My first apartment in New York City was in Chelsea, on 22nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues. When my roommate read the ad, standing on the street at a pay phone with the Village Voice in hand, we had no idea what or where Chelsea was, and even less what “renov brnstn with fplc” meant.
At $299 per month for a renovated brownstone with a fireplace, 14-foot ceilings, and a skylit living room, what it really meant was that we were very lucky and had no idea of what we had. This was a beautiful, tree-lined street, lined with rowhouses and walkable to New York University.

The Empire Diner was around the corner, but I did not fancy diner food at the time, and it was not until last week that I actually stepped inside this diner and sat down for a meal.

The history of the “rail car” diner is a bit muddled. The origins of diners was rooted in the lunch wagon, but there were also railroad dining cars which were deactivated from rail service, parked along train stations, and used as diners. In time, diners were styled along the railcar lines, many using stainless steel and Art Deco elements.

One of the number of companies who manufactured these railcar diners was the Fodero Dining Car Company (1933-1981) of Newark, New Jersey, which built the Empire Diner. This diner is legendary, with its striking exterior, roof-mounted Empire State Building, its gleaming interior, and beautiful Deco clock. It has been used in numerous films, referenced in song, and frequented by a long list of celebrities: FDR, Charles Lindberg, Barbra Streisand, Al Pacino, Madonna, Will Smith, David Bowie, Steven Spielberg, Bruce Springsteen, et. al.

This place has been tres chic for decades and is typically packed, inside and out (it has sidewalk seating in warm weather).
Food and service reviews are all across the spectrum, and a reading of comments on a site such as Yelp.com will show very impassioned reviews with one- to five-star ratings. A friend and I visited on a weekday, mid-morning, and the place was virtually empty. I cannot speak of a typical experience here – they were overstaffed for two of us. The food is very pricey, and the breakfast food we ordered was basic. But the Empire Diner is worth a look at if you are in the area.

However, like any place whose reputation is larger than life, and particularly in the case of a place that bills itself as the “Hippest Diner on Earth,” let the diner be aware of the diner 🙂

Update: The Empire Diner has since closed.

Generally, conversation about legendary pizza usually involves a lot of evaluations and comparisons of sauces and crusts. But in the case of DiFara Pizzeria, the conversation these days usually involves a lot of debate about the cost – $5 for one plain slice. It’s funny that people are so passionate in this debate.  On one New York Times forum, someone questioned why diners could not make an allowance for a pricey slice when the world of consumer goods is already filled with very disparate and often accepted pricing on luxury items and gourmet foods.

Perhaps it is the elevation of what is perceived to be a staple food item in tandem with DiFara being located in a working-class neighborhood that makes the price such an effrontery to so many. Coming from Manhattan, I am used to pricing anomalies, so when my friend and I sat down to eat our slices, we tried to focus on the character and taste of the pizza rather than its value.

I had heard about this place, particularly after writing my story on John’s Pizzeria on Bleecker Street, when readers commented on the contenders in New York City for their favorite pizza.
DiFara is located at a very busy corner location in Midwood, Brooklyn. The place is small, and the walls are covered with awards and reviews. Lines are standard at DiFara, often one to two hours. On our visit, mid-week and mid-afternoon, we were lucky – there were no lines at all. We were able to chat with the owner and his daughter, Louisa, who was managing the orders and register.

One thing that is particularly unique about DiFara is that every single pizza is still personally made by the owner/founder, Domenico DeMarco, age 72, who has been plying his trade here for 45 years. The owner hails from Provincia di Caserta in Italy, near Naples, birthplace of the modern pizza. After starting a pizzeria in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, with his brother, DeMarco opened at his current location in 1964 with partner Farina (hence the name DiFara).

DeMarco prides himself on the quality of his ingredients, imported from places such as Israel, the Netherlands, and Italy. The pizza uses three cheeses – Buffalo mozzarella from Caserta, Fior di Latte, and Parmigiano Reggiano. His sauce is also homemade, using San Marzano tomatoes from Salerno, Italy. The pies are topped off with olive oil and fresh basil leaves.

Is the pizza worth $5 for a plain slice? The opinions run the gamut. Some say that no pizza is worth that, while others think it is the best on the planet and worth every penny. You could spend your money more extravagantly – unless $5 is just too extravagant, why not try it and decide for yourself? 🙂

Location: DiFara Pizzeria is located at 1424 Avenue J, at East 15th Street in the Midwood section of Brooklyn. They are closed Monday and Tuesday (and occasionally at other times if DeMarco is unable to work).

I imagine that there are people who don’t like butter. I am not sure I have met any, and I doubt that you will find many here at Ceci-cela. I love writing about a place like this – there is no worry that I will disappoint you. Along with other places such as Cones, the Doughnut Plant, Eileen’s Cheesecake, Raffetto’s, and Il Laboratorio del Gelato, this place uses only the finest ingredients and is run by a hands-on, uncompromising artisan, Chef Laurent Dupal.

Ceci-cela is only a couple of blocks from my office – we began patronizing this pastry shop long ago, and it quickly became our regular place to get our cakes for birthday celebrations in our company.
Ceci-cela was started in 1991 by master chef Laurent Dupal, now partnered with longtime friend and celebrated restaurateur Georges Forgeois. Dupal is, as would be expected, a well-trained and experienced French chef – read about him here.

The shop is located at 55 Spring Street in NoLita (North of Little Italy). The secret of the survival of the character of neighborhoods such as this is the smaller tenement buildings, which permit limited retail space and prohibit larger stores or retail chains (although rents do escalate and there are changing tenancies).

The exterior of this patisserie is quaint but unassuming. Inside, it is a tiny, narrow place with a Parisian ambiance. Congestion is common as regular patrons jockey for position in line. There is a cafe area in the rear for those wanting to eat on the premises. The bakery also does a wholesale business.

Everything I have had here is superb. You will find a full gamut of French pastries, cakes, and tarts: éclairs, Napoleons, crème brulée, tartes, chocolate truffles, all manner of croissant, brioche, danishes, and their classic tuiles. From the New York Times:

TRADITIONALLY, the tuile, the French almond cookie, is a curved concoction of butter, sugar, flour, and almonds that is named after the rounded roof tiles found throughout France. The cookie bakes flat, and as it comes out of the oven, warm and pliable, it is wrapped around a rolling pin to give it the shape. But the tuile from Ceci-Cela is different.

”I make them flat,” said Laurent Dupal, the chef and co-owner of the patisserie at 55 Spring Street, ”because they are very, very fragile.”

In the world of pastry making, fragility is often a sign of excellence.

The Ceci-Cela tuile is so buttery, and so delicate, that the moment you put it into your mouth, and touch it with your tongue, it begins to crumble into crisp, buttery, almond-flavored morsels. A near-perfect cookie, it can stand alone and be eaten by itself, one after another, until a half-pound box is suddenly empty, or used as an accompaniment to a simple summer dessert of fresh strawberries, mangoes or Asian pear.

The secret of its evanescence is to use ”as little flour as possible,” Mr. Dupal said, adding, ”The way we make them is to whip the butter and the sugar and make them very light. After that we incorporate the egg whites, one by one, and then a little bit of flour, and finally the minced almonds.”

Our office favorite is the Paradise Cake – a lady finger and vanilla genoise cake with fresh tropical fruit mix. See the menu here.

I know that after you sample their delectables, I will look like an expert in discovering the best-kept secrets of New York City. However, let’s give credit where it is due. Thank you, Mr. Dupal 🙂