Shauna Eats Sunnyside

Nibbles at Nita's

The other evening, prior to B’s return to moonbootdom, we were taking a meandering stroll toward the depths of residential Greenpoint when I thought of Nita. I’ve gotten several reliable recs for Nita’s European Bakery (on Greenpoint Ave. b/w 40th and 41st Sts.), and I always respect the word of the Translater. We’d arbitrarily wandered into the longstanding bakery once before, but this time, though already stuffed, we were determined to sink our chops into some of its primarily Romanian wares…

As I pored over heaping trays of colored sugar cookies and chocolate covered cream pastries (I’ve also heard lore of Nita’s elusive creme-filled donuts… unfortunately, bastards were nowhere to be found), B beelined straight for the flaky filled pastries. The store is crowded with L-shaped display cases, so our space-occupying debates were brief. We finally walked out with two of the wee fluffy nugs (priced by the lb., came to 40-cents each), one stuffed with mushrooms and one with ground beef.

Talk about delicious. Of all the beautifully decorated sweets to choose from, whatever made us think two plain, flaky ping-pong-sized balls of savory breading could steal our hearts? But the second B brought the mushroom-stuffed morsel to his lips, that boy was hooked. Deceptively light and tender, the layers of exterior dough are the perfect chaw without any distraction from butter or grease. Room-temperature mushrooms within the bready caverns are sauteed and well-seasoned, making them far more exciting of a treasure than the typical omnivore (us) might imagine.

The meat pastry was similar in its gloriously executed flake packaging. To be honest, the moist ground beef within—though tasty—did not live up to some of the more spectacular empanadas we’ve tasted up the street. It was satisfying, though cold meat wasn’t quite workin as well as the erotic appeal of delicate funghi.

Next time we’re out that way, B and I plan to pounce on a baker’s dozen of those succulent little ‘shroom wads. I’m also liking the look of Nita’s stock of homemade breads and jam-topped cookies…

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Afterthought, up the street: How festive!

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Nita’s European Bakery
40-10 Greenpoint Avenue (b/w 40th and 41st Sts.)
Sunnyside, NY 11104
718-784-4047