42 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • SEPTEMBER 9, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
buzz
New Latin sushi restaurant opens in Astoria
BY JESSICA MILITELLO
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Bad Habits, the newest addition to
Broadway in Astoria, is more than just
a place to grab a bite, with a Latin sushi
menu and original artwork that tells a different
Evening Under the Sphere fundraiser set for Sept. 23
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@schnepsmedia.com
@jenna_bagcal
Head to Flushing Meadows Corona
Park next month for an evening of food,
live music and fundraising.
From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Th ursday,
Sept. 23, Th e Alliance for Flushing
Meadows Corona Park will hold its annual
Evening Under the Sphere fundraising
event, which marks the fi ft h anniversary of
the park’s nonprofi t organization. Formed
in November 2015, the alliance is a public
private partnership created to support
Flushing Meadows with enhanced programming
and services.
Th e celebration will take place under
the iconic Unisphere and feature food and
drink from Queens Night Market vendors,
music by Queens-based DJ Rekha
and a live performance by the all-women
Brazilian Samba Reggae drum line
Fogo Azul.
All-inclusive tickets for the evening are
$50 and all proceeds go toward benefi tting
Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
“Evening Under the Sphere celebrates
Flushing Meadows Corona Park’s rich
diversity with incredible cuisine and music
that refl ects the global culture of the surrounding
communities and our visitors
from around the world,” said NYC Parks
Acting Commissioner Margaret Nelson.
“We’re excited to welcome our neighbors
and visitors back to this iconic landmark
for another memorable evening in celebration
of one of our city’s greatest parks.”
Th e gala will also honor and celebrate the
retirement of NYC Parks Administrator
and Alliance Executive Director Janice
Melnick, who has been part of the
organization since its inception.
“Flushing Meadows Corona Park was
a refuge for so many during COVID,”
Melnick said. “It will be wonderful to celebrate
together and enjoy the park in-person
at this fun event.”
All you can eat food and drink from the
borough’s popular Queens Night Market
will be included in the price of one ticket.
Confirmed vendors include the
following:
• Hong Kong Street Food (Hong Kongese)
• Black Orchid Kitchen (Belizean)
• Anda Cafe (Asian bubble tea)
• Cambodiannow (Cambodian)
• DiLena’s (Italian sweets)
• Treat Yourself Jerk Chicken (Jamaican)
• Parantha Alley (Indian)
• Cocotaso (Puerto Rican)
• Th e Bois (Filipino)
• Artisan Beer by Queens-based Finback
Brewery
• Wine by Monsieur Touton
• Ginger Ale by Bruce Cost Ginger Ale
“Th e Queens Night Market has called
Flushing Meadows Corona Park home
since we launched back in 2015,” said
John Wang, founder of the Queens Night
Market and alliance board member. “It’s
been a pleasure and an honor to help
plan and curate the alliance’s annual fundraiser
under the glow of the Unisphere
since the tradition started in 2017. Huge
thanks to all the generous vendors and
in-kind sponsors who make the event so
much fun.”
Tickets are $50 and are available at allianceforfmcp.
org/gala. All proceeds benefi
t the park.
Corporate sponsorships of the event
include New York-Presbyterian Queens,
Delta Air Lines, T-Mobile, Forest Hills
Long Island Jewish Hospital, and the
USTA National Tennis Center.
To become a corporate sponsor,
contact Janice Melnick via email at
allianceforfmcp@gmail.com or by phone
at 718-760-6568.
story on each wall.
With fun names like Nueva Yol and El
Chapiadora on their menu, along with
original artwork by New York-based artist
Andrew Th iele, every corner of the venue
is meant to be Instagrammable. Th e owners
want the food and décor of Bad Habits
to be so unique that a photo or video of
the venue is synonymous with the restaurant
— without even having to mention
the name.
“We wanted to be able to say the name
without having to say it,” said Alex Roldan,
one of the restaurant owners. “Every corner
of the place is covered with a decal or
a special item. We’re not even fi nished yet.
Everywhere you go, there isn’t one spot
that, if you take a picture, you won’t know
exactly where you are.”
Roldan is one of several owners, including
international artist, DJ Camilo, which
comprise the Blend Group. Th e group
also owns several other Astoria eateries,
such as Slice and Blend Astoria on 30th
Avenue, along with a few others scattered
throughout NYC.
Th e group has worked well together
combining their knowledge of dining,
nightlife and design. Bad Habits stands
out as passersby can’t help but notice
the bright colors and beautiful artwork
through the venue’s tall glass doors.
Th e restaurant has a wall with kings and
queens, a love-themed wall, even a gun
fi ght happening from one panel to the
other, along with music videos playing on
their fl at-screen TVs. Flowers and chandeliers
also accent the space.
“Th e artist is amazing,” Roldan said.
“Every wall has a little story.”
And while the venue
itself is certainly pleasing
to the eye, even
more satisfying is their
Latin sushi menu. Th e
group partnered up
with a company in
Miami, Florida, called
Tiesto Café, which is
where Bad Habits’ food
and drink menu were
mostly exported from.
Some of the names
of the rolls and entrees were also kept the
same, and the group had fun coming up
with some of their own.
“We take Latin food and prepare it as
sushi,” Roldan said. “We’ll take typical
Latin dishes and roll them, so we’re like
a fusion.”
One of their most popular rolls lately
is the Nueva Yol, made with shrimp tempura,
cream cheese, maduro, crab meat,
avocado and tobiko with sriracha aioli —
a must-try.
In addition to their delicious rolls, they
have plates and appetizers like their El
Indeciso Picadera, which has a mix of
tasty samples of hangar steak, shrimp,
chicharron, Dominican salami, tostones
and yuca.
So far the new venue has garnered
a lot of attention and notable complim
e n t s on their food and
vibe. Roldan explained that those who
stop by should expect a great experience,
each and every time.
“We don’t say that you come into a
restaurant, really what we try to do is
immerse you in an experience,” Roldan
said. “From our menu to our drink menu
and service, we always try to make sure
that my manager or the server is touching
every table every 15 minutes. One hundred
percent service — that’s what we try
to do. Great food, great vibe, great time.”
Bad Habits serves Latin sushi fusion, with a
menu packed with fl avor.
Photo via Shutterstock
Photos by Jessica Militello
Bad Habits is a new restaurant, located
at 32-03 Broadway in Astoria.
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