While I was growing up, my mother owned a little clothing shop, and she would refill her inventory every Sunday, in the Garment District on the Lower East Side. The area has changed immensely and most of the wholesalers my mom bought from are no longer there but I have vivid memories of these days. My brother and I would play hide and seek among the racks of clothes, boxes, and shelves until my mom would get annoyed and tell my father to take us. My father, who did not have nearly as much power as my mother, could only entice us to listen to him without promises of ice cream or food from the street vendors.

We ate from tons of street carts during these Sundays for years and one of the things I craved most after we stopped going, was the Curried Squid. Just about two years ago, I asked my mom where to get this Curried Squid I missed so much and she didn't know. The cart we had frequented was no longer around.

By a kind act of fate, I stumbled across an unlabeled street cart, on Pike Street just below East Broadway, after lunch yesterday. I knew the vendor had Curried Squid! I could smell it, and like my eight year old self, I walked up to the man and said, "Ga-li Yo-Yu?". He nodded and my face glowed. I bought a pint, stuffed to the rim, full of Curried Squid for $3.50.

Where I went wrong, was reheating it at night for part of dinner, which made it chewy and a bit over-cooked. I suspected that would happen but I was just to full to eat it when I bought it. The flavor was still the fantastic flavor from my memories and I was still completely satisfied, savoring each bite, feeling like a kid.


I highly recommend going to this street cart and trying this Curried Squid, something I've never seen at any restaurant. He will provide napkins and a fork, so just eat it right there!