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Fight the crowd to dine at Kusty's Corner

Daily Record/Sunday News

Article Launched: 05/10/2007 08:52:33 AM EDT

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Jane Geib serves regulars Sylvia Cauchon and Ray Wilhide at the counter of Kusty s Corner Café in New Eastern Market in September. Kusty s is crowded over the lunch hour during most of the year.<br />· <a href="http://w2.ydr.com/forms/sendPhoto.php?photo=26267">E-mail photo</a><br />· <a href="http://ydr.mycapture.com/mycapture/lookup.asp?originalname=062306-lck-meeting-place-ku.jpg">Order photo reprint</a><br />

At bottom: · Kusty's Corner Café

May 10, 2007 — I've discovered a new meaning for a food fight.

People love Kusty's Corner Café in New Eastern Market so much that they will fight traffic, a full parking lot and hungry shoppers to get their beloved chicken pot pie. They will make covert moves to secure a table only to end up sitting with strangers.

I admit when I went to Kusty's I was put off. No sign directed me to wait to be seated, and I didn't see a line of people waiting to sit. It was uncomfortable. A few people innocently carried their baskets of meats and vegetables, but I sensed that they were trying to steal the next available seats.

I asked a waitress about the seating policy and she said, "Take any open table."

Seeing as there were no open tables, I braced myself for a long frustrating fight. At about that time, an older woman caught my eye and nodded at me and

motioned me her way. It felt like I was in a spy movie.

Turns out, it was her polite way of offering me her seat. She saw that I was next in the imaginary line and wanted to save me from the seat stealers. She got up and had me sit with her husband while he finished his saltine cracker topped with chicken salad.

"Everything is good here," he said. "We come every Friday."

I didn't catch his name, but he made me feel right at home. Once we were both seated, I watched a cluster of 12 or so women buzz from table to table, squeeze up against each other behind the counter and figure out a way to serve the hungry pack of dogs waiting at the take-out area, tables and counter. Honestly, it was like nothing I have ever seen before. "Did they serve gold?"

No, but they do offer some heaping helpings of tasty Pennsylvania Dutch food like my mama makes. I ordered the special, roast beef with filling and two sides. I chose mashed potatoes and the vegetable of the day, which was lima beans ($7.50).

The menu has a hamburger for $1.85, a crab cake for $3 and chicken pot pie - baked or boiled - for $5.25. It seemed that almost everyone ordered off the special board, like I did.

My fellow cheap eater ordered a cup of chicken noodle soup ($1.75) and the hot roast beef sandwich with french fries ($6.50). Our meals came out at different times, but we were so caught up in the chaos around us that we didn't mind. It offered the best people watching.

Owner Mary Kustanbauter said the women spend three days preparing for Friday. It takes 300 pounds of chicken to serve the market vultures on that one day.

She said her restaurant can be intimidating for first timers, but once you get over it, it's great.

"You get a lot of camaraderie," she said. "People just sit down next to you, and they are connected to you somehow."

After I finished my meal and left a tip, I didn't have enough money to buy one of Kusty's homemade desserts, which include strawberry and peanut butter pies, but they sure looked good.

Cheap Eats is a biweekly column on local restaurants' meals under $10. Suggestions are welcome. Reach Nicki Lefever at 771-2101 or e-mail nlefever@ydr.com.