NYC Hidden Cuisine Meetup | A-for-Albania 🇦🇱

We gathered five food-loving friends on a weekday lunch—all thanks to our shared passion for discovering new flavors! We ordered 7 dishes blind, and all were solid picks. A standout was the Seasame Baked Cheese —creamy cheese wrapped in crispy sesame skin, lightly sweetened with honey. It was rich but not heavy, perfect for sharing between two or more. A friend who knows her cuisine shared that Albanian food is similar to Turkish, with many menu items in Turkish. The traditional coffee was strong and aromatic (though it made me sleepy after!). For dessert, the Tres Leches cake was delicious—reportedly even better than the Turkish version! 😄 The restaurant, Çka Ka Qëllue, has a cozy, well-decorated space—quiet and great for chatting. Portions are small (more individual-sized), so we shared several dishes. Exploring "B" countries next, but Albanian cuisine was a delightful start. Any recommendations for other lesser-known cuisines in NYC? #AlbanianFoodNYC #HiddenGemsNYC #NYCEats #FoodieMeetup #NYCRestaurants #WorldCuisine #NYCFood