39 East   

213-41 39th Ave
Bayside, NY 11361
012-345-6789

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Looks like Bayside may be going all Tribeca on us. "Yeah, it's not normal for Queens," says management of the stylish decor of 39 East, the Asian-fusion restaurant on Bell Boulevard. Neither is the cuisine for a borough known more for myriad ethnic eateries than trendy restaurant lounges. Executive chef Taweewat Hurapan, formerly of Rain, combines Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Korean cooking with Italian ingredients and French presentational flair. The results are dishes such as Southeast angel hair with sirloin, Chinese broccoli, and three kinds of soy sauces, and osso buco with shitake mushrooms, lemongrass lime sauce and spinach fettuccini. The crispy whole fish is the signature, served on a bed of roasted sweet-potato mash and mango chili sauce, with filets arranged artfully. The former movie theater is now a bi-level space with a private dining room upstairs and a colorful main room with sleek deco furniture, although traditional elements remain, such as the black-and-red lacquer accents and a variety of Asian art and sculpture. Waiting for a table is pleasurable in the spacious bar, where they make all-too-trendy (but still good) lychee martinis and other drinks with fresh juice. Who knows? Maybe Bell Boulevard is the next Smith Street.