Around the World In Seven Days, Part II: Another Week in Astoria

Here is a sequel to Part I, with seven more countries to visit! (Where to go next? Egypt? Ecuador?)

1. Brazil (also see Malagueta): Brasilianville Café & Grill. This $4.99/lb. buffet will delight both the carnivore and the vegetarian. Spoon some buttered rice onto your plate, and start loading up on black beans, corn pudding, grilled fish, fried mandioca, acaraje, beef and carrot stew, battered chicken skewers, beet salad, and garlicky collards (the menu changes daily). If you crave more meat, go talk to the friendly guy at the grill... he'll fill up your plate with sirloin churrasco. Don't forget the exotic fruit shakes - I like the cacao pulp with milk and sugar. (Brasilianville Café & Grill: 43-12 34th Ave., 718-472-0090.)

2. Czech Republic: Koliba. If you dine here, I suggest fasting all morning and afternoon. Monstrous portions of pork or chicken schnitzel will challenge (and satisfy) the heartiest eater. Make sure to order the homemade tartar sauce on the side, and get the home fries with onion. Take some apple strudel home with you - you won't have any more room until tomorrow. (Koliba Restaurant: 31-11 23rd Ave., 718-626-0430. My grandma would have loved this place.)

3. France (Brittany, to be more specific): Cafe Triskell. At this tiny cafe, toothsome buckwheat crepes are served with a variety of fillings - I like the crumbly goat cheese, which arrives with a refreshing green salad on top of the big square crepe. Sweet crepes include apricot jam with almonds, and banana with buckwheat honey. Please be advised that this cafe is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays - I found out the hard way. (Cafe Triskell: 33-04 36th Ave., 718-472-0612.)

4. India: Seva. This restaurant is a local favorite. I found the paratha rather dry, but there was plenty of cheese in the palak paneer, and the spiced butternut squash soup was a winner. There are many vegan options, including a soy mirch masala. (Seva: 30-07 34th St., 718-626-4440.)

5. Mexico: (also see Tacos Mexico) Las Margaritas. This year, none of the food at the Broadway street fair appealed to my companion and me, so we ended up here. We ordered a couple of health-conscious specials...skirt steak on a spinach salad, and spicy shrimp tacos on soft, warmed corn tortillas (no beans and rice). Heartier dishes include fajitas, enchiladas and tacos al carbon. (Las Margaritas: 38-01 Broadway, 718-777-1707.)

6. United States (Southwest/Tex-Mex): Mojave. The beautiful backyard garden is the scene for
the consumption of countless fruit-infused margaritas. Service can be lackadaisical for lunch, but there's a reasonable two-course prix-fixe - I've enjoyed the salmon sandwich with chipotle aioli. I keep meaning to try the Mexican chocolate fondue. (Mojave: 22-36 31st St., 718-545-4100.)

7. Venezuela: Arepas Cafe. The best arepas in NYC are found here (sorry, Caracas Arepas). Slightly crispy on the outside, moist and dense within, the cornmeal pockets are large enough to hold a lot of goodies without overflowing. Fillings range from the exotic (truffle butter tuna with pico de gallo) to the traditional (shredded beef). $3 beers are served at happy hour - for a non-alcoholic alternative, try the phenomenal cafe de leche. (Arepas Cafe: 33-07 36th Ave., 718-937-3835.)

Malagueta

The malagueta is an extremely potent hot pepper which grows in Brazil. When blended with olive oil, it makes a piquant molho, or sauce, which livens up any dish. This wonderfully powerful sauce can be found at the malagueta's namesake restaurant in Astoria. (Make sure to ask for it, as it's not listed on the menu.)

Tonight, my friend and I spooned the molho de malagueta over everything but our dessert! We started out with an order of acaraje, tasty black-eyed pea fritters topped with sauteed shrimp and vatapa (a puree of bread, cashews, fish and shrimp. Although this puree was billed as "spicy" on the menu, it was actually rather mild). Since I was a bit too liberal with the hot sauce, I welcomed the opportunity to cool my mouth with exotic juices such as caju (cashew tree fruit juice).

Since it was a Friday, we couldn't order the feijoada (Brazil's national dish, which is only served on Saturdays at Malagueta). So, we enjoyed a shrimp and red pepper stew in coconut gravy, which surrounded a large mound of white rice. I quickly devoured the six jumbo shrimp and then tried my friend's entree, the roasted filet of pollack. The generous portion of delicate, slightly sweet fish was moistened with shrimp sauce and topped with more vatapa.

Sitting behind me was a lively table of people celebrating a "dad-to-be." When I looked to see what goodies they might be consuming, I noticed a plate of mandioca frita. Malagueta offers the fried tuber as an appetizer with grilled Brazilian sausages; it's also an addictive side dish on its own. (I'll order it next time.)

There are three dessert options at Malagueta: milk flan, coconut pudding and passionfruit mousse. We ordered the mousse, which was creamy, refreshing and slightly tart. The accompanying cappuccinos were excellent.

Malagueta offers free delivery to the lucky residents of Astoria.

Malagueta: 25-35 36th Ave., Astoria, NY, (718) 937-4821.