catherine's Profile
Yogurt making question
Can't believe I couldn't find the answer to this online ... I'm making yogurt and am wondering what the maximum and minimum temps are to keep the cultures alive. I try to keep it around 110 but hate the yogurt maker so I've been using a pot of water in the oven to keep it about at that temp. I realized it was getting low and so I turned on the oven to 200 for a couple minutes and forgot (chasing a crawling infant around!) and when I got back the yogurt was up to 120! Is that too hot? It was only at that level briefly so I'm hoping it'll be okay and that I'll be able to use this batch as starter for next time.
Sonali Indian Cuisine, new in Sunnyside!
Yes, of course it will be good since we lived right there until a couple months ago and always bemoaned the lack of Indian food in the neighborhood. Oh well...
Tower Diner, Forest Hills
Yeah, a solid diner. Been a couple times and it's always better than I expect. Also they are very nice even when dealing with large groups. Omelets are good, not greasy.
Any Coffee Lovers Out There in Queens?
Haven't been in a while but I feel like the quality of the coffee (not beans) at baruir's really varies. Sometimes it was great and other times just okay (not worth traveling for). I like that they use coffee iced cubes for the iced coffee, though. A great place, but not consistent enough for traveling.
Espresso 77 (mentioned already) is great. We stop by whenever we're in the neighborhood.
Need Birthday Cake-PURPLE FROSTING! Help!
Ditto ube cake - love the not too sweet pinoy deserts in general. Not sure if they'll do custom stuff but it's worth a try. Engeline's or Krystal's (woodside) would be the places to check.
Best Chicken Salad? (cross-post from manhattan)
I don't know if it can compare to some of the other recommendations on here, but costco's rotisserie chicken salad (in the prepared section) is surprisingly good. When we get it I can eat it everyday for a week (esp. on a croissant) without getting sick of it. Just an old school chicken salad -- white meat, mayo (not too much), lots of celery, etc., but good enough that I crave it from time to time.
Jolibee, the Filipino fried chicken chain about to open in Woodside (Roosevelt/63rd)
Walked by earlier today and the line is over half a block long, and looked like it was moving slowly. We overheard someone saying a friend had waited 5 hours. Nostalgia is pretty darn powerful, huh?
That said, anyone have a menu? Is it the same as the ones in the Philippines? My husband is pretty excited (though not excited enough to wait in that line).
Sunnyside Empanadas?
Sur has a website here: http://www.surtogo.com/home.html. I went once a month or two ago. They are baked when you order so they're nice and fresh. Not all the varieties are the most authentic, but they're pretty healthy (if that's a virtue) and tasty.
healthy vegetarian fare? woodside / jackson heights
Sri actually has a separate vegetarian menu, but you have to ask for it. I haven't really used it but it's huge.
Also, De Mole is a good mexican option for vegetarians. They have lots of vegetarian stuff - try the spinach enchiladas. There are lots of other things there as well. For latin american you could try one of the peruvian places (pio pio in JH, pio pio riko in Sunnyside, etc.), and stick to the sides - rice / beans / avocado salad / plantains, etc., but check with them on the preparation. I'd be surprised if the rice and beans are totally vegetarian (though if you're okay with some chicken stock that might be okay).
Sun Lok Kee is gone in Flushing, salt & pepper squid where are thou?
Ooh! Salt & pepper squid was on my "must-eat" list in hong kong but it never happened. I can't help but I would love to hear where to try it.
Malay Cafe -- Not worth it
I believe the poster is referring to Thai Malay. It's on Skillman around 52nd street. I doubt it's worth a special trip -- like someone already said it's more of a solid take out place. I'm not sure why anyone would compare it to Sri. That said, for quick weeknight delivery it's always fresh and tasty, if not totally authentic or adventurous. A step up from the local Chinese delivery options, for sure.
De Mole - Add another menu item to the list
Thanks for the reminder. The tortas are (and have always been) amazing, but I haven't had one in a while. Gotta get one next time -- though it's always so hard because there are so many good choices.
worthy take out in Sunnyside or LIC ? After 9:30pm or weekends?
Pio Pio is undeniably better, but not as cheap (or close). We usually get 1/2 chicken + 2 sides and it's about $10 or $12 for two people. It's pretty delicious, even if it's not the best out there. I also like that it's generally quick for takeout -- I'm often in & out in 5 minutes.
What else ... I like the chicken kebabs at Mangal a lot. Either the sandwich (with the homebread) or the platter. They don't pre-cook them, which is why it can take forever, but it's also why they are so good. Never dry or anything. I don't remember about an eggplant salad but they must have something. I really like the shepard salad which you can get with feta too.
worthy take out in Sunnyside or LIC ? After 9:30pm or weekends?
Mangal is my standby for takeout when it gets late. I adore their lentil soup, and the kebabs are fantastic (but call ahead, it takes quite a while). Otherwise lots of places close pretty early. Maybe Pio Pio Riko? I'm not sure what time they close but always good for delicious, cheap takeout and I'd be surprised if they aren't open til at least 10.
Ten Full Chinese take out Sunnyside what is good there?
I had the sesame noodles once. Definitely not your standard mess of peanut butter and noodles. Had lots of sesame seeds and fresh vegetables. I don't remember much more than that it was better than average but I think I doctored it up at home so it couldn't have been amazing. That said, I don't think I've had better in the neighborhood.
Jolibee, the Filipino fried chicken chain about to open in Woodside (Roosevelt/63rd)
The thing is, that's just what filipino spaghetti is like. It's not jolibee - specific. Sugary-sweet sauce, overcooked pasta, a bit of meat. Generally the attempts to do "american" food don't seem to turn out all that great. I wonder if the one here will have a more pinoy menu. I probably will end up getting one of those desert things -- can you go wrong with ube-anything? That's the one thing I loved in the philippines. So many fantastic desserts!
Real Eyetalian
Ditto on the Arthur Ave suggestion. I'm not terribly up on what's best these days but Dominick's would probably fit the bill.
Jolibee, the Filipino fried chicken chain about to open in Woodside (Roosevelt/63rd)
In the Philippines at least Jolibee is the local rival to McDonalds. Same menu, same quality, etc. They don't seem to be anything special -- or at least not the "american" type food. I had some thoroughly adequate fries in Manila, but nothing worth mentioning. I asked my husband about the chicken and he said is was like KFC but without the spices. For ex-pats there's a lot of nostalgic appeal (my husband is thoroughly excited by this news), but I wouldn't expect too much. The filipino stuff might be worth trying, though.
Good Food Near Kennedy
I'm not an expert on the immediate area, but since you have a car that broadens your options. Jackson Heights is, without a doubt, one of the favorite chowhound neighborhoods in the city. It's not terribly far, especially with a car (you can also take the airtrain to the E and get off at 74th Street). Do a search on here and I think you'll find more than enough options.
Astoria or Jackson Hts Recommendations?
I'm on a Peruvian chicken kick this month, so I say Pio Pio. Not all that adventurous, sure, but amazing food, nice atmosphere (if a bit frenetic), good for a group, relaxed (especially after a glass of sangria!).
Onion Rings in Sunnyside / Woodside / JH?
I was going to ask whether this was your combination or if white castle actually sells such a thing when I realized that the better question is -- white castle sells fried clams?!? I'm so out of the white castle loop. Of course I've always wondered just how bad the "chicken rings" actually are. It sounds like a horrible thing to do to a piece of chicken. Because, unlike onions, I'm pretty sure that chicken meat doesn't come in rings.
Pasta Ammuddicata anywhere?
No idea, but you could try the "find-a-food" feature on menupages if you haven't already. Obviously doesn't include huge areas of the city, but worth a try.
Onion Rings in Sunnyside / Woodside / JH?
Good to know. It's practically around the corner so I'll try it at some point. For the moment, though, I think we'll try Legends -- it's been on my list for a while.
Onion Rings in Sunnyside / Woodside / JH?
Okay, I admit it. I love really really good onion rings on occasion. I'm 6 months pregnant and it's seriously my one vice lately, so I have decided it's time to find some really good ones in the area. I tried Donovan's and was really disappointed. What I'd like is a nice beer battered, thickly cut, onion ring. Preferably with something good to dip it in. Any ideas? Extra points for a relaxed pub with good beer (for the husband) and really good pickles on the side (for me!).
Going deeper on the Spicy and Tasty menu?
Ditto on the watercress. It was a wonderful surprise thanks to a recommendation from the next table.
Sunnyside Salads
It's not really what she's looking for, but De Mole has lots of good salads. Better than most of the DIY salad places I've been to.
Mexican in the Fordham area...
There's a pretty good place on Arthur Ave, toward the south end of the Italian strip. Went there for lunch with a bunch of people and everyone liked the food a lot. Good tacos and sopes (my favorite hard to find Mexican dish). Some other people got enchiladas I think, but I didn't try any -- they said they were excellent. Can't remember the name though. I live in Queens so there are tons of better places here, but for the area it's a nice spot for lunch or whatever. Cheap too.
De Mole - Tilapia Salad sooo good
It can get crowded on Sundays, but it's not usually too bad. Unless, of course, some guy decided to invite 10 of his closest friends for brunch. It's such a small space, after all.
As far as the menu goes, they have the full menu. But the breakfasts are great. Four choices, all eggs of some sort served with rice and beans (which, by the way, must be doused in the green sauce!). Huevos rancheros are great. Everything is great and cheap - they're all in the $4-5 range. Add some appetizers and you've got a great brunch.
One good Chinese dinner
I agree, try Flushing. It might be a bit of a trek, but if you're looking for great Chinese it's the best option. There are tons of places and posts on the outer boroughs board, but Spicy & Tasty is a great standby in my book. It's authentic, inexpensive and never disappointing - but menus in English, even a little atmosphere.
De Mole - Tilapia Salad sooo good
We don't go for dinner anymore because of that. Just go in the morning or afternoon during the week. It's pretty quiet, if you can get away with it. I'll have to try that salad sometime. Been meaning to, but stupid pregnancy aversions make anything with "salad" in the title sound unappealing. Hopefully this will end soon ... I'm missing out on all this great summer produce.
