The Bronx’s own culinary ambassador Baron Ambrosia, aka Justin Fornal wrote a brilliant piece in ‘Anthony Bourdain’s Explore Parts Unknown’ documenting a perfect day in The Bronx hopping from restaurant to restaurant from eight in the morning straight until 3AM as Bronx born and bred photographer David “Dee” Delgado documented the journey shooting some beautiful photographs.
One of the most beautiful things about our borough is our diversity which affords residents the opportunity to sample cuisines from across the world right here in our own backyard, something which The Baron has been chronicling for well over a decade quite well.
Baron takes us on his most intimate account of 16 distinct eateries and temples to libations yet in this article from the kitchen of a “…High Priestess of Garifuna culture…”, in the South Bronx to Pelham Parkway for some Albanian meat bread, aka burek.
But it’s the end where he nails it and talks about what makes this borough so special, for you see, The Bronx is a borough of immigrants and it’s something worth protecting here for they all work to make us a better place.
Fornal writes about his culinary journey:
“This is just one of a hundred different combinations of ways to spend a day in the Bronx that does not include the Yankees, the Zoo, or even the beautiful Botanical Gardens. These are the people and flavors that make it my favorite city in the known world.
For many immigrants who are moving to America, the Bronx is the first place they call home. It is an affordable haven where diverse old world cultures and groundbreaking creativity can co-exist side by side. This unique blending of languages, style, art, music, food, and attitude have given the Bronx a unique cultural heritage unto itself.
This culture needs to be protected, and it will be. So I say unto every opportunistic real estate vulture and fair weather investor who is out to bulldoze the Boogie Down and “rebrand” it as a watered down homogenized strip mall of gentrification:
Watch your f***ing back.”
Watch your friggin’ back indeed. Don’t mess with us.
Check out the list of restaurants here: The Perfect Day in The Bronx – Explore Parts Unknown
