Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Where to Get Great Pao De Queijo?


I love Brazilian food and there's plenty of it in Astoria.  One of my favorite Brazilian specialties happens to be something other than meat.  It's the indulgent, cheesy bread called Pao de Queijo.  I first got introduced to it by my dear friend Tamah, who originally tasted it in Brazil.  She raved about it so much that I had to try it, and needless to say, I absolutely loved it.

That's why when I saw Grub Street's post about the 14 best places to get Pao De Queijo in New York, I got excited - especially when I saw a couple of Astorian joints mentioned.  New York Pao de Queijo on 30th Street and Broadway came in at #7.  I further explored this place online and it seems awesome - offering inexpensive Brazilian-style sandwiches and burgers.  Where else can you get a burger with corn, potato stix and mayo for $3.95?

But getting back to the Pao de Queijo, "Always Hungry" blog, who's referenced on Grub Street calls New York Pao de Queijo's bread "similar in size to the average version in Brazil," and "flaky, with a thin-cracked outer texture that covers a chewy interior--like eating a ball of cheesy tapioca."  While this delicacy comes at a premium, $1.75 for just one, I bet it's worth it.  Can't wait to check it out!

I also called around the neighborhood to check where else you can get Pao de Queijo and the options aren't plentiful to say the least.  Favela and Malagueta, two well-known Brazilian eateries in Astoria don't carry it.  Luckily, I found a great deal on it at the Brazilian supermarket, Rio Market for $1.99-$3.29 per bag.  If you're interested in trying it and sharing it with friends, this option might be the one for you.

Bom apetite!

New York Pao de Queijo - 31-90 30th Street, Astoria NY 11106
718.204.1979
N/W Train to Broadway

Rio Market - 32-15 36th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.706.7272
N/W Train to 36th Avenue

2 comments:

  1. Chocolate Spoon on 31st ave has them, as well as a pretty good X-Frango.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ohhh good tip - thanks Pork Chop.

    ReplyDelete

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