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After nickel-and-diming its way into the edible American landscape, the automat’s place is secure in the retro-kitsch pantheon. Today, on an improbable strip of St. Marks Place that’s long been a haven for hookahs,  hippies, and halal, co-owners David Leong and Nobu Nguyen and consulting chef Kevin Reilly (of  the Water Club) have resurrected the mid-century  concept with Bamn!, a stainless-steel, coin-operated meal machine for pork buns, teriyaki burgers, and Chinese doughnuts as well as burgers, pretzels, and corn dogs. It’s certainly high-concept: cheap fast food with a novel twist. But despite bargain-basement prices, the coins-only setup seems anachronistic in a world where even the greenback (never mind the silver) takes second place to your ATM card. — Genevieve Leon