Jackson Heights Life

i love the Mysore Masala Dosa, but it is spicy if that's a concern. the Onion Dosa is really good if you prefer something mild. both are quite large and come with sambar/chutney.

the paneer entrees are great, but rich. and my personal favorite - an acquired taste, i've been told -- is the Halwa Puri. a dish of sweet pudding, a dish of spicy chickpeas and two puri. it's a breakfast dish in South India, i believe, but i can eat it any time.

So we ordered dinner at Samudra last night. As always, so good!! In the past I was hooked on their channa bhatura. It is this super delicious, spicy chickpea dish served over this puffy fried bread. (I always add a side order of coconut chutney ($1) to take the heat down to my preferred taste.)

Last night I wanted to try a few new dishes with rice, fearing the fried bread might be too heavy. We chose Aloo Palak, Channa Phishori, Spinach Masala Dosa. It was a lot of food for two people, but we wanted leftovers for lunch.

The channa and the dosa were the stars of the show. The chickpeas had mild spice and were flavorful. I added a little of the enclosed yoghurt sauce which was a nice addition. I did enjoy the Aloo Palak too which for my tastes benefitted from adding a little of the enclosed (red) hot sauce and a touch of salt. (They also included some pickled hot mango on the side as well.)

This dosa knocked my socks off. In this version the crepe was made with rice and lentil flour and filled with spinach and potato masala. It absolutely sings with a douse of coconut chutney (which comes on the side with it) and a dash of salt. Delicious and filling.

Besides increasing our order frequency, we wonder if there is any other way we can help Samudra stay in business? Maybe a go fund me or other way to donate is out there? Please let us know. They are a true gem in this neighborhood!

So we ordered dinner at Samudra last night. As always, so good!! In the past I was hooked on their channa bhatura. It is this super delicious, spicy chickpea dish served over this puffy fried bread. (I always add a side order of coconut chutney ($1) to take the heat down to my preferred taste.)

Last night I wanted to try a few new dishes with rice, fearing the fried bread might be too heavy. We chose Aloo Palak, Channa Phishori, Spinach Masala Dosa. It was a lot of food for two people, but we wanted leftovers for lunch.

The channa and the dosa were the stars of the show. The chickpeas had mild spice and were flavorful. I added a little of the enclosed yoghurt sauce which was a nice addition. I did enjoy the Aloo Palak too which for my tastes benefitted from adding a little of the enclosed (red) hot sauce and a touch of salt. (They also included some pickled hot mango on the side as well.)

This dosa knocked my socks off. In this version the crepe was made with rice and lentil flour and filled with spinach and potato masala. It absolutely sings with a douse of coconut chutney (which comes on the side with it) and a dash of salt. Delicious and filling.

Besides increasing our order frequency, we wonder if there is any other way we can help Samudra stay in business? Maybe a go fund me or other way to donate is out there? Please let us know. They are a true gem in this neighborhood!

A gofundme might work but it would have to be creative. Maybe raise money where half goes to the restaurant for operating expenses and the other half to purchase a meal for first responders or hospital staff. So if someone donates $20, then $10 goes to the restaurant to keep them afloat, and $10 goes to buy Samudra food to donate to some sort of group event.

The solutions are staring them in the face.

Arepa Lady, Arunee (and everyone in Astoria) have taken over the street for extra outdoor space... where Samudra might screen Bollywood films.

It doesn't take an Einstein to steal that idea of using the street.

It takes creativity.

“Never allow carping critics to deter you from success. Instead, silence them with it.”

If there is one thing I have learned, it's not to engage in endless theoretical discourses with folks whose hobby is finding problems...

It's an idea. Not a theory.

The restaurant is free to run with it.

Or not.

I haven't yet eaten in one of these outdoor situations yet. I'd be curious to hear about people's dining experiences on 37th Ave in particular. If Samudra is in arrears to their landlord, it might be hard to pay the startup costs involved in building a compliant dining structure for the street. I have heard many people say they just aren't ready yet, even for the outdoor dining experience.   

And since there's been a lot of back and forth, I have a suggestion for this visual appeal idea: Samudra could place a translucent surface (like a sheer white curtain or vellum) inside their windows, projecting the image through this and out through the glass storefront. It would look cool, but considering how late it gets dark now, it might not be effective for many of their open hours.