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Review Essay: Boca Chica

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Lisbel Diaz

Boca Chica, Sabor Latino 

          Located on 96-20 37th avenue Corona, Queens, Boca Chica offers a Dominican seafood cuisine suitable for the Hispanic population situated in this area. The restaurant is small yet accommodates its clients well. It offers a buffet in which costumers can come in and order take out food. It also has the option of delivery and of course dinning in the restaurant. The restaurant primarily serves seafood dishes but serves other dishes for meat lovers. The workers are friendly which gives the restaurant a welcoming feel. Although there is one major setback, the in-dinning service is slow. But if you’re willing to enjoy a delicious Hispanic meal, its well worth the wait.

The restaurant offers complementary appetizers of soup. The choices of soup are fish soup, seafood (marisco) soup, and- for those who prefer meat- chicken soup. The restaurant has authentic Dominican foods listed on their menus such as Mondongo (which is Tripe soup), Asopao de camarones (Shrimp soupy rice) and Mofongo (mashed platains). The menu, aside from having authentic Dominican cuisines, contains dishes that attract any Latin food lover taste buds. They serve latin dishes like Ceviche and their tropical shakes. They even have burgers and fries to accommodate what may be more Americanized food. Their dishes are flavorful and cooked with natural ingredients and are low in sodium. I had arroz con habichuela (rice and beans) with steak. The steak was well done and had a juicy flavorful taste. The rice and beans intermingled well with the steak and left me wanting to continue eating even though I would’ve never be able to finish the big pile of food on my plate. My order could definitely be dinner for two. Although the service was slow the food was well worth the wait. It tasted like food I can find in the Dominican Republic and definitely was authentic to that culture. The desserts were also typical Dominican pastries such as flan and tres leche. They were just as delicious and rich in milky caramel flavor like the typical Dominican sweets I’ve had before.

Even though Boca Chica is a Dominican Restaurant it reaches out to the other Latin immigrant community in Corona. From Columbians to Ecuadorians to Mexicans, all clients enjoy the rich and flavorful food at the affordable price offered at Boca Chica. To reach other Hispanic groups the owner welcomes Mexican Mariachi bands play at the restaurant at around Dinnertime on Sundays. It’s a great place to have a family Dinner and bring culture to your taste buds.

The environment of the restaurant and layout offer a very welcoming Latin vibe. The workers all speak Spanish and are more than happy to greet you. Most of the clients go often so they have a special bond with the owner and waitresses. There is an open bar and buffet for take out food which offers more variety to the restaurant. Latin music is always playing and the ball game is on for the sport fans to watch. The restaurant tries to reach a large audience by offering various commodities. Even though the restaurant is small in size it does well for the space it has. The take out buffet also gets a lot of business from outside workers on their way to work or coming back from work that don’t quite have the time to cook. The food prices are affordable which makes it possible to get food more than once a week at this restaurant.

The layout of the restaurant is organized well. The buffet is in the front for those who are interested in take out and the bar is located in the back for those who want to have a drink and watch the game. Tables for four are situated around the restaurant. It is great for families or for to bring a small group of friends. On the other hand for a bigger party of people it would be too crowded and difficult for seating. This can also be a setback around lunchtime when there is a line at the take out section and affects people who are eating at the restaurant.

All in all, I would give the restaurant four out of five stars. The restaurant does have friendly workers who make you feel right at home when you enter the restaurant. It offers various dishes at affordable prices. It isn’t too roomy and the service may be slow, but it can be good place for a small gathering of friends or to eat Dinner with your family. Corona, Queens has various Dominican restaurants but not too many seafood restaurants so it is definitely a place you may want to check out if you’re ever in the area. Boca Chica brings Dominican culture to food beautifully and will leave you more than satisfied.

 

Questions on Reading 4/9/14

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What seemed to be the overlapping concept in both text we had to read for class this week was the association with identity eating in Restaurants has with NEw Yorkers and how taste is more of an established social concept through discourse and societal implications on what foods are exotic and new.

In “Eating Out, Eating American”, it was mentioned how eating ethnic food was a way of “cultural colonialism”. It shows Americans appetite for the new and urge to master the cuisine of other cultures. My question would be whether this is true or not? Do you believe that we this drive for the new is a way of showing dominance as Americans? I see this more as a way to integrate other cultures into our own, almost the exact opposite of showing dominance. If we were to truly show dominance wouldn’t we establish more American cuisines  and ignore other cultural foods?

Both reading mentioned discourse of having a particular importance on taste and what we view as good food. It was interesting to see that the food itself is not the ultimate factor in our judgement on what we find desirable. For the most part social interaction and media have much to do with what as New Yorkers is viewed as good dining. It was even mentioned that the cause of the French culinary hegemony was because of the printing press. To what extent do you think the media and outside sources affect what we view as good dining places or good foods to eat? Especially now with the importance of technology in our society how does that play a role in what we view as new exotic places to try out? How are good dining restaurants determined to be the new cool place to eat at? Who determines this?

 

Discussion Questions: 4-1-14

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In the reading for Food Riots during 1917 a majority of the protestors were women and their daughter against peddlers and male police enforcers. Could this have affect the little action taken in creating greater more direct reforms for bettering food prices? Women had little rights at this time especially the poor working class, was the issue of food price rise less attended to because of this circumstance?

The reading also mentioned how this was before world war one and nationalist and patriotic emotions were high at this time labeling protestors as alleged german allies or socialist. Did this contribute to little attention being paid to these groups.

In the Markets reading markets viewed peddlers as overcrowding cities and lower business value when in reality they helped markets. In present day do street carts still contribute to help the value of a neighborhood market and businesses near by? Do they help immigrants in the same why they once did in providing a stable income and affordable produce or is that outdated?

Reading Questions 3/26/13

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  1. In the Health Toll of Immigration it was interesting to read that size of food served in the U.S. was considerably larger than what immigrants were accustomed to. This week I also came across a research article that showed how low – fat content labeled foods could also lead to obesity because people were consuming large amounts. I think one major factor that could be over looked is serving size when it comes to food and how we educate the public especially immigrants who may not have access to healthy foods or face language barriers. Some foods even have more than one serving size packaged in a bag which may make it seem as if it is to be consumed entirely. What reforms can be taken to limit issues on overconsumption? How can these reforms be targeted towards immigrant groups who are more at risk?
  2. In this week’s reading I also found it interesting how assimilation is related to obesity and how it is higher in women. One reason I believe this is prevelant is because second generation children are not responsible for cooking in households as they were in native lands. They lose the traditions and prefer to eat fast foods. What are ways in which second generation immigrants can learn to preserve their culture to increase a healthier living?

3. In what ways can we implement Ayurveda standards of healthy eating in urban areas were it may be hard to balance physical activity, work, and healthy eating?

Questions on the Reading 3/5/14

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1. In the African “Soul brothers” reading it was mentioned that even though cultural differences existed between blacks living in “black harlem” and the West African Muslims the African muslims settled in this community because of racially similarities. How does preexisting stereotypes affect what neighborhoods emerge and which groups tend to locate in same area. Also, in One of three People’s two chapter reading it mentioned how enclaves were established with certain ethnic groups. How do enclaves societies disperse and move into integrated communities despite racial tensions and cultural differences. Like Queens for example, how and why do integrated communities emerge?

2. With white collard jobs emerging in the city and less manual labor jobs available what will happen to the influx of immigrants with few literacy skills who once worked the manual jobs? Will this affect immigration patterns in the future?