Angry Young Man Tells Foodtown What's What

From Brendan, an old man trapped in the body of a 32-year-old:

Hi there,

I feel compelled to write you again about the poor quality of staff and store! I no longer buy vegetables from Foodtown because of the rotten tomatoes with fruit flies all around. Your vegetable section is TERRIBLE. I worry that yogurt is spoiled, frozen food freezer burned, condiments gone bad. Every single time, right near the store entrance, fruit flies, really? Yikes, does no one working there notice or care?

Second, your teenage staff is running the place into the ground, spending more time schmoozing and rolling eyes than actually doing their jobs. Last night, I made my way to the store to attempt to buy kitty litter. I rushed to the store to get there before the 9 pm closing time (all the way from Elmhurst on the bus). When I arrived at 8:45 (just to buy kitty litter mind you), the door was locked. I waited until someone left the store and entered through the exit, where a snotty staff member told me it was already 9. I noted, "No, it is not" and then she insisted they close the store at 8:45. I again noted, no you don't, you close at 9, as posted at the door. Then she finally said, "We close 15 minutes early to get everyone out by 9." I wonder what good are store hours? I got out of there faster than people in the store before me since I was buying TWO items.

I only go to your "store" these days to buy kitty litter; your prices aren't any better than Associated or Key Food, your better maintained neighbors in the neighborhood. I can't help but wonder what sort of health code violations are occurring every day at your store, and have considered calling the health department.

May I recommend you hire better staff? Not the kids that run around acting childlike, but rather actual adults with a sense of responsibility? You should train your staff on customer service, so I don't feel enraged every time I go to your run-down store! You need to closely monitor food quality, because if I see one more spoiled tomato or another expired condiment I will contact the health department!

Note to management, you give Foodtown a bad name, and I wonder how much more the fine people of Sunnyside are willing to put up with this nonsense? I imagine you don't want a boycott organized against your store, so I recommend making significant changes.

Thank you,

Brendan

Buy Raw Local Honey

A local honeybee farmer is selling honey to our CSA!
It's from Waldemar Galka who has a farm in Long Island.

To purchase honey:
- 1lb jars are $7, and 2lb jars are $13

- Choose Spring Honey (lighter) or Summer Honey (darker)

- Bring a check payable to: Waldemar Galka to the CSA pickup this Thursday 9/13 or next Thursday 9/20 Sunnyside Community Services, 2nd Floor between 5-8pm.. Please don't leave cash in the envelope.

- Put it in the HONEY MONEY envelope (just ask the volunteers for it)

- Print your name and phone number on the list that is attached
to the envelope, and indicate whether you want Spring or Summer honey.

- Honey will get delivered either during the last week of Sept or
first week of Oct.

About the honey (from Waldemar):

What is important is that the honey raw and local. The bioactive nutrients are not destroyed by pasteurization and the honey contains local pollen [said to help allergy sufferers].

The other important aspect is that I don't use any 'hard chemicals' to control varroa mites (honey bee parasites) so there is no risk of them getting into the honey even at low PPM. I produce healthy honey for my family and sell the surplus to the public. The honey is not organic since there are no organic areas in the vicinity of NYC sufficiently large - at least 6 miles in diameter, the extent of honey bee foraging - to certify an organic product.

1-lb jars are $7 each. 2-lb are $13 each.

The lighter jars are honey that's mostly from the black locust blossoms (spring time) and the amber jars are honey that's mostly from linden/basswood blossoms (summer time). This year's autumn honey is being collected by the bees at this time and, if all goes well, will be harvested in early October.

Fast Food Nation

Where’s the Beef? Unfortunately, it’s in Queens. Corporate fast food god’s like McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and others have touched the hearts arteries of one too many Sunnyside residents.

To my heart’s dismay, in the past I have not been a total food snob. In fact, when I’ve needed a quick bite, I too have partaken in the Whopper Jr. “fun.” But each time, I have been distracted by the overwhelming number of people partaking in the same “fun.” There are youth groups, grandparents bonding with grandchildren, teenagers on their cell phones, and once I overheard a Spanish lesson going on at the Burger King on 41st. The excitement is surreal—it’s like watching high-heeled women at a free sneaker give away during the black out of ‘03.

I don’t know about you, but I love our little donut shops, our cute coffee spots and my sushi being served in a boat. And this all comes without the fear of a scary man in a King costume lying next to me in the morning.

If we want our favorite haunts to stay open, it would be wise to spend our hard earned time and money at the small, charming, delicious mom and pops we have been blessed with before the “man” takes over our nabe with another flame-broiled hotspot.

Aint Nothin’ Scary About This Yeti

A Yeti can be defined as - a legendary large, hairy, humanoid creature said to inhabit the Himalayas. Thanks for the nightmares. But now to us 11104’s a Yeti is simply one of the newest restaurants to hit Sunnyside, Queens—Yeti of Hieizan.

Yeti of Hieizan, as I prefer to call, “Yeti,” (because I have no idea how to pronounce “Hieizan” and want to appear culturally/globally aware) is doing its damnest to bring our neighborhood fine Japanese & Nepalese cuisine in a chic setting—and it’s succeeding.

The place is brand spankin’ new. I saw a UPC code stuck to the side of a booth once. Ok—not quite, but it is really basking in its new car smell glory. The shiny cherry wood floors, the adorable booths draped with blowfish curtains and tiki lights, the elevated private booths where you can take your shoes off and eat on the floor (really, this is much cooler and classier than I make it sound) and cocktail bar— this place invested a pretty penny in seating alone.

And the food, (which I have primarily taken in the Japanese side), has amazing presentation and is delicious to boot. Go pork gyoza dumplings! But I digress.

So, there’s nothing to fear but fear itself—welcome to the ‘hood Yeti.

Yeti of Hieizan
43-16 Queens Blvd
Sunnyside, Queens
www.yetiofhieizan.com

Bliss is a Miss

I wanted to like Bliss, I really did.

When they opened in the late summer of 2005 on the corner of 46th Street and Skillman Avenue where the former Jaunting Car Pub used to stand, it was one of the first signs that our little neighborhood was changing. Soon after came the much beloved Sunnyside Garden Farms market across the street, and then Bliss' rival restaurant, Quaint just down Skillman Avenue. Lynn and I first ate at Bliss shortly after they opened, eager to show our support for a new local restaurant. On our first visit, the service was great - the server was attentive, gave us a run down of the wine list, the beers available (both bottles and on tap), and the specials.We were both fairly pleased with the experience, despite the fact that as vegetarians we could only order one item from the menu - the fresh mushroom ravioli appetizer, as our main course, which we liked. Since it was a bit pricey and since the menu didn't change over the next year to include other vegetarian entrees, we didn't return until recently. Instead we often favored Bliss' neighbor Quaint, which opened in early 2006. Quaint has a slightly more diverse menu (though still lacking in the veg department), has a nicer atmosphere, and is a bit more affordable.

On our most recent visit back to Bliss things had changed. The flimsy card stock menus were splattered with red wine stains, there was no wine or drink list, and they had taken out the beers on tap which left them offering only Amstel, Coors Light, Bud Light and Corona, which made the place feel more like Applebee's than a "new-American bistro" as described by the New York Times. It took ages for the wait staff (who were nothing but polite and friendly) to take our drink orders, ages for our drinks to arrive, and ages for our food to arrive. And they were not that busy. Again, Lynn and I had the mushroom ravioli appetizer as our entree, but this time Lynn noted that the sauce tasted like "a mix of butter and dijon mustard." Our dining companions who are not vegetarian were only a little more adventurous. One had the salmon, which was nicely presented and was reported to be very good. The other had their hamburger. While I did not sample the burger, the bun looked like it came from a 12-pack of Wonder buns they bought across the street at Sunnyside Garden Farms and the pickle slices on the side looked sickly and pale, as if they had been sitting in a jar for a decade or more. While it didn't quite redeem the experience completely, I admit their chocolate mousse dessert was tasty.

It's surprising that in the face of some stiff competition with Quaint, Bliss didn't try to step things up a bit - shake up their menu, lower their prices a smidge, have more interesting drinks and specials. Instead they have done the complete opposite - they have stagnated, taken away drink options and let their service slide. It's no wonder then that their busiest night of the week is Tuesday - the one night Quaint is closed. On other nights when we walk by, Bliss is sadly empty while Quaint is hopping. It makes me wonder how long Bliss can survive. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it would be sorely missed.

(Here's what Wesley had to say about Bliss last year. I wish I could say they've come a long way since ...)