QNE_p083

QC06232016

FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com JUNE 23, 2016 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 53 dining out King of New York BY BRADLEY HAWKS It’s 3 p.m. on a Friday, and there is a line from the register all the way to the front door. Cooks on the line are plating falafel, slathering smears of hummus and slicing roasted meats off the rotating spit. All the while, Fares Zeideia is singing, “I Love Rock and Roll” along with Joan Jett, who is piping out through the speakers overhead. Zeideia, better known as The King of Falafel, offi cially opened the fi rst brick-and-mortar space for his awardwinning falafel and shawarma on Saturday, Jan. 30. Sharing the block with Parisi Bakery, the restaurant is located just around the corner from the space where loyal fans anxiously wait for plates of the delicious grilled meats from the truck that has been serving New York City for the past decade and a half. “I moved to New York City from Palestine when I was about 15,” recalls Zeideia, who is now 50. “For a while I slept on the A train, feeding myself on 10-cent burgers from White Castle.” He then worked in a pizzeria, worked at a stationery store, and even drove a taxi for nearly 17 years. “I never thought I would see something like this space happen,” he says. The restaurant is part homage to New York City, with a pastel mural of the city as seen from the East River decorating the entryway. It is also part homage to the holy city of his birth with a giant mural of the Dome of the Rock gracing the main dining area. Colorful mosaics fi ll the space between, as well as seating for nearly  40 customers. What was born as simple meats served from the original 8-foot street cart has now grown into a Vendy Award-winning empire that seems poised to become a mainstay. “People come from as far away as California and Japan,” Zeideia says. And the reason is immediately apparent as soon as you try a bite of the lamb or chicken mixed with pickled turnips, basmati rice and garlic sauce. The new restaurant space will allow the freedom to offer more salads and refrigerated dishes, as well as experiment with daily specials. The main recipes are all adjusted from Zeideia’s mother’s own recipes. “The falafel is actually vegan, though many think it has breadcrumbs to give the outside that crunch,” he explains. “It’s all about how long you soak the chickpeas, and the temperature of the fryer.” It would appear the team has worked out any kinks long before opening the doors to the restaurant. Already, the line is out the door, just like the crowd that gathers down the street by the truck. It’s no wonder; in addition to serving award-winning food, Zeideia greets his customers with an enormous smile of recognition and gratitude. KOF NYC 30-15 Broadway, Astoria 917-912-7870 www.thekingfalafel.com More than On sale now presents QUEENS a collection of tickets good for free beer at more than 30 fine bars BARS The original pocket guide and beer passport to bars, restaurants and breweries 30 30 Cheers! BEERS AT MORE THAN 2 in Queens, New York Over 30 CRAFT BEERS at Over 30 of the BEST QUEENS BARS, BEER HALLS and BREWERIES For Only $30 The limited edition annual Queens Beer Book Is available for Purchase at www.QNS.com NEED A GETAWAY? Call For Free Brochure Scheduled Bus Trips All Year Round Over 300 Tours to Choose From Five Convenient Pick Ups in NYC 2016 Come See The USA & Canada With Us 718-238-2284 6812 3rd Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11220 www.lmtours.net info@lmtours.net 888-238-2220 (outside NYC) • Penn Dutch Amish; Sight & Sound Theatres • Lobster & Crab Feasts; Casinos & Shows • Cape May; Philadelphia; Washington, DC • Cape Cod & Martha’s Vineyard; Newport • Maine, Vermont & New Hampshire • Niagara Falls & Toronto; The Finger Lakes • Agawa Canyon, MacKinac Island & Detroit • Polar Bear Express; Mount Rushmore, SD • West Virginia; Dallas, San Antonio & Houston 718-238-2284 View Over 200 Reviews at QNS.COM 6812 3rd Avenue • Brooklyn, NY 11220 www.lmtours.net • info@lmtours.net


QC06232016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above