The restaurant landscape of Parkchester is in the midst of a revival, as the busy corner of Metropolitan and Westchester avenues welcomes Foodilicious: The Home of the “Hot Chicken”
The new 2,500 square foot grab and go establishment at 1324 Metropolitan Avenue specializes in mouth-watering rotisserie chicken. It also promises fresh fruit smoothies, donuts and muffins right from the oven, as well as made-to-order salads, sandwiches, and pasta.
In conjunction with this fantastic restaurant, the owners are reopening the Day & Night Convenience Store next door. This brings the community a wide selection of magazines, newspapers, novelties, snacks, beer and beverages. It also offers a large selection of lotto and tickets for bus trips to casinos.
Day & Night is no stranger to the Parkchester community, having served as a fixture for 20 years. It will still be run by its previous owners under the new management.
Foodilicious features several new food options in the community.
“We are developing something new for this area,” said Henry Katz, a project consultant for the restaurant and convenience store. “There is a fresh salad bar that is all natural, with no preservatives, and tossed to order. All dressings are all natural, with no preservatives. We also have a fresh pasta bar and our own brick oven pizza.”
The pasta section features homemade sauces, and the chickens are truly something special, Katz said. The restaurant is to feature all natural farm raised chickens that are marinated overnight in citrus, garlic, and spices. he added. They are to be grilled right in front of the customer.
“Extra care, top ingredients, and a secret recipe gives you a tender, special-tasting hot chicken,” Katz stated. “All chicken dishes are to be served with light fluffy biscuits and our homemade sides.”
The location has just undergone over $1 million in renovations, merging together the existing convenience store and the new grab and go. Katz called Foodilicious a well-rounded dinning experience. Katz added that most of the employees will live in the area.
Gavin Citron is the person in charge of the culinary experience at Foodilicious. Citron, a chef, is a veteran of many fine restaurants. This is his first grab and go experience.
“It seems to me that the area is going through a whole resurgence and hopefully we are adding to that,” Citron said. “Shortly after we open will begin delivering and have a catering service. We are bringing fresh quality and great service which Parkchester is pretty devoid of right now.”
Both Foodilicious and Day & Night are slated to open on or around Thursday, April 29. Day & Night will be open 24 hours a day.
Reach reporter Patrick Rocchio at (718) 742-3393 or procchio@cnglocal.com
