Cheap Eats - New York City Free and Dirt Cheap - page 44

ing soccer at Red Hook park, and trucks have parked nearby to provide sustenance to players and fans (the season
runs weekends May-Oct, 9am-9pm). My favorite truck (and I'm not alone, to judge by the line) is CountryBoys, aka
the Martinez Taco Truck, parked near the corner of Bay and Clinton streets. Homemade masa dough is the key to killer
Pueblan-style huaraches ($6 for a huge one), and superfresh quesadillas and tacos are safe bets, too. If you want to taste
the top prize winner at the 2009 Vendys, this is your truck. (Nearby SolberPupusas took home the Vendy cup in 2011;
one taste of their Salvadoran corn patties and you'll know why.)
Percy's Pizza PIZZA The advent of the 99¢ slice has been a boon for cheapskate dining in New York. Unfor-
tunately, it's pretty clear how much you've invested at most cheap 'za shops. Not so Percy's, where a gas-fired
grill knocks out pies that approach artisanal. A medium-thick crust is crispy on the bottom, supporting a slightly
tangy sauce and a judicious cover of cheese. It's just a buck a slice, with fresh toppings like pepperoni just 50¢
more.
190 Bleecker St., btw. MacDougal St. and Sixth Ave. Sun-Thurs 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat 11am-5am. Subway: 1 to Houston St.; C/E to Spring St.;
A/B/C/D/E/F/M to W. 4th St./Washington Sq.
Taim ISRAELI/FALAFEL Though Taim takes a gourmet approach to its Middle Eastern cooking, it's barely reflec-
ted in the prices. Falafel is the specialty, balled into small, taut bites. The options include green, with mint, pars-
ley, and cilantro; roasted red pepper; and harissa, a Tunisian version spiced up with paprika and garlic. A sand-
wich is $6.25 and comes with tahini and homemade hummus. Everything is made fresh, justifying this carryout's
name (Hebrew for “delicious”). Seating is limited.
222 Waverly Place, btw. Perry and W. 11th sts. 212/691-1287. www.taimfalafel.com . Daily 11am-10pm. Subway: 1/2/3 to 14th St.
7 Chelsea/Union Square
Big Booty Bread Co. BAKERY All risk to expanding posteriors aside, the $1.75 “cheese rock” is worthy of obses-
sion. Like a dinner roll of Olympian aspirations, the rock is taut on the outside, protecting a savory, Latin-tinged
quesoblanco and yucca flour interior. Oven-baked empanadas are huge and flavorful. Cupcake fans can gorge on
red velvet and dulce de leche cupcakes.
261 W. 23rd St., btw. Seventh and Eighth aves. 212/414-3056. www.bigbootybreadco.com . Mon-Fri 8am-8pm; Sat 8am-6pm. Subway: C/E or
1 to 23rd St.
Grand Sichuan International CHINESE Don't be fooled by the average decor or below-average prices—this
place serves the best Chinese food in the city. The menu is large, but it's hard to make a bad pick. Orange beef,
sautéed string beans, and General Tso's chicken are three common dishes that get reworked into Szechuan gems.
You can splurge on items such as the $16.95 smoked tea duck, but if you limit your ordering to the many under-
$10 entrees you won't be disappointed. The soup dumplings ($5.75-$6.75) are legendary, and I am obsessed with
the dandan noodles ($4.50). Lunches are not heavily attended, despite the $5.95 specials. At dinner, arrive early
or patient. The other locations are good, but only St. Marks brings the same magic as Chelsea.
229 Ninth Ave., at 24th St. 212/620-5200. www.thegrandsichuan.com . Daily 11:30am-11pm. Subway: C/E to 23rd St. Other locations: East
Village, 19-23 St. Marks Place, btw. Second and Third aves. 212/529-4800. Subway: 6 to Astor Place; N/R to 8th St. WestVillage, 15 Seventh
Ave. S., btw. Carmine and Leroy sts. 212/645-0222. Subway: 1 to Houston St. MidtownEast, 1049 Second Ave., btw. 55th and 56th sts.
212/355-5855. Subway: E/M to Lexington Ave./53rd St.; 4/5/6 to Lexington Ave./59th St. MidtownWest, 368 W. 46th St., btw. Eighth and Ninth
aves. 212/969-9001. Subway: A/C/E/7 to 42nd St./Port Authority. Chinatown, 125 Canal St., at Chrystie St. 212/625-9212. Subway: B/D to
Grand St. BayRidge,Brooklyn, 8701 Fifth Ave., btw. 87th and 88th sts. 718/680-8887. Subway: R to 86th St. Flushing,Queens, 42-47 Main
St., btw. Franklin and Blossom aves. 718/888-0553. Subway: 7 to Main St./Flushing.
Kofoo KOREAN Where students congregate, cheap food follows. An F.I.T. clientele flocks to Kofoo, for a wide
selection of Korean delights. Kimbop, Korean sushi, comes in 10 varieties, for $5.25 to $6.95. Korean rice classics