Further Info on the Chow

From Friday's Diary

The Orchard is at 1367 Coney Island Avenue; 718-377-1799.

Chiffon's Bake shop is at 1373 Coney Island Avenue; 718-258-8822.

Olympic Pita is at 1419 Coney Island Avenue; 718-258-6222.

All three are between Avenues J and K.

Just a short walk from there lies the most amazing neighborhood pizzeria, where a soulful old man grinds mozzarella by hand for each pie, and every bite (they also make pasta, hot heroes, etc.) is a revelation. It's like the best 1963 Brooklyn neighborhood pizza joint preserved in amber. But I've given up enough free tips … for this one, you're gonna have to check out my book, The Eclectic Gourmet Guide to Greater New York City: The Undiscovered World of Hyperdelicious Offbeat Eating in All Five Boroughs.

From Thursday's Diary

Annie's Restaurant is at 149, Route 9W, Stony Point, N.Y.; 914-942-1011. Obviously, get the onion rings! If anyone finds other good (or bad!) stuff there, please let the chowhound community know on the Chowhound.com Tristate Area message board. Of course, I'll do likewise after my next visit.

La Isla Buffet is at around (nobody seems to know for sure) 16 Main Street, Haverstraw, N.Y.; 914-429-7870 and offers (a steal for $4.95!) a terrific all-you-can-eat, including things like tender baked chicken, roast pork with red onion, and fried plantains … all the usual stuff, but of uncommonly high quality. The room is fairly boxy and desolate, but at least some of the staff speaks good English.

Just down the block, Las Comadres (11 Main Street, Haverstraw, N.Y.; 914-942-5360) feels more like a restaurant, but the staff's a lot less friendly. And the food, while good (and benefiting from to-order preparation of many items, unlike the steam tables at La Isla), didn't give me the same buzz.

From Wednesday's Diary

Tony and Tina's Pizzeria is at 24-79 Arthur Ave. at East 189^th Street, the Bronx; 718-733-8094. If you go, make sure they reheat your bourek slice in the oven, not in the microwave (which wrecks the crust)!

I don't know the name of the Chilean bakery, but it's right next to a restaurant called La Serena (which I've not yet tried) at 180 Valley St., Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.; 914-332-4453.

The only remaining sit-down purely Portuguese restaurant that I know of in Ossining now is Restaurant Portugal, at 84 Croton Ave., Ossining, N.Y.; 914-923-4325. They're especially good for açorda (the Portuguese version of Castillian garlic soup, but with lots of coriander) and anything with shrimp, but, while a fantastic meal can be had here, quality varies tremendously. I suspect that there are still more places to find.

La Puerta (formerly Lisboa á Noite) 107-109 Main Str., Ossining, N.Y.; 914-941-4479.

From Tuesday's Diary

Kabab Cafe is at 25-12 Steinway St., Astoria, Queens; 718-728-9858. It's a terrific, friendly hole-in-the-wall run by a riotous fellow named Ali, who looks like a cross between Plácido Domingo and Fred Flintstone. You eat right in his kitchen, and the banter flies faster than the potatoes careening around his hot skillets. Don't even look at the menu; discuss options with Ali, and either let him improvise or else challenge him to prepare whatever you crave.

If I was in my right mind, I'd have gone to the good Pakistani place, Kabab King Palace at 74-15 37 Rd., Jackson Heights, Queens; 718-205-8800 (avoid their buffet lunch).

This part of Jackson Heights used to be more of an Indian nabe, but none of the local Indian restaurants are great anymore; the famous Jackson Diner (which I was first to review back in 1992) went badly downhill when they expanded and moved down 74^th Street. Your best bet among them these days, though, is Ashoka, at 74-14 37^th Ave.; 718-898-5088.