The Puma from Tortas Neza is big enough to feed your entire team.
Despite the Mets colors that I often fly I like to say that I’m more of a Queens fan than a fan of the beleaguered ball club. One thing that I’m surely a fan of is my home borough’s diverse and delicious food. So as a public service to baseball fans—native New Yorkers and tourists alike—I devote this week’s edition of The Seven to a lineup of places to eat before and after the 2013 MLB All-Star Game being held tomorrow night at Citi Field at 7:30 p.m.
1. Tortas Neza, 111th St. and Roosevelt Avenue, Corona
Located just one subway stop away from Citi Field Galdino ‘Tortas’ Molinero offers over a dozen overstuffed Mexican sandwiches each named for Mexican soccer clubs. Split a gargantuan tortas pumas with your pals or better yet, try one of his stupendous carnitas tacos, filled with golden bits of porcine goodness. Serious chili-heads won’t want to miss his pickled habañeros. Open late good for before or after the game.
2. Zabb Elee, 71-28 Roosevelt Ave, Jackson Heights, 718-426-7992
Zabb is one of the best Thai restaurants in North America featuring such dishes as the Lao papaya salad with pickled crab ($8) and pla som ($9), fermented fish that’s been fried. Carnivores won’t want to miss the sai kroog Esan ($7) a garlicky housemade sour pork sausage. Don’t forget to order some sticky rice. Like Tortas they are open late.
3. New World Mall Food Court, 40-21 Main St., Flushing
Take the gang to China before the game with a visit to the New World Mall Food Court. Grab an order of the insanely good ròu shao gān nǎn miàn, sliced noodles with Szechuan chili-minced pork and peanut, at Szechuan Dish (Stall No 25.) or the equally good though decidedly less spicy guo tie, porky pot stickers from Li’s Lanzhou Hand Stretched Noodles, No. 12.
- 4. Golden Shopping Mall, 41-28 Main Street, Flushing
- Want to walk in the footsteps of Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern before the big game? Then a visit to the Golden Shopping Mall, Flushing’s wonderland of regional Chinese food is a must. Grab some delicate seabass ($6 for 12) dumplings from the excellent Tianjin Dumpling House on the lower level. On your way out snag a cumin lamb burger ($3) for the road from the aptly name Xi’an Famous Foods.
5. Fu Run, 40-09 Prince St, Flushing, 718-321-1363
For a truly spectacular Chinese meal before the big game look no further than Fu Run. Dig into such Dongbei specialties as Muslim lamb chop ($21.95) a whole rack that’s been braised, deep fried,and rolled in cumin and black sesame seeds.The crunchy spice-studded exterior encases red-tinged meat and bits of snow-white fat, all packed with wonderful lamb flavor. An order of tiger vegetables ($5.95), a cool tangle of cilantro and hot peppers shot through with teeny salty shrimp, is a welcome foil to all that rich meat.
6. Cucino a Modo Mio, 51-01 108th St., Corona, 718-271-4300
Before the big ballgame grab some pizza or Calabrian soul food at this newcomer. After your meal savor an ice from the Lemon Ice King of Corona and take in an all-star game of a different,the boccie players in nearby William F. Moore “Spaghetti” Park.
7. Ecuadorean Trucks at Junction Blvd.
Good for a hearty post or pregame meal the half dozen Ecuadorean carts at the Junction Boulevard stop on the 7 train offer everything from fried pork riblets with hominy corn to shrimp ceviche.
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