Bareburger, Be Still My {Healthy} Heart

Taste-tested and approved by Rebecca Banchik

Bareburger has just released a new updated menu of lunch and dinner options that are not to be missed. The restaurant continues to offer organic and locally sourced food at a great price and even better taste. While I would only be fooling myself to claim that milkshakes, burgers, and fries are health foods, at least while eating anything from Bareburger I feel good about knowing I’m eating whole foods and nothing processed.

There are some old favorites that are still on the menu, like the buffalo chicken sandwich. Bareburger makes a mean buffalo sauce {the sauce itself is Whole30 approved if anyone cares} and smothers it over a perfectly crispy fried chicken thigh. Using dark meat for their fried chicken not only ensures that the meat is juicy, but it guarantees to provide a richer and more robust flavor. If it’s a lighter choice you’re after, the Guapo Chop salad has always been a go-to for me. I can’t say no to guacamole. Ever.

I love cheese almost as much as I love my husband, so I would never personally choose to go vegan. But I’m absolutely pro-delicious foods and treats that are vegan without any sacrifice to flavor or enjoyment. Bareburger’s new vegan “milkshakes” are a real treat, and you don’t even realize you’re not having actual dairy milk or ice cream. The Velvis is a fantastic take on The King of Rock n’ Roll’s favorite combo – peanut butter and bananas, with a rich chocolate goodness. The creamy base is coconut ice cream and hemp milk. Mmm. The other new shake is a mint chocolate cookie concoction made with Newman’s Own chocolate cookies. YUM. If you can’t decide between the two, just bring a date and order both. You only live once, right?

Have you tried the Impossible Burger yet? What about the Beyond Burger? These names make them sound like supernatural burgers and well, they kind of are…meaty goodness but completely vegan. What?! The Beyond Burger is even gluten, soy, and GMO free! Truly you can find something for everyone here regardless of diet, allergy, or preference. 

We tasted the Beyond Burger – a semi-firm patty made with beet juice for color, potato, and coconut among other ingredients. Compared to the Impossible Burger, the texture was more along the lines of a seiten. The Impossible Burger has the texture of ground beef. If you are trying to fool your carnivorous friend, give them the Impossible Burger. If you don’t need it to taste like beef or are ok with a different texture, try the Beyond Burger. Both are really quite satisfying and more distinct than I expected!

A new fried chicken sandwich features a pear compote and a sticky sweet sauce. This sandwich had a lot of sweetness, but was mellowed by a surprise guest of mustard. I was pleased that the chicken maintained its crispy exterior despite the sauce and toppings.

Let’s talk about fries, aka fried happiness. Bareburger’s new take on your diner fries are Queso Fundido fries which are fries covered in a melty cheese sauce, chopped black forest bacon (what?!), and coated with a stellar hot sauce called wham bam sauce. These were truly enjoyable ~ the spice from the hot sauce complemented the creamy cheese nicely, and the fries were crisp and salty. It took a lot of willpower not to finish every…last…one.

You won’t find anything else quite like Bareburger here in Forest Hills. It’s great to support this local restaurant, whose roots are in Queens {the original is in Astoria} and has become a mainstay on Austin Street. When you’re there, take a few minutes to admire the “artwork” and quirky design elements that make the restaurant a fun spot for date night, dinner with the kiddies, or a leisurely weekend hang.

Healthy & Fresh Eats in Forest Hills

With this post, we introduce one of our new writers, Rebecca Banchik. Rebecca has lived in Forest Hills for two and a half years with her husband after 10 years of living in Manhattan. She traded in her Upper East Side life for the quaint and ever evolving Forest Hills neighborhood and never looks back. She’s a true foodie always searching for delicious and interesting meals in Queens and beyond. You can follow her on Instagram and Facebook @Foodieinthefrills. Edge of the City is still looking for more local writers, photographers and contributors. Email edgeofthecity@gmail.com for more information!

Around this time of year, you’re either staying strong and committed to those New Year’s resolutions and plans to eat better, drop a few pounds, workout more, yadda yadda yadda or you’re feeling sorry for yourself because it’s cold and nasty outside and you definitely deserve a giant bowl of macaroni and cheese. I fall somewhere in the middle – I know I want to eat well and feel good about what I put into my body…but I still want my meals to be tasty and flavorful. Forest Hills has some good options for healthy eats – here are some of my personal favorites. I hope you give them a try and never forget, it’s always ok to ask for alterations to your selection to make them fit into your healthy lifestyle. So, hold the bun and take a look:

Agora Taverna 70-09 Austin Street

Agora Taverna's Prasini Salad

The Prasini salad is my favorite. It’s simple, but that’s what makes it so fresh and satisfying. The feta Agora uses is a really delicious Greek feta that is creamy and not dry and crumbly. There are herbs that really bring out a nice flavor to the salad and the greens are crisp and refreshing. The salad is tossed with a house-made vinaigrette too – no creamy fatty dressing here.

Looking for protein? The lamb or pork kebab sticks are hearty, simply grilled, and can be ordered with a side of horta – a sautéed escarole green with garlic and oil. Squeeze some lemon on the dish and you have a protein rich, no carb dinner that will warm you on a cold night.

Bareburger 71-49 Austin Street

Burgers and fries probably sound the opposite of healthy. But that’s why Bareburger is a great choice if you know how to order. You can customize anything from their menu. They also have a great selection of salads and greens. They even have some interesting appetizers making quinoa and wholesome grains taste quite delicious. You can feel good about the food you eat here too, almost everything is organic and even the ketchup is homemade.

What to order? Try a burger (pick your protein – for a leaner choice, try the Bison) wrapped in a collard green leaf or for a gluten free option try the tapioca bun. Load up on the veggies and avocado for toppings. Order a side salad or for a more creative salad, order a small-sized main entrée salad. If you need a beverage, try their natural sodas. The ginger brew is my favorite; this isn’t Schweppes. This is natural soda made with real ginger. It’s strong, spicy, and delicious.

Ripe Juice Bar and Grill 70-13 Austin Street

Ripe has been around and they know how to do smart eating. They make a mean smoothie too. For a more treat-like smoothie, try the Pina Colada made with coconut milk, yogurt and honey for sweetness. It has the taste of the islands {ignore the snow mount by the stairs}. The Sunset Beach and the Coco Cabana are also excellent choices.

If you’re making Ripe a stop for a meal {great for a post workout dinner or lighter meal mid-week}, try the Grilled Tilapia platter. The dish is filled with brown rice, simply steamed vegetables, and a nice piece of fish. Ripe is focused on healthy low-calorie ingredients. Don’t expect jam packed flavor. But you can feel good about fueling up with whole foods that aren’t overly salted. For more jazz, the Mexican-Tex Quesadilla is a healthier take on a comfort food staple. Order it with the grilled steak and you have a nice protein rich but yummy dinner.

Roast n Co 100-12 Queens Boulevard

Roast n Co's Rotisserie Chicken

This newcomer to the area has some really delicious rotisserie chicken. You can’t go wrong with a platter of nicely seasoned and slow roasted chicken alongside greens. If you aren’t nearby to walk over, they deliver well and quickly. The chicken is antibiotic free, free range, and non-gmo which makes you feel good about consuming a responsibly raised meat. I enjoyed the sautéed kale and broccoli, but you can opt for a beet salad or ratatouille for something a little more unique. They operate a full service coffee shop as well that I haven’t yet tried – but it looks cozy and worth a stop soon!

Red Pipe Café 71-60 Austin Street

Red Pipe's Breakfast Sandwich on Ciabatta

I can’t tell you how much I love this place. It’s a coffee shop serving organic Counter Culture coffee. Forest Hills needed a high caliber coffee shop and Red Pipe came to answer that need. In fact, the entire place is organic serving fresh, wholesome breakfast and lunch salads and sandwiches. Stay for a meal and you won’t be disappointed. The breakfast sandwich on a multi-grain ciabatta roll with hard- boiled egg thinly sliced, layered with melted Vermont cheddar cheese, a garlic aioli, and avocado is to die for and super filling. It’s no carb or dairy free, but it’s organic and it’s delicious. If you want to go lighter, they have salads and creative vegetarian sandwiches to enjoy. You can’t go to Red Pipe and not feel relaxed. Sip an almond milk latte, linger long enough to order a snack, and be grateful Forest Hills has place for the cool kids to hang.

Honorable mention:

You can find wholesome dishes at other restaurants in Forest Hills. It’s all about being creative, ordering smartly, and exploring your options. To name a few, Nick’s Bistro serves a really great homemade quinoa veggie burger. Have it over lettuce {sans bread} and substitute the fries for some lemon roasted potatoes. Aaheli Indian Cuisine does a nice warming mulligatawny soup and tandoori chicken that’s free of cream and the heaviness that often comes with Indian cooking in America. A Sushi NY has fresh sushi and {insanely} fast delivery if you’re craving sushi but want to keep it affordable, simple, and yummy. Inside Natural you can have them make you a healthy salad with all the mix-ins you can imagine.