Chicken platter from Comme ci Comme ca
Today, Sam Sifton said the best restaurant in New York City is Per Se. That restaurant has always been listed as one of the best in the NYC and in the world, therefore it comes as no surprise that years after its opening review, it has maintained the highest rating that the Times bestows on a restaurant. The price for that experience is $300 dollars. Luckily in Midtown Manhattan, one doesn't have to spend three benjamins in order to feel sated and happy. No in fact you can have a plate of delicious food that'll have you forget that you're on a corporate ladder going nowhere. Yes, I'm talking about street meat, and fuck yes, it's only $6 dollars. That's right, for 2% of the price of Per Se, you can get yourself chicken over rice at the Comme Ci Comme Ca truck.
Is this blog post trying to compare Per Se to street meat? No, that's not what this is about. In fact, I've never even been to Per Se. What I can tell you is that while Per Se won stars from New York Times, Comme Ci Comme Ca truck won the title of Street Meat Palooza Champ as crowned by Midtown Lunch. OK, the plate that won was a merguez and chicken combo platter, but that thing is $9. For just $6, you get the chicken over rice platter. It's a great deal and I'll tell you why.
As a chubby chink, I can really appreciate rice. It's delicious when cooked properly and it makes a difference. Some carts/trucks don't place an emphasis on cooking rice properly and it's a shame. At Comme Ci Comme Ca truck, they do it correctly and it's not too soft or crunchy. Yes, there's sometimes crunchy rice out there. They also do you right by giving you some chick peas and sauteed onions and peppers. As I said, this plate is $6, and having the different things really brightens the day. I might not work on Wall St or occupy it, but there's chick peas in my rice, bitches. A more thorough tale of winning couldn't be found.
The chicken here is not bad. The merguez gets all the attention in the combo platter, but no matter. You can add that to your platter after you try the chicken. It's a notch above most no-name carts and makes you appreciate food. The first time I had this chicken platter was in the winter time and I sat outside on a fire hydrant eating this, as my face got the steam treatment. The food was like a blanket of warmth. And months later, it's still as good, and now a winner of Street Meat Palooza 4.
Comme Ci Comme Ca
(check twitter).
New York, NY 10003
347-935-9807
(I invite you to follow me on Twitter so you can get more of my non-sense in another medium.)
Maybe it's my personality, but I would rather spend quality time with my loved ones (family and friends) in a causual setting than be watched over by formally-dressed servers. It's just so much pressure to think that someone is 'waiting' for me to drop a fork and rush in to 'save' my embarrassment. Or perhaps I'm being a sour grape because I just don't own a fine palate.
kim
October 12, 2011 3:35 pm
Damn. I wish this was near where I work. I saw you mention MTL and figured it'd at least be above 14ht Street. Will have to watch Twitter, I guess, and hope they venture up to 53rd Street/7th area.
Adam
October 12, 2011 10:10 pm
@Kim,
Right there with you, I don't own a fine palate either, although those fine dining restaurants are really amazing in terms of how they pamper you. Sometimes though, there's plenty of enjoyment to go around eating cheaper food.
@Adam,
They were at 38th and broadway when I visited, but then they were up around like 52nd and park on another day. Definitely check their twitter for updates.
Danny
October 13, 2011 1:25 pm
Referred from Midtown Lunch, Comme Ci, is my favorite truck available and am a regular customer there.
Was excited to read the article but as I hit, "As a chubby chink", I pretty much stopped reading right there. Good journalism doesn't need to perpetuate racial slurs, even if you're Asian (I am also).
Alex C
October 17, 2011 12:23 pm
@Alex,
1. Where the fuck did you the the idea this was journalism? Idiot.
2. Your kind is not welcome here. And by 'your kind', I mean individuals with a ginormous pole stuck up the ass. There's plenty of other food blogs out there, go read those. Just leave.
Danny
October 17, 2011 9:24 pm