Chelsea Market

If you haven't been to New York's Chelsea Market lately, go.

I hadn't been for some time, so I decided to make a brief expedition to see what's up. And it turns out that a fair amount is.

There are excellent purveyors of all kinds of food, notably Amy's Bread (this is their bakery), The Lobster Place, Sarabeth's Bakery and Chelsea Wine Vault. In addition, there are many that I didn't know, including the relative newcomer, Dickson's Farmstand, which sells nice-looking organic and [pretty] local meats - I bought some Tasso ham; Ruthy's baked goods - I resisted; and Nutbox - I bought some jalapeno pistachios and peanut butter for friends in Paris (where it can't be found). Jacques Torres was offering their baking chocolate, which my friend Anna recommends but which is not available at their Upper West Side store. (I bought 60% cacao, although they also sell 72%, milk and white.)

I ate at Friedmans Lunch, and had an outstanding Southwest turkey burger (maybe the best I've had) with delicious herbed fries, accompanied by an excellent mint iced tea. Not the place to go if you're in a hurry, but you get the feeling that the slowness is the result of the care with which the foods, including a nice variety of salads and sandwiches, are prepared.

Then I finished off with a spin through Bowery Kitchen Supply, which has some professional items as well as a nice, if quirky, selection of pots, pans and gadgets.

Lying between 15th and 16th Streets and 9th and 10th Avenues, the Chelsea Market is relatively accessible and well worth the trip.

Bobby Jay