This is the life of a cab driver, like Layne Mosler. She's been driving a New York City taxi for a year. Before that, she drove a cab in Argentina. Food is what keeps her going.
"The key is it needs to be fast, cheap, and you need to be able to park," said Mosler.
Kalystan's in Curry Hill meets the requirements.
One of her favorite dishes is murtadara, a spread of caramelized onions, rice and lentils. Mosler also likes pasterma, air cured beef with seasonings like fenugreek.
Kalystan's is one of the places she's written about on her blog, The Taxi Gourmet.
"I have a map on my blog where I write about places other taxi drivers have told me about and places I find on my own reconnaissance in the taxi," Mosler said.
She has written about places like El Aguila for "waheekan" style Mexican on 116th Street. She also has written about Cihcuifritos for its acapooria, deep fried yuca stuffed with beef. It's a Puerto Rican beach food.
"Spongy, crunchy, I'm not sure I'd eat this in a bikini," said Mosler.
Mosler's driving has taken her to cuisines from all over, including the far reaches of Africa via the Bronx, where she eats at Papaye.
"I got in a random cab and asked the cabbie when he's missing food from home, where he goes to…This is where he took me," Mosler said about how she found Papaye.
Two of her favorites at Papaye are Joe-lop rice and smoky tilapia.
For dessert, she heads to Gou-lou-gloo for baklava in flavors like chestnut and sour cherry.
Eating is an adventure for Mosler, and its one you can share by riding in her cab or by logging onto her blog.
"It's for cab drivers and anybody who has a skinny wallet which a lot of people do these days," Mosler said.
LINK: Taxi Gourmet
