Bangladeshi food street cart “Tong” opened its first permanent location in Queens, New York on Friday.
It has six outdoor carts in Bronx and Queens, including two franchises and a Bellerose spot is to launch next week.
Upon entering the newly-opened restaurant, visitors are bound to notice the Bangladeshi colours and style in everything from the menu to the decor.
The walls too, are illustrated with traditional Bangladeshi street food and sellers.
A cart-like structure will also be visible at the far back of the restaurant, which holds onto its characteristic features.
The founder of Tong, Naeem Khandaker, is a self-taught one-man army of Bangladeshi street foods.
He is on the mission to spread Bangladeshi favorite snacks in America.
This time, the restaurant has a new and bigger menu that includes labor-intensive and time-consuming street foods from Bangladesh.
The savory items include Fuchka on Fire and a Luchi Platter.
Four drinks and desserts include Lemonade, Pagla Pani (a sweet, sour, and spicy combination of masalas, and pickles) Bhalobashar Sharbot (Watermelon beverage), and Falooda.
“From the rent to the utilities and decor, it’s a lot more responsibility, Khandaker told Eater NY, a food and dining guide for New Yorkers.
However, he said, it is all worth it.
Khandaker made his way to the business in 2018, after he opened the rare Bangladeshi street food cart in New York.
While attending college in Italy in 2012, Khandaker’s longing for Bangladeshi food grew so deep that he taught himself to cook.
His business administration course at Baruch College was also instrumental in his journey.