Of Flea Markets and Knishes

I'm always shocked by the cost of living in Florida, at least the part I'm familiar with around Fort Lauderdale.  Deals, deals everywhere, and me saving money for Italy!  Breakfast: waffles and coffee for $3.50.  Early Bird specials: three course meals for $6.99.  And, not to be left out, flea markets the size of a suburban mall.

While I was in Florida last weekend, my grandparents escorted me to the Festival Flea Market, a yooge indoor market stuffed with booths overflowing with merchandise from watches to shoes to canned goods to really expensive dresses to used VHS tapes.

We took a brief detour through the flea market's 99 cent store, where Papa insisted on laying out $1.07 to get me a pair of sunglasses.  These aren't just any sunglasses, either; the sticker on the left lens proudly states "400% UV Protection".  Unfortunately, the sticker neglects to inform me how it's possible for the sunglasses to protect my eyes from 4 times the UV radiation going through their tinted plastic.  They're cute, though, and I did need some sunglasses.

After a little browsing in the flea market, we repaired to the food court for some lunch.  Now, with few exceptions, all of the mall food courts here around Austin contain a McDonalds or two, a Chick-Fil-A (Closed on Sundays!), a non-chain burger place, a Mexican place or two, a Chinese steam table, a "Japanese" teriyaki stand, and perhaps a place with "Cajun" food.

This food court, being in the heart of Jewish/Cuban South Florida, was a little different...

There was a Cuban place, not shocking... and a McDonalds...

And -

No less than four separate places to buy a knish.

I decided to try out Pita Nosh, the Knish Place.  (Don't ask me why it wasn't called Knish Nosh; maybe the name was already taken?)

My mind was completely boggled by the array of knish choices before me.  Also, just what, pray tell, is a Grape Leaves Knish?  Or a Corn Cutlet Knish, for that matter?

The bakery case was most inviting.

The Knish Nosh (I've renamed them in my mind) even had a salad bar; I don't believe I've ever seen one of these in a food court!

I decided to stick to the traditional, and purchased a potato knish, a beef knish, and a cup of split pea soup, figuring I could always pawn bits of my food off on my unsuspecting grandparents.  My plot worked, by the way, helped along by the fact that Papa chose poorly when he bought a bacon and cheese topped baked potato.  I've never seen cheese congeal like that.

My knishes, on the other hand, were stick-to-your-ribs tasty.

 

And then they were gone.  What?  I had help! 

I would say that my first knish experience was a positive one.  Plus, I got to see the flea market!

That night - Cuban.  And sangria.  Yum yum.

girlie

Comments

[Bill]

Knish Nosh is taken
It is a store in ny since 1952
they are opening in delray

[Boots in the Oven]

thanks, Bill! I would love to chow down on a knish in NY.

http://www.digitalcity.com/longisland/restaurants/knish-nosh/v-288515

[Skater]

Most do not notice it but Pita Nosh also has the second best matzohball soup in south Florida. Mo's deli in Aventura is the best. Luv Pita Nosh's kasha knishes best I have had anywhere including NYC.

[Logan@ Boots in the Oven]

Skater- Thanks for the info. We're always looking for good foodie tips!