New Kids on the Block
By Arthur Schwartz
Sometimes I actually eat at a place north of 14th Street. In November I discovered two “newish” eateries that I just had to recommend.
Baggio Pizzeria – 7th Avenue at 18th Street
I saw a sign – “thin crust pizza.” As someone who started my adventures with Village pizza places nearly 55 years ago at Rays, which had the thickest crust and thickest cheese, I was intrigued. I love crisp crust, great sauce and fresh toppings.
Baggio’s Pizzeria is a fairly new addition to the Chelsea neighborhood, but they’ve been running a successful restaurant in Fort Lee, NJ, since 1998. I was not disappointed. The slice itself is beautiful, with a perfectly crisp cracker-thin underside crust that yields an amazingly clean snap on each successive bite. Despite the extreme thinness, it still manages to have some tight aeration and flakiness. The sauce has a slightly coarser texture, with bits of heavier pulp. It’s tangy, bright and fresh with a good tartness on the robust profile. It works well in maintaining the lightness of the slice without feeling like you’re being shortchanged. The back crust is thin, crisp and crunchy. As you’d expect, it’s a quick, clean bite-through with a touch heavier chew.
Besides cheese, they serve Margarita, a la vodka, vegetable (peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, onions and olives), Milanese (baby greens, fresh mozzarella, and red onions), and Bianco, with ricotta and olive oil. They also serve deep dish, heroes, and salads.
You do have to love this thin crust style of pizza to really appreciate it but if you do, Baggio’s is absolutely a must try place. Baggio’s is open every day till 10 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays until 11 pm.
Mikado – 109 West 14th Street
A construction barrier has been up on the northwest side of 14th Street and 6th Avenue for years, related to a new elevator to the subway. My wife Kelly and I wanted some quick sushi, and figured that a new place behind the barricade would be empty one Sunday night. We were wrong. It was packed.
Mikado was a high volume, no-frills, mainly carryout sushi bar originally located on 6th Avenue, south of 14th Street. They moved around the corner onto 14th Street in Chelsea, adding a nicely designed series of dining rooms. The location (formerly Good Stuff Diner) is now rather spacious with a capacity of 100 guests.
The menu is astounding. The restaurant offers everything from bento boxes to noodles, curry rice, deep fried options, and of course sushi and sashimi. What was most pleasing (besides that the sushi was fresh, and the cooked food delicious) were the prices for combos. Rolls range from $7 to $18 and Nigiri (two pieces) from $10-$18. But most compelling was their combos. They serve a Hand Roll Set- four rolls- for $27. We opted for the Bento Set- a salad, a tuna ball, two rolls, and a cooked dish (either chicken teriyaki, salmon teriyaki, Unagi Don, or miso black cod) also just $27. Getting out of a Japanese restaurant with a $54 bill (tip included) was astounding.
Eater has named Mikado one of their 25 Essential Restaurants in Chelsea calling it a “quintessential sushi takeout spot” that “got fancier” when it moved to a new location last year.
Survivor of the Month
Elite Shoe Repair, 105 West 10th Street
RICHARD AN, owner of Elite Shoe Repair, above. All photos by Arthur Schwartz.
Its pretty hard these days to find a shoemaker — a skilled pro who can replace a sole, put on a new heel, and make your warn out shoe look stylish and not spend more than buying a new pair. I had to rehab a pair of shoes fast recently (like overnight) so I began looking. Walking down West 10th, across from Jefferson Market Library just past Patchin Place, I found Elite Shoe Repair. The owner, Richard An, turned out to be one of those talkative types who clearly has a relationship with his customers, who have protected him from eviction of late.
Back in 1997, An’s friend suggested that he should take over the business. Mr. An , who was a grocer, and whose store burned down in the Los Angeles riots in 1992, checked out the shop, loved the location. Over the years many of Mr. An’s older customers have passed away, but many younger people still use his services. Elite Shoe Repair has benefited from the closing of other shops and the migration of customers to him, but rather than celebrate that, An noted that fact with lament. Of course, he has retained longtime customers because of his excellent shoe and boot repair, and bags and belts are not beyond his expertise.
In a pedestrian city like New York, a reliable shoe repair shop is a gift from heaven. In this tiny shop, you will find a rainbow-colored assortment of shoelaces, polish of all kinds, as well as soles and other foot support bandages and items. You’ll also find a shelf of 100 shoes already repaired and ready to be picked up.
An opens and closes the shop himself. And he always finishes on a deadline; most jobs are turned around the next day, or two at the most, and he has been known to do on-the-spot emergency repairs when he can. And as I said, he loves to talk.
Mystery bagels coming soon!!
This baker’s slogan is “Apollo fills you up; Aphrodite makes you strong.” Bagels are made with non-fat Greek yogurt and air-fried. Low in fat, high in protein. Watch Village View for the reveal!
