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March 2, 2005

Top Dishes in Harlem

arlem has fewer restaurants per block than most neighborhoods, so the places tend to accept a more expansive notion of delivery distance: usually 20 blocks up — and downtown and four or five blocks crosstown.

Caffé Swish (2953-55 Broadway, at 115th Street 212-222-3568), earns laurels for heroic delivery distance, blinding speed (36 blocks in 21 minutes) and decent sushi. The sushi and sashimi combination ($20.95) included lively slabs of fluke, yellowtail and salmon, but sushi rice was occasionally on the dry side. Thai curry with chicken ($9.50) arrived piping hot and moderately seasoned. Peach black bubble tea ($2.50) was ingeniously heat-sealed with plastic film, ensuring no leaks along the way.

El Toro Partido (3431 Broadway, at 140th Street; 212-281-1587), consistently delivered the best Mexican food of any Harlem restaurant in the shortest time. English is understood here but rarely spoken, so it is advisable to get a menu before ordering unless you know the Mexican culinary canon by heart. Pudding-thick red mole ($8.75) was complex and exemplary for the price; likewise the sweet and hot enchiladas verdes ($7.95). Generous helpings of queso fresco and avocado adorn expertly layered tortas (sandwiches, $5) and huaraches (open-faced salads built on a long, thick corn tortilla, $4 to 5.50). Tacos ($2), wrapped tightly in foil, arrived warm and still soft.

Devin’s Fish and Chips (747 St. Nicholas Avenue, at 147th Street; 212-491-5518), does one thing well: it delivers a shore-shack experience in as little as 30 minutes. The skin-on chips and fried whiting fillets ($5) arrived hot in gingham-print paper baskets wrapped with waxed paper; the fish was consistently crisp, nicely salty and cleanly fried. Two sides are included; among the choices are tart and greasy plantains and nicely steamed okra, with a dusting of shrimp boil seasonings, were irresistible.

Copeland’s Reliable Cafeteria (549 West 145th Street, near Broadway; 212-234-4110), lived up to its name, with a courteous operator and a speedy uniformed delivery person (though once the food was more warm than hot). Good Southern dinners like fried chicken ($10.35) and oxtail ($13.28) come with a choice of two sides, including lusty collard greens and indifferent macaroni and cheese. Nothing was oversalted or oversweetened save the cornbread and the iced tea.

BEST BETS

The herolike tortas ($5) and huaraches ($4 to $5.50) from El Toro Partido.

Beefy melt-in-your-mouth Oxtails ($13.28) from Copeland’s Reliable Cafeteria.

Flaky-crisp fish and hand-cut chips ($5) from Devin’s Fish and Chips.

Source:  NY Times