New York

It's like stepping into a Norman Rockwell painting. Take a stool at the original marble counter and get served ice cream in cold steel dishes. Ditch the paper cups. That whipped cream doesn't take orders from an aerosol can; it's made fresh. The Cintrano family has been getting the scoop since 1968, but the shop goes back over ninety years. Four families have presided over the freezer. Toffee chip, vanilla chip, butter pecan, and peach (in summer) are favored at Eddie's. There are no gimmicks, only reliable stand-bys: banana splits, milkshakes, malts, and sundaes. Leaded glass--not real Tiffany lamps but we'll work with them. The freezer is from the '30s and still in use. There's an old-fashioned display case for toys (remember Pinky balls?). There's even an old-time phone booth. The fittings somehow enhance the flavors. It's all real, in case you thought this kind of joint went the way of ten-cent subway fare.

Photo:  Stuart Kurtz