The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Melany Mural

Perhaps the only local restaurant that Family Q dines at regularly is the fabulously chaotic and tasty Melany's Dominican Restaurant on Flatbush at Lenox. I think of Dominican (or PR) and Chinese as NYC's "comfort foods," and though the City may have moved far beyond these classic cuisines in the past decade, you can still count on your chicken, rice & beans and/or moo shu chunks to satisfy in a hurry. Mmmm...salty.

One of my favorite things that happens at Melany with relative frequency is when there's two games on the TVs, blasting away as if arguing (usually one soccer one baseball), and then suddenly the bachata blasts out of the jukebox like an M80. The three together hardly raise an eyebrow, and you're forced to focus solely on the business at hand...the shoving of Mofungo into your M-hole.

And now...a brilliant new mural! Thanks S. for the pics! The second photo includes a contact number if you're interested in giving the artists a call. The third photo was the work in-progress from a couple days ago. Nice work, and a welcome addition to the streetscape in my view.









3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely! Philly was really into murals as a way to cut down on graffiti, and it works. Im always amazed by how most people respect art enough to not tag it. (Most, but not all)

Jen

@sarahspy said...

what're the best things on the menu at Melany? i keep meaning to go there.

Clarkson FlatBed said...

Melany has great rotisserie chicken and rice and beans. Get the Black beans over white rice when they're available. They make all manner of great stewed dishes (on the steam table) and sancocho (a chicken soupy stew) and of course, mofongo. Don't be shy of mofongo - it's mostly about the plantains. There's also some pork-rindy stuff (chicharron?) that I've never tried but the regulars seem to swear by. And you can get a decent American diner style breakfast too. Stay clear of diner staples like burgers and sandwiches...they're disappointing, not surprisingly. They deliver. And yes, this is a hearty recommendation. And they got an A from the health department, most recently.