New Restaurant in Former Jack & Nellie's Space

Here's the new restaurant, White Radish American Kitchen, that is going into the former Jack & Nellie's space on Ascan. They have an outdoor seating area on the street that is being constructed as well. 

Popular Forest Hills bakery Bonelle to close after all

According to the Queens Chronicle the Ascan Avenue Bonelle Pastry Shop, one of the older bakeries in Forest Hills, will close in January. This, after a local outcry by Forest Hills residents who have treasured the small independent shop for decades. There was even a petition signed by hundreds of shoppers to try to keep it open. But the manager now says they will have to close their doors. Read all about it here: Bonelle Pastry Shop in Forest Hills to close in January

New Windows Going Up For Ascan Dunkin' Donuts

Thanks to Steve for sending in this photo today...

And the Scene Tonight - Crash 2

Yup, same corner, another horrible crash. I assume they're parking an ambulance near the corner of Ascan and Queens Blvd.? Sorry to be so morbid, but it is a morbid situation and looks like nothing's being done about it? How many more accidents have to happen, and how many more people have to be injured or worse? And by the way, what an incredible nightmare for people, like myself, having to cross Queens Blvd. right after this crash happened this evening, as you can kind of make out by the chaos of the cars going every which way to get around the cars involved and the emergency vehicles...

Crash, Intersection of Ascan and Queens Blvd.

The scene tonight.

Pieces of I guess the other car were as far as the eye can see on Queens Blvd. You can see some of them on the pavement if you look closely (sorry for the blurry pic, but I was a bit distracted literally walking over the debris from the other car as I crossed this evening).

When are these drivers going to learn that this is not a highway?

When is the city going to learn that it needs to do more?

For example, when are we going to get rumble strips put down on these death-trap intersections here in Forest Hills like I've been calling for for years?

I hear they've finally started doing it in other places nearby.

Remaking the Corner of Ascan and Austin

Corner of Ascan and Austin

So that quiet, beautiful part of Austin Street diagonally across from the church is in for some big changes, according to various guesses, reports and rumors that are circulating. Ever since the convenience store on the corner shut down a couple of months ago, there's been a lot of speculation as to what will replace it. The floor plans I've seen in fact, go way beyond just that store, carving a large chunk out of that entire corner which includes shops facing both Austin and Ascan. And one of those businesses impacted is Bonelle, a pastry shop that has been around for years and years and is extremely popular with FoHi'ers who have lived here for a long time.

Personally, I've never been a big fan. I've been to Bonelle and found the store very tired-looking and in need of a big-time renovation. Now, I'm a big meal guy and really don't have much of a sweet-tooth. So, I am really not anyone to judge pastries or deserts in general. And honestly I have no recollection whether I liked the pastries I had at Bonelle or didn't. But so many long-time residents absolutely love the place, that there must be something to it.

So.... if you are one of them, stop by Bonelle some time this holiday season and show them some love. I'm told they have a petition going to try to convince the landlord to not evict them which you can sign.

As for that corner, what's coming in there? I've heard everything from the Cafe Benne chain to Dunkin' Donuts. Personally, if it has to be a coffee shop like that (which I don't see the reason for since 1) We have the fabulous La Boulangerie a block away, and 2) it will in my opinion negatively impact what is one of the most charming corners on all of Austin St. and maybe in our neighborhood) my choice hands down is the more upscale Cafe Benne. But I am hearing more and more each week that it will probably be a DD... shame...lost potential of a really nice spot in our nabe.

The long-time Bonelle Pastry Shop is closing by next year, evicted by the landlord due to rising rents

Restaurant Review: Jack & Nellie's

Readers of the blog will recall a few weeks ago I posted about a nice email I received from the owner of Jack & Nellie's restaurant, on Ascan Ave., informing me of recent changes to his menu.

Here's what he had written:
"While we still have many of our crowd favorite small plates (i.e: Mac & cheese with chorizo, lamb meatballs, garlic & artichoke dip, sliders...) we have extended it to entrée size platters such as Grilled Hanger Steak (served with chimichurri sauce and potato wedges), Grilled Salmon (over succotash), Jack & Nellie's Burger (served with fries), Kale Cesar Salad (served with or without grilled chicken), Vegetable Risotto, to name a few. Our chef has also been coming up with tasty specials each night (usually 2 or 3) and our brunch (every Sat & Sun) not only has a dedicated following, but we also offer live jazz to enhance the experience. Even though we are not taking reservations for brunch, we are thrilled to see returning customers each weekend, and look forward to seeing new ones as well. I am happy to report that the feedback from our customers (from far and away) has been positive and we hope to continue being a pillar of the Forest Hills community."

I had eaten at Jack & Nellie's after it first opened a couple of years ago and while I really liked what I had, at the time it was all small plates. As I've said before, perhaps that's fine for other New York City neighborhoods where there are a zillion dining choices, but here in Forest Hills we're still restaurant-challenged. No doubt, some awesome places have opened in the past few years, but I think we could use another five or so great places to get a tasty meal before FoHi will have begun to join other NYC neighborhoods in the standard level of dining options. Our pickings have been especially slim when it comes to your traditional American cuisine - just a casual neighborhood place to grab a quality sandwich, steak or burger, without it having to cost you an arm or a leg. Again, something many NYC nabes take for granted.

So, I am very happy to write that Jack & Nellie's—with its newly expanded menu—joins other recently-opened places like Banter and Bonfire Grill in filling this much-needed gap Forest Hills has had in its restaurant options. I recently tried their grilled chicken sandwich ($12)—excellent—and Seared Salmon Over Succotash ($17)—also excellent. To start, I had the lamb meatballs as an appetizer ($9), which were just exceptional.  Dessert included slices of Apple Caramel and Chocolate Fudge cakes. Both really good for $7 each. I also loved the way they served their coffee at the end of the meal, French Press style, delicious and a good price at only $4.

I also really liked the atmosphere. I went during an off-hour though, early Sunday evening, when it was probably a lot more quiet than you're likely to find on a Friday or Saturday night. The laid back feel of the place at that time was just great—I felt like I was in the perfect local neighborhood eatery New York City is known for. At the time, they were also having a Happy Hour, so I was able to have a really nice craft beer with my dinner for just $4. Can't beat that.

So Jack & Nellie's is the whole package—delicious food, nice ambience, reasonable prices. What's not to like? Give it a try if you haven't already. It's also in a refreshingly quiet part of town, just off of Austin St. on Ascan Ave.

Restaurant Update: Jack & Nellie's

 I've been meaning to return to Jack & Nellie's on Ascan for quite some time. I paid them a visit more than a year ago when they first opened and enjoyed the place, but had hoped at that time that they would expand the menu from just small plates to meal-size portions. After all, Lord knows we here in Forest Hills can still use some great new restaurant choices to have a full meal at, not just a few small plates. Maybe other NYC neighborhoods can afford the luxury of small plates, but let's deal here in Forest Hills with the lack of a variety of great places to get a full meal before we even go there.

And, thankfully, we are indeed dealing...

Jack & Nellie's must have been listening because they have done just that in the ensuing months.

Jack & Nellie's owner, Cyril, was, smartly, one of the local restaurants to take me up on my offer and contact me to inform the blog's readers about recent changes to his establishment.

Here's a portion of what he told me, in his own words:

"Jack & Nellie's has expanded its menu. While we still have many of our crowd favorite small plates (i.e: Mac & cheese with chorizo, lamb meatballs, garlic & artichoke dip, sliders...) we have extended it to entrée size platters such as Grilled Hanger Steak (served with chimichurri sauce and potato wedges), Grilled Salmon (over succotash), Jack & Nellie's Burger (served with fries), Kale Cesar Salad (served with or without grilled chicken), Vegetable Risotto, to name a few. Our chef has also been coming up with tasty specials each night (usually 2 or 3) and our brunch (every Sat & Sun from 11am-3pm) not only has a dedicated following, but we also offer live jazz to enhance the experience. Even though we are not taking reservations for brunch, we are thrilled to see returning customers each weekend, and look forward to seeing new ones as well. I am happy to report that the feedback from our customers (from far and away) has been positive and we hope to continue being a pillar of the Forest Hills community."

So, I look forward to visiting Jack & Nellie's again soon and giving their new menu a try! Tucked away on the quieter Ascan Ave,, just around the corner from busy Austin, you could say Jack & Nellie's has a bit of a disadvantage in getting noticed by the thousands of shoppers who visit Forest Hills each day—especially given all the publicity the newer restaurants coming into the neighborhood have recently been getting.

Well, you could say that. Or, you could say J&N has a huge advantage—a charming eatery in a quieter section of the neighborhood, away from all the hustle & bustle of the big city.

So, when you're thinking of another restaurant to try here in Forest Hills, keep Jack & Nellie's in mind.

Jack & Nellie's

Here's some vittles from my visit to Jack & Nellie's, our new restaurant/night spot over on Ascan. These were taken quite a few weeks ago, and I was just about to post them then and then Hurricane Sandy struck.

Overall, I like Jack & Nellie's. My friends and I agreed it's not really a place for dinner, unless you have a fat wallet and are willing to fill up on a lot of small plates. The food we had, and the wine, was very good. But it's more of a place you go with friends for some light snacks/dinner, drinks and good conversation in a very nice, laid back atmosphere.

Jack & Nellie's Menu

A reader was nice enough to snap this pic of their menu and send it in. If you're not familiar with it, Jack & Nellie's is the new wine bar/restaurant that opened on Ascan last week (across from Nick's Pizza).

A Slice of Heaven...

.... Nick's Pizza. Especially their pepperoni.

New Ascan Restaurant

There seems to be a ton of interest in this new place, opening soon where the old Q Bistro used to be on Ascan. Here's a pic of what I hear will be a beer and wine bar, with assorted light food. It certainly already has the air of a classy place and I hear the've done a really nice job on the inside as well:

Accident at Corner of Austin/Ascan Last Night

A car crashed Friday night into the convenience store at the corner of Austin St. and Ascan.

Q Bistro to be Bar?

I saw on the Queens Neighbors message boards that the former Q Bistro restaurant space on Ascan is going to be turned into an Irish bar of some sort. The person who posted the information said this is from workmen at the site.

Closing Time ?

Sadly, or perhaps not sadly depending on how you look at it, there's been a bit of a backlog of news about local stores and restaurants closing. Here's a quick rundown:

- Q Bistro, the restaurant on Ascan that used to be Thai and then reopened with a kind of an eclectic-modern style menu, closed about a week or so ago. I quite possibly was among the last guests at this restaurant. And I was left a bit unnerved by the experience, I have to say. While they had done a nice job of redesigning the restaurant, there really wasn't a lot of logic to what they were doing. For one thing, when you create an open kitchen for your guests to watch the food being made, shouldn't that enhance the dining experience, and not make the visitor uneasy? I sat right across from the open kitchen area as I ate and watching what looked like short-order cooks dump what I swear was cans of tomato sauce into what they were preparing was really not the most dinner-enhancing experience.

And here are a couple of other goners, Clear, an interent service provider on Austin St., and Austin Chemists, a small drugstore on Austin right near Ascan (my friend who lives near there said it seemed they spent more time constructing the store than actually being open.) 

I have a very good feeling about what is happening down on Austin St. near Ascan, by the way. Is it just me, or is that area becoming very interesting, between the amazing La Boulangerie, the very enjoyable Brownies & Cream (I just treated myself tonight to some more of their delectable home made Coffee Brownie ice cream - Boy, they have huge chunks of brownies in there, delish! :) ), and the bizarre, yet conversation-generating Sister Unn's. 

Could my dreams of a cute little independent cafe be next down that way? We've already come awfully close with La Boulangerie. Wouldn't the Q Bistro space make for the perfect little indie cafe, ala Park Slopes' Ozzie's, to hang out in? 

Edge of the City Review: Q Bistro

With some in my party unwilling to wait for a table at the packed Agora Taverna last eve (they shall remain nameless :), we headed east down Austin... to the new Q Bistro, located at 108-25 Ascan. The good news is having removed its "Thai" so to speak, Q has reemerged as a very pleasant place to dine on some very tasty fare. We all enjoyed what we had and look forward to going back soon to try some other dishes. The food was good, though I wouldn't call it excellent. But good enough that we want to go back and try their other dishes. (Pardon these pics, it was dark and the camera didn't do its usual best.)

I like what they did with the interior of the restaurant. It is very stylishly furnished, with the bar when you walk in and an open kitchen area towards the back.

One of us sampled the chicken paillard ($17) and enjoyed it, however thought it was a tad salty and the portion could have been a bit bigger. I tried it and found it be perfectly cooked and seasoned with a very nice taste.

Another in my party had the cheese burger ($12), and really liked it. The only complaint was there could  have been a few more fries, though the one's included were pretty large steak fries.

I myself went for what they call their "grown up grilled cheese sandwich," which is prepared with a couple of different cheeses, lettuce, tomato, and pork. And as an extra, very nice added touch, it comes with a smoked tomato soup. I think it cost around $14 which was quite a reasonable price for what turned out to be a very filling (maybe a bit too filling - towards the end I thought the sandwich's ingredients may have been a bit too rich) sandwich and soup.

Some of the prices at Q were a little high I noticed. But there were some very reasonable offerings as well, like my sandwich.  I also enjoyed a glass of wine (shiraz), which was very smooth and excellent.

The service was pretty good (they were a little slow in bringing out the bread and then a bit too eager to take away our olive oil for our bread, which was a bit odd. Though I think that just might have something to do with one of the servers who seemed a little inexperienced. The waitress we had seemed more experienced.)

All in all, I like what they have done with Q. The menu seems creative and modern. This is just the type of place we need more of here in Forest Hills. My grades:

Atmosphere: A- (the minus because I noticed several of the tables for two VERY close to each other, one of my pet peeves when dining. Heck, I like my privacy!

Food: B+ (for now, I want to try many of the other offerings on their very interesting and intriguing menu.)

Service: A-

Overall grade for Q Bistro: B+