Queens Is "Edible," But What About Staten Island & The Bronx?

Earlier this year Queens became the latest borough to join the Edible magazine family, a national network of about 60 magazines that cover local food trends and everything artisanal. The second issue of the Queens quarterly drops later this month, and the Daily News marks the occasion by interviewing publisher Leah McLaughlin, who moved to Long Island City three years ago. "We're not just an offshoot of Manhattan," McLaughlin insists. "We're not second fiddle to Brooklyn. Our community is incredibly vibrant and incredibly vital to the success of the region." Okay, fine, nobody's picking on Queens—but when will Staten Island and the Bronx get the Edible treatment?

Rachel Wharton, a former Daily News reporter who's now at Edible Manhattan, agrees their culinary close-up is long overdue. In an e-mail, she writes, "When was the last time you had a chef do a walking tour of any nabe in Staten Island or the Bronx, when there's a love letter to Flushing in practically every issue of the Village Voice. (This also reminds me that there was a line by Ted Danson in bored to death: 'Brooklyn is the new Manhattan and Manhattan is the new Queens and Queens is the new Brooklyn.') What about those poor Sobro loft-dwellers? They need their supper clubs too." So does Staten Island, but who has time for that when there are so many dwarfs to bowl?

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By John Del Signore in Food on December 1, 2009 5:33 PM

Comments [rss]

RevWaldo

(test)

Swagata

"Brooklyn is the new Manhattan and Manhattan is the new Queens and Queens is the new Brooklyn." - That's a worthy quote!

blocher33

Anthony Bourdain's show is one of the few shows I consistently watch. He's hilarious.

TheMactastic

Those guys would get mugged in the Bronx anyway.

Boogie Down

Hmmm, that's funny because I'm a 5'3" blonde woman who's been living/working in the Bronx for five years and have never been mugged, or even threatened. I have, however, had two friends mugged in "fancy" parts of Brooklyn over the past couple of months, and another mugged in Manhattan a while back. It's ok though, you can continue to cling to your stereotypes if that's what makes you feel better about yourself.

Shinobi Shaw

Good Smackdown!

pigeon

*high five*

Awesome.

grizzzly

I read this a couple months ago (thanks, Quick-draw Del Signore) and found the magazine itself to be interesting and well put-together, but it recycled a lot of old content from other sources; for example, the bit on Flushing was essentially a recap of the same eateries covered by the New York Times months ago.

Shinobi Shaw

how in the world is Manhattan the "new Queens."

It surely as diverse (in all catergories) as Manhattan.

Nonsense.

gawkthis

anyone with any true appreciation of nyc would know that the last thing brooklyn would ever want to be, is manhattan. therefore anyone saying "Brooklyn is the new Manhattan" is insulting brooklyn, and as far as manhattanites are concerned saying "Brooklyn is the new Manhattan" is a sign of no taste and low class.

nicolamj

I believe Bourdain did, in fact, go to Queens and hang out with the guy from the NY Dolls in one of his shows. So, yes, I guess that was the last time I saw a chef go to Queens.

Billiamsburg

im sure take out chinese places and chain restaurants would fill out this type of magazine nicely.

seven

Eric Ripert may be a great chef, but he sure is a weird looking dude

Snoopy

It appears the two gentlemen on the cover are having a gay time.

NannyState

I get the queens part but they don't look the least bit edible.

HOTCUP

if the bronx and staten island want people to move in there, establish swanky restaurants, and claim to be "vital" members of "the" community, then go for it. is that what you're suggesting?

screw this stupid yuppie magazine, Bronx and SI don't need it.