Queens Night Market Serves Mauritius Hits
Queens Night Market's Pereybeurre serves Mauritius hits: chicken biryani with fried potatoes and chutney, plus dhal puri with peas and lamb curry. The stall brings authentic Mauritian street food to NYC's diverse food scene.
The Queens Night Market was founded in 2015 by John Wang, a former lawyer who was inspired by the vibrant night markets in Taiwan. His goal was to create a space that would be a welcoming and affordable cross-section of New York City's diverse communities. Since its launch, the market has helped establish over 350 new businesses and has featured vendors representing more than 90 different countries. Located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the open-air market now attracts an average of 20,000 visitors each Saturday night it operates. A core principle of the market is affordability, with a price cap of $5 or $6 on all food items. This policy is so central to the market's mission that vendors recently voted against raising the cap, choosing to prioritize community access over higher profits. Mauritian cuisine is a reflection of the island's history, with a blend of Indian, African, Chinese, and French culinary influences. Dishes often feature a mix of European herbs like thyme with traditional curries, or Chinese-style noodles and fried rice. The island's version of biryani, known locally as "briani," was introduced by Muslim sailors and merchants from India. It evolved from the Hyderabadi style, adapting over centuries with local ingredients to become a staple for celebrations like weddings and festivals. What makes Mauritian biryani distinctive is the mandatory inclusion of deep-fried potatoes, along with generous amounts of crispy fried onions, yogurt-based marinades, and a blend of mint and coriander. Beyond biryani and dhal puri, another iconic Mauritian street food is "gâteaux piments," which are spicy fritters made from soaked and ground split peas mixed with chilies and other spices.
