I’ll tell you what I’ve learned after years of sad late lunches. The problem isn’t always the hour, it’s turnover and whether the cook actually covers the trays between customers. A busy lunch spot that keeps selling through 2:30 can still be fine at 3:30 if they pull fresh pans. Places that set one hotel pan of rice at 10 a.m. and never touch it? That’s the dried edge you’re tasting.
For a late plate, I ask two things before I even point: “Is that the afternoon pan?” and “Can I get it from the middle?” Any place with a decent counter person will not be offended. If they hesitate or say “it’s the same” while shaking a crusty spoon, keep walking.
Specifics: in East Harlem, the spots on the avenues with a line of municipal workers tend to replenish more often than the side-street bodegas. Also don’t sleep on the places that advertise “comida criolla” and have a short menu. They might look dusty, but if there’s a grandmother in the back, the rice is usually fluffed more recently. For sauce, I always let them spoon it from the bottom of the tray and add a little to the rice at the end, because they usually know how much the rice can take before it turns to paste. And yes, asking them to add a little extra caldo or stew liquid is normal; just don’t ask them to drown it.
Caveats: hot plates can be dangerous for anything with potato or pasta after a few hours—avoid the mac and cheese and the potato salad unless they’re new. Meat in sauce holds better than roasted or pork that’s being re-warmed and re-shellacked. For late plates, stewed chicken, ropa vieja, chivo, and beans are your friends. Rice will always be the weakest link, so ask if they have a fresh pot in the back even if the front looks full.
