Queens Tribune

Foxy’s Diner
43-11 Queens Blvd., Sunnyside
(718) 482-7641
www.foxysdiner.com
Cuisine: Mixed
Hours: 6 a.m. to midnight Mon.-Fri.; 7 a.m. to midnight Sat. & Sun.
Parking: Street
Credit Cards: All major

Queens – especially its namesake boulevard – is littered with intriguing eateries. This affords residents, and City slickers at large, the opportunity to sample the fare of a diverse array of ethnicities on any night of the week.
But when opting for traditional diner cuisine, consumers may tend to settle for the old reliable cheeseburger deluxe, or egg-and-pick-a-cheese-and-vegetable omelet.
But once in a while diners, and their owners, just get it right, and the buying public doesn’t have to settle for anything.
Foxy’s Diner in Sunnyside is one of those special cases.
Owned and operated by the hardworking Spiro Kasimis, Foxy’s expertly combines diner delights with some fantastic specialty dishes, and slings them all through a friendly and attentive wait staff.
My guest and I arrived on a dreary Tuesday evening and were placed in a cozy booth. Foxy’s dining floor is not dauntingly large, and it features tables to the left and booths to the right, anchored by the mainstay counter and stools near the far right wall.
We began what would turn out to be an exceptional dining experience with drinks – Diet Pepsi for her, Stella Artois for me – and an order of chicken quesadillas. Spiro informed us that this appetizer is one of Foxy’s most popular dishes, and after devouring them we came to understand why.
Next up was the soup and salad that came with our entrees (more on those later). My guest chose the lighter, leafy bite while I savored the chicken orzo soup. It was the perfect edible escape from the damp, overcast night we could see through Foxy’s glass storefront.
Deciding on a main course turned out to be quite the task as you have so much to choose from on Foxy’s menu. They have everything – from 12 different burgers, to an impressive list of Italian entrees, to signature sandwiches seafood and a half-page dedicated to 15 sauté specialties.
My guest finally opted for the tangy chicken and shrimp stir fry, a sauté specialty featuring chicken and shrimp in a teriyaki sauce with mushrooms, broccoli and sesame. I went with one of the many specials of the day – salmon grilla – and was glad I did. It’s grilled salmon drizzled with a sweet sauce laying on top of a heavenly bed of Brussels sprouts and sun-dried tomatoes. It was definitely one of the best, and certainly most unique, salmon dishes I’ve ever sampled.
We topped off this delightful dinner with espresso and coffee. Spiro brought out a small dessert sampler plate to give us an idea of how Foxy’s does the most sinful part of the meal. We picked at cheesecake, vanilla ice cream-topped strawberries and rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon.
I thought I was stuffed, but everything was so delicious I was compelled to continue.
The telling sign of a restaurant’s mastery is in the returning customers. We’ll be back at Foxy’s Diner. So will you.
—Michael Cusenza