54-46, that's my number: the Queens thread

Yeah we went to Danny Brown Wine Bar. It was very good, and it was probably like 20-30% cheaper than an equivalent place in manhattan. That said, I just don't get that excited by mid-high-range new american fine dining type restaurants, and I never feel like they're worth the money. It was also weird because we sat by the window and you're like looking out on this depressing stretch of Metropolitan Ave. with a Carvel and a Dunkin Donuts., and that kind of hurt the atmosphere.

(Istanbul is Turkish, obv)

Anyone tried Taiwanese Gourmet (used to be called David's) on Broadway in Elmhurst? I walk by all the time and want to go but have never been.

No. A bit intimidated by the variety of chinese places there. Went through a spell of checking out all the maylaysian and indonesian places and had some decent meals and some weird meais. Went to Uncle Zhou once and it was ok, I don't really remember. When we chinese we just go Little Pepper. Mostly in Elmhurst we just eat at Chao Too.

Been to New World Mall twice now in Flushing, it's the fancier one that looks like a food court and not the basement stall one that has the original Xian. The food at New World is more hit or miss, but there's a taiwanese stall where I got a combo plate that was fantastic, braised pork belly, rice, some kinds of pickles etc.

the bian dang truck (taiwanese rice bowls) that sometimes parks in midtown serves a similar combo, and I've had it, and I thought it was pretty good and very home-cooked tasting.

Ben's Best Deli in rego Park -- what shd I eat?

The document?

sorry

brisket/turkey

is that place worth a visit considering I'm nearby?

yeah

what to try at Ayada Thai?

Try walking a few more blocks and going to Chao!

Just kidding. People seem to like the fish there. We went a few times when it first opened, before the hype and after the hype and while totally good, we didn't like it as much as Chao or Srip on a good day.

Kind of a Latin surf/punk/psych band at Terraza tonight. They just played "The Guns of Brixton."

And there are a few Sherpas in the house.

I went to chao the night I posted that. It was awesome.

we went to Ayada. It was very good and I couldn't really remember if better than Srip since it's been a while, but I liked the atmosphere more. Had a whole fish with mango "sauce" that included a lot of shredded fresh mango -- awesome. Also had a larb na (ground pork dish) which was probably the most pungent version of the dish I've ever had. And some fish cakes and scalion pancakes which weren't really special but very good. Would go back.

Meanwhile, the best thing Forest Hills has gotten recently is a Chipotle.

The dubiously Viennese "Old Vienna Cafe" on Queens Blvd is changing into some kind of Irish gastropub (?). Glad to see someone else try to make better use of the space, but I have doubts.

The only places I've had decent meals in Forest Hills so far are Nick's Pizza and Bareburger, and the latter was actually good one time, bad the next (weird burger patty that didn't hold together at all). Just gives an excuse to cook at home or explore other neighborhoods though.

Weirdly, we had the best fucking turkish food ever yesterday in a random long island town (Westbury).

man bareburger is taking over this city

has anyone tried Andy's (the chinese/taiwanese place) in Rego Park? What should I order from thence?

well anyway, we got delivery from there. I don't think we ordered the right things -- everything was decent and fresh and much better than average chinese food, but not especially interesting either. Looks like seafood might be one of their things, will have to try. But I never get seafood delivered.

Stuck in Kew Gardens for another two weeks. Today ate an okay chicken sandwich at a burger and shake joint called Flipside across from the Kew Gardens Cinema, which I have never actually been to but looks intriguing- especially new Spanish version of Snow White with torero imagery- but otherwise I'm not sure of where else to eat: Austin's Steak and Ale House? Homestead Gourmet Shop?

I like the kew gardens cinema. used to be a porno house iirc? no food recs tho.

Don't know the history. Premises seem nice, selection of films is interesting and there is even a pleasant little outdoor public space around the side.

yeah we saw a film at the Kew Gardens Cinema once -- reminded me of the little court street theater in carroll gardens/cobble hill. It was alright but I don't think we'll go back any time soon, because on the rare nights we actually get to go out we don't want to feel like we're going to the suburbs.

Been to Kew Gardens cinema a ton. Great place. Same owners as Cobble Hill cinema on Court St. I like them on facebook and they announce things like "come in and whistle your favorite disney song and get a free home-made cookie". Saw Tree of Life there. Milk. A Serious Man. It's Queens version of the Angelica (which I've always hated anyway).

Just down the street is an italian joint called Dazies. The sit-down part serves pasta that looks absolutely terrible, but the little counter up front has really totally solid slices. Plus a surprisingly big beer/soft drink selection. Not a destination to leave Brooklyn for, but if you're going to the movies there's worse things in the world than sitting at that counter, having a couple of totally solid slices and a root beer.

There used to be a russian jewish deli that had great pickles but it's closed. There's a german bakery called Homestead or something that is totally charming, though the pastries are probably weird.

Has anyone ever remarked on all the faux half-timber up in this borough? I used to think it was cheesy but compared to some other fugliness it might be near it can be a breath of fresh air.

you mean the fake tudor?

Yup.

better than a lot of the borough that's so unbelievably ugly...like much of woodside.

forest hills' north-side-of-q-blvd mcmansions are particularly awful too (the ones up past 108th st.) -- they look like third world mafioso houses

Don't get me started

tbf, some might actually be mafioso houses

And I kind of wonder who else can afford the pricetags.

Like, i-bankers are not gonna buy one of those, they're going to buy in a manhattan co-op or a nu-brooklyn condo or maybe a fh gardens tudor, but not one of those monsters.

Coffee shop near the Kew Gardens LIRR station is pretty nice and has an interesting name, Odradeks.

Reasonably interesting selected of books lying around: Phineas Redux, The Tale of the Genji, Cecil Day Lewis translation of the Aeneid, Surely You Must Be Joking, Mr. Feynman.

Was happy to encounter the last one since I had something I wanted to look up in it.

wow kew gardens, huh? might have to go out there to try it. Odradeks is from a Kafka story.

kew gardens is pretty cool. I mean it's not at all cool. but it's nice.

have you looked at property listings there hurting? I would rather live there than fh.

There are lots of rabbinical notices and a few Torah or Talmudic toys in here as well. Think the owner is an Orthodox hipster lady, see the trademark maxiskirt, long hair a little too flat and glossy.

Oh-uh. Somebody just slapped a Closed By Order of the Department of Health for Operating Without a Permit Sticker on the front door but she just assured me it is merely a clerical error and the manager is running down to Borough Hall to renew.

have you looked at property listings there hurting? I would rather live there than fh.

― iatee, Wednesday, April 17, 2013 1:37 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I've talked to a few people who lived there -- they say there are fewer young couples with kids than in FH. I've been though, it's not bad. And I've been curious about that Odradek's place. Still find it weird that FH doesn't have something like that.

https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/letter-from-flushing-on-gentrification-in-an-unhip-place

Interesting, thanks.

“Flushing was dying in the 1970s.” Jack Eichenbaum, the Queens borough historian, said of the neighborhood when New York was at the brink of fiscal insolvency. Flushing then was an overwhelmingly white middle-class community with an established core of large department stores. However, suburbanization and economic stagnation crippled commerce in the heart of its downtown. “Long Island and its suburban-style malls siphoned people and businesses away,” Eichenbaum recalled. “When Wallach’s closed downtown, people wrung their hands and prepared for the end.”

Here is really long article about Main Street. Don't have time to read it now but I'm sure something interesting is in it. http://forgotten-ny.com/2010/10/remember-the-main-main-street-in-queens/

The Hurdy Gurdy is in this photo from February 1967, between Dilbert's and Woolworth's
http://swc-biogon.smugmug.com/photos/594537646_YoZEq-XL.jpg

I dunno if that author really knows what he wants to say. like he highlights how the 'traditional gentrification story' doesn't work when you're talking about ethnic enclaves but he's still stuck on flushing's lack of hipness for whatever reason (how many chinatowns anywhere are 'cool'?)

this paragraph is basically nonsense considering that flushing is a good example of immigrants *not* really assimilating. like the fact that it's not cool is not some saving grace that can be adapted by crown heights, it's not cool because most immigrant neighborhoods 'aren't cool'

Ultimately, the key to being a “good” gentrifier is to do what minorities, immigrants and poor people have had to for generations: assimilate. This is the difficulty that lies at the heart of all the exciting nightlife, creative industries and refined consumption that gentrification often brings to a poor neighborhood. Can our new city dwellers make some sacrifices in their personal tastes and desires? Can they live in a thrifty, uncool neighborhood — and resist the urge to do something about it? Can they abide by the ground rules of a poor neighborhood, take the idea of social mobility seriously and respect the necessary infrastructure? If so, they will not only enjoy cheaper rent, but something that’s even harder to find nowadays: An urban experience defined by fluidity and dynamism rather than a preserved state of “diversity.”

Another foto of Roosevelt Avenue http://www.wideimaging.com/img/spacer.gif

Sorry, messed that up. Here is the image along with the whole archive:
http://www.wideimaging.com/Queens/Flushing-Archives/3273609_LGDM9v/594537646_vCn46mn#!i=594537646&k=vCn46mn

That's actually the original image I posted but just make your way through that gallery you won't regret it.

I found it interesting but my issue is that flushing is cool. And I don't mean just white foodie tourism. There is a degree if hip young Asian culture, like shops selling a mix of hipster toys/skate culture and several bubble tea spots. And places like Biang. Maybe I just give more cred TI Asian youth culture than to say, the euro cafe's in Astoria, which might be somebody's idea if "hip" but not mine!