Joy in the known during the unknown.
All things L.I.C…!!
I didn’t know the Long Island City (a.k.a. L.I.C) neighborhood in Queens, New York until I moved here in 2017. Fast forward to August 2020 — three years living in the neighborhood that I began to call home. As New York City finally began to crawl out of the cabin fever, I revisited and relished all that L.I.C has to offer.
And there they were — same old spots but with totally new vibes!
Take, for starters (no pun intended), these restaurants and bars:
This chic speakeasy bar has topped our list as a neighborhood favorite for three straight years. They make the best cocktails and late-night turkey sandwiches served on a honey-sesame glazed loaf. One of the first places we went to when bars began serving take-outs in March (and then patio seating in August) was the bar-window at this very place. Victoria behind the bar was as delighted to see me and smiled as she said, “I knew you guys would drop by”. It was this effortless exchange and an underlying sense of ‘we got this’ that stuck with me.
Fun in the (boozy) things!
2. Luzzo:
Luzzo’s lip-smacking tiramisu overtime became another personal favorite that Alejandro always brought over to us with a warm smile. Without a second thought, Luzzo was the place to go for a mood lifter, especially on those cold New York winter nights. We still get the same warm welcome from Alejandro when we go over for some al fresco dining now!
Bliss in the (sweet) things!
Food, akin to music and scents, transports you right back to when you once enjoyed a delectable evening with friends or family — meager distant memories for some now. For me, an evening with friends, good wine, and one of the best meat and cheese platters in town are what make the Beast, well, the Beast. A warm summer Saturday seemed like the perfect time to visit the Beast, and aye, the vibes were real. Patio seating, music spilling onto the street, the same blue-painted exterior — a reminder that everything isn’t alien even if the times we live in now are.
Calm in the (cheesy) things!
4. Indie LIC:
A lazy Sunday staple, Indie was the go-to place for a guilt-free indulgence in chai tea lattes, avocado sandwiches, yogi bowls, and other nourishing wholesome dishes. Indie did it best when they proved that not all restaurant food has to be unhealthy and not all healthy food has to be boring! At one point during the lockdown, I was craving their yogi bowl so much I checked out their menu and replicated it, item by item — spiced sweet potatoes, sesame cucumbers, sauteed mushrooms, braised spinach, pickled onions, sliced avocado, farro, and fried eggs! Patio seating only added to the chill vibe here and we were glad we got to savor that comfort food once again.
Normalcy in the (comforting) things.
5. Casa Enrique:
From mezcal margaritas and pisco sours to chorizo tacos and tres leches, this hidden Michelin starred gem of L.I.C. has been our go-to place for celebrations big and small, inside and out (no pun intended again). With a palate for spicy food and extra boozy drinks, we couldn’t wait to go back to this Mexican joint. No kidding, with our bellies full to our heart’s content, even a 20-minute stroll (read crawl) back home was tough but so worth it.
A toast to the (savory, scrumptious, and toothsome) things!
Above everything else, the highlight for me will always be the ever-amazing Gantry Plaza State Park — an epitome of peace and calm in this silent storm. I don’t think there’s ever been a time when a stroll or run by the water hasn’t lifted my spirits. The dramatic hues of the sky, the tranquility of the water, and the Manhattan skyline continue to stand as a constant reminder of the bigger picture.
Solidarity in the (bigger picture) things!
