I discovered Bamn! last night at 37 St. Marks Place in the East Village – return of the automat to NYC. The glow of the pink light and its techy decor gave the place a Japanese flavor. More photos here. The automat, originally a German concept, was introduced to the United States by Horn and Hardart of Philadelphia in 1902 and then introduced to NYC in 1912. Food is served via coin operated vending machine, with compartments for the different selections. Read about them here. At their peak in the 1950s, there were hundreds of automats. Horn and Hardart alone had 180. The last (Horn and Hardart at 42nd Street) closed in 1991. There were a number of reasons for their demise, including the rise of fast food and inflation, which made the food too expensive to be purchased conveniently with coins (machines for bills were not common in the 1960s-70s).

Bamn! was conceived by Robert Kwak, David Leong, and Nobu Nguyen, who were inspired by modern automats which they saw in Amsterdam. Launched on August 29, 2006, it appears to be doing well – the selections (mostly finger food) are priced between $1 – $3. They also serve thick-cut Belgian fries and soft-serve green tea ice cream. And, appropriately for NYC, it’s open 24/7…

Update: Bamn! has since closed.

It seems everyone likes the ambiance of a French bistro – certainly enough to keep Pastis highly popular. Restaurateur and meat-packing district pioneer Keith McNally has started many of the city’s trendiest restaurants, including Lucky Strike, Pravda, and Balthazar. The furnishings are all French, giving Pastis one of the most exquisite authentic looks in town – zinc topped bars, brass railings, light globes, etc. These photos were taken quickly – I was prevented from taking photographs inside – many restaurants are sensitive about this. However, there are three virtual tours on the Pastis site.

The place is typically packed with those seeking to see and be seen. Not everyone has been charmed – see this 2000 article from the New York Times. I think it is difficult, however, to meet service expectations when a place becomes this popular and crowded. Without a reservation for dinner, this place is virtually impossible. If you are interested in trying it out, perhaps lunch or brunch…

This small Cuban restaurant at 222 Thompson Street in the Village has one of the liveliest, most festive atmospheres I’ve seen. Many find that this cozy, charming place transports them to Havana. They have live music 6 nights per week, and the place is generally brimming with customers, frequently spilling into the street. The food is authentic, traditional Cuban.

This photo was taken through the front window showing Jose Martinez, an on-site expert hand roller of cigars – complimentary for all customers. See their website for Jose’s bio, menus, music info, etc. They have 3 rooms for private parties and a bar. Click here for more photos inside, inside and out. I can’t vouch for the food – I haven’t eaten there yet but plan to soon. The reviews appear to be generally good. But be forewarned – this is a fun place and can be somewhat noisy…

In the East Village at 2nd Avenue and 9th Street, we have the Telephone Bar and Grill with its iconic set of three red genuine British telephone booths outside. I chose this place because in the years I have gone there, it never fails to offer a consistent fare of food, drinks, and atmosphere. It has been in operation for nearly 20 years, a long time in restaurant years.

The comfy atmosphere and food are upscale British pub, with classic offerings such as shepherd’s pie and fish & chips and a very extensive beer and drink selection. They also have free entertainment in their back room several nights a week: poetry readings, live music, a movie night, and other events. They have a very nice website (menus, events calendar, British links etc.)(update: no longer online)- I particularly like their logo and graphics…

Update: As of January 2010, Telephone Bar and Grill is now closed.

In the East Village at 132 2nd Avenue is the NYC mecca for authentic Belgian Frites: Pommes Frites. Most people find these French fries truly AMAZING. Apparently, credit for the “French fry” goes to Belgium, where the frietkot (fry shack) still exists. The secret is that they are fried TWICE. Here is a recipe to make them yourself at the Original Belgian Fries Website.

The other feature of the frites is that they are typically offered with many unique sauces (Pommes Frites offers 25 different ones), unlike the American fry, typically eaten with ketchup only. If you go to the Pommes Frites website, you can get a video tour of their operation, where I have heard that they go through as many as 1000 pounds of potatoes per day…

B&H Dairy Restaurant is an ancient (for NYC) hole in the wall institution on First Avenue near St. Mark’s Place, going back 60 years. Popular with the inhabitants of the Lower East Side, you could get true, old-time New York Jewish soul food there – homemade pea soup and challah bread – or the classic giant American breakfast of eggs and potatoes. It’s set up like a very simple lunch counter deli, all for very, very low prices. Many a starving artist kept body and soul together with their filling homemade staples.

Nowadays, a bit changed, the old waiters with their famously abusive schtick are gone, replaced by the new wave of immigrants. Many still swear by it, but it can be a bit rough around the edges. There are still vestiges of the old Lower East Side Jewish turn of the last century ghetto life left here and there, and the very few remaining kosher restaurants, such as B&H, Jonah Schimmel, and Katz’s are among them. Hopefully they hang in there in spite of the astronomical rise in rents all around them. Another view inside…

Lately, we have noticed various types of snack shacks downtown. These structures are frequently attached to another storefront, like a garden shed. One was next to a building with red climbing roses around it. They are like the roadside stands you used to see near the beach or in the country selling pies and flowers – a little piece of the country set down in town.

Two such examples, Snack Dragon and Juicy Lucy (photo right) serve slightly more elaborate food. You can eat casually careening on your travels around town, especially if you don’t have time to stop for anything much, are on your way to work, or are visiting the city and want to keep your restaurant expenditures down. They make a variety of things: good strong American coffee, lemonade, tacos, breakfast sandwiches, etc. It’s interesting that people are finding ways to serve fast food in NYC that utilizes good ingredients and does not equate to “junk” food. It’s certainly a step in the right direction…