Some Restaurant News

Piu Bello's old location. A seafood restaurant is under construction there.

In case you haven’t heard, Piu Bello Gelato, the popular restaurant/ice cream/dessert place that used to be at the corner of Austin St. and 70th Avenue, is in the process of taking over the entire Positano italian restaurant, located just a hop, skip and a jump from Piu Bello’s old location, across from the Post Office at the corner of 70th Ave. and what I guess would be called a service road to Queens Blvd. Piu Bello had been tucked in the back of the Positano restaurant for the past several months. It should be interesting to see what PB does with its new digs.

In other restaurant news, I hear Wafas, the Mediterranean restaurant at 96-08 72nd Ave/Metropolitan is moving to a bigger space. What I heard is that it will be on Metropolitan somewhere but if you know differently, please let us all know by posting a comment. Wafas has a reputation for some of the best falafel in Forest Hills, though I have yet to try it so I can’t personally confirm! Here is their menu, a little hard to read, but I think you can just make it out:

NY Falafel Bar – Part 2

Had a falafel from NY Falafel Bar today for lunch. It was even better than I remember the last one being, the one I reviewed several weeks ago. I don’t know if they changed the recipe, but I would rate this one of the best falafels I have eaten in New York City, and I am not exaggerating. Personally, I prefer my falafel less spicy and the one’s NY Falafel Bar makes are not very spicy, and very nicely balanced by a large amount of delicious fillings and what seems to be freshly made pita.

I think it earns being added to my Recommended Restaurants page. Congratulations!

NY Falafel Bar Experience – Part 1

There’s been some discussion in the past couple of weeks about the new NY Falafel Bar restaurant that opened at 72-32 Austin St. There was one complaint on another blog about the customer service, but fairly positive reviews about the food. I finally had a chance to pay the place a visit last night so I can now throw my two cents into the mix.

I found the service fine, no complaints there. The gentleman who took my order and worked the register was very pleasant, smiling much of the time, relaxed. He had two guys helping him. They were both very eager to get my order right. Now, while I was there, around 7:30 p.m., there was a small crowd of people waiting so they had to work fast. They got a few little things mixed up, but overall I didn’t have to wait too long to get my food and I got what I ordered in under 10 minutes.

I ordered a falafel in a pita for $5.50 and it was an interesting culinary experience. Overall, I liked it very much.

I have to be honest, my first impression of the falafel when I bit into it was “This tastes weird.” The first thing I noticed was the lack of the garlicky, spicy kick you usually get from a falafel ball. instead, it tasted almost like a veggie burger, blander with even a somewhat bitter taste. So I was at first thinking, “I don’t think I like this very much!”

But that was just the falafel balls themselves. As I made my way down further into the sandwich I reached all the vegetables, humus and tehina and my taste buds exploded with delight. The full mix of all the falafel sandwich ingredients together makes for a satisfying sandwich indeed. The bitter flavor of the falafel are offset by the sweetness of the rest of the fillings and it all comes together great.

It’s definitely a unique tasting falafel they have at NY Falafel Bar. But I think that makes for an excellent culinary addition to Forest Hills. After all, you can get falafel everywhere these days. This place makes it in a special way that is also quite filling to boot.

I called this Part 1 because I will be going back in the next couple of weeks to try other food from NY Falafel. You can find out more about this new restaurant here: www.nyfalafelbar.com