<p>While there are many good places to eat in Great Neck, few are inexpensive. So follow me on a short ride to where the food is good and the prices are within reason.</p>
<pre><code>Starting at the academy gate, drive about 100 yards on Steamboat Rd to the stop sign. Turn right onto Kings Point Rd. Drive about 200 yards to the next stop sign and turn left onto West Shore Rd.
You are now heading in a southerly direction. Continue for about 3.5 miles. The name of the road will change to Bayview Ave, and then to Great Neck Rd. You will arrive at Northern Blvd. (NY Route 25A). Turn right onto Northern.
Drive two blocks and youve crossed the city line into Little Neck. On the next block, on your right, between Glenwood Street and Morgan Street there are three restaurants. The first is La Baraka: good French food, but not cheap. Next is Nelsons Grill. Nelsons is the best bargain anywhere. Nelson, the owner, was formerly a chef at La Cote Basque, one of Manhattans finest restaurants. For prices similar to Applebys or TGI Fridays, you will get absolutely superior food. (No, I dont own an interest in Nelsons, but I do eat there regularly.) The wine list is short: about two California whites, likewise reds and a Zinfandel or two. The entrees generally run between 12 and 20 dollars. My personal recommendations are the Lamb Shank (the best Ive ever had and Ive had it many times); the Combination of Duck; and my wifes favorite, the Sea Scallops.
Next door to Nelsons is The Kabob House. This is a very nice Turkish restaurant with excellent food, but the prices are a little higher than Nelsons.
On the next block is Sals Little Neck Pizza. Sals is a classic New York pizzeria. There is nothing fancy about Sals, but if youre from out of town and want to try authentic New York pizza, Sals is the best youll find anywhere. Of course his menu isnt limited to pizza. Sal has all kinds of Hero (not Hoagies, not grinders, not Sub sandwiches: Heroes, got it?) sandwiches, plus various platters etc.
On the opposite side of Northern Blvd. are several restaurants. The first is Harvest Buffet. This is one of those all-you-can-eat places. I ate there once and wasnt impressed. But if thats your thing, go for it. Directly opposite Sals is an expensive Italian restaurant. If Im up for expensive Italian food, I go a block further down Northern Blvd. to Il Baco, (on the left side a few doors before you get to Little Neck Parkway), which has superb Northern Italian cuisine, but be prepared to pay accordingly.
Back on the right hand side, also a few doors before Little Neck Parkway is Szechuan. Here they serve very good Chinese food at modest prices. Their General Tsaos Chicken is the best Ive had: crisp and tasty, not soggy and greasy.
On the same block as Szechuan is the Greek Isles Restaurant. The food is fine and the prices arent too bad, but I cant tell the difference between Greek food and Turkish food (never say that to a Greek or a Turk) but for Mediterranean fare I prefer Kabob House.
Continuing on across Little Neck Parkway is the Scobee Diner. Maybe its just me, but Ive never had a good meal there. Three unsuccessful tries and I gave up. If diners are your thing, I think there are better ones around.
A little way up the street at the corner of Marathon Parkway is McDonalds.
Two blocks farther on the right is Dunkin Donuts.
About a quarter mile farther, still on the right, is Aegea, a few doors before Douglaston Parkway. Im not sure what to call Aegea: a Greek pizzeria? Although they serve pizza, I remain loyal to Sals. But their Greek dishes are very good and very inexpensive. They have Souvlaki, Gyro, Greek salad, Moussaka, etc. I dont think any of their main courses is over ten dollars.
Another half mile down Northern and youll cross the Cross Island Parkway and enter Bayside. Youll pass a Burger King and a Wendys on the left and a Korean restaurant on the right.
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<p>Another quarter mile and youll reach Bell Blvd. On the corner is White Castle. If youve never had a White Castle you must try them. I say them advisedly, as they are tiny, about two inches square, by 1/8 inch thick, served on a steamed bun that is amazingly soggy, giving the belly bombers as they are fondly known, a taste unlike any hamburger youve ever tasted. If you have any appetite at all, buy several. I think the average hungry Kings Pointer could down a dozen in one sitting. (They are cheap: I think about $0.56 for the hamburger and $0.72 for the cheeseburger.)
Turning right (northbound) onto Bell Blvd. (and saving White Castle for another day) you will pass through downtown Bayside. The restaurants (and bars, lots of bars, as every Kings Pointer eventually learns) are thick as ants at a picnic. I have no special places there. </p>
<p>Continuing northbound you will come to 35th Ave. On the right is Jackson Hole. It looks like a diner, but specializes in Hamburgers. Theyve got all kinds: with pizza sauce, with guacamole, with a fried egg (ugh), all different kinds of cheese, etc. Pick your poison. I like the plain burger with sautéed onions. And everything they do with a burger theyll do with a chicken tender. </p>
<p>Another half mile on and we reach the Bay Terrace Shopping Center on the left. Here you have Bens Kosher Deli and Outback Steakhouse.<br>
I think our tour has gone far enough for now. Bon apetite!</p>