“Global Gastronomic Odyssey: Culinary Adventures Under the 7 Train in Queens, NYC”
I felt a surge of confidence as I Global Gastronomic embarked on a culinary journey spanning Central and South America. In the past four hours, I indulged in breakfast and lunch across Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Uruguay, before venturing through the Himalayas to Nepal for a snack. Now, in Bangladesh – my current location – I eagerly prepared for another delightful culinary experience. With one hour remaining, I aimed to visit Japan for sushi, India for sweets, and China for tea.
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Global Gastronomic
As the clock struck 3 pm, a low-slung November sun cast a dusky pink hue over the little Himalayas. The air was a symphony of traffic noise, Bangladeshi tunes, and the distant rumbling of a train. Seated on a plastic stool, I relished a moment of silence while savoring a Bangladeshi street food delicacy called fuchka. These small spherical semolina shells, half the size of a tennis ball, were filled with a delectable mash of potato, yellow peas, onion, chili, and coriander – all for a mere eight for $6 (£4.72). Drizzled with sweet tamarind dressing and consumed whole, each bite delivered a comforting blend of sour-sweet and earthy-hot flavors in the late-afternoon chill.
In Jackson Heights, life unfolded on the streets, with the Fuska House food truck drawing attention in its gaudy lime green, covered in brightly colored stickers advertising chaat – delightful street snacks. Across from me, two chefs, one in a fedora and the other in a beanie hat, worked fervently, creating a culinary storm for the eager locals in line. A mere five minutes ago, I had been in Nepal, savoring beef momo dumplings around the corner – a delectable treat at just $7 for seven generous morsels. And now, here I was in Bangladesh.
New York City’s most captivating feature has always been its diversity, and nowhere is this more vividly concentrated than beneath the route of the 7 train, rumbling over Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. This borough, the most diverse in NYC and possibly the world, earned the train the moniker “International Express” for the global gastronomic delight awaiting passengers at every stop between Long Island City and Flushing Main Street.
