By Rebecca Henely
City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) announced that next week restaurants throughout Elmhurst will be knocking down prices for Eat Elmhurst, a restaurant week meant to showcase the flavors and cultural diversity of the neighborhood.
“Elmhurst’s vibrant immigrant community has long been one of New York’s best-kept secrets and now people who work or live here are ready to share their favorite recipes and traditions with the rest of the city,” Dromm said in a statement.
The councilman said the April 3-April 9 event, which he is sponsoring, plans to provide a boost to the neighborhood’s economy. Fourteen restaurants are participating, most of which are located along Broadway and Baxter Avenue. They collectively offer Spanish, Argentinian, Italian, Japanese, Malaysian, Chinese, Indonesian, Thai and continental fare. Many restaurants are offering 10 percent off dinner or other deals during the week.
“An initiative like this is not only a short-term fix to help local merchants, but through a sustained promotion of the very best our neighborhoods have to offer, we can achieve long-term success,” Dromm said.
The week officially kicks off Saturday at Elmhurst Hospital Center’s H Building at 41st Avenue and 80th Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dromm said that on this day Elmhurst Hospital Dieticians, the American Diabetes Association and Grow NYC will showcase resources the city has that will enable residents to eat a healthier diet. Refreshments at this event will be provided by the local restaurants, Dromm said.
Jimmy Thonsur, a co-owner of Wasabi Point, at 76-18 Woodside Ave., said the restaurant learned about the event after Dromm’s office sent him information about a similar venture last year. Thonsur, whose restaurant is offering 10 percent off everything on the menu, said the owners opened the restaurant more than two years ago in Elmhurst because of the wide range of ethnic groups in the community. He said the owners are Tibetan but have worked for many years in a Japanese company.
“That’s why we have a menu of Japanese and Tibetan,” Thonsur said.
Louie’s Pizza & Pasta, at 81-34 Baxter Ave., is offering chicken Parmesan and a slice of pizza for $10. The owner, Louie Suljovic, said he hopes participants who try out his restaurant’s northern Italian-style food will become regulars.
“Our food is better than most restaurants in Manhattan,” Suljovic said.
For more information, go to eatelmhurst.com.
Reach reporter Rebecca Henely by e-mail at rhenely@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
