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Rockaway Beach Wins Big With A Fantastic New Cafe, 'Thank You'
By
Scott Lynch
Published Nov 12, 2019
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Scott Lynch / Gothamist
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By
Scott Lynch
Published Nov 12, 2019
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Our latest installment of Quick Bites brings us to Rockaway in the chilly weather, to try out the great new Thank You.
THE VIBE
Rockaway residents Maribel Araujo and Andrew Field are really good at feeding tons of people lots of excellent food in a hurry. Araujo is the co-owner of Caracas Arepa, which holds things down at the Beach 106th concessions during the summer season, and has restaurants in the East Village and Williamsburg. And Field changed the game out here when he opened Rockaway Taco in 2007, along with his sequel, Tacoway Beach, which is slammed all summer, every summer.
For their latest venture, however, a pleasant little all-day cafe on Beach 116th called Thank You, partners Araujo and Field are slowing things down. Thank You is a counter service spot offering up coffee, pastries, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, featuring a robust, ever-changing menu from chef Donata Orsi, who worked with Yotam Ottolenghi in London and Michael Anthony at Untitled here in NYC. That it's an actual storefront located in "town" is a huge bonus for everyone—locals all winter, beachgoers all summer—giving Rockaway year-round access to the energy, commitment, and love Araujo and Field always put into their operations.
Much of the Thank You space is taken over by an open kitchen and the big display / ordering counter, though there's still plenty of seating at tables running down the opposite side and, my preferred spot, in the sunny window banquette. Additional tables will soon fill the big back room as well. And while the Thank You staff ensures that you won't wait long for your food, lingering and chatting with friends and neighbors is definitely encouraged. There's a clear sense of community-building at work here, and it's easy to imagine this spot warm and alive with regulars.
THE BITES
Probably the smartest thing Araujo and Field did here was hire chef Orsi to run the kitchen, and then let her do whatever she wants. The daily offerings at Thank You might look and sound ordinary, but almost everything I ate over the course two huge feasts last weekend felt exciting and new. The chimichurri sauce on the tender Flank Steak, for example, had a bright, unexpected tang to it, and the massive mound of chewy Red Rice I got on the side was laden with sweet, juicy bits of lychee. So delicious.
Other big winners from the lunch and dinner menu included a trio of Korean Style Pancakes made from spaghetti squash and tofu, which arrived crisp on the outside and delightfully greasy within. The Roasted Chicken, redolent with lemon and garlic, was perfectly cooked and comfortably satisfying, the Butternut Squash salad featured a lovely tahini drizzle, the Kale Salad was lively with pears, pumpkin seeds, and a poblano chili dressing, and the gluten-free Glass Noodles got its bite from roasted turnips, bitter greens, watermelon radishes, and a slick, salty tamari sauce. And though I can't quite figure out how Orsi did it, the Chicken Salad sandwich, served on ciabatta, was among the best I've ever had.
If anything, breakfast is even better! The thick, fluffy Frittata was heavenly, with ribbons of green, chunks of juicy tomatoes, and a creamy goat cheese topping all handling their roles with aplomb. The slice of Challah French Toast came with a nice crisp shell (and some grapefruit yogurt, and some berry jam), the egg-and-cheese Breakfast Sandwich, featuring bulgogi pork sausage and kimchi pickled cucumbers, exploded with flavor, and the blowtorched Charred Grapefruit with star anise nailed the balance between tart and sweet. The only two slight missteps were the too-hard Everything Focaccia and the too-healthy Coco-Chip Cookie, but otherwise Orsi kept me happy for hours, eating course after course well past the point of "needing" anything more.
THE VERDICT
I dream of having a place like Thank You around the corner from my apartment, but until that time comes, you'll find me at Beach 116th as often as possible this off-season, and certainly every beach day next summer. This is my favorite type of cooking, and Orsi does it incredibly well.
Thank You is located at 214 Beach 116th Street, steps away from the Shuttle subway station, and is open on Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (@thankyou_nyc)
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quick bites
Scott Lynch
Photojournalist, food writer, preschool receptionist. Love NYC.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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