3
QUEENS WEEKLY, AUGUST 2, 2020
Astoria’s Ditmars Boulevard transforms
into go-to destination for outdoor dining
BY DEAN MOSES
There is a new sport
popping up around Queens
and the surrounding boroughs,
a movement that
has the young and old pursuing
the perfect outside
dining scene.
Since the advent of
COVID-19 and the dawn of
curbside eateries, throngs
of individuals have been
scouring numerous neighborhoods
for the perfect
mixture of fine dining, rustic
ambience and the ability
to entertain friends in
a socially distant setting.
For many, this “it” spot has
become Ditmars Boulevard
in Astoria.
Like any sport, this activity
has two sides, yet
instead of playing against
one another, the teams
here work in tandem. On
one side we have consumers
looking to enjoy a meal
with fresh air, and on the
other we have the businesses.
Like peacocks spreading
their plumage to attract
a mate, local restaurants
have been sparing little expense
when constructing
their own unique dining
zones decorated with potted
plants, Plexiglas barriers
and yawning awnings.
Pedestrians will be
hard pressed to walk down
any New York City street
without spying some fresh
outdoor design to put butts
in seats, such as the ability
to pay extra for a VIP booth
that Nino’s AQ employs.
However, in order for
both teams to continue
playing fairly, Gov. Andrew
Cuomo has implemented
strict regulations that prevent
the serving of alcohol
unless ordered with food.
This comes in hopes of
preventing overcrowding
and unlawful social clusters,
akin to what we have
been seeing recently along
Steinway Street. We spoke
with both diners and local
restaurants, getting their
takes on the newest rules
and the new culture that is
outside dining.
Gissella Guzman and
her husband Ryan Guzman
were both victims of the
coronavirus mere months
ago. For three weeks, the
couple remained home battling
severe sickness. Now,
on a beautiful summer
afternoon, they have pocketed
their masks to dine out
with drinks to regain some
semblance of normalcy.
“We had COVID-19 like
three months ago, so we
have antibodies and we’re
not totally concerned. We
have masks to put on when
we are not eating. It was
awful — three weeks of
hell. But we are good now,”
Ryan Guzman said.
Still, despite suffering
from the virus themselves,
they are wary of Cuomo’s
new rule prohibiting bars
and restaurants from serving
alcohol alone.
“I think it’s OK because
it prevents crowds, but it
doesn’t make any sense.
People are going to do what
they want to do,” Gissella
said. Ryan nodded in agreement,
saying, “It’s not that
hard to get around it by
just selling a bag of chips.
There are always ways to
work around it.”
Ciara O’Sullivan, manager
of The Rivercrest,
takes the new rules in
stride, and simply reiterates
to customers the guidelines
upon seating them at
a table.
“We have a few smaller
options that they can order.
We have sides with chips,
side with fries, carrots
and celery with ranch, and
crackers with chive cream
cheese. We have options if
people don’t want to get a
full meal. They can still get
something substantial and
it’s not going to be an extra
$10 or even $5 onto the
menu,” O’Sullivan said.
Ditmars Boulevard has
become an extensive strip
made up of hanging fairy
lights and the sound of chatter,
with some locations
even playing booming music.
Almost every business
makes use of a distinctive
theme — that is, except for
those like TRU Astoria, for
whom it simply business as
usual.
“We normally have outside
dining, and that’s one
of the pluses for us at TRU.
We are operating on a normal
summer schedule on
steroids because of the extra
seating. So, the thing
that we are lacking is our
bar business and the inside
seating. Everyone is sick
of being inside, so it doubly
helped us. We are very
blessed to be open,” said
TRU Astoria general manager
Yanni Stathakis, who
isn’t feeling any backlash
from Cuomo’s new alcohol
requirement.
“We’re not that type
of place; probably only 10
percent of people want to
come to us to grab a drink
and walk the streets. If
someone does want to do
that, we try to refer them to
one of the other businesses
as well. We’re more of the
sit-down, family place,”
Stathakis said.
The impact on restaurants
from coronavirus,
the inability to operate at
full capacity, and new alcohol
regulations are worrisome
to local residents,
as well as business owners
themselves. Astoria resident
Gabriella Macena has
seen many local businesses
struggle and is overcome
with emotion as she sees
these locations reopen and
flourish.
“We have all seen how
much trouble it has been
for local business owners,
and just to see everybody
out again, it’s very nice. It
feels like they, like we, are
free again,” Macena said.
Although it reassures
Macena to visit her favorite
diners again, she also admits
she has seen problems
pop up firsthand.
“There are those who
are abusing that freedom.
Last Sunday, I was on Steinway
Street at night and just
walking by … it was just
scary. Like there were hundreds
of people out with no
masks. It wasn’t spaced,
and it was just scary,”
Macena said. “But I also
feel that some of the restaurants
are getting more clients
now than they did previously.
Some of the places,
I had never even paid attention
to. As everybody
has outdoor space, even if
you don’t want to eat out,
you still look and check the
menu. I think some of the
businesses have benefited
and built clientele.”
Mere blocks from
where Macena was dining,
the troubles she talked of
are being felt by Antonia
Joannides, manager at
Queen’s Room. Prior to the
pandemic, Queen’s Room
did not have a grand outside
dining area on their
curbside. The staff had to
adjust their daily routine,
which now consists of
their usual maintenance
as well as whipping out a
measuring tape and moving
the tables, seats and
umbrellas outside every
morning. The addition of
Cuomo’s new rule added
yet another obstacle.
“It’s almost kind of
funny. Like, you’re so
against having to do one
more thing or hurdle after
you cleared the last one.
So, it gets frustrating just
trying to run a business
every day,” Joannides
said. “You have to order
food with your drinks and
that’s a pain in the ass.
We made little chips and
nachos plates, little cheap
things to just buy now.
We are more of a sit-down
place; come the weekends
some people want to just
grab drinks. So rather
than lose the business altogether,
we played by the
rules.”
As businesses shell out
more money and gimmicks
to attract customers, the
thirst for normalcy has
outweighed the need for
compliance for many individuals.
Particularly during
the weekend, Ditmars
Boulevard is crawling
with people trying to return
to life as it were, but
it’s up to the restaurants
now to be the bodyguards
of their own businesses
or else risk losing their
liquor license thanks to
Cuomo’s regulations.
Photo by Dean Moses