was that the food would be prepped in the Bon Appetit kitchen, but the food would be finished in New York City street carts, namely the Calexico cart, the Wafels & Dinges cart, and a Halal cart.

Difficulties at every turn! Symon wanted to cook braised pork butt on the spit roaster on the Halal cart (oops), the deep fryer breaks, puddles, and critics!

The videos: the carts, the food, and an Andrew Knowlton bonus »