718.383.2835
Not too long ago a large group of old friends planned an expedition to The Queen’s Hideaway. Our party was so large and the dining room so small that we had a narrow window in which The Queen could accommodate us. The organizer insisted that we get there on time so we trekked there 10 strong intent on making it. We arrived on time and boisterous, after having to jettison our cocktails at a not-so-nearby-bar, relieved to find the people who dictated this time slot to be completely amenable, as opposed to the Gestapo I envisioned on our large liquorless journey. Little did I know, and to be honest rarely do I know anything, that this attitude permeates the entire restaurant. Their motto must be laid back, for the Queen’s Hideaway’s dining room embraces trailer park chic down to the salt and pepper shakers, it has an open kitchen and large and comfortable backyard. Everything seemed to be, well, relaxed. I could tell immediately that our rag tag band of misfits would fit right in.
The Queen’s Hideaway is a no-nonsense eatery devoid of anything but down home, offering culinary slang such as Fritters, Snaps, and my all time favorite, Bacony. The place is as charming a backwoods cousin, and the grub suggests this simile even more in essence as it is also humble; the Potato salad was home-made, the salads fresh, and the trout hot off the griddle. There was nothing overbearing about the food, and this might be a curse as well as a blessing, for nothing jumped out as a must have. This is acceptable only because the menu changes daily, literally hand written on a sheet of paper. And it could be argued that there was enough variety and home-made consistency that one will always find something worth eating.
Despite its humility the Queen’s Hideaway takes itself very seriously. The menu modestly hides its fresh food and organic underbelly. The waitress succinctly warned us when supplies of certain dishes were low, and the table maintenance, though with mismatched silver, was impeccable. The chef banged out an incredibly busy restaurant with a four top stove and not much else, a feat in time and anger management. And the whole time this grace in restauranteering was not trumpeted, but rather accepted as par for the course. The night passed and our merriment grew, having as much to do with the endless supply of Paps in a can as our own store bought wines (with a $5 corkage fee). Our shenanigans were tolerated if not encouraged, and after a filling meal our group enjoyed itself immensely. Queen’s Hideaway offers a good meal at a fair price, it is the best of a low bar and for less than thirty bucks, delivers authentically. The only shortcoming, and one we didn’t anticipate at the beginning of this escapade, was becoming stranded from civilization completely drunk. Be weary fellow food aficionados, the Queen’s Hideaway is a remote destination.
16 hours ago
