Meatloaf Remastered
by T.W. Barritt
The golden glow of the sign above Deborah – Life-Love-Food in Greenwich Village, is a beacon to world-weary New Yorkers. Chef-owner Deborah Stanton dishes out hefty servings of updated American classics to neighborhood residents from many ethic backgrounds, including Asians, Israelis and Latinos. She says her patrons are her inspiration for the diverse ingredients in her menu. A gregarious and engaging woman who sports an athletic brace on her left forearm, Stanton opened her doors nearly five years ago, just two months after the World Trade Center attack. Meat loaf has been a mainstay of Deborah from the beginning. Stanton estimates she serves 75 pounds a week. Her richly satisfying meatloaf is more than a popular menu item. “I want to feed the soul,” says Stanton.
Across Manhattan, meatloaf dominates menus. Eatery on 9th Avenue serves Southwestern-inspired Chipotle Spiked Meatloaf, while Good Enough to Eat on Amsterdam offers meatloaf with traditional peas and carrots spiked with a shot of fresh dill butter. This somewhat stodgy mainstay of suburban cuisine – once glorified as trendy “comfort food” – has transcended the hype, with New York restaurateurs applying their deeply personal stamp to a dish that has become a durable urban classic. (More Below)
© 2006 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved
