el jefe's Profile
Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Phangan; Chiang Mai cooking class
There are some current (2012) threads about Chiang Mai:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/826079
I live there. While most of the restaurants the OP asked about were western, the Thai restaurants recommended here are all excellent. I've posted in several other threads about Thai restaurants in CM and I can't think of any that have changed substantially.
All of the restaurants in the linked thread are in the Nimmanhaemin area on the northwest side of the city. There is another new northern Thai restaurant nearby that I would add to the list based on my 3 visits, but I'm not in Thailand right now and can't give you the name, let alone directions. I'll try to remember to update this in about 3 weeks.
Indonesian bazaars, Masjid al-Hikmah, 2012
I've had 10 versions of Beef Rendang in NY and another twenty or so in Indonesia and Malaysia. No two are the same so who's to say what's authentic?
I spent $12 and walked away stuffed. And I'm a big eater. At Smorgasburg I spent three times as much and could have eaten more. This is a bargain. I'd ask people to stop talking about this and promoting it but the secret is out and the crowds will only get bigger. But I don't care since I can't make the next two.
Indonesian bazaars, Masjid al-Hikmah, 2012
This was my 5th or 6th time there.
It was pretty hot this afternoon from 1:30 - 2:30. The place was packed, long lines for several vendors, and there was no chance to get a seat. Not much shade anywhere, even sitting on the sidewalk outside.
But the food was great, as usual.
The Gado-Gado ladies in the back were so busy that there were 3 of them making it fresh all afternoon. Still the best gado-gado in NY. You can order it mild, or as spicy as you'd like. They'll ask how many peppers you want, from none to five.
Had a phenomenal jackfruit curry from the last vendor on the left. I also had the beef rendang from the same booth. that would have been fantastic if it was hot, but it wasn't (it was actually cold, as if it had been refrigerated or kept on ice). It was still very good.
Szechuan Gourmet/Flushing vs. Hunan Kitchen Grand Sichuan/Flushing
The most disappointing dish was the braised pork that everyone raves about. I was expecting a dish as IPCook described with "custardy" fat, but mine was a dish with chunks of pork so huge I had to ask for a knife. Nor would I describe the layer of fat as custardy. One of the other dishes we ordered was double cooked pork, which was nothing special compared to other places we order it. Since cumin lamb is now ubiquitous in all but Taiwanese and Cantonese restaurants (it's hard to make a bad version and we order it at several other restuarants, which is why I asked for the Little Pepper comparison) we tried the lamb with spicy salt. It was neither spicy enough nor salty enough and wasn't crispy as we thought it might be.
As others have said maybe I didn't order well. Or maybe it was an off day.
Szechuan Gourmet/Flushing vs. Hunan Kitchen Grand Sichuan/Flushing
Aub, what specifically do you like at HKGS? I've been pretty disappointed by the few dishes I've tried. And if there is a comparable dish at Little Pepper, how does the HKGS version compare?
New Wafa's coming soon.
You just described what's wrong with most baklava and exactly what I'm looking for. I'll have to try it next time I'm there. And your description of the family and service is spot on. Unfortunately, I agree with you about the Forest Hills comment too.
Dessert miracle on 35th Street (Astoria)
I guess if one is within walking distance of this new place, that's great. But why would anyone want to go there if "all their pastries and desserts from Cannelle"? I'd certainly rather go to Cannelle for the fresher version.
Anicca, thanks for the tip about Noisette.
New Wafa's coming soon.
I haven't tried the Fattoush but the Mujadarah is excellent. it's just as described on the menu -- bulgar wheat, lentils, caramelized onions -- but it's those caramelized onions that make the dish. It's a hearty, filling dish that will satisfy a meat eater. I've tried just about every vegetarian dish on Wafa's menu and the Mujadarah is one of my favorites. The only dud, imho, is the fried cauliflower. My wife always gets the lamb platter, which I love too, but occasionally the lamb is a little tough. The vegetarian platter at $10 has to be one of the best bargains in NYC.
Indonesian bazaars, Masjid al-Hikmah, 2012
Hey City, I told you that Gado Gado was awesome. I'm glad they were there yesterday for you. The last time I was at the bazaar the women making the gado gado weren't there. If the weather is better for the next one, I'll definitely be there, specifically for the gado gado.
Smorgasburg: What a Pretentious Rip Off.....
The OP, "yussdov", wrote similarly. i wrote a three word reply.
Bob, your post is longer so I'll make my reply shorter:
+1
Taci's on Metropolitan, Turkish in Forest Hills, new?
According to the link below, the owner from Brooklyn is a partner in Forest Hills:
http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2012/15/tacidining_all_2012_04_12_q.html
La Orquidea -- great Honduran food in the South Bronx
i think maybe part of the problem was that they got 4 posts here when they were open and now 7 since they closed!
Food stalls on the corner of Maple and Main street Flushing?
Parking should be much easier here than at the Golden Mall. The rent has gotta be a lot cheaper too than for any stall at the New World Mall so hopefully they'll survive.
I'm more interested in bicycle parking and Savor Fusion should be fine. I'm looking forward to trying everything here when I'm back in NY.
Does anyone else find that the Uzbek places in Queens tend to be rude?
I've heard good things about Nargis Cafe too, and they may well have "decent" service or "pretty OK by Eastern European/Russian standards". I'm not a huge fan of Uzbek food but I've been to Registan on 108th Street in Forest Hills several times and their service is excellent by anyone's standards.
-----
Registan
6447 108th St, Queens, NY 11375
Visiting NYC from CA - need help planning a day trip to the Burroughs!
When he wrote "There are some really unique and great places outside of Manhattan, but it takes more time and effort to get there." I thought he meant you should stay in Manhattan because they have food there. Why bother spending time and effort for "unique and great"?
Chiang Mai trip report and request for help (2012)
Tong is on Nimmanhaemin Soi 13. They have a huge menu of northern Thai food. They've recently become a trendy stop for visiting tourists from Bangkok so there is often a (short) wait for a table. Their new popularity hasn't affected the food, but they often run out of many things including, one night, sticky rice. Service used to be great but now they are overwhelmed. Sweetheart may not appreciate receiving his food then waiting 5 minutes for silverware. And because food comes out when it's ready, you won't find out til you're done if they were out of one of the dishes you ordered, or just forgot.
Wera's Laab Ped is on Nimman Soi 7 just off of Sirimankalajarn. It has a much smaller menu of Isaan food. Bamboo curry, Moo Nam Tok, Sup Kor Mai, and of course, the Larb Ped are all stellar. They're only open from 6-9pm and closed on the 15th and 16th of every month.
Coming to terms w/ the loss of Spicy Mina's
Khaabar Baari, 37-22 73rd Street is a very good Bangladeshi restaurant in JH. I prefer Neerob but JH is much closer and I rarely get to the Bronx. Neerob is a destinaton dinner when I can get a group together to go.
Neither reminds me of Mina's. Very few of the dishes served at Neerob and Khaabar Baari were ever on Mina's menu. Mina's food was fine but her service was so bad that I don't miss it at all.
-----
Khaabar Baari
37-22 73rd St, Queens, NY 11372
Little Pepper--trying to get away from my favorites; Recommendations?
I only get to go to LP 4 or 5 times a year now but if you take out the Crust of Cooked Rice w. Pork (had it twice and it seems more about the presentation than the taste) from the original post and substitute either Double Cooked Pork or Enhanced Pork, that's exactly what we order almost every time.
Sorry. I know that doesn't help.
Coco South East Asian Cuisine (Elmhurst)?
I was there a few times a couple of years ago, mostly for their lunch specials. Their menu spans Malaysian, Thai, and Indonesian but I think they spread themselves too thin and try to do too much.
They changed their menu a year ago (may have changed ownership or chef) and eliminated the few items I like from the lunch specials so I haven't been back.
You can get better Malaysian food across the street at Penang, and better Indonesian at a couple of places. I doubt any Chowhounds are going to Coco for their Thai dishes.
-----
Coco
82-69 Broadway, Queens, NY 11373
Chiang Mai trip report and request for help (2012)
When I wrote "Too bad you can't do noodle shops and northern Thai food in places where little English is spoken" I meant the plural "you".
I've seen Udommit, but have never been in. I live just off Sirimankalarn and there are two great northern Thai restaurants withing walking distance. I go once a week to each. One has over 100 items on the menu so I have no need to go exploring for more northern Thai. Unfortunately I can't think of a single Thai restaurant that will satisfy your requirements.
The specific page you linked with the 8 CM restaurants is 3 years old. Too many restaurants change menus/chefs/staff that 3 year old reviews are pretty useless. I'm not a fan of the rest of the blog either. She's more interested in decor and presentation than the food. For me it's the opposite.
but I did think of another restaurant that might meet your (sweetheart's) requirements:
Cafe Compassion is a relatively new restaurant serving western vegetarian/vegan/raw food. The chef/owner is Singaporean. The atmosphere is nice. I haven't tried much of the menu yet, but the few things I've had were good. It's at the very end of Sirimankalajarn Soi 11.
Chiang Mai trip report and request for help (2012)
That's an incredibly comprehensive post. Thank you.
I might of some little help but not much. I like fresh food too, but otherwise I'm pretty oblivious to most of the other requirements (I dislike smoking but it almost never happens in most of my favorite restaurants).
My first recommendation that should meet your requirements is La Terrasse. French food with excellent service. better than Chez Marco and La Forchette. Indoors is non-smoking. Outside is sometimes intolerable. Go down Loi Kroh Rd past Chez Marco for another 100+ meters. It's in an alley off to the left. There's a sign high up on a pole.
I just got back from dinner at Su Casa. I think you should try again. I've never had a problem with the staff, but I haven't had any special requests. I think they're trained well and all speak English fluently. Maybe it was the holiday rush? I haven't had a bad meal there.
Buonissimo doesn't exist any more. The owner opened a Italian buffet on Nimmanhaemin Soi 11, a half block from Su Casa. It's phenomenal value at 239 baht for dinner. included in the dinner is pastas to order and grilled meats to order but good luck getting something medium rare. And excellent desserts. But it doesn't sound like your sweetheart will appreciate much from a buffet table.
Mitmai is gone too.
The Salad Concept should work for you. it's "build your own salad" in pleasant surroundings. But there is little more than just salads and drinks.
There are two Pun Puns. One is on the east side of the river, north of town. It serves huge portions of American comfort food and some Thai and Shan dishes. It's not gourmet food by any stretch f the imagination but it's very good for what it is. The american owner is always on site and can handle any request but it's out of the way and I'm not sure it's worth the trip. The other Pun Pun is the vegetarian restaurant behind Wat Suan Dok. It's only open from morning til early afternoon and closed one day a week (Wed?). The food is very good and the garden is very nice but the service is not "attentive".
Dukes has two locations and I would certainly avoid the one in the Night Bazaar. The one on the river is a little more pleasant and has a slightly larger menu with daily specials but still gets pretty noisy sometimes. the staff is usually pretty good and handles special requests well. But the food isn't all that special. They do good ribs and pizza and are OK on most other things but if Dukes was in America I'd compare it to TGI Frdays or Applebee's.
You've read what I (and others) wrote about Huen Phen. Nothing has changed that I know of. I still only go at lunch.
Ooops. I just realized what you reviewed as La Terraza was probably La Terrasse. I guess I really don't have anything to add. Too bad you can't do noodle shops and northern Thai food in places where little English is spoken.
Dog meat in Manila
I think you're barking up the wrong tree here. (Oooh, that was really bad.)
And "good dog meat" is an oxymoron.
Although I don't encourage it's consumption, I've posted on this Board where to get dog meat in Vietnam, China, and Thailand. I'm sure dogs are eaten in some parts of the Philippines, but it's definitely illegal to kill or sell dogs for food in Manila. Of course, that doesn't mean it can't be found, but a western-based public website like this probably isn't your best source.
Phayul - The new Jackson Heights Tibetan with a view
Since this thread was just revived, NOW is the time to go. I was there just once over the summer but managed to sample about 6 or 7 dishes. All of them were very good to excellent. The problem is that they have no a/c and I didn't have a chance to go once the weather cooled off and now I'm out of the country. I'll definitely e back on a cool day when I return.
Malaysian in Flushing?
I posted briefly about Satay on a long thread that really had little to do with Malaysian restaurants. I don't have enough experience at the 3 other Malaysian restaurants in downtown Flushing to make a valid comparison. However, I much prefer Satay over the over-rated, imho, Taste Good. (I was at Taste Good twice before the ownership change and twice in the year since. The Kari Laksa is the only dish I really appreciated and even then the last time I had it it was overwhelmed by what tasted like coconut milk straight out of the can.)
Just so you can discount my opinion, my favorite Malaysian restaurant in Queens is Penang on Broadway.
-----
Taste Good
82-18 45th Ave, Queens, NY 11373
Satay
46-01 Kissena Blvd, Queens, NY 11355
Penang
82-84 Broadway, Queens, NY 11373
Putting together a "Best of the 7 Train" food crawl
Instead of a crawl, I'd suggest you pick one area and just hit a few spots. Flushing works a little better for the "informal". You could start with Peking duck sandwiches at Corner 28, then get a coupe of lamb or beef skewers on 41st Road, and the hit as many stalls as you need to at the Golden Mall. You could finish with dessert over at the New World Mall. That seems to be the only thing they consistently get good reviews for.
Or you could do the 74th St station. Start at the taco truck on 74th and Roosevelt, maybe get some Tibetan noodles at Phayul, then some Bangladeshi dishes from Khaabar-Baari on 73rd St. To finish it off you could do a dessert crawl with your choice of Indian sweets, a Mexican bakery, and halo-halo at Renee's
-----
Golden Shopping Mall
41-28 Main St, Queens, NY 11355
Corner 28
40-28 Main St, Queens, NY 11354
Renee's Kitchenette
69-14 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11377
Khaabar Baari
37-22 73rd St, Queens, NY 11372
Phayul
37-65 74th St, Queens, NY 11372
Essential BoCoCa?
I have no recs to add. I only scanned the thread because I had no idea what BoCoCa was. And now I know it's not essential.
Deccan Kabab - Still open?
I noticed that the gates were down both times I went by last week. That's never a good sign.
real chinese with no msg
You used the terms "real sichuan food" and "real chinese". One of the ingredients that makes it "real" in China is MSG. I've eaten in over 200 restaurants in China and I'd guess that 99% of them added MSG. Many of them had MSG on the table in case I wanted more. (No, I never added any.) If you asked those places to omit the MSG and wondered what the food would be like without it, it would probably be more like much of the Chinese food in this country. MSG makes food taste better. I'm truly sorry if you have a medical problem with its usage.
Szechuan in Elmhurst?
Sweet Yummy House on the same block as Uncle Zhou's is a Sichuan restaurant primarily. I've only been there for lunch and have only tried a limited number of dishes but I haven't had anything I didn't like.
-----
Sweet Yummy House
83-12 Broadway, Queens, NY 11373
