C R Y D E R P O I N T 16 APRIL dining out Not your average KFC BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO MOKJA 16 CRYDER POINT COURIER | APRIL 2015 | WWW.QUEENSCOURIER.COM THE COURIER/Photo by Angy Altamirano Queens World Film Festival Celebrates Fifth Year’s Opening Night BY BRADLEY HAWKS Yes, it is official. There is a new KFC on Broadway in Astoria. And by KFC, of course we mean Korean Fried Chicken. Specifically, fried chicken wings glazed in spicy Korean garlic sauce. But the fried chicken is such a miniscule part of what is being offered at the new Korean eatery, we focused on a whole selection of other dishes to share. The former 1-800-Flowers shop has now officially blossomed into Mokja. “It’s a friendly way of saying, ‘Let’s Eat,’” explains one server. Mokja is the sister to Korean Express, the more informal takeout restaurant in Manhattan. The Mokja menu features well over 50 items, covering a broader spectrum of Korea’s deliciously colorful cuisine. While K-Pop bounces joyously overhead, don’t expect everything to follow tradition. The banchan—or side dishes—have been judiciously edited. A tandem ramekin will arrive at the table holding a delicate stack of kimchi and golden medallions of danmuji, better known as pickled daikon radish. These are intended to simply whet the palate and prepare you for the meal to come. So why not order something small to get the meal started? Like a pile of fries topped with kimchi, gochujang mayo and cilantro. Or perhaps Mokja’s intensely delicious version of steamed dumplings— or order them fried. In Korean, these little potstickers are called mandoo, and they make them at Mokja from scratch. A generous meatball of minced pork with vegetables and spices is wrapped in a thin pasta skin, pinched together into a half moon, and plopped in the steamer. Soups and stews are also plentiful. One of the most robust versions is their Army Stew, a spicy bowl of kimchi, pork, tofu, spam, sausage, rice cakes and ramen noodles. Other classic dishes include versions of pajeon (scallion pancakes) and ddukboki (spicy rice cakes). And of course they serve a few tasty versions of bibimbap—the popular egg-topped Korean rice medley—which is even available in a stone bowl. The barbecue seems to be where the chef shines, and some of the most popular dishes include the kalbi (short ribs), pork bulbogi (thinly shaved marinated pork shoulder), pork belly and baby back ribs. Fried rice reigns supreme in a variety of combos as well. But we recommend trying the bulgogi sliders. Bulgogi literally translates to “fire meat” in Korean. If you want to stay on the healthier side, perhaps you should try some of their fantastic japchae. Glass noodles made from sweet potatoes are sautéed with a blend of vegetables and your choice of meat. Hearty mushrooms and sprouts provide contrasting textures, and a scrambled egg is playfully laid across the top. For the time being, desserts are minimal (mochi and crème brûlée), and the restaurant is still awaiting a liquor license. The minimalistic décor includes several lovingly decorated chalkboard menus—one of which previews coming drinks (including soju), and another which maps out the architecture of a bibimbap burger, which will soon be on the menu in a new burger section. Apparently, there are several things still to come. But in the meantime, there is plenty already there that will make you want to say, “Mokja!” With the luck of the Irish, the Queens World Film Festival kicked off its fifth year of helping bring independent films to the big screen. The six-day festival, which gives international and local filmmakers the opportunity to screen their films in Queens, celebrated its opening night on St. Patrick’s Day at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. Opening night featured five films, including two from local Queens filmmakers Jamil Lahham and Lisa Melodia. The films ranged from animation to short narratives. The night also included a bonus screening of Sundance Film Festival-winning film “World of Tomorrow,” which filled the room with laughter. “I love this film festival because I love Queens, and everything and anything that is good starts right here in my home borough of Queens County. We do it right,” said Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer. “I admire and respect and really have come to love Don and Katha Cato because you can tell they pour everything, their heart and soul, into this festival.” The Queens World Film Festival, which will run through March 22, is organized by husband-and-wife duo of Don and Katha Cato, and this year will feature a total of 117 films, with 19 works from Queens. The films include feature narratives, documentaries and LGBT pieces. Through the week, the films will be sorted out into different blocks based on subject and will be shown at venues such as The Secret Theatre in Long Island City, P.S. 69 in Jackson Heights and the Museum of the Moving Image. “Katha and Don have literally catapulted this festival to heights that not many folks could have foreseen when they first started this,” said Borough President Melinda Katz. “Katha and Don and all the folks that are involved in the arts have truly been using the diversity that we bring to this borough to catapult us in tourism.” Opening night also recognized director Leon Ichaso, known for movies such as “El Cantante,” “Ali” and “Hendrix,” as a “Spirit of Queens” honoree. Don Cato said Ichaso, who has been called the “poet of Latin New York,” was receiving the awards for his artistry, integrity and humanity. The festival will also present Ichaso’s film “Bitter Sugar” on Wednesday at the Museum of the Moving Image. “To all the filmmakers that are here please don’t lose the hope, it’s a hard world making movies,but it’s worth it,” Ichaso said. “It is festivals like this that in that journey we can take a rest, we can show what we do, we can meet each other and thank God they exist and thank God for the Queens World Film Festival.” Closing night of the festival will feature a screening of the film “Dukhtar (Daughter)” by Afia Nathaniel, followed by an award ceremony at the Museum of the Moving Image. “Experience these films during our festival, talk about them,” said Don at the end of the night. “The films are the stars of this festival.” For a full schedule of the festival and to purchase tickets, visit www. queensworldfilmfestival.com. The Queens World Film Festival awarded director Leon Ichaso (pictured) as a “Spirit of Queens” honoree and presented a tribute video during opening night. 35-19 Broadway Astoria, NY 11106 718-721-0654 Photo by Bradley Hawks
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