Jackson Heights Life

Aroma Brazil (Roosevelt & 75 st)
Kitchen 79 - thai food (79 & Roosevelt)
Taqueria Coatzingo - mexican food (Roosevelt &76)
La Esquina del Camaron Mexicano (Roosevelt & 80 st)

Some of my favorites:

Delhi Heights (74th Street)
El Anzuelo Fino (Northern Blvd)
Sake Bar Zabb (Roosevelt)
Samudra (37th Ave)

Don't forget:

PHAYUL (74th Street and 37th road)
RICO TINTO (37th Avenue and 77th Street)

Hi neighbors,

I'm doing a project on Jackson Heights food culture for school. The project will be a map which shows the diversity of food and culture in our beautiful neighborhood. Does anybody have recommendations for favorite food spots they would like to be included? Eventually this will turn into a blog which tells the stories of local business owners (hopefully!!). Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Also, I think it's important to not buy into the Jackson Heights food hype.

For example, there are lots of media outlets that are promoting the idea that Arepa Lady's arepas are orgasmic. In fact, they are not only unhealthy, but they are greasy, poor imitations of a well made crepe. What I've just said doesn't fit the PR narrative behind Arepa Lady, nor the narrative being sold by the people involved in her expansion, but it's the truth.

I'd also suggest that you go to South America, where you will discover that there are restaurants offering highly interesting food, none of which is being offered by the latin restaurants in our neighborhood. There is great food in Bogota, Medellín and Cartegena, but not here. South American food in Jackson Heights is 20 years behind South America.

I really don't think Jackson Heights food is over-hyped. Sure, some of the best food in my opinion is next door in Elmhurst. But we still have some pretty terrific choices right in the neighborhood as well.

When it comes to food hype I see a lot more surrounding the Brooklyn farm-to-table scene than anything in Queens.  And I would avoid disparaging a fellow neighborhood chef, especially before your restaurant is even open.

What we have in the neighborhood is a bunch of places that pile a lot of cheap meat and cheap starch on a cheaply priced plate.

What we don't have is a single serious chef from Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, or Ecuador who has been trained in the contemporary cooking of those countries. Eventually, it will happen, but it hasn't happened yet.

As for my views on Arrepa Lady, I consider her to be a media phenomenon, hyped by marketers, who makes unhealthy, unappetizing, greasy crepes. I certainly don't consider her to be a chef.

And by the way, I started my comments with some pretty high praise for Saw Shack.

Quote from: jaynahjosselyn on December 12, 2015, 01:27:47 PM

Hi neighbors,

I'm doing a project on Jackson Heights food culture for school. The project will be a map which shows the diversity of food and culture in our beautiful neighborhood. Does anybody have recommendations for favorite food spots they would like to be included? Eventually this will turn into a blog which tells the stories of local business owners (hopefully!!). Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Also, I think it's important to not buy into the Jackson Heights food hype.

For example, there are lots of media outlets that are promoting the idea that Arepa Lady's arepas are orgasmic. In fact, they are not only unhealthy, but they are greasy, poor imitations of a well made crepe. What I've just said doesn't fit the PR narrative behind Arepa Lady, nor the narrative being sold by the people involved in her expansion, but it's the truth.

I'd also suggest that you go to South America, where you will discover that there are restaurants offering highly interesting food, none of which is being offered by the latin restaurants in our neighborhood. There is great food in Bogota, Medellín and Cartegena, but not here. South American food in Jackson Heights is 20 years behind South America.

What is your problem? Why are you throwing stones at another neighborhood food establishment? A well loved one at that?

Bad move.

  I think there is a place for all types of dining experiences, but I would hate to see Jackson Heights become another Brooklyn, overrun by overpriced, over hyped farm to table restaurants.  I'm sorry, but I don't buy into the idea that ethnic restaurants need to mimic continental restaurants--white tablecloths, servers dressed in whatever is in fashion--in order to be considered high dining. I like tablecloths and a good Manhattan.  I also like formica and great dumplings. 

I don't think this neighborhood is dominated by restaurants that pile cheap food on cheap plates.  I really find that to be insulting.

Thanks, I didn't know that Brooklyn restaurants are into tablecloths. I am under the impression that the whole trend is toward no tablecloths, which has two consequences:  much lower laundry costs for the restaurant, and more noise while one is eating, unless the establishment spends a lot of money on sound absorption.