The Flying Pig, the gastropub taking over the former Johnny Rockets space on Austin St., has unveiled a new facade, and also a new website which promises "there will be something for everyone." Take a look at their website for a sketch of what the site will eventually look like. Very nice!
This is my article in the Forest Hills Times, which provides the owners' backgrounds & their vision for The Flying Pig: http://www.foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/21882683/article-New-pubs-to-add-to-culinary-landscape-in-FH
ReplyDeleteThe same applies for Banter Irish Bar and Kitchen, as well as Forest Hills Station House.
Yes, excellent article.
DeleteThank you, Drake.
DeletePigs only fly in Forest Hills.
ReplyDeleteAt last, a pub smack in the center of the action on Austin! I was so tired of having to go down a side street for the Irish cottage.
ReplyDeleteAll we see are food and drink related places opening up all over in Forest Hills.
ReplyDeleteFailed business models shutting down and newer business models opening up which seem to be much be much more highly rated.
Johnny Rockets was a theme restaurant but with poor quality of food. Replaced by The Flying Pig which seems to be more inline with the communities desire for drinks and food.
The new places opening up are a lot more desirable than the past places and seem to be more trendy and uppity. A lot of hard work is going into the reconstruction so they are spending dollars and cents revitalizing the community.
However Austin Street seems to still have a weak spot by the medical building where no progress is being made and the lot next to it is still vacant.
The HSBC branch is also shutting down next month. Unclear what it will turn into.
ReplyDeleteAnyone starting a business these days has to have the strongest and hungriest desire to succeed. Nobody can afford to lose their investment. The new eateries in FH will
ReplyDeletesurely make a full effort to succeed. Failure is not an option
Lots of places here have failed and have or are being replaced.
ReplyDeleteBut some of the new comers won't succeed. Too many yogurt stores, too many bars + pubs and places selling food and drink around town.
I disagree. This is NY. You can never have enough restaurants, bars and pubs. It fits the younger demographic coming into forest hills too. I for one can't get enough of these new places and find myself at times spending a night in forest hills. A few years ago I would never waste an evening out here due to the poor quality.
Deleteditto.
DeleteI like that there are more options coming to FH. Especially places that have more space for people to enjoy. I sometimes want to eat out alone and feel guilty or uncomfortable to eat solo in some of the small spaced restaurants because they're over crowded etc.
Agora Taverna has succeeded and was right for the market.
ReplyDeleteJohnny Rockets was a theme restaurant with burgers where you had better burger joints in town.
Is the area improving? Not hugely so. Same predictability.
IMO, the area is vastly improving, and I don't find it predictable at all based on the various businesses that have come and gone in FoHi over the past several years.
ReplyDeleteLa Boulangerie, Jack & Nellies, Agora Taverna, Tuscan Hills, Tap House are all examples of businesses booming because they're filling a void. As another poster pointed out, there's now a reason to actually stay in Forest Hills versus heading in to Manhattan or Long Island City for a good meal/drink.
Station House (opening in the former Marianella’s Taquiera space) will feature craft beer, while The Flying Pig will be featuring seasonal seafood and be sourcing items from use local purveyors. Two additional establishments that seem to be filling a void IMO.
I'll soon be joining the new Spin Studio, Sun Cycle, which recently opened, and I'm somewhat excited to check out what Title Boxing has to offer. Nice to see some new fitness options in the neighborhood.
Mr Vino's Cuccina should be opening this week, and looks like another nice addition to the neighborhood for take-out.
I'd love to see Wiliams and Sonoma come in to the neighborhood as well as other "home good" type stores, but that a personal preference. I'm somewhat surprised Laytners is still in the neighborhood based on the lack of traffic to that store.
Ultimately, what the neighborhood has proven to support so far are eating establishments, so it makes sense that more will open. What has been a nice surprise is that some of them are actually keepers for a change! To me, that's a HUGE improvement!
None of the new places are rated poorly. Even Vanilla Sky is rated high in Astoria and you have Kung Fu Tea with Chinese Teas also rated highly.
ReplyDeleteSo it seems as though the new breed of stores do have high marks in this community, some with ethnic flair.
You never know what business models people breed but most seem to center on food and drink items.
Let's not discount the positive impact the Farmers Market will have on Forest Hills business trends in general.
ReplyDeleteBanter will be the first of the three bars/pubs opening up to close..That spot is a black hole, and has been for a LOOOONG time (anyone remember the baseball card store there in the late 80s?)
ReplyDeleteNice to be positive. I ate there Saturday night. It's a nice place and was PACKED. I had to wait over an hour for a table! When's the last time that happened in Forest Hills? Never to me anyway,
DeleteBy the way, I'll post more about the food and my impression of Banter - all pretty positive - soon. In the meantime, you may want to read my fellow blogger's review here: http://eateryrowforesthills.blogspot.com/2013/04/banter.html
DeleteI pretty much had the same experience and came away with the same opinion. Banter is here to stay! Curse lifted old timer!
... or maybe I should say Black hole sealed with a photon torpedo named Banter! Engage!
DeleteI agree with Drake here in general about Forest Hills being more bustling (a good thing). When I first moved here, I never had to wait for anything - even on a saturday night. Honestly, it was alittle lame, the neighborhood did not feel like it was alive. Now, places like Banter are packed even on weeknights. Went for an early brunch last weekend - couldnt get in to bonfire or agora. Wound up snagging the last table at bareburger (yes they have a good brunch too).... the crowds, in my opinion are a good thing!
DeleteWent to Keuka Kafe Sunday for brunch. Was pleasantly surprised!!! All of our plates were delicious and the lady behind the bar was very professional and kind. We shared a charcutrie and cheese plate that was excellent. I had a delicious arugula salad with lemon vineagrette and parmesan shavings. It is a bit off the beaten path, but we will be going back for sure. And it was not packed at all so keep it in mind if you are having a hard time finding a table for brunch!
ReplyDelete