Dog Days

I'll leave you with our newest food truck—this was parked on 71st Continental Ave. Sunday—while I head to the beach for the week. Blogging resumes next week! Have a great week!

New Chinese Food Cart

This new food cart has popped up on 71st/Continental, in front of the AT&T store. I haven't tried it out myself, but the reader who sent in these pics tells me: "the food is legit, and the prices are only slightly higher than you'd find in Flushing." I can't wait to try it...

Food Trucks at MacDonald Park

So here I was thinking I came up with such a great idea - to park all the new food trucks that have been coming to Forest Hills around MacDonald Park and put that space to some better use. And then Sunday I stumble upon a Street Fair right there at the Park. Since when did they start having these around MacDonald Park instead of Austin Street anyway, and where was this even publicized? I didn't hear a word about it.

Anyway, this is exactly how I imagined the food trucks would look parked on those side streets near the Park and then people can eat in the park, putting it to some more varied use aside from only chess games and a meeting place for senior citizens!

Imagine this park, that is infrequently used by most residents because of its location, and its poorly-planned design, suddenly becoming a haven for all the delicious different food trucks that have been scattered elsewhere around the neighborhood? They could be located there all the time so people would know where to find them.

Since so many of the landlords on Austin Street—many of whom don't even live here, according to the 516 area codes I always see—continue to hold out with audacious rents that local businesses just aren't willing to pay, why continue to punish the residents of our neighborhood? There have been some storefronts that have been empty on Austin Street for several years!  Let's open this park to more food vendor options. It will give these landlords some real competition and maybe make them more likely to work with a young entrepreneur who wants to open a business in our neighborhood.

God knows, the lines at the new Empanadas truck that just started doing business in Forest Hills shows there is an enormous under-served demand for inexpensive yet delicious food in our neighborhood! When you couple that with the obscenity of all those empty small storefronts on Austin, especially down near Ascan, it makes one so frustrated about all the missed opportunity for this neighborhood when it comes to exciting new businesses that could be flourishing here.

Food Truck Frenzy

I was walking by the new empanada truck on the north side of Queens Blvd. and the crowd was ridiculous. It looked like they were having a Lollapalooza or something. Isn't it obvious that we need more inexpensive take-out joints in Forest Hills? I know one issue is the rents along most of Austin Street, but there are a few smaller storefronts, especially on the Ascan end of the street and a bunch of them are sitting empty.

Anyway, here's another pic I snapped of the crowd, and this was during a much less busy moment:

I was thinking that MacDonald Park should be put to some better use and become a place where the food vendors can go if the landlords on Austin aren't going to make it affordable for them all to open there. What do you all think? I think that park is vastly underused aside from some chess playing and some sitting around. Why not make it a center for all the new food trucks that are starting to come into the neighborhood?

Empanadas Come to Forest Hills

Ok, so it's a cute little empanadas truck, which happens to have suddenly perched itself across from the Key Food north of Queens Blvd. But given the fact that Forest Hills remains one of the only neighborhoods in New York City without its own empanadas storefront—despite the many empty ones available on Austin Street, I might add—I'll take what I can get.

Food Truck Options Expand on 71st/Continental

We're starting to get quite the eclectic mix of food truck options along 71st/Continental Ave. The latest is this juice and smoothie option. I'm wondering if this newest truck says anything about the changing demographics of the neighborhood as younger residents moving into Forest Hills and nearby areas are seeking out healthier, on-the-go, food options.

Our Latest Food Truck: Coolhaus

Please welcome Forest Hills' latest food truck, Coolhaus, parked over on 71st/Continental Ave. today, and offering up some quite delicious treats.

Sunday in The Hills With Waffles

All my commenting on the other thread about how badly Forest Hills could use a decent place to have a good breakfast got me to remembering that this past Sunday I finally tried that Waffle truck parked on 71st Continental. I know, I know—some readers and waffleites—will be appalled that I had never tried it before. But the fact is I have been really trying to watch my calories, especially now with my, ahem, next birthday coming up which makes me feel way too old. Anyway, I am now a true believer in the Lord in heaven and all that is holy. It was truly delicious! And most surprisingly, so freakin' light. I was expecting to feel so stuffed and it just wasn't that way at all.

 It all left me thinking that, heck, if we don't have any other place right now nearby to get an awesome breakfast, at least we have Waffles!

Newest Food Truck

This Hibachi truck started appearing on 71st/Continental over the past couple of weeks. Has anyone tried it?