New kid on the block

Took a friend to lunch the other day near the office, which is to say, in the jewelry district, the heart of kosher lunchland. I thought we'd go to Gan Eden, our longstanding favorite for Bukharan Glatt Kosher delicacies, but when we got to the familiar staircase leading up to it, we found that it no longer existed, having given way to a Barbeque place. But there is still Taam Tov, back at 46 West 47th.

Lets see how they stack up

Taam Tov vs. Gan Eden

Access
Gan Eden - Stairs only, three floors up above wholesale jewelry polishers
Taam Tov -- Elevator, enter through retail jeweler, proceed along left wall, ride in comfort to fourth floor

Food and Bev
Gan Eden -- Good soup and shashlyk, in various flavors. Never remembered to pre-order manty.
Taam Tov -- No complaints. Fabulous Bulgarian bread and cool pickled salad plate with little purple eggplants. Good kebab. They even had seltzer.

Decor
Gan Eden -- Like a Soviet library or school cafeteria, no color, no windows
Taam Tov -- Like the cafe at a small Russian museum, for example, the Akhmatova museum off the Fontanka in Petersburg. Colored tablecloths with flowers. Notes of warmth.

Feeling of Security
Gan Eden -- You felt a little bit naked without a Kalashnikov. Most women present carried food.
Taam Tov -- Small sidearms should suffice in most situations. Several women sat and ate food.

In short, what initially seemed like a loss would in fact appear to be a huge gain. And there are free deliveries for order $6 and up!