Angon

[jogoode]

If you lived in Jackson Heights, though, would you go out of your way to go to Angon?

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Probably. I live a couple of minutes from Patsy's Harlem, but I also eat at Di Fara.

[wannabechef]

And unless you're paying $5/person in Queens, the prices at Angon are not four times as high.

There are a lot of quality places in Jackson Heigts where you can get out with a huge meal + desert for under $10 pp. For me though its all about the food. I'd pay more at Angon if the quality is better. When I try it I'll be sure to report back.

~WBC

[bpearis]

Nice article by eG's own JJ Goode in the new issue of Time Out NY on outer-borrough faves opening Manhattan outposts -- Angon, Sezchuan Gourmet, Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches and DeMarco's.

Maybe this will give Angon a well-deserved boost. I need to go back soon.

[jogoode]

Nice article by eG's own JJ Goode in the new issue of Time Out NY on outer-borrough faves opening Manhattan outposts -- Angon, Sezchuan Gourmet, Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches and DeMarco's.

Maybe this will give Angon a well-deserved boost. I need to go back soon.

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Hey, I missed this post -- thanks, bpearis!

Has anyone been lately. I'm hoping to go within the next few days. I'd like to try something new - I can't stop with the halim and shrimp dopeaja. Any other dishes you recommend, bpearis?

[bpearis]

That beef and pickled mango dish is on the menu now, I really liked that. I've found if you let Mina just make stuff for you, you can't go wrong. The few missteps I've experienced have been from letting one of the non-Asian waitstaff (who seem to know nothing about the food there) reccomend something that usually turns out to be something on the bland side.

[jogoode]

That beef and pickled mango dish is on the menu now, I really liked that.

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I had something like that at Mina Foods once and loved it. Achar gosht, perhaps? I'll try it and report back.

[jogoode]

That beef and pickled mango dish is on the menu now, I really liked that.

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I had something like that at Mina Foods once and loved it. Achar gosht, perhaps? I'll try it and report back.

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Achar gosht it was. Despite a bad cold, I had a great dinner at Angon yesterday with three friends. Achar gosht -- big tender chunks of lamb in a thick, intense sauce that tastes of subdued mango pickles -- tasted just as I remembered it at Mina Foods. I had never tried alu dom, potatoes sauced with mlid, slightly sweet Indian cottage cheese, but it was a perfect foil for fiery shrimp dopeaja. One of the cool things at Angon is that each time you order a dish, it's comes to you slightly different. For instance, the halim last night had big pieces of lime in it. Shrimp dopeaja is always different, though I can't put my finger on exactly how. We had two orders of halim, an order of amazing vegetable pakora, fish biriyana, achar gosht, alu dom, shrimp dopeaja, and nan -- more than enough food for $25 per person.

I was also happy to see the dining room nearly full when I got there at 8 and stay that way until I left at around 10:45. A few groups even arrived for dinner at 10:30.

[Pan]

I went for dinner tonight. I do not recommend the Seafood Soup, which included lobster and salmon that didn't taste fresh. I ate the soup anyway, and it was otherwise good, but people more sensitive than I to fishiness would have had to send it back. (I did tell the waitress why I was lukewarm on the soup, and the proprietor offered to comp me something else, but I declined, saying it was OK and I ate it, but just wanted him to know.) For a main course, I got Khichuri with vegetables. I thought it would be something like biryani, but it didn't have any sauce -- my mistake. It was in fact good; as described on the menu: "a mixture of lentils & rice with spices, comes with choice of chicken, lamb, beef or vegetable curry." The thing was, the vegetables weren't really a curry but just sauceless boiled or steamed vegetables. I would get the dish again, but would get another dish to have with it. Be warned, though: The Khichuri is a lot of food, and probably best to share with a dining partner (I was solo tonight).

My feeling was that I had a good meal and should go back sooner than every several months, but that, despite the prioprietor's assurances that the Seafood Soup would be great next time, I think I'll order something else as a first course next time.

[Pan]

I realized later why it's been a long time between visits to Angon: Something in their cuisine (probably partly the fat?) has been very hard on my digestion each time, and that was also true of my one meal at Mina, though I initially wondered if that time had been due to eating too much rich, tasty food. This is true of many other Indian restaurants in this neighborhood, especially the longstanding 6th St. ones (which are way inferior to Angon and which I don't go to anymore), but much less true of Madras Cafe, which happens to be vegetarian. It's even that much less true of my father's take on Indian food, which is very low-fat. But anyway, I had a very hard night last night and a tough morning and afternoon today.

[jogoode]

But anyway, I had a very hard night last night and a tough morning and afternoon today.

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Too bad, Pan. My stomach is fine after Angon, but needs at least two days to recover from Sripraphai. It's frustrating, especially when you're trying to plan other exciting dinners during the same week as dinner at the place that gives you trouble. I try not to, for instance, plan a trip to Sushi Yasuda within two days after Sri.

[Nathan]

I went to Angon last night.

the Achar Gosht and Chicken Jhal Fry were terrific (as was the Kareema Paratha)...I found the apps to be a little lackluster....though better than other homestyle places.

with that said, my stomach's still in recovery...it's been a tough 15 hours.

[jogoode]

I went to Angon last night.

the Achar Gosht and Chicken Jhal Fry were terrific (as was the Kareema Paratha)...I found the apps to be a little lackluster....though better than other homestyle places.

with that said, my stomach's still in recovery...it's been a tough 15 hours.

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Wild. I have friends who have a similar reaction to Indian food.

Glad you liked the Achar Gosht! I've never had the Chicken Jahl Fry; I've wanted to try the Liver Jahl Fry for a while now but haven't gone to Angon with people willing to commit to it. What was the chicken-version like? And which appetizers did you try?

[ghostrider]

I realized later why it's been a long time between visits to Angon: Something in their cuisine (probably partly the fat?) has been very hard on my digestion each time, and that was also true of my one meal at Mina, though I initially wondered if that time had been due to eating too much rich, tasty food. This is true of many other Indian restaurants in this neighborhood, especially the longstanding 6th St. ones (which are way inferior to Angon and which I don't go to anymore), but much less true of Madras Cafe, which happens to be vegetarian. It's even that much less true of my father's take on Indian food, which is very low-fat. But anyway, I had a very hard night last night and a tough morning and afternoon today.

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I'm the same way, but it's definitely the richness that gets to me, doesn't matter what the cuisine is. A lot of Indian restaurant food, be it good or bad, is needlessly rich. That's why I learned to cook it myself some decades back.

[Nathan]

yeah...it was a little weird to have that sort of intestinal reaction....I handle any Thai at any level of spiciness just fine...and even the spiciest, oiliest stuff at Grand Sichuan doesn't give me more than an hour's trouble (if any)...so I'm not sure why....but I just had leftovers for lunch and I'm fine.

the chicken jhal fry was quite good....need more of a kick...next time I'll ask for it spicier....ditto for the achar gosht.

we had the appetizer platter...decent enough but kind of one note...everything seemed to be along the lines of dough with potato....

[jogoode]

we had the appetizer platter...decent enough but kind of one note...everything seemed to be along the lines of dough with potato....

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Next time, get halim and vegetable pakora.

[jogoode]

Nice article by eG's own JJ Goode in the new issue of Time Out NY on outer-borrough faves opening Manhattan outposts -- Angon, Sezchuan Gourmet, Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches and DeMarco's.

Maybe this will give Angon a well-deserved boost. I need to go back soon.

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My article's online! Not much about Angon, but after it was published, I spoke to Milton, an owner, and he said the article has brought in a lot of customers.

[slkinsey]

Very nice work, JJ! Here's a small excerpt for posterity:

The prices at Angon are much higher than they were at Mina Foods, the portions are smaller, and the menu omits some Sunnyside favorites like lamb tawa and chat potti. But before anyone passes judgement, diners must first take a bite of heavenly halim, a stew of lamb and seven types of lentils, or Azad's pungent chicken dopeaja. The dishes justify the price increase. The food is as vibrant as it was in Sunnyside, because Azad still refuses to cut corners, preparing each dish to order. She is also happy to cook old hits from Mina Foods for anyone who asks and will even send out dishes that she invents on the spot, which show up on the bill as "Mina's Choice."

[jogoode]

Another great meal at Angon last night. Since I took Angon newbies, most of what I ordered were repeats of my favorites: halim, achar gosht, and shrimp dopeaja, which I'm convinced is prepared in a slightly different was each time. I tried two new dishes, whose names escape me. One was the last item in the "Rice Dishes" menu category. It was an East Indian rice dish -- a big plate of seasoned rice and a separate bowl of intense gingery chicken curry (also offered with lamb, beef, or vegetables). The other was lentils cooked with green mango, a simple and soupy dish that won me over, mainly because of the bursts of tartness from the mango.

[wannabechef]

I'm considering hitting Angon tomorrow night. I was wondering - do you usually order family style - i.e. get a few dishes for the table and split? Or does everyone usually get their own? Also, it may just be myself and my wife - which isn't good for family style. I like to try as many different things as possible of course. Does anyone have any dish recomendations for a two-person meal there? What are the two best dishes for an Angon newbie?

thx

~WBC

[bpearis]

I'm considering hitting Angon tomorrow night. I was wondering - do you usually order family style - i.e. get a few dishes for the table and split? Or does everyone usually get their own? Also, it may just be myself and my wife - which isn't good for family style. I like to try as many different things as possible of course. Does anyone have any dish recomendations for a two-person meal there? What are the two best dishes for an Angon newbie?

thx

~WBC

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Sharing is totally the way to go. You could order one or two appetizers and two mains and it won't be too much food for two people. Halim, samosa chat, achar gosht, chicken dopeaja, fish kofta curry, dhal fry, all good choices. You can also ask the waiter to let Mina (not the waiter) choose something to compliment the other choices and she won't do you wrong.

[Daniel]

Was in the area last night so I decided to have dinner there.. The whole experience was great.. I really enjoyed the atmosphere.. Really dark and warm.. The service was wonderful as well.. Had the Halim and a potato dish appetizer.. Split the Chicken Tikka and a Lamb Dish.. Everything was wonderful.. Looking foward to going back and trying more dishes.. Has anyone had the mustard fish, it looks really good.

[bpearis]

I was there as well last night -- had the achar gosht, chicken dopeaja, and a "mina's special" which was a seafood biriany (shrimp, tilapia, some other kind of fish). everything was great, just super delicious -- and no tummy trouble this time (i too have suffered on occasion in the past). it's not cheap -- $60 with three beers, tax and tip -- but it is certainly worth it.

[jogoode]

Bruni's mention, in his otherwise positive Diner's Journal on Tandoori Hut, of bland saag paneer reminded me that last time I went to Angon a friend ordered saag paneer and complained that it tasted weird-- "soapy," she said. I tasted it and it tasted much different than it normally did, though not exactly soapy. It turned out that Azad used mustard greens and mustard oil in the dish that night. The bitter greens go beautifully with the paneer.

[Bond Girl]

I am a regular of the angon delivery dinner. The vegetarian dishes are like the ones I would make at home if I had the time. Love this joint.

[Eric_Malson]

Sharing is totally the way to go. You could order one or two appetizers and two mains and it won't be too much food for two people. Halim, samosa chat, achar gosht, chicken dopeaja, fish kofta curry, dhal fry, all good choices. You can also ask the waiter to let Mina (not the waiter) choose something to compliment the other choices and she won't do you wrong.

*Sigh*...undoubtedly.

I just ran across this thread (I've been far too pre-occupied with other crap to pay much attention to eGullet for far too long...)--I somehow hadn't heard about this place before this moment, and I have to try it NOW!! So the spontaneous decision has been made to go tonight.

Edited, a few hours later:

I went, with Pan who graciously agreed to accompany me, even though he wasn't particularly hungry. Stuck to recommendations from elsewhere on this thread--halim (delicious, and I've never had anything quite like it) and chicken dopeaja (also quite tasty, if extremely tame in the spice department). Pan got a vegetable kurma that I would give about a B-plus...nicely prepared, but I've had much better and more interesting kurmas elsewhere. The paratha bread was way above average, second only to Mitali's a few doors away, in my experience. In fact, I thought the food was generally on about the same level as Mitali's, with Angon having the advantage of many more unusual and interesting dishes (kurma excepted).

Edited April 18, 2005 by Eric_Malson (log)