QUEENS — The Forest Hills culinary scene is about to get something it has never had before — a restaurant serving up vegan, organic and kosher food.
Har Sinai, or Mount Sinai in Hebrew, will replace Wafa’s, a Lebanese restaurant which closed in June.
“Veganism is more and more a trend and more and more people are leaning toward it,” said co-owner Rene David Alkalay, who also founded the nearby Genesis Tree of Life Yoga and Wellness Center and co-owns the popular Red Pipe Organic Café on Austin Street.
Har Sinai, at 100-05 Metropolitan Ave., will offer a mixture of cuisines and dishes, including gourmet pizza and sushi, the owners said.
Though the menu for the restaurant is still being finalized, it will include “Wafa’s Corner,” consisting of dishes served by the previous eatery such as hummus and baba ganoush.
Also on the menu will be roasted butternut squash salad, chickpea miso gravy bowl with sweet and tangy Portobello mushrooms, sweet potato casserole with a crunchy nut crumble and vegan enchiladas, along with kosher wines and beers, Alkalay said.
The owners are convinced the restaurant will find many fans in the area and beyond.
“I think a lot of people care today about what kind of food they are eating,” Alkalay said.
“Vegan food is incredibly healthy, it’s good for the planet, it’s good for ecology, it’s good for our economy and I think there is enough of a vegan population in Queens and throughout New York.”
While there are several vegetarian restaurants in Central Queens, like Green Zenphony in Rego Park or Annam Brahma in Jamaica Hills, none of them is vegan, organic and kosher at the same time.
“I believe that we are unique,” Alkalay said.
The space, which is currently being renovated, will feature a brick wall and bar with seats for six people.
A new foyer with two sets of doors will be added to protect patrons from heat in the summer and cold in the winter. There are also plans to install a small fountain with plants inside the restaurant.
Alkalay hopes to open Har Sinai in the first week of September.
