Nov. 16, 2012 By Bill Parry
Alobar Restaurant, located at 46-42 Vernon Blvd, is celebrating its first anniversary this weekend and it has plenty to cheer about.
The restaurant, best known for its cured meats, has become one of the more popular eateries in Long Island City since its opening. Furthermore, it has already been included in the prestigious Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list.
The Bib Gourmand list recognizes those establishments that “offer a high-quality dining experience at an affordable price.” Alobar was just one of only four restaurants in Queens to receive that honor.
Jeff Blath, the owner, has lived in the neighborhood for 6 years. “I didn’t need some research company to tell me this was the right neighborhood to open a restaurant,” he said. “I knew by instinct that I didn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Blath’s restaurant replaced McRiley’s Pub, which had been operating out of that location for more than 30 years.
Blath has seen Long Island City grow in leaps and bounds since he has lived in LIC– but claims there is need for vast improvement.
“When I moved here there were no supermarkets or laundromats,” he said. However, “We still need retail stores so people can come to Vernon Blvd. to shop. There aren’t even hardware stores here, so all these people moving in can’t buy a hammer or get their keys copied.”
Featured Events
