BORO MAG

Photo courtesy of Nima Pillai

JANUARY 2018 VOL 8:1

BOROMAG.COM

Your Best Life HOLISTIC WELLNESS COACH IN ASTORIA

NEW CROSSFIT DUTCH KILLS GYM

BEING VEGAN IN WESTERN QUEENS

LOCAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER

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JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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CONTENTS If you made a New Year’s resolution and you’re not sure how to keep it, BORO is here to help.

Feel like you need to take a holistic look at your life? A local wellness coach can help you do just that (page 16). Want to get fit?

Visit the new CrossFit Dutch Kills and watch your muscles grow (page 22). Going vegan, or just want to add more plant-based meals to your diet? We’ve got a roundup of restaurants and cafes in Astoria, Long Island City and Sunnyside that have great vegan options (page 32), and a local Instagrammer makes vegan food look colorful and fun (page 38). Need KATRINA MEDOFF to organize your apartment? A professional editor-in-chief organizer right here in Astoria can work wonders on your space (page 44).

If you’d like to share any news with us, email katrina@boromag.com.

You can also connect with us on Instagram (@boromagazine), Facebook (facebook.com/boromag) and Twitter (@BOROMAG).

Wishing you a productive and healthy 2018, Katrina Medoff

WHOLLY HEALTHY

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6 COZY VIBES Street style in Astoria

10 SNOWY SHOTS Readers Instagrammed winter pics

16 WHOLLY HEALTHY Wellness coach in Astoria

22 GET FIT FOR 2018 Get strong at CrossFit Dutch Kills

32 VEGAN EATS Where to get vegan food in western Queens

COLOR ME HEALTHY

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38 COLOR ME HEALTHY Local Instagrammer’s vegan creations

44 DREAM SPACE Professional organizer in Astoria

DEPARTMENTS 12 JANUARY 2018 EVENTS 25 BORO DEALS & DISCOUNTS

Exclusive savings, discounts and freebies for the month of January

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26 MAP IT DIRECTORY

Your go-to guide for the best shops, food, art, nightlife and more in western Queens

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50 MAKING ROOM Queen’s Room comes to Ditmars

54 TOPPED ‘CHOPPED’ The Bonnie chef wins reality TV episode

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Katrina Medoff // ART DIRECTOR Mickhail Kurov WRITERS Hayley Bridgewater, Danielle Brody, Sean Curry, Hannah Frishberg, Allison Kridle, Katrina Medoff, Estelle Pyper, Marie Torio PHOTOGRAPHERS Bridget Kenny, Marie Torio SALES REPRESENTATIVE Graziella Zerilli // PUBLISHED BY Joshua and Victoria Schneps All materials Copyright © 2015 BORO / All rights reserved. Opinions and claims made by advertisers are advertisers’ claims only. BORO Magazine accepts no responsibility for any claims made by advertisers.

BORO Magazine reserves the right to publish any images without providing photo/image credit. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.

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JANUARY 2018

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STREET STYLE

Anna (@anna. szeto.mua), 23, is a makeup artist who also works in marketing. She defines her style as “cozy, comfy and a lot of neutral colors.” She kept the majority of her style neutral but added a beautiful wraparound scarf as a statement piece.

Astoria resident Molly, who works in marketing, was walking back home from a holiday lunch with family. She describes her style as “older with a modern twist.” Her tall riding boots combined with tan coat and fuzzy ear warmers created a perfect dressy but laid-back Sunday combo.

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JANUARY 2018

COZY VIBES

BY MARIE TORIO

T

@PHOTOSBYMARIETORIO

he temperature is dropping and we experienced our first snow, but that by no means slows down the folks of western Queens. I was impressed to notice all of the fashionable ways Astorians kept themselves cozy while braving the chill and wind outdoors. Puffer jackets, beanies, ear warmers, laceup boots, embellished wraparound scarves, oversized coats and cute handbags added to the eye-catching looks that we are highlighting for you this month. These ensembles remind us that keeping warm is always a great fashion choice!

Skincare consultant Daniela (@_danielavelez) was enjoying the afternoon with her mom.

I loved how she balanced her combat boots with a tribal print scarf and classy cross-body bag.

Astoria resident Michael (@michaelfrom33139) told me that when it comes to fashion, he “tries it all.” I bumped into him at the Chicken Shack and caught sight of his all-black oversized velvet coat, green scarf and dark shades, and I just had to get to know him.

Physical therapist Maria, who was born and raised in Astoria, was shopping on Steinway Street.

She layered her look with a comfortable hooded jacket, beanie and warm wedged booties for a sunny but cool day of walking.

Ashley (@ashl3y_maree) works for a pharmaceutical company and said she keeps her style “classy.”

I loved now her tanned booties and navy tote added a sleek touch to her look.

I like how Taylor (@tayweath), writer for Billboard Magazine, complemented her beautiful red locks with a navy scarf and dark coat for a day of brunch at Sanfords and drinks at Break Bar and Billiards with her friend Ashley.

Riad, 24, was visiting from an Algeria. He decided to visit Astoria because of its reputation of cultural diversity. You can't go wrong with a North Face and warm pom-pom hat for a day of checking out local shops.

LIC resident Hayley (@hayleyelisabethh), 22, works in advertising as a writer. She describes her style as “New York street with a touch of Southern flare.” She was totally prepared for the wind tunnel that is LIC during this time of year. Her long puffer jacket, scarf, hat, shades and boots left me with a bit of wardrobe envy!

JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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I N S TA I M A G E S

SNOWY SHOTS

@ paularysz

W

hen snow falls on western Queens, our neighborhood transforms into a peaceful winter wonderland, the sidewalks crisp and white for just a moment before any foot traffic moves through. This month, we asked our readers to tag us (@boromagazine) in their photos of Astoria, Long Island City and Sunnyside in the winter, and we received so many beautiful shots. Here are some of our favorites, from a brightly clothed child making a snow angel to a dog frolicking outside to classic western Queens landmarks cloaked in white.

@ bella_goldenchild

Photo courtesy of Marion Duckworth Smith

@ vanessanysee

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By KATRINA MEDOFF KATRINA@BOROMAG.COM @KATRINAMEDOFF @KATYA_M22

JANUARY 2018

@ soosiesawyer

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NEXT THEME: COUPLES For the February issue, in honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re asking you to tag @boromagazine in photos of couples in Astoria, Long Island City or Sunnyside.

Snap a photo of you and your significant other on a date in the neighborhood, your parents in their Astoria home, or you and your spouse with your kids — anything to do with the month’s theme. @ ilanasilver @ barre3lic @ shourjya.mookerjee

JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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JANUARY EVENTS Find more events at www.BOROmag.com/Events WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17 Event Title: Norwood: Mountain Goats Tribute Time: 10 p.m.

Location: L.I.C. Bar Phone: 718-786-5400 Address: 45-58 Vernon Blvd., LIC URL: licbar.com

MONDAY, JAN. 15 Event Title: Swing Dancing Time: 6:30 to 8:10 p.m.

Location: Q.E.D. Phone: 347-451-3873 Address: 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: qedastoria.com MONDAY, JAN. 15 Event Title: $5 Party at Studio Square + Free Shot Time: 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Location: The Garden at Studio Square Phone: 718-383-1001 Address: 35-33 36th St., Astoria URL: studiosquarebeergarden.com MONDAY, JAN. 15 Event Title: Josh Streets and Cool Side Time: 9 to 11 p.m.

Location: Sweet Afton Phone: 718-777-2570 Address: 30-09 34th Ave., Astoria URL: sweetaftonbar.com TUESDAY, JAN. 16 Event Title: The Dump: A Goddamn Storytelling Show!

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THURSDAY, JAN. 18 Event Title: Bowie Night Time: 9 p.m.

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Location: The Bonnie Phone: 718-274-2105 Address: 29-12 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: thebonnie.com FRIDAY, JAN. 19 Event Title: Tinder Tales Time: 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Location: Q.E.D. Phone: 347-451-3873 Address: 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: qedastoria.com SATURDAY, JAN. 20 Event Title: Act One: One Act Festival 2018 Time: 7 p.m.

Location: The Secret Theater

JANUARY 2018

Phone: 718-392-0722 Address: 4402 23rd St., LIC URL: secrettheatre.com SUNDAY, JAN. 21 Event Title: Act One: One Act Festival 2018 Time: 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 8 p.m.

Location: The Secret Theater Phone: 718-392-0722 Address: 4402 23rd St., LIC URL: secrettheatre.com WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24 Event Title: Norwood Time: 10 p.m.

Location: L.I.C. Bar Phone: 718-786-5400 Address: 45-58 Vernon Blvd., LIC URL: licbar.com

SATURDAY, JAN. 27 Event Title: Chris Laker Album Recording “Chris Laker is Dead” Time: 8 p.m.

Location: The Creek and The Cave Phone: 718-706-8783 Address: 10-93 Jackson Ave., LIC URL: creeklic.com TUESDAY, JAN. 30 Event Title: Intro to Voice Over Class Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Location: Q.E.D. Phone: 347-451-3873 Address: 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: qedastoria.com

THURSDAY, JAN. 25 Event Title: The Matt Dickey Group Time: 8 p.m.

Location: The Bonnie Phone: 718-274-2105 Address: 29-12 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: thebonnie.com

THURSDAY, FEB. 1 Event Title: MOIST Time: 10 p.m.

Location: The Creek and The Cave Phone: 718-706-8783 Address: 10-93 Jackson Ave., LIC URL: creeklic.com

FRIDAY, JAN. 26 Event Title: Act One: One Act Festival 2018 Time: 7 p.m.

Location: The Secret Theater Phone: 718-392-0722 Address: 4402 23rd St., LIC URL: secrettheatre.com

THURSDAY, FEB. 1 Event Title: Ramble at The Bonnie Time: 8 p.m.

Location: The Bonnie Phone: 718-274-2105 Address: 29-12 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: thebonnie.com

JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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MIND + BODY

WHOLLY HEALTHY

By DANIELLE BRODY @DLB1022

Holistic health coach Kristina Borza is a proponent of self-care, whole foods and leaps of faith.

To Borza, these are not just buzzwords, but ideals which have guided her life, and which she now shares with her clients to help them make long-lasting lifestyle changes, too. A former corporate digital marketer, Borza decided to pursue her passion for wellness and took a course at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition last July.

This led to her quitting her job to focus on a career in helping others with their health.

“It was time for me to get in alignment,” Borza said. “Now, I have much more freeness of speech to talk about making big changes and how those leaps of faith can absolutely work for you.”

As a holistic health coach, Borza takes all aspects of a client’s lifestyle into account

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JANUARY 2018

to create a personalized plan for them to reach their goals. This can involve weight loss, career, relationships, stress management, diet and more.

She said people crave this type of discussion about their lives since doctors don’t often give patients enough time to get a holistic view of their lifestyle.

Her particular focus is diet and finding out which foods work best for someone’s body. At age 11, Borza discovered she was gluten intolerant. A modified diet solved a host of her own health issues, which piqued her interest in nutrition.

“I was raised with this awareness of what I eat could affect how I felt,” Borza said.

Borza said if a client says they want to try a certain diet or food modification, she always asks why to determine if it’s because

they want to lose weight and think a program will help, or they’re suffering from a food sensitivity. She said she is “agnostic” when it comes to popular diets like paleo or Whole30.

“People know intuitively what works for them,” she said. “My job is to help them cut through the confusion."

Borza questions new clients when defining their goals to open up the conversation. She also leads clients through an exercise using a “circle of life” graph which is divided in several sections: each are slices of a circle that connect to something in a person’s life like spirituality, relationships, joy, education, physical activity, socializing and more. She uses that as a visual way of seeing someone’s lifestyle, and where more balance is needed.

Borza’s role is also to create a plan of action for clients to reach measurable goals and hold them accountable. They can call her to get help staying on track, and she usually meets clients once every week or every two weeks.

She said she offers supermarket store tours to help clients cut through marketing that labels foods as healthy that aren’t.

For example, she said when something is labeled as gluten-free, many people think the product is healthier, but it’s likely to contain excess sugar and gums. She also encourages Astoria clients to sign up for a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, which is available in fall and spring and connects people with fresh food from farms in Long Island. Borza participates in Dutch Kills CSA in Astoria.

To keep herself accountable when she began coaching, she started a wellness-focused Instagram account, @kristina.wellness, to connect with the community. Through that, she met her first client, who was based in Astoria and suffered from a sugar addiction.

After Borza led her through a sugar detox, the client not only lost the weight she wanted to lose, but also ended a bad relationship and moved into a new apartment.

“It really opened my eyes that this work is amazing and can create huge shifts for people,” Borza said.

The Instagram account also connected Borza to two women who did the Integrative program and started a group of holistic health coaches called Embody Wellness Company. Borza joined, and said being involved with a bigger entity helps her find more clients and provide better service.

JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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MIND + BODY

Through Embody, she helped host events in the Hamptons in the summer.

In early January, she hosted a Women's Wellness Workshop on holistic self care at Always Astoria studio. She will also be teaching Pilates at the studio. Being from Astoria has helped her business because people already know and trust her, Borza said. “Having that network built in already has been helpful in building my platform,” she said.

Borza, who grew up in Astoria, said she remembers when the only place she could buy gluten-free bread was at one health store in Manhattan. Back then, the neighborhood was predominantly Greek families — including Borza’s own family, as she is halfGreek. There has been an influx of young professionals, which has shifted the composition of the neighborhood, she said.

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JANUARY 2018

“Young professionals have a different set of goals and aspirations than a mom or other people I might work with,” she said.

She encourages her clients, especially the young professionals, to try a digital detox, which involves taking a break from your phone and social media, creating space in your day without technology. She said social media can be fake and set unreasonable expectations for people. “[Taking a break from technology is] becoming harder and harder, but I think people need it more and more,” Borza said. She expects to help clients with this more in 2018.

She recommends turning off technology and hour before bedtime. Constant exposure to light emitted from technology can inhibit sleep, so beginning a ritual of limiting that can improve sleep, an in turn, overall wellness, she said.

Photos courtesy of Kristina Borza and via Instagram/@kristina.wellness

She said the response to a new population in the neighborhood has made it easier to live a healthy lifestyle.

“The cool thing about Astoria is that because of this shift, we’ve gotten a lot more businesses that are more in alignment with the work I’m doing," Borza said, mentioning restaurants, shops and CSA. "All of that is here now where it wasn’t in the past. For a client in Astoria, it’s never been a better time do this work because they have those resources locally.”

Kristina Borza is offering readers a free half-hour consultation.

JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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347-808-7338 12-14 31st Ave. Astoria, NY 11106 www.frescoscantina.com

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MIND + BODY

Get Fit for 2018

BY HAYLEY BRIDGEWATER

F

@HAYLEYREE3

or residents of western Queens, it is exciting (and sometimes surprising) to watch the remarkable growth and development in the local landscape, and this is especially true of the Dutch Kills area. Once solely the site of industrial warehouses and manufacturing sites, recent years have breathed new life into the neighborhood. Residences, small business, entertainment destinations and the like have created a community that is ready for incoming fitness facilities.

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JANUARY 2018

Enter Dom Fortino. No stranger to western Queens, Fortino’s family has run small businesses in the area since the 1950s. He himself has been a resident and contributing member of the fitness community since 2005.

He originally created Fortified Holistic LLC to provide nutritional coaching and fitness encouragement to the local community. An experienced personal trainer who also has taught boot camp, cardio kickboxing, spin class and workouts using strongman

JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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MIND + BODY Photos courtesy of Dom Fortino

apparatus, Fortino discovered CrossFit in 2009.

“Like many, I started doing CrossFit on my own and soon joined a local community in Astoria to train in a class setting,” he said. “The results I was seeing and the methodology behind the program I found to be astounding. Shortly thereafter, my brother and a friend of ours joined together and repurposed Fortified Holistic LLC to form our own CrossFit gym, which was then known as CrossFit Bell.”

That business was originally located in Bayside, Queens, but by 2013, the need to expand the facility led Fortino to relocate the gym to the Dutch Kills area.

“To our surprise and humility, the majority of our members followed us from Bayside to Dutch Kills,” Fortino said.

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JANUARY 2018

On Labor Day weekend in 2017, Fortified Holistic moved to its current location at 3740 31st St. “The current building has been occupied by someone in my family since the early 1950s and holds a special place in my heart,” Fortino said. “My family has run many small businesses out of this corner building, serving the Dutch Kills community, and it was finally our turn.”

Fortino wanted to make an impact in the area and thought that a fitness facility was the perfect addition to a budding residential area.

“We’ve been told we are a welcomed change from the grittier industrial businesses and people are excited to have this service so close to home, enjoying the amenities of parking and proximity to the major subway stations only two stops from Manhattan.”

Dutch Kills Fitness currently offers CrossFit Classes, City Strong(wo)man Classes and Barbell Technique Classes. Their CrossFit program is a mixture of weight training, gymnastics and mono-structural movement, which are varied, functional movements performed at high intensity.

In addition to CrossFit, the gym runs a City Strongman program, the only program of its kind in Queens.

The City Strongman program was designed to bring together those with CrossFit experience across NYC and Long Island in a new forum. The program provides participants instruction on strongman apparatus such as tires, the atlas stone, kegs, farmer carry handles, yolks, logs and more. Regardless of their fitness level, all CrossFit clients complete the same workout each day, which coaches tailor to each individual. “[We] are still growing into the space, but are delighted with what the facility and location have to offer and the people we are meeting from the community in the process,” Fortino said.

DUTCH KILLS FITNESS 37-40 31ST ST., LIC DUTCHKILLSFITNESS@GMAIL.COM IG: @CROSSFIT_DUTCHKILLS @CITYSTRONGMAN

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ASTORIA DOG www.LIC-CPA.com WALKING www.savignano-cpa.com bestaccountantinlic.com 20% OFF 41-18 Crescent St. PLEASE CALL FIRST WEEK LIC, NY 11101 OR VISIT US 718.707.0295OF SERVICE FOR FREE (F) 718.707.0259

HAPPY HOUR

41-18 CRESCENT ST, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101 718-707-0295 47-46 VERNON BLVD, SECOND FLOOR, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101 718-707-0955

CONSULTATION

WWW.NYCPETNANNY.COM

LOCKED - ESCAPE ROOMS NYC

22-56 31st Street, 2nd floor Astoria, NY 11105 (718) 274-9700 10% OFF www.escapelocked.com CODE: “Gift Cards also available for purchase BORO10 at www.escapelocked.com

M-F 12-7 SA/SU 3-6

$500 SAVINGS

FOR NEW LIC BUSINESS CLIENTS $50 SAVINGS

$5 Select Drafts $6 Red, White, Rose Wines HRBLOCK.COM FOR NEW LIC INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS $7 Dirty Pickle Martini, Summer Old 718-707-0955 / 718-707-0295 Fashioned, and Sangria OBTP# B13696 ©2015 HRB Tax Group, Inc. WWW.HRBLOCK.COM 29-12 23RD AVE. ASTORIA, NY 11105

DOES YOUR DOG NEED A WALK? Drea Montali Professional Organizer and Closet Stylist SIGN-UP FOR 4 WALKS & GET 1 FREE WALKING ASTORIA AND SUNNYSIDE Complimentary hour with 4 hours of WE DO CAT SITTING TOO! organizing.

WWW.MYDOGNEEDSAWALK.COM WWW.DREAMONTALI.COM

(646) 339-8346

20% OFF EACH SEAT The Paint Place NYC Premier Paint and Sip studio

31-21 31st St. Astoria www.thepaintplaceny.com 929-522-0086

HAPPY HOUR 3PM-7PM $5 COCKTAILS, WINE, SANGRIA, MARGARITA, AND $3 APPETIZERS 29-21 23 ave ASTORIA NY 11105 718 606-8508 WWW.RICEKNY.COM

347.323.4549 NEW CLIENTS ONLY

20 PERCENT OFF ONE ARTWORK PURCHASE

(not including any framing/shipping costs) limit one per customer.

ROGALLERY.COM - fine artworks & auctions

Piatto Lunch Specials NEAPOLITAN PIZZA $9.00 10” PIE / $11.00 16” PIE 718-361-2751 www.piattolic.com

ADVERTISE IN BORO ads@BOROmag.com 718.224.5863 www.BOROmag.com/ advertise

JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

25

MAP IT DIRECTORY RESTAURANTS

6

ASTOR ROOM (C,2) 718-255-1947 34-12 36th St., Astoria www.astorroom.com

241

BAREBURGER 718-777-7011 33-21 31st Ave. Astoria www.bareburger.com

242

BAREBURGER 718-204-7167 23-01 31st St., Astoria www.bareburger.com

243

82

7

8 35

BAREBURGER 718-937-2273 49-19 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.bareburger.com BOHEMIAN HALL & BEER GARDEN (B,1) 718-274-4925 2919 24th Ave., Astoria www.bohemianhall.com BREAD BOX CAFE (A,4) 718-389-9700 4711 11th St., LIC www.breadboxcafelic.com BURGER GARAGE (B,3) 718-392-0424 25-36 Jackson Ave., LIC www.theburgergarage.com BUTCHER BAR (C,2) 718-606-8140 37-08 30th Ave., Astoria www.ButcherBar.com

238

BZ GRILL 718-932-7858 27-02 Astoria Blvd.

Astoria, NY 11102 www.bzgrill.com

176

CRESCENT GRILL (B,3) 718-729-4040 38-40 Crescent St., LIC www.crescentgrill.com

11

DIWINE (C,2) 718-777-1355 41-15 31st Ave., Astoria www.diwineonline.com

159

DUTCH KILLS CENTRAAL (B,3) 718-606-8651 38-40 29th St., Long Island City www.dutchkillscentraal.com

12

FLO LOUNGE RESTAURANT (C,2) 718-204-6096 37-20 30th Ave., Astoria

231 12

FRESCO'S CANTINA 12-14 31st Avenue Astoria, NY 11106 347-808-7338 www.frescoscantina.com

181

HIBINO LIC (A,4) 718-392-5190 10-70 Jackson Ave., LIC www.hibino-lic.com

249

HIGHWATER 917-745-0407 34-20 Broadway, Astoria www.thehighwaternyc.com

112

IL BAMBINO (C,2) 718-626-0087 34-08 31 Ave., Astoria www.ilbambinonyc.com

248

IIL Falco 718-707-0009 21-50 44th Drive, LIC www.ilfalcolic.com

13

LENG THAI (B,2) 718-956-7117 33-09 Broadway, Astoria www.lengthainewyork.com

125

LAS MARGARITAS RESTAURANT LOUNGE (C,2) 38-01 Broadway, Astoria 718-777-1707 www.lasmargaritasny.com

220 170 18 191 3

MAIELLA 4610 Center Blvd., Long Island City 718-606-1770 www.maiellalic.com MALAGUETA RESTAURANT (B,2) 718-937-4821 25-35 36th Ave., Astoria www.malaguetany.com MANDUCATIS RUSTICA (A,4) 718-937-1312 46-3 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.manducatisrustica.com MEET THE MEAT 23-92 21st St., Astoria 917-832-7984 www.meetthemeat.net MEZZE PLACE (B,2) 718-777-2829 31-18 Broadway, Astoria www.mezzeplace.com

26

133

MICHAEL’S CAFE (B,3) (located inside Four Points Sheraton) 347-536-3633 27-05 39th Ave., LIC www.michaelscafeny.com

148

MOJAVE RESTAURANT (B,1) 718-545-4100 22-36 31st St., Astoria www.mojaveny.com

235

MURASAKI 718-482-7088 46-44 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.murasakinyc.com

182

NOSH BOROUGH (B,1) 347-746-5542 25-17 Astoria Blvd., Astoria noshborough.com

150

OFF THE HOOK (B,1) 718-721-2112 28-08 34th St., Astoria (one block from 30th A) www.offthehookastoria.com

20 45 61 22 245 74 74 239

183 24

194 194 244

ORNELLA TRATTORIA ITALIANA (B,1) 718-777-9477 29-17 23rd Ave., Astoria www.ornellatrattoria.com ORO RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 718-729-1801 41-17 Crescent Street, LIC www.orolicrestaurant.com OVELIA (B,2) 718-721-7217 34-01 30th Ave., Astoria www.ovelia-ny.com PENTHOUSE 808 (A,3) 718-289-6118 8-08 Queens Plaza South, LIC www.penthouse808rooftop.com Piatto Wood Fire Pizza 718-361-2751 1-50 50th Ave., LIC www.piattolic.com QUEENS COMFORT (C,2) 718-728-2350 40-09 30th Ave., Astoria www.queenscomfort.com

184

VIA VAI (B1) 31-09 23rd Ave, Astoria 347-612-4334 viavai-ny.com

200

VICTORY GARDEN CAFÉ 718-274-2087 2169 Steinway St., Astoria www.victorysweetshop.com

29

WILLIAM HALLET (C,2) 718-269-3443 36-10 30th Ave., Astoria www.williamhallet.com

32

YAJAI (B,2) 718-956-9559 33-16 30th Ave., Astoria www.yajaithaifood.com

14

ZENON TAVERNA 718-956-0133 34-10 31st Avenue Astoria, NY 11106 www.zenontaverna.com

33

ASTOR BAKE SHOP (A,2) 718-606-8439 12-23 Astoria Blvd., Astoria www.astor-bakeshop.com

34 138 139

BROOKLYN BAGEL & COFFEE COMPANY 718-777-1121 35-09 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria (C,1) 36-14 30th Ave., Astoria (C,2) 35-05 Broadway, Astoria (C,2) www.bkbagel.com

189

IL FORNAIO BAKERY (B,2) 718-267-0052 29-14 30th Ave., Astoria

190

OK CAFÉ (B,1) 718-440-8789 22-04 33rd St., Astoria www.okcafeastoria.com

37

SWEETLEAF (A,4) 917-832-6726 10-93 Jackson Ave., LIC

234

PINK CANARY DESSERTS 718-729-1819 13-11 Jackson Ave., Long Island City www.pinkcanarydesserts.com

FOOD CELLAR (A,4) 718-606-9786 4-85 47th Rd., LIC www.foodcellarandco.com

195

FOOD CELLAR 718-606-1888 43-18 Crescent St., LIC www.foodcellarandco.com

SAC’S PLACE COAL OVEN PIZZA (B,2) 718-204-5002 2541 Broadway, Astoria www.sacsplace.com

211

MET FRESH AND ORGANIC SUPERMARKET Located in the heart of Astoria on 34-14 Steinway St.

SAC’S PLACE COAL OVEN PIZZA (B,2) 718-204-5002 2541 Broadway, Astoria www.sacsplace.com

167

YOGURT LA CREPE (B,1) 917-832-6930 29-02 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria www.yogurtlacrepe.com

SALT & BONE 917-832-7822 32-07 30th Ave., Astoria www.saltandbone.com

28

SHI (A,4) 347-242-2450 4720 Center Blvd., LIC www.eatdrinkshi.com

55

SKINNY’S (A,4) 718-806-1068 47-05 Center Blvd., LIC

227

T-SWIRlL CREPE 917-832-6815 36-16 30th Ave, Astoria www.t-swirlcrepe.com

161

51

LOVEDAY 31 (B,2) 718-728-4057 3306 31st Ave., Astoria www.loveday31.com

90

228

WINES & SPIRITS

PETS CHÂTEAU LE WOOF 718-626-WOOF 30-02 14th St., Astoria www.chateaulewoof.com

54

CITY VET (A,4) 718-433-1334 45-44 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.cityvetnyc.com

MY DOG NEEDS A WALK 347-323-4549 23-12 29th St., Astoria www. mydogneedsawalk.com

95

40

NYC PET NANNY 25-74 36 St. Astoria NY 646-298-5301 www.nycpetnanny.com

230

NYC PET SERVICES 31-21 31St. Astoria, NY 11106 718-350-1635 www.nycpetservices.org

233

POOCHES SPORT & SPA 718-391-0800 47-31 Center Blvd.

Long Island City, NY www.poochesspa.com

75

STEINWAY COURT VET (C,2) 718-728-2822 32-41R Steinway St., Astoria www.steinwaycourtvet.com

FLORISTS 160

OFF BROADWAY FLORIST (B,2) 718-728-2828 3204 31st St., Astoria

44 137

FLORESTA (A,4) 917-612-4446 51-02 Vernon Blvd., LIC 4-85 47th Rd., LIC

47

NYC FARM CHIC FLOWERS

130

174 59

122 62

175

157

ASTORIA 35 LAUNDRY & FINE DRY CLEANING (B,2) 718-392-9692 3505 34th St., Astoria Astoria35laundry.com

65

119

ASTORIA CENTER OF ISRAEL 718-278-2680 27-35 Crescent St., Astoria www.astoriacenter.org

177

ASTORIA CLEANERS (B,1) 718-545-0680 28-19 Astoria Blvd., Astoria astoriacleaners.com

209

ASTORIA BOOKSHOP (B,2) 718- 278-2665 31-29 31st St., Astoria www.astoriabookshop.com

AVENUE CHEMISTS PHARMACY 718-545-1010 45-01 30th Ave., Astoria

129

BLUE BIRD CHILD CARE 347-832-0103 25-58 48th St., Astoria www.bluebirdchildcareastoria.com

207

ASTORIA PARK WINE AND SPIRITS (B,1) 28-07 24th Ave., Astoria www.astoriaparkwineandspirits.com

38

ASTORIA WINE AND SPIRITS (C,2) 718-545-9463 3412 Broadway, Astoria www.astoriawines.com GRAND WINE AND LIQUOR (B,2) 718-728-2520 30-05 31st St., Astoria www.grandwl.com

BABYNOIR (B,1) 646-470-4728 26-16 23rd Ave., Astoria www.babynoir.net

186

THE BRASS OWL (C,1) 347-848-0905 36-19 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria www.thebrassowl.com

114

49

INSIDE ASTORIA (C,1) 718-956-4000 28-07 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria

77

50

LIC: LIVING (A,4) 718-361-5650 535 51st Ave., LIC www.licliving.com

JANUARY 2018

206

178

27

21

VESTA (A,2) 718-545-5550 2102 30th Ave, Astoria www.vestavino.com

57

64

143

31

180

ADMIRAL LOCK AND KEY (C,2) 718-274-2491 37-17 Broadway, Astoria www.admirallockandkey.com

ASTORIA BIER & CHEESE (C,2) 718-545-5588 34-14 Broadway, Astoria

TRU ASTORIA 35-19 Ditmars Blvd. Astoria 646-878-6000 www.truastoria.com

POKE WAVE 917-868-1084 35-07 Broadway, Astoria

PETALS AND ROOTS (B,2) 718-267-1700 31-27 31st St., Astoria www.petalsandroots.com

SERVICES

THE LAST WORD 31-30 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria www.tlwastoria.com

229

224

218

219

The Thirsty Koala 718-626-5430 35-12 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria Australian dishes at this relaxed eatery features many gluten-free & veggie options. www.thethirstykoala.com

223

196

121

THE BONNIE 718-274-2105 29-12 23rd Ave. Astoria www.thebonnie.com

247

56

LIC VETERINARY CENTER (A,4) 718-383-8387 48-18 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.licvets.com

216

199

198

168

36

187

NOMAD CYCLE LLC 718-786-5600 36-58 37th St. Astoria www.nomadcycle.com

201

FOOD SHOPS 39

RÈST-ÂÜ-RÁNT (B,2) 718-729-9009 30-01 35th Ave., Astoria www.rarbarlic.com

LOCKWOOD SHOP (C,2) 718-626-6030 32-15 33rd St., Astoria www.lockwoodshop.com

BAKERIES

QUEENS ROOM 347-987-3994 36-02 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria queensroomnyc.com RETRO PIZZA CAFE 347-612-4460 Fax: 347-813-4039 41-02 Broadway, Astoria

52

SHOPS

236

BOOKKEEPING & PAYROLL SERVICES SPARKLELINK 718-812-9616 3537 36th St., Astoria CRESCENT APOTHECARY (B,1) 718-777-1110 25-01 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria www.crescentapothecary.com DR. PANAGIOTIS PAGONIS, M.D. (B,2) 718-278-0300 30-16 30th Ave., Astoria www.drpagonismd.com GREATER ASTORIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Quinn Building, 4th Floor 35-20 Broadway, Astoria www.astorialic.org

45

134 66 17

147

K

161 90 198 56 223 224

ENERGEA (C,2) 929-296-9314 34-13 38th St., LIC EnergeaNYC.com FERRARI DRIVING SCHOOL (C,2) 718-278-6679 3232 Steinway St. GOTHAM LASIK 718-440-3131 30-80 21st St., Astoria www.gothamlasik.com HERO COMPUTER REPAIR NYC 347-670-4376 Apple/Mac Computer Repair Specialist hero@iamhero.net | www.iamhero.net SAVIGNANO accountants & advisors 718-707-0955 47-46 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.savignano-cpa.com 718-707-0295 41-18 Crescent St., LIC www.savignano-cpa.com

196

THE LEARNING STATION MONTESSORI INC. (C,2) 347-523-0906 31-32 47th St., Astoria www.thelearningstationmontessorischool.com

95

MATHNASIUM (C,1) 718-726-6284 43-32 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria www.mathnasium.com/astoria

180

MONTESSORI KIDS OF LIC (B,3) 347-746-5542 5 Court Square, LIC mklic.com

57

MPN LAW FIRM (C,2) 718-777-0400 3403 Broadway, Ste. 200, Astoria

206

MY DOG NEEDS A WALK 347-323-4549 23-12 29th St., Astoria www.mydogneedsawalk.com

174

QNS COLLECTIVE (C,3) 718-280-5122

158 67

59

122

232

UNLIMITED BODY NY 27-18 23RD Avenue Astoria, NY 917-650-4369

93

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (C,2) 718-784-0077 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria www.movingimage.us

SUPER NOVA TATTOOS (C,1) 718-274-5712 38-01 23rd Ave., Astoria www.supernovatattoo.com

73

YOGA AGORA (B,2) 718-626-0680 33-02 Broadway, 2nd Fl., Astoria www.YogaAgora.com

94

NOGUCHI MUSEUM (A,2) 718-204-7088 9-01 33rd Rd., Astoria www.noguchi.org

237

OTTER HOUSE STUDIOS 718-786-5900 28-39 Review Ave. LIC www.otterhousestudios.com

149

QUEENS COUNCIL ON THE ARTS (C,2) 347-505-3010 37-11 35th Ave., Astoria www.queenscouncilarts.org

215

Q.E.D. 347-451-3873 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria www.Qedastoria.com

146

ROGALLERY.COM (C,3) 800-888-1063 or 718-937-0901 47-15 36th St., LIC - by appointment www.rogallery.com

110

SCULPTURECENTER (B,3) 718-361-1750 44-19 Purves St., LIC www.sculpure-center.org

BEAUTY 164

151

195

EUROPEAN WAX CENTER LIC (A,4) 718-482-9299 4545 Center Blvd., LIC www.europeanwaxcenter.com

81

71

GIGI SALON (C,2) 718 -777-7755 34-17 30th Ave., Astoria www.gigistylingstudio.com

226

LUXY LADY 718-786-1880 10-17 Jackson Ave., LIC www.luxyladysalon.com

83

97

72

PRIMP AND TEASE SALON (A,4) 718-472-2001 5-02 50th Ave., LIC

BREAK (B,2) 718-777-5400 3204 Broadway, Astoria www.break-ny.com

84

98

46

REDKEN SALOON SALON (C,2) 718-956-3366 36-17 30th Ave., Astoria www.redkensalon.com

BRICK BAR (B,2) 718-267-2735 30-95 33rd St., Astoria www.brickcafe.com

SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK (A,2) 718-626-1533 32-01 Vernon Blvd., Astoria www.socratessculpturepark.org

197

SHADE ORGANIC SPA AND SALON (C,1) 718-278-7892 36-05 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria shadebarspa.com

112

192

THE BREWERY BAR & KITCHEN 718-777-8007 49-18 30th Ave., Astoria www.thebrewery.nyc

TEN10 STUDIOS (A,4) 917-449-9539 10-10 47th Rd., LIC www.ten10studios.com

85

217

212

STUDIO NOVA 718-392-4962 37-01 36th Ave., Astoria www.studionovanyc.com

DOMAINE WINE BAR (A,4) 718-784-2350 50-04 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.domainewinebar.com

THE ART HOUSE (C,2) 516-724-1562 31-06 35th St., Astoria www.gabrieleperici.com

86

DOMINIES OF ASTORIA (C,2) 718-706-6531 34-07 30th Ave., Astoria www.dominiesnyc.com

THE PAINT PLACE (NYC Painting Classes & Parties) 31-21 31st St Astoria, NY 11106 929-522-0086 www.thepaintplaceny.com

99

145

KATCH BREWERY & GRILL (B,2) 718-777-2230 3119 Newtown Ave., Astoria www.katchastoria.com

SCULPTURE SPACE NYC (C,3) 718-806-1709 47-21 35th St., LIC www.sculpturespacenyc.com

96

222

LOCKED -ESCAPE ROOM NYC 718-274-9700 22-56 31st St., Astoria www.escapelocked.com

THE SECRET THEATRE (B,3) 718-392-0722 44-02 23rd St., LIC www.secrettheatre.com

111

MOSAIC CRAFT BEER & WINE BAR (B,1) 718-728-0708 25-19 24th Ave., Astoria www.mosaicastoria.com

203

PASSAGE IRISH BAR AND KITCHEN 917-832-6680 40-11 30th Ave., Astoria www.passageastoria.com

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE 185

THE COTTON BRIDE (B,3) 718-729-9878 Fax: 718-729-9740 39-13 23rd St., LIC www.thecottonbride.com

FITNESS 154

175

120

157

VOICE MUSIC STUDIO (A,1) 646-309-3429 23-11 21st St., Astoria

CKO KICKBOXING (C, 1) 347-669-0494 40-06 Astoria Blvd., Astoria www.ckoastoria.com

42

CLUB FITNESS (B,2) 718-545-0004 31-11 Broadway, Astoria

88

STUDIO SQ. BEER GARDEN (C,3) 718-383-1001 35-33 36th St., Astoria www.studiosquarenyc.com

165

CRANK CYCLING STUDIO (A,4) 718-606-6309 4630 Center Blvd., LIC www.cranknyc.com

89

SWEET AFTON (C,2) 718-777-2570 30-09 34th St., Astoria www.sweetaftonbar.com

76

CROSSFIT DYNAMIX GYM (C,1) 718-606-0381 36-05 20th Ave., Astoria www.dynamixgym.com

214

THE BEAST NEXT DOOR CAFÉ & BAR 718-482-7507 42-51 27th Ave., LIC www.thebeastnextdoorcafebar.com

100 128

EVENTS RENAISSANCE EVENT HALL (A,1) 718-274-4590 27-34 21st St., Astoria www.renaissanceeventhall.com

45

TEALICIOUS 718-278-8579 38-01 23rd Ave., Astoria www.tealiciouscatering.com

HOTELS 134 66 17

FOUR POINTS SHERATON (B,3) 718-786-8500 27-05 39th Ave., LIC, www.fourpoints.com RAVEL (A,3) 718-289-6101 8-08 Queens Plaza South, LIC www.ravelhotel.com Z NYC HOTEL (A,3) 212-319-7000 11-01 43rd Ave., LIC www.zhotelny.com

166

BODY LANGUAGE TATTOO 347-808-0497 32-02 34th Ave., Astoria www.bltnyc.com

THE ROCK HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB (B,1) 718-204-1400 22-15 31st St., Astoria

156

PERSONALIZED PILATES (A,4) 347-563-3933

142

SAGE STUDIOS 347-927-2439 29-20 23rd Ave., 4th Floor, Astoria

240

Salsa In Queens 347-669-3589 34-27 Steinway St., Astoria salsainqueens.com

80

TATTOO SHOPS

147

NIGHTLIFE/BARS BAROQUE (C,1) 718-274-2777 19-44 Steinway St., Astoria www.baroquenyc.com

VESPA QUEENS (B,3) 718-786-7772 37-43 Crescent St., LIC www.vespaqueens.com

65

SHADE ORGANIC SPA AND SALON 718-278-7892 36-05 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria

43

ASTORIA COMPLEX (C,2) 718-729-7163 34-38 38th St., LIC www.ascsports1.com

FOUNDRY (A,3) 718-786-7776 42-38 Ninth St., LIC www.thefoundry.info

REJUVENATE FACE AND BODY (B,1) 718-626-4434 26-17 23rd Ave., Astoria www.Rejuvenatenyc.com

131

TUCK-IT-AWAY STORAGE (B, 3) 718-519-8282 37-19 Crescent St., Astoria www.tuckitaway.com

64

188

HAPPY DAY NAIL SPA (B,2) 718-728-8886 31-35 31st St., Astoria

THE FACE & BODY SHOP 718-204-9390 40-21 23rd Ave., Astoria www.thefaceandbodyshop.com

VARDIMAN EYEWEAR (C,2) 718-204-5037 34-18 Broadway, Astoria www.vardimaneyewear.com

62

SPAS

CARL CLARKE AESTHETIQUES (B,2) 347-631-0922 32-12 Broadway, Astoria

www.qnscollective.com RCN (A,3) Digital TV and High-Speed Internet Services 212-842-7981 33-16 Woodside Ave., LIC www.rcn.com/boromag

FAT CAT TATTOO (B,2) 718-267-1326 31-32 31st St., LIC www.fatcattattoos.com

THE YOGA ROOM 718-274-0255 38-01 35th Ave., Astoria (C,2) 718-786-7962 10-14 47th Rd., LIC (A,4) www.the-yoga-room.com

225

WORKOUT FACTORY 5-25 47th Ave. LIC

79

PILATESWORKS 10-91A Jackson Ave., LIC

REAL ESTATE 217 105 30

113 127 199

BEAUDOIN REALTY GROUP (A,4) 718-505-9220 78-27 37th Ave. #5, Jackson Heights www.beaudoinrealtor.com DOUGLAS ELLIMAN (A,4) 917-386-6164 47-37 Vernon Blvd. www.elliman.com

101 140 136 141 103

MODERN SPACES 718-784-1110 10-63 Jackson Ave., LIC (A,4) 47-42 Vernon Blvd., LIC (A,4) 29-20 23rd Ave., Astoria (A,4) www.modernspacesnyc.com

ASTORIA FINE ARTS DANCE (C,1) 718-247-0740 38-01 23rd Ave., Astoria www.asfa-dancestudio.com

246

ASTORIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER @THE GOOD SHEPHERD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (C,2) 718-706-5750 30-44 Crescent St. (@30th Road), Astoria www.apacny.org

LIC Dental Associates 718-530-6539 50-02 5th St., LIC www.licdentalassociates.com

135

KAUFMAN ASTORIA STUDIOS (C,2) 718-706-5300 34-12 36th St., Astoria www.kaufmanastoria.com

MOUNT SINAI QUEENS (B,2) 24 Emergency Care Primary Care & Specialty Physician 718-932-1000 25-10 30th Ave., LIC

221

ART

92

AMORELLI REALTY 718-204-2828 3601 30th Ave., Astoria www.amorellirealty.com

LAGUARDIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (C,3) 718-482-5151 31-10 Thomson Ave., LIC www.laguardiaperformingarts.org LIC SCHOOL OF BALLET (B,3) 718-781-1169 44-02 23rd St., Studio 216, LIC www.licsb.com MOMA PS 1 718-784-2084 22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City www.momaps1.org

WELLS FARGO HOME MORTGAGE (C,2) 718-310-4303 3501 30th Ave., Astoria www.wfhm.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS

STEINWAY FAMILY DENTAL CENTER 718-728-3314 32-50 Steinway St.,Astoria www.alldentalneeds.com

BANKING

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QUONTIC BANK (B,2) 718-215-4000 31-05 Broadway, Astoria www.quonticbank.com

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SUSSEX BANK (B,1) 347-472-1727 28-21 Astoria Blvd., Astoria www.sussexbank.com

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The Paint Place

NYC Premier Paint and Sip studio comes to Astoria No Experience necessary!

Check our website for the full calendar 31-21 31st St Astoria, NY 11106 www.thepaintplaceny.com • 929-522-0086

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Mon.-Thurs. 11:00AM-3:00PM & 4:30PM-10:30PM; Fri. 11:00AM-3:00PM & 4:30PM-11:00PM; Sat 12:00PM-11:00PM; Sun 4:30PM -10:00PM

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JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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FOOD + DRINK

Vegan Eats

By ALLISON KRIDLE @CONTRALLISON

B

efore I moved to Astoria a little over a year ago, I made sure the neighborhood’s eating out — or Seamless — options were right for me. As a vegan going on five years, this made my hunt a little more interesting, and as it turns out, Astoria, Sunnyside and Long Island City are teeming with with delicious (and affordable) vegan eats. I was delighted to discover mouthwatering vegan-friendly dishes just steps away from my apartment, and I was even more excited to share these places with my local friends, roommates or whoever would listen.

Whether you are a diehard vegan, an all-around foodie or even someone who is skeptical of plantbased diets, give these local spots a try. I guarantee I’ll make a believer out of you.

Sai Organics

718-278-1726 30-21 30TH AVE., ASTORIA FACEBOOK.COM/SAIHEALTH/ I may or may not have decided to live in Astoria just for Sai Organics.

This family-owned organic market and vegan and vegetarian deli is a must-try for any veggie lover who has a big appetite or a raging sweet tooth. The shop’s gems include a coffee bar (equipped with vegan milk and creamers) and a fresh and hot soup bar. I can’t get enough of their lentil vegetable soup, and it even comes with a free slice of vegan bread.

They also make different types of hearty and filling sandwiches including scrambled tofu (the best breakfast ever), tofurky, tempeh and hummus. When you’re in dire need of dessert, I highly recommend their rich vegan brownie. They also offer vegan cookies, muffins and slices of cake.

Photo via Facebook/saihealth

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JANUARY 2018

Jujube Tree

718-545-1888 35-02 30TH AVE., ASTORIA JUJUBETREE.EAT24HOUR.COM

Photo via Instagram/@jujube.tree

If you love Asian-American food but not necessarily the greasiness and questionable meat that sometimes comes with it, then definitely check out Jujube Tree. They have yummy tofu salads and lettuce wraps, cold and hot noodles, steamed veggies in sauce and plant-filled rice bowls. I typically order the sauteed vegetables (broccoli, carrots, baby corn, etc.) and tofu with brown sauce, and it’s always a “no regrets” situation. It tastes just as great as, if not better than, most Pan-Asian meals, but the veggies are nice and crunchy, and I don’t feel physically horrible after a plate. Finish your meal off with their organic soy ice cream and you’ll feel so glad to be a vegan.

Ayurveda Fresh

Photo via ikraveitfoods.com

iKraveit Foods

718-777-0030 34-02 30TH ST., ASTORIA IKRAVEITFOODS.COM

Since it’s post-holiday season, many of us are probably picking it up at the gym and going back to our boring old food schedules — but it doesn’t have to be that way. After your next cardio session, stop by Ayurveda Fresh for a nutrient-filled acai berry bowl or a piece of avocado toast.

Not feeling hungry, but need fuel to finish your day? Sip on a vegan Ayurveda protein smoothie; it’s made with vegan protein blended with mango, coconut manna and orange juice.

If you prefer berries or apples in your protein smoothie, just ask them to replace the whey powder with vegan protein, and you’ll be content until your next craving.

JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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Photo via Instagram/@ayurvedafreshastoria

Photo via Facebook/saihealth

Even vegans need that stumbleinto-Astoria-at-2-a.m.-starving food place. A few weeks ago, I found that place. iKraveit Foods isn’t your typical vegan spot, however. Not only do they sell a lot of grab-n-go items in the shop (not all vegan), but they offer tons of vegan sandwiches prepared right in front of you in their small kitchen. If you’re missing the taste of grilled chicken, they prepare a grilled tofu “chicken” sandwich topped with vegan cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. After my next late night, I plan on trying their Garden of Eden sandwich prepared with seasoned and grilled broccoli, carrots, beets, corn, onions and peppers.

718-433-9357 30-09 STEINWAY ST., ASTORIA AYURVEDAFRESH.COM

FOOD + DRINK

Photo via Instagram/@freshstartmarket

Fresh Start Organic Market 718-204-7868 29-13 23RD AVE., ASTORIA FRESHSTARTORGANICMARKET23RDAVE.COM

I’m all about the convenience of a grab-n-go meal, so when I stumbled upon Fresh Start Organic Market, I knew that it was the start of a beautiful vegan-friendly friendship. I stopped in one day for breakfast (probably the hardest meal for me as a vegan) expecting to get my plain old oatmeal, but left with a Fakin’ Bacon sandwich. It’s 100 percent organic like most of their dishes and includes tempeh bacon, tomato, baby greens and sunflower sprouts on whole grain bread. They also offer vegan soups, smoothies, pastries, burgers and juice shots. Truly a slice of paradise.

Namaste

718-626-2783 31-15 30TH AVE., ASTORIA NAMASTEASTORIANY.COM/22459

As if living in Queens hasn’t spiced up my life enough, my meal of choice is Indian, and one of my favorite places to get my authentic Indian food fix is Namaste. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, and they will take the time to tell you everything on the menu that is dairy-free.

If you’re a huge chickpea enthusiast like

me, go for their vegan Channa Masala that they cook in onion and tomato sauce. I also thoroughly enjoy their not-too-crunchy, not-too-soft cauliflower Aloo Gobi, cooked alongside potatoes with ginger and onions.

The waitstaff is very attentive to when your water glass needs filling — super important if you’re sensitive to spice!

Photo via Facebook

34

JANUARY 2018

Go Natural Health Foods and Juice Bar

718-482-0008 45-03 QUEENS BLVD., SUNNYSIDE YELP.COM/BIZ/GO-NATURAL-HEALTH-FOODS-AND-JUICE-BAR-SUNNYSIDE

Photo via Instagram/@freshstartmarket

Photo via Instagram/@gonaturalsunnyside

There’s nothing like leisurely waking up on a Saturday and taking a stroll to Go Natural Health Foods, where you can pick up a strawberry banana smoothie with wheatgrass and shop for organic and vegan goods. Aside from their variety of protein shakes and fresh juices, they stock up on quick and easy premade vegan meals such as black bean burgers, sun-dried tomato dumplings and couscous and quinoa salads.

It’s a terrific way to indulge in a decent meal without cooking. However, if you are in the mood to whip up steamed broccoli or food prep berry overnight oats, all of their produce is local and organic.

Sweetleaf

917-832-6726 10-93 JACKSON AVE., LONG ISLAND CITY SWEETLEAFCOFFEE.COM You know what goes best with coffee and a vegan pastry? A homey and cozy atmosphere and all-around good vibes. Sweetleaf Coffee Roasters accomplishes it all with their dim lights, plush antique couch, wooden chairs and, most importantly, their tasty vegan treats and bold brews. I stopped by Sweetleaf after visiting Gantry State Park, grabbing a nutty iced soy latte and some of their vegan chocolate brownie bites. They were nice and chewy and made for a great snack to snag for the road. Their vegan pastry options tend to change daily, but their brownie bites are definitely their most popular sweet treat.

Photo via Instagram/@sweetleafnyc

Photo via Facebook JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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FOOD + DRINK

Tuk Tuk

718-472-5597 49-06 VERNON BLVD., LONG ISLAND CITY TUKTUKNY.COM

Photo via tuktukny.com

I’m most at peace on a cold night with a fresh bed of vegetables topped with jasmine rice and tofu in garlic sauce. Luckily, there’s Tuk Tuk Thai food and their enormous amount of vegan lunch and dinner options to help bring me contentment on a winter night. Apart from their generous portions of perfectly prepared soft and fried tofu and vibrant veggies, their vegan mock duck is also one of my go-to meals. It’s served with mango, lime leaf, cashew and mint — a grand medley if there ever was one. Also notable is their vegan Magic Mushroom house special that includes shitake, eryngii and white mushrooms glazed with garlic pepper brown sauce and scallions.

Doughnut Plant

212-505-3700 31-00 47TH ST., LONG ISLAND CITY DOUGHNUTPLANT.COM When I found out Queens had a place to get a vegan donut, it was one of those “It’s a great time to be alive” moments. Doughnut Plant’s chocolate-chocolate doughnut and banana doughnut are 100 percent vegan and 100 percent amazing. They are soft and sweet — basically everything you could ask for in a dessert.

Their whole menu is elaborate with flavors like banana and PB&J, coconut cream and carrot cake, and they use no eggs or artificial flavors in any of their designer creations. Pair your dairy-free doughnut with a soy latte or iced coffee to really make this experience worthwhile for you and your taste buds.

Photo via Instagram/@doughnutplant

36

JANUARY 2018

y Happ VALENTINE´S Day

1-50 50th Ave Long Island City NY 11101 Corner of Center Blvd

718.361.2751

www.piattolic.com

Photo via tuktukny.com

OFFERS A WELCOMING AND FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE FROM THE MOMENT YOU WALK THROUGH THE DOOR.

Come For the Food HOURS OF OPERATION LUNCH Monday - Friday 11:00 am - 4pm DINNER Monday - Thursday & Sunday 5:00pm - 10:00pm Friday - Saturday 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Come for the View

Come for the Warmth

Piatto's Valentine's Day Menu COMPLIMENTARY GLASS OF RED OR WHITE WINE (TWO HOUR SEATINGS STARTING AT 5PM)

APPETIZER CHOICE OF

BAKED CLAMS

CHOPPED WITH SEASONED BREADCRUMBS

BURRATTA MOZZERELLA

CHERRY TOMATO WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE AND OLIVE OIL

Photo via Instagram/@doughnutplant

BRUNCH Saturday & Sundays 11:00 am - 4:00 pm

SALAD MIXED GREEN SALAD

MAIN

CHOICE OF

Family Night

SAFFRON RISSOTTO

SERVED WITH DIVER SCALLOPS

PORK CHOPS

SERVED WITH MASHED POTATO AND MIXED VEGETABLES

Late night menu 10pm to close Wednesday through Saturday at the Bar

Weekly Special

BAKED MEAT LASAGNA

TOPPED WITH MARINARA SAUCE

BAR OPEN to 1:00am Friday & Saturdays

2 for 1 drinks all night for ladies and $1 Oysters all night

1/2 Price off any Bottle of Wine (Monday & Tuesday (with the purchase of an entree)

WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

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Wednesday Night Ladies Night

DESSERT RED VELVET CAKE $75 PER PERSON

Monday & Tuesday 4-8 pm Kids eat Free From Kids Menu (with a purchase of an entree per person)

JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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FOOD + DRINK

Color

Me Healthy

BY ESTELLE PYPER

@ESTIE_PYPER @ESTIEPYPER

When Astoria resident Nima Pillai first went vegetarian, it was just for a weeklong cleanse from her meat-centric diet. She travels a lot for her work as a chemical engineer — to India, North Korea and other East Asian countries.

Her diet while traveling used to be extremely meat-heavy, and when she would return from abroad, she remembers feeling lethargic and unhealthy, which prompted the vegetarian experiment.

She had no idea it would turn into a full-on plant-based lifestyle and prompt her to start her Instagram account, The Conscious Bowl (@theconsciousbowl).

“I started not eating meat just to detox and get healthy,” said Pillai, who grew up in India and moved to the U.S. for graduate school.

Soon after, she cut eggs and dairy, too.

She doesn’t call it vegan, however, because she doesn’t adopt the full “rules” of veganism, like not owning or wearing leather products.

“Just because you’re not eating meat, you’re not deprived of protein,” Pillai said. “You’re not deprived of iron. It’s a very healthy lifestyle. It’s a very balanced lifestyle, and it can be extremely delicious.”

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JANUARY 2018

Her Instagram started as a way to track her new lifestyle and log recipes. Private about her personal life, Pillai was hesitant to make her account public, but once she did, she noticed an uptick in followers, and more food-conscious people are taking an interest.

“If I can even convince one person to not eat meat for like, one day a week every week, I think I would have accomplished something,” Pillai said. “I’m definitely hoping that I can inspire more people to eat more vegetables. They’re not boring!”

Pillai shoots all her own photos with her DSLR camera, and she does minimal photo editing. She’ll craft her masterpieces in the morning for sufficient natural light, and aims to update her account at least once a day.

She wants to put an end to the stereotype that vegan food is bland, so presentation is important to her. Open her Instagram and you’ll find all colors of the rainbow, from a bright purple beet-acai-cauliflower smoothie to an electric green matcha latte.

Pillai swaps purple sweet potato fries and a mixture of veggies and spices for corn tortilla chips and queso in her nacho recipe. She turns to this vegan comfort

food often because it's easy to make (and packed with hidden nutrition!).

This nacho recipe was inspired by an Instagram account called High Carb Hannah (@highcarbhannah), known for delicious vegan recipes.

"My inspirations for recipes come a lot from my previous life as an omnivore and experimenting with ways to veganize some of my favorite foods," Pillai said.

"But also from some amazing content creators on Instagram as well as food bloggers and recipe developers online."

She loves Minimalist Baker (@minimalistbaker) — "Her recipes are foolproof and always taste amazing," she said — and Vegan Richa (@veganricha), who reworks Indian food for vegans.

Pillai’s images are accompanied by the ingredients and words of encouragement, JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

39

FOOD + DRINK

Photos courtesy of Nima Pillai

revealing her unwavering positive attitude.

Her recipes are always flavorful and contain many spices. “That’s definitely the Indian in me: I have to spice everything,” Pillai said, laughing.

Among her favorite foods are vegan mac ‘n’ cheese and nachos. “Just very flavorful food that doesn’t make you feel deprived at all,” she said. “Oh, and pizza — I love vegan pizza.”

Mac ‘n’ cheese, nachos and pizza. Those aren’t usually foods we associate with veganism — but it’s possible, and Pillai wants to spread the word.

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JANUARY 2018

“Being vegan or being plant-based does not mean that you’re only eating salad,” she said. “You can pretty much eat all of the food that you normally eat and you can veganize them so no animals will be harmed in the process.”

Pillai said if this could be her full-time job, that would be the dream. For now, she’s sticking to her Instagram and wants to one day develop it into a more detailed food blog.

“Everything can be veganized, so just have an open mind and try it,” she said.

“Even if it’s a day, even if it’s a day.”

FOOD + DRINK

Photos courtesy of Nima Pillai Photo courtesy of Nima Pillai

Vegan Nachos Try this recipe by Nima Pillai of The Conscious Bowl to see what you think of her version of vegan comfort food.

Fries:

2-3 sweet potatoes (or purple potatoes) 1 tbsp flour (gluten-free if you prefer) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper

"Cheese" sauce:

2 medium regular potatoes 1 carrot 1 white onion 1/2 cup cashews 2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast 1/2 tsp turmeric 1 tsp salt (or as much as you desire per your taste) 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp cayenne (optional)

Recipe:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F. 2. Peel, wash, towel dry and cut up the sweet potatoes into long strips. Dust with flour, olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes based on how crispy you like them.

3. In the meantime, boil potatoes, carrot and onion till soft (15 to 20 minutes). Add hot water to 1/2 cup cashews and set aside for one hour.

4. Blend in a high speed blender: boiled veggies + cashews that were soaking in hot water + nutritional yeast + spices. Your “cheese” sauce is done!

5. Now's the fun part: On a plate, arrange the baked fries.

Pour the “cheese” sauce and go crazy with toppings. I love adding salsa, cilantro, olives, jalapenos (extra, always), green onions and, if I'm feeling motivated or fancy, guacamole!

JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

41

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HOME

Dream Space

BY KATRINA MEDOFF KATRINA@BOROMAG.COM @KATRINAMEDOFF @KATYA_M22

“W

hat's this?” asked professional organizer Drea Montali, picking up a playbill from a stack of papers on top of my desk.

“It’s from a show my sister stage-managed,” I said.

“I’ve been meaning to send it to her.”

“Do you have an envelope?”

That’s when I knew Montali meant business.

The Astoria resident, who started her company Dream Organization in July 2017, was helping me organize my desk so I could get a taste of what it’s like to have a professional organize your space. I’ve never been the best at keeping my space tidy — my golden age of organization was the period after I read Marie Kondo’s book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” a couple years ago.

My desk bore the brunt of my clutter; it had long become unusable as I stacked it with papers and other things I didn’t know what to do with, until getting it in order felt like a mountain I didn’t want to climb.

That’s why, when Montali visited my apartment for my consultation, it became clear that my desk was the perfect thing to tackle.

“You’re a writer,” she told me. “You should be able to use your desk.”

The most stressful part of the process for me was actually before Montali arrived at my apartment on the designated organizing day.

I wasn’t nervous about her seeing my desk; she’d already taken a look when she assessed my space during the consultation. Instead, as I looked through my desk drawers before Montali arrived, I was worried about how much work needed to be done.

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But when Montali knocked on my apartment door, file folders in hand, she put me at ease.

As stressful as organizing seemed to me, it was all in a day’s work for her, and she was ready to tackle my desk with me.

Montali said that some of her clients like to do the whole process with her, while others prefer to declutter and purge beforehand and then let her do her thing. In my case, she’d at least need me by her side for the first hour or two since I would be the one who knew what I could discard, and there are inevitably important papers to sort through. We started with papers, since those were the hardest items to declutter, she said. It

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HOME

BEFORE was overwhelming at first for me, but Montali quickly developed a filing system tailored to my needs.

Then, she started deciding which categories of items should go in which desk drawers. While I sorted papers, she moved my stationary into my drawer of desk supplies and arranged everything neatly. At one point, I looked over to find that my drawer of electronics was now filled with neatly coiled and rubber-banded cords instead of a tangled, overflowing mess.

While we worked, I asked her what her favorite part of her job was.

“I love afterwards how people realize how

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AFTER life-changing it is,” she said. “I did some research on how much time organizing saves: in an article I read, it said we waste a year of our lives looking for things. In a year, I could travel the world. I love helping people save time. You can do something so much more fun with that year.”

Montali also loves that her organization helps de-stress people’s lives.

“When you wake up and you’re in a cluttered space, that physically can affect people,” she said. “It kind of puts your day out of wack.

You might not eat right because of it, or you’re stressed because of it, or in the back of your mind, you can’t do XYZ because you have to

go home and clean. And then you go home, and you’re too overwhelmed to clean.”

My appointment was on Jan. 2, so we talked about how people could best keep their New Year’s resolution to get organized.

“I think in the new year with all of the New Year’s resolutions, people get overzealous or ahead of themselves at first. When you start this, if you’ve never decluttered before or never organized before, start with one category. Go through all of your books.”

That means you shouldn’t target one cabinet that might have books in it; instead, go through all of the books in your apartment or house at once. Categorizing your things

AFTER

Photos courtesy of Drea Montali

AFTER

is one of Montali’s biggest tips. In a closet, you should keep pants together, shirts together and dresses together, for example, so that you’re not wasting your time searching through your closet for the item you want.

Same goes for desks and pantry spaces.

Montali’s clients live all over Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan, but a large portion of those clients are in Astoria and Long Island City. This area is special to her, she said, and she’s lived in several Astoria apartments herself, so she understands the specific challenges locals face: small closets, and often sharing a space with roommates, which means that you have to fit “all your life stuff in one room.”

And working with couples is always interesting for Montali since there has to be compromise with storage space, and she helps couples use their space the best.

“Also, in older Queens apartments — this goes for Jackson Heights, too — a long time ago, closets weren’t really a thing. Everyone wanted armoires, and furniture was what you would use, so not all these older buildings have actual closets in them. Now, with new construction, people care about closets, so they’re getting bigger, but if you’re living in anything pre-war, you don’t have much closet space.”

Closets are close to Montali’s heart: before starting Dream Organization, she designed custom closet units for California Closets. That position would lead to organization jobs for Montali since once the closets were built, people would ask if she could put it back together, too.

Now, when her clients lack closet space, she helps them use wall space instead, or she’ll refer people to California Closets.

Some people ask her to design them a closet, so she will measure the space, draw a closet design on graph paper, and then sell that design to a contractor to build it.

Montali said that one thing that sets her apart from other organizers is that she tries to be as eco-friendly as possible. She said that fashion is the second-most polluting industry, and with so many people buying throwaway clothes, what to do with old fabric has been a huge conversation. She’s noticed that a lot of her clients are sick of buying fast fashion that they’ll soon dispose of; instead, they’re ready to invest in more classic, quality pieces.

As we wrapped up the process, I asked Montali if she ended up getting close to her clients, since she would inevitably learn so much about them by going through their things. After all, we’d sorted through handwritten letters from friends, medical receipts, artwork I’d bought but hadn’t yet framed, internet bills and old photos. She told me that people tend to open up to her easily and let her into their lives once the organizing process starts, perhaps because going through someone’s belongings is an intimate process.

And it was true: during our short, 3.5-hour session, Montali and I ended up talking about the book I was reading, dating in the age of apps, and how she met her husband.

The result of Montali’s desk organization astounded me: not only was my desk

usable again, but it was in a better shape than ever. My files are neat, organized and alphabetized; my pens are all in one mason jar; and my desktop looks fun and welcoming, with some photos on display and all of my old copies of BORO standing up in a cute basket (in publication order, no less).

As I looked around my room, other areas — areas I’d thought weren’t all that bad — now looked messy.

“It’s addicting after a while, once you start,” Montali said. Her clients often hire her to organize one area, and then keep rehiring her to organize the other areas of their apartments. One man who made fun of his wife for bringing in a professional ended up hiring Montali himself once he’d seen the results of her work.

I could understand why. When you hand over your space to a professional, you feel safe knowing that you’re in good hands. And seeing your desk, long bogged down by piles of junk you never wanted to deal with, finally clear and tidy? It’s incredibly freeing.

For more information, visit dreamontali.com.

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FOOD + DRINK

Making

ROOM

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JANUARY 2018

BY SEAN CURRY

A

storia and LIC have had an explosion of experimental new food over the past few years. New takes on old cuisines, foreign ingredients, even entirely new ways of navigating the restaurant space. It can be thrilling for a food writer like me, but lord, it can be exhausting.

Whatever happened to good food you know and love prepared well and served with care? What happened to the reliable weeknight go-to or the neighborhood spot?

Antonia Joannides has been asking herself the same thing, and with Queen’s Room, she thinks she’s delivered it.

Set in the former 60 Beans storefront, Joannides is trying to bring that comfortable, reliable, familiar feel to Ditmars amidst an explosion of the flamboyant and outlandish. She’s paying homage to the “tame beast” she says Astoria is — raw, subtle power. After a decade in the restaurant game, she wanted to come back

@THESANDWICHENTHUSIAST to her family’s roots and create something approachable, yet refined. And with an old colleague of hers, Chef Mike DeVito, she’s really pulling it off.

The first dish out, halloumi fries, was meant to whet my appetite but came dangerously close to sating it entirely. While the name might evoke visions of fried potatoes covered in melted halloumi cheese, the reality was far tastier: halloumi cheese cut into strips, deep fried and slathered with tzatziki and mint. The tzatziki was delicious, and the hardy, filling, greasy fries will cure many a hangover. Just be sure to get them for the table, lest you max out your calories for the day with the appetizer.

Next up was a bowl of mussels served in a white wine, onion, garlic and lemon juice broth with homemade bread on the side (for dipping, of course). While the mussels were a pretty traditional take on the shellfish, don’t let that diminish your expectations. While classic, these were excellent. And the bread dipped in broth, JANUARY 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

51

FOOD + DRINK obviously the best part of any mussels dish, was amazing.

My favorite dish of the night followed, a big, beefy Bolognese that I’m still dreaming about. Long, buttery noodles piled high atop a wonderfully savory meat sauce with ricotta and feta cheese, and seasoned with rosemary, garlic, onions and black pepper. I had to stop eating it in order to leave room for the dishes to follow, and believe me, it was hard. You’ll love this if you like pasta.

The cheeseburger with swiss and the Brussels sprouts were out next. The cheeseburger was tender and juicy and the bun held just enough to keep the burger contained, but was pleasantly soft nonetheless, a difficult balance to strike. The barbecue sauce blew me away, and when I asked what was in it, the chef just shouted, “lots of bourbon” from the kitchen. Works for me.

And these Brussels sprouts. Does any food make a turnaround between one’s childhood

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and adulthood the way Brussels sprouts do?

They were crunchy, savory and blanketed in a maple mustard that blew my mind.

I rounded out my meal with a couple original cocktails from Queen’s Room: Her Majesty, a tea-infused tequila sour, and Long Live The Queen, a spicy gin cocktail with Ancho Reyes, dill, lime and cucumber.

Queen’s Room is looking to do more of what they’re already doing: serve good food to great people in a familiar neighborhood.

Their winter menu is out now, but keep an eye out for their summer menu (featuring a

Greek classic, halloumi and watermelon) as the months warm up.

And be sure to catch their 90-minute weekend bottomless brunch special for $20, packed with waffles, benedicts, omelettes, stuffed French toast and more.

It’s good, it’s reliable and it’s cheap. What more do you want out of Queens?

Photos: Bridget Kenny/BORO

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A R T S + E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Photo courtesy of Nick Testa

Topped 'Chopped'

BY HANNAH FRISHBERG

Photo by Mike Di Tota

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JANUARY 2018

Image courtesy of Food Network

Tuesday, Nov. 28, was a big day for Astoria chef Nick Testa – he won Episode 14 of this season’s Food Network show “Chopped.”

Testa is head chef at neighborhood joints Sweet Afton (30-09 34th St.) and The Bonnie (29-12 23rd Ave.), both local gastropubs known for having upscale pub fare. “Chopped,” which challenges cooks to create meals from unwieldy ingredients, had a Weird Twist theme when the local chef competed, and Testa rose to the occasion with a series of bizarre dishes.

First up, for the entree challenge, Testa made a classic Asian vermicelli salad with dressing with untraditional ingredients, namely black rice ramen, pig’s head terrine and conehead cabbage.

Next up, for the second course, Testa managed to make a classic Italian sausage and peppers from stuffed lamb intestines, garlic ice cream and red runner bean blooms.

Lastly, for the final dessert round, Testa was given sweet avocado, dried ants, Szechuan peppercorn buds and tang yuan (a tart, Japanese starch with a nut in the middle) to work with. From that he made an ice cream sundae, but the peppercorns tripped him up a bit.

“I ate a half of one on set and it was tonguenumbing,” he recalls of the tasteless initial experience with the peppercorn buds.

Since the show aired on Nov. 28, Testa says a number of people have dropped by to the two bars to try his cooking, even if it’s not nearly as outrageous as the dishes he whipped up

on “Chopped.” The Bonnie’s Instagram account also saw an influx of over 600 likes for a photo announcing Testa’s big win.

Despite telling a competitor there was no way he would cry if he won, Testa reports that he “bawled” upon hearing the news. As for his $10,000 winnings, Testa plans to “put it away, let it grow somewhere.” One day, he hopes to open a restaurant beyond the city, and the cash could help fund that dream.

For now though, you can find him cooking up quality bites at Sweet Afton and The Bonnie. As for whether or not he’ll incorporate dried ants and lamb intestine into his off-show creations, Testa said, “Not likely!” However, “Avocado ice cream will be something I’ll be putting on the menu in the future.”

Image courtesy of Food Network