Shauna Eats Sunnyside

Short and Sweet: Further Adventures in Astoria

$2 each
Nearly identical (slightly fatty) beef- and (melt-in-your-mouth) chicken-on-a-sticks (doused in lemon juice, salt, and hot sauce) with fresh crusty loaf at B’s favorite “don dada” Meat Cart (on the corner of 31st Ave. at Steinway St.)

$2.50
A slice of thin-crust square cheese “grandma” pizza from Rizzo’s Fine Pizza (on Steinway St. b/w 30th and 31st Aves.). Most delicious slice so far… no fuckin’ contest. It seems the locals agree.

NOTE: Incredibly enough, I called just after our visit to anonymously ask the price of their famous grandma slice, and a helpful employee told me $2.50. Less than five minutes later, I received a voicemail from the impassioned pizza renaissance man himself, Mr. David Rizzo, dutifully informing me that his shop’s nearly 50-year tradition is to offer first-time customers a slice FOR FREE. He apologized for his employee having neglected to tell me of this (f’n BRILLIANT) policy, and expressed his personal gratitude for my inquiry.

Greatest customer service EVER!!

$1.50-ish
Random hearts-of-palm and mystery cream stuffed pie from Brazilian market Ipanema Girl (on Steinway St. b/w 28th and 30th Aves.). B hated it; I was indifferent.

$5 
Chicken kabob (huge ass white-meat chunks on baguette, rather than traditional Middle Eastern pita) sandwich at Hallal Sandwich Shop (on Steinway St. b/w 25th and 28th Aves.). We waited forever, had nowhere to sit, and were forced to crouch like lepers on the sidewalk. Nonetheless, shit was SPOT ON.

$3 + $6
Turkish coffee and double-apple hookah at Eastern Nights (on Steinway St. b/w 28th and 30th Aves.). They do something weird with pricing here; our tax may have been added into each item on the bill. It was kinda dim in there and despite elaborate decorum and an über-chill atmosphere, I saw a roach scurry across the floor and was borderline skeeved.

By the pound
Lebanese Borma pistachio “birds nest” pastry from Laziza (on Steinway St. b/w 28th and 30th Aves.). Honey + shredded wheat + toasted pistachios = greatest sweet known to man.

*Priceless*
B riding a mechanical sneaker (somewhere on Broadway).

$2 + $1.50-ish
Passion fruit fountain drink and dense beef empanada from La Casa Del Pan (on Broadway at 38th St.). The refreshing drink was light and (perhaps artificially) sweetened, but the doughy rocket was a bit overbearing. Meh… we became easily distracted.

$2 
Ziploc baggie of fresh mango slices (with the money garnish of hot sauce, salt, and lemon juice) from Mango Lady with granny push cart (on Steinway b/w 34th Ave. and Broadway). A diamond in the rough. A miraculous, awe-inspiring end-of-day discovery. We crouched on a stoop to slurp that baggie clean. Now THAT is Queens fabulous!

$5
Takeout tray (priced by the pound) of assorted pastries from Laziza. Once back in Sunnyside, we split these with compadres J & D, though B and I could’ve easily housed the smorgasbord all by ourselves. Still, for $5, a perfect little sampling of Laziza’s knee-weakening selection.

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Guide to the cheap: $32.50 total ($16.25 per person) for a full Sunday eating exploration, walking tour of Astoria, puff puff *pass*, and take-home desserts.

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Awesome Meat-on-a-Stick Cart
Corner of Steinway St. and 38th Ave.
Astoria, NY 11103

Rizzo’s Fine Pizza
30-13 Steinway Street (b/w 30th and 31st Aves.)
Astoria, NY 11103
718-721-9862

Ipanema Girl Brazilian Mini Mart
28-19 Steinway Street (b/w 28th and 30th Aves.)
Astoria, NY 11103
718-545-2257

Hallal Sandwich Shop
25-61 Steinway Street (b/w 25th and 28th Aves.)
Astoria, NY 11103
718-726-9262

Eastern Nights Restaurant & Lounge
25-35 Steinway Street (b/w 25th and 28th Aves.)
Astoria, NY 11103
718-204-7608

Laziza of New York Pastries
25-78 Steinway Street (b/w 25th and 28th Aves.)
Astoria, NY 11103
718-777-7676

La Casa Del Pan
38-02 Broadway (at 38th St.)
Astoria, NY 11103
718-726-7946

Mango Lady of Astoria Proper
Steinway Street (b/w 34th Ave. and Broadway)
Astoria, NY 11103