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Those curried chick peas are perilously perched within an order of "doubles" ($1), two layers of the fluffy golden fried dough called bara. Using two hands helps deliver your dollar's worth; so does a willingness to lick your fingers. This bustling takeout shop has many enticing choices and room enough to sit, too.
Singh's Roti Shop
118-06 Liberty Ave., Richmond Hill, Queens
718-835-7255
(This venue is closed.) Big spread of fresh fruits and vegetables, fine selection of fish, and accommodating guidance for non-Guyanan shoppers; packaged goods and similar grocery standards are less impressive. Green mango ($1.99 per pound).
A&N West Indian Grocery Store
106-17 Liberty Ave., Ozone Park, Queens
A concise, dependable menu is essential to any bistro's business plan; Alias (uh-Lie-us) accentuates its bill of fare with intriguing combinations that are equally well-executed without being cute. My two dining companions, seated at their regular table, recommended three aquatic appetizers ($9 each); my favorite was the simplest, fried softshell crab that smacked of apricot sauce and kim chee.
The most spirited competition was for slices of duck leg confit (shown), with caramelized onion, goat cheese, and spiced plum jam on focaccia. In other company, garlic butter shrimp and avocado, with blood orange, pine nuts, and cayenne under a dense tangle of pea shoots, might be the standout; the pairing of chewy, meaty shrimp and crisp pea shoots was particularly engaging.
Entrees and sides were less glamorous but just as winning. Grilled pork loin and bacon mashed potatoes in an onion jus ($19) topped the charts, but you wouldn't do poorly with the juicy, garlic-roasted hanger steak ($20) or the half-rack of St. Louis-style ribs ($17) slathered in a sweet BBQ sauce. Of the sides ($5 each), mac 'n' cheese and shredded kale were exceptional; fried crushed potatoes were good.
Even bolstered by a double espresso each, the three of us had energy for just two desserts. A glassful of Chocolate Guinness Goodness ($6) had a heady look and a semisweet (but possibly beer-free) flavor; a rhubard puff pastry was even more restrained with the sugar.
Next time, I'm getting a duck leg of my own.
Alias
76 Clinton St. (at Rivington St.)
212-505-5011
In the West Indies, "black cake" ($1.25) typically denotes a rum-laced fruitcake; this rum-free version included a few fruity bits (currants?) in its moist, dark middle.
On a return visit, the pineapple cake ($1.25) was less sweet and less acidic than its looks might suggest.
Kassim's Bakery and Restaurant
169-28 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, Queens
718-206-3595
(This venue is closed.) Fine selection of greens, and lots of interesting odds and ends like this moist, dense slab of Ray's cassava pone ($1.25). Good reason for me to seek out Ray's Bakery and Restaurant itself, in the Richmond Hill section of the borough.
J&L West Indian Grocery
180-12 Hillside Ave., Jamaica, Queens
718-297-6416
(This venue is closed.) Small selection of Filipino products; sadly skimpy on prepared items. They do offer this shareable snack: Aling Conching brand polvoron (10 pieces; 6 oz.; 99 cents), shortbread-like toasted-wheat treats here flavored with melon.
Palengke and Manila's Best
171-16A Hillside Ave., Jamaica, Queens
718-657-6260
(This venue is closed.) Awkwardly laid-out store that wins no points for the personality of its staff. Guyana & West Indian brand carbonated lemonade (12 fl. oz.; 75 cents) was OK.
Khan's Halal Meat Market
170-04 Hillside Ave., Jamaica, Queens
718-523-6357
(This venue is closed.) Banks DIH, the company that manufactures I-Cee soda (10 fl. oz.; $1.25), sterilizes and refills those bottles until they reach the breaking point, to judge by the wear line just below the painted label. By looks alone, there's no way of telling which of their 13 flavors lurks within; after a taste, I'd guess cream soda. As for the spices, the selection here is fine if you're in the neighborhood but not worth traveling far out of your way.
Spice World
168-39 Hillside Ave., Jamaica, Queens
A black-and-white parked out front, and a stream of carryout customers, signaled that this small, friendly restaurant and caterer offers superior West Indian cuisine. From the "breakfast all day" section of the menu, mackerel and banana (small; $7.06) heaped cabbage and pepper-inflected fish over guineo (unripe plantain) and a single dense disk-shaped dumpling.
On another occasion, I found that the housemade ginger beer (pint; about $2) has a real bite; it's better taken with food rather than quaffed freely on its own.
Genesis No. 1
162-23 Hillside Ave., Jamaica, Queens
718-739-2955
Also a "West Indian grocery" under Korean management, Kim's has a pretty good selection of greens, purples, reds, and what-have-you. Big Bamboo brand Irish Moss Jamaican peanut drink (11 fl. oz.; $1.29) was a smooth, almost viscous drink thickened with carrageenan extracted from a type of seaweed. OK.
Kim's Fruits and Vegetables
87-74 Parsons Ave. (near Hillside Ave.), Jamaica, Queens
Thank you!
