Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Papaya @11:25 pm
Penn Station/Herald Square
One of the many blogs I follow and comment on is New York magazine’s Grub Street. They announced in a post today that the Grays Papaya in Hell’s Kitchen is shut down due to high rent. If you followed the 365 blog you know I love the Papaya dog places. I was just in this one the first week of this blog, before I went to Show World. I had no idea that would be my last dog at that location. There’s been several of these fine institutions celebrating low-priced, great tasting dogs for years in New York City shut down in the last couple of years. I think there’s only a half dozen Papaya places left, so I thought I’d start documenting them in pictures here at MAD, every Monday. The first one I’m going to is the Papaya Dog in Penn Station. I stopped there once already for this blog, but I only got a couple photos, so I want to do it up right. Now I don’t know if it’s an official Gray’s Papaya dog, but they have corn dogs and beer, so it’s close enough for me and it’s just a couple blocks from work, so it’s off we go.
Update: Fat Al blogged about this yesterday at the fine blog, The Half Empty Glass. I just saw it now and you can check it out here: Bastards.
I thought we'd go to the shuttered Papaya Dog before Penn Station to pay a last respect. It's just seven blocks away.
Oh, shit, what a shame.
Just a little over a week ago it lit up the corner like this.
And now this is all that's left.
I tried to look through the windows, but they're covered in paper. Another local business done in by high rent.
And across the street is the future. Dunkin' Fuckin' Donuts. Fuck.
And a block away stands the evil 7-11. You know how in the movie "It's A Wonderful Life," it explains that every time an angel gets its wings, a bell rings? Well, every time a Papaya Dog closes, one of these monstrosities pops up on the block.
Fuck it, let's go to Penn Station, I need a beer.
And here we are. Let's go down.
What's funny tonight is that no one's running down the escalator...
And the stairs are closed because they're working on them. So you'd think tonight would be a nightmare on the escalator, but no, it's calm. You never know.
And here we are at the Papaya. Let's take a look around while this one is still alive.
Here's the front counter where all the food and grills are housed in.
The Breakfast and daily specials.
Some of the display meals...
But this is a Papaya and this is what you should be eating here. I suggest the corn dogs. Outside of street fairs in the summer, the corn dog is a rare commodity in Manhattan. You don't see them for sale at too many places.
And this is the only Papaya in town that has another wonderful commodity...beer.
The employees here are friendly and the service is fast.
Within minutes, Ramy has my corn dog and a large beer ready for consumption.
We'll load the corn dog up with a liberal dose of Sabrett's spicy mustard and we're good to go.
In addition to beer and corn dogs, this is the only Papaya place that has a seating area to enjoy your meal and chill out. Let's grab a table.
Now that's a fine looking meal indeed!
The corn dog is crunchy and delicious.
And before I leave, the obligatory Papaya mirror shot. Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark.
Papaya
Penn Station
Lower level
This isn’t a review, but a recommendation. This is my favorite Papaya. They have beer, corn dogs and a nice little seating area to chill out in. And you can get a giant beer and a corn dog for under five bucks. Who could ask for anything more? It beats the shit out of a 7-11.
Further reading: Wikipedia, New York Times, Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, Eater NY.
24 Comments
Reader Comments (24)
It's so incredibly sad that so many good places have to close because of high rent, or some other stupid greedy reason :( WTF !?! Is there no good left in the world ??
http://www.dnainfo.com/20110222/midtown/hickeys-bar-owner-dies-after-closing-namesake-saloon
I agree with Gene, a sad state of affairs to see these local landmarks closing. Greedy landlords are evil. The Papaya in Penn Station rules, I remember when you went there for 365 bars! Nice post!
Yeah that rent increase is screwing everybody. Thanks Gene for that link to Hickey's, and what a sad story about the old man, just like that. Probably died with a broken heart. That was his life. And just like that, Marty goes back and Papaya is boarded up, closed, and Hickey's is already gutted.
These places close quickly and behind your back .......... at least I'm glad I again made it to Hickey's and the Stoned Crow before they went away. My next NYC pub crawl will be ESPN Zone, TGI Friday's, Bubba Gump's, Olive Garden & Ruth's Chris ..... wait ..... scratch that ... I'm gonna stay home instead ........ :(
I haven't been to new york since Maia was a tot.(she is 16 now)..not sure if i would even know it anymore. Seattle was getting like that and I left.
I'm gonna be an agoraphobic now.. i dont want to see the change.
i love that the beer has a lid on it.. that's almost as cool and wine glasses with saran wrap..
this post made me sad. too old to deal with change i guess. but now i gotta think of something perky to post on today's facecrack for this post.
damn marty what are you gonna eat if everything closes up.. are you gonna live on donuts and seven eleven burritos?
@GENE: I hear you, thanks for the link. And the list in your second comment is a great list of places to stay the fuck away from!
@Barfly: Thanks!
@Al: I'm really glad I got to document that Gray's Papaya here before it got shuttered.
@Gidgie: I'd rather starve! I'm anxious to see what you post on facecrack, I can't see it till I get home. I'll try to make tonight's post a little cheerier!
Is it just me or is the employee manning the juice bar svelte, energetic looking, and cleaning his work area during a lull in orders; whereas his counterpart manning the beer tap look lethargic, fat, wearing a stained uniform, kinda just hovering there, holding some grub and a cold one?
As far as NY rent goes, I have strong opinions about it. So as not to bore, the rent goes up only if the market is low or high. Not to sound like Johnny Trotsky, but NYC does a wonderful job of dropping the ball in regards to real estate. You can make the argument that after a prolonged period of pain and misery the market is self correcting. I remember the South Bronx in the 70's. I don't think you'll like the correction.
Right on, Marty. I'd like to blame all this on rapacious blood-sucking landlords, but sadly you got to save some blame the ding-a-lings that live in this sorry town. You won't catch me dead in a fucking 7-11 but there's obviously plenty of morons that shop there, and they aren't all tourists. When the last bit of New York-iness is finally squeezed out by mallification I wonder who is going to want to move here?
@cp: Nice points. I wish I could remember the '70's.
@Ned Sparks: I hear you loud and clear. I remember when the first 7-11 opened up and the New York Times ran a story about it. I walked by and there was a line out the door to get a Slurpy or Slushy or whatever the fuck it is they sell. It's like, "Hey assholes, go get an Italian ice from a local vendor." I don't know who is going to want to move here when it's one big chain store, but I do know who will want to move out: Me.
I love corn dogs they always remind me of summertime. Ice cream and corn dogs and plenty of sweet sweet boozy.It's messed up seeing all of these small businesses getting pushed out...Wal-Mart is trying to open a superstore in the Chicago city limits...Fuck
sorry to see that place close. i went back and reread your post and feel sorry for the little man who's picture you took. i hope the beer one stays open.
err, comment fail by me, it's the same guy.
@tehennessey: They've been trying to get a WalMart in New York now for a couple of years. I pray that doesn't happen.
@rita r. I hope it stays open too. It's the only Papaya with beer!
@cp: I wondered what you were talking about, I thought it was a joke that went over my head!
[um, yeah. it was a big existential joke. (nope)]
Thought someone would mention Duane Reade by now. Buy up a mom and pops drugstore, lower prices till the competition in the area can't compete. After the independents go out of business, raise the prices higher than market rate. Rinse and repeat.
ah so much to say...but it'ss MAD 's space...leave all w/ this...
“Some people wanted champagne and caviar when they should have had beer and hot dogs”
--Dwight David Eisenhower
@cp: I have to admit that I shop at a Duane Reade, but it's only because as you said all the mom and pop's are gone. My only choices are Duane Reade, Rite Aid and Walgreens. And Walgreen's owns Duane Reade, so it really doesn't matter. That's the fear, that chains will take over and then there's no choices left. I never thought it would happen in New York, but it is.
@raginrr: You always come up with a fitting quote! I had never seen that one and it's perfect!
P.S. Anyone notice Jaws is M.I.A?
In May, if everything goes right, and I pass through NY, I really wanna pass in a Papaya to taste a corn dog. We don't have this kind os snack here in Brazil, and they look delicious! And they have BEER! An amazing place. Hope they don't close before I go!
Am I gonna have to come back before fall so I can get me a Papaya dog?!?!?! Alright, I start saving...NOW!
Does Papaya do carts also? I thought that was the brand I got on my trip to NY back in 95. I might have to go pull up the pictures. Whatever it was, it was good. Even if they didn't have ketchup.
@cp I thought you were just being funny because of how different he looks in the two shots. Multiple personalities and all.
What's the difference between the Papaya's and the Gray's Papaya's ???
@Gui Stecher: Let me know when you're going to be here and we'll definitely stop in there, I'll buy you a beer!
@Biff: I can't believe we haven't stopped at a Papaya at one of your visits, next time for sure!
@kari: Nope, they don't have carts. But there's six of them left and I'll be visiting them all in the next few weeks.
@GENE: The difference is the ownership. Other than that, they're mainly the same. Kind of like all the different "Ray's Original Pizza's" that are all owned by different, "Ray's." But only the Penn Station one has beer.
There's must be about 1.3 billion different Ray's Pizza places in the city ..... why can't some of them close - and let the Stoned Crow move in !!!
I'll have to dig through my pictures and find out where it was, maybe I'll send you a copy of the pic if I get it scanned.
@GENE: I agree!
@kari: If you find it, please send it in, I'll post it.