Best of the E/F Line?

[Xiao Yang]

I'm contemplating a return to New York as a part-time resident (after 45 years!) and have been focusing on the 7 line corridor due to good, cheap and diverse ethnic eats and bargain basement housing prices (in old Co-ops). However, I've been advised not to rule out the Rego Park-Kew Gardens corridor which apparently has the same attractions.

There was a great collaborative thread on "Best of the 7 Line" and I'd love to see something similar for the E/F line covering all stations in the whole corridor out to Jamaica (including the local stops on the G/R/V). I've seen a bit on "Registan" but in general this area hasn't gotten the same attention the 7 line corridor has. Anyone care to start?

For reference, the "Best of the 7 Line" thread is here:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/367338

[Miss Day]

There's a sort of cheesy, over-the-top Italian place (think Moonstruck) on Ascan Avenue in Forest Hills. Mussels fra diavlo that I pine for.

Bann Thai on Austin Street, on perhaps 69th Ave.

Finally, though this place isn't worth a trek, Chicken House, on Kew Gardens Road. Totally basic, charbroiled chicken done right.

[Polecat]

I think some of the places/locales mentioned are stretching what it means to be "on the E/F line."

Perhaps we should define some parameters. I have often chosen, for instance, to walk to the Elmhurst/Bway shopping center area(Chao Thai, Minangasli, Taste Good, etc_) from 74th and Bway, and I know that to be anywhere bet. 10 and 15 minutes. Of course, you can switch to the R and be there much quicker. But Tangra Masala? That's two station stops and anywhere bet 20 and 25 minutes walking. By that same token/logic, you could easily say that Tangra Masala was on the 7 line as well.

To my memory, all or most of the 7 train places mentioned were actually on the 7 line, meaning that the 7 was the closest actual train. How close is Steinway street - which I consider to be on the R line - to the nearest E or F?
P.

[hatless]

I think the point is that if you live along the E/F, as the original poster is considering, you also have easy access to the R/V locals and vice versa, especially since the local and express on those lines stop at the same platform.

[Xiao Yang]

You got the point. My "best of all possible worlds" scenario (food-wise) is to live near the 74th/Roosevelt stations where the E/F/G/R/V all stop (as well as the 7, but that's another list).

I definitely will be imposing a walking distance limitation. I already have a (fairly exhaustive) dump of restaurant names, addresses, and distance from subway stations from Delorme Street Atlas USA+ 2008 software. It'll be 1/4 to 1/3 mile from any subway stop. A lot of the good stuff is located as close as possible to Metro stations by design.

[Polecat]

Some undermentioned places/stops in Queens: El Rey's, an underrated Dominican diner, as well as El Comal, a recently renovated Salvadoran Pupuseria, are both a stone's throw away from the Sutphin F stop on Hillside. There is also a new branch of Pio Pio on Hillside, closer to the Parsons stop, I believe. If you're in the mood for a good bialy, get off at the Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike stop, and head to a Thai owned neighborhood staple, name of Hot Bialys (Of course, Kossar's is also on the F line too, isn't it. East Broadway stop).
P.

[Xiao Yang]

Here's what I have so far. I'm going by a "Station Master List" for the IND Queens line I found on Wikipedia. I'm not including a couple of Brooklyn suggestions because that would involve a very roundabout trip through Manhattan. My eventual final list will include a cuisine classification and distance from nearest subway station (some may be eliminated based on that). My idea is to come up with a chow-worthy list of eats in Queens a short fop by subway from either of the two 74th/Roosvelt stations without a transfer. Please comment on my preliminary list, and keep up the good work!

23rd Street–Ely Avenue:

Queens Plaza:
Bulgara
Bosnian Hamburger Place?

36th Street:
Malaqueta

Steinway Street:
Zenon
Stamatis
Philoxenia
Al-Omda
Kebab
Mombar
Favela
Tacos Mexico
Cruz Mexican Products
Stari Most
Ukus
S.C. Rudar Sports Club
Brasilianville Café

46th Street:
Ponticello
Luna
Sorisa
Stove
Poodam's
New York Diner

Northern Boulevard:
Sapori d'Ischia
Orange Hut

65th Street:
Sripraphai
Soicy Mina
Renee's
Ilhawan

Roosevelt Avenue–Jackson Heights:
Deshi
Kababish
Sammy's Food Cart
Coatzingo
UFC
Pequena Colombia
Tierras Colombiana
Cosita Ricas
Zabb Queens
Burmese Café
Dosa Diner
Thai Son

Elmhurst Avenue:
Chao Thai
Minangasli
High Pearl
Lin's
Upi Jaya
Lao Bei Fan
Sugar Club

Grand Avenue–Newtown:
Tangra
East Buffet
Georgia Diner

Woodhaven Boulevard:

63rd Drive–Rego Park:
Cheburechnaya
Ben's Best

67th Avenue:
Arzu
Knish Knosh
Andre's

Forest Hills–71st Avenue:

75th Avenue:

Union Turnpike–Kew Gardens:
Hot Bialys

Briarwood–Van Wyck:

Sutphin Boulevard:

El Rey's
El Comal

Parsons Boulevard:

Pio Pio

169th Street:
Ghoroa
Sagar

179th Street

P.S., aren't there some Guyanese places around Jamaica near the Metro?

[Brian S]

Great job!!!!!!!! The Bosnian hamburger joint is Bosna Express. http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0...

It and Bulgara are near the 21-Queensbridge stop on the F line, not the Queens Plaza stop on the E line.

[Xiao Yang]

Thanks. Somehow I missed that station, probably because technically it belongs to a different historical line, the IND 63rd St. line. But I need to add it in, because it meets my criteria. Likewise, I forgot to include the Archer Avenue Jamaica Branch.

[Astoria Lurker]

Its Sorriso at 46th street, not Sorisa.

Also, add La Vuelta (excellent Latin) at 23rd/Ely

[welle]

S.C. Rudar Sports Club and Brasilianville Café are just a block and half away from the 46th Street station (front car from Manhattan).

[bigjeff]

love Hot Bialys! been going there since high school and, my favorite in the city.

[bigjeff]

I can add plenty but for now, registan is no more.

[Xiao Yang]

Youse guys is goin' great, thanks! I'll soon compile a station-by-station list of what you've given me so far for further review, correction and amplification, as was done in the case of the 7 line.

[erica]

If it is not too much trouble, maybe put how far the place is from the station, ie number of blocks. I look forward to seeing when you are done. Good luck on your move, too.

[hatless]

...and:

Steinway: Cruz Mexican Products (oh, those gorditas)

Steinway or 46th St.: Stari Most and Ukus (Bosnian); S. C. Rudar Sports Club (Istrian); Brasilianville Cafe.

46th: Poodam's (new Issaan Thai on Broadway in a space where an awful Thai used to be); the New York Diner on Northern (above-average coffee shop)

Northern Blvd.: Orange Hut (good, cheap greasy-spoon breakfasts)

65th: Spicy Mina's (Bangladeshi), Sripaphai

74th: Zabb Queens (Issan Thai), Burmese Cafe, Dosa Diner, various paan vendors, Indo-pak grocers and Indian sweet shops; Thai Son (serviceable Vietnamese); a couple of Korean and Korean-Chinese places I haven't tried.

Elmhurst Av.: Various Chinese and Korean bakeries; Sugar Club (Thai snacks); a couple of Asian supermarkets

Grand/Newtown: Another good stop for some of the same things as Elmhurst Av.; the Georgia Diner; another Chinese market; Also, a Target :)

Woodhaven Av.: Not much chow I know of, but it's the best stop for the mall with a Macy's in it and you could walk to Grand/Newtown or Rego Park for a bite afterwards.

[welle]

Hatless, tell me more about Orange Hut - have always been curious about that place.

[Widmark]

I went to Orange Hut once and had a small burger. What I call bowling alley fare, though I often quite like those kind of burgers. What was funny was some guy coming in and asking for a sprite, the man behind the counter says "we don't have any cold cans" so the customer says "can I have a glass with ice" and the man behind the counter says "we don't have any ice". What kind of diner doesn't have ice?

[hatless]

Old-school greasy-spoon, no more, no less. Two properly moist, fluffy scrambled eggs, competent hash browns, 4 slices of crisp cheap bacon, toast and coffee will set you back $4 including tax. Formica counters, 19 stools so they don't have to provide a restroom, a short-order cook who knows what he's doing and an old hand-painted menu board. Narrow selection of items, canned soda, and OJ in a carton.

Nothing amazing, but a good surviving example of a dying breed.

[Brian S]

I'll try to list a few off the top of my head. I'll limit it to Queens. otherwise I'll be writing pages on the Fujianese places near the East Broadway stop.

21-Queensbridge Bulgara, and there's also a Bosnian hamburger place
Steinway St -- Astoria, which is as gastronomically diverse as the empire of Alexander the Great (and covers much of the same territory, plus Mexico and Brazil). Greek: Zenon, Stamatis, Philoxenia (if it ever reopens) Egyptian: Al-Omda, Kebab, Mombar Brazilian: Malagueta, Favela And lots more

46 St -- Ponticello

Northern -- Sapori d'Ischia

65 St - Sripraphai, Mina's, Renee's, Ihawan and many Filipino, Mexican, Irish, Salvadorian, etc

74 St -- Deshi, Kababish, Kabab King, Sammy's food cart, Coatzingo, UFC, a million other Mexican, Indian, Colombian (including Pequena Colombia, Tierras Colombiana, Cosita Ricas)

Elmhurst -- Chao Thai, Minangasli, High Pearl (Cantonese), Lin's (Taiwanese)

Grand -- Tangra, lots of others but I'm reaching the limit of my territory.

[JFores]

Totally forgot the East Broadway stop! List away!

[Xiao Yang]

Not here, please. I'm trying to stick to Queens/Brooklyn in my compilations.

HOWEVER, a list of East Broadway Fujianese places would be a GREAT thread for the Manhattan board. I don't think anyone has done that systematically.

[Brian S]

I've posted about quite a few on the Manhattan board. One example, my favorite of those posts:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/334386

[welle]

For Malagueta, I'd get off at 33rd st station;
Elmhurst ave: Upi Jaya, Lao Bei Fan Dumpling house and many more
Grand ave: East buffet
63rd ave: Cheburechnaya, Ben's Best
67th ave; Arzu (my personal fave and right on the block of the subway station), Knish knosh, Andre's
71st ave - there are tons of posts on FH on this board
75th ave - non-chow related, nevertheless deserves special mention - Emilio's ski shop - good deals, great trips and knowledgable and helpful staff
Kew Gardens - I read on this board there are tons of Israeli restaurants

[Astoria Lurker]

Malagueta would be the 36th street stop on the R/V
Don't forget Tacos Mexico at Steinway and Luna at 46th
Sorriso at 46th (up 2 blocks to 30th ave)
Stove at 46th (up 3 blocks to 28th ave)

[welle]

That's right - 36th st. stop, pardon my 7 train vernacular. I think there is also a new arepas cafe around there...

[JFores]

Let's see... starting from Brooklyn you've got Deback Malick on Fulton, The Islands is very close to that stop as well (Franklin Ave), Chao Thai in Elmhurst among about half a dozen other Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai places of extreme notoriety and quality. The Kew Gardens section goes close enough to the amazing Bukharan/Uzbek spots such as Cheburechnaya. Once you get to Jamaica proper, it's not a very long walk to 169th and Hillside which is one of the centers of Queens' massive Bangladeshi community. Eat at either Ghoroa or Sagar.