Laurel Polanco.
Prof. Krondl
HMGT 1102.
10-31-2018.
If one day you take the L train to Manhattan, I will recommend you to make a stop in Bedford Avenue. When you get off the train and take the stairs, you will be in a nice, kind of fancy and attractive neighborhood: Williamsburg. If you decide, and I encourage you to do it, walk some block to North 3rd Street, then make a right (If you are walking against the traffic), cross Berry Street, and before you get to the next street, you will see the North 3rd Street Market. This is where I went, a food hall with a nice design in Williamsburg.  I decided to go there because I like the area, I´ve been around, and I like the vibes in that particular neighborhood. North 3rd Street Market is like a little place where you can find different spots of food. Four big glass doors give you a warm welcome to the place. If you use the two main entrances, you will see the names of the stores inside. They have a pair of seats per each entrance, and a little tree. The arcs of the doors are decorated with corn leaves. They also have a black flag with white letters with the name of the food hall. When you get inside, you will see a decoration with branches, and as you walk in, you will see that all the stores are well organized. If you walk to the right side, you will see a “mini disco” that gives you entrance to the all gender restrooms. In general, this market has a quiet and bohemian décor.
North 3rd Street Market is a place where you can go with your friends and you can be sure that all of you will find what to eat. You can find Italian food, like pizza, calzones, pies, etc. There is also Mexican food, and the place is called “JaJaJa”, they sell burritos, tacos, and salad. There is also a spot for coffee, another for burgers, one for sushi, other for ice-cream and another one for macaroons.
I ate at Baba´s pierogies. Very clean place with all the required posters on its walls. I had no idea of what type of food it was. I didn’t know what culture does the place represented. I only saw the little menu they offer, and decided to eat Mac and Cheese. Very traditional! But guess what? They don’t take cash, and there is nobody to take your order. Instead of that, they have a screen where you can order and swipe your card. The only person there, besides you, is the cook. They have two types of Mac and Cheese, boiled and fried. I don’t know what a fried Mac and Cheese is, so I ordered the boiled one (That I thought I knew until that day). This place was full of surprises because the cook handed me something that I had no idea existed. According to what I know that wasn’t Mac and Cheese, but I ate it, five pieces of “Mac and Cheese” with chives to décor. I can describe it like boiled dough with cheese inside. While I was eating, I changed my mind because it tasted amazing. I don’t know if it was that I was hungry, or the chives, or the cheese, but now I prefer this type of Mac and Cheese. A little spicy, but not so much, all the flavors where there. The price of this dish was $10.25 and it appeared in the menu as “Mac and Cheese yes! Mac-n-Cheese in a pierogi! (5) 10.25”. Now I know that Pierogi means dumplings in Polish. I drank Coke, the little bottle and I paid $3.00 for it when I regularly pay $1.00 for a can.
Two things that tempted me were a calzone, and macaroons. I didn’t try the calzone because of the price. It was $30.00 without a drink and the portion size wasn’t good for the price. There was no line, I think because I went on Monday. The macaroons were good in size, the price was affordable, $2.75 each, but the spot was closing. I don’t know why they closed at 8:00PM if the board outside says that the market closes at 10:00PM.
What I would not be willing to try was the sushi because it makes me nauseous. I think the most unusual food on offer in Baba´s was the Mac and Cheese because this dish was totally different from what I normally know as Mac and Cheese.
All the vendors are ecofriendly and that also goes with the design of the place. They use eco plates, forks, knives, napkins and cups. They also have recycling bins all around.
Talking in general about what I ate, the price was okay, I am not disgusted because it tasted amazing. The quality was good. Very well presented but, I would prefer 10 dumplings in a smaller size, instead of five of that size. But it was okay and good enough to be the first time trying something different.
I didn’t see a lot of people in there because as I said, I went on Monday and it was almost empty. But the people I saw were mostly white with blond hair, maybe Americans or Europeans, and Asians. Very quiet people, they didn’t disturb the peace of the place and most of them ordered to take out.
I would highly recommend people to go there, but not in a weekday. Also, to go with friends, and open to try new things or to try something you think you knew but turns to be something prepared in a different way.
