LIC Restaurant Owners Are Fuming Over the Failed Amazon Deal

LIC restaurant owners are bummed about Amazon’s ruptured NYC deal

Long Island City restaurant owners like Steve Logiudice of Centro Pizza Bar & Italian Kitchen — which sits about two blocks away from where Amazon was to plant its headquarters — are reeling over the tech giant’s decision to pull out of the deal. “It’s definitely heartbreaking. There’ll be less foot traffic, and we depend on foot traffic,” he tells the Post. Giana Cerbone of Italian restaurant Manducatis Rustica called the bailing a “nightmare,” blaming the politicians who opposed the deal. The two restaurateurs join several others that were banking on Amazon’s move in to the neighborhood, which many thought would invigorate the LIC dining scene.

Filipino favorite Jollibee gets a positive review

Times critic Ligaya Mishan visits Jollibee’s new Manhattan location, and although she notes that certain dishes are only found in the Filipino chain’s Queens outpost, she does enjoy the staples on offer here. Of the fried chicken, called Chickenjoy, she writes: “The sheath of skin is as craggy as a thunderhead, crannies and crunch multiplying.” The chicken itself is “juicy,” and the spicy version is even better than the regular one, with a marinade and breading that contains notes of “fragrant but not searing” chili.

A slew of openings and a closing

A new Cajun restaurant called Parish has slid into the Lower East Side at 146 Orchard St., between Stanton and Rivington streets, with a menu that’s supposed to be inspired by New Orleans’s French Quarter. Meanwhile on the Upper West Side, American restaurant Good Enough to Eat has expanded with a new concept on the same block, taking over the space once home to Zen Taco at 522 Columbus Ave., near 85th Street. The sister spot will have a slightly different menu with burgers and chicken dishes. The neighborhood also gained an outpost of Fumo, a pizza and pasta chain, on Broadway between 107th and 108th streets. Over in the East Village, a Nordic cafe called Smør has opened at 441 East 12th St., near Avenue A., and tomorrow, Panamanian restaurant KC Gourmet Empanadas debuts on 38 Avenue B.

In closure news, Upper West Side Italian restaurant Francesca’s La Vela Cucina Italiana will close tomorrow at 373 Amsterdam Ave., near 78th Street, with plans to possibly reopen on the East Side.

Wear your favorite NYC burger

A new clothing brand called Weldun is printing T-shirts inspired by NYC’s classic burgers from restaurants like J.G Melon, Minetta Tavern, and Raoul’s. Although restaurant names aren’t printed on the shirts, the burgers are, and each contains detailed hints to which restaurant it belongs from. The line is founded by local artist Carly Berlin and can be purchased here.

Black Label’s Asian-flavored doughnuts have a new pop-up location

Popular Queens doughnut maker Black Label Donuts has a new pop-up location at Queens Crossing at 136-17 39th Ave. in downtown Flushing. The doughnut shop — which commands two-hour long waits for gourmet doughnuts that pull from flavors of Japan, India, Southeast Asia, and France — will be there starting 10 a.m. every Sunday, until further notice. In addition to the pastries, Black Label will also be selling hot chocolate and an apple chai cider.