Hell’s Kitchen starts somewhere west of Times Square and ends when it plunges into the Hudson River, running from around 36th Street on its south end to 56th Street on its north. The neighborhood’s borders are elastic and overlap with the Theater District
How did the neighborhood get its evocative name? The powers that be have tried to change it to the dull-sounding “Clinton,” but have had no luck making it stick.
Some say Hell’s Kitchen was the name of a 19th century gang; others that it was named by the press for the squalid conditions of its tenements as early as 1881; and still others espouse the obscure theory that the kitchens that prepared food for cruise ships that docked along the river were located there. Nowadays, as areas all around it gentrify, there is still something hardscrabble about the neighborhood.
There’s still no better place for eating in the city — not MacDougal Street, Jackson Heights, Crown Heights, nor even Flushing can match it, not only in the range of its culinary offerings, but in a price level that ranges from dirt cheap to luxury dining. Especially along Ninth Avenue. By my estimate the avenue alone contains some 160 restaurants, but which ones are best? Here are my favorites along that arterial thoroughfare, as you work your way north.
B&D Halal
West African dishes are sold by the pound at B&D Halal.
This Chelsea stalwart has a brand-new branch on Ninth Avenue, a serve-yourself spot with a hot-and-cold steam table that runs to 65 dishes, offering a quintessential picture of West African cuisines. Jollof rice is a must-have, and may be used as a base for sauces, most with lamb or chicken, that run from a verdant green sweet potato leaf to mellow brown peanut sauce. Food gets weighed at the counter, at $9.99 per pound. 613 Ninth Ave.
Rudy’s Bar & Grill
A free hot dog with every beer at Rudy’s: You can’t get much cheaper than that.
Sure, an inexpensive and delicious burger like that at Lovely’s (see below) is a true find in Gotham, but what about a free hot dog? That is what you get when you order a drink at the ancient (1933) Rudy’s Bar & Grill — boasting Hell’s Kitchen’s most recognizable landmark, with a giant pink pig beckoning outside. Inside, it’s a pure dive. Pint of draft beer $5. 627 Ninth Ave.
Marseilles
Marseilles strives to be a facsimile Parisian brasserie.
Famously opened just after 9/11, Marseilles is the fine dining anchor of the Ninth Avenue strip. It channels a Parisian brasserie, common enough among restaurants now, but a rarity back then. All the classics are there, including salade Nicoise, croque madame, moules mariniere, and steak frites, finishing up with a very rich pot de crème au chocolat. The interior features mirrored columns, lounge-y padded furniture, and picture windows with an excellent view. Main courses, $22 to $36. 630 Ninth Ave.
Lovely’s Old Fashioned
Lovely’s serves an old-fashioned cheeseburger.
If you’d like to enjoy a bit of nostalgia as well as a great hamburger, hit up Lovely’s. Sit at the lunch counter and watch as your burger is made from a ball of very fresh looking ground beef, which gets flattened — but not smashed — and sizzles, sending delicious aromas skyward. Cheeseburger, $8.65. 642 Ninth Ave.
Xie Bao Crab House
Crab roe are as important as the crabmeat itself at this faddish import from China.
Like the name says, this one specializes in blue crab with a particular focus on its orange roe, which have a grainy texture and briny flavor once cooked — definitely worth trying at least once, if maybe not for everyone. This is your best chance to experience what is an autumn craze on the east coast of China. Crab roe over rice, $32.95. 650 Ninth Ave.
Big Wong
Soup at Big Wong
Open in Chinatown since 1978, old timer Big Wong established a Hell’s Kitchen branch two years ago. The Cantonese food is top-notch, including beef chow fun with gravy, wonton soup, shrimp har gow, and green beans with garlic. Brightly lit with minimal but adequate seating – many patrons carry out. Most dishes $12 to $25. 683 Ninth Ave.
Kohoku-Ku Ramen
An unusual mackerel ramen at Kohoku-Ku
In an urban dining landscape littered with ramen parlors, Kohoku-Ku — originating in Yokohama — is exceptional. The small, cheery, and wood-clad interior is hung with colorful paper lanterns, and the menu — which includes starters like okonomiyaki, fried chicken, and yakitori skewers — offers not only the classic tonkotsu, miso, and shio broths, but an oddball but delectable mackerel broth with a big hunk of flavorful fish. Ramen $17 to $25. 709 Ninth Ave.
Pure Thai Cookhouse
A crab and pork noodle dish at Pure Thai Cookhouse
This is one of the most well-regarded Thai restaurants on Ninth Avenue, where there are two dozen of them. Go for any of the noodle soups and stir fries, many unique to this spot, including Ratchaburi crab and pork dry noodles, named after the chef’s hometown. It features crab, pork and plenty of greens and fresh herbs, with soft and squiggly wheat noodles. Most dishes $18 to $23. 766 Ninth Ave.
Poulette
French rotisserie chickens with buttery mashed potatoes are the forte of this café.
Inspired by the rotisserie chicken joints of France, this fast casual spot offers roast chickens of high quality, with crisp skin and sliding-off-the-bone tenderness, with plenty of butter in the mashed potatoes. Other sides are a cut above, too, brussels sprouts, ratatouille, Caesar salad, and quinoa. Quarter chicken with one side $12. 790 Ninth Ave.
Jaz
Dishes at Jaz
Upscale Indian restaurants that explore regional cuisines and offer full cocktail menus have appeared in profusion over the last five years. This one, with Mughal and Punjabi dishes from the north, and southern dishes from places like Chennai and Kerala, also offers a British-Indian twist in an elegant mirrored setting with a bar. Plenty for vegetarians to love here, too. Main dishes $21 to $30. 813 Ninth Ave.
