The lady who prepared this tablet noix, Haitian cashew brittle, says she is on hand "every day" (by afternoon and only in clement weather, I imagine). Her tiny sidewalk table also affords room, just barely, for similar confections featuring peanut and coconut.
Haitian sweets table
South side of Church Ave. near East 19th St., Prospect Park South, Brooklyn
The day after Thanksgiving, I had no luck finding leftover-turkey tamales. How about cumin chicken? Look for this Poblana vendor under her blue canopy every afternoon and evening (weather permitting). Tamales, $2; tacos, a princely $2.50.
H/T Pete Wells
Elva Meneses food stand
On the plaza outside the Parkside Avenue Station, Parkside Ave. at Ocean Ave., near the southeast corner of Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Daily, 4-10, except in heavy precipitation or freezing weather
Sometimes even a talented graphic artist falls back on the printed word: In the tiny space allotted by the menu board, it would have been very difficult to render iconographic chickpeas. My dining buddy and I ordered two veggie combos, one over rice and beans, the other, equally substantial, inside a roti. Alongside them (but not shown here): Solo cream soda, in the traditional aviator-themed bottle, was true to the heritage of the owners' first home, Trinidad.
Suzy's Roti Parlour
907 Church Ave. (at East 10th St.), Prospect Park South, Brooklyn
718-282-8190
www.SuzysRoti.com
Closed Sunday
After-school take on a classic: PB&J crumb cake. My strong preference is still for maximum crumb.
Der Pioneer
737 Church Ave. (East 7th-East 8th Sts.), Prospect Park South, Brooklyn
347-435-0132
www.DerPioneer.com
Red sauce would overwhelm this spinach-and-sausage pie. So would too much seasoning; fortunately for all concerned, Faicco's sweet sausage evidences a deft hand with fennel. Also shown, if marinara you must: eggplant stuffed with risotto, dates, and sweet corn.
Wheated
905 Church Ave. (Coney Island Ave.-East 10th St.), Prospect Park South, Brooklyn
347-240-2813
1326 Newkirk Ave. (at Rugby Rd.), Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
718-758-4184
www.WheatedBrooklyn.com
Closed Monday
The bubblegum-bright color is typical of tamales dulces — sweet tamales — to readily distinguish them from their savory counterparts. More-elaborate versions can be filled with fruits or nuts. The masa in this basic sweet tamal ($1) might have been combined with the ready-mix for a Mexican dessert. I thought I detected a faint strawberry flavor, but maybe that was just the pink talking to me.
El Tamal Mexican Fast Food
East 18th St. near the southeast corner with Church Ave., Prospect Park South, Brooklyn
Weekdays, early morning till lunchtime; weekends, "all day"
These twin flyers apparently advertise two home-based businesses, for day care and for frituras, at the same address; the phone numbers, redacted by me, are identical. There's no mention of Panama by name, but a menu that includes carimañolas and hojáldas reminds me of brunch at Kelso.
If these flyers had been posted in Jackson Heights, Panama's neighbor Colombia would be a better guess. Carimañolas and hojáldas are popular in both countries. So is the first item on the list — bofe, or beef lung — which is near-impossible to find in New York, at least over the counter.
Homemade Panamanian frituras
Flyers posted in Prospect Park South, Brooklyn
Thank you!
