Shauna Eats Sunnyside

guava and golTV

our unsuspectingly sunny saturday warranted an impromptu sunnyside farmers market run-through (tents were sparse, though we did snag a ginormo ginger snap cookie and some raspberry cider for the road) and a field trip across the blvd for some pecas y mas smoothie/cholado action …

46th st under the sunnyside sign was hopping as usual. old heads clogged the street benches. food, perfume, and housewares vendors lined the sidewalks, and 80s music blasted from the overhead speakers of the 46th st. pet store. a tax services mascot donning statue of liberty attire hocked coupons on the corner, and the ever-reliable pio pio riko’s rotisserie chicken window lured passersby to press their noses against the steamed glass and have a peek.

across from our green-awning’d pecas, the church of jehovah’s witnesses had just let out, so parishoners stunned by the blinding rays of springtime sunshine spilled out in every which direction. we avoided the crowd and ducked into the smoothie haven to order a refreshing guanabana (now in season) smoothie and the sweet and sexy SUPER CHOLADO to go, then tracked back to the 24-hr colombian chipichape bakery (on 45th st just south of greenpoint ave) where a flat-screen was showing the barça game on golTV.

once settled comfortably into a two-seater with a good scouting view of the game, we respectfully ordered dos empanadas and a futbal-sized guava pastry to help justify our occupation of their well-lit dining area.

the SUPER CHOLADO was layered and delicious as always..

chipichape’s empanadas were a surprising homemade treat, packed with shredded spicy beef and creamy potatoes and ringing up at an easy $2. the $1 guava spectacular was also a bonus buy, topped with (just enough) crystallized sugar and inflated with the perfect proportion of sweet guava paste to fluffy potato-bready goodness.

chipichape appears to offer a rainbow of fresh juice options, fresh and tasty pastries/cookies/cakes, a hot bar of daily specials including tamales and stews, and golTV all day, every day. heaven, if i’ve ever found it…

rather than outstaying our welcome beyond the first half, we scurried next door to productos mexicanos el nopal (45th st b/w greenpoint and 47th ave), a long-and-narrow mexican convenience store where walls are lined with value-packs of mexican spices like dried shrimp and achiote powder and the aisles are edged by crates of prickly pear cactus and every strain of pepper known to man. B pointed out the old-lady cannisters of abuelita mexican hot chocolate and we also peeped a rack of mexican sweet breads near the register. i’ve been feeling inspired to rekindle my mexican tacos habit just to make use of those spices and cactii…

we walked out with some chili dried hot mango enchilado, this crazy lookin tajin chili and lime seasoning, and two sley mexican ice bars in rice and mango flavas. upon taste, the dried chili mango is slightly more intense than the wasabi we’re accustomed to.. the heat never does subside. the tajin is über limey, lookin forward to droppin that action in on some unsuspecting chicken breasts. haven’t sampled the ice bars yet but dammit do they look scrumptious:

operation: sunny saturday in sunnyside was overall a technical success. we didn’t spend much money, we returned with a goodie bag of mexican treats, and we caught the first half of that damn barça game without having to pay for a round of drinks. scooooooooore.

Chipichape Colombian Bakery
45-53 45th St (b/w Greenpoint and 47th ave)
Woodside, NY 11377
(718) 392-5480 

Pecas Y Mas Corp.
44-20 Greenpoint Avenue (b/w 44th and 45th sts)
Sunnyside, NY 11104
718-389-4443

Productos Mexicanos el Nopal
45-51 Greenpoint Avenue (b/w 44th and 45th sts)
Woodside, NY 11377