Curry Up!
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
(0 out of 5 hot dogs)
Loading ...2nd Annual Curry Eating Championship
273 W 38th (7th and 8th)
Qualifying Rounds: April 15-May 20
Final Round: June 5, 5:00pm
I’m having hot flashes just writing about this. Go! Go! Curry is hosting a competition to see who can eat the most Japanese curry rice in the shortest time. In the preliminary round, you’ll have to eat two plates (24 oz). If you are among the top six finishers overall, you’ll get to compete in the final round against the likes of the Mouth of the South, Dark Horse and Porkslap to see who can eat the most curry in twenty minutes. So, if you don’t already feel like vomiting, check out the promotional video, and watch as curry slops all over the trucker beards that adorn the competitors (another unspoken requirement.)
9th Avenue has about six Thai restaurants, all in a row, all called Yum Yum (I suppose a better name than Yuck Yuck). I saw a lunch special advertised outside (!), so a friend I went in and were seated by the hostess. A couple minutes later, she came back and said, “You no eat heel go other Yum Yum same food!” And with that, we were shooed outside and into another restaurant with the same lunch special and slightly different décor. It was empty, except for an angry theatre-producer type who was complaining that his meal was undercooked and he was NOT going to pay (Pre-Tony jitters?) I ordered some sort of noodle dish with vegetables (luckily not undercooked), and had dumplings and a Thai iced tea for my sides. Other side options included soup, salad and spring rolls. It was a good value, and everything tasted fine, although if I were in the restaurant naming business, I probably would have just called it Yum, not sure if it deserves the second Yum.
Mothers, lock up your children, the 
With six locations, unlimited drinks, unlimited chips and salsa, all for the same price as a movie ticket, this is my go-to drunch in NYC (drunk + brunch = drunch). The adorable little stuffed monkey decorations throughout the restaurant somehow makes it okay that you are getting sloshed on Sunday and it’s not even noon. Good news: Blockheads also has a lunch special during the week (Chips, Soda, and entrée for $9). Better news: $3 frozen margaritas ALL DAY EVERY DAY. They don’t take reservations, but despite the amazing-ness of this special, I have never had to wait for a table. The waiters here are really nice too; they even came up with a nickname for my table, “los borrachos.” I’m not sure what it means, but I like the way they roll the ‘R’s!’ The weekend is approaching, I suggest you hop on Google Maps and figure out the Blockheads that is closest to your apartment (or the apartment of your co-worker who is pretty hot, but really annoying, but you’ll probably hook up with anyway after the Holiday Party).
I’m a superfan of all-you-can-eat meal deals, as you can imagine. And Dakshin does not disappoint. With several different dishes: chicken, lamb, potatoes and veggies all with different sauces and curries, it’s yummy in da tummy. The quality is what one would expect with an Indian buffet, but the quantity is what’s important. Unlimited. And that goes for the naan and rice, and all the chutneys as well. You’ll eat so much that curry will be seeping through your pores for a week. You’ll eat so much it would make Ghandi blush. You’ll eat so much that strangers will come up and rub your Buddha belly for good luck. So hop on your elephant, and ride over to one of the three NYC locations! (P.S.- I’ve dined here several times, but never had my camera. So I popped in today and took a picture, causing quite a stir among the staff and the patrons. Oh, the life of the anonymous blogger!)
One dollar, one slice? Say whaaaaaat? While there is nothing gourmet or unique about this pizza, it has all the essential components (dough, sauce, cheese, grease.) Fresh pizzas fly out of the oven faster then you can say ‘WhatcanIgetforadollar.’ The line is long, but it moves quickly, so there’s no time for the pies to dry out under the heat-lamps and become infected with air-born pathogens. Take it to go, or have a seat and mingle with the homeless (no offense to my homeless readers), but whichever way you look at it, this is the best bang for your buck. I give major props to the owners for opening a location kitty-corner to their biggest competitor ‘99 Cents Fresh Pizza’ on 41st, who recently added the tagline “1.07 including tax.” I’d rather pay $2, and slough the .93 for convenience. You make me sick, ‘99 Cents Fresh Pizza,’ we’re through! Don’t even bother texting me, you cheap false advertising pizza hoe!
What is a brilliant idea in concept, is in reality a miserable hangout for Jersey trash who need a night away from the stench of their home-state.