Villatapia Super Market has been a mainstay for lunches of the Feral Cat Den crew for the entirety of Genesis Noir’s life. The crew serves up hot lunches and cold sandwiches out of the back, offers a small selection of fresh produce, and a full selection of beer.

The front door holds no hours of operations. It does feature signs forbidding dogs and smoking, a faded paper message advertising pancakes and eggs for $5.00, and strips of duct tape which for two months have held together the main pane of shattered glass.

Inside, the sales counter is huddled by a hut of bulletproof glass that’s completely open in the front. It may have once been necessary but a mostly friendly environment makes clear why the security features have been dismantled. Packaged sweets next to the ATM range from nutty bars to smart cookies and they don’t look too strange with everything between them.

The cold case comes next, hosting cilantro, tomatoes, aloe; nothing indicative nor out of the ordinary for a Latino-based deli. Weirder (for me) are the excess of meat-stuffed tubes that look like salami or some other plastic-wrapped under-aged sausage.

The heart of the operation is the hot counter in the back. You can get yourself lunch in 5-dollar or 7-dollar size with any combination of ingredients. Start with yellow or white rice and add red/black beans or get the slightly oversoft vegetable mix. Then choose from: stewed chicken, stewed pork, chicharron (fried pork belly+bones), pernil, steak and peppers, or whatever the kitchen crew whipped up that day. You can also add-on a rotating batch of goodies that can include stewed plantain, salchicha, blood sausage (morcilla), and straight roasted split-chicken breast.

I’m not gonna waste time on the eponymous Boar’s Head deli counter but the reviews echo my pining for the hot-line: they take damn good care of their food.

It’s easy, it’s cheap, and the next time I’m in I know I’ll be fine bullshitting with whoever’s running the lunch counter that day.

• Bodega Cat: No
• Dustiest Item: Spanish Plum in Syrup, $6.00
• Best Deal: $5 hot meal from the back counter
• Most Expired Beer: Born on 08/01/19, Pineapple Cider from Austin East Ciders
• Chateau Diana: No
• Imports Ratio: 3:1 U.S.:Foreign
• ATM Fee: $1.79
• 24 Hour: No
• Credit Minimum: None
• Music Overheard: None
• Proper Name: Villatapia City Fresh Supermarket
• Last Purchase: 1987
• Building Owner: 381 EAST 138 ST RLTYCP