I love that you don’t need a car in New York. As much as we bitch and moan about the public transit system, it can really take you just about anywhere within the five boroughs. There are certain places (like Red Hook, Brooklyn) that are difficult to reach by train and will force you to walk for 20 minutes or so. But, still, a 20 minute walk is nothing. And always a welcomed activity when I’m eating all this gut stretching food.
But Cafe Tibet required barely any walking at all. It was literally outside the Cortelyou subway station in Ditmas Park. It’s wedged between the station and the deli next door. It’s an adorable little shop that whisks you away to another world. And from what I hear, in warmer months, there is even a garden overlooking the train tracks. And since this is far into Brooklyn, it’s more picturesque than you might think.
Predictably, Cafe Tibet (or Top Cafe Tibet, as the sign reads) serves Tibetan food. The most famous dish is the momos, which are steamed dumplings. So we ordered the combo momo platter, along with a very light but filling barley soup, and the dish that got us here in the first place: the sha-baklap.
Time Out describes them as a Tibetan version of Jamaican beef patties. They look more like a big deep-fried dumpling. When you cut into the crispy dough (biting into it was a bit daunting), it seems like all the juices ooze out. Fortunately, the juices stay on the plate and soak back into the crust.
The inside was a big clump of beef patty. It was very well-seasoned (with onions, ginger, and spices) and overly juicy. And it stayed together amazingly well. Maybe a little too well as it was hard to break apart and I almost ate half the filling in my first bite. Which would have been fine since it was so tasty, but I wanted to spread it out over the entire sha-baklap. I love saying that. Sha-baklap.
The flaky dough was just a touch sweet and slightly spicy. And it worked very well with the savory beef inside. It was a nice combination and an interesting take on the beef patty. And I got to try this authentic Tibetan food with barely leaving the subway. Now that’s service.
Would Cafe Tibet’s Sha-Baklap make my Top 100 of the year? Even though they didn’t blow my mind or make me feel like I needed to quickly return, they were tasty, rich, and filling and I liked trying a different version of beef patties. And that’s why they earn a 7 out of 10 in my book.
