Props To The Arancini (Rice Balls) At Joe’s Of Avenue U

The Daily News ran their  “Best of NY” food mentions. This time around, it was the best arancini in New York.

Famous Sicilian eatersy Joe’s of Avenue U, at 287 Avenue U, got an honorable mention, as did its off-shoot in Great Kills, Staten Island.

Here’s what the Daily News wrote:

You can’t talk about arancini in New York City without mentioning Joe’s of Avenue U, a venerable institution of Sicilian specialties in Gravesend for more than 50 years. While the Brooklyn location of this Focacceria Palermitana is steeped in history, it is also changing with the times. Two years ago, Joe’s opened up a second location in Staten Island that not only offers the traditional cheese-smothered arancini ($4.29-$6.99), but also makes gluten-free rice balls ($7.99-$10.99, Tuesday through Saturday) that taste just as good. Topped with tomato sauce, ricotta and parmesan, these fist-sized rice balls filled with meat and peas are as gratifying and authentic as the real deal. The crust holds the rice ball together without being too heavy or oily. Even the name “arancina,” which means “little orange” in Italian, still accurately describes this flour-free rice ball. It’s a great combination of rich, Old World flavors and healthier, new world sensibilities.

Joe’s of Avenue U has been a family business for over 50 years. They describe their food as not only a culinary treat, but “an institution where people come not only to eat, but to smell the air of Sicily they had left behind, to taste the food like their grandma made and to link the taste of a specialty to a distant past.”

That sounds deliciously poetic. Nice job Joe’s of Avenue U.