Guatita, Ecuadorian-style stewed tripe, is reportedly a hangover remedy; it's certainly a cure for the blahs. On a recent visit to this food cart, I was lucky to find only ten fellows waiting ahead of me. Some mornings, Sunday especially, the line is more than twice that long.
Gran Sabor Ecuatoriano
Food cart near the southwest corner of 37th Ave. with Junction Blvd., Jackson Heights, Queens
www.Facebook.com/Gran-Sabor-Ecuatoriano-168150663739308
Weekends only
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What might be the city's best cemita begins with the bread. Recognizing that many rolls used for this sandwich just aren't right — most notably, they're far too soft — the Puebla-born chef-owner decided that his kitchen would bake its own, in small batches, throughout the day. The fillings of my cemita de pollo, especially the wonderfully potent pickled chipotles, were chosen with just as much care.
Also shown: a pair of tacos de cochinita pibil and (comped) a taco árabe.
H/T Steven Alvarez, www.Instagram.com/TacoLiteracy
Tlaxcal (Tlahsh-kahl) Kitchen
8516 Roosevelt Ave. (Elbertson-Forley Sts.), Elmhurst, Queens
www.Instagram.com/TlaxcalKitchen
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For passing straphangers, the likes of donuts, panini, and coffee are dependably available here. On the afternoon I stopped in, so was a pleasingly sour papaya salad, from a rotating menu of Burmese food that's prepared in advance, ready to travel.
H/T Jenny Chin
Yun Café & Asian Mart
7305 37th Rd. (73rd-74th Sts., store 2, in the downstairs passageway leading to the subway turnstiles), Jackson Heights, Queens
646-920-7551
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(Many of the fairs, festivals, and other wonderful food events that usually fill my calendar each spring have been postponed or cancelled. This post is based on celebrations in previous years.)
It's a Rakhaing riff on Myanmar mohinga.
Continue reading "New Year celebration of the Buddhist Missionary Society" »
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Duck, duck, duck — "swimming," crispy, in salad — at this tiny Thai restaurant. Not shown: still more duck, and several menu items entirely duck-free.
Raan Kway Teow
7814 Roosevelt Ave. (entrance on 78th St.), Elmhurst, Queens
929-424-3315
www.Facebook.com/Raan-Kway-Teow-294648997878943
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Meat-free, gleefully: lasuni gobi ("garlic cauliflower"), uttapham, matar paneer, and dum biryani, from a chef formerly of Adda. Also shown: dahi batata puri, pakoda kale, bhindi masala, and the often-underappreciated dal makhni.
Angel Indian Restaurant
7414 37th Rd. (74th-75th Sts.), Jackson Heights, Queens
347-848-0097
www.Facebook.com/AngelIndianNewYork
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In biteaway view this bhapa pitha, a steamed rice cake, showed off its jaggery core. Pitha, which are native to eastern and northeastern India as well as Bangladesh, generally are prepared from rice flour or wheat flour. They can be fashioned in many shapes and sizes, filled or unfilled, savory or sweet. The variety at this event was head-spinning, though the jaggery — an unrefined sugar — might have had something to do with that, too.
Bangladeshi pitha-making contest
Public School 69, 7702 37th Ave. (77th-78th Sts.), Jackson Heights, Queens
www.Facebook.com/291526101637259/photos/a.291543408302195/554711491985384
(The 2019 event was held on December 21)
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With all respect to poethek, the pop-top communal Tibetan beef pie, give a thought to shak trak. But don't think long — at our table, the juicy, stir-fried beef was quick to take its leave. For more photos from Khampa Kitchen, see my collection on Flickr.
Khampa Kitchen
7515 Roosevelt Ave. (75th-76th Sts.), Jackson Heights, Queens
347-507-0216
www.Facebook.com/pages/Khampa-Kitchen-Inn/561280200944057
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Snake gourd with egg, and hilsa in mustard sauce, from a 24-hour Bangladeshi steam table. It's provisioned by an adjoining market, whose delivery trucks are some of the most colorful in the city.
Ittadi Garden and Grill
7307 37th Rd. (73rd-74th Sts.), Jackson Heights, Queens
718-429-5555
www.Facebook.com/Ittadi-Garden-And-Grill-2091931027705954
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Many things aren't easily transplanted from tropical eastern Peru — first home of Jimmy Lozano, owner of Warique — to temperate New York. But his grandmother's spice blend for pollo a la brasa thrives in Jackson Heights. Read more on Culinary Backstreets.
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Thank you!
