Of Boats and Feasting-An Eat-Out in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park ~ By Shannice Noel

It is a cool Sunday in St.Albans, and Shauna and I decided that we should head down to the 22nd annual Hong Kong Dragonboat Festival held in Corona Park, Queens. The festival celebrates the culture of Hong Kong and that of many others through means of food, live performances, food, decor, music, food, racing in boats shaped like dragons and best of all, food. As we left the house in the early afternoon to embark on our journey there, my stomach growled with anticipation of the stuffing that was to come.  ¬¬

The trip there was rather adventurous in itself. After coming off the 7 Line train at Wilets Point-Mets Stadium, we were happy to see that there was a shuttle service to the festival, instead of having to embark on a "14-minute walk"(said walk actually being around the stadium and across the entire park). Even after we got off the bus we had to embark on quite a walk to get there. 14 minutes, yeah ok.

Upon arrival, there was the mass presence of kites, dragonboats, water, music....and food. Shauna and I first started our festivity tour with a quick viewing of a Mexican dance performance that was going on, on a production stage in front of the vendors. Then we went over to have our first food samples, a beef empanada for Shauna and a chicken empanada for me.(I must say, I thought the beef was more delicious, of course.) Then we went on to dine on beef shish kebabs, lychee-flavored bubble tea, delicious fresh fruit smoothies and vegetable spring rolls.

My sister also decided to try something she saw wrapped up in banana leaf, which the woman at the counter of the tent said was "very delicious and very healthy". The wonderful surprise inside was boiled white, sticky rice and peanuts with pork in the very middle of it. As I sat laughing, Shauna nearly spat out her bite. "Want some?" she offered me some pork, which she thought was the only thing there that I would actually eat. I refused.

After getting some more smoothies we sat and watched a couple of boat races on the very nearby Corona lake(it's nice to get a lake-row seat) while our stomachs began to digest. After a while we heard some more commotion on the stage, and alas there was a steel-drum band playing. After gooving along until they were done we officially thought that we had a great time, and since there wasn't much more to do anyway I moved to bring our festivites to an end. Shauna seconded the notion and we hopped on the shuttle to get back to the train station, and were soon headed down to Manhattan and then home. Our Queens food excursion was done for now!

Important lesson learned: If someone offers you something who's ingredients can't be explained, wrapped in a banana leaf, DO NOT BUY IT WHATEVER YOU DO.

Here are some photos of more food and fun at the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Dragon Boat Festival:

We're talking Truffles...

It's always exciting to see which review will be chosen as your favorite and what we will be challenged to recreate. This time we decided to do things just a tad different. We wanted to use the entree from "If eating Italian is wrong, I don't want to be right..." as an inspiration for our dish, rather than making the dish the same way. Instead of the Fried Pork, Truffle Mash and Arugula Salad, we chose to do a Seared Breast of Duck, Braised Chard, Truffle Mash with Crispy Fried Fennel.

Making this dish was super easy and it was quite delicious. Be sure to give it a try as it would make a wonderful date dish or Sunday dinner. Enjoy.


Truffle Mash Potatoes:
1 1/2 - 2lbs Small Red Potatoes
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1/4 Cup Butter
1tbsp Black Truffle Oil
1tsp Course Salt
1/2tsp Course Black Pepper

Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Place pot over medium/high flame and boil until potatoes are fork tender. Strain, then return to pot and add all ingredients. Use a potato smasher to combine ingredients. For Fluffy potatoes use a hand help mixer and whip on medium for 2 minutes.


For the Duck:                                                                       
1lb Duck Breast
2tsp Sea Salt
1tsp Course Black Pepper
2tbsp Vegetable Oil

Wash meat with warm water, pat dry then season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in medium skillet and add duck skin side down and sear on high for 3 minutes or until browned. Turn the meat and brown the other side. Now turn be sure to sear the sides of the meat as well. Reduce heat to low and simmer (covered) for an additional 8 minutes (for medium meat) or until meat is slightly firm to the touch. Remove from heat and let it rest (loosely wrapped in foil skin side up) for at least 5 minutes. Slice duck into 1/4 inch pieces.

 Chard:
1 Cup Swiss Chard
1/2 Cup Rainbow Chard Chopped
2 Shallot Onions
1/4 Cup Grape Tomatoes Quartered
1/4 tsp Salt
Pinch Black Pepper

Heat oil in medium skillet and saute shallots on low until slightly brown. Add tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the (washed and dried) chard, salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Fennel:
Half bulb Fennel thinly sliced
2tbsp flour
4tbsp Vegetable Oil

Dip fennel in flour and saturate thoroughly. Heat oil in a skillet and fry fennel until golden brown (about 2 minutes). Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Lightly dust with course salt.

Let your creative spirit be your guide and plate as desired. Bon Appitit!

We have a winner!

We have a July winner! Congratulations to Sunset Driver! We are delighted to announce that you are now the proud owner of a $15 itunes Gift Card. Please contact us at TastingQueens@aol.com with your shipping information.
A special thank you to all who participated in July's itunes Gift Card Giveaway. Stay tuned for more opportunities to win great prizes. Until then, remember that food is love and love is food!

JULY GIVEAYWAY ~ VOTE AND BE ENTERED IN THE DRAWING

It's that time again folks! Time to vote for your favorite of the last four reviews. Your selection will challenge us to recreate one of the featured entrees. Your vote is important so vote now right here on TastingQueens.Blogspot.com/Tweeting your selection to @TastingQueens or posting to www.facebook.com/TastingQueens.  One of the lucky voters will be selected for this month's gift card giveaway. It could just be you! Thank you for your participation and we look forward to the challenge.

Sak Pase? Dining on Good Haitian Grub

Summer heat and a mellow day running errands with a good friend should always end with a good meal. Attempting to just that, my friend and I drove from Five Towns Queens to Cambria Heights in search of some good Haitian food.

My assumption that I would enjoy the culinary offerings of this country is solely based on it's geography and cultural history. Haiti is located in the subtropics on the western third of Hispaniola, the second largest island in the Caribbean, which it shares with the Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic. The neighboring islands include Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. After the arrival of the Spanish, by 1550, the indigenous culture of the Taino Indians had vanished from the island, and Hispaniola became a neglected backwater of the Spanish Empire. In the mid-1600s, the western third of the island was populated by fortune seekers, castaways, and wayward colonists, who were predominantly French. 

We drove along Linden Blvd starting as far back as 235th Street, coming to a stop at Port-Au-Prince on 221st Street. It took all of three minutes inside to let us know that it would not do for us this trip, so we got in the car to make other arrangements. Standing outside my window were two men who weren't shy about staring and whispering to each other, so...I decided to make good use of their interest and check their knowledge of the neighborhood restaurants. We were directed a few block away to La Boisserie Creole Restaurant (227-02 Linden Blvd in Cambria Heights Queens).

It stood out immediately from the brick design on the curb surrounding the restaurant and I admit feeling a bit excited to see the inside. Our server seated us and I began to take in our surroundings while my friend spoke to the manager about the nature of our visit. I must say that I was a bit disappointed as the decor was quite dated and resembled a circa 1985 catering hall, with bright colors and a combination of wine glasses and water jugs stuffed with cloth napkins. There were helium balloon decorations everywhere that I wasn't so sure how to feel about. The stained glass added a nice touch and there were various forms of art hung all around. Fingers crossed, I told myself that still, the food must be good.

Our server brought the menus and we quickly discovered that she spoke very little English. Nevertheless we managed to order Fri Kodenn (Fried Turkey) and Poul ak Sos Kreyol (Chicken with Creole Sauce). They were served with Rice and Beans/Haitian Black Rice and a Garden Salad. 

Our entrees were suppose to be small but what was set before us was a very large plate with our own mini mountain of rice. How were we ever going to find room? Well, it began with the first bite of the Black Rice. Loose, seasoned and wonderfully spiced Jasmine rice filled sent my mouth into a happy place. The Rice and Red Beans did not disappoint either. It was a thing of perfection! My chicken was (lightly fried leg and thigh) was also very good, expecially when dipped in the tangy, spicy Creole Sauce. That Sauce could be poured over cardboard and it would be delicious. 

The Turkey was not so well received, however. It was tasty but a bit dry and over cooked. We were also served what appeared to be the ankle of the bird, making for bony bite after bony bite. When our server returned to ask how things were, we took the opportunity to attempt to explain the turkey dilemma and to our surprise, our  mini Charades game worked and she returned with a saucer of actual turkey meat.

So for decent service despite the language barrier, good food and a family friendly atmosphere, we give our tour of Haiti an solid B. Good job La Boisserie Creole Restaurant. Byen fè!

Tomo Japanese Cafe

For a very long time I promised my sister Shannice to take her to have her favorite cuisine, Japanese. I have never seen a teen so into Sashimi and Sushi. I took the perfect opportunity to make good on my word one day when school was out. Not wanting to leave anyone behind, I took my nephew along for the adventure.

We arrived at Tomo Restaurant (located at 8914 Queens Blvd, Flushing NY 11313) just in time for lunch. Armed with big appetites, a camera and some info about our blog, we entered the newest establishment anxious to get our tasting on. After standing near the entry for a few moments, we noticed the "host" sitting behind a desk in the right corner near the door. We walked up to her and told her it would be 3 for lunch. The "host" called over a waitress, who then seated us, placing the menus on the table without as much as a greeting and then walked away. "Hmm..." I thought, not a great beginning at all. I am HUGE on service, as I think a lot of times it can put a not so great culinary experience to a great overall experience if the service is warm and wonderful.

I took a moment before placing our order to inform the server of the reason for our visit and ask that she pass our material about the blog on to her manager. We then selected the Harumaki for our appetizer. It's a crispy fried shrimp and vegetable spring roll served with rich, thick soy sauce. It was hot and delicious.

Our orders for entrees were Spicy Shrimp Sushi, Tuna Sushi, Yellow Tail Sashimi, Squid Sushi and Sashimi and one of the lunch special Bento Box of Pork Katsu. We noticed a tea pot on out table but the tea in it was cold and when asked about it our server just shook her head.
After a bit of a wait, the Seafood orders came first and they were all wrong. Everything on the plates were in Sashimi form and the disappointed looks on my lunch dates faces were unmistakable. Nevertheless they decided not to have their meals changed as they were quite hungry. The Pork Katsu was served shortly after and was a delightful surprise. It was filled with Tuna Sushi, Fried Pork, a Garden Salad, White Rice, Miso Soup and a sauce made with soy sauce, ginger and sugar. The Sashimi, although thickly cut was "pretty good" (to quote my sister) but the Bento Box was the hit of the day. Everyone left their fish and ate my fried pork.

During the meal, I started to take some photos of the food and decor. Not wanting to leave my meal at the mercy of the chop sticks of my dining partners, asked the waitress if she could take a pic of the back portion of the restaurant(a hung Kimono, bamboo dining booths and Sushi station) for me. She said yes at first then asked my what it would be used for. I explained to her again the purpose of my visit and she then said she needed to ask permission first. We continued to eat while she went to the back to speak with someone. Returning to the table, our server handed me back the camera and said that it wasn't allowed. "Pardon?" I asked, "why is it not allowed?". She said she didn't know but the guy at the back said no. I then asked to speak with her manager or the "guy" but she then quickly told me that he wasn't available.
This was the strangest experience ever! I have never had this happen before and in the words of my younger sister, it was an "Epic Fail). Thankfully we got a few pics before we were restricted (Smh).
So...for decent food, bad service, a backroom manager who refused to speak with a patron and not being allowed to take photos, we are giving Tomo Japanese a C-!

Climbing the Himalayas ~ A taste of Nepal and Tibet.

Did you know: Contact with the neighboring countries and cultures like India and China has had a major influence on the food and culture of Tibet and Nepal. It's geographic location, climate and altitude also helped to fashion their unique cuisine and agricultural practices.

On one of the final days of Winter, I found myself wondering the streets of Jackson Heights on a whim. My spider senses told me that a great experience was to be had if I would just get out and explore.
I got off the E train on the Roosevelt Ave/74st stop and wandered through the area not sure of what I'd find. The  aromas from the kabab spots, Mexican restaurants and various Asian food hubs were almost overwhelming but one place caught my eyes almost immediately.

Thakali Kitchen a Nepalese and Tibetan restaurant, located at 74-14 37th Ave in Jackson Heights stood out with it's bold red awning and chandeliers that shone brightly and could be seen from the street. I walked around a bit more but then decided that this was the place to have lunch.
Presented with two menus, one from Nepal and the other from Tibet I wondered how I would ever choose an entree.

The waitress came over and offered to help me as she said that my preliminary order would have been enough food to feed a small army.  Instead, she suggested that I try the Chicken Thali platter as it would have a variety of sides that were eaten by both countries.
Not long after I was presented by a large circular silver tray with an array of food on it. There were small dishes of Lentil Dhal, Pickled Vegetables, Spiced Potatoes with Green Beans, Sauteed Bok Choy with Sesame Oil, Plain Yogurt and best of all Chicken Curry. These all surrounded a large mound of white rice and a stack of Carrots, Cucumbers and Green Chili Pepper.

Everything on the plate was super tasty and the Yogurt served to cool my tongue after eating the Pickled Vegetables and raw Green Chili Pepper. The Lentil Dhal was a bit bland as the only thing you could taste were cilantro and lentils.

This meal was quite filling and I was sincerely happy that I didn't order all that I had planned to in the beginning.
After looking over the dessert menu I decided to have the strangest thing on the menu...Butter Tea. Yes, this tea was literally made with butter and did not have any sweetness to it at all. Instead it was creamy, salty, hot and packed a huge buttery punch. A very interesting flavor to say the least. I got through four or five small sips but could go no further, especially after eating an array spices, rice and peas.

Overall, it was a great experience. The weather was perfect, the food was good and I returned home with many delicacies, vegetables and great spices from grocery shopping in the area.
So for great location, helpful service, nice decor and good food Thakali Kichen gets a well deserved B+. Great for families or a fun date night.