Tea Time
38 JULY 2 0 1 9
is Janel Gardiner, the general manager of
The Social and a lifelong Astorian. Khamcy
knew Gardiner would be perfect for the job,
and her great attitude alone makes it clear
why he made that decision.
“We want everybody who comes here
to feel loved,” Gardiner said. “Our door
is open to everybody. I want you to come
here and feel like it was great. If you’re having
a bad day, we got it.”
While the friendly faces of the staff may get
patrons to come in, the food and drink will
certainly make them keep coming back. The
menu features Italian, Asian, Latin, American
and Mediterranean tapas, and some selections
have already become go-to items, like
the Asian-style spicy rock shrimp and the
Mediterranean-style zucchini chips. Everything
on the menu is made with fresh ingredients,
and it is obvious from the moment it
hits your taste buds. The spicy rock shrimp
is lightly tossed in panko and a house-made
chili sauce that offers a zesty kick. The flavor
and texture of the shrimp may make them
hard to share. The zucchini chips, made from
lightly fried, fresh-sliced zucchini and paired
with tzatziki sauce, serve as a tasty and light
snack — and they're addictive.
The tapas bar will be updating their menu
seasonally.
“Once in a while we’re going to change
our food menu and the cocktail menu as
well,” Khamcy said. “In the wintertime we
want to go for some warmer drinks and
food and heartier dishes. We are also going
to be incorporating a brunch menu and
a lunch menu.”
Even some of their décor will be updated
periodically, like the quote on their neon
sign, “I’m not flirting, I’m just being social,”
which has been the subject of many Instagram
posts. Gardiner said, “Everybody
stops for that whether they’re 13 or 60 years
old; they always ask to take a picture.”
But Khamcy explained the idea behind
changing the quote from time to time.
“We want to be able to switch it up,” Khamcy
said. “I feel like a lot of places get stale and just
go off the ride, but people want something
new. They want a surprise once in a while.”
Khamcy said that locals, many of whom
are young families, have already been supportive
of the new eatery. He explained that
FOOD + DRINK