Known as New York’s oldest Argentinean restaurant, La Fusta has offered delightful meat cuts with the traditional taste of the Argentine furnace – located within the shadows of Elmhurst Hospital.
La Fusta, a family-run business since the 1970s, has been one of various Queens restaurants that participated during Eat Elmhurst restaurant week.
The food provided by La Fusta combines subtleties, variety, spices, and mouth-watering ingredients from South America.
It’s a quintessential Argentinean restaurant, with tango music in the background, dimmed lights, and pleasant ambiance adding to the indulgences of every bite.
For starters are their plump and juicy “empanadas de carne” (homemade meat pies) at just $2.50, which will make you want to order more than one just to taste the softness of the ground beef and dough again. To top the empanadas is the chimichurri sauce, which can also be smeared on just about anything – it’s noteworthy. A combination of oregano, onion, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, parsley, cayenne, and red pepper will make you forego the standard ketchup and mayo.
To cleanse the palate try their “ensalada de aguacate con camarones” (avocado salad with shrimps), which comes with freshly peeled shrimp, hearts of palm, butter beans, watercress, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, and red onions – dressed with a zinger of vinaigrette. At a cost of $14.50, the salad for two, with its exotic combination of flavors, is a fresh deal.
For a nice intimate dinner out, there is their signature dish called mixed “parrillada” (grill) for two, with a choice of mash potatoes or French fries, at $41.50. It comes with six different styles of meat, chinchulin (tripe), entraña (skirt steak), asado de tira (short rib), chorizo (red sausage), morsilla (blood sausage), and sweet bread (mollejas) – a carnivore’s dream!
The dish was served on a traditional mini charcoal grill brought to the table, and each taste of the different meats had intensely flavored spices, tender and juicy cuts, and delectable bites.
For those with a sweet tooth, their tiramisu is second to none. Made in house, this layered dessert garnished with cocoa powder has a presentation that is gone before the spoon even hits the plate.
As a special dish for Easter weekend, the restaurant will be providing “empanada de bacalao” (cod pies) – don’t forget to sprinkle some of the savory chimichurri sauce!
“At La Fusta, everybody is family,” said co-owner Stephen Tatarian.
La Fusta Steak House Restaurant
80-32 Baxter Avenue
Elmhurst, NY 11373
Tel: 718-429-8222
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 – 11:30 p.m.
Saturday, 11 – 12 p.m.
Sunday, 2 – 11 p.m.
Major Credit Cards Accepted
