Eating In Translation

f.i.s.h.

Tucked at the very end of a winding road, the Fox Island Seafood House provides a pleasant view of the narrow Byram River, especially from its dining deck. Tonight the view swam a distant second to the food itself, introduced by exceptionally light, tender calamari ($10) spiced with hot peppers. Here it's dubbed "Boston" calamari; more commonly it's called "Rhode Island" style, though f.i.s.h. dispenses with the just-as-common greasiness.

A sizable mignon of Hawaiian tuna ($27), seared but still rare, was rubbed in rosemary and black pepper and served in a red wine sauce; accompanied by haricots verts, onion crisps, and sour cream-blue crab mashed potatoes that offered a tantalizing taste of the sea. Diver scallops wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon ($24), served with celery root puree, wild mushroom risotto, and wilted spinach, also featured fine ingredients, though the applewood flavor was a little much for the shellfish.

f.i.s.h.
102 Fox Island Rd., Port Chester, New York
914-939-4227

Swanky Franks

(This venue is closed.) Retro diner with additional picnic-table seating. Their much-praised Philly cheese steak ($6.25) was OK — plenty of onions, for sure — but I lean toward provolone rather than American (used here) or Cheez Whiz, and I prefer my sloppier sandwiches in top-loaded buns. A Newtowner dog ($2.75), with chili and cole slaw, was good, more on the strength of the frank than the toppings.

Swanky Franks
314 South Main St. (Rte. 25), Newtown, Connecticut
203-426-2255

Trader Joe's

Bought a box of Very Berry Clusters (13 oz.; $2.49) for the retro appeal of freeze-dried blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, despite the fruit spread at the nearby Union Square Greenmarket. Fine for kicks, but just this once.

Trader Joe's
142 East 14th St. (Third-Fourth Aves.)
212-529-4612

La Coral Café

Two scoops of housemade ice cream, red bean atop stronger-than-usual green tea ($2).

La Coral Café
38-05 Main St., Flushing, Queens
718-886-8826

Super Snacks

(This venue is closed.) My banana smoothie with tapioca pearls (about $2.50) was prepared with powdered fruit, I realized after one sip; can't speak for the other flavors. Pork buns and similar nibbles were good, no better; next time I'm in the neighborhood, I'd likely take a closer look at "Homestyle Cooking," beyond the yellow awning next door.

Super Snacks
41-28 Main St. (actually, on 41st Rd.), Flushing, Queens
718-886-2294

Metisse

(This venue is closed.) The prix fixe brunch ($15.95) started off no better than competently, Mike and I agreed: eggs benedict for him, and ouefs cocotte, roasted eggs aswim in a creamy swiss cheese sauce, for me. The desserts, however, ended the meal with an unexpected flourish: Mike's crème brulee was very light and not overwhelmingly eggy, while my apple strudel in caramel sauce (shown) was warm and flaky. I hope to see it again, after dinner.

Metisse
239 West 105th St. (near Broadway)
212-666-8825

L'Ecole

The five-course dinner prix fixe ($35.50), prepared as always by students of the French Culinary Institute, was competently prepared but somehow lacked confidence; other diners at the table also expressed the thought that many items were "good." For my part, I started with a gaily caparisoned leek-pepper-tomato tartlet, chased by sautéed red snapper with citrus fruits and basil — two pretty faces that had little to say. The comparatively drab Basque-style sautéed chicken (shown) had enough body that given the chance I'd order it again. Following a palate-cleansing salad, a dessert of iced port wine parfait with summer melon and shaved chocolate simply tried too hard, though I appreciated the effort, all the way to the bottom of the glass.

L'Ecole
462 Broadway (at Grand St.)
212-219-3300

House of Seafood

(This venue is closed.) The house version of scallops and chips ($7.50) has little to recommend it other than sheer volume. If you become irritated that a half-dozen customers who arrive later receive their orders earlier, that might also suggest eating elsewhere.

House of Seafood
2349 Frederick Douglass Blvd. (at 126th St.)
212-531-0405

Assi Plaza

(This venue is closed.) If you're ventured beyond Shea on the 7 train, not far past the stadium you've seen "Oriental Food Cash & Carry" in four-foot-tall capital letters. That sign only hints at the extent of this wide-aisled, warehouse-sized Korean outlet; it's as large as any supermarket I've seen in the five boroughs. Way in the back, near a picnic-like lunch area, a kitchen offers up a limited menu, which (I imagine) you could supplement from the adjacent prepared-food area.

Myself, I passed up such ready-to-eat items as a whole squid ($4.99) and a serving of pollock roe ($24.99 per pound) to get my veggies from a serving of sesame leaves ($7.99) heavily seasoned with garlic and red pepper but ultimately tedious, like so many similar Korean presentations.

Assi Plaza
131-01 39th Ave., Flushing, Queens
718-321-8000

Authentic Taste of Xin Jiang cart

A $1 skewer of fatty lamb makes for a fine appetizer, provided you stop at one. Ask for it là (spicy); if you prefer your kebabs búlà, why venture the cuisine of China's Northwest?

Several other carts in the neighborhood seem to offer food from Xin Jiang (Shin jee-Ong) and environs; I've tried only the one, so far.

Authentic Taste of Xin Jiang cart
38th Ave. near Main St., Flushing, Queens