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It’s difficult to say I miss the feeling of home when I live in New York City due to the abundance of diversity it offers. Having my family nearby and being able to just hop on a bus whenever I’m craving the delicious street food of Bangladesh is an extremely comforting feeling. While I don’t necessarily love the hustle and bustle of Jamaica and 169 street, I’m able to swallow down my annoyance with the amazing fuchka at Tong, an authentic Bengali street food cart! Just past the first bus stop on 169 street, this small food cart holds various wonders within its steely shelves as people line up in the excruciating summer heat for a taste of jhaal muri. Originally established in Jackson Heights, the creator of the tong food cart chose to expand to other locations in NYC, primarily in areas with high Bengali populations. His strategy was immensely successful as each day, hundreds of residents stop by the inconspicuous little cart and relish in the taste of home. It’s a comfort that’s unlike anything I’ve personally experienced since coming here and it’s even more special as I often get to bring my friends and see them fall in love with the food I grew up with. My mother loves taking me down to 169 street whenever she begins to miss home and while I complain the entire time on the Q1 bus, all the annoyances dissipate when the first taste of fuchka lands on my tongue. The crispiness of the round flatbread and the burst of flavor from the tok (sour sauce) and mixed potatoes, chickpeas, and onions is something every New Yorker needs to try! It’s a wonderful way to introduce yourself to foods from an amazing culture and find a new favorite snack spot after a long day at work. The cart is conveniently placed close to the subway and bus stop, so grab your metro card and head out to the streets of Jamaica to get a taste of true Bengali cuisine!
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 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. 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  My Guyanese grandmother is the best cook I know! So I never thought I could find a place that would rival some of her delicious food until I found Kaieteur Express in Jamaica. Although it can be difficult to find initially, once you do, their delicious food will have you coming back for more with friends to share it with! Kaieteur Express II, which is named after the world’s largest single drop waterfall located in Guyana, specializes in Guyanese-Chinese cuisine. Guyana boasts five main ethnic groups: Indians, Portugues, Chinese, Amerindians, and Africans so it has a diverse cuisine that’s a mix of these ethnicities. From the first time we had it, Kaieteur has become a take out favorite among my family. Coming from a Guyanese heritage I never considered getting Guyanese food for takeout considering that my family cooks that regularly. However, the Guyanese-Chinese fusion offers dishes we don’t usually prepare and is just similar enough to feel like home and different enough to taste exotic. The first time my mom and I came across this restaurant about 5 years ago, I chose to get something I was familiar with so I could gauge the quality. Ever since then their jerk chicken lo mein has been my go to meal! Everything was fresh and wonderfully seasoned. The portions are large enough to share with at least three people. They also sell West Indian sodas and drinks, like TomBoy Lime Rickey soda and sorrel, that are refreshing and compliments any meal. Recently we tried their pastries and plait bread and those were fresh and delicious as well. I also love their tennis rolls which are baked to perfection and are delicious for breakfast toasted with butter and a cup of tea. Kaieteur offers the taste of great Guyanese cooking from back home but it also offers mainstream items, such as Chinese fried rice, chicken fingers, and french fries, so there’s something for everyone. If you’re in the area, I recommend you check it out. Bring your appetite!
88-08 183rd St, Jamaica, NY 11423 (718) 526-6251 Menu: http://places.singleplatform.com/kaieteur-express-ii/menu?ref=google One of my all time favorite restaurants to go to during middle school and I still love their peking pork chops. I hail from Fuzhou, the capital city of the Fujian province of China, however this restaurant specializes in Cantonese cuisine from Guangdong. Each province in China has their own specialties and distinct favors which makes it extremely interesting to walk into a Chinese restaurant and guess what kind of food they make. My parents in particular love seafood (Fuzhou is a city by the sea so seafood is very abundant) and all their seafood dishes are just absolutely wonderful but my favorite dish, besides their peking pork chops, is their eggplant casserole. I haven’t gone back in a while but it is a great place to give it a try, and while the price is a bit high, their food is definitely worth it. They also offer free appetizers like a bowl of hot soup, or maybe peanuts once you’re seated, and at the end of the meal, depending on the season, they might offer fruit, hot soup, or other snacks as a finisher. The waiters and waitresses have worked there for a very long time and are very good at serving so you won’t have any trouble with that. It’s a great place both for family and friends to go to or alone.
136-13 37th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354 I have no direct ties to Uzbekistan, except some of my family from generations ago came from places that at one point were part of the Soviet Union as well. So that doesn’t explain why I love this food. Oddly, I first had Uzbek food while on a business trip in Munich. It was cold and snowy and I was rundown and had a little time before my train was leaving, so I stop into this small shop to get some hot soup. It was delicious and I didn’t even know where it came from until I asked, but it stuck in my mind. What little I knew about the place was it lies at the crossroads of all of Asia and has captured a bit of everywhere in their cuisine. When I heard about TOS in Queens I dragged my wife and friends to try it and boy was it amazing. So many delicious dishes (and so reasonably priced) we had to try almost everything. My favorites that are all well worth trying include Lepyoshka which is just wonderful traditional Uzbek bread, Lagman-a delightful soup with beef, homemade noodles and such, samsa-veal and lamb pastries, and plov a rice & meat pilaf with a Asian twist. Its tough to pass up anything on the menu and at these prices feel free to take a flyer or two. That’s what we always do and have yet to be disappointed.
Taste of Samarkand 62-16 Woodhaven Blvd Rego Park, Queens
Growing up near MVB as a teenager the go to food anytime of day was pizza and as I was to later learn by the slice was how we had it, although that was rare elsewhere around the country. By high school we had come to learn our local pizza shop was ok but nothing special. However, we had learned Joe’s Pizza, on the corner of the Horace Harding Expressway (aka the LIE service Road) and Springfield Blvd, had not only great pizza, but also the wonderful ices from Lemon Ice King of Corona in the summer. As none of us in those days had a car we had to walk a solid mile to get there but it was always worth it. No matter when we showed up Eli or Donny was there and the pizza was always hot and fresh. We kept going there long after we graduated Van but suddenly everything changed as it was sold and new owners took over. It took a while but it turned out they had moved on, but not out, of the pizza business as they resurfaced under the name Villa Milano in Manhasset, just a few miles up the road in Nassau. I am happy to say, same guys, same wonderful pizza, and whenever I am anywhere close I will detour to pick up a pie with mushrooms and savor every bite. I have traveled all over this country and the world as well and this is still far and away my favorite pizza.
Villa Milano 168 Plandome Road Manhasset NY |
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