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Chelsea: Then and Now | East Village 101
The Genius and Elegance of Gramercy Park | The Multiethnic Eating Tour
On this semiregular culinary excursion, participants eat their way through the Lower East Side, at one time or another a haven for Jewish, Italian, German, Chinese, Irish and Dominican immigrants. Times have changed, but the influence of these communities can still be felt and, thankfully, tasted. Our smart and personable guide Megan presents us with a variety of delicacies, including fried plantains from El Castilla de Jagua (113 Rivington Street) and full-sours from The Pickle Guys (49 Essex St), while sharing morsels from the area’s sometimes seedy history. (A Ph.D. candidate in public health, Megan loves sharing anecdotes about appalling tenement conditions.)
Often the food and the history overlap: While munching on summer rolls from Doyers Vietnamese Restaurant (11 Doyers St) we learn that 19th-century gang bangers chased their prey to the end of the street (then a dead end) to trap them in fights. It’s just one of many bits of trivia that Megan proffers. Local lore and tasty snacks—now that’s something we can sink our teeth into.—Amy Plitt
Contact tour companies for the next available tour or consult daily listings.
Mikey
Sat, Dec 01, 07, at 12:07am
For all newcomers and old NYawkers alike who like this site and the tours. Might I recommend you read a little of Pete Hamill's
My Downtown , Manhattan
We grew up reading Pete along
with Jimmy Breslin born and bred rough and tough NY writers. They made you feel you were at the scene, whether a disco or local bar.
NY is always revolving into a new a vibrant city. Eric Ferrara is correct in his post, you should google people who made NY and The NY who made the people.
Mikey
Fri, Nov 30, 07, at 11:09pm
Shout out to Montel who touted
this web site on his TV show today
Thank you Montel
Eric Ferrara
Thu, Nov 29, 07, at 5:49pm
I just want to say that the review may have missed the point of this tour. I am
concerned that "Tom Cruise andChristy Turlington" are what made an impact. On this
tour, we cover the "melting pot", the immigrant experience, tenement life, Yiddish
Theater, Vaudeville; the rise of the American gangster, labor unions and women's
rights; the birth of radical arts, activism and politics in America; and the demise
of Lower East Side mom and pop meat markets, tailors, and bakeries in the face of
gentrification. And so much more.
Earth shattering, no. But in my opinion, the subject matter is very important for
any New Yorker (or any American for that matter); The arts, ideas, and politics
which spawned from the Lower East Side have changed the world.
