Flying saucer made of beef spotted on 38th Street.

Occasionally during lunch I get ambitious and decide to travel further than the West Village/SoHo West area that seems to dominate my midday dining.  Today, I went all the way up to 38th Street between 7th and 8th Avs. in search of the Bosnian beef patty known as pljeskavica, to the midtown branch of the multi-borough mini-chain Djerdan.

The premises, a large, uncrowded downstairs room in the last brownstone-style building on the block, look a bit like a Mediterranean tavern.  The menu and business card tout new renovations, which I can’t fault except as they have (probably) impacted prices.  Indeed, the prices are steep for Bosnian this category: $11 for the pljeskavica and cevapi (sausages, ostensibly made from the same ground meat(s) as the patty, but that are touted as being made of veal here), $5 for a burek slice, and desserts that range from $2 to $5.

Regardless of price, the meat can’t be faulted. The pljeskavica arrived on an aluminum plate bearing twin containers of chopped white onions and ajvar, (a red pepper spread that, if I can find a jar or six to take with me to the Cape, will be the hit condiment of the summer with my family).  The patty itself was somewhat contained in a very fresh-looking puffy pita – “somewhat” because the meat was a bit bigger than the bread, and I doubt you’re supposed to eat it with your hands.  Instead, dump on as much ajvar and onion as you want (though it would also be plenty good without), and attack with knife and fork.  FYI for dairy-lovers: there’s some homemade yogurt spread on the bottom half of the pita, too, and an extra cup of it is available for $1.50.

This article won’t go for much longer because of my food coma, but my trip to midtown was well worth it.  Oh, man, was it ever.