Joanna is the newest author on the BK Southie team, and she will be writing predominately about Sunset Park. Please be sure to welcome her. Enjoy! -Ed.
Living in Sunset Park all my life I have had my fair share of every type of food. In the eighties and early nineties there existed a few remaining Norwegian spots and Irish bars, unfortunately I was too young to remember much besides the smoked fish, freshly baked bread and some Sheppard’s pie. With all the passing years and all the new neighbors came a new trend of food which was much more exciting to the palate.
To start the tour of good food at great prices in Sunset Park I’ll begin with Maria’s Bistro Mexicano, this cute bistro style restaurant opened first in Park Slope and then in Sunset Park. A major plus about Maria’s is the indoor/outdoor option for dining along with the strong sangrias. Maria’s ingredients are always so fresh and filled with flavor that I sometimes wonder if they grow the vegetables there. For starters the Elote del Mercado is the best corn I have had in years, it is corn on the cob with mayo, chili, cheese and finally topped with lime, the sweetness of the corn and the heat of the chili pepper make it a great starter. The nachos are some of the best I’ve seen around Sunset Park, the freshly homemade chips stay crispy till the very end of the huge portion, which is very unlikely for nachos. The portions are very large and the flavors rich, you can’t go wrong with their huge super tacos (chorizo is my favorite) or any of their burritos for a very cheap dinner. The Rotisserie Chicken is savory and succulent, the El Molcajete Norteño is a great combination of beef and shrimp with salsas that satisfy that urge for spicy Mexican food. To top it all off on Saturdays and Sundays they offer a prolonged brunch until 4:00pm which for only $10.95 you can get a very hardy meal along with unlimited Mimosas, Bloody Maria’s, Champagne, Coffee or Tea that will leave you so full you will definitely be skipping out on dinner.
Maria’s Bistro Mexicano: 886 Fifth Avenue (Between 38th and 39th street) (official site | map)
The next stop is Redang Island located in Brooklyn’s China Town. This Malaysian restaurant is a new addition to the line of Asian restaurants along 8th Avenue. I prefer it over Nyonya, which was the first Malaysian restaurant to appear on the strip, since I feel the service and quality of food is slightly better. The menu is filled with a variety of mild dishes along side items you might cringe at, luckily the vast variety gives every customer a wide spectrum of items to choose from. A classic start is the Roti Canai which is a crispy thin crepe with curry chicken & potato dipping sauce, I recommend to keep the curry around for dipping later on. The tofu, chicken or beef satays are also good sharing appetizers that are complimented with a spicy homemade peanut sauce. The Malaysian culture is known for their many seafood dishes, the best way to order is to ask for a whole fried or steamed fish, depending on the type you like, and pairing this with coconut rice and the Sting Bean, Eggplant, Okra And Petai with spicy shrimp paste plate. If going solo they have great smaller rice dishes available, the Hainanese Chicken is very light/plain and works well with the curry from the Roti. The Nasi Lemak is a very common Malaysian rice dish packed with flavors of coconut, pine leaves, and curry chicken. If you’re in the mood for spare ribs the Redang deep fries these in either Champagne, Guinness or tops them with a honey sauce all under $10 for a entree. The perfect sweet ending to all the spicy food is requesting the dessert Pulut Hitam ($2) which is a creamy black sticky rice with coconut milk served hot/warm. The Redang Island is very affordable and even has lunch specials for $4.95 on weekdays, and lastly the portions are large enough for tomorrow’s lunch.
Redang Island: 5112 8th Avenue (Between 51st and 52nd street) (map)
These are two neighborhood favorites in Sunset Park which will leave you full and satisfied with thoughts of coming back for more next time to try something new! bon appetit!
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