It's still hot and I'm still itchy, and another spurt of busy-ness is finally over. I won't go on about the bad food at Javits. Just get on to the past week of better eating.
I'll start by saying that B and I went to Rai Rai Ken one day(10th Street bet 1st and 2nd Ave), and it is just really good ramen. B had the seafood fried rice. But they had antibacterial soap! Alas.
Last Wednesday, Susan, Jill, and I met for dinner where Michelle works,Cafe Deville. http://www.cafedevillenyc.com I have to say, I was surprised at the quality of the food. It was also comfortable and not super noisy. I had the "vegetable strudel" and Michelle was right that it wasn't a good description. It was flaky philo with goat cheese, bell peppers and green beans inside. Mmm. My mashed potatoes looked like ghost poops, but was also good. Susan's skate dish was loaded with capers and on a bed of potatoes. The only thing not up to par was the peach puff dessert.
In the area of Chiense take-out, I decided to try the other highly recommended(online) place in Astoria besides Dragon and Phoenix on 31st, Wah Fung on Steinway and Ditmars. I was pleased to find a similar dish to my fave at Wu Liang Ye, the tangerine shrimp. It was a decent sweet and sour version. The other items were pretty good. BUT, now that I've eaten there twice, I have to say the shrimp was "shrimpy" Also, Wah Fung got my order for "chow fun" wrong and gave me "chow fon"(fried rice) by mistake. Granted, it's easy to mix up tones, but... Now I must go back to Dragon and Phoenix. They have really crispy spring rolls(thank god I don't have to eat "egg rolls") and my mom even approved of their chow fun. And of course I am just really glad that I don't have to eat at Dragon Gate anymore. 
On Friday night, we finally had the long-delayed trip to Kabab Cafe with Sam, and Meka was in town to join us. It must have been the hottest night of the summer, so the place, being tiny, was broiling. We had to convince Sam to stay. We decided that it was as if we were actually dining in Egypt. As we sweated over our food, which came out slowly, we were entertained by Ali, the chef/owner.(We discovered this place while walking by one day, and saw him in his beige beret, drinking a tiny cup of coffee and adding briquets to his hookah. His brother runs the famed Mombar two doors down.)
This place is just the best. The food- the best ever, especially all the vegetarian dishes, despite the fact that the mushroom layered flaky dish(can't remember the name). My fave is still the corn/tomato crepe casserole, but that night we had the pumpkin dumpkins(amazing!) on the recommendation of the table next to us. The place was crowded with regulars, including two guys named Alex(I believe at different tables) and a nice man who took this pic for us(thanks! hope we dine together again!)
Kabab Cafe- Steinway bet. Astoria Blvd and 25th Ave
Sam thought it was the best hummus he'd ever had; ditto on the baba ghanoush. Nothing tastes like what you expect- the beet salad was hot and savory. And the heat was somewhat relieved by extra-cold beer and wonderful hibiscus coolers that had apple slices floating in it and a bit of apple juice, too.
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