Visiting from SF, not sure where to start

[Candice]

Hey. I'm staying in the West Village for a week or so. I have plenty of ideas for sushi, upscale dinners, pizza, pastrami, food in Manhattan proper but am overwhelmed with where to go in the Outer Boroughs. I'm planning on spending 1 day exploring and am dependent on public transportation. I feel like I get my fair share of Mexican and various other types of Latin cuisine in SF and would like to focus on what I can't get in the Bay Area. We also have decent to good Thai and Vietnamese food out here, so I would probably skip those in favor of something different. Spicy food is definitely a plus otherwise I eat pretty much everything and am half Chinese. Thanks for any ideas.

[skooldya1]

In Brooklym hit up Brighton Beach for amazing Russian food..it's a bit of a haul via public trans, but it's worth it
In Queens, take the 7 train or LIRR to Flushing main street for great Chinese food...For sit-down sichuan restaurant, Spicy and Tasty is the best, and Joe's Shanghai is good for that genre (soup dumplings!) Also, Ocean Jewels is great for dim sum. However, one of the best parts of Flushing main street is all the little food court malls...go to Corner 28 for Duck buns, Chengdu Heaven stall in the basement food court mall on 41-28 mainstreet for more great sichuan (such as the killer dan dan noodles)--however, all the menu items are in Chinese. Also, you can get awesome scallion pancakes and pork buns at AA Plaza under the LIRR

For great Indonesian, hit up Minangasli in Jackson Heights. Deshi Bryant in Jackson Heights has very good Indian.

The best Italian heroes in the world are found at Leo's LAtticini aka Mama's in Corona

For Nigerian food, go to Testac Grill in East NY Brooklyn

[Astoria Lurker]

I think something excellent for you would be Brazilian, Greek and Bosian in Astoria.

For Brazilian, check out Malagueta, Favela or Sabor Tropical
For Greek, try Philoxenia, Agnanti or Zenon
For Bosnian, I'm less familiar but a search here should yield good results.

[LNG212]

This was a post from a little while ago about Queens (food along the 7 train) ... http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/3673... . You have to scroll through the whole post because people updated and by the end I think there's something on every stop. Maybe that's an idea for your day.

[Geo8rge]

As to Brooklyn:

Caribbean? see posts for jerk chicken/pork and Roti, and other stuff. Sugar Cane is an upscale bar restaurant I usually suggest. Scoops is a caribbean vegeterian "Ital" place on flatbush (no seating eat at counter or nearby park). Otherwise you can go to the Brooklyn museam.botanical gardens and walk down Flatbush and try stuff.

Coney Island avenue, CIA, has a number of Pakistani places.

Polish food, see posts. Most places have a 'polish plate', order a beer to go with it.

Russian try M&I International

Consider renting a bicycle. NYC has an offical bicycle map.

Bonnie's grill has upstate NY food - Buffalo wings, Beef on Weck, ect. Might be interesting as it is the real thing.

Someone posted about 1 day in brookly a week ago find that post

[Candice]

Thanks for the bike idea and the other advice. I've been reading over the other posts but there are so many of them!

[Geo8rge]

If you did get a bike one plan would be to cross the Brooklyn Bridge, Ride down Henry to Union (union & Henry is Mazzola's Bakery, lard bread). Proceed down union to Prospect Park. From prospect park you will go to Ocean parkway. Follow the bike path on ocean parkway to Coney Island(the place not the avenue). M&I international food store is near by.

Running parallel to Ocean Parkway is Coney Island ave. CIA is a bit tough to bike. But if you ride down ocean parkway to ave J you can ride to CIA. J and CIA are a number of Jewish deli and bakeries (Rye Bread). Also DiFara pizza if you are interested.

There are a number of Pakistani place along CIA, if you need a rec. I like Pakiza http://www.chow.com/places/17770. But there are many others.

The NYC bike map, available free at many bike shops and for download is very good.

[gfood]

Consider Madiba, a South African restaurant in Fort Greene. The atmosphere is fun, the food is unique, and it's spicey. Fort Greene is a fun neighborhood to explore, and will give you a flavor of Brownstone Brooklyn (which may remind you of San Francisco!!). I bring my Manhattan friends there often; nothing quite like it in Manhattan.

Enjoy

[jen kalb]

I think Madiba has great decor and atmosphere, and there can be music there but if food is a priority it will disappoint.

Brighton Beach with its Russian and Georgian Food would probably be pretty interesting for a West Coast person, ditto also for Brooklyn west indian.