Restaurant Review: La Candela in Hicksville

Man as a food lover I am lucky to be working in Hicksville. At my fingertips I have some of the best ethnic food(especially Indian) in 3 mile stretch of Route 107. My new favorite spot in La Candela a Peruvian restaurant previously occupied by the short lived Fusion Wraps. Besides La Candela the only Peruvian cuisine I have tried is a rotisserie chicken place in Bay Shore called LAS BRASAS which is good but its more of a take out joint. La Candela on the other hand is very inviting sit down restaurant from the decor to the service. You are greeted my smiling faces that lead you to your table. As a added treat you are givin some pieces of toasted corn kernels to snack on while you browse the extensive menu. One can tell the owners really but their time and effort into their restaurant.

La Candela offers a wide variety of Ceviche. Ceviche is raw fish marinated in citrus which 'cooks' the fish. My first time I tried the Ceviche Triple with has Tirdito(fish strips in a yellow pepper sauce), Ceviche Pescado(Chunks of fish in lemon juice) and a mixture of Shrimp and Calamari. The waitress asked me how spicy I wanted it I told her medium because I wanted to see what I was getting into. It was spicy but not unbearable. If you are new to this type of cuisine this what I suggest trying.

Ceviche Triple

Out of the three I liked the Tiradito the best. Next I time I went I just asked for an order of that. This time I told her I wanted it spicy. It was so good that I after the fish was gone I was sipping the juices(which is also called Leche Di Tiger, or milk of the tiger, because it enhances ones stamina in the sack).

Tiradito

If it is too spicy have a sip of a Chicha Morada. This is a native drink made with purple corn and various spices.

Chicha Morada

There are some really nice seafood choices on the menu as well. The waitress recommended that I try the Pescado a lo Macho. This dish consists of a fried fish fillet topped with Calamari, Mussels and Shrimp in a special seafood sauce. Good stuff. Fish was fried perfectly and not over cooked. Calamari was a little tough but the mussels and shrimp were good. The sauce while not spicy is very good and ties everything together.

Pescado a lo Macho

I was curious to compare their chicken to the place in Bay Shore I spoke about before. Pollado is fried chicken pieces in a Peruvian Sauce. This was really good. Crispy, juicy and flavorful The chicken was not drowned in sauce like I pictured in my head but rather lightly tossed. I sensed some pepper and cumin flavors. Served with a salad and fried potatoes I highly recommend this dish.

Pollado

There are also some beef dishes on the menu. Bisket a lo Pobre is a thin steak serves with fries,white rice,plantains and a fried egg. The piece of beef while well seasoned is a little on the chewy side. I've had similar beef dishes like this in other Latino restaurants so I was not surprised by this. The egg over the rice is a nice touch though especially if you let the yolk fall into the rice

Bistek a lo Pombre

I really like this place a lot. Most dishes are $10-$12 so you get a lot of tasty home cooked food for your money.

There are also pasta, soups,Chinese Peruvian and desert dishes on the menu


Notes:

Good Parking
Handicap accessible
No alcohol served, dont know if the honor BYOB
Open for lunch m-f
Delivery available
Private Party Room

www.La-Candela.com
495 South Broadway
Hicksville, NY 11801
516-470-0805

Dish Spotlight: Hamachi Kama

This is something you do not see a lot on menus in Long Island. This is Hamachi Kama which is the collar bone of the Yellowtail Tuna. I ordered this as an appetizer at Izumi in Bethpage. For $10 you get a very generous cut of fish that is simply seasoned and grilled served with some ponzo sauce on the side. You have to pick the meat out with your chopsticks, sometimes navigating through some tiny bones. If I were home I would of picked this thing up like a chicken wing and gnaw at it. The meat from the collar and the cheek(any Hannibal fans out there?) are revered for their tenderness and flavor. Its nothing to weird for you picky eaters out there so do not be scared if you see it on the menu.

http://izumifood.com/index.php

Restaurant Review: The Orient, Bethpage NY

Sometimes places live up to their hype and sometimes they don't. The Orient in Bethpage is a pretty popular Chinese spot that offers all of the usual Chinese American dishes(General Tso,Chop Suey, etc) but they also have some more authentic dishes as well. In particular they serve Dim Sum.

Dim Sum literally means' a bit of heart'. They are small bites of food served during morning hours until early afternoon. Dim Sum is usually served with tea. Here are some dishes from a recent visit.


This dish may not be particularly attractive but it is very good. This is steamed spare ribs. The ribs are chopped into small pieces and are steamed in a sweet sauce. You have to get your hands dirty with these suckers but it is worth it.


These little guys are steamed pork buns. These are a very common chinese street food. The bread buns have chopped barbecue pork on the inside.

This dish is very basic but the texture is not for everyone. This are steamed rice noodles with scallions. The rice noodles are very slippery and slimy. I like them but they are not for everyone.

Dumplings of all kinds are served during at the Orient. My waiter recommended these. They are pan friend leek dumpling. Inside of them are leeks and shrimp.

Awesome dish right here. Bean curd meat roll. Seasoned pork wrapped in tofu skin.

This one is a favorite of mine as well. Green Pepper with shrimp stuffing. Lots of nice flavors and textures.

This orient also serves traditional Congee(rice porage) and a number of other great dishes you may not find at the usual take out place. Go with friends and family and share


Notes:

Fast Service
Simple Decor
Handicap accessible
Alcohol served
Good Parking Lot
Open 7 days a week

623 Hicksville Rd, Bethpage - (516) 822-1010