Eating In Translation

German's Soup

(This post is based on a visit to the shop's original location, about a half-mile south.) Attaining the gelatinous texture of cow-heel soup (above) takes time. Pepperpot (below), a dish perhaps even more beloved in its native Guyana, is lacquered with a sauce based on cassareep (Cazh-uh-rip). This reduction of cassava-root juice has a bittersweet character that's tempered by chile pepper, brown sugar, and other seasonings. My dining buddy noted lots of clove. This version featured beef and — you gotta have it — more cow heel.

German's Soup
410 Utica Ave. (Crown-Montgomery Sts.), Crown Heights, Brooklyn
718-831-6713
www.Facebook.com/GermansSoupBrooklyn

Çka Ka Qëllu

Laced with spinach, draped in melted cheese, leqenik (Leh-cheh-nik) is a rich Albanian cornbread that you'll never mistake for the dry, crumbly squares included with your chili con carne. Leqenik only comes à la carte; don't pass it up. For more photos, see my collection on Flickr.

Çka Ka Qëllu (Chkah kah chell-Oo; loosely, from Albanian, "What's cooking")
2321 Hughes Ave. (Crescent Ave.-East 186th St.), Belmont, Bronx
718-933-6194
www.CkaKaQellu.com

Kahtein celebration of the Asoka Mission Society

My unexpected encounter with a previous Kahtein celebration provided word of this second Burmese gathering not long after. On this occasion the featured dish was biryani; I took mine with beef. Also shown below are two of perhaps a dozen desserts, as well as a pot of htamane, a snack that's generally more savory than sweet. A conversational companion recalled to me that htamane requires the energies of several people to prepare; literally and symbolically it's a unifying dish. Thank you, Howard, for the insight!

Kahtein celebration of the Asoka Mission Society
Parish hall of St. James Episcopal Church, 84-07 Broadway (St. James-Corona Aves.), Elmhurst, Queens
(The 2018 celebration was held on November 11)

Dounet Halal Restaurant

(This venue is closed.) Like its Garment District sibling, B&D, Dounet highlights the leaf-based sauces of Guinea, albeit on a comparatively abbreviated bill of fare. Shown: spinach sauce with beef, gently tweaked by whiting.

H/T Esneider Arevalo, Culinary Backstreets tour leader for Queens

Dounet Halal Restaurant
97-17 57th Ave. (97th St.-97th Pl.), Corona, Queens
718-271-7199

Addy's Barbeque

(This venue is closed.) The front window also touted burgers and wings, but a more modest, hand-drawn sign suggested the sizzling East African specialty of the house.

Petel Yengue Meat Corp.

Printed in big bold type atop an extremely foreshortened map of Africa, "mahmz" is a mystery. Under the lid, however, was a ringer for degue (Deh-gway), a Guinean dairy dessert featuring millet couscous. This one, on the sweeter side, smacked of vanilla.

Petel Yengue Meat Corp.
1770 Jerome Ave. (East 175th-East 176th Sts.), Mount Hope, Bronx
718-466-4501

Frank's Pizza

Red, white, and green: grandma slice with spinach.

Frank's Pizza
2823 Middletown Road. (at Mulford Ave.), Pelham Bay, Bronx
718-892-8202
www.FranksOriginalPizza.com

Lanzhou Noodle (aka Lanzhou Ramen)

The first and most famous location of this mini-chain is on the lower level of the nearby Golden Mall, opposite Tianjin Dumpling House. If a long-rumored mall-wide renovation of the Golden Mall ever does disrupt business, it's good to have backup. Shown: stir-fried noodles with cumin lamb.

Lanzhou Noodle (aka Lanzhou Ramen)
Super HK food court, stall 25
3711 Main St. (37th-38th Aves., beneath Super HK supermarket), Flushing, Queens
917-688-2219
Golden Mall location: 41-28 Main St. (at 41st Rd., lower level)
917-660-9588
New York Food Court location: 133-35 Roosevelt Ave. (Prince St.-College Point Blvd., stall 22)
917-607-9188

Mom's Kitchen

After an hour-plus of grazing, a final food-court nibble: red-bean-paste-filled sesame balls, two for a buck-fifty.

Mom's Kitchen
Super HK food court, stall 18
3711 Main St. (37th-38th Aves., beneath the Super HK supermarket), Flushing, Queens

Shaanxi Tasty Food

It's not just one long bespattered noodle, but I did lift my first nearly a foot before I cleared the lip of the bowl. At this new food court some two dozen stalls serve food from Jiangnan, Shaxian, Wenzhou, Lanzhou, Shanghai, Sichuan, and Taiwan as well as Shaanxi; these ribbonlike, chewy "oil spill" noodles were an early standout.

H/T @garsleat, who supplied word of the food court's long-awaited opening

Shaanxi Tasty Food
Super HK food court, stall 27
3711 Main St. (37th-38th Aves., beneath the Super HK supermarket), Flushing, Queens