Here is something that puzzles me. When the heated discussions about gentrification get going--especially in regards to projects like The Queensboro and Swim Two Birds--there are always people who say that JH is a neighborhood of struggling immigrants and cannot support more upscale restaurants for that reason. And we should not expect--or want-- that fact to change. We are a neighborhood that showcases inexpensive cuisines from the many cultures represented here. Get over it--go to Manhattan or Brooklyn or okay, LIC if you want bistros and wine bars and craft cocktails, etc.
Well, we had dinner Saturday night at Uncle Peter's on Northern, where we noticed the top entree price is now something like $46. The place is has been a fixture here for a long time and is busy whenever we've been there. So how can Uncle Peter's survive here if nobody can afford to eat in a place like that? And it's not the only local restaurant that can be quite pricey. So I don't buy that argument that all JH can support based on "what the market wants" is 99 cent stores and budget-priced restaurants. There are plenty of people here from all over the world who frequent these pricey restaurants and bring their whole family--I've seen large groups eating at places that were far from cheap, where I might hesitate to bring a gaggle of kids along with the grownups for that reason. Thoughts?
I've never seen Jackson Heights as a neighborhood of "struggling immigrants." The more recent immigrants who came to this neighborhood were always solidly middle class--teachers, accountants--just as the original wave of Irish, Jewish and Italians were. The large number of coops and private homes assured that. As with any community, there were, and are, people who are less fortunate mixed in, but this neighborhood has always hovered at around the same economic level regardless of the ethnic background of the residents.
The neighborhood has also always supported a mix of inexpensive and more upscale restaurants and I think it still can. Dinner for two at Uncles Peter's, Armondo's, the late Luigi's and Trieste could easily surpass $100 with drinks. If Swim Two Birds or The Queensboro open and the average cost per couple is $180-200, then, no, I don't think they will make it. But if the food and service are good, and the prices are similar to let's say Armondo's, then I think they have a good chance.
