240943 Sun Aug 24 00:38:17 -0700 2003 9 19 Outer Boroughs 0 1278710 I almost forgot, as one of the few hounds to live in the 80s in Jackson Heights I must mention that Coco and Zeta, owners of La Nueva Bakery on 37th Ave. at 86/87th (and brother/sister-in-law of El Chivito owner) are opening their new La Nueva Café at the corner of 37th Ave. and 85th Street this week, can't remember if it's open yet or on Monday. Now the family has three in a row. They will undoubtedly serve some of the sandwiches de milanesa (cutlets, veal and chicken), lots of great empanadas and some of the different goodies from the Cono Sur that they serve in the bakery. But they have long made extra, more elaborate things, even roast suckling pig, on holidays. Now they will certainly expand their menu, and they know how to cook, so stop by and try them out. La Nueva is already our most enjoyable bakery/coffee experience, so I'm sure they'll do a good job on this one. Enjoy, Jill Sun Aug 24 00:38:17 -0700 2003 0 JH Jill 1 1278717 I also live in the 80's and I'm looking forward to the new arrival tomorrow (8/25) especially since the one a block away is always so crowded. Have you noticed another new addition on 80th & 37th St. It's Seba Seba (the original one is on Northern Blvd & 82nd St). I haven't been there yet but plan to. Sun Aug 24 09:45:38 -0700 2003 1278710 0 Mike V 2 1278720 Don't you mean Argentinian-Uruguyan? Sun Aug 24 10:15:31 -0700 2003 1278717 0 Mark DiBlasi 3 1278731 No, I don't. Coco and his brother have a very Armenian last name which escapes me these days. One thing many U.S. Americans often don't consider is how much of a melting pot all of the Americas are. While Uruguayans have much in common with Argentines and once were Argentine, there are some differences. For example, when Uruguay became independent of Argentina, they ended up with just about everyone with African bloodlines, so they have music like candombe with its complex drumming, and Argentina has the tango and gaucho songs. I actually think there may be more Uruguayan than Argentine businesses right around here. I'm not sure, but I think maybe La Fusta is now Uruguayan too. Sun Aug 24 20:12:53 -0700 2003 1278720 0 JH Jill 4 1278734 OK, but where's the Armenian in the food? I've been to this place more than a few times, and I've never had anything remotely Armenian, except perhaps the quipe ("kibbe") which exisits all over Latin America via Syrian and Lebanese immigrants primarily. I'm only mentioning this because the owner's background is, in my view, irrelevant unless it somehow informs the food, which in this case does not seem to be the case. I've never heard anyone call Greenfield a "Brasilian/Korean" churrascaria, for example. Although that "salad bar" might actually make it such a place. Sun Aug 24 21:01:18 -0700 2003 1278731 0 Mark DiBlasi 5 1278738 I actually do call Greenfield Korean-Brazilian. I find it interesting and weird that all these churrascarias are Korean owned. It's like all the Chinese Fresco Tortillas (although Greenfield is much better). As for the Armenian-Uruguayan empire, I never interviewed them about any Armenian influence. I think the only thing I've seen is the chick-pea flour 'pizza' they sometimes serve. (That isn't quipe, is it? I think the name starts with 'f'.) Actually, the food has lots of Argentine influence, things like empanadas mendocinas, for example. And they have added a while Colombian dimension as a smart business tactic. (That's why they changed the name from La Nueva Riolatense.) I just find the whole phenomenon of the little immigrant food empires, some of which are expanding into other things besides food, to be an interesting topic. Someone asked me if I thought Jackson Heights would become more gentrified and lose the ethnic restaurants that, in our opinion, make it great. I answered that I thought the nabe would continue improving, but that some of the immigrant restauranteurs are proving to be quite the entrepreneur so I think the restuarants are here to stay, just getting more upscale. So, perhaps the Armenian-ness has little to do with things. It's an occupational hazard - I'm a cultural geographer who used to research food habits and how foods and food traits spread, so I'm always fascinated about people's ethnic origin and how they got where they are. Sun Aug 24 21:36:13 -0700 2003 1278734 0 JH Jill 3 1278732 No, I don't. Coco and his brother have a very Armenian last name which escapes me these days. One thing many U.S. Americans often don't consider is how much of a melting pot all of the Americas are. While Uruguayans have much in common with Argentines and once were Argentine, there are some differences. For example, when Uruguay became independent of Argentina, they ended up with just about everyone with African bloodlines, so they have music like candombe with its complex drumming, and Argentina has the tango and gaucho songs. I actually think there may be more Uruguayan than Argentine businesses right around here. I'm not sure, but I think maybe La Fusta is now Uruguayan too. Sun Aug 24 20:14:20 -0700 2003 1278720 0 JH Jill 2 1278824 I haven't tried Seba Seba yet either, but I miss the coffee shop that was there already. You could get really cheap breakfast there (eggs, toast, chorizo, coffee, orange juice, home fries) for around $4. The Seba Seba place looks like some sort of small chain, the wait staff even appears to be wearing some sort of cheesy uniform. Tue Aug 26 12:20:02 -0700 2003 1278717 0 ChrisinJH 1 1278781 Hm. I was in Sunnyside this weekend (considering making the Big Move across the Newtown Creek from Brooklyn to Queens) and I noticed that Yerevan, the only Armenian restaurant in town I knew of, was replaced by Harmony, a Romanian restaurant. Were you familiar with Yerevan and, if so, does the place you're talking about replicate some of the same dishes? Mon Aug 25 15:56:34 -0700 2003 1278710 0 JackS 2 1278802 No, the family is of Armenian origin, but the new place has nothing at all Armenian. The last time I had Armenian was in Glendale, CA which I highly recommend. I think there is some place in Brooklyn that's Armenian, but I know it is a very hard-to-find cuisine in NYC. Post a question to find out the current offerings. Mon Aug 25 19:45:04 -0700 2003 1278781 0 JH Jill