Skip to main content

For a Taste of the Rockaways: “Bungalow Bar”



Well, my mother’s birthday month is officially over. 

However, the reviews about all the places we went to for a celebration are going to continue. 

One of the restaurants that were included during her birthday-plooza was Bungalow Bar in Rockaway Beach, Queens. 


I grew up a stones throw away from Rockaway so anytime I was wanting to lay out on the sun, near water that was questionably clean, I went to nearby Riis Park in the Rockaways. 

When Super Storm Sandy hit in 2012 this area was one that suffered severe damage. In fact, it is only begun making a strong comeback in recent months. Now I am hearing about so many places I want to check out. Since beach season is winding down I knew I had to at least squeeze Bungalow Bar in before it was too late. Thrown in my mother’s birthday and it was a perfect storm of timing.




Speaking of storms the afternoon I headed towards the beach it looked like a storm was a brewing. Thankfully it didn’t rain on my parade and I was glad I wasn’t melting under the sun sitting outside, where you should sit when you are visiting a location on the water. 

The Bar looks like the neighborhood hot spot it is. There is a full brunch menu as well as one that serves as a basis for lunch and dinner. On a more perfect night (weather specifically) I would have never gotten in. The crowd would have been insane. 






My family have big appetites so ordered three appetizers right away: soft pretzels, Mac n’ cheese balls, and a chicken flatbread pizza. This is both the order the food was requested and the order in which I would rank them. 

As for entrees there was a burger (which I now wish I had ordered), a slab of ribs, and a bunch of French dip sandwiches served up. 











This meal is a classic case of me ordering wrong and man I hate when I am unsatisfied with my meal. It is even worse when I feel like it is my fault. 

The reason I say this is because the restaurant is a bar, specializing in bar food. It is not a steakhouse and that is my preferred place to eat a meal like the one I ordered. But I was swayed by the description “thinly sliced filet mignon” and I couldn’t resist. 

As soon as I took my first bite I was over it. The meat was too chewy and I did not care for the gravy which was thankfully on the side. 

Those eating the ribs and burger were both really happy with their choices.
I should have gone with my instinct and ordered several other appetizers to share. Much like Will Truman’s father on Will & Grace, I could make a meal of appetizers. One day I will actually stick to my guns on this.

Despite my reservations about my entree, I thought this place was cute and I really liked the atmosphere. I liked the theme of the decor inside, especially when I realized the bungalows appeared to resonate in the restrooms as well. 

In an interesting twist the Bungalow Bar has a prior claim to fame. It was featured as one of the establishments featured on Bar Rescue now on the Paramount Network, formerly Spike TV. 

While I have not watched this episode specifically I am familiar with the show’s premise to help struggling bars bring in new business that appeals to their customers. 

The results from this makeover, which was a needed because of Sandy, seems to be mostly positive. 

I suspect as more time passes and word of mouth and social media catch on this place will be a hotspot rain or shine. 

Side note: If you want to know why my mother and I think we are such “Hot Stuff” you will have to keep on reading. 


For More information:






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

For Find Out Friday - Why Do Emery Boards Make My Skin Crawl?

You know that sound a fingernail makes when it scratches against a chalkboard?  You know that feeling the sound of that action gives you? I, like most people, hate that sound.  I instantly feel like scrunching my shoulders up to my neck and closing my eyes.  I feel the exact same way when I am using an emery board to file my nails. This annoying sensation has a name: “grima” which is Spanish for disgust or uneasiness. This term basically describes any feeling of being displeased, annoyed, or dissatisfied someone or something.  It is a feeling that psychologists are starting to pay more attention to as it relates to our other emotions.  Emery boards are traditionally made with cardboard that has small grains of sand adhered to them. It is the sandpaper that I believe makes me filled with grima.  According to studies that are being done around the world, it is not just the feeling that we associate with certain things like nails on a chalkboard or by using emery boards
Post a Comment
Read more

For Find Out Friday - How Do You Milk An Almond?

Despite my affinity for cheese and other dairy products, occasionally (actually a few times a week) I like to go dairy-free.  During those times I rely heavily on my favorite brand of almond milk, as seen in the picture above.  Though I know there is no dairy in this product, I constantly wonder: “how does one milk an almond”? Logically I am aware that no actually “milking” is taking place.  I also know that almond milk can be made at home, although I have zero interest in attempting to make it despite my love of spending time in my kitchen. So, what is the actual process?  How long does it take?  When / where / who was the first to successful develop this product? When talking about this kind of “milk” what we are really talking about is plant juices that resemble and can be used in the same ways as dairy milk. Plant like juice has been described as milk since about 1200 A.D. The first mentions can be found in a Baghdadi cookbook in the thirteenth
Post a Comment
Read more

For a Doughnut Worthy of Food Network Glory: “Dun-Well Doughnuts”

All because I wanted a Boston creme doughnut. That is how this blog truly began. It was Father’s Day weekend and although I was initially thinking of myself, I knew my father wouldn’t mind having a sweet treat for dessert. Brooklyn is synonymous with great pizza, bread, and of course bagels. But it also has many great bakeries producing some of the most delicious doughnuts you have ever tasted. Just to name a few, there is: Doughnut Plant , Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop and Dough .   On the day of my craving, I did what any of us do countless times a day - I opened Google. When I Googled “best Boston creme doughnuts in Brooklyn” Dun-Well Doughnuts appeared high on that list. Intrigued I researched it further and learned that it had won the Canadian  Food Network’s contest called “Donut Showdown” in 2013. That was enough information for me to decide to visit the very next day.  Dun-Well Doughnuts was opened by Dan Dunbar and Christopher Hollowell in December 2011. Despite
Post a Comment
Read more