Whenever my dad parked our car under the 7 train in Woodside, Queens, I’d cover my ears as a train rumbled above our heads. I hated the sound, but the feeling was always bittersweet. The instant I heard a train up above, I knew where we were. He was taking me to the best place ever: “El Sitio” – literally “The Place” in Spanish – on Roosevelt Avenue.
I hadn’t been to El Sitio in years, but I was pleased to note that nothing had changed when I stepped in there last week. Walking into the old Latin American restaurant was like walking into the bedroom of my childhood; I was pleased to see it untouched and just as it always was. There’s a certain element of comfort when special places like this are seemingly insusceptible to time. The same waitress with the same overdone makeup was hunched over behind the register (albeit, slightly more haggard than she was when I was eight). The fifties-esque sign remains quintessential to the restaurant’s pleasant aesthetic. They still serve the same complimentary garlic bread. The toasted bits doused in buttery garlic were a hallmark of my childhood. Your breath will smell for ages, but it’s well worth the sacrifice.
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No Comments | Posted on October 15, 2011 | Categories: Dining, From the Blog, Jackson Heights & Woodside, Queens
tags: Brianna Clark, Cuban Cuisine, El Sitio, Jackson Heights, reliving your childhood, ropa vieja, Whitney Houston is always a good choice
As I walked into the small, dimly-lit restaurant, I felt an immediate sense of intimacy, as if I had just entered someone’s dinning room. An enormous laugh turned my head as a deep bass rumbled throughout the room. The source of the sound was a jolly, Santa Claus type, and I couldn’t help but be intrigued by him, hopping from table to table, kissing babies, and greeting families. Then I realized that the warm fellow who was playing the role of mayor was none other than Uncle Peter himself.
Soon he was sitting at my table, and I, still unsure who he was, asked him if he was the restaurant owner. He responded in a thick, yet charming Argentinean accent, “I cook, I wash the dishes, I am the owner, I do everything! Not for me but for everybody. I would even do it for you.” His answer wasn’t typical of a restaurant owner, but then again neither was his entire demeanor—he was like that fun uncle who’s always the life of the party. Read the complete post »
2 Comments | Posted on July 16, 2010 | Categories: Dining, From the Blog, Jackson Heights & Woodside, Neighborhoods, Queens
tags: Dining, Food, International, Jackson Heights, queens, Santa Claus, Stephan Vincenzo, Uncle Peter's
