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 2 on Roosevelt Avenue

This is a bit of an unusual entry. A few weeks ago I took my first visit to Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights -- or is it Rego Park? -- at any rate, near 79th Street, where the legendary Arepa Lady is rumored to hang out.

I was amazed -- here is another piece of the city, unlike any other, as throbbing and busy as Chinatown, and supposedly open later. Queens truly is where the city that never sleeps lives now. Service industry=all hours.

There are a great number of carts of varying degrees of sophistication strung out along the sidewalks flanking the elevated portion of the R. I have singled out two of the simpler ones for this first review, and I fear I haven't even done them particular justice...I'll have to go back soon. Of particular interest: a food-truck specializing in ceviche and the countless fruit salad and fruit-drink carts, particularly the ones that seem to use some kind of crisp pastry as a dish (almost like an sugar cone).

The first cart was under the entrance to the 82nd Street R station, selling chicken on a stick (called, I think, chuzos) - nicely seasoned in a way I'm not familiar with (cumin is one of the flavors)and sliced all along its length as it cooked (this is what the lady-vendor is doing in the picture) to give it a maximum of cooking surface.

I don't think this was the famous Arepa Lady. It wasn't anywhere near 79th Street, but I saw my chance to get an arepa.

This one was topped with butter (or was it I Can't Believe It's Not Butter?), and crumbled cheese. It was my first arepa, and it was delicious. Tastes like it was made with shortening or lard, and it had whole kernels of corn baked in. Nice.

That's all I have to report so far...more to come.

Posted by Sam on July 13, 2006 12:28 AM

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