Zohran Mamdani has been New York City’s mayor for less than a week, and already he’s been eating well.
Food has always been part of his DNA: He often visited and shouted out independent restaurants, mom-and-pop operations, and street food carts across the five boroughs during his time as a New York State Assemblymember and his successful mayoral campaign. His new position is no exception.
On January 1, during his inauguration speech, Mamdani often mentioned food. He talked about supporting New Yorkers “who feed us biryani and beef patties, picanha and pastrami on rye.” He named-dropped his favorite pizza spot in the city, Morningside Heights Koronet Pizza. And then he succinctly expressed the wonders of the city: “Where else can you hear the sound of the steelpan, savor the smell of sancocho, and pay $9 for coffee on the same block? Where else could a Muslim kid like me grow up eating bagels and lox every Sunday?”
And for that inauguration ceremony, Mamdani ordered catering from one of his favorite restaurants, the 24/7 Jackson Heights spot Kabab King. A feast of chicken, samosas, and biryani paired up with tea and coffee from Yemeni coffee chain Qahwah House (which has locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens).
For Mamdani’s second day as mayor of New York City, he grabbed dinner from Astoria Bangladeshi restaurant Boishakhi. He got chicken roast and aloo (potato bortha) from the steam table joint.
Queens restaurateur Tozammel Tanzil (Hello! Bangladesh) runs this halal Astoria Bangladeshi restaurant. The casual restaurant is a steam table affair, slinging hilsa fish, chicken roasts, and kebabs.
Kabab King is an all-hours Jackson Heights restaurant with Indian and Pakistani kebabs, samosas, and breads.
While the city has enjoyed a rich collection of Isan restaurants from the northeastern section of Thailand bordering the Mekong River, Zaab Zaab plunges deeper with novel dishes and organ meats galore. Zaab Zaab’s menu from chef Aniwat Khotsopa runs to duck larb, tilapia roasted with salt, and tom hang — a steamed assortment of tripe, spleen, and intestine with two dipping sauces.