Eating In Translation

What's Eating In Translation?

This website began as a collection of field notes on interesting food I'd tried, or planned to try, in and around New York. Since its launch, in January 2005, I've visited thousands of venues, from white-linen restaurants to elbows-on-the-table eateries, as well as street vendors, fairs, festivals, grocers, and greenmarkets — and my "to eat" list is longer than ever.

Orquidea Eats, aka Rincón Catracho

Catrachitas are Honduran tostadas, that is, deep-fried tortillas, which in their simplest form are topped with refried beans and crumbled cheese. As it happens, "Catracho" denotes a person from Honduras — but if you pressed me on the food most closely tied to the national identity, I'd say baleadas.

H/T Yigal Schleifer, Culinary Backstreets, who I must also belatedly credit for pointing me to bánh cuốn and other good Vietnamese food in Eden Center

Orquidea Eats, aka Rincón Catracho
3555 Georgia Ave N.W. (Newton Pl.-Otis Pl., in the back of Seven Market & Deli), Washington, D.C.
202-910-9238
www.OrquideaEats.com
Closed Sunday
(From a visit in late winter)

Nneji

Nigerian finger food: egusi (squash-seed sauce with spinach, tomato, chile pepper, and palm oil) paired with garri (fermented, slightly sour cassava). The first is scooped up with a pinch of the second. Mealtime entertainment, nearby: Bangladeshi blacktop cricket.

H/T The New York Times via Kim, @garsleat

Nneji (nn-Nay-jee)
3220 34th Ave. (32nd-33rd Sts.), Astoria, Queens
917-832-7338
www.Instagram.com/Nneji_Astoria
Closed Sunday

Green Garden Buffet

The menu cites "French kitchen style"; my late lunch included sweet potato, okra, and cabbage. The blue, gold, and red flag of Chad signals a few items from French-speaking Africa, too. But samoussas, filled with either beef or vegetables, must wait till I can stop by first thing and try them fresh-made.

H/T EV Grieve via Kim, @garsleat

Green Garden Buffet
332 East 9th St. (First-Second Aves.), Manhattan
646-575-1248

I Love New York ...

... and I wear a mask, hand-chalked artwork (after Milton Glaser, 2020) outside Mel's Burger Bar
2850 Broadway (110th-111th Sts.), Manhattan
212-865-7100
www.MelsBurgerBar.com

Ba Xuyên

Bánh mì paté thịt nguội (aka combination no. 1). "Ham, head cheese, pork roll, pork teriyaki & B.B.Q., w/paté," good fixings, good bread.

Ba Xuyên (shown below in 2014)
4222 Eighth Ave. (42nd-43rd Sts.), Sunset Park, Brooklyn
718) 633-6601
www.Facebook.com/pages/Ba-Xuyen/167785206567240