While most folks were prepping plans for their Cinco de Mayo parties, we trekked out to Corona, New York where the New York Hall of Science would host one of spring’s most wildly popular and borough-centric food tasting events. Queens Taste 2016 would welcome more than 700 guests to sample different food and drink offerings from over fifty different purveyors. Once again, proceeds from the evening would be donated to Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC), a nonprofit group that works to create area jobs, attract visitors to the borough and increase awareness for Queens related tourism. And with the collection of restaurants participating on Tuesday night, the space was buzzing in anticipation for the vast array of specialties that the borough has to offer. Perhaps QEDC Executive Director Seth Bornstein put it best when he said, “Queens KNOWS food.”

With music throughout the night blasting in the background by The Afro-Latineers, we strategically decided to start off with a drink from Downeast Cider House while we contemplated where to begin. Fortunately, there was food at seemingly every turn. We began at Flushing’s Mulan, where a deliciously succulent “Duck Breast in Sauce” was served just steps away from Uno Pizzeria and Grill, whose “Rattlesnake Pasta” was among the spiciest dishes that we tasted all evening. An array of different styles of cooking and inspirations seemingly alternated from table to table. At Delish NY, we dug into some rich “Truffle Herb Risotto” and “Seared Tune with a Sesame Soy Glaze” before slugging down some of Shake Shack’s “Root Beer Floats.” Astoria’s Sabor de Cuba’s multi-colored “Ham Croquette” was served near Kimchi Smoke’s “Austin Not Cho Mama Chili.”  There was so many different options to go around that the night began to get a bit overwhelming amid the whirlwind of activity.

At this point our selections became a bit more restrictive as we began to reach our fill. In a blur, we quickly devoured “Thai Dumplings” from Rockaway Beach’s’ Thai Rock, “Candied Bacon” from Astoria’s The Astor Room, “Shrimp and Cashew Cabbage Slaw” from The Hilton, the “Burgers” from Woodside’s F.Ottomanelli and “Sliders” from Astoria’s Bareburger. Above the remaining samples that we tasted, perhaps our favorite dish of the night came from Astoria’s Zenon Taverna. The char of the “Grilled Octopus” was a delicious complement to the perfectly cooked purple tentacle, giving us all the reason that we needed to return back to the table for seconds and thirds.

We’d be remiss if we failed to mention the likes of DF Mavens’ dairy free “Dulce de Leche” and 8 Bit Bakeshop’s “Black Canary Brownie,” two deliciously sweet and entirely different takes on dessert. After spending the better part of two hours picking our way around the sprawling space, we were forced to admit defeat and turned our focus to some of the drinks being poured. Samples of gin from Queens Courage and wines from Brooklyn Winery were particularly notable before our foray down what we called “beer alley,” where Brooklyn Brewery, Tsingtao, Blue Moon and many others were offering their products.

While we celebrated food and drink, it was also an evening to celebrate entrepreneurial spirit as the QEDC gave out three awards to companies starting up in Queens. Mr. Bornstein also announced that the ‘Made in Queens’ brand, a favorite among those in the borough, will be having a pop-up shop opening soon. There was so much going on all evening long that tasting everything being offered proved to be a big challenge. In all, the annual Queens Taste was another fantastic night to celebrate the best of Queens, and proved to be a smorgasbord for anyone who traveled to the borough on Tuesday night.

- Jackie Benavides

On a brisk Tuesday evening, the chilly February weather would do little to prevent dozens of restaurants from every neighborhood in Queens from joining together in the spirit of charity.  For more than 65 years Queens Centers for Progress has tirelessly worked to provide services and programs for disabled individuals and those with special needs in order to allow them the ability to become independent and lead normal lives.  One night each year, the nonprofit organization welcomes in hundreds of philanthropic guests to Flushing’s Terrace on the Park for a veritable smorgasbord of delicious eats.  The annual “Evening of Fine Food” recognizes local community leaders, local celebrities and local restaurants, giving the borough some much deserved praise in the name of a good cause.

Guests had plenty to keep themselves busy at the 2016 “Evening” as multiple casino games were stationed adjacent to the tables of silent auction items arranged for bidding.  Items like hotel stays, restaurant gift cards and tickets to professional and collegiate sporting events allowed attendees to compete against each other thus driving the proceeds raised even higher, while 50-50 raffle tickets were being sold throughout the room to do the same.  But before the evening’s special presentation and awards ceremony would commence, there was an endless array of eating and drinking to be done by the dressed to-the-nines clientele.

Mouthwatering links of sausage served by Max Bratwurst und Beer and delicious “Pigs in a Blanket” and “Pastrami Sandwiches” courtesy of Buddy’s Kosher Deli were washed down with bottles of “Lager” and “Insulated Dark Lager” from Brooklyn Brewery, as a live keyboard player and crooner laid down a soundtrack for the evening amid a fracas of activity.  Succulent servings of bulbous shrimp from perennial favorites London Lennies of Rego Park and O Lavrador of Jamaica as well as a sweet and savory “Tempura” style from Tavern 18 of New Hyde Park were particularly tasty offerings for seafood lovers.  Much of the menu though was heavy of savory comfort fare.  Austin’s Steak & Ale House of Kew Gardens for instance plated three different styles of gooey mac and cheese, Oliver’s Astoria doled out deep fried and battered barbecued chicken wings and Sunnyside’s Dazie’s Restaurant served an Italian inspired feast of fresh salad, hearty rigatoni and chicken marsala.  Needless to say, there was no shortage of options from which guests could choose.  Be it sushi to Italian or Indian to Spanish fare, this year’s menu simply ran the gamut of eclectic cuisines from around the world.

Once the roomful of guests was sufficiently satisfied, the evening’s ceremonies would commence emceed by local broadcaster Lisa Mateo of PIX-TV where the hostess would help to present three local Queens borough employees with the honor of “Chef of the Year,” QCP’s annual award of merit.  2016 would honor Queens County Clerk Audrey Pheffer, and Assistant Chief Commanding Officers of Queens North and South Diana Pizzuti and David Barrere, integral members of the local community in their service to the borough.  As a nice added touch, a cooking demo by 12 year old Jesse, a contestant from Season Four of MasterChef Junior would captivate the onlooking crowd as they popped in some fiery chocolate covered jalapenos from Little Bird, downed some piping hot pours of David’s Tea and nibbled on some ice cold “Malted Chocolate Cheesecake” cups of custard from Shake Shack.  As has been the case in recent years, the annual “Evening of Fine Food” has felt like more of a celebration of borough pride than a true fundraiser for QCP’s initiatives  But perhaps that’s why the affair seems to perpetually get better with age.  The reasonably priced event seems genuinely concerned about improving the overall experience of the event for its many excited attendees- and year after year, the sentiment at each affair’s conclusion is that this year’s “Evening of Fine Food” was better than the last.

- Jane Van Arsdale

Food Highlights from QCP’s ‘Evening of Fine Food’ 2016

MAX Bratwurst Und Bier

Acquista Trattoria

Buddy’s Kosher Deli

 

Giardinetto Ristorante Italiano

Marbella

 

London Lennies

Oliver’s Astoria

Dazies Restaurant

Nikko Hibachi Sushi Bar

 

Liola Ristorante-Italiano

Austin Steak & Ale House

 

Tavern 18

The Hilton New York JFK, The 144 Restaurant and Lounge

O Lavrador Restaurant

Anthony’s Restaurant

Vivaldi Restaurant

Kaieteur Restaurant

 

Sheraton Laguardia

Little Bird Chocolates

 

Shake Shack

Royal Caribbean Bakery

 

Artopolis

 

Cascon Baking Company

 

Although the restaurant meets bistro meets wine bar technically resides in Queens, it’s a quick twenty minute ride on the Long Island Rail Road that drops you right near the doorstep of Bayside’s Aperitif, a welcoming and charming spot in a rapidly growing part of the borough. A brightly lit golden awning dangles above 39th Avenue, just a few paces over from the strip of bars and restaurants that have popped up all over Bell Boulevard. From a distance, the restaurant’s façade resembles the bright lights of a theater or a boutique hotel, but a closer glimpse reveals a spacious open air eatery, with fare that’s both inspired and delicious.

Inside, Aperitif is remarkably cozy for such a sprawling space- one that manages to be both classy and down to earth. The exposed brick interior and fairly busy wine bar are immediately eye-catching, but the unique swirling staircase surrounded by a small but purposefully placed garden in the middle of the dining room is truly distinctive. Toward the back of the room, wine bottles are displayed like books in a library, enhanced by the shiny rustic wood floors beneath them. In atmosphere alone, Aperitif feels like a brasserie more than anything else, with cuisine that leans definitively French- with some additional international flavors thrown in for good measure.

The pair of “Grilled Baby Lamb Chops” ($16) for instance, were cooked to a deliciously tender medium rare, but topped with a drizzle of dill yogurt and a quinoa tabouli added some Mediterranean flare to the piping hot tray of “Escargot” ($10). Swamped in succulent garlic and oil, each chewy morsel was affixed to a small crunchy crostini, served inventively and prepared nicely. Even the American-style “Pistachio Nut Crusted Scallops” ($14) were special served atop a thick apple-parsnip puree spread and some oil-soaked wilted spinach. Wildly flavorful, the trio of scallops became an immediate standout dish from a dinner experience where there were several.

Sesame seeds and slightly sweet sauce coated each mid-rare strip of the evening’s “Seared Tuna Steak” ($26), a special that exemplified the kitchen’s true capabilities. Plated beside an unconventional meshing of seaweed salad and greens and more traditional Japanese pairings like fresh pickled ginger and wasabi, the collection of flavors paired together wonderfully. The “Walnut Crusted Halibut” ($29) on the other hand, was heavy on the walnut but little else as the relatively bland dish left us wishing for a bit more flavor from the otherwise nicely cooked fish. The dish’s side pairing of leeks and a garlic-heavy serving of tasty butternut squash gnocchi managed to salvage the “Halibut” to some degree, which with some slight modification would be vastly improved.

Though it’s been open less than one year, Aperitif Bistro has worked out many of the kinks that plague new restaurants. The quaint eatery has breathed some much needed new life into Bayside’s fast casual restaurant and bar scene with a combination of outstanding service, reasonably priced wines and a comfortable, inviting place to dine. Add some of the inspired dinner dishes that we dug our forks into alongside the neighborhood’s busiest weekend brunch and it becomes quickly evident that the eatery is hardly indicative of its moniker. Aperitif is not a place that acts as a precursor to something else special- everything that you’ll need is all right there.

Rundown of the Meal

Fruits de Mer
Little Neck Clams ($1.50)

Appetizers
Escargots ($10)
Pistachio Nut Crusted Scallops ($14)*
Grilled Baby Lamb Chops ($16)*

Entrees
Seared Tuna Steak ($26)*

Dinner Specials
Walnut Crusted Halibut ($29)

Dessert
Apple Walnut Raising Pie ($7)

* Meal Highlight

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:”";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

For 65 years, Queens Centers for Progress (QCP) have worked toward empowering individuals with developmental disabilities, while simultaneously bringing folks together around the sense of togetherness that resides throughout the entire borough. Funding these initiatives and supporting a staff that now exceeds some 600 members is no easy task, but Tuesday evening’s annual gala brought the organization a step further in reaching their goals and managed to even surpass the successes of just one year ago.

We’ve been honored to cover the organization’s “Evening of Fine Food” events for three years now- with each one seemingly more grandiose than its predecessor. Returning to Corona’s Terrace on the Park, the 2015 iteration was the most well attended yet as hundreds of hungry guests and philanthropists made their way up to the picturesque ballroom for three hours of live music, delicious eats and refreshing drinks- all for a good cause. It’s been noted that the annual event serves to benefit more than 1,200 developmentally challenged adults and children- undoubtedly boosted by an exceptional array of silent auction items and a 50/50 raffle. But as usual, it’s the many participating restaurants from around the borough cooking on site that draws the many attendees to enjoy such a memorable evening.

Buddy’s Kosher Deli & London Lennies

 

With a casino night setting and table games in the background, the roomful of guests enjoyed a full fledged wine tasting, a selection of beers courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery and pours of Georgi Vodka to wash down the array of different eats. This year’s fare was especially hearty even though we ran into some familiar faces. Buddy’s Kosher Deli of Flushing was once again front and center, doling out delectable ‘Pigs in a Blanket,’ bulbous sandwiches of corned beef and pastrami and deep fried chicken wings to the delight of many an empty plate. Toward the other end of the room, the LaGuardia Plaza Hotel’s “Braised Short Ribs” was plated atop a pureed garlic potato with a rich corn polenta wedge for textural contrast. The savory serving was absolutely ideal for the wintry weather that awaited us outside.

LaGuardia Plaza Hotel & O Lavrador

 

The evening wasn’t necessarily all for the carnivores. Traditional Portuguese restaurant O Lavrador’s sizzling shrimp plate was rivaled only by the chilled “Jumbo Shrimp” and housemade salsa by the team at London Lennies for the evening’s most delicious dish. Other participants like Kalamaki Greek Restaurant, Bourbon Street, Anthony’s Restaurant, Austin Steak and Ale House and Tavern 18 each had highly sought after servings as the evening wore on. Although the range of restaurants certainly acts as the event’s annual drawing card, the evening also serves to celebrate some local Queens businesses and residents as ‘QCP Chefs of the Year’ for their work in the community.

Selected as the 2015 honorees- Neil Levin, Vice President, Webline Designs and Charles & Brenda Catalano from C&S Pharmacy Consultants- were each awarded an engraved QCP pan during the evening’s presentation. Flash bulbs rained upon the winners as they graciously accepted their awards. The surrounding crowd meanwhile took a step back from their plates and applauded their efforts in unison. Though the presentation was short, it’s effect was heartfelt as the winners posed for photos with folks around the venue, smiling ear to ear for being recognized on this night. Though the “Evening of Fine Food” recognizes a handful of honorees each year, it’s the staff of QCP- the ones who not only manage to put all the moving pieces of this annual event together each year, but those actually in the trenches every day, working on initatives like job training, education and housing coordination- these are the people in our community that truly deserve to be recognized.

- Jane Van Arsdale

Tavern 18 & Luigi’s

 

Depending on your perspective, some might describe the perfect summer day as a cloudless sky with waves rushing upon a beach somewhere. But for a few thousand New Yorkers, a perfect summer day could be found on Saturday in Queens, filling up on bacon inspired dishes and enjoying the refreshing taste of cold, perfectly crafted beers. The Beer and Bacon Classic hosted their one-of-a-kind event at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, with two incredible sessions filled with suds and swine. Over 150 breweries and restaurants participated to keep the crowd at bay offering up an array of unique bacon dishes and a variety of crisp, cold brews.

Local breweries representing each of the five boroughs as well as some from as far away as California setup shop to serve the thirsty masses. Our first stop of course, was at Brooklyn Brewery for a glimpse of their outrageous “Brooklyn Blast.” Their big IPA boasts citrusy notes and an unmistakably delicious hoppy bitterness which combines to make this beer an absolute heaven for all hop heads. For a quintessential ballpark snack, we found that this cold brew paired nicely with the “baCorn,” a bacon caramel popcorn mixed with spicy Spanish peanuts.

We found some seriously unique beers among a crowd of dozens of sudsy choices. One of the more interesting was the “Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale,” from Flying Dog Brewery in Maryland. This fun twist on the summer ale was sure to appease all Marylanders and New Yorkers alike and their brewery rep couldn’t stop the flow of beer into each awesome, ceramic red tasting glasses. While most Marylanders would have enjoyed this beer with a table full of blue crabs, this ale was a perfect match for the “Bacon Cheeseburgers” from F. Ottomanelli Burgers and Belgian Fries. The fresh, right off the grill bacon burgers served in bite sized patties drew some of the biggest crowds among a field of competition.

One of the most creative spins on bacon inspired dishes that we stumbled upon was a “Chicken Liver and Bacon Mousse” topped with shallot marmalade and house pickles from Brooklyn haunt Hunter’s. The creamy and sweet combination of flavors proved an excellent pairing to some of the heavier beers being poured. Moreover, Murray Hill beer bar Taproom No. 307’s similarly brought a savory “Thick Cut Bacon with Cherry Ale Glaze” that was drowned in a rich blue cheese sauce. Covered in salty bacon breadcrumbs, the creaminess of the blue cheese sauce and the hunk of fresh pork was an ideal combination with Victory’s “Dirt Wolf” double IPA. For something a little less potent, the Victory “Summer Love Blonde Ale” was equally noteworthy as a more approachable brew for casual beer drinkers. Whatever your beer of choice, both of these amazingly intriguing bacon masterpieces were a hit with beer lovers during the course of the evening session.

When all was said and done, the Bacon and Beer Classic brought out beer lovers from each borough out to Flushing for a remarkable tasting experience. Aside from enjoying some new beers from the likes of Broken Bow Brewery, Schlafly Beer, Harlem Brewing Co, and Trout Town, the inspired and inventively prepared bacon dishes surely satiated the hundreds of hungry pig eaters at each session. We know a success when we see one, and Saturday at Citi Field was marked by a Sunday morning wake up where we found that we had actually been branded by a black-ink inspired tattoo- Bacon and Beer style.

- Dave Gendelson

The borough of Queens has been celebrating both the 50th and 75th Anniversaries of the historic New York World’s Fair at various events throughout 2014 thus far. The latest, fittingly emanated on Saturday at the bucolic Queens Botanical Garden where a grassy outdoor area would be transformed into a walk around beer tasting over two action packed sessions. Entitled “Taste the World,” the botanical brew fest would host more than fifty different craft beers courtesy of twenty brewers over each three hour time slot, welcoming hundreds of thrillseekers out to Flushing. And backed by the music of DJ Ito, even the pressing threat of overcast weather and the ill-advised closure of the 7 train wouldn’t deter guests from flocking out in droves.

There were plenty of noteworthy brews greeting us immediately upon our arrival at the Garden’s spacious and picturesque grounds- now decorated by a few dozen erected tents to house each sudsy station’s offerings. Representatives varied at each brew station from knowledgeable employees of the local distributor to on-site Garden volunteers just doing their part to keep the beers flowing freely into each commemorative three ounce tasting glass. With that in mind, we immediately sought out some of the terrific familiar local brews to get the afternoon session started on the right foot.

Holding up our plastic tasting cups, we immediately admired the golden suds-filled pour of favorite ‘Easy’ Blonde Ale courtesy of Alphabet City Brewing Company. With it’s light and slightly malty nose and drinkable taste, each drop was crisp and refreshing with a balanced finish. The ‘Easy’ Blonde is a perpetual selection of ours when available at most craft beer bars around Manhattan, it pleasantly, it was equally as satisfying in bottle form. Just steps away, the wildly outgoing crew from Blue Point, the Long Island brewery recently acquired by Anheuser-Busch- was dishing out pours of their “Toasted Lager” and “Summer Ale,” which also rank at the very top of our favorite local brews. Candidly, we ping-ponged back and forth between the two breweries for what seemed like a half hour, before making our way to check out the other participants on site.

Fortunately, there was a variety of different ciders for non-beer lovers to enjoy, which is becoming more and more customary at similar beer tasting events. Varieties like the sweet- Original Sin’s “Elderberry,” the sweeter- Crispin’s “Original,” and the semi-dry- Doc’s Draft’s “Hard Apple” all proved incredibly popular alternatives, although Crabbie’s, who boasts an ‘Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer’ garnered much of the day’s attention from the crowd of casual drinkers. Whether it was the green Crabbie’s sunglasses being handed out to thirsty drinkers or the delightfully refreshing pours of their “Spiced Orange” served with an ice cube and slice of fresh fruit- crowds continually resurfaced after several sweet pours.

Largely unheralded pours like Cisco Brewers’ “Grey Lady,” Ayinger’s exceptional “Brauweisse,” and Great South Bay’s ‘Bloody Blonde,’ which paired equal parts of their “Blonde Ambition Summer Ale” and their “Blood Orange Pale Ale,” were first time tastes for this outlet and were also memorable ones as the afternoon progressed. Downing a savory crepe courtesy of La Crepe c’est si bon, and some additional pours from the likes of Allagash, Sixpoint, Smuttynose and Abita, and somehow the three hours had elapsed in a hurry. We made sure to scoop up a pair of beer related socks to benefit the Botanical Garden on our way out the door, before scurrying our way through the crowded streets of Flushing and toward our redirected route back home, fully satisfied after having experienced yet another side of our sister borough.

Though a rain soaked Tuesday evening didn’t allow us to enjoy the same warm weather outdoor setting that we had in previous years, the 9th Annual “Taste of Long Island City” once again returned to Gantry Plaza State Park to the anticipating stomachs of several hundred guests. Dozens of food and beverage purveyors, beer companies, wineries, dessert makers and local eateries joined together to dole out samples to a sea of attendees underneath a massive tent looking out at the Manhattan waterfront. Celebrating the great local businesses that make up the burgeoning neighborhood, the two hour tasting would serve to benefit The Chocolate Factory Theater, a facility that fosters growth in the local arts movement and is widely considered a development incubator for creativity.

With “White Chocolate” tickets priced at just $60, the smorgasbord of selections to choose from provided a great value for most attendees- though the space underneath the tent was jam packed from the start. Guests were handed a red commemorative t-shirt upon arriving and a special “Taste of LIC Passport” which not only outlined the participants in attendance, but also provides discounts at each place for guests to enjoy- a little incentive of sorts to encourage foot traffic following the event. Surveying the space, we immediately sought out some beers to take the edge off of the overwhelming surroundings. Pours from local breweries like Radiant Pig and Rockaway Brewing Company as well as Samuel Adams and Brooklyn Brewery made traversing the grounds adventurous for us as we stumbled upon different beermakers and conversed about their ingredients. Harpoon‘s canned “Summer Beer” really hit the spot though, light and refreshing, just as the temperature inside the tent was getting particularly steamy.

With so many different restaurants and styles of cuisine to choose from, we opted to visit some of the more familiar haunts first and craft beer bar and restaurant Alewife became our first stop. With IPA pours from Singlecut Beersmiths, we ravaged their three assorted thick bread crostinis, of which the “Olive Tapenade” was an immediate delicious hit. Speaking of rustic bread, LIC Market‘s combination of “Cold Tomato Gazpacho” and a slightly crispy slice of Texas-style toast, was also noteworthy as we doused every inch of the hard bread into the sweet chilled soup and lapped up every remaining drop in the diminutive cup.

The event’s most inventive offering- to no surprise- came from M. Wells, who aside from shucking a collection of fresh raw oysters, concocted a small savory blend of baby white beets topped with creme fraiche atop a mini-ice cream cone. Though there were certainly more traditional highlights like assorted bruschetta (Masso Restaurant, 51st Bakery and Cafe, City View Racquet Club Bar & Lounge) and sliders (Blend on the Water, Testaccio Ristorante), The Creek & The Cave’s “Build Your Own Taco” bar and S Prime Steakhouse‘s tender “Prime Rib Rolls” were each standouts because of their distinction. We also grabbed a few sliced up “Chicken Paninis” courtesy of Bricktown Bagel & Cafe, who had about a half-dozen different selections from which to choose and headed over toward the stage for some welcoming announcements.

The evening’s emcee was once again NYC Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer who would thank the 2014 participating vendors and the swarms of folks who braved the elements for the annual affair. Meanwhile, as guests would be sipping on wines from the likes of SquareWine & Spirits and Atlantic Wines, they would be treated to a performance courtesy of the Sunnyside/Woodside Girl Scouts who weaved their way through the different throngs of people in choreographed precision. With life raffle presentations and a full silent auction to benefit The Chocolate Factory Theater, there was plenty for guests to feast their eyes upon at this year’s “Taste of Long Island City,” which was without question the most heavily attended and most grandiose of their events of the last nine spectacular years.

LIC Market

M. Wells

 

Alewife

Alobar

S Prime Steakhouse

  

The Creek & The Cave

 

Masso Restaurant

 

Woodbines

 

Brooklyn Grange

51st Bakery and Cafe

Manetta’s Ristorante

 

Bricktown Bagel & Cafe

City View Racquet Club Bar & Lounge

 

Testaccio Ristorante

Sage General Store

 

Casa Enrique

 

RaR Bar

 

Blend on the Water

 

Crescent Grill

Riverview

1862 French Louisiana

 

Tournesol

 

Tucked underneath the elevated subway line of the 7 train, more than 30 Queens restaurants setup a makeshift marketplace for doling out their specially made eats on Tuesday evening. The 2014 “Taste of Sunnyside,” in partnership with the folks at Edible Queens, was a celebration of the culture of the neighborhood with live music, food and drinks among the festivities. And with General Admission tickets priced at just $35, there was simply no beating the value provided during the entertaining two hour event.

A grandiose white tent was propped up providing ample room for the over a thousand in attendance to move about the space, jumping from table to table with plates of tasty food samples. Meanwhile, local beermakers Singlecut Beersmiths and Queens Brewery passed around cups of their terrific suds to wash down much of the heartier fare. In between tastings, a sea of guests faced the erected stage, welcoming the likes of Sunnyside Social Club, the acappella group Ten and Change and New York City’s only all female mariachi band Mariachi Flor de Toloache to provide some live entertainment as they gorged on delicious dishes.

Like many of the arriving guests, we entered “Taste of Sunnyside” and immediately posed for wacky photos inside of the Mashbooths photo booth, before seeking out on our culinary adventure. Almost immediately, we stumbled onto Los Verdes, a Sunnyside based burger restaurant which was dishing out large portions of their “Chicken Maicito”- a savory collaboration of corn niblets, cream and grilled chicken topped with an aioli mayo drizzle. The piping hot bowl of ‘kernel corn’ was deliciously rich and hearty, similar to the housemade cup of “Homemade Chicken Pot Pie” from Woodside’s Copper Kettle. Topped with a light puff pastry biscuit that acted as pie crust, chunks of potato, chicken and carrots were coated in the traditionally thick golden savory filling that was a seemingly odd choice considering the warm weather, but tasty nonetheless.

With assorted Atomic Wings from 43 Bar & Grill, two different variations of chili from WilliamsBurger and Aubergine Cafe, “Smoked Meatballs” from Quaint and the pleasant surprise of White Castle slinging tasty hamburgers and cheeseburgers, there was no shortage of comfort foods to suppress any hungry diner’s appetite. It seemed though that the most popular dishes at “Taste of Sunnyside” came from two local neighborhood spots- and they were our absolute favorites. First, the American inspired Salt & Fat was serving an intricately prepared “Pork Pate” atop a crostini, equipped with a bacon mayo and pickled ginger to garnish. But it was the mustard seeds and gelatinous salmon row that added the most depth of flavor to the smooth but thick terrine slice. Just steps away, Venturo Osteria and Wine Bar’s “Eggplant Lasagna” was as mouthwatering as its appearance was eye-opening. Layered with crunchy breadcrumbs atop thick cheese, cooked kale and lightly battered eggplant, the dish was topped with a white cream sauce, each decadent element was peeled away to reveal tastier and tastier ingredients inside- and the entirety of the generously portioned plate was hands down the best that we sampled all evening.

As the evening wore down, the music pressed on and guests headed toward the front of the space for the reveal of the raffle prizes- most of which came courtesy of the evening’s participating restaurants. Though it was our first trip out to this part of Queens, we certainly experienced more than we could handle of the many dining options in Sunnyside. And although it was recommended that we simply have a “Taste,” we are already planning a follow up trip to enjoy a full meal out in our sister borough.

Los Verdes: “Chicken Maicito”

DeMole Restaurant: “Seitan with Vegan Mole Poblano”

Nita’s European Bakery: “Assorted Mini Puff Pastries”

Ariyoshi Japanese Restaurant: “California Rolls, Fried Chicken Karage, Chicken Terriyaki”

 

Bliss Street Station: “Penne with Vodka Sauce,” “Chicken Curry” & “Shepherd’s Pie”

  

Murphy’s Lobster Grill: “Lobster Mac & Cheese”

   

Aubergine Cafe: “Vegetarian Chili” & “Curried Chicken Salad”

Quaint: “Smoked Meatballs”

43 Bar & Grill: “Assorted Atomic Wings”

 

Salt and Fat: “Pork Pate with Bacon Mayo, Salmon Roe, Micro Chives & Pickled Ginger”

Sidetracks: “Mini Crab Cakes” & “Chicken & Steak Skewers”

New York Style Eats: “Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Housemade Dressing”

Venturo: “Eggplant and Kale Lasagna and ‘Baby Jesus Cake’”

 

Go Natural Health Foods & Juice Bar: “Organic Brown Rice, Cous Cous & Quinoa”

 

Arriba Arriba: “Shrimp Appetizer” & “Sangria”

 

Bucharest Restaurant: “Romanian Sausage” & “Stuffed Cabbage”

 

WilliamsBurger: “House Made Beef Chili”

Bliss 46 Bistro: “Scampi, Hanger Steak” & “Brownie”

White Castle: “Cheeseburger” & “Hamburger”

Copper Kettle: “Homemade Chicken Pot Pie”

The Dog and Duck: “Deviled Eggs and Fried Pickles”

Claret Wine Bar: “Assorted Crostini with Cheese, Charcuterie, 

 

The long walk from urban city street, through the alleys of a suburban style tennis center- past an array of courts and swimming pools- until reaching the exterior of the old stadium, was a unique one. Thousands of drunken and excited fans filed in at once, crowding the assembly of food trucks and forming seemingly endless bathroom lines. But once inside, the venue was utterly surreal- the setting, only enhanced by a sold out audience, standing for the entirety of the band’s two hour performance. New York City crowds show varying degrees of emotion and more often than not are stoic even in the face of authentic excitement. But to the band’s credit, this was a folk rock music party through and through.

Some light rain drizzling teased before the band strode out to center stage to one of the loudest ovations you’ll ever hear. But surprisingly, the same volume of applause seemed to ring out with the opening chords to each song the band played. Although much of the focus revolves around frontman Marcus Mumford, who alternates between playing guitar concurrently with a kickdrum and singing at a full drumkit behind the stage, the spotlight shines on all four band members at once, positioned side by side at the front of the stage. Joined by a three piece horn section and an extra set of stings behind them, the band plowed through an impressive selection of cuts from their first two albums, throwing in a cover song here and there for good measure.

Mumford & Sons ripped out hits like “I Will Wait” and “Little Lion Man” pleasantly early in their set which the stadium literally erupted for. “Love of the Light” meanwhile, was particularly outstanding with the frontman playing the full drumkit, leading the way with each kick like a conductor urging the crowd to clap along accordingly. “Hopeless Wanderer” was particularly rousing and “Awake My Soul” brought out both opening bands to join in continued the band’s frenzied pace, but “Dust Bowl Dance” proved to be the fastest paced track played by the band, with guitarist Ben Lovett pounding his head and body as if he were performing with a metal band.

The heavier rain began to fall just as the encore began, but the band returning to the stage made the capacity crowd forget all about getting wet. The house lights remained on as the four piece band surrounded a sole microphone as the frontman asked the crowd to “put away [their] cameras so that we can all be present together.” Amid a shushing around the audience directed toward some unruly fans, the band began a sweet cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire,” a delight to just about anyone with ears and a similarly harmonic rendition of “Reminder.” Closer “The Cave” was about as fitting a capper to an outdoor summer concert as one would hope for as Mumford acknowledged- “It’s fun to be here man. It’s really beautiful.” As fantastic a performance put on by the band on this night, it was hard to not be overwhelmed by the true spectacle of the crowd, who danced along energetically until the show’s conclusion. Quipped the singer, “49 years ago today, The Beatles played on this stage. 48 years ago today, Bob Dylan played on this stage. And now today, four Londoners came and shit all over it.” There’s about 17,000 New Yorkers today that would likely disagree with his sentiment.

- Jane Van Arsdale

The Edible magazine franchise has expanded to Queens, one of New York City’s fastest growing boroughs. And with that they have fabulously continued the tradition of producing some truly fantastic seasonal events. On Thursday in the late afternoon we made our way to the neighborhood of Sunnyside for the newly launched magazine’s very first Queens oriented event, aptly named “Summerbeat: Eat Meat, Drink Beer.” We did both, eating and imbibing, as our full coverage below will attest.

At 5:30pm, the exclusive event kicked off inside of a beautiful community park where the event was being held on this humid July evening. And as soon as we arrived, the energetic spirit of the neighborhood could be felt almost immediately. With summertime in full swing, we decided to kick off this evening of imbibing craft beer and smoked meats with some dessert to cool us down. Luckily for us the folks at Malu Ice Cream were more than happy to oblige. This local creamery came with a truckload of especially sweet eats, but we opted to begin with a Shiraz wine infused chocolate variety. The first bite yielded a wonderful chocolate and nut flavor with a jolt of the popular red wine quickly to follow. As the cold dessert quenched the humidity, it was time to focus strictly on the brews and meats. The Bridge and Tunnel Brewery brought a cavalcade of cool t-shirts and were pouring a “Dunkel” that managed to be brilliantly dark and frothy while at the same time light enough for a summery picnic. A few steps away we encountered the recently opened Big Alice Brewing Company, a relative newbie to the brew business pouring cups filled with a “Sour Cherry Ale” that crammed everything we love about local farmers markets and highly drinkable beers into one glass. Needless to say we returned for repeat pours and also to check out the owner’s killer moustache.

After throwing back several pints, it was time to fill our stomachs. Our first foray into satiating our appetite came from the inventive folks at the LIC Market, who were roasting a duck on a spit to produce a tremendous “Pulled Duck Slider.” Topped with a sweet sauce, the rich flavor of duck meat paired admirably with the fresh bun as we gulped down our remaining suds to wash everything together. Next up was Astoria’s own Ovelia, an outfit that was similarly roasting an entire lamb on a spit. Once we sunk our teeth into a generous slice, we were simply blown away by its juiciness. With all this delicious saltiness under our belts it was time yet again to fill up on beer and the perpetually talked about Rockaway Brewing Company happily poured us a tall glass of their “Summer Ale” which was crisp, light and extremely flavorful, making it a terrific session beer at the beach, pool or wherever.

Whoever said, save the best for last must have foreshadowed the experience at Edible Queens’ “Summerbeat.” The park’s farthest corner housed the table from Arrogant Swine, the traveling Queens BBQ mavens who systematically and deliciously prepared a whole hog, pulled North Carolina style. And in a way to show some neighborhood unity, the group shared a smoker with Jackson Heights’ own Alchemy, Texas. The Alchemy crew cowboyed up with some seriously tender “Smoked Beef Brisket,” carved directly off the bone. The blissful meat was plated next to fluffy slices of white bread and a fiery ghost pepper infused barbecue sauce. Tangy and immensely spicy, the combinations proved outstanding at these dueling ‘cue stations manned by expert pitmasters.

After a few fun-filled hours of soaking up the remaining daylight and spending some time sampling all the delectable eats these great local businesses had to offer, it soon became time to call it a night. If Edible Brooklyn and Edible Manhattan’s history of pulling of fun and innovative events is any indication (and it should be), the Queens iteration is certain to be the next borough to be undertaken by Edible’s massive umbrella. Long gone are the days of visiting Queens for the Mets or for an old-fashioned beer garden. Long Island City and Astoria are just two of the areas exploding in the borough, but we’re certain that the folks at Edible will once again expose us to some new restaurants we’ve never heard of, in places we’ve never been. Follow the magazine’s constantly growing empire and everything they touch at ediblequeens.com.

- Jay Rubin