Take a Trek, Get Rewarded

Disclaimer: This opinion is a shameless plug for food in the outer boroughs

New Yorkers sometimes like to brag that what makes us better than other cities like LA is being able to find 10 restaurants with 10 different cuisines on one block. For instance, a five minute walk along my street offers an American diner, a Spanish restaurant, a Georgian restaurant, and a steakhouse, and that doesn’t even cover the full gamut. Part of New York’s allure is having everything at your fingertips without moving more than an inch.

That said, when it comes to restaraunts, is convenience an advantage over other cities, or something that often blocks us from experiencing the full breadth of New York’s culinary riches? One thing I could do a better job of is eschewing convenience for exploration. My lazy feet may not like it, but more often than not my stomach will be rewarded.

Unlike most of Manhattan (yes I know there are still some concentrations there), the outer boroughs have generally given way to many more “pockets” of concentrated cuisines, and I think the city is all the better for it. In Astoria there are neighborhoods largely specializing in Greek or Egyptian restaurants. Throw a stone in Elmhurst and you are bound to hit a Thai restaurant. Flushing and Murray Hill are abound with Chinese and Korean food stalls. Jamaica scorches with Trinidadian and Guyanese cuisine. Not only are the options within each area more plentiful, but I have found the food to be consistently better across the board (opinion of one). Why is that?

From my limited exposure it seems to be the product of community and fierce competition.

Community: Concentrated pockets don’t pop up at random, they are the result of community, and even moreso, a product of affordability. When people immigrate, they need to find somewhere to live. Given the high barrier to entry of New York City, places outside of Manhattan are often the only viable option. That said, people want familiarity of language and culture, and for that reason, people of similar country origin tend to stick together.

Fierce Competition: Because these communities pop up, there is natural inclination to have a taste of home. Again, it is not surprising there is a plethora of Thai restaurants in Elmhurst, an area that has a large Thai population. In an enclave of immigrants who grew up eating what restaurants are selling, the food must sing. Otherwise business will be short-lived.

Conclusion: All of this leads me to the conclusion. Please do yourself a favor and spend some time trekking out of Manhattan island. Your tastes buds will thank you.

Below are some of the best meals I have had (to name a few) outside of Manhattan island:

1. Sripraphai for Thai

2. Hamido & Sabry’s for Egyptian Seafood

3. Shashlik House for Uzbek kebabs

4. East Harbor Seafood Palace for dim sum

5. Dosa Hutt for Indian Dosa

6. Lakruwana for weekend Sri Lankan buffet

7. Falafel Tenami for falafel