If the usual diner fare has you feeling kind of blah, venture down the not-so-well traveled path to Gold St. in lower Manhattan and find inspiration in Kobe burgers, truffled mac ’n’ cheese and sushi, amongst other eclectic offerings. This far-from-cozy 24-hour joint boasts infinite booths and tables and a semi-enclosed bar section, in addition to outdoor seating. My friend and I visited at lunchtime and it was hopping, but, luckily, we were seated right away.
The menu, which invites you to “eat any time,” offers small plates like the aforementioned Kobe sliders and Disco Fries ($7), not so small plates like various Ramen Soup options, lots of desserts, breakfast all day and blue plate specials. Excited by the vast assortment of options, my friend and I started with the coconut shrimp with sweet and sour kiwi sauce ($12). I spotted a confused server wandering past us with what I’m pretty sure was our dish. Eventually he made it back our way and handed the food over after we explained it belonged to us—though the people at the adjacent table also claimed it. We dug in, but not entirely comfortably as we choked down the breaded crustaceans, which tasted nothing of coconut and lacked any discernible Kiwi flavor. Fortunately, our waitress, colorfully bedecked in purple knee-highs, brought our refreshing smoothies (mango for me and blueberry for my friend, $4.95) halfway through.
The main event held more promise. I ordered the Big Eye Tuna Tacos ($10.50), and my friend stuck with the basics and ordered a burger ($9) with Swiss, since cheddar wasn’t on the menu. The half dozen tacos tasted great, but the kitchen clearly took the small plate designation seriously; I suspect even one of those celebrity-owned shrunken Chihuahuas would not be satisfied with the tiny portions. My friend was pleased with the burger’s just-right size, as well as the pickle and nicely crisped bacon that accompanied it. The Belgian fries were also good, but too salty.
As we waited for our doughnuts ($6), the couple next to us—who had tried to steal our shrimp—expressed their unhappiness with the diner, in particular the $3.25 charge for a Coke. The doughnuts were like mini crullers, warm and served with Nutella and raspberry jam for dipping. My friend thought they were too sweet, but I ate ’em up. I took the leftovers home and the waitress very thoughtfully provided two new dipping sauces to go with.
Not content with just my memories, I returned to Gold St. the next night, as I was in the area and fantasizing about Disco Fries. I decided not to go too crazy and opted for the healthier chicken salad sandwich on a toasted English muffin ($8.95). It was, hands down, one of the worst things I’ve ever tasted—and I’ve eaten liverwurst. I can’t even work the stove in my kitchen, but even I could have made a tastier rendition of the dish than the bland, colorless pile on my plate. To rid myself of the lingering aftertaste, I ordered a mango smoothie and chocolate chip cookies ($5), a trio that were fortunately big and very chocolatey. For now, I’m going to give Gold St. and its high-end diner cuisine a rest, but there’s still a plate of Disco Fries with my name on it.
Gold St.
2 Gold St. (at Platt St.)
212-747-0797
