Day: September 16, 2021

Delhicacy brings Indian street fusion to Cedar Rapids

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 10 months ago

Booths are framed in sheer fabric at Delhicacy in Cedar Rapids. The restaurant is the expansion of NewBo City Market stand, Melting Bite. It offers a new and expanded menu of Indian fusion and street food. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Lanterns hang above the tables at Delhicacy in Cedar Rapids. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Photos and chimes hang on the walls at Delhicacy in Cedar Rapids. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids’ newest Indian restaurant brings not only a new taste of the owner’s home, but a vision of it in a way many international cuisine restaurants

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What’s in a Peruvian sandwich? This Tampa food truck has the answer

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 10 months ago

TAMPA — What makes a really good Peruvian sandwich?

At Meanchi’s, a Peruvian-inspired food truck in Tampa, owner Josh Varon seems to have found the answer.

For him, it’s a combination of things. First, it’s about tradition — giving indigenous ingredients and recipes the attention they deserve. But it’s also about adopting a contemporary, fast-casual mindset: taking risks and thinking outside the box.

His best-selling Chicharron sandwich ($11) makes a pretty compelling argument for both. Instead of the traditional pork belly, Varon swaps in roasted, fried pork shoulder and pairs it with thick planks of fried sweet potatoes, a zingy

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What to order at every restaurant

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 10 months ago

Built in the shell of an old Target in Mesa, the Mekong Plaza food mall offers the largest selection of Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino and Taiwanese restaurants under one roof in the the Valley.

Interspersed between the restaurants and food stalls are beauty salons, bakeries, gift shops and smaller stores selling medicinals and Asian jerky. You could easily spend a day exploring the vast indoor mall, which is anchored by the Mekong Market grocery store, one of the best places to shop for specialty sauces and herbs. 

Choosing from more than a dozen food options is an overwhelming task, so I

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