Queens: Forest Hills
Posted by Carey Jones, October 6, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Or, 'Ed Levine's Existential Bagel Crisis'
[Photographs: Robyn Lee and Carey Jones]
The Heisen-Bagel Uncertainty Principle
n. The principle of bagels that holds the following: The act of transporting a bagel to a second location produces fundamental uncertainties in its inherent qualities, such that determining a true "best bagel," in a head-to-head face-off, becomes impossible.
It's a question asked so often that it's astounding that we've never attempted an answer.
Who makes the best bagel in New York?
There are a few clear contenders. In the past, Ed has leaned toward the Upper West Side's Absolute Bagels; his exhaustive 2003 bagel hunt for the New York Times also saluted Bagel Oasis and Hot Bialys in Queens, Terrace Bagels in Windsor Terrace, and Manhattan stalwart Murray's.
And then there are Ess-A-Bagel and H&H, and neighborhood favorites like Bagel Hole and Brooklyn Bagel—all of whom have their fanatical defenders.
So we organized a simple taste-test. Serious eaters would fan out over the three most bagel-happy boroughs and hurry back to World Headquarters with their piping hot loot, as fast as their feet, bikes, buses, trains, subways, or Zipcars could carry them. We'd cut them all up; we'd do a blind tasting; we'd ponder their merits and crown a winner. Simple, right?
But it wasn't that easy.
Ed, hard at work.
The problem became clear as we chomped our way through Round One, pens at the ready, taking bite after bite. None of the bagels were more than two hours old. All of them had been hand-delivered that morning. But chewing through so many mouthfuls of plain bagels, we all felt the same uneasy feeling descending upon us. Ed broke the silence.
"They all taste the same."
Well... not quite the same.
Continue reading »
Posted by Joe DiStefano, May 12, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Wafa’s Authentic Mediterranean Food is an apt name for this tiny Forest Hills storefront. But this joint could just as well be called Wafa's Soul Food or Wafa's Home Cooking because that's exactly the type of grub you'll find Wafa Chami cooking in her namesake restaurant. Wafa's cuisine isn't African-American soul food though, it’s food with soul. Specifically Lebanese food as taught to Wafa by her mother.
Lamb shawerma
As numerous Chowhound posts have pointed out, there are usually daily specials ranging from fusilli in a sauce of lamb, beef, and red beans, to stuffed cabbage and other treats. On my visits I tend to stick to the basics, though I'm itching to try some of the specials.
Continue reading »
Posted by Joe DiStefano, March 24, 2009 at 12:00 PM
With the notable exception of Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen the stretch of Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills is pretty much a culinary wasteland. So I was surprised when a friend who runs the Japanese foodie web site PECOPECO! gave a ringing endorsement of Katsuno, a four-month old spot from the folks behind Manhattan’s Restaurant Seo. Several meals later, I’m quite glad I took her advice.
Continue reading »
Posted by Joe DiStefano, September 5, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Sakura-ya in Forest Hills is one of my favorite Japanese groceries in New York City. And not just because it’s closer to home than the East Village. The selection isn’t as vast as in Manhattan, but there’s still a good variety ranging from dry goods to premade sashimi and the occasional bento box. I’m particularly fond of their uni, which is reasonably priced and fresh. Last week I didn’t see any on the shelf, so I grabbed a small container of seasoned scallop instead.
I popped the top off the ornate plastic tray expecting to see something vaguely scallopy. My preconceived notions were shattered as I gawked at ribbons of flesh that resembled pan-fried noodles. The tangled heap was shot through with tiny sesame seeds, slices of red chili, shards of ginger, and just a touch of garlic. The crunchy strands had a decidedly more oceanic flavor than scallops. A slightly sweet sauce pulled it all together making for a delicious snack. As much as I enjoyed it those brown edges of flesh, along with the strong flavor, raised a nagging question: Had I just eaten seasoned scallops or a Japanese version of scungilli?
Continue reading »
Posted by Ed Levine, December 6, 2007 at 10:30 AM
Today is the second day (and the third night of Chanukah), and I feel like I should share what I know about latkes in New York. The Manhattan latke world suffered a great loss recently when the Polish coffee shop Teresa's on First Avenue closed. Thank God the Teresa's in Brooklyn Heights is still open. Teresa's makes crisp, thin, oniony latkes that were to die for. Thin, crisp and crunchy on the outside, and soft and oniony on the inside. That is my latke Platonic ideal, and I hope you agree. I don't want my latkes to be more than an inch think. That's why I have so many problems with latkes at kosher-style delis. They make them too thick and they often don't fry them to order. That is a major latke sin. In fact, I think those deli owners are commiting latkecide. That's why you're likely to do so much better at Polish coffee shops, where they wouldn't dream of trying to get away with serving reheated latkes. So where does one go just such latkes worth the calories, the cholesterol, and the carbs?
Continue reading »
Posted by Carey Jones, October 6, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Or, 'Ed Levine's Existential Bagel Crisis'
[Photographs: Robyn Lee and Carey Jones]
The Heisen-Bagel Uncertainty Principle
n. The principle of bagels that holds the following: The act of transporting a bagel to a second location produces fundamental uncertainties in its inherent qualities, such that determining a true "best bagel," in a head-to-head face-off, becomes impossible.
It's a question asked so often that it's astounding that we've never attempted an answer.
Who makes the best bagel in New York?
There are a few clear contenders. In the past, Ed has leaned toward the Upper West Side's Absolute Bagels; his exhaustive 2003 bagel hunt for the New York Times also saluted Bagel Oasis and Hot Bialys in Queens, Terrace Bagels in Windsor Terrace, and Manhattan stalwart Murray's.
And then there are Ess-A-Bagel and H&H, and neighborhood favorites like Bagel Hole and Brooklyn Bagel—all of whom have their fanatical defenders.
So we organized a simple taste-test. Serious eaters would fan out over the three most bagel-happy boroughs and hurry back to World Headquarters with their piping hot loot, as fast as their feet, bikes, buses, trains, subways, or Zipcars could carry them. We'd cut them all up; we'd do a blind tasting; we'd ponder their merits and crown a winner. Simple, right?
But it wasn't that easy.
Ed, hard at work.
The problem became clear as we chomped our way through Round One, pens at the ready, taking bite after bite. None of the bagels were more than two hours old. All of them had been hand-delivered that morning. But chewing through so many mouthfuls of plain bagels, we all felt the same uneasy feeling descending upon us. Ed broke the silence.
"They all taste the same."
Well... not quite the same.
Continue reading »
Posted by Joe DiStefano, May 12, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Wafa’s Authentic Mediterranean Food is an apt name for this tiny Forest Hills storefront. But this joint could just as well be called Wafa's Soul Food or Wafa's Home Cooking because that's exactly the type of grub you'll find Wafa Chami cooking in her namesake restaurant. Wafa's cuisine isn't African-American soul food though, it’s food with soul. Specifically Lebanese food as taught to Wafa by her mother.
Lamb shawerma
As numerous Chowhound posts have pointed out, there are usually daily specials ranging from fusilli in a sauce of lamb, beef, and red beans, to stuffed cabbage and other treats. On my visits I tend to stick to the basics, though I'm itching to try some of the specials.
Continue reading »
Posted by Joe DiStefano, March 24, 2009 at 12:00 PM
With the notable exception of Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen the stretch of Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills is pretty much a culinary wasteland. So I was surprised when a friend who runs the Japanese foodie web site PECOPECO! gave a ringing endorsement of Katsuno, a four-month old spot from the folks behind Manhattan’s Restaurant Seo. Several meals later, I’m quite glad I took her advice.
Continue reading »
Posted by Joe DiStefano, September 5, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Sakura-ya in Forest Hills is one of my favorite Japanese groceries in New York City. And not just because it’s closer to home than the East Village. The selection isn’t as vast as in Manhattan, but there’s still a good variety ranging from dry goods to premade sashimi and the occasional bento box. I’m particularly fond of their uni, which is reasonably priced and fresh. Last week I didn’t see any on the shelf, so I grabbed a small container of seasoned scallop instead.
I popped the top off the ornate plastic tray expecting to see something vaguely scallopy. My preconceived notions were shattered as I gawked at ribbons of flesh that resembled pan-fried noodles. The tangled heap was shot through with tiny sesame seeds, slices of red chili, shards of ginger, and just a touch of garlic. The crunchy strands had a decidedly more oceanic flavor than scallops. A slightly sweet sauce pulled it all together making for a delicious snack. As much as I enjoyed it those brown edges of flesh, along with the strong flavor, raised a nagging question: Had I just eaten seasoned scallops or a Japanese version of scungilli?
Continue reading »
Posted by Ed Levine, December 6, 2007 at 10:30 AM
Today is the second day (and the third night of Chanukah), and I feel like I should share what I know about latkes in New York. The Manhattan latke world suffered a great loss recently when the Polish coffee shop Teresa's on First Avenue closed. Thank God the Teresa's in Brooklyn Heights is still open. Teresa's makes crisp, thin, oniony latkes that were to die for. Thin, crisp and crunchy on the outside, and soft and oniony on the inside. That is my latke Platonic ideal, and I hope you agree. I don't want my latkes to be more than an inch think. That's why I have so many problems with latkes at kosher-style delis. They make them too thick and they often don't fry them to order. That is a major latke sin. In fact, I think those deli owners are commiting latkecide. That's why you're likely to do so much better at Polish coffee shops, where they wouldn't dream of trying to get away with serving reheated latkes. So where does one go just such latkes worth the calories, the cholesterol, and the carbs?
Continue reading »
