Category Archives: Out & About

New York Indonesian Food Bazaar

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Instagram Post 7/5/2019

Ever tried Indonesian cuisine? It’s one of my absolute favorites and I always recommend this event not only for the innumerable possibilities, but for the quality of the cooking. Whether you know and love the food or you’re a first-timer, I urge you to head out to Elmhurst, Queens on Saturday, July 6th, for the New York Indonesian Food Bazaar, an event that’s held monthly at the parish hall of St. James Episcopal Church, 84-07 Broadway. I suggest that you arrive close to the starting time, 11am, to catch the greatest variety of options. From two of my favorite vendors:

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Kantin Rica Rica’s Ayam Rica Bumbu Manado, a signature dish from Manado, North Sulawesi: chicken with chilies, scallions, shallots, lemongrass and turmeric was delicious.

If you like your pork on the sweet side, try their Sate Garo with peanut sauce: pork shoulder, peanuts, chilies, scallions, shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, galangal, and ketjap manis (sweet soy sauce).

Three treats provided by my friend (full disclosure) Fefe at Taste of Surabaya. From the top, clockwise: Dadar Gulung, a sweet coconut kue (snack) that gets its green color from pandan; Wingko Babat a Javanese coconut pancake; and a savory corn fritter – each was wonderful. Hope to see you there!
 
 

Indonesian Bazaar at Masjid al-Hikmah

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Instagram Post 7/2/2019

You can always find something delicious at the (approximately) monthly Indonesian Bazaar at Masjid al-Hikmah, 48-01 31st Ave, in Astoria; the first bazaar since the conclusion of Ramadan was held this past weekend.

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This is Batagor Bandung. The word batagor is actually a portmanteau of Bakso (a meatball or fishball, in this case a paste of kingfish) Tahu (tofu) and Goreng (fried); Bandung is the capital of West Java in Indonesia. It’s deep fried (the second photo shows why I was attracted to it) and doused in a sweet peanut sauce.


On the left, sweet Pisang Goreng (fried banana), on the right, savory Bala-Bala (deep fried vegetable fritters). Both were certainly delicious, but I wish they had just emerged from the deep fryer like the batagor.


Lontong Sayur with crispy pink Krupuk (deep fried crackers); green jackfruit, bamboo shoots, and lontong (compressed rice cubes) in perfectly seasoned coconut milk. And a hard-boiled egg.

Check @masjid__al_hikmah_ny on Instagram or their Facebook page, Masjid Al-Hikmah New York / Indonesian Muslim Community inc, for an announcement about their next scheduled event.
 
 

Oy Benne!

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Instagram Post 6/22/2019

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I’m not certain about the linguistic prowess of the folks from Oy Benne!, the Queen’s Night Market Italian-Jewish comfort food vendor, but I am certain about their cooking prowess. “Oy”, of course, is a Yiddish interjection, but were they trying for the Italian “Bene” meaning good? I was so taken with their culinary concept that I neglected to ask.

[1] Their gastronomic fusion idea is not lost in translation, however. Matzo Brei is a savory dish made from softened pieces of matzo soaked in beaten eggs and fried, the Jewish kitchen’s answer to French toast if you will. Traditionally accompanied by sour cream and applesauce, here it gets a sweet bacio from Italy by swapping in ricotta for the sour cream and cherry preserves for the applesauce, along with a few other tweaks to the canonical recipe.

[2] At the Queen’s Night Market press event, Oy Benne was featuring chopped chicken liver made with duck fat instead of schmaltz (chicken fat), unexpectedly served with a sweet, fruity topping. Matzo never had it so good. Check the QNM schedule to see when they’ll be there next.

Che geshmak!
 
 

More 2019 World’s Fare Vendors

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Instagram Post 6/3 and 6/5/2019

Four more vendors from the 2019 World’s Fare that took place recently at Citi Field in Flushing.

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Duck Season brought out their 10% duck fat burger, duck fat fries, and Brooklyn poutine with duck bacon, cheese sauce and gravy; shown here is their BBQ rub smoked duck sandwich on a brioche. Wabbit Season was nowhere to be found but you can find Duck Season’s whereabouts by following them @duckseasonnyc on Facebook or Instagram.


Brooklyn’s Korzo Restaurant (667 5th Ave in Park Slope) offered up their Slovak halušky. Residing somewhere along the gnocchi<–>dumpling continuum, these little hand-cut pillows are made from flour/potato dough and served with a tangy bryndza cheese sauce topped with bacon and chives. Central European comfort food.


Alexandra Dettori (AD) Catering and Events brought their 🇪🇷 Eritrean tacos to the party. If you’ve enjoyed dining at any Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurant, you’re familiar with injera, the spongy flatbread that serves as the foundation for dishes like wot, the region’s emblematic dense stew. AD’s fusion concept is the Eri-Taco – mini injera, in this case supporting a spicy diced beef wot. Follow them on Facebook or Instagram @adcateringandevents.


Nansense featured their Mantu, first-rate dumplings from Afghanistan packed with savory beef and onion, slathered with garlicky yogurt and tomatoey split peas, and hit with dried mint and cilantro. Often a fixture at Smorgasburg, follow them @nansensenyc on Instagram or Facebook to be certain of their whereabouts. Comfort food that’s delicious 🇦🇫 (or as the emoji appears on some platforms, AF). 😉

 
 

Tania’s Kitchen

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Instagram Post 6/2/2019

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If you’ve never tried Haitian food, whatever are you waiting for? Some of the best I’ve tasted comes from Tania’s Kitchen, a family owned catering and pop-up business that operated a booth at the 2019 World’s Fare a couple of weeks ago in Flushing and they were one of my favorite vendors.

You’re looking at Diri Djon Djon (black rice that gets its color from dried black mushrooms, a Haitian specialty), Banan Peze (fried plantains), Pikliz (pronounced Pick-leez, spicy pickled cabbage), and up top, delicious Griot (incredible deep fried pork) and Kodenn Fri (equally incredible deep fried turkey). It isn’t easy to make meat so tender and so crispy at the same time, so mèsi anpil to the talented chef!

What’s that? You missed the World’s Fare? No problem because you can find them at the Queen’s Night Market this summer. Check out taniaskitchen.nyc for their schedule, then head to the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Saturdays from 5pm to midnight. Bon manje!
 
 

Black Label Donuts

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Instagram Post 6/1/2019

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Winner Winner, Donut Dinner! Okay, maybe not dinner, but deliciously filling and definitely a winner. More specifically, the winner of the “Best in Show: Sweet” category at the recent World’s Fare 2019.
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There are two elements that make Black Label Donuts so special. The champions (IMHO) start with a 24 hour cold fermented brioche dough (Richard Eng, the culinary master behind these creations, knows his carbs) and the ever-changing gourmet flavors that are uniquely creative like matcha crème brûlée, rosemary lemon/olive oil curd, lavender blueberry, azuki ichigo (red bean/strawberry) and sake kasu cherry. Shown here are the Japanese Elvis – banana brioche, torched bananas, and smoked bacon with a peanut butter-miso glaze – and the Kalamansi Buttermilk Lime. Both were outstanding.
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Currently, they’re only available in pop-up format, so follow them on Instagram @blacklabeldonuts and on facebook.com/BlackLabelDonuts. And wherever they are, get there early, because they sell out fast!
 
 

Janie’s Pie Crust Cookies

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Instagram Post 5/31/2019

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Every now and then, some genius comes up with a brilliant idea for combining two beloved baked goods into a single treat, a portmanteau of pastry if you will. The cronut comes to mind. That marriage often begets lesser, more commercialized offspring which will remain nameless here. But sometimes a star is born unto this hallowed union and it is this miracle of which I bring good tidings.
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Okay, so I got a little carried away. But that’s what happened at the press event for 2019’s Queens Night Market when I tasted Janie’s Pie Crust Cookies. Resting on a foundation of flaky pie crust, topped with buttery, crumbly, caramelized streusel and filled with just the right amount of gooey pecan magic to balance it off (cherry and chocolate pecan are available too), Janie’s cookies comprise the best parts of the pie and they’re heavenly. (Oops, there I go again.)
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Janie’s personal story is the stuff of which legends are made; visit her website janiebakes.com to learn more or follow her on Instagram @janiedbakes, but even better – taste for yourself. You can find her and her life-changing cookies (there’s a poignant reason they’re called that) at the Queens Night Market: head to the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Saturdays from 5pm to midnight until August 17 and again from September 28 to October 26.
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Say Hallelujah! 😇
 
 

La’Maoli

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Instagram Post 5/30/2019

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Over the next few days, I’ll show you some pix from the over-the-top feast that was the 2019 World’s Fare a couple of weeks ago in Flushing.

Cuisine from Antigua and Barbuda doesn’t get enough love around these parts, and La’Maoli represented the Caribbean island nation swimmingly. You’re looking at sunbathed ducana and saltfish, and of everything I tasted that day, this brought the biggest smile to my face.

Ducana, a sweet Antiguan specialty, lies somewhere along the dumpling<–>pone continuum and is made from grated sweet potato, coconut, sugar and spice, coconut milk and sometimes raisins; it’s wrapped in a banana leaf and boiled until firm (and yes, I took a bite out of one so you see inside). Saltfish is dried salted cod, cooked with onion and tomato (I’ve seen this called “buljol”) and can often be found keeping company with ducana. I neglected to ask about the greens, but I suspect it was “chop-up”, another local dish, consisting of okra, eggplant, and spinach. Each item complemented the others perfectly and all went far beyond the definition of delicious.

Not to take anything away from the other terrific vendors there (more photos to come tomorrow) but La’Maoli’s food was unsurpassed. They’re caterers and they pop up at events from time to time, so follow them on Instagram @lamaoli_ to find where they’ll be – and I bet you’ll find that big smile there too.
 
 

Songkran Festival

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Instagram Post 5/22/2019

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Songkran is Thailand’s New Year and last month there were two opportunities to celebrate along Woodside Ave in Elmhurst, Queens where we found this treat. IMO, it manages to incorporate each of the most fundamental elements of Southeast Asian sweets into a perfect singularity: pandan, sticky rice, coconut milk, and durian.

Combine them, and the result is to dessert as Euler’s Identity is to mathematics. And if you know what I’m talking about, we can be best friends forever. 😉
 
 

2019 World’s Fare Preview

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Instagram Post 5/15/2019

 
If you’re a hardcore international food freak like me, you know that The World’s Fare is happening for the second year on May 18th and 19th at Citi Field in Queens. Check out their website for information and a complete rundown on the more than 100 participating vendors from as many cultures. I’ve tasted scores of wonderful dishes from dozens of these folks throughout the year at weekly events and pop-ups as well as at last year’s World’s Fare and I can attest to the fact that this is an expertly curated show. But today, I want to give a special shout-out to three vendors who not only do amazing work but are actually friends of mine IRL.

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What can I say about Moon Man’s unique Indonesian treats that I haven’t already said? A regular at the Queens International Night Market, my friend Nigel Sielegar crafts authentic delectable Indonesian desserts like coconut pancakes, cassava cake, steamed pandan cake and much more – and they taste as good as they look. Don’t miss Moon Man’s booth!
 
If you’re not from Spain, you probably think of paella as Spain’s national dish; if you do hail from Spain, you know it’s the heart and soul of Valencia. Not merely a rice dish, it requires know-how, special equipment, and the passion to do it right, and the folks from In Patella score points for all three. Specialists in authentic paella catering, this weekend they’ll reinforce their mission to dispel myths about what paella is and isn’t.
 
Dua Divas is a collaboration of two of my favorite vendors from the New York International Food Bazaar held monthly at St. James Parish House, 84-07 Broadway in Elmhurst: Taste of Surabaya and Pecel Ndeso. They’ll be offering nasi kuning, klepon, satay, and martabak telur. Don’t know what those are? Head over to their booth and find out! (For now, I’ll just tell you that they’re all delicious. 😉)

See you this weekend!