dining out The restaurant Sandy built BY BRADLEY HAWKS It is only a spring roll, but I have somehow rapidly devoured three of these crispy golden fingers before realizing I have yet to dunk one into the accompanying chili sauce. The delicate wrapper crackles and gives way to a steaming center of al dente glass noodles, tiny slivers of carrot and sweet lumps of fresh crabmeat. A spring roll this delicious can really heighten your awareness of just how monotonous most other renditions can be. I am already grinning, and this is just the first course. The quality of food at Bún-ker Vietnamese is beyond surprising. The first syllable is the Vietnamese word for vermicelli (pronounced boon), while the restaurant’s full name is a play on its bunker-like location. Chef Jimmy Tu said the space was initially a boutique seafood distribution site. Tu previously opened Manhattan’s famed Eleven Madison Park, where he also cooked for two years. Since he originally intended Búnker to be a storage space, he said “the location really didn’t matter.” He added that cheap rent was why he chose the location. Sandy saw things a little differently. The storm put the distribution center out of business for almost a month. Facing major damage and with no flood insurance, Tu and his partners — including younger brother Jacky, who is also the sous-chef — decided to close the distribution business and open Búnker in its place in January. With gingham tablecloths, buckets of utensils on each table and a bamboo and straw thatched ceiling, the tiny dining room daily buzzes with locals clustered around tightly packed private and communal tables. The draw here is simple: excellent Vietnamese cuisine. After leaving the fine dining industry, Tu spent a month and a half studying street food, befriending local establishments throughout Vietnam and Thailand and studying their recipes and techniques. Bún-ker Vietnamese 46-63 Metropolitan Avenue Ridgewood, NY 11385 718-386-4282 • www.bunkervietnamese.com Tuesdays & Wednesdays 5 – 10pm Thursdays & Fridays 5 – 11pm Saturday noon – 11pm • Sunday noon – 10pm “Noodles are a really big street food in Vietnam,” Tu explained, “We also use a Japanese grill with real charcoal, because out in Vietnam, it’s all charcoal, which definitely adds to the flavor.” It’s “street food made with a lot of love,” Tu added with a smile. Take, for instance, the Saigon Special Banh Mi. It is a flaky baguette stuffed with five-spice pâté made inhouse as well as steamed pork shoulder ground with cinnamon, sugar and fish sauce. The sandwich also has garlic sausage, and it’s all garnished with pickled vegetables, mayo, cilantro, jalapeno and a ribbon of sriracha hot sauce. The Pho Ga is an intense chicken noodle soup consisting of smoked shallot broth with bobo chicken. The kitchen develops it over eight hours. Even simple plates explode with flavors carefully cultivated in the kitchen — tomato garlic fried rice and creamed taro leaves like collard greens with a hint of curry, ginger and garlic. Drinks are limited to a cooler where customers serve themselves water. You can also order artichoke kefir iced tea or Vietnamese black coffee. Next week, the restaurant plans to introduce several homemade soft drinks including flavors like lime ginger mint, tamarind and chili lychee. Until then, plan on cooling your palate with a bowl of coconut tapioca pudding whose tender pearls are studded with slivers of young coconut, pineapple, star fruit and palm seeds. Sounds simple? It is simply delicious. View Over 200 Reviews at queenscourier.com 32 North Shore Towers Courier n June 2013 #1IN SALES & LISTINGS AT NORTH SHORE TOWERS THE SOURCE FOR THE LARGEST SELECTION OF LISTINGS AT NST! Annette Kroll 718.631.8867 516.487.6300 ON-SITE RESIDENT www.AnnetteKroll.com et them at Chase before you go. G OF GREAT NECK REALTY MAGIC Our commitment to the community is matched only by our commitment to our customers. JPMorgan Chase Bank/Member FDIC ❍ Savings/Checking ❍ Safe Deposit ❍ Banking Cards ❍ Retirement Planning ❍ Credit Solutions ❍ Tax Advantage Investing Hardy Singh (718) 423-4342 “A Touch of Spain in Bayside” Entertainment by Harpist Victor Gonzalez Friday,Saturday & Sunday Playing Music of all Styles www.queenscourier.com 220-33 Northern Blvd., Bayside (3 blocks west of Cross Island Pkwy.) FREE PARKING PRIVATE FACILITIES For Business Meetings & Personal RESTAURANT Functions To 250 Persons Superb Spanish and Continental Cuisine Your Host, Mr. Cid Formerly of the Spanish Pavillion Open For Lunch and Dinner All Major Credit Cards Accepted AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE PARTIES & CATERING OPEN 7 DAYS For Reservations: CALL (718) 423-0100 FAX (718) 423-0102 3 Catering Rooms For All Occasions Experience the personal touch. Affairs custom tailored to your needs Buffet or sit down for any size party. Dining Room & Ballroom Special Bridal Packages Catering for All Occasions up to 300 people • Weddings • Showers • Graduations • Anniversaries • Sweet 16 Birthday Parties Treat Your Palate to a Dining Experience of the THE QUEENS ank You to all who oted us Best of the Boro. We appreciate your patronage & support.
NST062013
To see the actual publication please follow the link above