Isteak H.
Yelp
I mean what can I say about this store. It has been one of our go to places for almost anything related to Bengali food for over fifteen years. When we first moved to jackson heights this and three other stores were really the most important Bengali stores around here. Now left and right more stores are popping up trying to compete against them, and some how managing to keep their heads afloat. This store had no renovations done even though they can use one badly. Had no sort of upgrades at all really. All they really did was really build a restaurant right next to their store, that is even to say if it is part of them because even I'm not 100% actuate about it just going by the name really. Going back to their store it is narrow, can get heavily crowded during the weekends, and overall difficult to move around or even stand around in. Thank god it is not smelly at all hahaha. But it is worn down and could really use some paint and some new hardware.
The people are pretty friendly but half the time they are rushing you when it comes to certain time periods, by which I mean they are literally rushing the packaging and calculations as if they were closing in the next five minutes. They sometimes do one or more at the same time, I wonder if they ever messed up because of that somehow. NEVER EVER COME DURIMG THE WEEKEND OR FRIDAY NIGHTS! It is a dog house then with the people working there haha. The staff has changed and definitely it is harder to talk with them since they don't remember me or the ones that did left. They aren't condescending at least.
The materials that they possess are not fresh, or at least the vegetables aren't to say the least. Small stores like these I would not go for vegetables at all. Meat, fish, mashallahs (spices), snacks, and other things they have a good amount of and are really fresh. Actually, fish are some what fresh since it has to be frozen in a packet for it to be delivered here from asia or where ever they get it from; but they do have live ones even though the choices are not that many. Their meat is delivered almost every tuesday and Friday, or from what I seen when I walked by each time. It is completely halal and very good to eat. They got goat, beef, and chicken and they have every part that you can think of. We Bengali's use every part and eat almost everything. So if you want to try Bengali food I suggest coming to this area and this store for materials.