Restaurants & Bars
Astoria-Made Stew Among NY Times Critic's Favorite Dishes Of 2021
Pete Wells described egusi, a West African stew made at Astoria's Nneji, as "rich and luxurious."
ASTORIA, QUEENS — A West African stew made in Astoria is one of the best dishes that celebrated New York Times food critic Pete Wells ate this year.
After eating dishes from food trucks and fine dining restaurants alike, Wells found that his favorite meals this year were comforting classics, among which the egusi stew at Nneji is included.
Nneji is a West African takeout shop-slash-grocery store located at 32-20 34th Ave in Astoria that landed a glowing review from Wells in April for its "exuberantly seasoned" West African foods.
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One of Wells' most highly recommended bites from the review was egusi: a dish of crushed gourd seeds, wilted spinach, and red pepper.
In reflecting on the stew, Wells described it as "smooth, rich and luxurious," adding that the meal is a "brilliant flame-orange color" and only costs $8.
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Read the full list, titled "Top 10 New York Dishes of 2021," here.
Related Article: Astoria's West African Takeout Shop Lands Glowing NYTimes Review
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