Where to find substantial bites for less in the Big Apple
— -- Cost-conscious travelers can enjoy bountiful pleasure at mealtime if they choose their itinerary carefully and order smartly. To help with the planning each month, USA TODAY's Jerry Shriver offers a menu of suggestions from a major destination.
Down-home dining: Profiles of cheap-eats classics
1. Shake Shack 366 Columbus Ave.; no telephone shakeshacknyc.com
This Upper West Side newcomer is the first branch of the popular outdoor burger-custard stand operated by celeb restaurateur Danny Meyer (Gramercy Tavern) in Madison Square Park. Here, the seating's enclosed and on two levels, but the menu and superior short-order cooking are nearly identical (as are the long lines). Though the concept is grounded in small-town nostalgia, Meyer elevates it with modern urban/adult touches: There's a well-chosen selection of wines and beers by the glass; everything is said to be made in-house; and no trans fats are used in the cooking. The signature ShackBurger ($4.75) comes on a soft, eggy bun and features a subtly flavored mayo-based sauce; the cheese-topped crinkly fries are properly cooked; the New York- and Chicago-style hot dogs are true to their regional identities; and the dense, thick, frozen-custard "concretes" are properly decadent and big enough to share (though you probably won't want to).
•Top treat:Shacky Road concrete (chocolate custard, Valrhona chocolate crunchies, marshmallow and almonds), $6.25.
2. Pio Pio 1746 First Ave. (and six other locations); 212-426-5800; piopionyc.com
Upscale Peruvian cuisine is just now entering the mainstream dining world, but for years this small local chain has wowed connoisseurs with low-cost rustic versions. Falling-off-the-bone rotisserie chicken topped with a spicy, green creamy sauce ($4-$9) is the superstar, followed closely by piquant ceviche ($10) accompanied by corn on the cob and sweet and white potatoes. The salchipapas appetizer ($4) — french fries topped with hot-dog slices — looks odd at first but makes supreme sense after the first bite.
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