Friday, May 15, 2015

Queens Boulevard—The Next Foodie Zone?

It seems like the blocks along Queens Blvd. are starting now to mimic what's been happening down on Metropolitan Ave. with all the new restaurants opening. And it makes perfect sense—they're probably a lot less rent than along Austin St. so we're starting to see all kinds of new independent restaurants open up there. It's a very exciting trend. And with the planned beautification of Queens Blvd. which just started in Jackson Heights and is supposed to eventually make its way down here, too, could it be we are on the cusp of a rejuvenated and actually enticing Queens Blvd. corridor?

Matiz, a new Latin restaurant which sounds very interesting, recently opened at the corner of 73rd Road and Queens Blvd. If anyone has tried it yet, let us know how it is. I'll check it out asap, too.

And DNAInfo reports that Thai Boulevard will soon reopen at 110-70 Queens Blvd.

DNAInfo also says the Indian restaurant Baluchi's, closed by the health department for various unpleasantness, will reopen in the fall as some kind of lounge by the same owners. Um, ok....

Meanwhile, on Austin St., a reliable commenter on the Blog's Facebook Page says the former Bonfire Grill is being converted into a new restaurant by the owners of Jack & Nellies on Ascan. It will serve American fare and be open for lunch.

And Red Mango recently broke out of its claustrophobic space at the corner of Restaurant Row to begin outdoor seating, immediately making it immensely more enjoyable. The photo below is from this Sunday morning when they were putting out the tables...

Posted by at 12:11 PM
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12 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 15, 2015 at 12:26 PM

    Foodie Destination? That's a little bit of a stretch -- we need a place like Marlow & Sons or Vinegar Hill House. Too many places in FoHi are either:

    1) Ghetto Fabulous: i.e. Cabanas ; people think that they're eating high quality food; but they don't have the palate to appreciate what real/fresh/high-end food tastes like...

    2) Geriatricville: I love the food at Danny Browns and Tazzina -- the crowd, not so much. Forest Hills is stuck in the 90s -- too suburban. The crowd at these venues is:

    1) Very territorial -- i.e. you're young; why are you spending here when you should be saving for a house -- meanwhile I probably make more than any of them.

    2) Here for a special occasion -- sorry, these days young people have money and we don't need to wait for Grandma to have a birthday before eating a good (and slightly pricey) meal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Edge of the City BlogMay 15, 2015 at 12:30 PM

      "A little bit" of a stretch? I'll take it! Better than a big one!

      Delete
    2. AnonymousMay 18, 2015 at 11:17 AM

      Geriatricville? Your parents did a good job raising you. I guess that they will have a hard time in their old age.

      Delete
    3. WendyJune 13, 2015 at 1:44 PM

      Do you realize that your third point and your fourth point contradict each other?

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMay 15, 2015 at 1:23 PM

    Looks like 12:26 anonymous poster is unhappy in the Hills. Priced out of Brooklyn?

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMay 15, 2015 at 2:21 PM

    I'm excited for a new Latin restaurant! We need a lot more variety other than Asian fusion and Mediterranean or frozen yogurt. There are no Vietnamese, Korean, Italian or Indian places nearby that are walkable. Also, maybe another gym or something that offers an activity.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMay 15, 2015 at 3:17 PM

    How about we appreciate Forest Hills for what it is instead of expecting the same venues and demographics found in Williamsburg & DUMBO. The new places and changes are a welcome addition to the Forest Hills food scene.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMay 15, 2015 at 3:44 PM

    It's a slow crawl to being a "foodie destination." I like the variety on Queens Blvd but the quality isn't great. Keuka Cafe may the only spot really trying something new and interesting over there. I really hope more of that arrives. But for now, I'll keep the mediocre restaurants over 99 cent stores or drug store chains.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMay 15, 2015 at 10:20 PM

    There's a restaurant here for all palates, and for whatever you might be craving. Agreed that not all the restaurants are 5 star, but the variety is certainly nice. Most neighborhoods don't have that.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousMay 16, 2015 at 8:02 PM

    We went to Matiz tonight -- great menu, tasty food, and very friendly staff. Definitely a great addition to the neighborhood. Check them out! Take note that they don't have their liquor license yet, though.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousMay 18, 2015 at 11:58 PM

    What time did you go to Matiz? I walked past around 8:30 and the metal gate was halfway down, and it looked like just a few workers were inside. Guess they closed early... so I went to Thai Boulevard, ordered apparently the only dish on the menu for which they didn't have all the ingredients (Chinese broccoli), then ordered a cashew nut dish with pork instead. It was tasty, but I can tell there was MSG in it, as it makes me very jumpy, so I'm expecting a poor night's sleep now. Live and learn!

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousMay 19, 2015 at 9:21 AM

    Can we please, please get Korean food? Fried chicken would also be nice, but my Southern roots are showing. -DW

    ReplyDelete

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