Category Archives: Cuisine
Blue Elm: Around the globe in one meal (CLOSED)
Dear Food Diary:
Traveling is one of my favorite things in life, but when I’ve used up all my vacation days for the year, taking my taste buds on a trip around the globe is the next best thing, and the newly opened Blue Elm offers just that. Chef Malik Sall mixes flavors from his hometown of Senegal, add to that his French culinary school background and Asian influences (he’s worked for Asia de Cuba and China Grill). This is a small joint with big flavors, it’s a warm and charming new addition to the lower east side, great for a friends get together or a nice date.
Tsushima: Freshest sashimi & Best lunch deals, specially on Tuesdays
Dear Food Diary:
Tomorrow is Tuesday, which means Tsushima (Owned by the Chef pictured above) will have their Tsushima’s Chirashi Special, freshest sashimi around, with well seasoned sushi rice (not over powered by vinegar and mushy), seasonal side and miso soup. It’s such an awesome steal ($13.50) that I would cross-town, take the train, or walk 10 blocks for it. And this is why, I *heart* Tuesday.
Arepas Lady & Sabor Mexicano Taco
Dear Food Diary:
Friday night we ventured into 74th and Jackson Heights just to pay the arepas lady a visit late in the evening, since she arrives at her spot after 10 pm (her hrs are 10 pm-5 am, Friday and Saturday). It was a quiet night, so I had some time to chat with her while our arepas were getting their golden brown color on the griddle. She’s very friendly and humble, specially when I asked her about her accomplishments like the Vendy Award and all her loyal followers, she simply smiled, and told me she gets quite a lot of business from write ups, reviews and internet blogs. The locals on the line however, were more impressed with her food and not so much with her fame, they actually commented on my picture taking and joked about her being known worldwide (‘cuz I’m chinese? and I would bring arepas to China? !@#@$#!!!… I speak Spanish fluently, so I heard everything).
Main St. Imperial Taiwanese Gourmet: My favorite Taiwanese restaurant, worth a trip to Flushing
Dear Food Diary:
Flushing is filled with awesomely delicious and totally under rated joints. Locally savored chinese food and snacks brought overseas from a variety of regions of the mainland, plus an array of cheap eats from vietnamese, korean, to thai and malaysian, you name it, it’s got it, but over the years, only a handful of places have such great and consistent food that I revisit again and again, Main Street Imperial Taiwanese Gourmet is in that category. There’s at least 4 other taiwanese restaurants around the tiny perimeter of Main Street Flushing, this one is my favorite by far.
Onya Noodle Shop: Fresh made udon is the difference
Dear Food Diary:
I never was a fan of udon noodle, I’ve tried to avoid this doughy and many times mushy bowl of bla for the longest time, but one slurp of Onya Noodle Shop’s udon soup, and I couldn’t fight it any longer, this stuff is great, I’m betting because it’s freshly made on the spot.