Food Guy: Praise pours in for new bodega-style business on ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä's East End

Food in Town is a small grocery store offering many everyday essentials around the clock. It's a family-owned business serving the people who live around the block and a popular community hub where you can catch up with friends while scoring good eats representing the heritage and ethnicity of the surrounding area.

It’s that last part that’s so special. Because bodegas provide such an important sense of cultural identity for the hyper-local communities they serve, there are an estimated 13,000 of them operating in New York City’s five boroughs alone.

We’re so blessed to now have one in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s East End, a neighborhood with an equally strong sense of community. I expect many who live there — and beyond — will quickly become regulars. I’ve been to Food in Town four times in the past several weeks and can’t wait to go back.

The made-to-order food counter offers an array of quality Boar’s Head meats and cheeses used to make a dozen cold deli sandwiches, plus a variety of hot subs, specialty heroes, smash burgers, dinner platters, fish and salads.

Just to tease a few sandwiches, there’s the Italian (prosciutto, spicy salami, fresh mozzarella and balsamic glaze), the Autumn Orange (cracked pepper turkey, muenster cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and chipotle mayo) and the Pittsburgh (hot roast beef, tomato, coleslaw and fries stuffed inside the bread). Or if you want a meal that really sings, dig into the Luther Vandross burger featuring two beef patties, bacon, melted American and your choice of fixings between two giant glazed donuts. That’s a Grammy-winning sandwich if I’ve ever seen one.

Food in Town features Krispy Krunchy Chicken, more

Food in Town is also a local franchisee for Krispy Krunchy Chicken, so there’s a whole separate menu offering fried chicken, wings, tenders, nuggets and sandwiches served with biscuits and sides. I haven’t tried the chicken yet, but folks rave about it.

And if you happen to drive by in the mornings, they serve up breakfast sandwiches, platters and bagels, too.

There was no question what I was going to order on my first visit, based on social posts showing halal platters and a chopped cheese sandwich that stopped me mid-scroll. These are among the most popular orders at many a bodega, and now I see why.

Halal food is prepared under specific Islamic religious guidelines to ensure it is free from harmful substances and — in the case of meats — prepared as ethically responsibly as possible. I support that belief and can vouch for the results.

The halal lamb platter offers a pile of warm, gyro-style chopped lamb on one side, seasoned rice on the other and a mound of fresh lettuce, tomato and onions in the middle. It’s all topped with either a cooling yogurt sauce or a spicy red one (pro tip: get both). It's perfection.

The chopped cheese (think Philly cheesesteak) was nothing but the truth — grill-cooked meat mixed with melty cheese, then stuffed inside a fresh pillowy bun. Crazy good.

I went back a few days later for the Chicago Beef, which was different from the chunky meat-and-pepper creations you get in the Windy City. In this sandwich, everything is chopped up fine with an abundance of peppers giving it a spicier kick. I didn’t stop until I inhaled the whole thing.

I also heard good things about Food in Town’s Miami sandwich, based on social media chatter debating who has the best Cuban sandwich in town, and I’d throw this one in the running. I’m not the biggest fan of Cuban-style sandwiches, which tend to be dry and flavor-light more often than not. However, this blend of hot roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on a pressed hero is a contender.

Don’t let Food in Town’s exterior appearance as a simple convenience store fool you or deter you from stopping by. The food they’re turning out inside is legit.

Honestly, my only complaint about the place is that its lunch menu doesn’t start until 1 p.m., meaning you can’t really go and grab lunch during the hour when most people actually eat lunch.

So the next time you need a great lunch or dinner to go — and maybe some laundry detergent, flour, peanut butter, oatmeal, orange juice or whatever — make tracks to Food in Town on ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä's East End. You won’t regret it.