Day: June 11th, 2007
Everyone’s a winner
Live entertainment, filled 46th Street with music. I’d read that the stars from “Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding” were to perform at the TOTS food festival, but I must have just missed them.
I did a doubletake as we passed this accordian player, propped up on a cement pillar at the corner of 46th and Eighth. For a brief moment, I thought were were revisiting the wild days of pre-Disney Times Square, but upon closer examination it seems the street performer actually was wearing a tube top underneath her instrument.
An ominously loud clap of thunder followed by a torrent of rain sent crowds scrambling for cover under the large Swing 46 tent on Restaurant Row, where swing band Double Down led by John Kozan entertained with toe-tapping tunes. Some impressive moves were on display on the dance floor, though I suspected most of the participants were ringers from the nearby jazz and supper club.
At the Times Square Alliance booth, festival-goers lined up for a chance to spin for fabulous prizes. When my turn came, I gave the cage a vigorous turn. As a bright blue ball rolled out, I was treated to enthusiastic whoops from the stall workers who bestowed upon me a black “Times Square Alliance”-logoed t-shirt like the one pictured here. It was a tough act to follow, but SYB did: improbably so, winning a white and pink “Taste of Times Square” apron (along with some unsolicited advice.) Sweet!
Our luck did not follow us to the “Broadway Insider” booth where festival attendees were lined up for a chance at free show tickets. My wheel spin “won” me one of the consolation prizes: a “Phantom of the Opera” fridge magnet. No matter: we cashed in our remaining tickets for $1 NYC-partnered Snapples and went home winners anyway.
Taste of Times Square 2007
Along West 46th Street between Broadway and Ninth Avenue: the annual Taste of Times Square (TOTS), presented by the Times Square Alliance.
Over 50 Times Square-area eateries participated in the showcase, offering sample-sized dishes in exchange for combinations of $1 “taste tickets.” As with other outdoor food festivals around town, the combination of food samples and live entertainment drew people in droves. Here at the crossroads of the universe, the crowd was made up heavily of tourists, and the offerings represented the restaurants catering to their segment: Applebee’s, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Café, M&M World (free samples, handed out by a giant yellow M&M)… there was even a Papa John’s (yeah, that Papa John’s) stand, where inexplicably, they seemed to be doing pretty brisk business on their $3 pizza slices, matching DiFara’s in price, but nowhere near in quality. No Olive Garden presence, but nonetheless, there was no shortage of red-sauce pasta variations. The dueling pits of Spanky’s and Virgil’s kept clouds of barbecue smoke wafting through the crowded streets, as the threat of downpour loomed overhead.
As a whole, the prices were somewhat gentler than at Dine Around Downtown – most in the 1-3 ticket range; a few “big ticket” items like Gallagher’s steak sandwiches went for $5 – probably reflecting the less rarified offerings. No foie gras or kobe beef at this festival, but there were still good eats to be had. I steered away from some of the messier, more involved dishes – no utensils please – opting for the more easily manageable bites instead. I had a tasty, if tiny, pepper-seared beef carpaccio on toast with arugula, parmesan and truffle oil from – of all places – the Hawaiian Tropic Zone stall, eye-catchingly flanked by hot pink bikini and tank-topped babes. Classy!
And gorgonzola fondue ladled over bruschetta (to the puzzled man hovering nearby, I explained: cheese on bread) which was a filling bargain for $1.
One block farther west, on historic Restaurant Row, the scene was somewhat prettier and the offerings included crab cakes, paella and cheesecake. We even managed to drum up a little business for the friendly women at Social Bar Grill and Lounge: 2 beef sliders for $2.
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