Eating The World In New York City

Cheng Du 23

2012-01-26T10:29:00.001-05:00

After driving around for the two days prior to New Years Day, it was only natural that my first meal of 2012 took place in New Jersey on the way home. Lunch on January 1st was hopefully supposed to be special, and a little spicy.

Located in an ugly strip mall in Wayne lives Cheng Du 23, a Chinese restaurant that serves a wide variety of dishes and specializes in the spicy foods of Sichuan province, of which Chengdu is the capital. Three pleasant looking red peppers adorn the exterior next to the sign, a promise of foods within.

While ordering a couple dishes from the specialties menu, we also wanted a simple plate of something green and ordered the mustard greens (below) from the dim sum menu. Crunchy and fresh, they are the perfect complement to the more intense flavors you will face from other dishes.

It was slightly chilly outside and we were both in the mood for some noodle soup, and went for the shredded pork and pickled cabbage soup ($8, below). The noodles here are really great, soft and doughy, and the perfect winter remedy even in a warmer than usual period. It could have stood a bit less salt, but we did not leave any noodles in the bowl, proof that we were not too put off by this.

It is always hard for me to resist ma po tofu ($10, below), which makes for a delicious serving with rice. The version here is great and plentiful, well-spiced, and full of character while not being overly oily as the dish sometimes tends to be.

The restaurant has quite a bit of coverage, and adorns the room with this love they have received, especially an oversized poster of the best 100 Chinese restaurants. I'm not sure who decides on these things, but our fellow diners were many Chinese who must live nearby, so they are definitely doing something right. While this might not be worth a trip from New York City since we have good Sichuan as well, anyone within striking distance that owns a car should make this a regular haunt.

6 Willowbrook Boulevard, Wayne, NJ

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Mie Jakarta

2012-01-12T11:11:00.000-05:00

On a recent Thursday afternoon, I went back to Mie Jakarta to find it alive like a weekend. All the tables were full, although right when we walked in someone left and freed up a table for us. The rest of the restaurant was full of Indonesian women in headscarves eating in groups or with their children. The lone server was completely overwhelmed but doing her best.

They were out of the tempting bakso ikan goreng ($5), so we started our table with the always satisfying sate ayam ($6.50, below). The skewers of chicken are swimming in their delicious peanut sauce, while the tender chunks of meat are crispy in spots to create a well-rounded texture palate.

We were in the mood for something of a soup or stew on this chilly day, and agreed immediately on the soto betawi ($8, below), which comes with a plate of items you are free to add. The sharp curry is obviously great to soak up with rice, but the perkedel was probably the favorite from this extra plate. It is a round potato and meat cake, and we could have stood to order another plate of them to enjoy with the curry.

And as often happens in Indonesian restaurants, I could not resist the gado gado ($6.50, below), one of my favorite dishes of any cuisine. This is a good version, with a higher content of potatoes than most, and the same peanut sauce as the sate. Maybe for a better variety of tastes, I would not recommend them together, unless this sauce is the reason for coming in the first place, which would be perfectly understandable!

Along with Java Village a few blocks south of here, you get a better feeling from the Indonesian restaurants of Elmhurst than those of Chinatown. If you don't live in Queens, it's about time you made this trip to see what the cuisine can do for you, it's a guarantee of satisfaction.

86-20 Whitney Avenue, Elmhurst NY

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Geo Si Gi Restaurant

2011-12-28T22:30:00.000-05:00

If I suddenly disappear one day, I think it would be wise to look for me in Korea. I have been spending quite a bit of time in the far reaches of Flushing these past couple months, and have not found a bad restaurant yet. I am really loving these specialty places that have a featured casserole dish that is the focus.

The focus here at Geo Si Gi is the gamja tang, described simply on the menu as a "pork loin casserole w/ vegetables," but so much more. The spine of the pig is in pieces in the bowl with delicious tender chunks of meat clinging to it, and the spicy broth contains some greenery, onions, peppers, and ground sesame.

The ladies working here will take care of the whole thing for you, bringing it to boil and then serving it into smaller dishes. The casserole above is technically for two people ($29.95), but could easily serve three as you get as much rice as you want and of course the small dishes of ban chan beforehand.

A piece of the meaty spine.

As you remove the meat from the bones, pile your evidence in the metal bowl provided for discard. As you continue your meal and everyone keeps adding, it becomes a good record and could be really impressive with a large table full of diners.

Just when we were already overwhelmed by the amount of food in front of us, they brought us a free steamed egg, something of a normality in Korean restaurants. It is always fluffy and enjoyable though, and was well received (and eaten).

Gamja tang can come in many varieties here, plain, with dried cabbage, pickled nappa cabbage, curry, and seafood. There is also a full list of add-ons on the wall written only in Korean, which we tried to get described to us, somewhat unfruitfully.

It all goes down well with plenty of bottles of OB Korean beer, as spicy food tends to do, so keep those coming as you gnaw on that spine.

152-28 Northern Boulevard, Flushing NY

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Bari Pork Store

2011-12-27T09:31:00.000-05:00

There are not many greater experiences in the food world than walking into an old-fashioned salumeria. While Bensonhurst is a neighborhood that has been rapidly changing, Bari Pork Store has obviously made no concessions to any new residents and remains exactly as it must have been two or three decades ago.

The self-anointed "King of the Sausage" is even missing the letter I from its sign, something that I would wager happened in the 1970's. If the door is open you can smell the fresh meats outside, but walking in reveals a world where every square inch is taken by product of some form. It's really an amazing overload of your senses, with hanging meats, hot prepared foods, dry goods, and every other imported product a good Italian-American might need.

If you half know what you want, the guys here will treat you nicely and with professionalism, but do be warned that they are not the type of people that have time for the inquisitive wanderers. That being said, you can take a self-guided tour of the tiny shop easily enough.

I selected a small container of olives from a tray of six or so. All varieties are $5.99/lb, and the small container runs $3, rounded off for your convenience. I also could not resist the tray of arancini (75 cents, below), which I was warned were vegetarian. No matter, I took four and asked for them heated up.

While I do prefer the arancini with ground beef and tomato sauce, these were good, a creamy mix of rice and cheese on the inside. The outer layer is thin and delicate, fried to perfection.

They also make a range of deli sandwiches which are probably great, as they almost always are in a salumeria. The meats and cheeses have no choice but to be fresh, and the guys know exactly what they are doing with oil and vinegar proportions.

6319 18th Avenue, Brooklyn NY

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158 Avenue U, Brooklyn NY

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Honduras Maya Restaurant

2011-12-26T20:58:00.001-05:00

Every time I walk down Bay Street or turn the corner onto Victory Boulevard in Staten Island, I take a moment of pause for the vanished Honduras Patio Restaurant, which I considered to be the city's best Honduran food. When I first walked by Honduras Maya in West New York, it was a couple years ago, and any further research online was always met with the appearance that it too had passed on.

Thankfully it still exists, even if it is not cranking out as good of food as the Patio. It's a popular little place, full of families dining together and ordering plato tipicos.

The baleadas (above) are just a bit on the tired side. The sensilla (or simple) is a plain bean, cheese, and cream version and will set you back $2.50, while one with everything (below) is $3.50 and includes egg and beef.

I still have a soft spot in my heart for the many baleadas I ate while in Tegucigalpa, and while these are not really up to par with any of those, they still are a simple snack that does its job.

On the day I visited they did not have any montucas, which are similar to tamales, so we ordered the platano maduro con mantequilla ($3.50 below), a plate of fried sweet plantains with a side of cream.

It is also an enjoyable dish despite not being the freshest thing ever put into your mouth. On my next visit I plan to go straight to the basics and order that plato tipico, a large dish with beef, rice and beans, cheese, and avocado.

541 59th Street, West New York, NJ

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Guyana's Choice Bakery

2011-12-21T09:20:00.000-05:00

The bakery that a community centers around can be an exciting, albeit intimidating, place to eat. This small location is the bakery that the Guyanese and surrounding Caribbean community seems to go to for all their bread and pastry needs. The shop also includes quite a range of non-perishable goods and interesting cold drinks.

Stepping through grocery products in front and following your nose to the smells in the back, you will find a large display with all types of bread loaves, as well as the case below with a good selection of sweet and savory pastries.

I tried to choose some products that I had not sampled before, to take home and enjoy at a later time. Despite meeting some others for lunch nearby, I could not help but immediately eat the warm chicken patty ($1, below), which has shredded chicken and a lot of herbal-ness within. It's a bit on the dry side, but completely enjoyable as a quick snack to surpress hunger.

More interesting were both the cheese roll (50 cents, below right) and the pine tart (50 cents, below left). The cheese roll is only slightly cheesy, but seems infused with a nice mustard or similar taste that makes it really good. There could have been a hint of cumin in their as well. A little more familiar to most might be the shuriken-like pine tart, which is much more successful as an edible than as a weapon. The "pine" refers to the pineapple filling inside, not overly sweet and tucked away inside of a flaky holder.

The pineapple and strawberry tarts (75 cents each, below) interested me for the gooey centers falling out, but were less appetizing than their predecessors above. That being said, they are sure to satisfy anyone with a sugar craving, and would make an excellent breakfast pastry in their own right.

Three or four people had come in since I had stepped up to the counter, and they seemed to be getting a little unhappy as I was asking questions and making slow decisions, so I decided to wrap up my inquiries and be on my way. Other women were buying dozens of bread rolls and loaves, most of which were still steaming hot from the oven, packing them away in bags to bring home and accompany their meals. Unfortunately I did not secure any invitations into their homes to eat.

119-14 101st Avenue, Ozone Park NY

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Pupusería La Union

2011-12-20T10:02:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it is really easy to know when you've found a good thing, even from the street. As I was walking north on Hudson Avenue in West New York recently, I knew just that when I spotted the awning of this gem. I was across the street scrutinizing the menu of another pupusa joint when I turned around and was immediately in love. La Union was obviously something special.

I only ordered a couple pupusas ($1.50 each, with beans below), but it was enough to know that this is a go-to place for the Salvadoran specialty. This neighborhood has a good amount of Central American fare on offer from here and Honduras. While I continue to search for more Guatemalan food and find a first Nicaraguan restaurant, New Jersey is obviously the place to go for this region.

I was excited after ordering the pupusa with loroco, a flower that is common in some countries of Central America and a delicious ingredient within. If a restaurant is importing it, I will always select it, as it is not the most common thing up north.

There is no menu here at La Union, so I am not sure what else they are cooking, but I will be sure to update this just as soon as I go back and find out.

5708 Hudson Avenue, West New York NJ

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La Pequeña Colombia

2011-12-19T14:51:00.001-05:00

For Latin American restaurants, La Pequeña Colombia is sort of a fancy place, with dark wood interior decorations and low lighting dominating the dining room. Tables have cloth napkins and the servers are in formal attire. But luckily it is Colombian to its core, with casual, friendly service and very good food.

I couldn't resist the arepa con queso ($3.95, below), which is very crisp on the outside and chewy within, in the style you might find in Medellín. The light cheese is browned nicely by the oven, and thoroughly enjoyable to eat. Just be clear though, you never put a sauce on an arepa.

Up close and personal with the baked cheese.

The last Colombian restaurant we visited focused on foods from the coast, while this one seems more broad. The Friday special lunch was the Bogotá specialty ajiaco ($7.95, below), a hearty potato stew. The chicken came to us on a separate plate, but is usually cut up and served in the soup.

You will also be served two small portions of cream and capers to go along with your soup. Pour as much or as little of both of these as you like and mix. The creaminess of it all and sharp tastes within will put you in touch with the Colombian blood you did not know you had.

Another lunch special is the viudo de pescado ($7.95, below), a stew that does not look that much different. Your dish comes as two parts, with the fish covered in a creamy sauce served on one plate and the stew of potatoes, plantains, and a buttery herbal broth in another bowl. Combine this as desired, not forgetting the rice.

The coffee here isn't great, so you are better off ordering a cold bottle of Aguila ($4.50), one of Colombia's lagers. Sit at the bar and enjoy it all if you are on your own, or take one of the tables when you come in a group.

83-27 Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights NY

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Villa Hermosa

2011-12-16T11:13:00.003-05:00

I had written down Xochimilco Bakery in my notes from a walking exploration tour of West New York and Union City a couple years ago and was pleased to see it still there when I rounded the corner this past weekend. It is undergoing some changes though, which are not yet reflected outside on the signage, but walk inside and you won't find many baked goods any longer.

The new Villa Hermosa is focusing more on prepared hot foods, starting at 6am everyday for breakfast with a full list of hearty egg dishes.

They also have a large menu with antojitos, tortas, and full plates. We had a full day of exploration so just ordered a couple small things, one of which never came as the kitchen might seem a bit out of order at the moment. We could not resist this agave wine ($2.50, below) that was found in the refrigerator, a 5% alcohol drink that turned out to taste exactly like wine that has sat on your counter for over a week.

The food that we did have, fortunately, was delicious. A single taco al pastor ($2.50, below) is very well spiced and large, making it a good deal. A plate of three will run you $6.99, and this seemed to be the lunch of choice for the others dining in the place.

The highlight for me was the homemade salsa they brought out to accompany the food, which was orange in color and full of texture and taste. It was not the hottest thing we have ever tasted, but very complex.

Turning over the menu to the back, you will also find a list of six Ecuadorian plates, which I found interesting. The neighborhood does not have a lot of these restaurants, so it is probably just a small adaptation to the demographics of the area. We will stick to the Mexican dishes on our next visits though, as there is a lot more to discover here.

5000 Hudson Avenue, West New York NJ

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New York Estonian House

2011-12-12T16:31:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while you walk into an experience so fantastic you just do not want to leave. This was the case on a recent Saturday for me at the Estonian House, as I followed an advertisement for a small Christmas Bazaar, using it as an excuse to get in the door. I had no idea what to expect, and half thought I would see some knick-knacks and cookies, smile at a few people as I felt out of place, then leave.

As it turns out, the bazaar was an afterthought and I did not even see it until after two hours or so inside the house, which is located on East 34th Street in Murray Hill, Manhattan. Me and a friend headed straight for the back of the ground floor, where most people seemed to be congregating and found the bar and restaurant area. People were getting orders from the kitchen and downing tables full of large bottles of Estonian beer. At a little after four in the afternoon, the tables were full of grandmas and grandpas in sweaters but as the night wore on, the crowd got decidedly younger. I enjoyed all the grandmas though, who were so warm and friendly, eager to explain anything we wanted to know about Estonia and the food we ordered.

The kitchen (KÖÖK!) had a small hand-written board with the selections available for the day, none of which I had the slightest idea what they were besides the borsh. We decided to point at some good-looking plates that other people were ordering, and ended up with a decent selection of items.

The kartulisalat ($7, below) is a mayonnaise-based potato salad with ham, peas, eggs and carrots. The mustard is mild but important, and the plate is nice, although maybe not worth $7 as it somewhat resembles the type you might find in a local grocer's refrigerator.

Our main plate was the sült kartuliga ($8, below). Sült is a jellied meat, and this was with shredded chicken, served with potatoes and a sweet sauerkraut. It is one of those things I can now cross off my list, as often times I am asked if I have eaten meats that are within a gelatin made of pig's foot. Aren't you? The dish isn't bad, and mixed with the potatoes and gravy is not much different than a Thanksgiving meal.

We also grabbed one of each of the meat and cabbage pies ($1.50 each, below). The cabbage was our favorite, a better combination with the chewy bread than the mystery meat that resembled tuna salad.

After stuffing ourselves with the foods, we continued to imbibe with 500ml bottles of Saku which run only $5. The most popular beer of Estonia is light, pretty weak, and nothing special, but surrounded by our new friends and "countrymen," they seemed like nectar from the gods. The bar is fully stocked, but most people seemed to be sticking to these, and we followed suit with only one diversion to try the other Estonian beer in stock, Viru.

A friendly man named Mairo explained to us the inner-workings of the Estonian House, best times to come back, and even when the "hot chicks" should be around. After a little bit of time passed we grabbed a nice dessert of cookies and chocolate mousse, both of which were really good.

The two clocks above the bar (One for New York, one for Estonia) must have turned five hours by the time we stumbled back into the real world, but not before the bartender rangled us in for a group hug prior to departing. The Estonian House is definitely a one of a kind place in New York, grab a dinner and drink there whenever you have the chance.

Open for dinner Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights.

243 East 34th Street, New York NY

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Okinae Korean Restaurant

2011-12-12T12:46:00.000-05:00

Okinae is somewhat of a confusing place, at least to me. It has "Korean Restaurant" right in the title, but the name conjures up the similar and more recognizable Japanese island's name. When we first walked in, the groups at other tables were speaking Chinese, and the staff was talking with them. It turns out the restaurant is run by immigrants from the Dongbei, or "northeast," of China near the Korean border. The menu is in both Korean and Chinese, as well as some form of English.

The foods here share influences from northern Chinese cooking, but are decidedly Korean in presentation. Plates of banchan are brought to the table even before you order, and the tables have a BBQ pit in the middle and a fan above.

Other tables were swarmed with many sticks of BBQ and bottles of Coors Light or Budweiser, so we decided to fall into form and do the same. Since we only ordered six sticks, our grilling was done "off-site," in the front of the restaurant. I guess you need to order a certain quantity to be worth getting everything dirty, which makes sense.

The small sticks of BBQ are all in the $1.19-$1.99 range, and all delicious. The lamb, beef heart, and pork belly stood out for us.

As we were munching all of our items, a nice dish of steamed chive and egg dumplings came out, on the house. Other tables received one too, so friendliness and generosity might just be the policy of Okinae. The side of chili dipping sauce that accompanies it is excellent.

The main dish we went for was the cumin chicken Jane ($10.99, below), a plate full of all parts of chicken and large, well-cooked pieces of garlic. All the meat is crispy and satisfying, covered in cumin and carrying plenty of spice and seasoning.

Since we had not expected the dumplings and were expecting to be full of meat, we also ordered the simple garlic spinach ($9.99, below), which is exactly what you expect. The garlic sauce makes the dish very Chinese, but it goes well to add some green to your table anyways.

After we finished, we were also given a free plate of crispy shrimp chips and ordered a couple more $3 Budweisers, as there is no OB or Hite on offer here. All in all, a wonderful experience and a thorough feeling of being somewhere very foreign.

40-30 149th Place, Flushing NY

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Hamburgão

2011-12-07T14:03:00.000-05:00

It does not seem like much at first glance from either the outside or from the menu, but there is a reason that all three locations of Hamburgão are constantly busy, popular amongst Brazilians and others alike. It is like a typical lanchonete you see throughout Brasil, usually open to the outside since the weather is almost always warm.

Like any good lanchonete, Hamburgão has a good selection of salgados, or salty snacks. I was immediately attracted to the coxinha com catupiry ($2, below center), one of my favorites from a recent trip to the country. This version was not nearly as good as some of the best there, but still satisfying and a good stateside version. It is nice and moist, which is one of the most important qualities.

The pão de queijo ($1.50, above left) is also passable, while the risóles de camarão ($2, above right) is worth passing on. The cheese bread is about as dense and heavy as I have ever seen, and gives that great chewy quality you know and love.

The standout of the first round was definitely the pastel de palmito ($1.75, below), which is microwaved if not fresh from the fryer, but still delicious. The hearts of palm inside are combined with cheese to create a complex bite.

These salgados are all best washed down with a cup of fresh juice, most of which are $4 when made with water and 50 cents more with milk. As always, I went for the passion fruit (maracujá) and was impressed with its fullness this far north.

To be perfectly honest though, these treats were all a bonus for what I really came here for, the X tudo ($6, below), a Brazilian burger that has just about everything on it. Inside of the bun you will find layers of burger, ham, egg, bacon, corn, lettuce, tomato, and mayonaise, at the very least. This is a very good sandwich, surprising me with its deliciousness.

The only thing that is missing here is that outdoor feeling you get in Brasil, and maybe the old-timey snaking counters you see in many lanchonetes, but don't let that deter you, the plain yellow walls and sparse decor are still home to some excellent Brazilian snacks.

282 Kearny Avenue, Kearny NJ

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329 Ferry Street, Newark NJ

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288 Lafayette Street, Newark NJ

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El Fogon Costeño

2011-12-04T11:40:00.000-05:00

Colombian restaurants in the Jackson Heights and Corona neighborhoods of Queens are a dime a dozen. Whenever I am in the mood for this cuisine, I find myself going back to the same places that I know are good, but I recently decided to change that and head into a few more of the better looking locations. Personally I think that better Colombian food is to be found in New Jersey neighborhoods such as Englewood and Elizabeth. I'm hoping I can change this attitude with the right finds in Queens.

The first location I decided to descend upon in Corona is the well out-of-the-way El Fogon Costeño, a restaurant that is actually owned by Uruguayans and promises specialties from the Caribbean coast, a distinct subset of food from Colombia. The menu is large and covers most of the country's usual "hits" though, as well as a nice focus on seafood dishes.

The restaurant has a full breakfast menu which I have not tried, and being open for three meals leads me to believe that there is something special about this place, which is not only a decent distance from the majority of Colombians in Jackson Heights, but out of the way to most people in general. Economical lunch options each day are what to come for, in my opinion. Each day has a different special, priced from $6 to $8, and is plenty of food for one person.

The empanadas de carne ($1.25, above) are satisfying and not too greasy. Add the aji they give you at the table to give the meat and potatoes a little zing.

Alongside the empanadas, an arepa con huevo ($2.50, below) is a common sight on the streets in cities near the coast, especially early in the day. We tried the one here, which is very good and made me want to be enjoying it on the beach.

Also of note are the carimañolas de carne ($2, below), similar to the empanada but made with yuca. It is a simple snack also common for breakfast in the Caribbean region.

Between courses is a good time to enjoy the rest of your first Aguila and the start of your second, as well as the hodgepodge of various Colombian murals and knickknacks decorating the place that have no scheme or focus. Vallenato music plays on the sound system, sweeping you away in spirit right to the coast.

Friday is a day worth seeking out this place for, which is exactly what I did on my return visit, specifically for the sancocho El Fogon ($7, below) the special of the day. It has a mixture of meats and entrails in the hearty stew, potatoes and yuca. It is served with a plate of rice, which you can dump into the soup or take spoonfuls of and add broth, satisfying either way.

A pleasant surprise of chicken heart in the sancocho!

The rest of the menu is expansive and difficult to select just one thing. Having a group of five or six would be a real asset here. On our first visit, my Colombian friend and I were excited to try the sobrebarriga a la criolla ($13.95, below), a grilled steak with a sauce dominated by red and green peppers. It is mild despite its appearance, but full of flavor.

We asked for a side of coconut rice ($5, below) but they can swap it for the regular white rice for just $1 extra. This is a good order, another specialty of the Caribbean coast.

When we asked for some recommendations from the seafood menu, something we completely neglected, the server mentioned that the cazuela ($17.95), a seafood stew, is excellent. On our next visit, we will have to tackle this portion of the menu, hopefully with a big group.

109-12 Northern Boulevard, Corona NY

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Tawa Food

2011-12-01T13:51:00.000-05:00

Walking into Tawa Food is a bit like walking into a tiny factory. They are very attentive and friendly here, but the work of making bread never stops in the back, as two or three women are rolling out dough and frying it up for the packages you see in the photo below. It seems that quite a few nearby residents and businesses come in here and buy their products, as a steady stream of people have done just as much on my two visits.

It is easy to feel at home here despite all of this. You might feel like you are in the way a bit, but don't fear, they are happy for the sit down business. There are three tables, and not much room, but that just makes it more intimate and centers you in the middle of all the action.

A lot of English signs have been put up since my first visit, probably in response to their newfound success and various coverage.

The momos ($5, below) here will rival any in the city. You can get them frozen in beef, vegetable, and cheese to take home, but chicken seems to be the only variety they have ready to cook in house. When you do eat them here, they are amazingly fresh, full of juice, and definitely a must have for any table.

Make sure to add the orange chili sauce for dipping.

Dosas are something you usually see at southern Indian restaurants, but Tawa has added a big sign outside reading "Dosa Hut" so I figured I would give their rendition a try. The masala dosa ($5, below) is cut into sections, something I have not seen done before, and served with an average chutney and a tomato achar, making it a bit more Nepalese. The ingredients inside the dosa are good, with fresh onions leading the taste buds.

I also wanted to give the kati rolls a try, so we ordered the paneer kati roll ($5, below), which surprisingly arrived cold. Since they are constantly making the paratha bread here, it did not make sense to me that it would arrive in a piece that was not hot and fresh. That being said, it was absolutely delicious, with the cheese mixing with a potent herbal sauce they make. If this was inside of a fresh paratha, it would be one of those foods you come back for week after week.

The menu is split into two parts, with the more widely eaten kati rolls and dosas on one page and traditional Nepalese on another. For an introduction (after the momos of course), try any "K-2" plate for a variety of dipping sauces, meats, and curry to eat.

They also serve a milky tea ($1) here that is not nearly as buttery as some you might find in Nepalese or Tibetan restaurants, and extremely good. It is served in the iconic NYC coffee cup, and washes down everything very well.

37-38 72nd Street, Jackson Heights NY

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Marco's Salumeria Leone/ Conti's Pastry Shoppe

2011-11-30T00:03:00.001-05:00

I decided to combine these two locations to create a destination for adventurous eaters heading to the Bronx in search of Italian-American foods. I might start doing this more in the future as a way to make it more rewarding to visit the borough that gets the least reporting and love (even by me!). These two shops are next door to each other, and complimentary in all ways.

Marco's is a friendly meat store that also makes deli sandwiches and has a steam table with "home style cooking." While the steam table looks far from appetizing, the sandwiches are all very fresh and good value. The Italian combo ($7.50, below) is piled high with delicious cuts and topped with a sweet pepper mix that is out of this world.

Upon ordering a sandwich, they will grab a fresh loaf of bread and cut a big hunk off to make your creation. The shop also carries some dry goods including pasta and a small but effective selection of olive oils. I was here mid-afternoon and did not see much foot traffic, but the case of meat and cheese in the back looked very well stocked and had a good amount of variety.

I ate my dessert first when I visited, but the natural progression might seem to visit Conti's Pastry Shoppe after your lunch. Friendliness is taken to the extreme here, highlighted with deep New York accents, wood-paneled walls, and general level of comfort that goes with being taken care of. A small hodgepodge of chairs and a love seat can be found at the back of the shop, all of which could have been heisted from your grandparent's sitting room.

Pignoli cookies ($9/lb, below) are not the best in New York, but cheaper than you will find anywhere else. Add a small coffee for $1.35, and you have a pleasant way to enjoy a little time in one of grandma's chairs. It seems they even have wifi here, and if their network is not for the public, I would not be surprised if they share the password with you anyways.

Morris Park Avenue was sporting Albanian flags on the day of my visit, but I did not see any food from this country, which is better represented a bit to the north up near Lydig Avenue. A procession of cars full of Balkans screaming, honking, and waving flags drove by as I continued my walk afterwards, so I figured it must be a national holiday. It turns out it is a big week in the country, with the 28th of November being the anniversary of the independence from the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately I was too full to walk up and enjoy some delicious burek.

786-788 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx NY

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Karen Deli Grocery

2011-11-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

On a walking trip to scout and see what was new and interesting in the western part of Sunset Park a couple months ago, I came across Karen, which drapes Guatemalan and Honduran flags outside from the awning along with a Mexican one. They are geared towards the latter, but I like a specialty kitchen that tries to accomodate the other residents of a neighborhood, like El Atoradero in the Bronx.

They advertise all their Mexican fare in the windows and also feature pupusas, the most famous item from El Salvador. The kitchen is a little hidden in the back of the shop, you must enter and navigate through the small grocery to find it, but either one or two friendly ladies will greet you in the back where there are also two small tables to eat inside.

The tacos al pastor ($2.50 each, above) are big and come pre-loaded with their avocado salsa. Al pastor is almost always better from a spit of course, but this is the best non-spit version I have tasted, juicy and with a decent kick. If you need more bite, the plate comes with your very own jalapeño pepper (at bottom)

I did not see one on the picture wall, but I was in the mood for a huarache ($4, below), which she had no hesitation in saying could be done, and got right into spreading the ground masa to make its base. She spread a layer of the thin beans, and topped it with my selection of carne enchilada. This too came out very nice and needed no additional flavoring.

The last item ordered was a quesadilla de pollo ($3, below), which had ample portions of fresh queso blanco and quite a mild overall taste that was somehow sweet. I went ahead and loaded this one up with the salsa verde provided at the table.

I got to speaking with the lady who cooked us everything, asking if she made this or that, and was most happy to find that she was in the business of baleadas, a Honduran specialty that is not too abundant in the city. I will be happy to stop back and try her Central American cooking on my next visit. It is always nice to be so welcome in a place that is serving up such wonderful food.

Use with caution.

On an avenue that is littered with small Mexican antojito joints, Karen is really shining bright for its atmosphere of friendliness and quality ingredients, especially the spicing. For those that need an introduction to Sunset Park, this is a good place to start.

6116 5th Avenue, Brooklyn NY

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Festac Grill

2011-11-16T11:42:00.001-05:00

Walking into Festac Grill takes what can only be described as a large leap of faith. It is tucked into a small building a little more than a block away from busy Atlantic Avenue, with windows tinted almost to the point of opacity. On my first visit, the day was hot and the sun so bright that it took my eyes a full 30 seconds to realize I had walked into an empty room. This was slightly reassuring since I probably appeared to be a person without sight feeling his way around the dark room. Since the windows are tinted so dark, hardly any of that sunlight makes its way into the interior.

Lagos is home to a large Guinness brewery, and the beer has a special place in the country, so as my eyes were still adjusting, I ordered a bottle and waited for words to appear on the menu in front of me.

Many West African restaurants are steam tables, allowing you to look over the day's options and select what looks best. Festac is not this way, and the menu is not at all informative for the uninitiated. My experience with the cuisine is limited, so I pestered the lady for information about different dishes. Unfortunately the answers were not so extensive, so I fell back to some tried and true favorites and vowed to come back with more research and dive further into the menu.

Despite generically reading "African & American Restaurant" on the awning outside, Festac Grill is truly specialized and thoroughly Nigerian. The television is tuned to Nigerian Television Authority, the walls are adorned with Festac '77 posters, a festival that took place near Lagos celebrating world black arts and culture. The town the festival took place in is still called Festac Town, is a federal housing estate, and most interestingly is the origin of a majority of the fraudulent emails you receive out of Nigeria.

I could not resist ordering a suya ($5, above), a type of beef jerky that you find on the streets at night. You can find it in beef, fish, or chicken varieties, but the only one on offer here is beef, which starts on the dry side with subtle flavors but quickly grows on you as you continue to gnaw.

I was in the mood for something spicy and had good experiences with goat pepper soup ($8, below) at other restaurants, so I decided on it for my meal. This is some serious stuff, almost as if a goat was hacked up and thrown in a pot, heavy on the offal.

The soup is supposed to be this way, despite versions in Clinton Hill being almost exclusively accessible chunks of meat. Dive right in! As I was struggling with all the entrails on my first visit but thoroughly enjoying the spicy stew, the restaurant started to fill up with other diners, who all ordered "soups" served with a generous ball of fufu.

For my second visit, I invited a friend originally from Nigeria and was excited to go after these dishes on the menu that are called soups, but are not liquid for the most part and are eaten with the fufu, your hands, and nothing else. My previous attempts to eat with this sticky ball have not been my proudest moments, so learning good techniques was also a benefit of this day.

He ordered the egusi soup ($12, below), a name that actually refers to the seeds used to thicken the sauce. You can have a variety of meats or seafood with this dish, but this version seemed to be a combination of beef and goat, again heavy on offal.

I chose the edikaikon ($15, below), which for whatever reason comes with the highest price tag in the soups section. This dish is made with fluted pumpkin leaf, and is mixed with a heavy dose of goat offal, like usual.

I was lucky enough to receive my Fufu 101 class when I started fumbling around trying to pick up enough food for a bite. The first good hint is that you always roll a small enough ball not more than one bite, never bite off a piece from a larger amount. It helps to wet your hands before starting, as Nigerian pounded yam (there are several other options to choose from) is especially sticky and this helps prevent it from staying on your fingers. After rolling the ball, make a small indent that will act as the scoop. Use your thumb to push a good amount of the soup towards your fufu and press firmly. The mistake I was always making was trying to pick up the food with it, like you might with a piece of naan.

Feeling confident, I proceeded to each as much as my stomach allowed. The ball weighs about as much as a brick though, and feels like one when have eaten most of it, so definitely keep your ball size down as much as possible.

The small restaurant has a tiny bar tucked into one corner and is an enjoyable place to sit and have a few drinks after or instead of a meal. That sun is going to melt your eyeballs anyway once you return to the real world, so you might as well linger until it goes down.

263 Hendrix Street, Brooklyn NY

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