Eating In Translation

Little Banchan Shop: Korean Mix-n-Match

"Although we ate our bibimbap by the window, we might easily have carried it, or any of several other grab-and-go dishes, to Gantry Park and eaten by the river." Read more — especially about the central role of banchan in Korean cuisine, not only in public settings but also in the home — on Culinary Backstreets.

Arya Cafe: Tibetan Tranquility on a Busy Boulevard

"Queens Boulevard, a major thoroughfare that cuts through the heart of the borough, accommodates many lanes of automobiles traveling to and from Manhattan. Some eateries that flank it seem geared for auto traffic, too: One stretch of roadway, in Elmhurst, sports a classic diner, an Argentine steakhouse and a fast-food restaurant marked by golden arches.

"Driving by, or even walking by, we might easily miss a corner business that looks out on those other eateries. From outside, on a sunny day, the storefront seems more like a mirror than a window; modest signage marks the doors. Opening them, we enter Arya Cafe and leave behind the glare of the sun and the honking hustle and bustle of passing cars, trucks and buses for the murmur of conversation, mostly in Tibetan. ..."

"At lunch, we watched more than once as Jampa Tsering, the counterman, carefully carried what seemed to be weighty bowls to many customers. This proved to be beef noodle soup. Ours was brimming with plenty of meat, ample noodles and, to our surprise and delight, lots of leafy greens." Read more on Culinary Backstreets.

Sami's Kabab House: Afghan in Astoria

"Many of the best-known dishes of Afghanistan ... resemble those of neighboring countries along the Silk Routes that long ago connected China and the Mediterranean. ... Our lamb kabab, however tender, would look like many other New York kababs except for the accompanying heap of Qabuli pulao, steamed rice caparisoned in raisins and julienned carrots. The sweetness of the raisins, and especially the carrots, wonderfully complements the fluffiness of the rice and juiciness of the meat. In Afghanistan, lavish versions of Qabuli pulao are prepared for celebratory occasions; in Astoria, we can celebrate whenever we like." Read more on Culinary Backstreets.

Pera Ždera: Burgers (and more) by way of the Balkans

(This venue is closed.) Excellent fries cradle a Karađorđeva (Kah-rah-JEOR-Jeh-vah), a schnitzel-like pork cutlet rolled around kaymak, breaded, deep-fried, and ultimately topped, improbably but compellingly, with tartar sauce. Read about the Serbian specialties served at Pera Ždera (aka Peter Eater) in Glendale, Queens, on Culinary Backstreets.

Queens Lanka: Small Kitchen, Big Flavors

(This venue is closed.) "Staten Island, a ferryboat's ride south of Manhattan, is home to New York's largest community of Sri Lankans and most of the city's Sri Lankan restaurants as well. A smaller Sri Lankan community can be found in the Queens neighborhood of Jamaica. In recent years people might have needed to drive an hour — braving the airport traffic near JFK, swinging down to the Belt Parkway that girds southern Brooklyn and crossing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Staten Island — for a taste of Sri Lanka.

"Lately, however, those cravings can be sated closer to home at Queens Lanka in Jamaica, a specialty grocery that also boasts a small but mighty kitchen and a few seats to accommodate dine-in customers. There’s no room for the weekend buffet that figures prominently in several of Staten Island’s Sri Lankan restaurants, but for curry, kottu roti and banana-leaf-wrapped lamprais, there’s no need to leave the neighborhood.

"Rasika Wetthasinghe is the chef; Suchira Wijayarathne runs the market. A helper assists with preparation in the kitchen a few days a week, and a number of the kitchen’s bespoke spice blends are prepared elsewhere, but by and large this is a two-man operation." Read more on Culinary Backstreets.

Maxi's Noodle: Just Like Mom Would've Made

"We're always glad for a second bite at a wonton. At Maxi's Noodle, in Flushing, this Hong Kong delicacy is notably larger than its Chinese forebears. The dumplings and fish balls at Maxi's are hefty, too, each large enough to require two delicious bites, if not three. The size wouldn't matter, however, if the wontons weren’t wonderful — the pale pink of fresh shrimp, combined with a little pork, gleams from within their translucent wrappers.

"The restaurant’s namesake, Maxi Lau … keeps a framed photo of her mom at the restaurant … and has her portrait tattooed on one arm. Maxi's mom didn't have time to open a place of her own, but now, in spirit, whenever Maxi is at her restaurant, her mom is right by her side." Read more on Culinary Backstreets.

Cerasella: Italian Delights

"In Italy, 'we would call this a bar,' Caterina Pepe tells us. We're chatting inside Cerasella (pronounced 'Chair-ah-Sell-ah'), the small pasticceria e caffetteria she owns with her husband, Luca Schiano, not far from their home in Long Island City. In New York, of course, a bar is typically adults-only, and rarely known for its food. Using that name for Cerasella, Caterina adds, would lead New Yorkers astray — but happily so, once they found themselves in front of the pastry case." Shown here: an exquisite sfogliatella riccia made with Neapolitan semolina, Calabrian orange and Apulian buffalo ricotta, coupled with an espresso. Read more on Culinary Backstreets.

Varenyk House: Taste of a Ukrainian Childhood

The owner of Varenyk House, Stepan Rogulskyi, "lives with his wife, Natalya, and their two young daughters in Maspeth, the Queens neighborhood just north of Ridgewood. His first home, however, was the city of Truskavets, in western Ukraine; his two brothers, his parents and his paternal grandmother still live there, or nearby. Stepan, 33, has returned to Ukraine many times since he first came to the United States, in 2008, but his most recent visit, wife and daughters in tow, was during the summer of 2021.

"During the first weeks of the war, Stepan called Ukraine several times each day to check in on his extended family. Thankfully, he now feels able to call less frequently (though still more often than before the war). Maintaining reliable connections with his Eastern European suppliers, on the other hand, has become increasingly challenging, Stepan tells us: 'The situation changes every day.' " Read more on Culinary Backstreets.

Beyond the Courts: CB's U.S. Open Eating Guide 2022

"Each year in late summer, some of the best athletes on the planet converge on Flushing Meadows Corona Park to compete in the United States Open Tennis Championships. ... The tournament site does provide hungry fans with several cafés and casual bar-restaurants as well as a pair of 'food villages.' But when in Queens — where some of the best food in the city is so close at hand — why would we confine ourselves to the boundaries of the tennis center?" Read more on Culinary Backstreets.

Nhà Mình: Vietnamese, Re-envisioned

"Birdcage phở" at one of the many picnic tables behind Nhà Mình, Ridgewood, Queens. In sweltering weather, of course, you might favor the intimate front room — a Vietnamese cafe that doubles as an art gallery. Read more on Culinary Backstreets.