44 THE QUEENS COURIER • CASUAL DINING • JULY 18, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
casual dining
File photo/QNS
Six great places to enjoy Queens’ best Asian food
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com
@jenna_bagcal
What do hot pot, momo, lumpia and
saag paneer all have in common? Food
enthusiasts don’t have to leave Queens to
get a taste of these delicious Asian dishes.
According to a report put together by
Queens College, Asian Americans were
the fastest growing major racial/ethnic
group in New York City between 2000
and 2010.
Over 508,000 Asians, or 22.8 percent of
the borough’s population, lived in Queens
according to numbers from the 2010
Census, making them the third largest
group behind white and Hispanic populations.
U.S. Census Bureau data from
2017 showed that the Asian population
in Queens had grown to over 592,000, or
25. 3 percent of the borough’s population.
Th ese growing numbers account for
the infl ux of Asian cuisine available in
Queens. Countries with the top representation
include India, China, the
Philippines, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.
Th e following is a list of some tasty
restaurants from the top Asian groups in
Queens. By no means is this an exhaustive
list, just one to get burgeoning foodies
started on their journeys.
1. Adda Indian Canteen
(India) 31-31 Thomson
Ave., Long Island City
Adda Indian Canteen opened its doors
back in September and people have been
fl ocking to Long Island City for a taste of
the “unapologetic” Indian cuisine. Th e
culinary team of Roni Mazumdar and
Chef Chintan Pandya aim to give diners
an authentic Indian food experience
when they walk through the doors. Adda,
meaning “a place to hang out” serves up
food that Mazumdar and Pandya had
growing up, including Kale Pakoda, whole
fried kale leaves covered in ground chickpeas
and Murgh Rezala, a half-chicken
marinated in yogurt and served with
green chili and egg.
Courtesy of Adda Indian Canteen
2. You Garden Xiao Long Bao
(China) 41-07 Bell Blvd., Bayside
Th ose who want an authentic Chinese
food experience can hit up Bayside’s Bell
Boulevard to check out You Garden Xiao
Long Bao. Th e restaurant specializes in
food from the Shanghai region and is the
fi rst expansion for the owners of Shanghai
You Garden Dumpling House in downtown
Flushing. Popular dishes include
the the traditional Peking Duck, xiao long
bao steamed dumplings fi lled with savory
soup and mango shrimp.
3. Tito Rad’s Grill (Philippines)
49-10 Queens Blvd., Woodside
Filipino food is gaining a lot of traction
these days, so what better place
to take your fi rst foray than Tito Rad’s
Grill in Woodside. Th e eatery is known
for its delicious takes on “lutong bahay”
or comfort foods that you eat at home.
Chef and owner Mario Albenio opened
the restaurant with his wife Susan in
2006. Diners can taste popular dishes
like Adobo with your choice of pork
chicken or other protein marinated
in vinegar and soy sauce or lumpiang
shanghai, a fried vegetable, pork and
shrimp eggroll. Hungry for breakfast?
Try one of their many “silog” dishes — a
fried egg with garlic fried rice and your
choice of meat.
4. Watawa Sushi (Japan) 33-10
Ditmars Blvd., Astoria
As its name implies, Watawa Sushi is
known for delicious sushi, sashimi and
handrolls. Th e list includes popular
options like salmon, tuna and eel, but
those craving something more special
can chow down on sushi fi lled with lobster,
shrimp or soft -shell crab. Diners in
the mood for other types of Japanese cuisine
are also in luck and can choose from
various teriyaki options or a whole list of
udon soups.
5. Tang (Korea) 196-50
Northern Blvd., Bayside
Th is restaurant is a Korean food lover’s
dream. Its name is derived from a popular
soup that requires a longer cooking time
than basic “guk” soup. Certain types of
tang, like a spicy fi sh hot pot variety, are
communal dishes to be shared, while others
like beef rib soup are served in single
portions. Th e menus are divided into several
categories of Korean dishes, including
jeon, fried pieces of whole, sliced or
minced protein and vegetables and well
known rice dishes like bibimbap and bulgogi.
6. JoJu (Vietnam), 83-25
Broadway, Elmhurst
In the mood for Vietnamese? JoJu is the
place for you. Th e restaurant serves up a
modern take on Vietnamese classics like
sandwiches and rice bowls. Foodies can
get the Classic bahn mi sandwich, which
is made with slices of Vietnamese ham,
headcheese with pâté and pork house
sauce or the Vegetarian option, which
has slices of mock ham made from tofu.
JoJu was started in 2012 by sisters Julie
and Joanna, with help from Joanna’s husband
Scott. Th ey “reinvented” bahn mi
sandwiches by including ingredients from
other Asian countries like bulgogi from
Korea and Kakuni pork belly from Japan.
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