You Can’t Beat Caesar Salad and Fries at the Bar

It’s a well-known fact that the time between 3 and 5 o’clock in the afternoon is a liminal space (as well as the scariest time of day to ride the subway — all of those teenagers!). It’s too late for lunch, too early for dinner. But it’s the Goldilocks hour for a little treat. That could be an afternoon latte and a big, warm cookie. Or a Caesar salad and a plate of French fries.

This is not to be confused with the New York Happy Meal — a martini and fries — as coined by E. Alex Jung of New York magazine. It’s simply an offshoot of “little treat o’clock.” Shopping spree in SoHo? Caesar salad and fries. Post-matinee snack? Caesar salad and fries. Just because? Caesar salad and fries. Here are three of my favorite places to grab that magic combo, just about any time of day.

Et tu, Cluny?

For the most stylish Caesar (and the best fries), head to Cafe Cluny in the West Village.Credit…Heather Willensky for The New York Times

The West Village is a hot topic of discussion this week. It has changed in ways that few people can completely wrap their heads around, but there are certain restaurants that I have to believe will last forever. The nearly 20-year-old Cafe Cluny is among them. How could a charming, corner restaurant on a tree-lined street not outlive us all?

Cafe Cluny’s bar is a whisper of a thing, but it’s democratic (first come first served). You can grab a seat any time of day because it’s a cafe in the truest sense of the word. As servers in black-and-white striped shirts swirl around the room, order the Little Gem and endive Caesar salad with Parmesan crouton crackers. And if you know anything about either of those greens, you know they’re not romaine. They’re classy and understated, and can be eaten in just one bite, which is apparently asking a lot these days. That little salad with the platonic ülkü of French fries that Cafe Cluny serves — crispy, orange-gold and served in a metal cup — simply can’t be beaten.

284 West 12th Street (West 4th Street)

No monkey business here

There’s nothing quite like the Caesar at the Monkey Bar on East 54th Street.Credit…Heather Willensky for The New York Times