Left rectangle ads redesigned
Robert Ripps book
History of Tribeca Buildings
Baluchi’s Appears to Be Taking the Pakistan Tea House Space
The Pakistan Tea House saga appears to be ending with Baluchi’s taking over the space. Not only did Farid notice the Baluchi’s sign inside, but the reader going by the name of Duane Street spotted this on Seamless (176 Church is the address in question):
While it’s nice to have Baluchi’s back, the loss of Pakistan Tea House is the end of an era. (I’m really going to miss that nan!) I looked online to see when it opened, and the only reference I could find was one from Midtown Lunch, which said in 2008 that it had been around for “over 15 years.” So maybe it opened around 1993? Anyway, there is a possible wrinkle to this: Baluchi’s and Pakistan Tea House could be attempting to share the space, with the former using it for delivery. Seamless frowns on the practice, but it doesn’t really do much policing.
P.S. The photo at top is a quick-and-dirty photo illustration, in case it’s not wildly obvious.
5 Comments
Comment:
Medium rectangle #1 (top)
Right column rectangle ads
Mega rectangle
Restaurant guide icon
Shopping Guide icon
In 2002 we did a large (Japanese) magazine feature, “New York High vs. Low”, showcasing the ways in which the NYC residential life had become increasingly bifurcated, but was turning out well for everyone. We opposed some fancy-schmancy bespoke dinner experience available only to the highest rollers with the (then) $5.95 3-veggie platter at Pakistan Tea House that had theretofore been “our secret”. Right after that the price went to $6.95, then $7.95, iirc. Then it was 2 veggies (again, iirc) and the quality went noticeably into decline (one key indication of that was a very obvious change in the oil they used, another was samosas that would be served hot on the outside, cold on the inside, and so on. And there was a concurrent change in service style) The place retained some funky charm through the years, but the descent from its height in 1997 or so to a decade later was depressing. What was best about it was that people who worked by night could not only get something to eat at 3 am, but something of quality and character. They did what they did from instinct, then became popular, and didn’t know where to go from there. It is indeed tragic.
It was always 3 veggies in the vegetarian plate. Always.
Really, really sad to lose the Pakistan Tea House, or “The House” as my friends and I used to call it. Everything that is fun and real in this town can no longer afford the rent.
Agreed on the decline. 1998-2000, on food quality relative to price, PTH was unassailable. A show could end at the Knitting Factory and you could go get a meal for the price of a beer. But that was the old Tribeca. PTH was living on borrowed time.
I agree that loss of PTH is very sad, assuming it is true. Having lived around the corner since 1991 I would disagree with some of the disparaging remarks about declining quality. I think PTH remained surprisingly consistent through evolving times and several apparent management changes. Prices certainly went up since the days when it was a “secret”, but PTH started getting written about back in the 90s, so the secret was out for a very long time. Taken in context with the economy in general, the $5 or $6 plate rising to $8 or so over a period 20 years hardly seems like something to bellyache about, especially considering how satisfying those plates were.