September 2008
18 posts
Eating Cheap in Sunnyside
The economy sucks, B’s bank crapped out last week and mine’s currently “in overnight negotiations” for a takeover. Rentals have skyrocketed, and damned if we’re paying a frickin’ “energy surplus tax.”
In light of all dis shit, mama recently did a guest write-up for About Queens on her top Cheap Eats in Sunnyside… when life sucks, hit the...
Jonathan's Korean Booty
…okay, this header might be a bit suspect. haha.
Post Ecua-date, B and I were still feeling intrepidous so we wandered into Jonathan Food Market (on Queens Blvd at 46th St.), where we’d previously spotted watermelon-sized avocados and an LED sign rolling Korean characters. Turns out Jonathan must hail from the big K, because the corner convenience store seemingly doubles as an...
Ecua-Date on Skillman
Awhile back, B and I read about an Ecuadorian spot on Skillman, Rincon Latino (on Skillman Ave. b/w 48th and 49th Sts.) in this Time Out New York shout-out to line cooks. Further research yielded the prospects of indigenous ceviche and a life-sized boxing statue. Seemed to good to be true; we were immediately intrigued.
On a desolate Wednesday pre-pay day, we attempted to lift our financially...
Tropical Fruit at Smiley's
Ah, the last hurrah of summertime…
Korean family-owned Smiley’s Fruits & Vegetables is wedged directly in the heart of Sunnyside fabulousness on archwayed 46th St. (b/w Queens Blvd. and Greenpoint Ave.), a strip that also contains a bank, a cigar shop, a beauty discount store, a 99-cent store, a pet shop blaring 70s rock music from overhead speakers near its sidewalk parrot...
Empanada Mash-Up
Occupying ourselves in the near-90 humidity zone of yesterday afternoon involved some creativity once we decided we didn’t want to be stuck in our air conditionless living room all day. A sluggish trek up Queens Blvd. soon resulted in our back-of-neck flesh being unceremoniously seared by the merciless sun, and the humidity seemed to swell from every which blacktop-abundant direction. On...
Daco Romano Pastry Cafe Now Does Brunch
(how cute!)
In addition to Daco Romano Pastry Cafe’s succulent luncheon meat sandwiches (pancetta and cappicola, *gasp*), Mom and Pop Romano are now serving up brunch omelets, which ups the real estate on their already hardcore coffee operation.
We were stuffed on Dunkin’ upon discovery of Daco’s newly displayed omelet menu on Saturday morning, but judging by their...
Savory Biscuit at the Sidewalk Sale
Following a harsh 7am loss on Sat. morning (grrr), we headed over (eaaaaaarly) to the nabe’s sidewalk extravaganza. We arrived around 10:30am to a tame showing. Balloons marked maybe six row houses with folding tables fares… not sure if the vendor stock increased later in the day.
After being sidetracked and cornered by an affable dude hocking raffle tickets (I hate everything raffle...
The (Other) Wall of Beer
Deep within New Sunnyside Supermarket, a nondescript 24-hr. half-pint grocery store on 43rd Ave (b/w 43rd and 44th Sts.) with fruit marinating in bins on the sidewalk and a paltry stock of near-expired cereals, canned goods and cleaning supplies clogging the shelves, lies a drool-inducing refrigerated-section goldmine… IMPORTED BREWS!!!
Before I get into specifics, let me preface this by...
Dining In At De Mole
Always a pleasure to go for sit-down Mexican where super fresh ingredients complement a simple, intimate setting. De Mole Mexican restaurant (48th Ave. at 45th St.) is small… and particularly small for the crowd it draws. It only seats 28, but since the ambiance is so chill and it has as good rep in the community, bigger parties tend to gravitate.
We (luckily) got there ahead on a Sunday...
Sing Singas
Figured we’d been avoiding this place long enough, so B and I ducked into the former-bar/restaurant-turned-clothing-boutique-turned-personal-pan-pizzeria the other day for a light lunch.
For the record, we entered Singas Famous Pizza (on Greenpoint at 43rd St.) once and left quickly after being repelled by the sounds of squealing children… a family of four and another family of five...
Breakfast with the Brothers
Pre-Astoria jaunt on Labor Day Monday (aka the day we both had off work), we stopped in the Brother’s Cafe (43rd Ave at 40th St.), on the block near P.S. 150, for a breakfast sandwich. Having frequented this no-frills diner in years past, we knew exactly what to go for and what to pass by…
(the lady in white was totally hating on my breakfast photography)
It’s really just...
Caffeine Alert: Sugar & Joe on Greenpoint
Passed by this new awning the other morning on Greenpoint Ave. (b/w 41st and 42nd Sts) and a sign in the window says that Sugar & Joe, a “unique dessert café,” plans to open its doors in late September. That’s soon!
Sugar & Joe promises homemade cupcakes, cookies, brownies, waffles, ice cream, candy, chocolate, coffee and tea. We’re all for dessert options, and Joe’s location across...
Restaurant Month: Don't Believe the Hype
soooo… news of Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce’s annual Restaurant Month broke last week with the introduction of regal blue “Sunnyside Restaurant Month” flags to lampposts up and down the Boulevard:
Common sense says that “Restaurant Month” involves dining deals of some sort. As this is not the first year for such meal-centric neighborhood discounts, here are...
Astoria Street Fest (Sucked) and B's Slice Of...
(DISCLAIMER: This fucker’s pretty long… we are total gluttons)
On this past holiday Monday, B and I were once again, outer-borough nomads. Having read about the supposed Brazilian Street Fest on 30th Ave. in Astoria (a day after the big she-bang Brazilian Day on 46th St. in the city), we figured warm Labor Day weather and the promise of toasty empanadas were enough to justify another...
Paan-derosa!
While waiting out the preparation of our chaat/MOMO doubleheader in the random Internet solutions store (on 37th Rd near 74th St.) the other night, our eyes were instinctively drawn to a man in a glass cubby hocking phone cards toward the front of the store. There was a counter in the cubby with a window to the sidewalk, and several people were crowded around the window, gazing in and jammering...
Braided egg bread roll ($1.25) from the Butcher Block (on 41st St. b/w Queens Blvd. and 43rd Ave.)
+
American Spoon sour cherry spoon fruit mail-ordered from Michigan
=
one sexy bite.