Queens Eats

10/21/13 1:03pm

There’s Still Time to Enjoy Goatober at M. Wells Dinette

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This ethereal goat leg is part of the Goatober specials at M. Wells.

Every now and then I have a dish that revolutionizes the way I think about a particular foodstuff.The goat leg ($26) I ate at M. Wells Dinette last Friday is such a dish. Served over a bed of chanterelles and sunchokes it was phenomenal. So phenomenal I immediately took to the social media with a picture of the half-eaten portion captioned, “Saddle of Unicorn.” Fine grained and slightly sweet with no trace of gaminess whatsoever, it might as well have been the flesh of that mythical beast. (more…)

Aidan, goat, Goatober, M. Wells Dinette

10/07/13 10:03am

Desify: Delving into Dhokla at Floral Park’s Real Usha

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Eating at Real Usha Sweets and Snacks is out of the question. There are no tables in this tiny Indian snacks and sweets shop in Floral Park. There’s barely enough room for more than a few people to squeeze in around the ordering counter.

But there are many good reasons to brave the cozy, rustic conditions at Real Usha (not to be confused with the larger, sleeker Usha Foods down the street)—chief among them: khaman dhokla ($3.50/pound). A beloved Gujarati snack, these savory “cakes” are made with ground and fermented chana daal (i.e., lentils made from de-skinned black chickpeas). After a day-long fermentation, the ground lentils are seasoned lightly with salt, sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of turmeric; then steamed. (more…)

Desify, dhokla, Floral Park, Gujarati, Indian, mithai, Real Usha Snacks and Sweets, sweets

10/01/13 10:28am

K-tropolis: 1962 Tofu Comes to Northern Boulevard

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1962 Tofu has its roots in South Korea.

PLEASE NOTE THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED

The real K-town in New York City is in Queens, stretching for about five miles from Northern Boulevard and Union Street in Flushing all the way out to Manhasset . This vast K-tropolis is lined with dozens of BBQ restaurants, kimbap joints, large Korean supermarkets, fried chicken spots, a store that sells Korean stone beds, and even a Korean-run Third Wave espresso bar. There are so many places it would take an entire lifetime to document them all. So it is with some trepidation that I announce a new feature on C+M: K-tropolis. Today, a look at 1962 Tofu a Korean soft tofu chain that opened its first U.S. branch over the summer. (more…)

clams, closed, Flushing, K-tropolis, Korean, mussels, Northern Boluevard, seafood, shrimp, tofu

Jackson Heights

09/16/13 9:53am

Desify: A Famous Indian Snack Pops Up in Queens

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Mumbai’s famous beach snack, bhel puri, is easy to track down in Indian chaat shops in New York City. But other snacks from Maharashtra—the state on India’s western coast that is home to the megacity—are much harder to find on this side of the world (though not impossible).

Maharashtrian food is amazingly flavorful—drawing on staple ingredients that impart bold flavors: peppery curry leaf, ginger, cilantro, tangy tamarind, jaggery (unrefined cane sugar), fragrant coriander seeds, savory cumin, and coconut. I love this cuisine and wish it were more prevalent in restaurants. (more…)

bakarwadi, Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale, Desify, Indian, Maharashtra, namkeen, Patel Bros., Pune, snack

09/05/13 10:36am

Papa’s Salu Salo: Traditional Filipino Feasting in Queens

Woodside

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Clockwise from top: crab, crispy pata, ukoy, longanisa, and tuna belly.

Americans traditionally mark Labor Day weekend with one last summer backyard barbecue with friends and loved ones. I too celebrated with friends, in traditional Queens fashion. That is to say by embracing the traditions of another culture, specifically Filipino. On Saturday my friends Kaori and Stella joined me for a traditional salu-salo sa bilao fiesta at Papa’s Kitchen in Woodside. Salu-salo bilao loosely translates to a gathering over a bilao,or banana leaf-lined basket overflowing with goodies. It’s an informal affair where all the food is eaten with one’s hands.

Chef Miguel prepared quite a spread. One tray held crab; crispy pata, a whole foreleg of pig fried to a shattering crunchiness; the shrimp and veggie fritters known as ukoy; longganisang hamonado, a lovely sweet pork sausage; tuna belly; and Papa’s signature spicy dynamite spring rolls. Everything was quite tasty,but we all agreed the salty, fatty tuna belly was spectacular. Stella, who is Filipina, schooled me in the proper way to eat with my hands. On the few occasions when I’ve eaten South Asian food with my hands I’ve felt self conscious most likely because the food is usually very saucy. At Papa’s I felt especially relaxed, and not just because we had the place to ourselves. (more…)

crab, Filipino, Labor Day, pork, seafood, shrimp paste, tuna, Woodside

Jackson Heights

08/19/13 10:20am

Desify: A Few Good Indian Sweets for Rakhi

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Gaajar burfi, a carrot-based Indian sweet from Maharaja Sweets in Jackson Heights.

Sweets made with milk, nuts, lentils, and spices are an important part of religious festivals in India. Later this week, Hindus will observe Raksha Bandhan–or Rakhi, for short–a Hindu festival celebrating relationships between brothers and sisters.

The sweets (mittai, in Hindi) eaten at Rakhi represent the sweetness of the bond between siblings. On the morning of Rakhi (Aug. 21) a sister ties a decorative red thread on her brother’s wrist, signifying her hope for his well-being. In return, a brother gives his sister gifts of sweets and money, signifying his promise to always protect and care for her.

Laddoo, jalebi, gulab jamun, and rasgulla are especially popular, but I prefer less common Indian sweets like milk cake, gaajar burfi (made with carrot), and anjeer burfi (made with fig). You can find all of these at Maharajah Sweets on 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens—my go-to source for Indian sweets in New York City. (more…)

Desify, Hindu, India, Indian, Jackson Heights, Maharajah Sweets, Queens, Rakhi, Raksha Bandhan, sweet

05/30/13 10:36am

Fantastic Wallet-friendly Korean Sashimi Lunch At Pa Do

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Pa Do Hwae Jip, a Korean sushi house, sits in suburban Auburndale.

PLEASE NOTE THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED

Sushi and sashimi are never a value proposition for me. I can’t afford to eat at Masa or Yasuda, but I tend to avoid budget and all you can eat sushi like the plague. That said I had the best Korean sashimi lunch the other day for a mere $13, a fraction of the price I usually pay for such a meal. It was at Pa Do Hwae Jip—Sea Wave Sushi House—in Auburndale.

A complimentary platter of red snapper sashimi, sea squirt, and sea cucumber.

A complimentary platter of sashimi including, sea squirt, and sea cucumber.

List most diners at Korean restaurants I’m fascinated by banchan, the array of complimentary dishes that accompany a meal, which sometimes land on the table before you’ve even cracked the menu. I am especially fascinated by the banchan at Pa Do. That’s because in addition to kimchi and various veggie items it includes a generous platter of sashimi, piled with slices of raw fish, and some marine life rarely seen outside of Korean sushi spots, sea squirt and sea cucumber. I am captivated by the orange flesh of the sea squirt, which tastes of the ocean, and leaves my mouth with the slightly anesthetized sensation of having eaten cloves. The chewy black blobs of sea cucumber do not captivate me in the least, but I always make sure to eat a few as my Korean dry cleaner Paulie Sunshine says, “they are good for men.” (more…)

Auburndale, closed, Korean, sashini, sea cucumber, sea squirt, sushi

05/14/13 9:48am

Mamak House Brings Authentic Malaysian to Flushing