52 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • FEBRUARY 28, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
dining out
Photos courtesy of Acento Latin Kitchen and Bar
Acento raises level
of Astoria’s fl avor
BY DANIEL GROGAN
BORO magazine
Special to The Courier
When choosing the name for their
restaurant, Acento Latin Kitchen and
Bar, owners Maria Ramirez and Ricardo
Gomez put as much thought into it as
they do everything else about their business.
“‘Acento’ signifi es many things for
us. For starters, ‘Acento’ references the
accents that come from across all of Latin
America,” Ramirez said. “It marks a difference
which plays on the fusion aspect
of our menu. Additionally, an accent in
Spanish signifi es a need to place emphasis
on a syllable in a word. Here at Acento
we place an emphasis on quality and service.
And lastly Acento is also indicative
of the sazon we have that gives our food
its standout fl avor.”
Opened on Jan. 7, Acento Latin Kitchen
and Bar serves up “elevated homestyle
Latin American fusion,” in the words of
Ramirez. Some of the most popular dishes
from the restaurant’s eclectic menu
have been the bandeja paisa, the ropa
vieja, tostones with guacamole and chicharron,
and the coconut shrimp, but everything
that Acento serves up has received
rave reviews thus far.
“So far the response has been very positive.
It seems that we have really fi lled a
need here on Ditmars, and the community
has welcomed us with open arms,”
Ramirez said.
And it isn’t just the food that the community
has been loving, but the atmosphere
Acento Latin Kitchen and Bar
33-06 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria
718-440 -9435
as well. Family photos of the owners
line the walls of the warm interior,
both in honor of the parents who worked
tirelessly to provide Gomez and Ramirez
with this opportunity and in the hopes
that it will make patrons feel like they
might be eating a delicious meal at their
very own grandmother’s house, “because
we all know our abuelitas wanted to make
sure we were full,” Ramirez said.
More than anything, Ramirez and
Gomez hope to continue providing customers
with this sense of comfort.
“We are really just aiming to provide
our customers a space where they can
come relax, enjoy a cocktail and try some
food that can take them away from it all,
even if just for half an hour,” Ramirez
said. “We really hope that all the elements
from design, music, service and food
come together to make that happen.”
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