By Mood Magazine NYC
The first time I ordered something from a menu that I couldn’t pronounce, I did what any confident adult would do.
I pointed.
“That.”
The waiter smiled.
“Good choice.”
I had no idea what I had ordered.
For all I knew, I had just agreed to eat something that required an apology to my grandmother.
But twenty minutes later, a plate arrived, the smell reached the table before the food did, and suddenly I remembered one of the greatest advantages of living in New York.
You can travel without going anywhere.
Well, technically, you may need to take the train.
And depending on where you’re starting, that may feel like international travel.
But still.
In New York, you can leave your apartment craving something familiar and return having eaten something your taste buds had absolutely no idea they were missing.
And perhaps that is the point.
NEW YORK HAS A DELICIOUS WAY OF INTRODUCING ITSELF
We often talk about New York as a city of neighborhoods.
And it is.
But neighborhoods also tell their stories through food.
A bakery window.
A restaurant where three generations of the same family have worked.
A grocery store carrying ingredients you have never seen before.
A menu written in a language you don’t speak.
The smell of something cooking that makes you stop walking.
Food is often the first invitation.
You don’t have to know everything about a culture before sitting down at the table.
Sometimes you begin by tasting.
ORDER THE THING YOU CAN’T PRONOUNCE
This is our official recommendation.
Choose something you don’t know.
Ask the person serving you what they love.
Be honest.
“I’ve never had this before. What should I try?”
You may receive a recommendation.
You may receive a small education.
You may receive a plate that changes your entire relationship with lunch.
All three are possible.
And if you don’t like it?
Congratulations.
You have survived.
You are still here.
There is always pizza.
THE 7 TRAIN IS BASICALLY A FOOD TOUR
If your idea of culinary adventure is choosing between two different kinds of chicken Caesar salad, we have some suggestions.
Get on the train.
Go somewhere you don’t normally go.
Walk into a neighborhood restaurant.
Look around.
Listen.
Ask questions.
Order something new.
New York is full of people who crossed oceans carrying recipes with them.
Sometimes those recipes became restaurants.
Sometimes those restaurants became institutions.
And sometimes you discover one on a Tuesday afternoon because you got off at the wrong stop.
Honestly, some of our best decisions begin that way.
FOOD IS THE EASIEST WAY TO BE NOSY
Think about it.
You sit down at someone’s table and immediately begin asking questions.
What’s in this?
How do you make it?
Who taught you?
Do people eat this at home?
Can I have more?
Food gives us permission to be curious.
And curiosity is one of the best things New York can teach us.
Because this city works best when we are willing to step into places where we don’t already know everything.
You don’t have to become an expert.
You just have to be willing to try.
A SMALL ASSIGNMENT
This week, eat something you’ve never eaten before.
Not because it’s trendy.
Not because somebody posted it online.
Not because you need another photograph of your lunch.
Eat it because the world is larger than the five things you order repeatedly.
Try the restaurant.
Ask the question.
Order the dish.
And if you love it, tell somebody.
That’s how New York works.
Somebody tells somebody.
Then suddenly there’s a line outside.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What is the best dish you’ve ever tried simply because you were willing to order something unfamiliar?
And where did you find it?
Tell us on Threads and Be a Part of the Story. Your recommendation may inspire our next culinary adventure.
STAY IN THE MOOD
New York is one of the world’s greatest dining rooms.
The only question is whether you’re willing to try something new.
Follow Mood Magazine NYC as we explore the food, neighborhoods, cultures, and people that make this city worth tasting one plate at a time.
Listen to WHRL Mood Radio Harlem, watch Mood TV, and join the conversation on Threads.
Go somewhere new.
Order something unfamiliar.
And if you can’t pronounce it?
Point.
It worked for us.
Mood Magazine. Mind. Body. Spirit. Culture. Harlem to the world.
