Tulagirl's Profile
Tres Leches Cake -- Sunset Park or other Brooklyn
If you take the R/M 15 minutes out of Manhattan to the Steinway station in Astoria, Queens. Villa Brazil Cafe has a great brazilian version, with a hint of coconut. The cake is light, soft, and soaked in tres leches, and the frosting is not heavy and compliments the cake well. They sell out very quickly, I would try to go early or call ahead. Their passion fruit cake is very good also.
Considering that there's many Colombian restaurants and bakeries in the area, I've found that this Brazilian place has the best tres leches. Their hanger steak from the back window is delicious also.
Villa Brazil Cafe
4316 34th Ave
Ste A 2
Astoria, NY 11101
Neighborhood: Astoria
(718) 472-0090
Looking for za'atar spice blend in NYC
I found the mix at the same Trade Fair. I was told to buy some greek pita, spread some a little good olive oil, sprinkle generously za-atar, and bake directly in the over for a few minutes. Smells great, great with yogurt.
Find New Bakery featured on NonStopNY Channel
it might be francois payard. what do you think of their goods? ;-)
http://www.fpbnyc.com/locations.htm
Find New Bakery featured on NonStopNY Channel
I can't find this on google anywhere. Was wondering if anyone has seen a small segment on Ch. 4, NonStopNY, during the Winter. The young woman (can't remember find her name either- brunette/ visits many restaurants in the city, seems very knowledgeable and able cook well), visits a new French Bakery in Downtown Manhattan. I believe it's a bakery originally from abroad or another well-known restaurant.
The bakery just recently opened, She sits with the owner and tears apart and tastes a good 6 or 7 pastries. They looked delicious! At the end of the segment they of course, have to try the macaroons.
Looking for za'atar spice blend in NYC
I bought za'atar bread from Trade Fair (30th Ave. & 49th St.) in Woodside on a whim. Was skeptical of it and gave some to friends, now I keep craving it. Have gone back 3 times (the employee there said the bakery delivers on Mondays & Thursdays), but they still don't have it and they keep telling me to come back. (Found it in one of the drawers of the fresh bread section next to the Deli, haven't seen it since) Does anyone know where I can find this premade bread in Queens? (My Lebanese co-worker said this version is less oily than the one she gets at a bakery near Queens Blvd.)
Fantastic Big Flat Lamb Noodle Soup in Flushing, 41-28 Main
I finally found this place! Tried looking for it a few years ago, either it had probably just closed or I was too intimidated to go further into the mall.
Glad to see that they have a new clearly marked location. I even printed out the pic of their old yellow sign. I showed it to the owner, he seemed pretty happy and said Thank You. I think he understood my Cantonese alright, when I told him I had searched for his shop in the mall and online.
I ordered a small lamb noodle soup ($5). From reading the reviews, I guess I had high expectations. At first (am not too familiar with other regional cuisines), the soup had an off smell, kind of briney, not sure what it was coming from. There was some squirt of a yellow oil in the soup (Anyone know what that is?). The fresh noodle was definitely different (chewier than I expected), but later on, absorbed the flavor from the broth and started tasting really good and satisfyingly starchy. There were fresh tree ear mushrooms, vermicellli noodles, creamy yolk quail (I think) eggs, lotus flower knots, and cilantro floating around the soup. The only thing I didn't like where the chunks of lamb, they seemed to be really tough and overcooked. Are they mainly there just for flavor?
The workers seemed pretty nice and the owner told me they moved in a year ago. It's a pretty low budget, simple set-up, made for quick turnover. When I left around 3:30pm, most of the tables were filled up. I would like to try some of their "appetizers" in their deli case: tofu chili dishes, (possibly) pickled vegetables, and they had a basket of white buns on the counter. Anyone have suggestions? (or descriptions of the dishes?)
Chinatown Flushing Virgin--Help me please!
For whole shrimp dumplings, you might want to try Har Gow. A popular dish for Dim Sum. Many restaurants seem to offer it as an appetizer lately and not just for Dim Sum (or at least asian-fusion sort of restaurants, but you may have a hard time finding it in the local noodle shops since they probably don't have a special dim sum menu). The dumpling skin is made out of rice (I think), it's not like wonton skin, but more crystalline. It's not really meant to be eaten with noodle soups though.
