June 26, 2006
Astoria, Broadway @ 30th Street
Vendy Award Nominee 2005Location: Broadway at 30th Street, Astoria, Queens
Hours: 11am - 8pm ('til 11pm on Fri., midnight on Sat.)
Days: 7 (?)
Dishes: spiced chicken, shawarma, felafel sandwiches (in pita or hero) and platters, philly cheesesteak, shish kebab, kefta platter
Prices: $3-$4 sandwiches, $4-$6 platters
Continuing on my Astoria kick, this excellent pushcart has a number of notable features.
First of all, I have to touch on the pickles. There are 3 varieties of pickle that are included in every dish - pickled onion, clove-flavored gherkins, and turnip strips colored bright red with beet juice. I've never seen anything like this anywhere else, and they are both tasty and beautiful on the plate.
Second, the chicken. Really, really good. I've sampled everything else on the menu except the cheesesteak, and although the kefta platter (a grilled patty of ground beef flavored with, among other things, cinnamon) is nice if you want a bit of variety, nothing really touches the chicken. The fact that the menu refers to it simply as "The Plate" as much as annouces this fact. Plus they throw in a creditable felafel ball...
Which brings me to the felafel. Interesting, and unlike other felafel in several ways. They are football shaped and strongly orange colored. I'm not a felafel expert, and I have no idea what the difference in preparation is here.
Lastly, a general observation - this is the second heavyweight pushcart I've visited which is located right outside a supermarket (the other is Super Taco), which suggests a natural symbiosis between the two. It's much wiser to shop after you have a bite to eat, 'cause it cuts down on impulse buying.
So pull on up and fill on up!
Posted by Sam on Jun 26, 2006 | Permalink | Comments & User reviews (2)
June 06, 2006
Astoria, 32nd Street @ Broadway - The Kings of Kebab
Location: Astoria, Queens, 32nd Street and Broadway, NW corner
Hours: 11am-6am (!)
Days: 7
Dishes: Kebabs, chicken and beef, kebab sandwiches
Prices: Kebabs $2 each, Sandwiches in hero or pita $4
It is a testament to the vibrant energy of Astoria that despite being a relatively low-rise nieghborhood (3-4 stories at most) that it can sustain as many excellent carts as it does, and for such long hours.
This cart is the hands-down winner in the kebabs category, serving fresh-cooked meat from noon to 6 in the morning, 7 days a week. This is a hard-core operation.
The kebabs are cooked over natural charcoal and are beautifully tender and juicy. Ask for everything on it, and they'll give you barbeque sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, and oregano. The meat is so perfect though, any way you have them they'd be great.
The sandwich is fine, but unneccesary. The tzaziki sauce, bread and salad are OK, but not worth 2 extra dollars, so you're better off sticking to meat on a stick. I don't know if they do platters.
Posted by Sam on Jun 6, 2006 | Permalink | Comments & User reviews (0)