You don’t have to choose between Mansaf and Somunnan Kimbap in Queens. You can enjoy both…although you might have to wait a week to eat them during special events.
Malikah’s Astoria Halal Fest is on Saturday, June 21, from noon to 6 pm.
One week of digestion and the Find Your Seoul Murray Hill Koreatown Food Crawl is on Saturday, June 28, from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Mmmm. How do you say “yummy in my tummy” in Arabic and Korean?
The First Course
Anyway, the Malikah event unfolds over six hours on Steinway Street from 25th Avenue to 28th Avenue. Halal street food is served, while modest fashion, henna art, and live performances are also on tap.
Prices run from $8 to $15. The event includes a raffle to raise funds for Malikah, a nonprofit that provides self-defense training and other activities to counter gender-based violence.
Editor’s note: The word “Halal” translates as “permissible” in English. It refers to food that is slaughtered and prepared according to Islamic dietary laws. Patrons of Malikah’s Astoria Halal Fest can expect a wide variety of North African and Middle Eastern cuisines.
The Second Course
The June 28 food crawl snakes through Murray Hill, an emerging Korean neighborhood, for a curated selection of local restaurants, a grocery store, and a mural that celebrates Korean cultural heritage, cuisine, and community.
Tickets cost $65 and include a taste from each vendor and a 20 percent tip for each vendor. Part of the gross income goes to the Asian American Federation, which addresses the needs of Asian immigrants in New York City, including economic empowerment, mental health, safety, and civic engagement.
Patrons can expect Kkaennip Kimbap (Perilla Leaf Roll), Maeun Chamchi Kimbap (Spicy Tuna Roll), Yangnyeom Chikin (Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken), Baechu Gogi Wangmandu (Cabbage Pork Bun), Kimchi Gogi Wangmandu (Kimchi Pork Bun), Umu Kongguk (Seaweed Jelly in Cold Soybean Broth), Kimchi Jeon (Kimchi Pancake), Dwaeji Gogi (Sweet and Sour Pork), and Jjajangmyeon (Black Bean Noodles).
Top two photos: Malikah’s Astoria Halal Fest;
Bottom two photos: Find Your Seoul Murray Hill Koreatown Food Crawl