A Peek Inside the New Starbucks

 The new Starbucks on the north side of Queens Blvd., next to the CVS, is now open. It looks to be quite a bit larger than the one it replaces which was near the former Duane Reade.

The Good News and the Very Bad News

 The good news, especially for those who live in the largely residential area to the north of Queens Blvd. in the center of the neighborhood: You're getting a new Starbucks, right next to the 71st Continental Ave. subway stop, between the new bank and the CVS. Here's some pics of the outside and inside under construction. I heard that the Starbucks on the southside of 71st Continental will be closing, but that is not confirmed yet. 

And the Very Bad News - Banter, probably the neighborhood's best all-around restaurant, has permanently closed. I was crushed to learn of this. I know they had recently even tried building some major barriers inside the place to allow for safe indoor seating. So, it seems like they were giving it their all but just couldn't hold on any longer because of the challenges the pandemic has presented. I loved this place so much. It will be hard to replace it. I only hope when the pandemic begins to end five or six months from now, the owners think about opening something new in the neighborhood. 

Interesting Spot Available

The site of the former Sterling Bank is now available. I posted about this a while ago, but I can see this being a cool, chic new restaurant like the former Blue Water Grill at Union Square which was also in a bank... Oh, and unrelated, but I think we have one more horrible weekend of our Express subways going local again, and then somewhat better...

Work Begins On New Forest Hills Building

I noticed they have begun doing work on the site of this future development across from MacDonald Park. Last I heard it is supposed to be an office building with some retail space as well, and parking.

Forest Hills Beer Garden - In-depth Review

Edge of the City contributor Mark, owner of the blog mealswithmark.com  recently wrote this review of Cobblestones Pub's new Beer Garden (formerly called the Forest Hills Biergarten), which became quite the popular local hangout this summer:

Cobblestones Pub is located at 117-18 Queens Blvd.  It’s in Forest Hills but closer to Kew Gardens. When you walk through a metal door inside the pub, you are transported into a whole new world. While I found the inside of the pub a bit drab and dreary-looking, the outdoor space is a different story entirely - beautifully decorated down to every detail. The grounds were covered in AstroTurf and feature picnic benches with white umbrellas.  The walls surrounding the beer garden are decorated with cool and quirky art all around and feature a waterfall on one wall which was coming from faux beer taps.

What also made this outdoor space super cute and unique too is it had games throughout the space, so if you are enjoying a beer or a cocktail with your friends, you can have fun too. They had a bean bag toss and in one corner a huge Jenga game (which is a fun game to play when you are drinking). If you are not a gamer, they have something for everyone.  On the tables they also featured connect four games and backgammon. On the walls with the great artwork are also big screen TVs (one was playing the Yankees game and the other, the Mets, while top music hits was playing in the background.)

We were told we could sit anywhere. We found a picnic table and our server brought us over some menus. This is a beer garden, so I recommend trying a beer they have on top. They feature an interesting selection of beers. Unfortunately, we didn’t try any, but I have an eye on a few I would like to try next time we visit. I am leaning towards either Schofferhofer Grapefruit (yes Grapefruit beer) or the Spaten Oktoberfest.

The beer comes in two sizes -- a ½ liter for $8 and a liter for $15 -- and is served in a beer stein.  We decided since they have a great $5 margarita special we went with that instead of the beer.  I had two, the first was a frozen original margarita which in my opinion was lacking flavor and was mostly ice and little alcohol.  Hey what do you expect for $5, right?  For the second one I got an original margaritas on the rocks. They redeemed themselves a bit on this one - you could actually taste the tequila and the lime. It still wasn’t great, but it was decent for the price and the atmosphere. 

We also got the chips and guacamole to start with while we continued to gander at  the menu and converse and catch up with our friend.  The chips and guacamole was a tad disappointing.  The chips were slightly stale in taste, but the guacamole was pretty good.  It was traditional guacamole, so you can’t go wrong.

The menu consisted of a mix of German and American fare and the prices were decent for what they were offering.  I went with the Philly cheese steak which was smothered in cheddar cheese and sauteed onions served on a pretzel bun.  It came with a side of fries.  The fries were quite good.  They were beer battered and fried to perfection.  The Philly cheesesteak (which was a recommendation from our server) did not disappoint.  It was packed with flavor and was delicious.  It paired well with the grilled pretzel bun.  Great food choice for the atmosphere and the drinks. 

My partner ordered the Buffalo Chicken wrap. Crispy fried chicken , lettuce, tomato, buffalo sauce, and blue cheese.  He chose German Potato Salad with his (you have the option of that or french fries).  We always split our food when we go out so we can try more things.  The wrap was delicious.  The chicken was fried on point and it had all the right amounts of filling. It was also wrapped perfectly and didn’t fall apart.  The German Potato Salad was okay, it did lack a little flavor, but if you add some salt and ketchup it’s decent enough.

Both dishes we ordered I would order again, they were both that good. I would, however, skip the German Potato Salad and the chips and guacamole.  Not worth the waste of carbs. For a side definitely go with the fries. Next time I will be trying one of their unique beers and for appetizer I will be leaning towards either their mac and cheese bites, fried pickles, or their Steak Tidbits. There are so many good and unique choices. 

I definitely highly recommend Cobblestones Pubs’ hidden gem, their Beer Garden.  The atmosphere was amazing, and it is a great time to enjoy with friends and family outdoors.  Great music, great selection of drinks (skip the frozen margaritas, go with a beer or two), and great food (definitely come with an appetite).

Check out Meals with Mark - Meals prepared with love for some great recipes and other food experiences.  

Cooling Off at Forest Hills' New Biergarten

As summer is winding down, something interesting has opened up in the neighborhood that many still don’t know about: the first “OUTDOOR” biergarten in Forest Hills.  

Cobblestone on Queens Blvd and 78th Ave. has taken their outdoor extension area which was a basketball court originally and transformed it into quite the scene. 

It's called Forest Hills Biergarten, a German-themed outdoor setting with plenty of tables, standing room, a beautiful bar that's covered, and tons of games to talk about.  

Tired of going to Astoria all the time to visit their two beer halls? Well I am. I'm just glad we have more options with outdoor areas.  

This one happens to even come with a host of fun activities such as giant jenga, board games, corn hole or bean bag toss.

Yeah, and did I mention solid GERMAN beer?  The food scene has stayed just about what it has always been -- decent bar food, and a couple of additions to their menu on the outside.  

I personally haven’t eaten there yet, just enjoyed some quality bean bag competition and thrown down a few tall beers.  

Their paint job came out very nice, and with music playing, tons of socializing, and after work group parties, this could potentially give other bars such as Queens Bully a run for their money!  

Not sure why no one has really mentioned anything about it. For those who don’t like to venture off down Queens Blvd., away from Austin St., they could hop the subway two stops to the 78th Ave and Kew Gardens station head up the south side of the stairs and WHAM, follow your ears to the sounds of the outdoor excitement.  

It's a father and son (The Massaros) joint effort to bring some life into the East End of Forest Hills, and to them I say PROST!  

Hoping to see some outdoor music venues back there, in addition to some bean bag or corn hole tournaments, along with some happy hour prices, but other than that for my first few trips, I give it two big thumbs up wrapped around pint glasses.

Cheers! Coach

Coach is an avid reader and Twitter follower of Edge of the City. Have your own story or local experience to share? Email edgeofthecity@gmail.com. We are always looking for new writers and new content!

Restaurant Review: Guantanamera

My name’s Mark, founder and creator of the everything food blog Mealswithmark.com! I am back again, for another local Restaurant Review! This time I checked out Guantanamera located on the ever-bustling Queens Boulevard. I recently reviewed the new Mexican Restaurant Compadres 77, which you can read here! Also go over to my blog and check out my review of Numero 28 Pizzeria on Restaurant Row.

I have gotten some flack for my Forest Hills restaurant reviews I have done. I have one posted on my own blog and one posted here on Edge of the City. Between comments on both sites, as well as comments in the Forest Hills Facebook group where I posted one of my reviews, I received mixed reviews. I received some hostile comments due to my brutal honesty. I have been a resident in Forest Hills for about two years and have tried many of the restaurants the area has to offer and the majority lacked the 'Wow!' factor and failed to impress me.

Until recently, I haven’t had many “amazing” food experiences. That’s what makes reviews interesting. They give readers a chance to see a restaurant and experience it through someone else’s eyes and taste-buds. To get someone else’s opinion and perspective.

Me and my partner love living in Forest Hills! We love taking walks through the Gardens, taking in a movie at the newly renovated Midway, and eating out! We haven’t given up on the food scene in Forest Hills. We have actually had some great food experiences recently at Numero 28 and Moca, both on Restaurant Row!

Last Saturday night we decided to check out Guantanamera on Queens Blvd. After the short walk to the restaurant on a beautiful night, my first impression of the outside was the restaurant was a little drab and rundown. When you first look at it, it almost looks like they are closed. But let me just tell you, it is a whole different story when you walk through the doors. When you walk through the door, it’s like falling through the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland and you are transported off to Cuba.

Guantanamera is a friendly, fun, vibrant Cuban restaurant featuring traditional Cuban fare, a wide array of exotic cocktails and live Cuban music. The live music was booming! A little too loud in my opinion because it was hard to have a conversation with your dinner guest. But with that said, the music was amazing and I felt like I was partying in the streets of Cuba. Guantanamera, captures the essence of Old Havana with its exotic décor featuring exposed brick, candle-lit tables, ceiling fans, and hand-painted murals on the walls. I kept catching myself repeatedly gazing at the amazing décor.

We arrived at around 7:30 p.m. on a Saturday evening and we scanned the restaurant and it was packed. We checked in with the hostess and she stated she would be right with us. She checked in with one of the servers and we were seated immediately. No wait.

Our server promptly brought us menus and filled our glasses with water. We both looked through the menu and were impressed with the unique offerings on the menu. We asked our pleasant and always smiling waitress her recommendation for appetizers. She made several suggestions. She stated that the empanadas, the tostone rellenos (stuffed plaintains, shrimp, and Cuban sauce), and the calamari are amazing and her favorites on the menu. With both of us being fans of calamari, it was an easy choice.

The calamari arrived pretty quickly after ordering. It arrived at our table with a chipotle mayo sauce for dipping. The calamari was cooked to perfection. The batter was exquisitely seasoned and the calamari was fried to a golden crisp. I have had calamari at many restaurants and some come out on the chewy side. Not these golden delights. It was the perfect chew. The dipping sauce was a simple combo of mayo and hot sauce but it complemented the calamari.

Since our server made a great suggestion on the recipe and she was very engaging we asked her opinion on the main courses as well. I was in the mood for a beef/steak dish and there were several options on the menu. They all sounded amazing and a tough choice. They had a traditional Cuban steak with sautéed onions, grilled sirloin steak with sautéed onions, grilled skirt steak with a chimichurri sauce, and sautéed slices of prime beef with garlic, onions, peppers and a light tomato sauce. I was drooling with all of the choices.

I ultimately went with the Ropa vieja, a shredded skirt steak braised in a tomato sauce, onions and peppers which comes nested in a basket made of tropical plantains. It came with a side of white rice and black beans.

The combination of flavors was indescribable. The steak was so flavorful and tender and paired so well with the unique plantain basket. Our server was 2 for 2 so far with her suggestions.

My partner asked and went with our server’s suggestion as well. I love going out to eat with my partner, not only is it always great company, but we share each other’s food so we have twice the food experience. My partner went with the Pollo Guantanamera. This is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes.

It is a roasted half chicken boneless infused with a Cuban sauce and served with Tostones. Another dish that Guatanamera knocked out of the park. The infusion of spices on the chicken was delicious and the chicken was cooked so amazingly, that it melted in your mouth. Can’t forget to mention the Tostones, too. They came with a Cuban dipping sauce and the tostones had your typical delicious Tostones taste.

At this point, we were full on some pretty damn delicious Cuban food but still wanted to check out their dessert menu. We asked the server if the desserts were made in house and she stated that all the desserts are all indeed made in-house. We decided to split the Tres Leches Del Dia. It was a great ending to an amazing meal. The sponge cake was moist and was a perfect consistency! The three-milk cream was infused into the cake with just the right amount. The mango glaze and the cherry on top added a nice twist to the traditional Tres Leches cake.

We only had water due to having wine the night before. So, it was a non-alcoholic night for us. But, in addition to this unique and amazing dining experience, they offer a Cuban inspired bar and lounge area with a wide assortment of fine wines, rums, liquors, and specialty cocktails! Also, while at the bar enjoying a cocktail, you have the option of trying some of their unique appetizers.

I give Guatanamera two thumbs up and I highly recommend trying this Forest Hills Gem.


Guantanamera is located at 110-80 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills, NYC
Call (718) 575-5755

BUSINESS HOURS
Sunday - Thursday 11am - 11pm
Friday - Saturday 11am - 12am

HAPPY HOUR
Sunday - Thursday 11:30am - 7pm

DINNER
Sunday - Thursday 11am - 11pm
Friday - Saturday 11am - 12am

LUNCH
7 days a week 11am - 4pm

Linear Park Coming To Queens Boulevard

As I was posting this I started thinking, this reminds me of one of my ingenious -- if I my say so myself -- April Fools posts. After all, "Linear Park?" Heck, that's something I could have made up. But I didn't, and it's not a joke. It is actually real and I could not be more thrilled!

As I've often said on this blog, with all the improvements in terms of awesome restaurants, bars, coffee shops, apartment buildings, etc. (even the Midway Theater has gotten an upgrade), going on in the neighborhood, the one major thing still holding Forest Hills back was the horribly-depressing state of Queens Blvd., which is ugly, dangerous, dilapidated, etc. etc.

Well, if this plan comes to fruition, it looks like that one thing holding our neighborhood back from achieving its full potential will eventually be addressed---finally!

As the Forest Hills Post story states:

Construction work is expected to begin in 2019 for this phase. The Great Streets project as a whole, however, will move along the boulevard in phases, eventually reaching Yellowstone Boulevard and Union Turnpike in years to come.

Read all the details here: Queens Boulevard Will See Linear Park, Q60 Bus to Run on Median Under DOT’s Ambitious Plan 

And here: QUEENS BOULEVARD ROOSEVELT AVE TO 73RD ST Great Streets Capital Presentation to Community Board 2 Transportation Committee March 5th, 2018 

Cuban Restaurant Guantanamera Opening This Friday

Taxi Cab Flips Over On Queens Boulevard

This happened in Forest Hills today, around 11:15 a.m. Not sure on the condition of the drivers or passengers involved....

Queens Bully - A Tremendous Accomplishment

It's incredible to think that it was only back in March when we first heard of the plans for Queens Bully - a new BBQ restaurant planned for Queens Blvd., where the former Baluchi's Indian restaurant used to be. Now, just four months later, Queens Bully is a reality, and what an awesome addition to Forest Hills it is!

I went for the first time last night and as I try to focus on my day job this morning, my mind keeps wanting to remind me of those delicious brisket leftovers burning a hole in my fridge, covered in that awesome Queens Bully BBQ sauce.

Yes, Queens Bully was that good - based on my first visit. Unfortunately, however, this can only be a partial review at this time since the place was all out of baby back ribs, to my enormous disappointment. But, living just a few blocks away, no biggie. Hiccups are commonplace with any new restaurant and I always expect them -- I have been to sooo many openings in this neighborhood and every restaurant has had them. I recall waiting over an hour for Banter to give us food when it first opened and today that place is incredible.

In fact, what was most surprising to me about Queens Bully was how little newbie hiccups it seems to have! The main courses -- a brisket platter and a pulled pork sandwich -- came out in 15 minutes, and were absolutely delicious. The service was exceedingly professional and excellent. The place itself looks amazing. Even the bathroom was spotless.

So, consider this my Review Part 1 of Queens Bully. I will return soon for those ribs, and probably some chicken to boot. Until now, that delectable brisket will have to suffice, and no complaints here!

The place was nice and quiet when I arrived around 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, but not for long...

An indulgent and delicious S'mores dessert rounded out a perfect summer BBQ meal

Queens Bully's Menu

(Again, thanks to Joe for the pic!)

Queens Bully Opening to Public July 11th

That first night was a soft opening/friends and family/test run...
(Thanks to Joe for the pic.)

Queens Bully Update from DNAInfo

Lots of delicious news to enjoy in this article!

New Forest Hills Gastropub to Feature Rooftop Garden, Reps Say

A new gastropub serving comfort and barbecue food will open in July on Queens Boulevard, with plans to open a rooftop garden in the future, reps for the eatery said.

While We Slept

The repaving of Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills overnight this week at times transformed the roadway we're all so familiar with into something a bit more out of a science fiction movie...

April Fools Followup

A friend of mine offers this rather creative take on the same theme. Perhaps a bit "stronger" than I would do, but those of you who have lived here for a while know that it's not really an exaggeration... unfortunately.