Brooks -- that classic classic joint -- is to be open on Saturday evenings starting soon.

And just the other day, "Bill Brooks" was saying to his neighbors, "Long Island City? It can screw itself."

But that joint is not known for its charming service.

Beautiful for a drink though.

Posted by Amol at 10:35 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Big enough for nearly 1,000 people, and walking distance from Court Square (albeit more on the 20 minutes side of 15-20 minutes), there is now a nearer dearer beer garden. Studio Square: 35-33 36th St., Queens, NY 11101
nr. 35th Ave. Their website is awful so here is NY Mag

View Larger Map

Posted by Amol at 12:36 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

So say the rumors.

Good thing about delays...you get more buzz!

Posted by Amol at 10:13 AM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The waterfront parklands have long been coming soon, but they are increasingly in action. Check out the soccer game going at that lovely field they put nestled into the Queens West site. Looking good. Goal!

Posted by Amol at 8:08 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Domaine is the place to beat, if you ask LICNYC. What do you guys think?

Check it out and report back

Posted by Amol at 11:29 AM | Link | Save to | | Email this

If you aren't eating at Sage you are really missing out. It's the best cooking in LIC easily, and now they've added more tables and chairs so it feels more "cafe" and less "take out". Good for them!

Speaking of which, they are also going to be furnishing the eats at Dutch Kills on Jackson near Purves. But that place isn't open yet is it? And the folks at Sage have no clue what's going on -- no tastings, no orders, not yet ready to open.

And if you listen to the neighborhood brokers talk about it, there may be some disputes between owner and maestro that are holding things up. So hold on for those cocktails.

But do anticipate -- a really great house band and sawdust on the floors and reasonably priced mixes...

Posted by Amol at 8:01 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

New bar, nearly open. Just around the corner on Jackson, past the little highway overpass. A whole new thing! No more trekking and no more lame Irish fare. Dutch Kills

Posted by Amol at 3:33 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Over on Chowhound, a lovely summary of your options for dining in LIC: (More of them every day!)

Best Food/Value: La Vuelta and Bella Via
Latin: La Vuelta
Pizza: Bella Via
Not Thin Crust Pizza: A&J Pizzeria
Diner: Court Square Diner (hamburger and greek salad recommended)
Italian: Manducatis, Da Gianni (honorable mention to Manetta's)
Coffee: Brasil Coffee House
Turkish: Turkish Grill (42-03 Queens Blvd)
French: Tournesol
Lounge: Lounge 47, The Creek and the Cave
Steak: Jackson Avenue Steakhouse (by default- take the G to Peter Luger!)
Chinese: Fortune Cookie (by default- take the 7 to Main Street)
Hole in the Wall Latin Takeout: Las Vegas
Japanese: BANY (sushi and mango chicken)
Barbeque: Lucky Mojos (or take the 7 to Times Square for Virgil's)
Indian: Five Star
Deli: Sage, Kitchen Door (spicy wrap)
Chain Sandwiches: Quiznos
Bar/Pub w/good food: McReilly's pub (good hamburger)
Bar/Pub w/so-so food: Shannon Pot
Bar/Pub that's over 100 years old: Brooks
Tea: Communitea
Brunch: Cafe Henri, Blend, Tournesol
Bagels: Bricktown
Donuts: Dunkin Donuts (Queens Plaza- by default)
Ice Cream: Baskin Robbins (Queens Plaza- by default)
Mexican: De Mole (not LIC but close enough)
Burrito not from De Mole: Tost
Tamales: Original Mexican Grocery (Astoria)
Mexican/Italian/Bakery Fusion: La Flor (also not LIC but very good)
Overpriced American: Water's Edge
Overpriced Seafood: Waterfront Crab House
Thai: Gaw Gai Thai Express (23-06 Jackson Ave)
Unfriendly/Incompetent Thai: Tuk Tuk (Vernon Blvd)

Posted by Amol at 3:03 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The delicious pizza, the lovely handmade gelato, the very friendly and charming owner. And the Manducatis family tradition behind it!

Where it is

View Larger Map

And a review

Posted by Amol at 2:59 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Tantalizingly soon...coming to Court Square, is Sage's General Store. Cupcakes. Need any further reason?

More pics

Posted by Amol at 4:50 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

After many years in LIC, LICNYC finally had a chance to check out the remote and mysterious Water's Edge.

It's off in some corner, nobody goes there, what's the deal? Well, the deal is they have a great view, very few customers, and astonishingly high prices. It's a zombie restaurant, living off its location and steadily deteriorating in every quality dimension -- the interiors are decades old and worn, the food is utterly boring and uninteresting for a destination cuisine place, the view can be had for free at Gantry Park, and the service is a mix of unwashed and confused waiters managed by doddering and blue-haired Maitre D'-type hosts. Oof. Not good.

So now you know. But if you are in the area...check out Bjork and Matthew Barney's boat.

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The absolute marvel of LIC is how great the views are of midtown, and that's the appeal of the Water Taxi Beach. It wouldn't take much to take this very simple pleasure and knock it out of the park. Put up a bar, be friendly, play music that people like, provide a comfortable setting. You wouldn't even need the sand.

It's really shocking how terrible the Water Taxi people have managed to make their little beach bar. It is offensive in nearly every possible way.
1. Cover charge. Tonight it was $20! They don't disclose this till you get their either. Read any other materials and you hear "free" or $5. Get there....all the way there....on foot...and find out it is 4x.
2. Security meatheads. LICNYC got yelled at for showing up with a dog. Apparently it is cruel to bring a dog to a waterfront and tie her to a tree while you have a beer.
3. Terrible music.
4. Poor selection of everything.
5. And apparently, a draw that self-selects a rather...call it "townie" crowd. It's a more Archie Bunker scene than Beastie Boys, to put it rather obliquely.

So LICNYC had to ask: are we the only ones who think so? Here on Citysearch they've managed only 1.5 stars out of five, with angry reviews about... well all the same stuff above. "Misleading Cover Charge", "Atmosphere A+ Management F- ", "Fun place, condescending staff, and... ", "Avoid on all nights", "Obnoxious Security! ". Man!

So where to go instead? It's a warm day. You want to be outside. Have a few beers. Get off the beaten track of bar patios etc. The answer: Bohemian Beer Garden in Astoria, on the N, W train. Hands down the best outdoor bar in New York. How to get there

More about the place, which is a giant outdoor beer garden -- German style (or Bohemian...one supposes).

Posted by Amol at 9:56 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

LICNYC checked out Blend a week or so ago. The place looks terrific -- contemporary style, open spaces, a good bar area and a warm dining room feel overall.

But the food! And the service! Maybe it was just the owner's "hey let me get all my buddies in here night and ignore the 8 paying customers" but, oh well.

The menu is actually pretty interesting. Empanadas and soft tacos and other Latin-themed items with variations that point in the upmarket direction. But all of us around the table were left wondering out loud about how they managed to make Latin food bland and seemingly unique creations feel cookie-cutter. Disappointing.

The larger theme is the war for LIC. Which way are things heading here in the hood, what with all these luxurious buildings and lovely restaurants?

Blend feels rather more "date night on Queens Blvd" and rather less "foodie destination on Franlkin Ave (between nowhere and faraway on the G line)".

Some will applaud this, surely.

Posted by Amol at 10:59 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The restaurant with the most "flair" by far of any in LIC (maybe Queens?) is the Waterfront Crab House. You may have walked passed it a dozen times, near the Taxi Beach and the tennis courts at the Queens West waterfront. But if you have not stuck your head in, you are missing something.

It's nearly 100 years old, has a mini-museum of boxing champions' gloves, and has hosted US Cabinet officials...you'll have to read their printed history when you go.

Posted by Amol at 10:50 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

...to LIC! At Manetta's. Welcome to LIC folks!

Posted by Amol at 10:40 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Wow are those chairs comfy. Bricktown takes the prize of "most comfortable cafe in the neighborhood". And they even have food. It could be better -- they got our "bagel with cheese order" wrong two times and the broccoli cheese soup was awfully cheesy. But hey, it was alright.

Bring on some more cafes. We have enough liquor stores...

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There is a great NYT article about the elite coffee hounds and it mentions nearby Greenpoint-based Cafe Grumpy (also with a location in Chelsea) as a place to get the good stuff.

Head over to Meserole and Diamond -- about 15 minutes walk from the Pulaski Bridge. You'll enjoy the views as you walk. Grumpy's site

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Blend is coming soon to Vernon Blvd, in between the delightful Communitea and even more delightful Lounge47. Blend is going to be a fusion Latin restaurant -- hmm. Isn't that what La Vuelta is? Perhaps it has a better location than the incredible cuisines of La Vuelta (order the quesadilla or just about anything; they are amazing).

Posted by Amol at 9:33 AM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The Five Star Punjabi Diner is great. The local paper visited recently. But remember our take.

Posted by Amol at 4:56 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Check out Water Taxi, one of the 15 best outdoor drinking spots in NYC.

Or have a look at TimeOut's guide to LIC.

LICNYC can vouch for how fun it is to paintball. Man, it's fun! But it's hard to call it "summer" fun. That place is hot and sticky in the summer.

Posted by Amol at 12:11 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Highlights from LIC
Padaria Pao Nosso (Village Voice) - 37-03 31st Ave @ 37 St. Brazilian bakery.
Five Star Punjabi (Hungry Cabbie) - 315 43rd Ave btween 21st St & 13th St. Punjabi, Sikh cabbie haunt.
Tournesol (Village Voice) - 50-12 Vernon Blvd @ 50th Ave. New American.
Easy Street Lounge & Bar (NY Metro) - 36-18 Greenpoint Ave. Dive bar, cavernous ex-auto-repair shop.
Manducatis (NY Times, NY Bits, James Beard, NY Metro, RealEats) - 13-27 Jackson Ave between 47th Ave & 47th Rd. Classic Italian.
El Sitio De Astoria (NY Times) - 35-55 31st St between 35th & 36th Aves, Long Island City. Batidos.

The full listing (worth it!) and interactive map

May be in need of updating though. Easy Street seems to be closed...

Posted by Amol at 3:14 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Water Taxi Beach is the ideal summer retreat from Manhattan. It's the other "The End" -- shorter ride than Montauk.

Take the train to Vernon/Jackson stop of the 7 -- the first stop in Queens. Then get out and walk towards the water. If you're in a taxi -- take the Midtown Tunnel and tell the driver you need the very first exit ("stay to the right!") and just turn right when you get off the highway. Or by Queensboro bridge you turn right and right (to retrace under the bridge up to the waterfront) and then head left to go south a bit.

Posted by Amol at 12:29 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Restaurant reviews, courtesy of the local and transient blogger are mounting.

Tournesol is as fun as ever and great for brunch (not just a divine dinner accessorized with the best fries this side of the Atlantic).
Check out Rachelleb's review (and a little insight on who lives in LIC....now).

Posted by Amol at 12:19 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Click more for the upcoming wine tastings (which wines, which nights, all free).

(Send LICNYC your events if you got 'em!)

Continue reading "Wine tastings at the Court Square Wine Shop" »

Posted by Amol at 3:42 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Terrific Greek, near the Astoria Pool. Opens Memorial Day.

Posted by Amol at 6:00 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Humble place on vernon. But OK! Good chick parm.

Posted by Amol at 3:28 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Coming soon: summer.

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After the upgrades, it's even better than the best. Smells lemony rather than Cloroxy. Big improvement. Get the chicken makhni and the tall bottle of Taj. Take your friends. They have an awesome party room downstairs now.

Posted by Amol at 5:51 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The NotForTourists guide has a useful guide to Queens bars and such. Low low low, for the most part. But fun. Print it out micro-size to keep in your wallet. Get the PDF here and Brooklyn too

Posted by Amol at 1:29 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

While you are hanging in Greepoint, you can have a coffee and a bite at Brooklyn Label. It's a fine addition to the tradition of charming Franklin Street on Manhattan Ave joints like Ashbox, Greenpoint Coffee House and Champion.



Sunny, wifi, in a rad building, and it looks like they bake their own stuff. On Franklin at Java St.

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Nice to have at least one hipper indie coffee shop around. Though the slow and sour service can make you yearn for Starbucks. Not to worry, LIC: in due time.

Posted by Amol at 1:58 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The best reason to drink wine in LIC? Le fut.

Posted by Amol at 10:22 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Still the best lunch in Long Island City!

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The best restaurant near Court Square is Gaw.Gai, the thai place from the owners of Tuk Tuk. Pad Pak -- mmm mmm!



Open during the day till about 7 on weekdays and a bit earlier on Saturdays.

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At Lounge 47, every night (including tonight!)



But first check the Idiotarod afterparty at the Cave (change of location!) and then BrandonZ band lineup at Dominie's Hoek.

Posted by Amol at 6:20 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

It's time for the LICNYC Social. See you there!

Posted by Amol at 5:41 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

If you walk down Jackson Ave to the Pulaski bridge today, you will see the scaffolding up around the old Queens borough hall. Foreshadowing to the max. She's coming down soon (and just in time - 'Landmarks may be looking at it...').

But what LICNYC misses most in this whole affair is that little cafe called Ten63 and what we miss most about that ole place (besides Miss Talitha and Co.) is: the lemon raspberry cake. From Sage American Kitchen (but not on sale at their storefront down the street at Purves and Jackson). And not replicated by those mass-producing Seattle types, no matter what they call the 'lemon iced cake'.

Good news, fans of good news. Talitha and Allison are back making coffee and serving that special cake. At Champion Coffee, their new place (7 months old...) on Manhattan Ave near Dupont St. 7a-7p, 7 days. Check it.

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Have fun ringing in the New Year. Now that we have so many bubbly locales here in the hood, time to choose where your bubbles will come from. LICNYC likes Vine Wine on Jackson for all the special, small grower champagnes they carry.

Check out their whole deal at vine-wine.com -- or just head over to Jackson Ave near 11th street.

There are alternatives, of course, like the very fine Vernon Wines and Liquors or the nice shop across from Communitea.

Hunterspoint Wines and Liquors

Posted by Amol at 7:52 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Pho Bac is next to Famous Singa's Pizza -- a Jackson Heights institution,

and one we have an LIC outlet for on Northern Blvd near the bridge and the

Pathmark.



Pho Bac, though, ain't pizza -- it's fantastic Vietnamese. LICNYC had the

beef pho. Wow. Lime and lime leaves make this beef and noodle soup

outstanding. And only $6.



Next door is a great Vietnamese supermarket with huge tanks of live fish and

butchery on site. We picked up a few soup bones for the dog -- $1.50 for

both. And of course, noodles and asian sauces galore.



All just steps from the Elmhust Blvd stop on your friendly V, R and G lines.

Posted by Amol at 9:55 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

LIC is growing. It is becoming the part-Astoria, part-Midtown it always wanted to be.

Here, a gyro man in front of Citibank.

Posted by Amol at 4:14 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

A great site with reviews of wacky places to eat in Queens: Bridge and Tunnel Club.

LICNYC took a tip and checked out some crazy places these last few weeks:
- King Yum
- Koliba
- and East Banquet Hall in Flushing

Read our review of King Yum just below.

Posted by Amol at 4:48 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The alternative to LIC's own coal-oven pizzas is Patsy's of the Patsy's family on 3rd and 60th street.





Just hop the 7 to Queensboro Plaza (1 stop), then the NW (1 stop) to Bloomingdale's. And you're in the middle of the action. And there's a Home Depot right there as well!

Posted by Amol at 8:10 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

After a long era when 1 wine shop was enough for LIC...here comes the 4th in a year. At least this one is over nearer to Court Square. See the inset photo - the green realtor logo over the old print shop is the place. License in the works.





3 years ago, LIC was a solidly blue collar industrial neighborhood.


Hours: 6a-3p M-F


Shops: commercial services (insurance, lawyers, taxi, vehicle repair), diners, delis, bars (irish or sports).


Parking: busy all day, empty after


Infrastructure: warehouses, big flat industrial





1.5 years ago, the residential shift was on.


Shops: add delivery-oriented, informal yet hip restaurants, cafes


Hours: add weekend days


Parking: more Hondas on the streets on Sat AM


Infrastructure: lots of renovations happening to smallish commercial buildings





Now, the shift is on.


Shops: liquor stores galore, more restaurant/bars


Hours: add Friday and Sat night


Parking: same, not too many new people really


Infrastructure: big condos and offices going up





Next year: the big differences await!

Posted by Amol at 3:41 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Good old Cafe Henri. So right, and yet so 'we should go there some other time'.





The crepes are fantastic. Really perfect and well presented. Only thing missing is a bit of the classic accompaniment -- apple cider.





Woe betide you, though, if you though, if you think the place is a cafe for a quick coffee or a bite. The service takes ages and ages.





Though if you want a fine, sit down meal you wouldn't be here either.





There is a single, two hour window each week when this place is perfect: Sunday brunch!

Posted by Amol at 5:06 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Coming soon to the old Andell Packaging storefront next to Bella Via, an organic and natural foods cafe. Stay tuned.

Posted by Amol at 11:54 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Some of the weirder restaurants in LIC are nestled up above the Queensboro bridge between the Queensbridge apartments and the Triboro Bridge. It's Astoria, technically, and that enhances the weirdness of these places.

One of them is Rizzo's, an italian place on 21st street on the way from LIC to Socrates Sculpture Park. The signature elements are the overgrown green ivy, the gondola with an electric boatman who stutters back and forth, and some charming old neon lettering gone stale. The food isn't really praised in the reviews they have pasted onto the front door, so LICNYC took a pass on actually dining there.

Another one is the only Bulgarian restaurant anywhere in New York, and for that reason likely one of the few in the country: Bulgara. When LICNYC dropped in, the staff was relaxing the afternoon away, waiting for the evidently very busy and musical nights. There is a stage, sound system, big open dance floor, and a vaguely Mediterranean-except-really-Black-Sea look. Get in touch with them here

If you are really hard up for a buck, you can dive into one of the taxi driver joints lined up near the end of 21st near the Triboro. Fast, cheap...dubious quality, but friendly (depending on your Urdu language skills).

Posted by Amol at 7:47 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

It's a season of massive change in LIC. Even the Punjabi Diner has moved into its banquet hall neighbor for a spell, while they renovate the real thing. It's a must visit - the new digs are nice!!





Meanwhile, demolition everywhere - on 5th street near the power station, etc etc!

Posted by Amol at 8:56 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The best near-LIC cafe

Posted by Amol at 4:37 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The Village Voice reviews a pretty cool sounding former-warehouse-turned-Bulgarian joint. Up in the North LIC hood.

On the boards, people have been wondering - what's there to do up there? Well, as the development steam keeps building south of the QBB, the innovative ideas and freedom to create is moving north.

Read the whole Voice story (apparently we live in a "rat's ass" of a neighborhood)

Continue reading "Bulgara, new resto in North LIC" »

Posted by Amol at 6:29 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

One of a few great BBQ places in the city, though LICNYC's last visit was more of a 'great sportsbar' type of experience.

Posted by Amol at 9:34 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Hello NY Deli.





For the worse in LICNYC's opinion. But that is the churn of change.

Posted by Amol at 1:11 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The new ownership at TenQ keeps making changes. What was once a lunch boutique...

Posted by Amol at 7:21 AM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Tuk Tuk on Vernon Blvd has a quick-service branch that's open for lunch and early dinner hours over near Court Square. It replaces the awful former Burrito Loco. Food is great, fast and a pretty good value.

Spokesman, the new bike shop on Vernon near the subway stop, is open for business. They are full of Biancis and nice accessories. They had an opening week promotion...see if you can still get it.

Masso is a big improvement over the previous incarnations of the restaurant at that spot. Stylish interior, lovely sign. And as the weather warms up, they have a really nice patio style setup.

Next to Vine on Jackson Avenue (near the Jackson Steak House) is this new little florist. Welcome to the hood.

In the building across from Communitea, where they are now renters living, there is a wine/liquor shop coming to the ground floor commercial space.

Posted by Amol at 10:58 AM | Link | Save to | | Email this

The horrible Burrito Loco is dead and gone, on Jackson Ave near Court Square. In its place -- a lovely new quick-format addition to the Tuk Tuk family (review of the LIC Tuk Tuk, about tuk tuk, their first appearance in LIC)

Amazingly affordable menu -- most entrees in the $7 range. It's a great little delivery place. (You wouldn't really want to eat there except for lunch.)

This whole Court Square milieu has been transforming slowly but surely: Quizno's, Queen's Court bakery, the 10Q that's been there a good while, and who knows...maybe the XXX DVD place, the stalled storefronts, and the boring Irish handicrafts place will move along soon too. The lunch business will certainly pick up in the next 10-15 months, as the UNFCU building completes.

Posted by Amol at 1:01 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Eclair is the artisinal pastry shop on Vernon Blvd near 48th, which finally opened last Fall after months of slow and stalled renovations. They're here!

It's lovely to have a patisserie in the neighborhood, no doubt, though it might have been a bit nicer if were a Tom Cat and Sage American Kitchen dealer. Eclair is part of a Queens-based chain of bakery shops (from Astoria) and the french pastries show it. Big sizes, lots of extra chocolate and frosting. Not really the delicate and perfectly balanced crispy-fresh-buttery stuff you'd get in Paris.

Posted by Amol at 1:30 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

(718) 392-1222

Cour Square Diner LIC website

4530 23rd St
Long Island City, NY 1110


It's a great place -- lots of turnover so the food is reasonably "fresh" and you can't beat the convenience. Though it might be exaggerating to call it a "nice" place.


And if you're planning a shindig, they'll host and cater for around 20/head

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Masso on Vernon Blvd at 47th (47-25 Vernon Blvd map, 718-482-8151)

LICNYC snuck into Masso Saturday night, feeling lazy about meeting friends in the city and thinking, "shouldn't Masso be a hip and relaxed place to meet friends on a weekend night?"

Things look beautiful in there, the third refresh of the interiors that were most recently the "hip" version of Meridien and were formerly the unhip version. It's all dark stained wood, brass finishes, mirrors, and a great tin roof. The lights are beautiful. It has the vague solid yet modern feel of LIC bar.

You would expect as much, as the restauranteurs are among the enterprising set of LIC arrivistes setting up second- and third-outposts after success elsewhere. In this case, the Masso people had a good place in downtown called Luca Lounge. Indeed the layout is half-bar, half-restaurant and you would be at ease just hanging out there and not dining. Think Lounge 47 maybe.

The key question on everyone's lips, though, who needs another Italian place? Masso promised "inventive" Italian. LICNYC found that they don't deliver. The little pizzas are not even in the ballpark of Manetta's or even Bella Via, and the straight-down-the-line Italian dishes are of course better at Manetta's and Manducatis. Or even maybe at the late Cassino's. Bruschetta - the tomato variety was not quite as crispy, quite as garlicky, qiute as tasty. Though the everything tasted very very fresh, slight variants like the olive bruschetta weren't all that exciting.

Maybe LICNYC got unlucky last week, but wow was it hard to sit through a quiet meal while Led Zeppelin's greatest hits album was playing straight through. In an empty bar, with hardly a 70s rocker around, in a setting that seems more to call for jazz or Sinatra or maybe something new and relaxes like the Postal Service or Arcade Fire or something. The music can really spoil your environs. LICNYC thought of the time the bartenders in the basement of the Creek insisted that blasting Soundgarden albums one after the next was the right move.

Posted by Amol at 1:44 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Adios Loco

Posted by Amol at 5:33 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Great place. Dark, woody, lots of nice beers and fancy scotches.

Where to go: 4558 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City - (718) 786-5400 LIC bar location LICNYC Tour map

Posted by Amol at 2:39 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

It's out and a few LIC faves are on it: Tournesol and Water's Edge. The whole list (from Jim Roleke):


* Trattoria L'incontro, Italian (21-76 31st St, Astoria, 718-721-3532)

* 718 Restaurant, French/Tapas (35-01 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, 718- 204-5553)

* Taverna Kyclades, Greek Seafood (33-07 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, 718-545-8666

* Malagueta, Brazilian (25-35 36th Ave, Astoria, 718-937-4821)

* Brick Cafe, Bistro (30-95 33rd St, Astoria, 718-267-2735)

* Piccola Venezia, Italian (42-01 28th Ave, Astoria, 718-721-8470)

* Water's Edge, American ( East River at 44th Dr, Long Island City, 718-482-0033)

* Tournesol, French (50-12 Vernon Blvd, 718-472-4355)

* Sripraphai, Thai (64-13 39th Ave, Woodside, 718-899-9599)

* Sapori D'ischia, Italian ( 55-15 37th Ave, Woodside, 718-446-1500)

* Jackson Diner, Indian (37-47 74th St, Jackson Heights, 718-672-1232)

* Bann Thai, (69-12 Austin St, Forest Hills, 718-544-9999)

* Kum Gang San, Korean BBQ (138-28 Northern Blvd, Flushing, NY 11354, 718-461-0909)

Discuss it and read other opinions on Chowhound

Posted by Amol at 12:13 PM | Link | Save to | | Email this

La Vuelta is now open on Saturdays too, expanding out from their stingy M-F schedule. LICNYC has noticed things aren't too busy on 44th Dr on the weekends, so it's La Vuelta's new hours are good news. They probably have the tastiest nachos and quesadillas around. Truly amazing. LICNYC must further comment: you can't beat the value either. Very good prices.

So, to celebrate La Vuelta's longer hours, here is a treat for LICNYC readers:

So go forth and order! (718) 361-1858 - Yahoo! Local listing - Map - La Vuelta's own website

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Hotly anticipated by LICNYC. Finally here. The first box of goodies from the slow-baked pastry on Vernon and 48th

Posted by Amol at 10:15 AM | Link | Save to | | Email this

Near Court Square. Warming up their operation.

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Near Court Square. Warming up their operation.

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Near Court Square. Warming up their operation.

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Near Court Square. Warming up their operation.

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Hi All,



This Friday night the 28th Lounge 47 will have its annual Halloween Masquerade. Come on by in whatever attire you desire and join in the festivities.



Then on Sunday the 30th, please join us for Long Island City's inaugural Pumpkin Carving Contest. Bring your tools and creative juices for all to see. A sign up sheet is located at the bar - there are only 15 spaces so hurry on over to get in.

Tel: 718-937-2044

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Ten63 is indeed closing

to make way for...condos no doubt. The guy didn't pay millions for that building to keep it as studios!

In the "did you know" department: the building was the first Queens Borough Hall. When you go in those cemented up doors, there is a massive grand staircase winding its way up. High ceilings, lots of light, near the subway... $800/square foot?

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It's an artist's studio. He makes some pretty wacky sculptural work.

Apparently a really successful guy. Lots of foreign collectors.

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The best Thai food you can have in NYC, here in Queens. Take the seven to

Woodside. Search chowhound.com for the details

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BCH is soon to be the Starbucks of LIC. Right near the Repetti building,

here are some stockpiles

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After all these years, one thing that hasn't changed a whit. Still Amex only, till steak frites and bordeaux, still en francais stictement, still perfect

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On 23rd st and 43rd ave. Best quick lunch menu for blocks

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On 36th Ave (two steps from the N/R stop)

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Greek seafood on 36th ave

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As good as on Rue de Rosiers in Paris

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The growing BCH Empire, on 21st street.

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Just behind the Citibank building. Now vacant. Got an idea?

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The growing BCH Empire, on 21st street.

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Get burgers and beers at the most fabulous location in LIC, NYC. We were blown away on the balmy Sunday night we had a visit.

The service is terrible (slow, forgetful) so be vigilant. But the views are absolutely killer, the crowd is a handful of locals, and the music is actually pretty good ("The Safety Dance" and so on) until the Latin crowd takes it in the merengue direction.

See more pictures on the Gallery on the Go and see their site http://www.watertaxibeach.com

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The coffee house expansion marches on. Jane Jacobs would tell you coffee shops are the foot soldiers of commercial development -- cheap to set up and run, catering to the layabouts that first people a neighborhood (writers, artists, small business owners, stay-at-home parents), 9-to-five eyes on the street that make the area feel lively. In short, a coffee shop is a neighborhoodies best friend.

We've had several open up in the last 12 months. In addition to incumbents including Ten63 and Brasil Coffee House near Vernon/Jackson, there were some new ones: Queen's Court at Court Square and Communitea on Vernon.

Here is BCH 1 from Vernon:

There is evidently a new location coming soon on 23rd Street under the 7 right near Court Square. Pictures as the place gets ready. (It's just a block down from the 23rd street dog run, and just across the street from the Citibank building.)
Good luck!

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Have a look at the flames that light the way here in LIC and Queens environs. The writers at NY mag had their crack at the top 50 things to do in Queens (with the foreboding editorial spin that they are fast vanishing): New York Magazine's Queens 50 list

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From the Daily News this week (now you'll have to book ahead when you walk over to Tournesol):

Kings of Queens nabe

Haven't been to Long Island City lately? Check it out: This Queens nabe has the hip art museum P.S. 1, the windswept Socrates Sculpture Park, fantastic views of Manhattan, and plenty of great places to eat.

# Brooks Restaurant, 24-28 Jackson Ave., at Court Square; (718) 937-1890. Launched in 1892, Brooks is one of the city's oldest continuously run restaurants. Hit it for a $4 pint and a peek at the ancient decor, or entrees like shell steak ($18) and crab-stuffed sole ($17), served with potato and vegetable.

# Manducatis, 13-27 Jackson Ave., between 47th Road and 21st St.; (718) 729-4602. Manducatis has earned raves for nearly 30 years for good reason: Chef Ida Cerbone is still the one cooking its Italian food. Try the red sauce, which crowns both classic parmigianas and nightly specials like Shrimp Ida, $20.

# Pimenton, 21-50 44th Drive, between 21st and 23rd Sts.; (718) 707-0442. This cozy spot is known for Spanish classics like paella, and it comes in many ways: valenciana - with chicken, chorizo and seafood ($18); mariscos - with lobster, shrimp, clams and scallops ($24), and even one with mushrooms.

# Tournesol, 50-12 Vernon Blvd., at 50th Ave.; (718) 472-4355. Every neighborhood needs a French bistro for a Sunday supper or lazy brunch, and Tournesol fits the bill with omelets ($7), mussels and fries ($8), grilled garlic chicken ($13.50), crème brulée and a lengthy wine list.

# Water's Edge, 44th Drive, at the East River; (718) 482-0033. This French-American restaurant is about fine dining and skyline views: every table has one. Take the free ferry from 34th St. for classics like rack of lamb ($36) served with ratatouille, potato croquettes and zinfandel sauce.

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LICNYC went back to Cafe Henri on Vernon Blvd and 50th Ave (10-10 50th Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 Tel: (718) 383-9315 ; at the exit of the 7 train on Vernon/Jackson), about a year now since our first visit.

The food was fantastic! The sandwiches, savory crepes and sweet crepes are truly outstanding stuff! LICNYC thought of the years spent in Paris, lazing about in cafes, having crepes and paninis, passing the time. You should try it out! Don't let the provencale-bordering-on-tapas-spanish-style decor leave the impression that this is fast-casual dining. It's exceptionally well made food. (Good value too - LICNYC got out of there with a $12 check)

The merguez sausage sandwich

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Goodbye Thai Cafe

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Lemonade from lemons at Communitea

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Summertime at Willow Creek

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When you go to the Bohemian Hall Beer Garden this summer, bring your dancing shoes. It's actually pretty close to the airport.

Pictures in the Gallery

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And now the first Bux in 11101

Starbucks, at 37 st and 35 ave (across from the UA movie theater)

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Now that it is summer, it's time to enjoy the out-of-doors fun at the Bohemian Hall at 31st Street and 24th Ave. They have live music on the weekend! And they have real bohemians, apparently.

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One of Astoria's finest summer institutions. Bring your appetite for sausage and kraut with your thirst for cold pilsners. Just a few blocks from the Astoria Blvd stop of the N train, near 31st Street and 24th Ave.

--

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It's back and better - more style, less Mets

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Mr_long_face writes...I can’t be the only full time freelancer whose coffee break has turned into an OCD search for the best LIC has to offer, still hoping to be surprised by a hidden coffee gem. Please. let’s compare notes. Click here to read the rest of this post in the Forums

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Though if you want specialty it's still Ten to the 6 to the 3

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The expensive Korean grocer on Vernon near 50th (the subway) will have to lower its prices for Yellow Curry mix. A thai place is opening a few doors over -- you can see them tidying up and preparing the place if you walk by. The restauranteurs apparently have a place near Smith St in Carroll Gardens. The owner of the property confirms they have let it out and all signs point to more/better chicken satay in LIC very shortly. Will LIC become the next Greenpoint?

More pics

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The extremely serious smoke house BBQ place, Philly's Smoke House on 50th Ave, seems to have papered over their windows. What does it all mean? Renovations post-Superbowl? Or something more drastic (shutting down?)

Pictures in the gallery

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Everyone is waiting for those space-bird, sculptural door frames next to Cafe Henri to open up with the latest great LIC restaurant. But these things take time, apparently. As we wait for things like financing and the economy to help restauranteurs do their thing.

LICNYC took a visit recently and talked to the artists who has made that space his studio for years. He's still in there. Meaning the restaurant is still in the offing.

Anyone know more?

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Welcome to Queen's Court

A charming new coffee shop with donuts (Krispy Kremes), ice cream (Edy's), and lots of Italian biscotti and nice breads. Puts the dingy old coffee shop on Jackson Ave to shame.

Come say hello right outside the 7 station at Court Square (or outside the G train)

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Manducatis is a fancy italian place with more waiters than you'd imagine, marble and dark wood, sort of high prices....and a neon Giants sign in the window near the bar just off Jackson Ave. It strikes a bizarre balance between working class and upscale that Brooks at Court Square and the Jackson Ave Steakhouse clearly aspire to emulate.

LICNYC had unexceptional Italian here, just across from a genuinely excellent kitchen at Manetta's, and so found ourselves disappointed. But it was a good place for groups and good times, as what seemed to be a union group or bunch of contractors illustrated a few tables away. The service was great too. IF you are feeling like being pampered while watching the Mets and eating pasta, take just a few steps down Jackson from PS1 (or right at the entrance of the Van Alst G stop) to enjoy Manducatis.

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Map 1

Map 2

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LICNYC still hasn't been back to Willow Creek since the new menu (scared by the new items, prices and no longer as excited without the choice of having baja-style burritos or the vegetarian black beans). It's kind of tough to offer opinions on the new menu till that happens. But maybe readers have opinions! Tell us how you like the almonds in your burritos. Discuss!

Meanwhile -- be sure to see what the Creek's owners have to say. They are hoping to please...

"We are trying to build a nice place where people can dig the vibe and get good food at a reasonable price."

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After waiting patiently through the long winter construction, LIC diners can enjoy Le Gamin's first restaurant in Queens: Cafe Henri, just across the street from long-standing French fave, Tournesol.

LICNYC checked out Cafe Henri on opening night last Thursday, as the operation was getting underway. The menu is light French cafe fare: crepes, toasted sandwiches (paninis) and a few nice salads. The crepes we had were tasty -- the sausage crepe and the mushroom crepe. A few creaks in the service still, but they should soon be operating smoothly (it was supposed to be a mushroom and goat cheese crepe...). They don't have their liquor license just yet, but you can run across to the well-stocked Korean and choose anything you like (even cider, the traditional drink for crepe enjoyment).

The main items are in the $8-12 range, though fairly light weight. Not really the place for dinner so much as it is for brunch or lunch. We'll see if they develop a heavier hitting menu as things go on; but if not, it's a fine complement to the showtime bistro offerings at Tournesol. When you're in the mood for something a bit quicker or just a cup of coffee, head across to Cafe Henri.

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Willow Creek has slowly been transforming into the The Cave and The Creek, a bar and mexican food joint on Jackson Ave near Vernon Blvd.

The bar was a welcome addition to the downstairs space, and a continuous path to a pretty nice back patio. (No more walking through the kitchen to get back there.)

The latest addition seems to be a few rugs under the tables, for an upscale look (but who puts rugs in a restaurant? how do you clean them properly?) and...a new chef.

LICNYC was not excited to see that advertised on the sandwich boards out front. The order taker answering the phone couldn't even explain the scope of the changes in store.

Willow Creek used to have delicious Baja-style mexican items on a very reasonable price menu -- burrito for $6 and nachos for $4. The burritos were a rare treat in all of New York -- one of the few places in NYC you can get a Baja-style burrito with nothing but a fresh tortilla, juicy grilled chicken, salsa, a bit of guacamole. None of the usual stuffing of rice, beans, etc.

Well all that is gone now. If you want to have a burrito, it's got to be $9 and it's got to have almonds and goat cheese and spinach leaves. The new chef's interpretation of mexican is the NYC cliche; slightly upscale and experiment, totally sacrificing the classic directness and precision of traditional Southern California burritos, nachos, etc. There are two ways people screw up mexican in New York: one is by turning it into a fatty, sloppily-prepared blob of stale rice and beans. This is what they do all over the city. The second is by "improving" the menu with "superior" gourmet credentials. The first is like the average corner pizza shop, and the second is like Pizzeria Uno. What you really want is what Willow Creek used to have, more like the coal-fired pizza oven of burritos.

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In the Times today:
March 21, 2004

LONG ISLAND CITY

Hard by the East River, It's Power-Plant Chic

By JIM O'GRADY

To know the future of Long Island City, look to the T-shirts that have begun to issue from Ten63, a cafe on Jackson Avenue. They are showing up on everyone from artists to babies, bearing moody renderings of several of the neighborhood's industrial holdovers: gantry towers that once hoisted railroad cars from barges on the East River, the dimmed neon cursive of a giant Pepsi sign, and a power plant designed by McKim, Mead & White.

Clearly, a threshold of self-consciousness has been crossed. Long Island City, long downtrodden and neglected, is short on supermarkets and hardware stores. But it has a T-shirt.

Adam Collett, a 24-year-old marketer for a nonprofit arts group, who moved to the neighborhood last summer, explained it this way: "When the creatives move in, you wind up with a visual. The creators find a way to present themselves because that's what they do."

In other words, this low-rise neighborhood of row houses and warehouses hard by the Sunnyside rail yards and the entrance to the Midtown Tunnel is developing a stylish urban image. Can boutiques with commissioned graffiti on their walls be far behind?

The designer of the T-shirt is Monte Antrim, who with his wife, Talitha Whidbee, owns the cafe where the shirts are being sold. Like many local residents, he lives with the tensions of a neighborhood in transition. He looks at pricey waterfront high-rises, like the 42-story Citylights building, and sees the uninspired architecture of a project that nonetheless created a riverside park and promenade. More such towers are to come as part of a development called Queens West, which will most likely send more customers his way. But he worries that they might overwhelm distinctive structures like the power plant or the subject of his next T-shirt design: a pair of concrete silos in nearby Hunters Point.

"It's a question of place," he says. "What makes Long Island City particular? The Queens West towers don't look any different than any condo tower in the country. They're bland. I contemplated making an image out of them, but they don't interest me that much.''

The shirts have gained a foothold in that free-floating zone of trendiness that stretches from artists' enclaves in former industrial areas to upscale shopping districts. Rachel Melis, a barista at Ten63, said a customer recently said he had seen a Long Island City T-shirt adorning a child at the Beverly Center, a chic mall in Beverly Hills, Calif.

According to Ms. Whidbee, more than 100 shirts have been sold since they went on sale in December, some to European tourists. "It's the wackiest T-shirt they could find,'' she explained. "It doesn't say, 'I heart New York.'

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Drop by L.I.C. on Friday, Feb 27 for the grand opening. (There's Jazz on Thursdays)


45-58 Vernon Blvd


Previously on LICNYC...

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This weekend is Australia Day and you can sample the fun in LIC at Willow Creek and The Cave. Bands, Aussie beers, etc etc all afternoon. Hope for good weather and just close your eyes to imagine that those burritors are actually meat pies.

More information at their site or on the LICNYC calendar

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At the Pencil Factory in Greenpoint, LICNYC ran into the owners of their next new bar -- that mysterious, stalled affair on Vernon Blvd at 44th Ave or so.

Short answer: coming soon. Waiting for the certificate of occupancy from the city. They took over a very old space and had to get it re-certified. Not a liquor license problem at all, in the end. Look for it in February.

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Hemsin (39-17/19 Queens Boulevard; 718-937-1715) is one of the many restaurants along Queens Boulevard, not so far from MOMA QNS. Though in Sunnyside rather than Long Island City, it is merely a hop, skip and jump away from LIC on the number 7 (Get off at the 40th street stop and walk back half a block). Hemsin is a delicious and good value Turkish restaurant serving mouth-watering cacik (yogurt and cucumber dip), homous (the best we've had in a long while) and eggplant dips accompanied by copious amounts of fresh-baked home-made bread, a wide range of pide (Turkish pizzas) and kebabs. Other middle eastern favorites are also available, including falafel, mixed grill and stews. The Mediterranean salads are also very tasty and refreshing. Honey-soaked baklava and other sweet Turkish delicacies are baked fresh on the premises and are apparently not to be missed -- although we were left too full after the generous servings of appetizers and main course to be able to fit them in. The restaurant itself is large and pleasantly decorated. The service was friendly and attentive. All major credit cards are accepted. The take out menu states that delivery is available.

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Down the street from the 7 stop at Vernon-Jackson, and comfortably close to the half-geriatric-half-GenX towers of Queens West, Bella Via makes some delicious pizzas in a coal-fired brick oven.

The pizza is clearly better than anything you'll find for quite a distance -- and it is better than Manetta's sometimes careless pies. Bella Via's crust is thin and crisp, the mozzarella fresh, the seasoning perfect.

The scene won't blow anyone away. It feels a bit like Long Island in the Nassau/Suffolk sense -- maybe the folks in the Avalon and Citylights buildings are mainly imports from out there? But the restaurant is nicely appointed with nice big windows and since they're on a corner, there is quite good exposure as you stare out the window munching your margherita pizza.

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Manetta's is traditional before anything else. The waiters are circling around, keeping an eye on the water level in your glass and asking about your interest in some parmesan.

The fare is traditional Italian, with the special suprise of a coal-fired brick oven in the kitchen. Have the pizza - you can get pasta anywhere. Though the contrary opinion is popular too. They use outstanding quality ingredients and make things right on site. While the ambience is ordinary (red checked tableclothes?), you cannot beat the locally authentic value of the place.

More from Chowhound.

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Lounge 47 opened on Vernon Boulevard a few months back and was immediately the most stylish joint on the Vernon-Jackson stop. Furnished with mint condition vintage pieces -- everything crying Eames and Nelson and Noguchi -- the place is set out to look like your parents' rich friends lounge room from the 1970s.

They've built up some regulars now and you'll see people coming round on weeknights for the light but very creative dinner menu, as well as for drinks and lounging on weekends. The fare is often Asian by way of London, with a number of hybridized pakoras and curries.

Out back, a rare NYC treat, is the garden. More zen than green, the carpet of pebbles and bamboos growing along the perimeter are a lovely sequester. Shame it's getting cold so soon though Lloyd, the proprietor, was talking about some heat lamps and a tent (smoker friendly?).

Lounge 47 reviewed in the Village Voice

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Anyone else think that LIC feels a little like LA, but with better public transport and less traffic? The wide streets, the bridges and the nearby express ways, lots of art institutions, the (mostly) low rise buildings, the relatively easily obtained parking, gas stations etc. The fabulous California-style Mexican cuisine at Willow Creek, along with its laid back atmosphere and friendly staff, contribute to the impression. At Willow Creek, it is easy to delude yourself that you've just stepped off the beach in the City of Angels. Like its name suggests, this is fresh Mex. You can get all your favourites here and more.

LICNYC is quickly becoming a regular, whether we're taking out or eating in. LICNYC often orders the Willow Creek Burrito with chicken and a simple black beans and rice burrito. It's the best LICNYC has had this side of Mission Street in San Francisco. The prices are also easy to swallow - definitely more California than NY - LICNYC is fed up with paying the standard $7+ for a sub-par burrito in most NY Mexican joints. You can supplement your selections with a range of delicious and zesty condiments from the salsa bar. Everything tastes great. There even is a cute garden out back, where you can catch a movie when the weather's good or simply kick back at the very beachy bar. LICNYC heard a rumour that the owners are turning the basement into a lounge. Sounds cool. When will it open already?

Willow Creek Fresh Baja Grill 10-93 Jackson Ave. (Queens) At 11th St. 718-706-8783 Open relatively late every day. (corrections welcome!)

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Wasabi Boy's operation a few steps from the Citi building has the novelty of offering stylish Japanese in a corner of the LIC neighborhood that is rather more dominated by steakhouses and quick lunch places. On NPR recently, a guest talked about the miracle of New York City dining: 20 years ago there were hardly any Japanese restaurants at all. Now, there are more sushi places than McDonald's joints. It's a city where small restaurants can open up, serve a narrow niche, and thrive -- on a scale so massive that New York City can support hundreds of Japanese places (and only about 91 McD's).

Walking up to the place, though, gives the impression that Wasabi Boy operates firmly in one of the two cateogries of NY restaurant: delivery rather than eat-in. This is especially true in the evenings. Arriving on a warm Wednesday evening, LICNYC found the place starkly empty. Yet the sushi chef was busy and there were 3 or 4 staff busily preparing dishes for delivery.

Wasabi Boy's menu has a fairly good representation of Japanese choices: sushi and maki, tempura, teriyaki skewers, and bento box combos. The agedashi tofu was excellent -- as were other tofu dishes. You get quite a lot for your money and they were perfectly crisp on the outside while soft and fluffy on the inside. More ordinary were the maki rolls. LICNYC was very suprised to receive a kappa maki (cucumber) roll where the little cucumber bits in the roll were actually cut a bit long, so they stuck out higher than the rest of the roll! An aesthetic disaster! The sushi chef would certainly have failed his course back home for delivering such a result. Though the roll was just as tasty, perhaps the cosmic harmonies were disturbed. Same for the alaska roll (salmon, avocado, crab) -- they were slightly overful. It's nice to have a plump little roll, of course, but not was the maki gods intended.

The prices are quite reasonable (though maybe slightly high for a lunch date unless you order a combination meal), and the service was attentive. Write in if you have a lunchtime experience at Wasabi Boy using the comments feature of this page. And be sure to check the place out if you haven't yet been - it's a fine local Japanese place, and a nicer meal than the Big Mac down Queens Boulevard in Sunnyside.

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In an article about specialty foods in the NY region, the Times reviews the advantages of LIC:

The baguette, says Noel Labat Comess, is the fruit fly of bread.

Their stuff is apparently available from Gourmet Garage.

Its life span is abbreviated, an eight-hour rocket ride from exquisite to over the hill. That is one reason why Mr. Comess built his bakery close to Manhattan. And Manhattan is one reason his business will long outlive a baguette.

This year, Mr. Comess expects his Tom Cat Bakery to do $15 million in sales. That is up from $275,000 in 1987, the year it opened in Long Island City. The work force has grown to 170 souls, hand-shaping and hearth-baking 350 varieties of bread and rolls for sale to restaurants, corporate dining rooms and hotels.

"We deliver two to three times a day," Mr. Comess said. "We have a very direct need to be close to Manhattan. We're not providing an emergency service, but we have fairly narrow windows within which to make those deliveries. People eat at noon and at 7, and bread goes stale."

The folks at Tom Cat were also on 1999's Inner City Magazine 100 list (though I don't know that LIC counts as classic inner city) - for being a fast-growing business in an 'inner city'. And did you know one of their vans was featured in "You've Got Mail"? They (along with LIC-located International Delights) are also on the City Harvest supplier list.

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New York Magazine has been pushing LIC as the next big thing for a while now. One wonders whence the motivation. Maybe they just know the law of city readership: get ethnic, get local, drive subscriptions.

Yet they have done their bit -- covering the restaurants and scene very closely. See here for a rundown of their reviews of most of the local joints. Be sure to check out their website, as well of course as LICNYCs own reviews.

Missing something? Add your thoughts in the comments!

Continue reading "Restaurant Rundown from NYMetro" »

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Tournesol 50-12 Vernon Blvd (map) 7 train to Vernon-Jackson (1st stop in Queens) 718 472 4355 Closed Mondays TournesolNY.com

A bit ahead of the culture curve, really, since it's affable and relaxed bistro feel is leagues away from the stuffy frog's-legs-and-bourdeaux look of it's grayhaired clientele (which seems to be in healthy part from the waterfront Avalon and Citylights highrises). The intimate space with lively mirrored wall and lighting is bouyant nonetheless. The wondeful folks who run the place are much of the reason why. They were kind enough to clear up an old mystery: brasserie, though a type of large, informal restaurant, derives from the word brasser -- to brew. A brasserie is a brewery, etymologically. (Bistro comes from the Russian for "quickly!", from a time when the Russian army was stationed in Paris.)

The menu is typically, classically Parisian. Vegetarians should hide and be prepared to eat a fish. The terrine de canard was very tasty and the the steak frites was to perfection though it is impossible to get American beef to taste like French beef. The dishes at our table and others looked fantastic, presented with more flair than you'd expect from the typical bistro. We may have ordered poorly but I suspect that the Cotes du Rhone on the wine list is rather inferior, though the list ranges extensively across the domains of France. Their house champagne was quite good.

Tournesol has the chops to be a destination spot on the other side of the East River, but it has graced LIC with an early commitment. Hopefully people will find it a nice post-MoMA dinner date.

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The Chipper 42nd Street & Queens Blvd map Sunnyside, NY 11104 E-mail gallen4@aol.com Tel. (718) 729-8730 Fax. (718) 729-2149

See LICNYC's review of the Chipper.

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From this past week's Time Out NY:

LICNYC's review of Ten63

WHile there's no shortage of great art in Long Island City lately, great coffee hasn't been on exhibit. Now we can caffeinate at this semi-industrial cafe. The owners serve good morning fare like toasted scones from artisanal bread purveyor Tom Cat and rib-sticking baked eggs topped with tomato and Parmesan. Hearty soups are also available along with grilled cheese made with feta.

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La Vuelta is offering a July 4th prix fixe special - plus you can watch the fireworks.

Continue reading "Watch the Fireworks after dinner at La Vuelta" »

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Ten63 10-63 Jackson Ave near Vernon Blvd (map) TEN63 10-63 Jackson Ave LIC 718-482-7679 monday through friday 7am - 7pm saturday and sunday 8am - 8pm

Nor does it mind putting art for sale on the walls -- at the moment a very appealing series of "cord paintings" by Eric LoPresti featuring coiled power cords in graphicy monochromes. (The best ones are already sold it looks like, and the prices are reasonable.)

The neighboring table, when LICNYC visited, had a couple of film industry types -- they were talking about shooting a commercial -- and across the way sat the coffee bar staffer, bouncing a customer's cute baby on her knee. It was a relaxed, casually hipster scene far away from the greased-up electroclash of Williamsburg but also far from LIC's old self. Not very ethnic, not very working class, but rather more bobo with a hint of struggling artist.

This may be why the proprietor, a former manager of a diner in Williamsburg (NYT link), opened up shop in this soon-to-be-but-not-quite-yet precinct.

One complaint: the pastry and snack selection was, well, very weak. Nothing yummy on offer at all, but the coffee was just fine and prices modest.

The bar

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The Chipper 42nd Street & Queens Blvd map Sunnyside, NY 11104 E-mail gallen4@aol.com Tel. (718) 729-8730 Fax. (718) 729-2149 Hours: M-Th open till 10.30pm, Fri and Sat till 5am! No delivery

Reporting live from Sunnyside...K66

LICNYC checked out the Chipper Thursday night after the opening of the MoMA Projects show of Sabine Hornig. The place is the most attractive shop on the street, though a little hard to find if you don't remember it's at 42nd street since there is no awning.

The menu is more robust than you'd expect. There is a fine selection of fishes in batters of all the usual types -- cheap too! Whitefish in batter is only 3-4 bucks. There's other stuff too -- battered sausage, battered hambuger!, veggie burger (very delicious), curry chicken, and all kinds of sides. Of course they have chips/fries, which are tasty but perhaps could be better. And they have all kinds of stuff the local Irish must miss sorely from home: mushy peas, baked beans and the like.

The battered burger was delicious and made instants before serving. The setup is a little too "quick-service" since it wasn't exactly thronged with crowds. While a downtown Dublin chippery may require such sparse layout, there would be no complaints about the odd table at the Chipper. Yet, clearly the ambiance and attention to authentic detail is what matters, and the barstools along the perimeter of the place add to it.

Definitely worth a look.

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Burro Loco LIC's neon signs offer many things to the passersby on Jackson Ave: Tex-Mex, Fried Chicken, and even Fish and Chips. Perhaps all the effort is spent to capture attention back from the other side of the street, where a string of restaurants make Burro Loco look lonely, the only restaurant on its block.

A visit recently left this former Californian impressed. (It's that good.) Every dish seems to be entirely fresh, from the black beans to the chicken to the crispy nacho chips. The back of the menu pledges "no microwave", and it's clearly true. You can see for yourself behind the counter that things are whipped together when you ask.

Burro Loco has the feel of a new phenomenon in New York these last few years, the Mexican place that borrows the form and execution of the typical Chinese place. There are backlit photographs of dishes on display above the counter, but instead of Peking Duck there is a chicken burrito. The folks who run the place seemed to be Southeast Asian (Malaysian? Thai?), though the guy in charge apparently used to live in Texas.

The Platonic form of Mexican food is the chicken burrito. From it, you can judge all things. For $5 (including a free soda), the lunch special chicken burrito is a reasonable bargain. The chicken is juicy chunks, not overly grilled like you'll sometimes find. The black beans were very tasty. They steam the tortilla then loosely wrap things up (with yellow rice) "enchilada style". Guacamole and sour cream on the side. Some very tasty nacho chips are there for you to help yourself. The salsa was mediocre, I must say. But the overall package was tasty. It's rather good food, in a city where very delicious Mexican is hard to find (the best is Green Cactus, which has just opened a shop in Forest Hills. More on them some other time, but you must try it if you see it.)

One special thing to note is how vegetarian-friendly the place is. Many choices, and the menu even gives specific suggestions and color codes the vegetarian choices.

They're open till 11pm each night which is pretty late. And they have two delivery guys working hard on speedy (if beat up) Honda scooters. The place has the look of a mainly-delivery operation, since the restaurant itself doesn't contribute much warm ambiance to the food served.

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In the shadow of the QueensWest towers is another distinctive European bistro: Bella Via, an Italian cousin to Tournesol's French menu. It's been open for a little while now, and has accumulated several reviews from both major papers and smaller sources.

The New York Times' recent review pitches the grilled vegetables as especially appealing, perhaps to the exclusion of everything else but the pizza. New York Magazine's review is rather brief, but makes sure to mention the coal-fired brick oven's ability to produce fine thin-crust pizza -- Italian style, rather than the more familiar New York style. NY Mag also includes Bella Via as highlight in their tour of the area.

Post your own thoughts about Bella Via with the comments link below. And while you're thinking about the best eating options in LIC, visit Chowhound for other foodie review of restaurants in the area.

See the Yahoo Map

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" Food was decent, nothing too amazing, but I only had one thing. Trendy place for a nice afternoon lunch."

Specially worth noting is 10Q's website. Of course their appealingly modern menu online--featuring upscale and healthy choices like hummus wraps, potato frittatas, make-your-own salads and omlettes and pastas, as well as more standard diner fare. Reasonably priced stuff, with lunch-oriented entrées in the $7-8 range.

But you can even order online. Visit their website, place your order from their very sensible ordering form, and they will deliver. If you try this online ordering, let us know how it goes! 10QCafe.com.

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Five Star Punjabi Diner 1315 43rd Ave, Long Island City, (718) 784-7444 Click for map and details

One of the most delicious Indian restaurants in New York is nestled on a remote street in LIC, far away from the action of subway stations or busy streets.

The proprietors of Five Star seem to have taken over a forgotten diner near the taxi lots of LIC and converted it to serve the new class of taxi drivers: Indians and Pakistanis looking for some cheap South Asian eats. It's an ideal location, and the stacks of free copies of the Taxi News prove it.

The big-screen TV is tuned to Hindi news direct on ITV. There is an antiseptic clean smell so powerful one does wonder whether they could have left the place smelling a bit more natural.

But the payoff is the food, which is amazing. There's a big variety of stuff, well beyond the usual Indian restaurant menus. The Chicken Makhni (butter chicken) was excellent, as was the Chicken Sagwala (spinach). The appetizers are inexpensive, and we had several. For that matter, the beer was cheap too--Kingfisher, and also the hard-to-find big bottles of Taj Mahal.

We were there on a weekday evening, during the heart of the shifts, so there were no real taxi drivers. (There's a semi-private room toward the back, with a curtain for privacy, which you can just picture full of drivers after a shift as they wolf down a bit and talk about the TLC.) There were however a number of hipster characters -- they seemed like actressy-types -- and a few people that had actually driven to the restaurant in private cars. People had come to this place from the suburbs, apparently. They seemed like foodies. They really knew what they were doing with the menu.

The two of us ate very, very well--2-3 appetizers, 3 main courses, some big bottles of beer. And our bill was about $30. Low price for a huge feast.

The Five Star -- first eatery to become a mandatory Manhattanite destination in LIC?

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