If there is one restaurant in Queens that encapsulates the borough’s identity as a melting pot, it just may be Flushing‘s newest eatery, The Sweet Sap.
Located at 189-11 Northern Blvd., the restaurant assumed a former residence in the northern section of the neighborhood. Manager Anna Lung, a Queens resident, opened the eatery with her best friend Lily Kim this July.
The pair set out to establish a restaurant here in the borough that rivaled places they like to visit in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island.
“Lily and I are really big foodies … And one of our favorite things to eat is brunch,” Lung said. “We wanted to bring that to Queens.”
Diners who walk through the gates of the property are welcomed by a spacious outdoor eating area, which is illuminated by twinkling nights in the nighttime hours. Those who wish to bring their furry best friend along are welcome to, Lum noted.
Up a flight of stairs and thorough the front doors is a full bar and indoor eating space. The eatery is open for lunch and dinner.
On the menu, expect to find contemporary American cuisine with Asian, European and Latin influences. For example, the galbi burger combines the American burger with a traditional Korean marinade, while the crunchy bulgogi quesadilla features Korean-style marinated beef combined with Colby jack cheese, stir-fried vegetables and tortilla strips. Also on the menu are pasta dishes, Korean rice bowls, salads and sandwiches.
Brunch menu highlights include dulce de leche French toast and fluffy omelettes, Lum said.
“Queens is known for its authentic, authentic food, so we didn’t want to lose that either,” Lum said. “And we also wanted to bring a really nice atmosphere.”
The drink menu features a mix of unique and seasonal cocktails, wines and beer. The frozen Melon Chiller, with rum and honeydew, and the Blushing Blossum, with gin, sakura and lychee, are two of Lum’s favorites. The Auburn Mule, with lime, ginger beer and Figenza, a Mediterranean, fig-flavored vodka, is another satisfying choice.
“Everything we have in the bar is seasonal. We’ll change out the old with the new,” she said. “We also wanted to bring more craft beer to this neighborhood. I wanted bring in things that were really different.”
As for the name, owner Kim wanted to come up with something “whimsical,” Lum said.
“We wanted a contemporary farmhouse-to-table type feeling,” she said. “It also matches the cute little house and our cozy feel.”
The Sweet Sap is open Tuesday through Sunday and can be reached at 718-225-1000. Visit their Facebook page for hours of operation.
