A Peek Inside Trek

Thanks to Shelley for sending in these photos tonight of the inside of the new bike shop opening soon on 70th Road.

New Bike Shop Coming to Forest Hills

I noticed this sleek-looking new bike shop, Trek, is opening on Restaurant Row (70th Road) in Forest Hills, right next to the medical marijuana shop. Imagine that! Something other than a new bank, barbershop or teeny little and curiously-unnecessary mom and pop drugstore is opening here! It is a cause for celebration indeed.

Last Space Available on "Restaurant Row"

Tucked in better the marijuana dispensary and the Thai restaurant on 70th Road, aka Forest Hills' famed Restaurant Row. This space would be great for that little indie bookshop the neighborhood so desperately needs.

OBA Unveils Outdoor Seating

Spring has sprung, and one of the nicest things to do is to have a relaxing meal outside in the sun after being cooped up inside all winter long. The superb new restaurant OBA recently set up its outdoor space. You'll find me there a lot munching on their delectable chicken kebabs and other fine dishes...

The Elephant in Forest Hills

Happy Spring!
Springtime gets me very energized. So, as I was walking down the remains of what used to be  -- and I guess still kinda is -- our Restaurant Row today, it got me to thinking: how beautiful would life be if this big 'elephant in the room' of ours somehow was replaced by a nice second row of restaurants on the west side of 70th Road? It is some type of telephone exchange building, from what I've always been told. I guess it's still needed or it wouldn't still be there.
But, jeez, talk about an eyesore smack in the middle of our lovely neighborhood. Just imagine how pretty that part of town would be without this fortress -- and how many more tasty restaurants we could have on our Restaurant Rowish Row if this was no longer there?
With the huge new modern building going up on the other side of this ugly duckling, and Restaurant Row on the east, boy this thing is really starting to look out of place, ain't it?

Post Update: A couple of people seemed to have gotten really annoyed with this post. Just to clarify, from an outsider's perspective this is just an enormous hulking structure that is ugly as hell, and just does not fit with the improving neighborhood around it. There is no signage indicating it is owned by Verizon or any other company, making one assume it is just some kind of an old-time telephone network center -- one that probably would never have been placed where it is if it was being built today given the increasing property values.
If it does contain offices, they should think of renovating the building to make it more pleasing to the rest of the neighborhood. This structure will look more and more out of place once the new building goes up next to it and the neighborhood continues to improve. 
And one last thing - this is only my opinion. If you happen to love hulking, bland, brick structures, then all the more power to you. Though I will never be a fan - unless it is some old-time Revolutionary War fort. Which would be awesome!
And yes, in keeping with that line of thought, and for the commenter who suggested it, it would be kinda cool to keep the building as is and use it in a retro way as some kind of museum or other cultural institution. In that respect, the old-time brick facade would make sense and add an authentic touch. Hey - maybe it should be a Museum of the Telephone, since they are disappearing real fast anyhow...

New Gym Opening Soon in Forest Hills

I snapped these pics the other day of the new Orangetheory Fitness studio, opening soon on "Restaurant Row" (70th Road). The place looks really cool inside, from what I could see...

Orangetheory is a science-backed, technology-tracked, coach-inspired group workout designed to produce results from the inside out. The hardest part of our workouts is showing up - we make it simple for you to push yourself, be your personal best and give you more. MORE results. MORE confidence. MORE Life. More than a gym. Because you shouldn’t live to exercise. You should exercise to live.

First Impressions - OBA

So I stopped by OBA today to take something out for lunch. The first thing I was struck by was how incredibly crowded it was! The second, how friendly and professional the staff was - from greeting me at the door to keeping track of my order despite how busy it was and making sure I got my food as quickly as possible. And the third thing? How delicious the food was! I am happy to report that OBA seems to be the real deal. I ordered a chicken shish kebab in a pita and it was awesome. The sandwich comes with two sauces, one of which gave it the perfect spicy kick. And the chicken was grilled to perfection with a nice charcoal-broiled flavor. I cannot wait to go back for more.

This place already seems to be a big hit, and I predict it will be a huge success. I am not only basing that on how great this first sampling of their food was, but just by how professional the staff is, how organized it is considering it just opened, and how much work they put into building out a workable restaurant -- their kitchen space is enormous given the cozy size of the restaurant.

This space, at the corner of Austin Street and Restaurant Row in Forest Hills, used to be a frozen yogurt shop. It's obvious the owners made the right business decision by converting the space into a Mediterranean grill. Judging by the crowds, there is a huge demand for this type of food in our neighborhood. I know there are one or two other places that offer similar food right nearby. But my first impressions of OBA leads me to believe that they will have to step up their game.

OBA Opening Soon

I was told the new Mediterranean grill on the corner of Austin and Restaurant Row will be opening by this weekend. I like what they've done with the place. Fingers crossed the food is as nice.

OBA Mediterranean Gyro & Grill Coming to Restaurant Row

The new restaurant will be located at the corner of  Restaurant Row (70th Road) and Austin Street in Forest Hills. 

Restaurant Row Update

So, with the opening of the marijuana dispensary, Curaleaf (looking quite chic, by the way, in the photo below), in the former Santa Fe bbq location (something permanent, finally) and Orangetheory Fitness in half of the former Pizzeria Uno (thanks to Amanda on Twitter for sending that pic in), I think that leaves just one spot left to be taken on Restaurant Row.
By the way, will Curaleaf drop the "Cura" from its name when recreational use of marijuana in NY State is legalized in a year or two? Just wondering.
Also wondering why it was just too hard apparently to fill Restaurant Row again with, uh, I don't know... maybe restaurants?

Corner of Restaurant Row & Austin St.

The going-out-of-business signs caught my eye a couple of months ago and now things are really getting going: some big-time development going in at the corner of Austin Street and Restaurant Row. I know originally the yogurt place was supposed to be turned into some type of Mediterranean grill. Does anyone know if that is still what is happening? It sure would be one mammoth Mediterranean grill if so, since there are now two adjacent storefronts that are part of this development...

Marijuana Dispensary Coming to Restaurant Row

Yep, the rumors were true, according to the website Forest Hills Post today.

Odd idea for Restaurant Row to say the least (though they'll probably have edibles, I would think.) I mean, considering all the many different types of eateries we still don't have in Forest Hills, a marijuana dispensary for half of the former Santa Fe BBQ location?

Forest Hills never fails to surprise me, I'll give it that.

Marijuana Dispensary to Open in Forest Hills This Summer

Curaleaf dispensary will offer “pharmaceutical-quality cannabis treatments” at 107-18 70 Rd, the former location of Santa Fe Steakhouse. The cannabis is intended to treat patients from across the city who suffer from illnesses such as chronic pain, PTSD, cancer and other conditions, according to the company.

Restaurant Row News

Saw this in the window of the recently-opened Italian restaurant Numero 28 on Restaurant Row. I'm sure hoping this means we will soon be able to get their absolutely superb pizzas delivered!

Also, I saw today that there is significant construction going on at the old Santa Fe restaurant location, also on Restaurant Row. They were pouring concrete, etc. So I sure am hoping that that space is finally being filled by, um, a restaurant, instead of a temporary Halloween costume shop again?

A Slice of Naples Right Here in Forest Hills at the Newly Opened Numero 28

By Rebecca Banchik

Our beloved neighborhood has been waiting for some exciting new foodie arrivals and this weekend Numero 28 {in the old The Grill space on Restaurant Row} opened and I dare say, should be called “Numero 1” because it was excellent.

Getting Italian food in New York City is easy … almost a little too easy. Everyone, whether they are Italian or not, has their take on Italian and Italian-American classics ranging from pizzas to chicken parmigiana, to pastas of every shape and sauce. Because Italian red sauce joints are so ubiquitous, standing out and being really good is a challenge. Numero 28 stepped up to this challenge. That they were coming to Forest Hills as an already established restaurant with locations throughout Manhattan and in Brooklyn {as well as in Miami, Austin, and London} had me tentatively optimistic. When it’s not your first rodeo, you know how to run a tight ship. But that can also mean sterile or uninspired. Not so at this new outpost; there was something authentic and honest about the food and ambience. The staff were also so very welcoming as if I was an old friend and we were there to break bread together for the first time in many years.

While pizza is very clearly the feature of their menu, definitely give their appetizers and pasta dishes a try. The Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe was one of the most delicious pastas I have had in a very long time. The sauce is deceptively simple, which makes it a tricky one to perfect. I’ve had cacio e pepe many times, and if it’s not done right, it risks tasting bland or dry. The chef here is from Rome, and I was told he makes this dish the Roman way … which, for the record, is apparently the most delicious way. I was enjoying it so much I spooned every last bit of sauce off the pan long after the spaghetti was gone. The sauce, made of pecorino cheese and reserved pasta water, spiced with flecks of black pepper and tossed to coat perfectly al dente spaghetti was everything I wanted it to be and more.

I tried their namesake pizza {buffalo mozzarella, speck, truffle cream, & mushrooms} and whoa. The truffle cream is the standout here – literally a cream of truffley goodness that melted all over the salty speck and chewy crust. The crust was ever slightly charred and the edges had a crisp but pliable bite. The thinness of the speck made it almost melt in your mouth. The pizzas come in three sizes; I recommend the individual size if you plan to sample other dishes.

For an appetizer, our gracious waiter Marco recommended the Sicilian Rice Balls which were atop a classic marinara sauce. The arancini were nicely crisp on the outside and stuffed with a scrumptious blend of cheese, ground beef, and rice. The tang from the tomato sauce complemented the salty and creamy center of these little pockets of yumminess.

Since I hadn’t eaten any carbs yet {cue the sarcasm}, it seemed only necessary to try one of their homemade desserts. I sampled a chocolate cake with a Nutella mascarpone cream. While I may have had to roll myself home, it was worth every bite and a perfect ending {along with a frothy cappuccino} to a wonderful meal.

Welcome to the block, new friends at Numero 28. I look forward to many more meals with you, next time with some vino. Saluti, and best of luck making Forest Hills your home.

Numero 28 is located at 107-12 70th Road in Forest Hills. Email: foresthills@numero28.com

Looking Forward To...

Just a couple of the places that I'm looking forward to opening...

Numero 28 - Italian and pizza coming to Restaurant Row. Their cool sign went up yesterday, I believe. This place has locations in such hip locales as Park Slope and Miami Beach, and the East and West Village in Manhatttan. Nice to know FoHi is on their list!

And Tamashii Red, opening soon on Austin Street. The owners of this ramen restaurant have locations in Astoria and Long Island City, both of which are highly regarded...

New Pizza Restaurant Coming to Restaurant Row

In the space where The Grill was, according to The Forest Hills Post: Numero 28 to Open on Forest Hills’ Restaurant Row Early January

A popular Manhattan-based pizzeria chain will soon serve up classic Neapolitan-style pizza on Forest Hills’ restaurant row next month.

And here's a link to the Numero 28 website

Here's a pic of the West Village location:

And the Park Slope location:

The Grill on Restaurant Row is Closed

Not sure if this is temporary or permanent. No signs on the windows either way. I like the food at this place, though find the prices too high for what it offers/ the demographics of this neighborhood. My current choice for a Mediterranean restaurant in the area is the new Rimtin on Metropolitan Ave. I still miss Wafa's though!  Boy, Restaurant Row sure is going through a period of change these days.

The Return of MoCA

Looks as though MoCA has re-opened for business.  If they could just fill that huge Santa Fe space after all these years, the remaining half of Pizzaria Uno and Vanilla Sky, 'restaurant row' would be back.

MoCA Expanding Into Part of Uno Space

Thanks to @achan for the pic!

So, This is Happening....

What a waste... Santa Fe closed, what, like three years ago and has sat virtually empty except around Halloween since? Think of all the excellent food we could've been consuming since? The second is Uno's. Ditto...