Perhaps my favorite hidden gem in Queens is tucked away in the diverse neighborhood of Corona. Leo's Latticini on 104th Street is an authentic Italian deli slinging sandwiches the size of your arm. So beloved is Leo's Latticini that locals simply know the restaurant as "Mama's," and the street has been renamed "Mama's Way". The crowd favorite is the Italian Special, a hero with prosciutto, salami, fresh mozzarella, mushrooms and peppers, but in my opinion, the Turkey Deluxe is the best item on the menu. Fresh carved turkey and fresh mozzarella is slathered in brown gravy and layered on a freshly baked semolina loaf. The sandwiches are so delicious and authentically Italian that they have been made available in the international market at New York Mets games ever since Citi Field opened in 2009. 
 
But the meal doesn't end with just a sandwich. Walk next door to Mama's bakery, which features homemade cakes, cookies, pies and more. While the cannolis are the best you will ever eat, my personal favorite is the fruit tart. A pastry shell is filled with creamy custard and topped with blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, and a cherry. There is so much fruit, you can almost convince yourself that your meal has been healthy.

​46-02 104th St
Queens, NY 11368

​I was born and raised in Queens, NY.  My though parents though were originally from Taiwan and I identify myself as being Taiwanese American.  While I have not been back to Taiwan in many years, I still consider it my home country, rich with traditions and culture.  It is a part of who I am and is woven into the fabric of my identity and that of my children.  From Chinese New Year, to the Moon Day Festival, to the burning of incense when one passes and we honor the dead and the ancestors, all these traditions are ingrained in me.  On top of that, my paternal grandfather had a temple built in Chiayi, Taiwan.  I remember visiting it when I was about 20 and how overcome with emotion I became when I walked into the courtyard.  He had it built for the local farmers and residents, a place where they could go to worship and honor their ancestors.  Taiwan is a part of who I am and will continue to be.

My secret place is Mama Lee's restaurant in Bayside, NY.  They serve traditional Taiwanese cuisine and Mama Lee is there to make sure that you have ordered enough vegetables (fi you don't, she will bring you a dish).  Among my favorites are the turnip soup, the ground pork over rice with a soy sauce egg and of course the pepper chicken.

Mama Lee's:
213-12 48th Ave
Bayside, NY 11364

One of the things I miss the most about Pakistan is its rich food culture. Whether it be sweet or savory dishes, I loved it all. It really was a mouthful of different flavors interacting together to give an ultimate experience. Fortunately, I was very glad to find out about Pakistani restaurants in New York City that let me feel at home even when I am not living there anymore. Since most of the recipes include a relatively longer list of ingredients that will be used as compared to western food, a perfect balance needs to be maintained for proper cooking execution. One of those restaurants is The Gully, and it refreshes my memories of the food back in Pakistan with just one bite:

The Gully: A very unorthodox yet interesting take on traditional sub-continental cuisines. The restaurant indulges its diners in a fusion of western and eastern dishes. They do a great job in putting together a menu that packs a mouthful of flavor and gives you a chance at experiencing something new. However, there are a few dishes meant for people with acquired taste due to a unique combination of ingredients. Such as, Calamari Tempura Chaat and Guac Dahi Puri since Calamari and Guacamole are not traditionally part of these dishes. With that said, everything else is worth giving a shot. I personally was very inspired by the lamb burger where beef is marinated in heavy sub-continental spices with everything else, from assembly to presentation, following a typical western burger style.”

​Location: 25-45 Steinway St, Astoria, NY, 11103.

The first thing you need to know before reading this is that I haven't gone to nearly as many restaurants as most people. If I had gone to a restaurant, it would be a fast food one to pick up a burger and some fries. Fortunately, I was able to go to many very quality Chinese restaurants whenever I flew to China. The best part about dim sum is that you get to eat and drink while talking with your friends and family and I would reminisce while drinking the the signature scalding hot tea I would often burn my tongue on whenever I went to an authentic Chinese place. 
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The New Lake Pavilion offered authentic dim sum and Chinese foods that brought the memories of my summer vacations back to me and I would definitely recommend it to any friends or family who are interested in eating dim sum for brunch or lunch. When I went there, I felt guilty that I didn't bring enough stomachs to eat everything that they had on the menu there. If I could, I would invite all of my friends to dine there with me although some of them might not be used to the very different tastes in food that my family had. I could imagine all of us sitting around the table. Talking, laughing, and burning our tongues on the tea. 

​New Lake Pavilion 
6015 Main St, Queens
Flushing NY