Subway Roulette

I played subway roulette at lunchtime today.  I work in the East 50s, and sometimes I feel like getting out of the neighborhood for lunch, for variety, but some place not too far, maybe three of four stops on the train.  So I go to the subway at Lexington & 53rd and wait for a train.  The two choices are the E and the V.  If the E comes first I hop on and go to lunch on 8th, or more likely 9th Avenue.  If the V comes first I go some place close to 6th Avenue, maybe one of the Korean places on W. 32nd or maybe Szechuan Gourmet.

Today the E came.  I took it to 8th Avenue & 50th, headed to 9th Avenue and walked south (I often walk north).  I passed a place I've been meaning to try, Gazala's Place, a Middle Eastern restaurant with a difference--it's Druse.  But I decided to wait until I could go with more people or at least on a day I had my camera with me.  I passed a La Kabbr, an Iraqi restaurant I have tried; I found it to be good but nothing special.  I decided as I was walking that I'd go for a lunch special at Bali Nusa Indah, which may be the only Indonesian restaurant in Manhattan at this time.  I've been there a number of times.

I had the fish filet with a spicy lemon grass sauce, which was served with a pickled vegetable salad and spring rolls.  Bali Nusa Indah has been around for a number of years, but I think foodies dismiss it or take it for granted because there's better, more "authentic" Indonesian food to be found in Queens.  True as that may be, Bali Nusah Indah is quite a decent restaurant, with good food and very reasonable prices.  Diners looking for an Asian restaurant in the West 40s would do well to consider it.

Bali Nusa Indah

651 9th Avenue (between 45th & 46th)