New York City

Metropolitan Diary: ‘And for dessert?’

Dear Diary:

I was 23 and hungry and tired after a Sunday of shopping on the Lower East Side when I discovered Ratner’s on Delancey Street. I was shown to a booth, and a bowl of onion rolls and a menu were slapped down on the table.

“What’ll ya have?” the waiter demanded without looking up from his order pad.

“Well, uh … ,” I stammered, looking at the unfamiliar menu.

“You’ll have the stuffed cabbage,” he said. “And on the side?” (He still was not looking at me.)

“Um … mashed potatoes?”

“You’ll have the kasha varnishkes,” he said, scribbling on his pad and then hurrying off.

Generous portions of food soon appeared, and I ate it quickly.

The waiter returned.

“So I guess everything was OK,” he concluded as he watched me mop up a last bit of gravy with a piece of roll.

“Absolutely delicious,” I replied.

“Of course,” he said. “And for dessert?”

“Nothing, thanks. I’m so full.”

“You’ll have the Nesselrode pie,” he said, and then disappeared back up the aisle.

— Sherry Friedman