www.Mappetite.com
The stretch of Ninth Avenue between 34th and 42nd Streets west to the river is a grungy no mans land with little to no allure aptly marked the “BROWN ZONE” on transit bus maps. No landmarks. No sweet prewar apartments. No up market retail. This “hot” new neighborhood has far to go. If you’re hungry there’s not much to work with. Mitchel London Pizza (456 9th Avenue) is a safety palate play with tasty thin crusted, bottom charred pies. You want to love the next store Burger’s & Cupcakes. But its cutesy nostalgia concept is undermined by its dark design and unsanitary environs. Another door down is Manganaro’s Grosseria Italiana. The frontage exudes a rich history but leads into a dusty shell with little to offer. 
The surprise is at TRIO FRENCH BAKERY (476 9th Avenue). The sparse bake shop could easily be at home in Cuba owing to its “surviving the embargo” feel. Not much in the glass display cases but for stacks of bread and repetitious trays of lemon drop cookies. But, what a cookie. Soft cake morsel and icing, even if a bit treacly, it is a memorable granny-made lemony bite. “This is what we’re known for” says the counter person and we understand why.
Posted January 7th, 2010 (4:48 pm) in newyork. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.