FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MARCH 1, 2018 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 73
dining out
Photo via Instagram/@astoriannyc
The Astorian restaurant
reinvents the classics
BY COLIN HOLMES
Tucked away under the rails of 31st
Street is a new restaurant, aptly named
Th e Astorian, staff ed by a team of food
and drink afi cionados ready to share their
expertise with a curious crowd. Th at is
the goal behind Th e Astorian: to teach the
town a few new things about the dining
out experience.
Brought to the 30th Avenue area by the
creators of the popular, stylish Queens
staple, Forest Hills Station House, this
new hotspot is quite the achievement.
Th e diverse menu caters to those looking
for something unique and interesting by
reinventing the classics we love.
“We’re forcing people to be more
adventurous,” said General Manager
Bobby Burns, whose love for the industry
is clear in his excitement about his new
endeavor. And rightfully so.
“Everyone cares,” he explained. “When
we hire, we don’t hire based on a resume.
We hire intelligent, altruistic people.
You’ll see it in the food. You’ll see it in
the drinks.”
Previously the home of the Astoria
Brewhouse, the two-story restaurant has
been revamped from its pub-style roots
to house a vintage, industrial design. Th e
outdoor area of its predecessor has been
brought back with a retractable dome
glass ceiling, making it accessible for all
seasons.
Th is lively ambiance leads in to a carefully
curated menu, pulling fl avors and inspirations
from around the world and putting
them into the approachable, Americanstyle
dishes we all know and love.
As a fi rst course, the Cottage Pie
Empanadas were a perfect portion,
bringing the savory meat pies of Scottish
roots to the style of Mexican street food.
Stuff ed with ground lamb and beef, peas
and carrots, the empanadas were simple,
crispy and delicious. A demi-glace
served on the side added the perfect hint
of sweetness to complement the spices,
leading to double-, triple- and quadruple
dipping.
Torn between options like the Koreaninspired
Bibimbap Burger and the Banh
Mi Ripper footlong, I chose a Southernstyle
classic for my main course: the
Buttermilk Chicken and Biscuit. Th is
fork-and-knife sandwich features whiskey
sour pickles, house slaw and spicy honey
butter, sandwiched by a blue cheese
biscuit. Th e buttermilk coating made for
a sweet component to the dish, which was
perfectly paired with the salty richness of
the soft , savory blue cheese pastry.
Tempted by Th e Astorian’s list of vegetarian
options, I went for the Eggplant
‘Meat’-balls, served with a house pomodoro
sauce, shaved Parmesan and toasted
crostini. Th ese hand-rolled bites, along
with the many other vegetarian options,
eff ectively create a rich dining experience
for those with a plant-based lifestyle.
Th e Astorian’s desire to create an
adventurous learning experience for each
guest who walks in is executed by its fun,
eclectic food and diverse, delicious cocktails.
Th e Astorian, 28-30 31st St., is open at 5
p.m. during the week and noon on weekends.
Check them out on Instagram at @
astoriannyc for updates.