King of Food in Queens

The smell of gyros fills the air as you trot into one of the most famous Greek restaurants in New York. The sight of the giant chunk of tantalizing lamb on the rotisserie only makes your mouth water more, as you grab a seat on one of the cracked leather stools.

Fontana Famous Pizza & Gyro has been around since the late 80′s and although times may have changed, the quality of all the food has remained constant.

“I’ve only been working here for about four years now,” said one of the servers,” but it felt like I was joining a family here, whether it’s the employees or the regular customers, everyone just gives off a great vibe.

Fontana’s is located on 200-02 Northern Blvd in Bayside, Queens, and is known as the go-to gyro place among the five boroughs, and the authentic menu is the reason why. One of the few chefs prides himself on keeping the cuisine simple and easy. “Why change? a quote that was always told to me ‘Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change’, I’m still not sure how to understand that quote ,but I’m pretty sure change wouldn’t be welcomed here.”, he said as he laughed.

The official meaning of a gyro is simply a pita, filled with meat and salad, but a Fontana’s gyro is so much more, both in taste and experience. The fluffy pita roll is stuffed with steamy, perfectly salted lamb meat, and topped with fresh iceberg lettuce, bright white onions and the reddest of tomatoes. And of course what’s a gyro without tzatziki sauce, which is a mixture of Greek yogurt and cucumbers. All yours for just $7.00. On any given day, a trip to Fontana’s will find one shouting an order at one of the red shirts behind the counter over the joyfully loud conversations often held by Greek natives, which surprisingly isn’t annoying as you here a burst of laughter fill the restaurant, wishing you spoke just enough Greek to get the joke. Though they are happy they are able to share a bit of their culture albeit just the food, with people of so many other ethnicities.

“I think it’s great, other people enjoying the food that we’ve been eating for centuries, even if it’s just the basics like gyros and souvlaki,” explained Charles S., one of the regular customers at Fontana’s. The only bone he has to pick is how people pronounce the famous Greek sandwich; “It’s pronounced ‘yeer-oh,’ not ‘gye-row,’” he exclaimed while waving his hands back and forth as if to strengthen his point.

Queens, is widely known as one of the most diverse places in the world– while strolling down a single block, several countries and cultures can be shared and represented. Just a bus ride away from this Greek staple is one of the newly popular hobbies in the area, Hookah. Layla Hookah is located at 181-34 Union Turnpike in Fresh Meadows, Queens, and is one of the most popular hookah bars in Queens. Upon entering the large corner side property, you are immersed in another world and more specifically another culture, as the loud music changes your entire attitude. What makes it different from most hookah lounges is that it doubles as a restaurant. “That’s why I love this place; sometimes I don’t even come in here to smoke, just to grab a 10-piece wing and some fries, than I’m out,” said Stephen Tsakas. The steak is cooked perfectly, and the banana-nutella crepe may just be the best you’ve ever had, not too shabby for a Hookah place.

Hookah is a Middle Eastern tradition; it is a single or multi-stemmed instrument for smoking flavored tobacco, called shisha, in which the smoke is passed through a water basin (often glass based) before inhalation. In recent years, it has become popular in the United States, as a means for young 20-somethings to sit around and hang out– somewhat of a social event.
“I do it because it’s fun. I love doing tricks with the smoke, and it’s nice to just chill with some friends for a few hours outside of the house, and it’s a pretty cheap date,” added Stephen.
A 90 minute session is at least $12, for the flavor of your choice which includes pineapple, vanilla, strawberry, watermelon, and countless others. After choosing a flavor, you are presented with a unique instrument (the hookah itself), along with a mouthpiece, to enjoy the fruity smoke as it billows out of your mouth.

Young women, similar to bartenders walk around endlessly making sure everyone’s coal is burning smoothly and drinks are constantly refreshed, keeping the customers happy as they enjoy this experience with their friends and families. As the smoke from the hookah hose becomes more and more thin, the fun soon mellows out and comes to an end. Though the smoke disappears into thin air, the memories are yours forever, and not to mention the fruity smell of your clothing.

(featured image source:Flickr.com)

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