Qofte djegëst (Chofe-tah Yeah-guest) — as served, and as assembled into one of a series of ad hoc sliders — at a sheltered outdoor table. If you don't like your Albanian qofte so spicy, you can always order it padjegëst.
Si n'Shpi ("Like Home")
2307 65th St. (23rd-24th Aves.), Mapleton, Brooklyn
917-933-4579
www.Instagram.com /SinShpi_Restaurant
Hand-drawn sign outside GSA King Tomato Farm
1140 McDonald Ave. (at 20th Ave.), Mapleton, Brooklyn
718-434-2200
www.Mercato.com/shop/gsa-king-tomato-farm
H/T Deli Grossery
Steamed minced meat and salt fish from a small Cantonese restaurant, to all appearances a mom-and-pop. In concert with rice, mellow daikon, and salty mackerel, the minced pork patty seemed almost sweet.
E Dim Sum
2006 65th St. (20th-21st Aves.), Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
917-443-3160
"Kichlach" is Yiddish for "cookies," an umbrella term that applies to savories as well as sweets. These onion and poppy seed kichlach ($6.99 per pound, for about 20) are a sturdy sort that travel well — just keep your hands out of the cookie bag.
Also shown, from more recent, more overcast visits: a poppy-seed hamentash ($1.75); cinnamon-raisin rugelach (about $5 per half-pound, for eight).
Chiffon Kosher Cake Center
430 Ave. P (East 2nd-East 3rd Sts.), Midwood, Brooklyn
718-258-8822
www.ShopChiffons.com
Closed Saturday
Even the logo looks bubbly.
"American Chinese Restaurant Inc., typical Chinatown food our specialty, comfortably air conditioned." The legend on the business card jibed with the setting at our table: an oversupply of fried noodles (four bowls for a party of six) but no chopsticks in sight. And the check, I noted at the end of the meal, was written entirely in English, albeit in the sort of scribble used by doctors to communicate with pharmacists. This tally may have been purely for our sake — when taking our rather lengthy order, our waiter simply nodded along, eventually serving our food without misstep.
My dining buddies and I were hunting down some of the Americanized Chinese food of our youth. I'm still searching for an idyllic rendition of butterfly shrimp (and appreciate any and all recommendations), but at Silver Star I've nailed down a go-to war shu opp. For photos, see the EIT page on Facebook.
H/T Peter Cherches (via private communication)
Silver Star Restaurant
6221 18th Ave. (62nd-63rd Sts.), Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
718-331-2799
www.SilverStarRestaurant18.com
"Sweet black apricots" ($3.38 per pound) read the sign, but after buying a half-dozen and getting under their skins, I'm not convinced that these were anything other than pluots, and plummy ones at that.
Eco Gourmet Market
1701 McDonald Ave. (at Ave O), Midwood, Brooklyn
(This venue is closed.) As you've gathered, this restaurant serves chow from both Guatemala and its larger neighbor to the west. Often the differences between the two cuisines can seem very slender, and I didn't attempt to parse a distinction between chicharrones Chapines and chicharrones Mexicanos.
(This venue is closed.) "Two way," the awning proclaimed, "to go to stay."
(This venue is closed.) Not many places keep kidneys on hand in such plentiful supply.
Thank you!
