Alauddin’s Sweetmeat (Ivan Srdanovic)
This past Saturday Kazi and I took a trip into Jackson Heights to find a food site that really reflected the vibe of the neighborhood. The second we got out of the train on Roosevelt Avenue, we were undoubtedly in the middle of one of the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City. Almost every institution, except for the fast food joints, were ethnic restaurants. Even the delis had an ethnic tint to them, serving food that pertains to the community. This community is majorly comprised of Latin Americans, majority being Colombians, Middle Eastern, mostly Bengali, and a little bit of Asian. As we were walking down Roosevelt Avenue, I noticed many carpet and robe stores owned by Bengali people who have brought their expertise of these crafts to the neighborhood. There were many people selling scarves and scented candles on the street. There was not one place I turned around that was “American”.
After walking around for a bit, we finally picked a place to go in and explore food. The place was located on 73rd street between 37st Avenue and Roosevelt avenue. The name of the restaurant was called Alauddin’s Sweetmeat. The second we walked in front of it you could tell that it stuck out like a sore thumb. It was elevated, and you needed to climb a flight of stairs to get to the main entrance of the door. Once we entered there was a counter with a line of food with medleys of rice and chicken and many spices. Like most Bengali restaurants where middle-eastern food is served, the food was already prepared and sitting on the counter on display so that people could see what they were eating was going to look like. I noticed this in other Middle Eastern restaurants that we went to. We met with the owner for a little bit to ask him about the restaurant. Basically, the place opened in 2004 so it is still somewhat new to the neighborhood, and it can be easily seen because the restaurant is very clean, and the tiles on the floor look very new.
Although Alauddin’s Sweetmeat is somewhat new to the neighborhood, it has already established itself as one of the top places to eat Bengali food. We spoke with the owner and he said that they serve a wide demographic of customers. There are a few other food institutions that are very similar to Alauddin’s Sweetmeat, and all very close together, that I wouldn’t be surprised if there is competition going on.
Once we finished talking to the owner, we shook hands, took pictures, and went to order. As Kazi suggested because he is the expert with this food, I ordered the samosa and he ordered the shingara. The samosa I ordered was basically a stuffed patty with spiced potatos, onions, peas, coreander, and lentils I believe. What I thought was funny was both orders came with a packet of Hunt’s Ketchup. Kazi said apparently it is normally eaten with ketchup, but some people also like hot sauce. The samosa was delicious. I could taste the various spices and flavor in every bite. Looking around the restaurant I saw booths for people to sit in on the sides, and tables with chairs in the middle. There were also a few televisions around the eating area, which showed us even more how new this place is. There aren’t any televisions for customers to watch in any other Bangladeshi restaurants that Kazi and I looked at. The customers that were entering and leaving the place were of all ethnicities, which showed how immersed the whole community was in every culture. I think it is great that all these food establishments can coincide together in one block. It only shows us even more how well all of the different cultures mix together. Alauddin’s Sweetmeat may be the future of Jackson Height’s Bangladeshi restaurant scene.
