Tortilleria Nixtamal's owners Shauna Page and Fernando Ruiz have even more
to smile about after receiving a Snail of Approval from Slow Food NYC.
Four months ago I lambasted Slow Food NYC for having awarded its Snail of Approval to just two deserving Queens food establishments: the Greenmarket system and Astoria's Vesta Trattoria and Wine Bar. At the time I nominated two artisanal food producers in Corona—Timmy O’s Frozen Custard and Tortilleria Nixtamal—for the honor. I am proud to say that the snail has landed at both shops, which are now displaying the Snail of Approval decal in their windows.
“I love the Snails given to Nixtamal and Timmy O's for a number of reasons: First, because they extend the reach of the Snail directory way out into a neighborhood of Queens that few Manhattan and Brooklyn foodies would otherwise know,” David Berman, co-chair of Slow Food NYC's Snail of Approval subcommittee said via e-mail.
The group's heart and stomach are in the right place, but surely Berman can’t believe folks in Manhattan and Brooklyn haven’t heard of the neighborhood that’s been home to the Lemon Ice King of Corona for 65 years. Never mind the fact that both Tortilleria Nixtamal and Timmy O’s have been covered in both mainstream daily newspapers as well as lauded by numerous food blogs. For the record, the ladies serving delicious Ecuadorean specialties out of shopping carts on Roosevelt Avenue do work way out in Corona and are probably unknown by Manhattan and Brooklyn foodies who are obsessed with the Central American food wonderland that is the Red Hook Ballfields.
Berman continues: “second, because of what they say about "authenticity," and what it means in a country like the USA and a city like New York; third, because both places have a complicated relationship with "sustainability," which is as it should be, because sustainability is complicated.”
Will Hugue Dufour's M. Wells get a Snail of Approval?
Once I was done marveling at the communiqué from Slow Food NYC I placed congratulatory phone calls to custard king Timothy O’Leary and tortilla queen Shauna Page. Then I tried to think of who else in Queens deserves a Snail of Approval. The first place that came to mind was M. Wells, the new self-styled Québéco-American diner in Long Island City. (If making your own English muffins from freshly milled flour and grinding heritage breed pork into sausage patties for breakfast sandwiches doesn’t qualify as “slow food” then I don’t know what does.) The restaurant’s owners, Hugue Dufour and Sarah Obraitis also happen to be big fans of both Tortilleria Nixtamal and Timmy O’s.
“Hugue and I’d be delighted, but we’d also be slightly shy about accepting a Snail,” said Obraitis who was raised in Queens. “There are thousands of other more well–seasoned establishments in Queens that deserve it,” she pointed out saying that she’d rather see a lesser known ethnic place get some love from Slow Food NYC.
After consulting with the restaurant’s staff, largely made up of other Queens natives with the notable exception of Québécois farm boy Dufour, Obraitis shared three places she’d like to see receive recognition from Slow Food NYC: Spicy Mina, Dosa Place, and Buen Sabor. The first is a wonderful Indian eatery that’s a favorite of Edible Queens’ publisher Leah McLaughlin. The second is a top-notchspot for Indian crepes know as dosai, and will be sampling its food at next Monday's Asian Feastival. Obraitis’ third pick is a new one on me, but she vouches for its Colombian tamales.
Perhaps I was a bit hasty in my judgment of Berman’s statement as he did go on to say: “‘Authenticity’ in NYC doesn't just mean “native” and “local”—it refers to dozens, maybe hundreds of microcultures that maintain their identities with some creative combination of transplantation, importation and adaptation.” I can only hope that Slow Food NYC comes to embrace more of these microcultures, many of which are represented here in Queens.
As I did four months ago I encourage readers to go here to nominate establishments that engender Slow Food’s ideal of food that is “good, clean, and fair.” Be sure to comment saying who you picked and why.
Timmy O’s Frozen Custard, 49-07 104 St., Corona, 516-242-1843
Tortilleria Nixtamal, 104-05 47 Ave., Corona, 718-699-2434
M. Wells Diner, 21-17 49th Ave., Long Island City, 718-425-6917
Spicy Mina, 64-23 Broadway, Woodside, 718-205-2340
Dosa Place, 35-66 73rd St., Jackson Heights, 718-397-1000
El Buen Sabor Bakery, 45-07 Queens Boulevard, Sunnyside, 718-361-8714
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