Balut Guy

I am very happy that I get to have this comfort food from the homeland. Put some salt with or without the chili vinaigrette and a couple of beers! «Pampatigas ng tuhod» Pan tuhog, Pan tukod. Whichever!

**Located outside of Krystal’s Café at the 69^th Street 7 subway stop — NOT a food cart/​truck. Literally just a guy and his wife and his bag of baluts**
I tried finding Balut Guy the other day when I was eating dinner in Woodside after reading these two reviews, but he was not there. I was looking for some guy with a cart. Then today, after eating dinner at Zabb Elee and trying to take the 69^th St. 7 train back to LIC, I happened to see a guy with a rolling shopping bag who, if you didn’t look closely, could seem like a hobo on the side of the street. Immediately, I got super, super excited and thought in my head, «Could it be??? Does he really exist?» — and then I saw the semi-​raggedy hand-​written BALUT sign hanging off his bag. I may or may not have let out a little cry. My friend pretty much thought I was going insane.
Anyway, having parents that grew up in Southeast Asia, I’ve eaten balut growing up. I prefer it with lime juice, salt, and pepper, but others like it with hot sauce and vinegar (the traditional Filipino way, I think). It looks gross, but it’s not any different than eating organs or anything «weird». It tastes a little like foie gras, with a wonderful broth and a deliciously soft yolk. To each their own.
Balut guy (and balut girl) are extremely nice and even posed for a picture. $ 5 for 3 baluts, y’all! These run for at least $ 4 a pop in Manhattan!
If you’re around Woodside and you see this guy (he stands outside of Krystal’s Café at the 69^th Street 7 train subway station) — be sure to try out this common Filipino (and other SE Asian countries, really) street food (or delicacy, if you want to call it that).

So I was done eating at Krystals, and was ordering some pastries to go. I looked outside and saw someone eating an egg, and juices running down his mouth. I thought to myself, did he just order that from Krystals? I went out to ask him, but I saw the Balut guy with his bike right outside.
Friendly Balut guy and he taught me how to eat the Balut properly. He sells them 3 for 5 dollars and each egg is wrapped in a white paper towel. They are still warm and much more developed than the ones I have tried in the city.
He has a plastic bag in front of his bike for your shells. Salt packets and vinegar for seasoning. Wet naps for those wet fingers after you finish.
Definitely an experience that i enjoyed, and I felt like I was taken out of NY and experienced street food in the Philippines. Balut guy on the street is legit.

If you have to ask what «Balut» is, you are probably not interested… But if you’re up to the challenge, partially gestated duck cooked in the egg is delicious and healthful. This is one of the few places where you can get it. If you blink you could miss the guy. He’s right in front of Krystal’s Café on 69 and Roosevelt. He’s got his moped and a big box of product hand labelled Balut. I’ve never had this treat from any other vendor but I can vouch that his Balut is fresh and tasty. The duck is cooked young so you won’t be biting down on beak or claw. It’s not as scary as most people think. Try it. 3 for $ 5.