A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

Recent entries:
“Shoutout to ATM fees for making me buy my own money” (3/27)
“Thank you, ATM fees, for allowing me to buy my own money” (3/27)
“Anyone else boil the kettle twice? Just in case the boiling water has gone cold…” (3/27)
“Shout out to ATM fees for making me buy my own money” (3/27)
20-20-20 Rule (for eyes) (3/27)
More new entries...

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z


Entry from August 21, 2015
West Broadway (pork and beans nickname)

“West Broadway” is a 19th century restaurant slang term for “pork and beans.” The New York City slang was cited in print in 1874, but was seldom used by 1900.
 
“Stars and stripes” is another 19th century restaurant slang term for pork and beans.
 
 
7 March 1874, Pomeroy’s Democrat (New York, NY), “Eating House Slang.” pg. 2:
“Then there’s pork and beans which am ‘Stars and Stripes,’ ‘West Broadway,’ or ‘One Day Ahead.’”
 
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
17 April 1875, The New York Clipper (New York, NY), supplement, pg. 2, col. 7:
There come whispers for a plainer and less expensive fare. “Two Sleeve-buttons,” “Two on Horseback,” “Boston Woodcock,” “Mystery,” “West Broadway,” “Links of the Atlantic Cable,” and the like.
 
Chronicling America
11 October 1886, Springfield (OH) Globe-Republic, “Restaurant Lingo,” pg. 2, col. 7:
“One West Broadway brown, an’ have her extra br-o-wn!”
(...)
West Broadway’ means pork and beans and ‘have her brown an’ extra brown’ signifies that the beans are to be well warmed over.
(...)
Order ‘stars and stripes’ and you’ll get pork and beans.
(...)
—New York Commercial Advertiser.

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityFood/Drink • Friday, August 21, 2015 • Permalink


Commenting is not available in this channel entry.