QNE_p076

QC03072014

76 The Queens Courier • BUZZ • MARCH 6, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com  dining out Alobar springs into spring  Alobar 46-42 Vernon Boulevard Long Island City, NY, 11101 718-752-6000 alobarnyc.com View Over 200 Reviews at queenscourier.com BY bradley hawks Not many small, privately owned restaurants in New York City can survive all of the changes that come along with the replacement of an executive chef, especially when those changes mean you will have to rebrand your entire restaurant concept, hoping to retain the former regulars, while acquiring new ones. In a city like New York, after all, no excellent chef would be content stepping into the role merely as a replacement, executing the same dishes as his predecessor with the same finesse, enthusiasm and integrity. That requires nothing more than a well-trained parrot. This dilemma is precisely what faced Alobar in Long Isand City last year, when their previous chef left the space he had built as a snout-to-tail porcine sanctuary. What was left was a menu with loads of bacon, guanciale and pig tails with no leader to cure the pork in the basement any longer. This little piggy had gone to the market, with no plans of returning. Fortune favors the brave, and Alobar found a new leading man just about four months ago. Astoria’s own Greg Profeta is one of the sweetest, most jovial of souls you would ever meet, and his eyes twinkle when he talks about vegetables for the spring menu. He mentions hearts of palm he has flown in from Hawaii that are the best he has ever tasted — and will be a supporting character in his beet salad. Profeta describes the menu he has been developing as ‘whimsical, fun, and cheeky,’ which are probably the three words anyone would use to describe him, as well. And everyone knows what can happen when a chef with some serious skills puts his own charisma into his dishes. It can be real magic. On the menu that will be unveiled this month, gnocchi becomes a playground for the flavors of a loaded baked potato. Potpie is stuffed into an alabaster ceramic dish, loaded with braised rabbit and bubbling gruyere over a golden pastry crust, almost like a hunter’s French onion soup. “And I really like to work around the vegetables… they are so delicate,” siad Profeta with a smile as he placed the hearts of palm over a meticulously stacked mound of beets and greens. Jeff Blath leaned in and proudly whispered, “He just knows all the right techniques and takes those things and makes something fun.” Outside of the menu, Blath has been having some of his own fun, creating the largest selection of whiskey in Queens. He has collected a selection of more than 100 whiskies, which can also be enjoyed in flights. There is even a whiskey made with quinoa. Cocktails showcase some clever mixology that has been registering high marks with the customers. The Vernon Smash features bourbon with blackberries, mint and ginger beer. A mix called the Chauvinist Pig wuzzles scotch with chartreuse, ramazzotti, and eaux de vie. With all of the changes, one might wonder if anything stayed the same. “We kept the maple bacon popcorn,” said Blath with a laugh. Of course. They might be rebranding, but they aren’t dumb NEVADA DINER SPARKLING, BRAND NEW NEVADA DINER. CELEBRATING GRAND OPENING. COME AND CELEBRATE WITH US ==FULL COURSE DINNER== Served 4 to 10PM Monday thru Friday, Except Holidays INCLUDES: Cup of Soup, Salad, Entrée, Potato and Vegetable or Pasta, Dessert and Coffee, Tea or Soda $1995 CHOICE OF SOUP: Soup Du Jour, Manhattan Clam Chowder or Chicken Consomme with Fine Noodles, Matzoh Ball or Rice DINNER SALAD: with choice of dressing • CHOICE OF ENTRÉE 1.BROILED BLUEFISH SCAMPI Broiled Bluefish in a garlic scampi sauce, served with rice and vegetable 2.BROILED TILAPIA with Mediterranean sauce and rice 3.BROILED FRESH BROOK TROUT in lemon butter sauce 4.CALAMARI FRA DIAVOLO calamari and mussels served over linguine 5.CHICKEN PARMAGIANA with spaghetti 6. TWO BROILED PORK CHOPS with applesauce 7. ROAST YOUNG TOM TURKEY with dressing 8. BROILED ROUMANIAN STEAK TIPS with rice 9. BAKED CHICKEN in light lemon sauce 10. CHICKEN KABAB with mushroom, onions, pepper and tomatoes over rice 11. CHICKEN CORDON BLEU with penne pasta in light mushroom cream sauce 12. GRILLED CHICKEN SORRENTINO with eggplant and mozzarella 13. CHICKEN FRANCAISE with rice or pasta 14. ROAST HALF CHICKEN with dressing 15. PENNE ALA VODKA with chicken 16. HOMEMADE MEATLOAF OR TURKEY MEATLOAF with mushroom gravy sauce 17. PASTA NEAVAU BOLOGNESE served over Spaghetti 18. BAKED LASAGNA wide pasta layered with ricotta & mozzarella with a delicious meat sauce. (no veg, pot.) CHOICE OF DESSERT: ANY OF OUR FRESH BAKED PIES OR CAKES CHOICE OF BEVERAGE: COFFEE • TEA • FRESH BREWED DECAF • SODA BREAKFAST SPECIALS 7 days a week • LUNCH SPECIAL Monday-Friday DINNER SPECIAL 7 days a Week OPEN 6 AM TIL MIDNIGHT 7 Days A Week OPEN 24 HOURS ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY former site of Sage Diner • 80-26 Queens Blvd. Elmhurst (718) 426-2229 • Fax: (718) 426-3535 FREE DELIVERY EVERYDAY from 11AM to 10PM FREE PARKING • WHEEL CHAIR ACCESSIBLE


QC03072014
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