Originally, I wasn't going to come to this stop, but after everything I am glad I came here. There…read moreis a halal food truck I did stop at after I was at the Knockdown Center last night that apparently came from Astoria Queens, but because I did not find it on Yelp and didn't really feel like adding a business page for it, this will be my last review from this particular visit to NYC. Honestly, for that purpose it was a good-to-great place to end things off on.
It's a very small cafe, but it's very close to the Knockdown Center, maybe a very short Z just across the road at the worst of times. But as long as you're willing to overlook the flies that came in, this is actually a great place to wait out the heat, which is exactly what I did and why I came here. The table I sat at was candlelit, so even this cafe isn't much, it is a good place for a coffee date. There's also a chess table inside you can play a game of chess in if you bring a friend. It's very peaceful inside for those who want a break from all the hustle and bustle. If you want to learn a little more about the interior, you can see a Jaws poster just under the TV, and there's a Jaws cup on display if you know where to look. The TV itself plays music, and the music played does remind me of music that played around when I was a teen, like the Monster collab between Rihanna and Eminem, Umbrella, or even Katy Perry. I think only DuMont Burger had a song played that compared to the songs that played here throughout my visit with the Avant Mix of "Stickwitu" from The Pussycat Dolls, so this all kind of made my visit to New York today one of welcome nostalgia.
Speaking of musicians, this was one of the few visits where I actually got to talk about who I was going to see that night since the young lady who tended to me was happy to talk about how The Knockdown Center gets in a lot of DJ's into the venue. Spoiler Alert, I am a HUGE LP Giobbi fan and I listen to her music ALL the time! I think my streak of listening to her music has already exceeded 400 days, and this was my 4th time coming to New York City for her raves.
So back to the business itself, that same young lady who served me today was very sweet and helpful. She explained about the place and allowed me to sit inside as I waited inside a cool place that did quite a more welcoming job of keeping me out of the heat than Bagel Point over on Manhattan Avenue did. I had her make me an iced coffee because it was too hot to have anything else, and it was only $5. It is a cash only place, and normally I would take a star off for that alone since that is a huge pet peeve of mine in restaurants; however, it was too hot for me to care in this case, and I did happen to have a $20 bill on my person, so it all worked out, so no stars off this time. It was an excellent way to beat the heat, and they make these coffees with love and care.
At one point the owner came in and they all kind of had a conversation that I actually find to be intriguing. From what I observed, it really seems like the employees here get treated well. Also, my jaw dropped when I heard how long this guy had been running his business. 54 years! I am only 35, mind you! This guy has been in the business since long before I was even born! He seems really wise and definitely knows what he's doing. I give this guy mad props!
I'd be more than happy to come here again if I'm ever in the area, and I definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a hidden gem in Queens as long as you have cash on you.
