Category Archives: Restaurants & Food Courts

I Eat Lao Food – Khao Piak Sen

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Instagram Post 12/19/2018

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This is Khao Piak Sen, a rice noodle soup from I Eat Lao Food, at North 3rd St Market, 103 North 3rd St in Williamsburg. Hearty, chewy, handmade noodles, traditionally crafted from rice flour and tapioca starch, lounge in a light chicken broth infused with lemongrass, makrut lime leaf, and galangal. Shredded chicken, cilantro leaves, bits of purple cabbage, and the sweetest tiny cherry tomatoes I’ve ever tasted float above the noodles and add just the right amount of interest to this delicious weekend special.

As I’ve written before, I Eat Lao Food is at North 3rd St Market for a limited run – about a month. Everything I’ve tasted there is truly remarkable and I can’t underscore enough that you indulge in their outstanding food while you still have the chance. Follow them on Instagram @ieatlaofood for business hours and current announcements.

More to come from I Eat Lao Food, but don’t wait for my posts! Just go there and taste for yourself!
 
 

I Eat Lao Food – Laab Het

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Instagram Post 12/18/2018

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The first time I tasted anything from I Eat Lao Food was when they popped up at the Queens Night Market. I was blown away. For real. Clearly, they would be a major hit on the food scene and anyone who has sampled their wares can attest to that. If you like Northern Thai food (Isan Thai), you ain’t had nothin’ until you’ve tasted Lao food, and more specifically the recipes turned out by these remarkably talented folks.

This is Laab Het (you might see “larb”), a spicy Laotian salad of sautéed mushrooms (het), chilies, a mixture of herbs, and toasted rice powder. (Toasted rice powder is exactly what it sounds like: start with raw sticky rice, toast/roast in a pan, then pulverize; it adds a definitive crunch and a nutty flavor that’s classic laab.) The unique character of each of the ingredients is balanced against each of the others’ to create synergistic perfection. Use your fingers to pinch off a bit of sticky rice (it comes in a mini steamer woven from bamboo) and pick up a bit of laab. Savor and pledge your eternal devotion.

But you have to act fast. I Eat Lao Food is at North 3rd St Market, 103 North 3rd St (of course), in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for only a while longer. I seldom say this, but: Go. There. Now. (Um, unless it’s a Tuesday 😉).

More to come from I Eat Lao Food. (But don’t wait. Really.)
 
 

Eggmania

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Instagram Post 12/17/2018

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This is one of those serendipitous experiences where the outcome far outstripped my expectations. EggMania, 14 Liberty Ave in Jersey City, was launched by five friends who were homesick and hungry for the egg dishes of their native India. Its sparse interior and casual fast-food atmosphere belie the unique lusciousness that emerges from the kitchen.

This order of Lachko, described as shredded green bell pepper cooked with cheese and runny eggs, served with a side of white toast (yes, really) and chopped fresh onion, will win no beauty contest, but certainly won a place in my heart for sheer deliciousness. I’ve already marked up the menu with selections I need to try upon my return.
 
 

Rincon Melania

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When I write about restaurants on Instagram, they’re usually brief takes accompanied by a photo or two. (You can see my feed right here on ethnojunkie.com by selecting the “Instagram” category from my home page – no signup required.) But because of Instagram’s character count limitations, it’s often necessary to break up a review into several parts. This one originally appeared as three posts, published on October 29 and December 14 and 16, 2018.

A celebration for a friend brought us to Rincón Melania, 35-19 Queens Blvd in Sunnyside. This is one of those restaurants where everything I tasted was so good, without exception, that it’s essential that I return before long. Three starters we enjoyed:

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From the Appetizers section of the menu, Bolón Mixto de Queso y Chicharrón. Classic Ecuadorian cuisine crafted from green plantains, cheese and chicharrones. One picture is worth a thousand words.


Pulpo a la Parilla – I’m a sucker for grilled octopus and they prepare it perfectly here.


And from the Ceviches division, Mariscos Mixto – mixed seafood cocktail with shrimp and fish, tostones encompassing the catch. Some Ecuadorians may tell you that they have they market cornered on ceviche; if this is any example, no puedo discutir con eso.


Seco de Chivo, Ecuadorian goat stew, definitely made me happy: served with Arroz Amarillo (yellow rice) and an avocado wink 😉 plus a Maduro half (sweet plantain) smiling 🙂 at me. Nice when your food likes you back. (For what it’s worth, pareidolia strikes deep.)


Tender, succulent, Pernil accompanied by yapingachos (or llapingachos), pan fried potato pancakes, and two members of the corn family in contrasting preparations: boiled mote and crispy maiz tostado made from cancha or chulpe, sometimes referred to as corn nuts.


Fritada (not to be confused with frittata – no eggs here) con Mote, a homestyle Ecuadorian staple that starts with pork that’s boiled with seasonings then fried in pork fat. (Mmmm. Pork fat.) Shown here with classical accompaniments, maduro (sweet plantain), yapingachos (or llapingachos – pan fried potato pancakes) and two corn cronies: boiled mote and crispy maiz tostado (corn nuts). Delicious.


Guatitas, literally “little bellies” since it’s bits of tripe, is another traditional Ecuadorian dish: tripe stewed with potatoes in a light, delicately flavored peanut sauce, maduro and arroz amarillo with avocado on the side.

I can’t decide which one of all Melania’s dishes I tasted that day would Be Best!
 
 
Rincón Melania is located at 35-19 Queens Blvd in Sunnyside, Queens.
 
 

Chutney’s – Part 3 (Dosa)

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Instagram Post 12/13/2018

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More from Chutney’s, an exclusively vegetarian Indian restaurant at 827 Newark Avenue, Jersey City where everything we ordered was tiptop. As one would expect, the menu listed over two dozen types of dosa; here are two.

Dosa almost never quite fits on its serving tray, and indeed, that’s part of its charm. Paper thin and crêpe-like in appearance but generally crisper, dosa is made from a fermented batter of rice and lentil flours, griddled, and typically filled with a dollop of vegetables or cheese, in this case with potato masala, a popular choice.

End on observation seems like something out of NASA’s Image of the Day: here’s looking at aloo, kid.

Plain (i.e., not spiced) Rava Dosa, by way of contrast. Lacy and even more fragile, made with semolina and other flours (and more to my liking), this thin batter is not fermented. Sambar, a spicy thin soup for dipping, on the side.

Chutney’s chutneys, clockwise from left: coconut, tomato, and peanut.

More to come from Chutney’s….
 
 

Ruzana

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Instagram Post 12/11/2018

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The secret’s in the sauce.

Ruzana is a Jordanian family owned Middle Eastern restaurant located at 486 85th St in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge so it comes as no surprise that Mansaf, the national dish of Jordan, is ensconced on the menu. Their family recipe is simple in appearance but time consuming in preparation. Chunks of lamb on the bone are cooked slowly in an herby sauce of jameed (sheep’s or goat’s milk yogurt, dried, fermented, and restored to a fluid state) until so ethereally tender that they yield submissively to the touch (it’s eaten with the fingers). Garnished with toasted almonds and parsley and presented over rice, the cooking liquid is served on the side and, since that’s the essence of this delicious dish, begs to be applied liberally. I’ve heard that Ruzana does/has done a more elaborate, traditional presentation involving shrak/markook flatbread beneath and atop but ours arrived unadorned.

 
 

Super HK Food Court – continued

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Instagram Post 12/1/2018

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Quick bites from the opening of the new Super HK Food Court, 37-11 Main St, Flushing, in the basement of Super HK Supermarket.

[1] The Signature Sesame Ball with Red Bean Paste from Mom’s Kitchen, stall 18, was top notch.
[2] Steamed Pumpkin with Raisin bun (yellow) and Red Date bun (white) from New York Xiao Jiang Nan Bun, stall 12.
[3] Pork bun from New York Xiao Jiang Nan Bun was good; its mate was a vegetable and egg bun (vented top).
[4] An inside peek.

So much more to try; I’m going back soon!
 
 

Karam – Spinach Pie

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Instagram Post 11/30/2018

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I’m usually not a fan of Middle Eastern spinach pies. Yes, I know, heresy. But they’re generally seasoned carelessly if at all, the dough is too tough particularly where the edges are pinched together, and when the spinach excretes its bitter juice, they turn into something that resembles wet cardboard with a filling my mother would have insisted was “good for me”. So when this plate appeared, I snapped a pic thinking I probably wouldn’t venture beyond that – but I would have missed out on a great treat. Karam, the Lebanese restaurant at 8519 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn succeeded in changing my opinion of this ubiquitous snack. The filling was herbaceous and delectable and the dough was tender and supple, little pillows of delight that won my heart. Get these.

The second photo shows za’atar pita crisps, there for the asking.
 
 

Karam – Falafel

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Instagram Post 11/29/2018

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Falafel are customarily made from chickpeas or fava beans, ground, compressed and deep fried. The Lebanese restaurant Karam crafts theirs from a combination of both which, in the company of a proper balance of onion, garlic, parsley, cumin and other spices, is probably what makes their rendition so tasty. Served with tahini and pickled turnips, it’s one of the best versions of the crunchy treat in this Middle Eastern neighborhood. Located at 8519 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Karam has earned its phenomenal reputation rightfully; head over there and see for yourself – they’re a cut above the rest. (See photo 2 for the inside scoop!)
 
 

Lanzhou Noodle

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Instagram Post 11/28/2018

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Today’s report from the pre-Thanksgiving opening of the new Super HK Food Court, 37-11 Main St, Flushing, in the basement of Super HK Supermarket. Stall 25 is home to Lanzhou Noodle (aka Lanzhou Ramen, aka Hong Kong Noodle King according to the receipt) and despite a fairly extensive menu, we opted for the Cumin Lamb Stir-Fried Noodle because Cumin Lamb Stir-Fried Noodle, right? Three photos: the dish, the obligatory noodle lift, and the gravity defying double sine wave hand pull (which deserves to be an Olympic event).

The pleasant chew of the noodles and the toss of appropriate veggies (carrot, scallion, cabbage) were promising, but more than a little lamb would have made it merry. I wish the cumin had made a stronger statement and that the meat had been of better quality but that may be due to opening week unpredictabilities. Still more to try at Lanzhou Noodle.