Guía del pequeño Bangladesh de Jamaica
Publicado 12/06/2021
Jamaica, Queens, se encuentra entre los vecindarios más poblados y diversos de la ciudad de Nueva York. Su mezcla multinacional, su ubicación central y su fácil accesibilidad han atraído a olas de inmigrantes a lo largo de los años, y uno de sus grupos de más rápido crecimiento en la actualidad es la comunidad de Bangladés. (También hay grandes comunidades de Bangladeshi en Jackson Heights y en el vecindario Kensington de Brooklyn).
Pasea por Hillside Avenue para encontrar ejemplos de la cultura bangladesí. Durante el Ekushey de febrero (Día Internacional de la Madre Lengua, en honor al movimiento del idioma bangla), las calles están llenas de Bengalis celebrando con atuendos tradicionales rojos y blancos. Visite durante uno de los muchos festivales, como Boishakhi Mela (Año Nuevo de Bengali) de primavera, para disfrutar de la música, el teatro y la danza. Ven a comprar en cualquier momento; admira joyas, saris, lehengas y salwar kameez en Riwaz; y visita uno de los muchos mercados halal para obtener especias y productos frescos.
Por encima de todo, pruebe la auténtica cocina bangladesí en uno de los muchos restaurantes del Strip. Siga leyendo para ver los platos y los lugares que no debe perderse.
1
Ghoroa
1
168-41 Hillside Ave.
Bangladeshi cuisine shares spices with India but also has Persian, Turkish and Arabic influences. Stop in at Ghoroa for delicious omelets at breakfast, or go later for the assortment of vajis (fried snacks), kebabs and curries, available throughout the day. Paratha, chapati and naan breads are made to order. Dinner favorites include the bihari kebab, chicken tikka masala and well-spiced lamb chops. The large seating area means you can take your time with your meal. Ghoroa has a sister location in Kensington.
Photo: Lanna Apisukh
2
Sagar
2
168-25B Hillside Ave.
Sagar, originally a catering business, has served Bangladeshis for occasions from weddings to family get-togethers. A classic meal here consists of their roast chicken with pulao and a shami kebab (fried patties of meat and chickpea or split pea). Sagar is also known for their many versions of biryani—a rice dish slowly cooked with proteins, vegetables and aromatic spices—including kacchi biryani and hajir biryani. Try an order of beef tehari, a favorite biryani that’s cooked with mustard oil.
Photo: Lanna Apisukh
3
Dhaka Sweets
3
168-32 Hillside Ave.
Bangladeshi cuisine has a long history of sweets, with one of the earliest and best-known desserts being kheer—a simple preparation of milk, rice or vermicelli, sugar and cardamom. Pick up a bowl of this favorite to finish off a meal at Dhaka, which might consist of snacks such as dal puri (spiced lentil filling) and samosas (potatoes or meat in pastry shells).
Photo: Lanna Apisukh
4
Premium Sweets
4
168-03 Hillside Ave.
With its extensive assortments of sweets—there are six types of jelabi (a deep-fried confection) alone—this is a perfect place to pick up your favorite. Complement whatever treats you get with doodh cha, a Bengali milk tea flavored with cardamom, ginger and other spices. At this popular spot to adda (gather and socialize), you’ll find Bangladeshis enjoying an afternoon cha and chatting with friends. There are sister locations in Jackson Heights and the Bronx.
Photo: Lanna Apisukh
5
Dhanshiri
5
169-28 Hillside Ave.
Dhanshiri tantalizes diners with halal Bengali-style Chinese food. When Chinese chefs arrived in Dhaka, they improvised by making their own noodles and finding substitute spices and ingredients. The resulting recipes and cooking methods are Cantonese- and Hakka-influenced but adjusted to Bangladeshi tastes. Try the gobi Manchurian (deep-fried cauliflower), Drums of Heaven (a twist on lollipop chicken), dumplings or corn soup. Dhanshiri also offers fine-dining Indian fusion options such as salmon tikka and tandoori specialties.
Photo: Lanna Apisukh
6
Chang Pai
6
166-12 Hillside Ave.
Take a lunch break at Chang Pai, where you can find full-course meals for under $10. (Bangladesh is the only country in the South Asian region that has developed a multicourse-meal style similar to the modern French service à la russe style.) At this Bengali, Thai and Chinese restaurant, that includes soup, fried rice and choice of protein. There is an assortment of fried-rice dishes cooked to various degrees of spiciness. Choose from the pineapple or Thai basil fried rice, or get more adventurous with the Manchurian, masala or Chang Pai styles.
Photo: Lanna Apisukh
7
Amina Thai
7
169-22 Hillside Ave.
On the corner of 169th Street and Hillside is one of the few halal Thai restaurants, opened up by a Thai Muslim. Amina attracts a large Bangladeshi clientele, who come for Thai iced tea and dishes such as drunken noodles, pad Thai, chicken satay and the Indian-influenced massaman curry. You may want to make reservations; this is a popular place to celebrate milestone events.
Photo: Lanna Apisukh
8
Tong
8
168th Street and Hillside Ave.
This fuchka cart, which started in Jackson Heights, is a recent neighborhood addition. Fuchka (also known as gol gappa and pani puri), a popular Bangladeshi street-food snack, consists of a white pea and potato filling cooked with various spices in a semolina shell—though it’s the tamarind water that makes the dish. They are best eaten as soon as they are served.
Photo: Lanna Apisukh
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