JRogan's Profile
Brownies & Cream - New Bakery on Austin St Queens - A lot of work to be done
Their cheesecake brownies are very good. Give them a chance.
Little Pepper's 'Pork Meatball'
So, my brother's coming to town tomorrow for two days and he wants to eat in Flushing. Last time he was visiting, I introduced him to Little Pepper, and he loved the 'Pork Meatball' so much he went back during the same visit. Problem is that Little Pepper closed down and relocated to a place we don't really have time to get to, so I'm wondering if there's any other Szechuan place in Flushing (near the 7) that serves a similar dish? [On the new Little Pepper menu, the dish looks like it might be called "Meat ball (Pork) in Garlic Sauce" although my two year old memory from their old location is telling me it might have been called something different (although definitely "Pork" and "Meat Ball" were part of the description). I haven't seen/tried anything like it offered at Spicy & Tasty or Chengdu Heaven (although I could be missing something--let me know!)
Or, not to open a can of worms and ask something that's been talked about before in various threads, but what would be the single-most 'unmissable' meal choice in Flushing for someone from a rural Midwestern town who just has a single meal to eat in Flushing?
--JR
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Spicy & Tasty
39-07 Prince St, Queens, NY 11354
Little Pepper
18-24 College Point Blvd, Queens, NY 11356
Weekday Lunch in Flushing
My S.O. is going to be at Queens College pretty much every day this summer, and she has several hours (like more than 4) between classes. So, she's looking for suggestions on where to get lunch for herself in Flushing. Spicy is fine (she loves Chao Thai), either sitdown or food-carts is fine... I told her there's not much notable Thai in Flushing, but maybe I'm wrong? She likes Szechuan (and I've taken her to S&T and Xian Foods in the food court), but since she's going to be there every day, I'm hoping to get a variety of suggestions/recommendations for her...
Thanks!
J&B
Post-Mina Samosa Chaat?
So, regardless of the conflicting/conflicted opinions on 'Spicy' Mina that were debated to death on this board, in this sadly-to-me-post-Mina environment, I've been unable to find a similarly amazing samosa chaat--which was, despite Mina's supposedly legendary inconsistency, consistently great at Mina. [I haven't found any renditions that were similarly good, including at Southern Spice]
Any ideas?
JR
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Southern Spice
1635 Hillside Ave, New Hyde Park, NY 11040
csa convenient for eastern queens
Hi---we are members of the Golden Earthworm CSA in Forest Hills (which is pretty East as far as Queens goes, and is definitely closer than Brooklyn).
Here are the various Golden Earthworm pick up locations (looks like there's one in Douglaston, which is maybe closer?):
http://www.goldenearthworm.com/csa-locations/
This is only our second year, so I don't have much to compare it to, but we are happy with it... In addition to organic vegetables, you can sign up for fruit, and order naturalish eggs/meats from their associated farms, too.
Spicy Mina Status?
I tried going to Spicy Mina for lunch last month, only to find it closed (without any signs). I figured it was just temporary since I've found it randomly shuttered in the past, but some posts from last month seem to question whether it's been shut down for good. Anybody know any details?
Thanks!
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Spicy Mina
64-23 Broadway, Queens, NY 11377
Spicy Mina Status?
I tried going to Spicy Mina for lunch last month, only to find it closed (without any signs). I figured it was just temporary since I've found it randomly shuttered in the past, but some posts from last month seem to question whether it's been shut down for good. Anybody know any details?
Thanks!
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Spicy Mina
64-23 Broadway, Queens, NY 11377
The 'Oh My God' Food Awards
Samosa Chat at Spicy Mina (ask for it 'Spicy'). Whatever complaints of inconsistencies/service problem/lack of aesthetic appeal go out the window with this appetizer--and I've probably ordered it fifty times at the three different restaurants where she's worked. Best anywhere in NYC, Mina's version is better than the one that Southern Spice--a much more heralded (on this board anyway) restaurant--makes.
Lunch near Laguardia Community College?
I've been working at Laguardia Community College for a while, and I know the area well enough to know there's good food 1-2 subway stops away in Sunnyside. But I don't have time to walk to Sunnyside or get on the subway, eat, and get back, so I'm hoping somebody has some recommendations I haven't seen yet? [Laguardia is located closest to the 33rd Street stop on the 7.] All I've found is a mediocre pizza place across the street and a (newer but only slightly more interesting) Jamaican Patty chain restaurant...
Thanks,
JR
Seeking Malaysian Sensation
Hey Jen, just to let you know the variously-named ('Sanur' now?) Doyers street basement Malaysian restaurant DOES make (an amazing) Roti-Canai that I've had dozens of times. It's possible it's not on the regular menu, but on the special menu that's on the tables--not sure, because I order the same thing pretty much every time and haven't referred to the menu for a long time: Roti Canai, Gado Gado, and one thing I know that definitely is NOT on the menu--but definitely worth getting: a 'bowl of Vegetable Curry' (just ask for it like that). Comes piping hot in a huge bowl with potato cubes, noodles, sprouts, and tofu.
Esquites in Queens?
Does anyone know which (if any) of the Mexican places in Jackson Heights [street vendors or restaurants] serve Esquites?
thanks
jr
Queens Late Night (24 hr-ish) Pizza Options?
I found myself in a situation Sunday Night/Monday Morning at around 3:30AM when both my friend and I were craving pizza--but I couldn't think of a single pizza place I was sure would be open at that hour... I'm in Rego Park, by the 'R', so I'm close to the Jackson Heights/Forest Hills and all the restuarants along the the local line (Woodside, Elmhurst, etc). Any suggestions for a place I hadn't thought of? (Quality pizza would be great, but ANY pizza open at that time of night is fine)
--thanks
A little bit of order brought to Difara's
Ok, I live really far out in Queens, so I've only been to Difara's twice--and totally loved it each time, but I always pay attention to these animated threads about the trademark chaos/ordering/pushing/frustration etc.
Well, I'm no restaurant manager--and this idea has probably been bandied about before--but wouldn't an really easy solution to this mess/confusion be for them to get one of those 'number' dispensers like they have at busy bakeries? It seems like that would eliminate the 'cutting' problem, and if it's done right, it seems like it would eliminate the mix-up-order problems, too...
Arepa Lady back?
Tonight's certainly going to be warm enough--but I haven't seen any messages yet saying that she was back from her winter break? Has anyone seen her set up in the past couple of weeks? [there haven't been any new updates on her myspace page since January]
jr
Arepa Lady?
Does anyone out there know if she's back in town? Her myspace page claims she was supposed to return midmarch, but it hasn't been updated in a while...
Spicy Mina and SriPraPhai
"For what it is (based on ethnicity, location, and physical surroundings) it should be dirt cheap."
Mina's is not cheap, but that doesn't stop me from going every couple of weeks. I've NEVER had a 'bad' meal there (out of at least 50 in her three different restaurants), and, as far as the 'Mina's-not-there-cooking-today' issue, people should know that she was gone for the last few months (visiting Mecca in Saudi Arabia), she is now back. I ate lunch there Thursday (Samosa Chat, Palak Paneer, Muglai Parantha, all wonderful).
But here's my problem: why does Mina's need to be cheap "based on ethnicity"? Good lord, what does that possibly mean? Would you EVER say that about a French restaurant?
I find Mina's pricing to be perplexingly expensive, but less perplexing than the hyperboles you've now used in several messages to describe the 'timeS (as in plural!!!!) that you found the food to be "inedible, truly bad, [as] if the chef was drunk, sick, or blindfolded". Why would anyone (who wasn't like, um, blindfolded himself and forced to visit a Bangledeshi restaurant in another borough at gunpoint) possibly even think of returning to such a place?)
Are there only 5 chowhounds? Why are Spicy Mina and Kebab Cafe empty?
I've been to Mina's various restaurants at least 50 times in total at this point, and I totally disagree with the various versions of "The problem with Mina's is that Mina herself is often not cooking" complaint that I've read on this board since way back to Mina Foods in Sunnyside. Over the years, Mina's assistant cooks use the same basic 'Mina' recipes and same fresh ingredients, so I think the criticism is more a superficial emotional response to the fact that 'Mina' isn't there than to any substantive difference in food quality. And if you've been to Mina enough, you know that even she has 'off' days, and--as is 'oft' repeated on this board--she rarely cooks the same dish the same exact way twice.
Anyone been to Mina's recently? Reports, please!
I'll have to second that, Jim, about the 'Clueless' staff--although I wish I would have read that disclaimer before going yesterday to try out some of the new dishes. The waiter had absolutely no idea what I was talking about, even though I tried insisting, best I could, that there were 'new dishes'... I gave up pretty quickly, though, and specifically mentioned the 'papri chat', but to no avail.
Was 'Dal Mahkti' (which was a soupier Dal, with kidney beans too I think) one of the new dishes? (She began serving that sporadically a couple months ago and I loved it).
--j
Spicy Mina's?
Veg Recommendations:
(many posts about this but what the hay). Definitely get the Samosa Chat & Palak Paneer. Special Dal Fry gets recommended a lot too, but I'm liking the Malai Kofta these days. Aloo Gobi's great, too.
'Spicy Mina' is in Woodside/Broadway. 'Mina Foods' was Mina's first NYC restaurant, and it was located in Sunnyside about 3-4 years ago.
Any Good Falafel in Queens ??
Istanbul (95-36 Queens Boulevard) isn't in 'Western Queens', but it's right outside the Rego Park/63rd Drive subway stop on the GRV... I'm not just using hyperbole here--but it has the best Falafel sandwich I've ever tasted (Full disclosure: I like falafel, but wouldn't consider myself a connoisseur). Nonetheless, the Falafel Sandwhich at Istanbul, when ordered with their delicious superfresh 'homebread', might just qualify as 'destination' falafel. The homebread's the key, for me; it's a thick, round seeded loaf served warm/hot and is easier to handle, more tasty, and more substantial than simple pita.
[Also, don't forget to add their 'eggplant appetizer'--pureed eggplant and hunks of fresh garlic in a tomato sauce. Also served with homebread.]
Spicy Mina news...
Apparently, some terrible stories that are not about food are not not about food (even though it's NOT about food). Anyway, I put the story in this cubbyhole:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/348942
After-hours robbery at Spicy Mina...
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I was eating lunch at Spicy Mina in Woodside this afternoon when a policeman walked in and asked to interview the proprietor. What I learned from the policeman and a clearly-upset Mina was especially sad considering the struggling restaurant didn't need something really crappy to happen to it...
Apparently, last Friday, she had a rather busy dinner crowd, including a really large group who drove up from Washington D.C. And the end of the evening, the restaurant had its best day yet (in terms of total gross).
Then, while cleaning up with just the male cook after closing, 3 armed men came in the restaurant through the side door that had been left unlocked. Two of them had knives and the other pointed a gun at Mina, who handed over all the cash she'd taken in on her restaurant's best day.
She wasn't hurt, at least. But still... how f-ckng crappy is that to happen to her, a woman who works literally seven days a week...
Spicy Mina news...
I was eating lunch at Spicy Mina yesterday and had another excellent meal, albeit the restaurant was empty. Palak Paneer (which I'd laid for a bit during the spinach scare a little while back) was as good as ever, and I was served a gargantuan-sized bowl of samosa chat. Mina mentioned the possibility that she might open 'Spicy Mina 2' in Manhattan, which would be a small, hopefully high-volume take-outish place, with most of the food-prep happening at the quiet Woodside location...
Oh, and as I was enjoying my delicious chat, a policeman came in and I learned the following terrible story:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/348874
108th Street Regostan Suggestions Besides Salut
The chebureki at Cheburechnaya (92-09 63rd Drive) are inexpensive ($1.50-$3.00), and huge. Everything else on the menu is supposedly top-knotch, too, but I stick with the Chebureki (the potato ones and the onces filled with drippingly juicy chopped beef) and hummus/thick Uzbeki (I assume) oval-shaped bread that's served hot)
They also serve a huge dish of Garlic-drenched fries, which I've only ordered once...
--jr
New Dinner special at Spicy Mina
Today, I had lunch at Mina's (Palak Paneer, Samosa Chat as good as ever, and she sent out a plateful of Pakora, too)... This was new, though: a handwritten piece of paper fell out of the menu announcing a dinner special...
"Dinner - Buy two entrees, get one free."
This seems like a great idea--should go a long way toward alleviating people's price concerns...
--jr
Spicy Mina's?
First off, if you're a subway rider (like me), who lives off the R,V,G line, then 'Spicy Mina'--the 3rd Mina restaurant-- is (by far) the easiest one to get to, and way less out-of-the-way than her first one in Sunnyside. Also, as far as the 'decor' is concerned, my honest feeling is 'who cares' (this website is supposed to be about 'food', not interior-design)...
Even so, if I'm forced to give my honest impression, then I'd have to say there's absolutely nothing objectionable, or even very notable, about the 'decor' at the relatively new Spicy Mina--especially compared to Mina's original place in Sunnyside, which I guess was sort of a dump, but a 'dump' that I visited every chance I got, brought a dozen of my friends there, and enjoyed thoroughly. Great food is great food, and criticizing a restaurant that one admits has "great food" for its use of cardboard boxes and where the sodas are displayed seems completely besides-the-point.
The pricing is an issue, though, because it's prohibitively expensive to get together with a friend and order a huge variety of dishes like I used to in Sunnyside. The 'lunch special' (you have to ask for it, it's not on the menu) changes that a bit, though.
-jr
Indo-Pak pizza at Famous Pizza in Jackson Heights?
I'm a big fan of the Indo-Pak pizza at 'Famous Pizza'... It's rather spicy and unique-tasting, loaded with jalapenos and fresh garlic (bring gum). The pizza's 'uniqueness' is what might make the trip worth it (especially after the only other place I know that served a similar kind of pizza (on Queens Blvd in Forest Hills) changed hands/name/menu about a year ago.
Two things:
1)It takes them around 20+ minutes for them to make the 'Indo-Pak' (but you know it's fresh).
2)I'm not sure it's such a great place for a 'date'. It's more of a 'family place' (as in: busy, kids, noise, etc.)
But Jackson Heights is a nice to walk around...
--jr
Bangladeshi In Astoria/LIC?
"Spicy Mina" is a Bangledeshi restaurant that isn't exactly in Astoria/LIC (it's in Woodside), but it's close enough that it would be sorta criminal not to take your friend...
Ask for the food to be made 'spicy'... Samosa Chat, Shrimp Dopiyaja, Palak Paneer are particular standouts, but everything's good/great. Prices are on the high-end (for Queens), but they have a reasonable lunch special (you might have to ask for it specifically)
[Spicy Mina 64-23 Broadway] (65 st stop on the G,R,V)
