Around the World in Five Boroughs: Bolivia

A couple on Flyertalk started a thread stating their goal to find and try food from every country in the world in NYC and invited the community to join them. When I saw that, I thought it was a brilliant idea. I hadn't really noticed that you could get every type of world cuisine in New York City. I mean, I knew there were a lot of offerings in the city but it never crossed my mind that there would be a restaurant that offered, for example, Azerbaijan-cuisine. So the couple started with Afghanistan and are experiencing the cuisines in alphabetical order by country. I was finally able to join in for Bolivian food at Mi Bolivia in Queens, NY.

Sunnyside

A Sunnyside 'gate' welcomed me to the neighborhood after I got off the subway

Restaurant entrance

Doesn't look open right? Our dinner host even read reviews saying this place was closed but alas it is open!



For our starter, the table ordered salteñas. They look like bulging empanadas but they taste more like Hot Pockets. The shell is dough-y and slightly flaky. The inside is very, very juicy. You have to be careful when eating this with your hands or you're going to have hot juice running down your arms. It is possible to eat it with your hands but you have to be patient. I nibbled around the edges and scooped up the filling with the spoon when needed. We had a choice of chicken or beef filling and I chose chicken. Delicious! Tender, juicy meat along with a surprise boiled egg.

Salteña

Salteña

Salteña

For my drink, I chose a papaya shake. They are just so refreshingly satisfying. The restaurant offers a variety of fruit shakes.

Papaya shake

Restaurant interior

The majority of the entrees consist of steak but I was in the mood for chicken. One of the attendees asked the waitress in Spanish on my behalf for her recommendation on the chicken dishes. She recommended this one which consists of 'fried chicken chunks, fries, and rice'. OMG it was so good. Chicken stir-fried with french fries, peppers, and onions with a delicious seasoning. It was hard not to shovel it all down but I managed to save some for lunch the next day.

Chicharron de Pollo

The group agreed that it was a hearty meal. Every dish was piled high with rice, meat, and vegetables.

If you plan to visit this restaurant, do not search for 'Mi Bolivia' on Google Maps. It will direct you to some place waaaaay out east in Queens. Instead, put in address 44-10 48th Ave, Queens, NY.

About a half hour subway ride + walking from Penn Station.

Summary: Bolivian food is delicious. I need to find some near me! The service at the restaurant can be slow but you can enjoy almost-private dining. The group arrived at 6pm on a Wed. and we were the only people in the restaurant for about an hour. (The restaurant closed at 8pm that night so don't go too late.) It's helpful if you have someone in your group that speaks Spanish. Menus are translated in English so you'll be fine otherwise. Prices are good - $2.50 for a salteña (that's a meal in itself!), $3.50 for a shake, and $12 for entrees.