Photo: QueensPost
Nov. 24, 2011 By Christian Murray
Another French restaurant is opening in Sunnyside and this one will be owned by the former proprietor of Bliss Bistro, Alim Maruf.
Maruf, with his business partner Abu Khan, is opening up “Tapenade” at the location of the former Rose Restaurant on Queens Blvd. “The menu will be larger and more affordable than what Bliss Bistro was,” Maruf said. Bliss was a French bistro located on Skillman Ave. (46th St.) that closed earlier this year
Maruf will be in competition with the recently opened Bliss 46, which is a French restaurant run by Bliss Bistro’s former chef. However, he is not concerned about the competition, saying he has another expert chef—and that his restaurant will pay particular attention to ambiance, music and decoration.
Tapenade will offer typical French fare: from calamari, escargot, quiche, duck legs, pate and cassoulet. He will also offer pastas, shell steak, lamb shank, wine and beer.
There will also be a children’s menu.
While Maruf misses the neighborhood feel of Skillman Avenue, he said he likes his new space. “Queens Blvd is the heart of Sunnyside where people come from all over…there is the subway and it is accessible to people from both sides of the blvd.”
The restaurant will be able to cater to 55 diners inside and as many as 40 in the patio out the back.
Maruf is confident of his success, despite the closure of Bliss Bistro. “If everyone supports me, it will do well.”
The restaurant will be open during weekdays from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
On Saturdays and Sundays, the hours will be 11 a.m. through 11 p.m.
The restaurant is schedule to open at the end of December.
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Oh quit the act. He slimed himself, no one needed to do it for him. We are calling him out. The public needs to know how he treats people in the neighborhood.
And no, Raquel made the quote above defending him in this case. Not just Krissi. This has nothing to do with other situations and real estate brokers.
This blog talks about people stealing and thieving in the neighborhood. What about the kids stealing phones, is their a second side to that story? No. Stealing is stealing and he stole well over 90,000! A stupid phone is a joke compared with that.
For the record, I do not know Mr. Maruf. However, I want businesses to do well. There are also two sides to every story.
Mr. Raquel’s Lawyer, et al: Ms. Moorhead can defend herself without your sliming Mr. Maruf. And it was Krissi who was defending Maruf! Try reading. Reading is fundamental. Don’t start me on real estate brokers.
Raquel said, “Just looking ,you are a real jerk. You don’t understand landlord/tenant disputes.”
That sounds like defending what Maruf did since there was no “dispute”. He just cheated her out of money. Even if this “happens all the time” as Krissi said, it does not make it any less disgusting.
His behavior is equivalent to 1500 patrons skipping out on the check. Doing 10,000 worth of graffiti in the neighborhood can get you a year or more in prison. He did 9 times that amount in damage. He should be in jail.
Just Looking – To be fair Raquel was not defending Maruf. I believe you are confusing Raquel with Krissi.
@ Raquel I know it is better to pay just debts than not. I know very little about real estate brokers, landlord tenant disputes, Mr. Maruf, The Rose, or hatred. I corrected you when you said you were not defending the man, when clearly you were. That is all. Be consistent. Be clear. The topic is enlightened when we discuss it that way. Otherwise the conversation degenerates into name calling and confusion and nothing is accomplished. May all be well.
Mr. Lawyer, you are addressing your comments to the wrong person – Krissi was defending him, not me. The level of vitriol towards Mr. Maruf is really astonishing. And no, I don’t know him. The hatred has been duly noted.
Just Looking, you were going after me because of KRISSI’S comments regarding landlord/tenant disputes. Perhaps you would like to start a thread about REAL ESTATE BROKERS. Some of us would have a lot to say about that one! Would you prefer an empty space where The Rose used to be? I liked the Rose- I am sorry they closed.
@ Raquel Again, you did not address the comment I made. It was regarding defending the restauranteur, not about real estate practices between landlords and businesses. You’ve proven my point.
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Raquel, do you understand he cheated her out of money? There was no dispute, he didn’t pay what he owed. End of story. He used laws meant to protect tenants to avoid paying his debts. How can you even defend that?
We all understand how disputes work, but this is a clear cut case of him legally defrauding someone dear to the community. He also did not pay his staff or other owed expenses.
I can’t wait until this restaurant closes. His new landlord is a real idiot.
I can’t help but laugh at all the earlier “how can someone who isn’t French make French food?” comments. Come on folks, are you really that provincial?
Just looking ,you are a real jerk. You don’t understand landlord/tenant disputes. “Payback is a bi – – -ch”. Are you Ms. Moorehead’s lawyer?
All I can Say is That “Payback Is Bi-ch’ HA
@ Holier-Than-Thou Well said.
By Mr. Maruf’s standards I can eat at his restaurant and walk out on the check, no?
it is a shame that there are no great stores to shop in for clothes or shoes.
@ Raquel This is a verbatim quote from Krissi: “. . .business is business. It is very unfortunate what happened to Dorothy, but Alim Maruf has been nothing but kind and friendly to me, and I will continue to be a patron of his.” That is a defense.
You often write things that make absolutely no sense. A course in logical thinking might be in order for you.
Mike, I don’t think Krissi is defending Maruf. Nobody should be happy when a business fails. Obviously Ms. Moorehead can speak for herself.
Krissi,
How terribly sad that you condone this kind of behavior as “business as usual”.
I guess it perfectly OK, until its YOU who get screwed out of money.
Would you still be Maluf’s friend if he did this to you?
“Its even beyond belief that people like Krissi will claim support for a thief and liar like Alim Maruf. I wonder if she should have the same opinion if he stole from her or her family?”
Mike, as someone who also works in the RE business, this happens ALL THE TIME. I’m practically the queen of the eviction process. But business is business. It is very unfortunate what happened to Dorothy, but Alim Maruf has been nothing but kind and friendly to me, and I will continue to be a patron of his.
And for all of you complaining about yet “another” restaurant in the neighborhood, if you haven’t noticed our best restaurants in the neighborhood, like Pio Pio, Salt and Fat, Chips, Quaint, Kettle, TJ’s Asian Bitstro, Nodus, Dee Thai, and many, many more do VERY good business. Try not waiting on line for on a weekend night for any of those places.
The fact of the matter is the neighborhood is changing and there are many young people moving in who prefer dining out than eating in and have the money to pay for it. I’d prefer a restaurant opening up to another 99 cent store ANY time.
Helios
“All those restaurants and we can’t get a simple fresh turkey club with a cup of coffee. Or Leek soup, homemade. The kind The Rose used to serve. BooHoo.”
Try PJ Horgans. That’s my go-to for pub fare 🙂
Mike Novak is my friend and neighbor but not my attorney, though he is indeed a good advocate! To clarify the situation, after a year of bounced rent checks–if any at all–and four years of unpaid water bills, in March Maruf signed a stipulation that he would either pay me $92,000 or vacate the premises on April 15. He vacated on April 16, leaving me, his employees, vendors and investors unpaid. Because of the stipulation which we both signed, I am unable to sue him for the money he owes me–a typical outcome in landlord/tenant court, especially where the tenant does not have “deep pockets,” e.g., a large corporation. I’m glad to put the whole situation behind me and wish the best of luck to James and Padraigh, owners of The Dog and Duck. The food at their lovely new gastro-pub at the site of the former Bliss Bistro is great and I hope everyone gives it a try.
Mike, are you Dorothy Moorehead’s attorney? I think Ms. Moorehead is capable of fighting her own battles. I don’t like your jumping on this guy without hearing his side of the story. I like the Rose and was sorry they closed which I believe was because of the huge increase in rent. I want people to be successful in this neighborhood.
It’s true we have too many 99 cents and up stores, but Salt and Fat is often jam packed with a line because they have a talented chef and offer a different menu, and good service and a fair price for what they offer.
Not only do they serve the neighborhood but encourage others to visit making Sunnyside a destination not just a pit stop.
Juan, Thank you for the correction. I was wondering why Bliss 46 had the exact same menu as Bliss Bisto, and when I heard that the chef was the same….well….my bad.
Still, I cannot believe Maruf has the balls to open up in the same neighborhood where he screwed Ms. Moorehead and two others out of money.
Its even beyond belief that people like Krissi will claim support for a thief and liar like Alim Maruf. I wonder if she should have the same opinion if he stole from her or her family?
We don’t need any more liars and thieves in our neighborhood.
Not only does Maruf owe Moorehead back rent, but he took deposits from 2 seperate people for private parties at Bliss and never paid paid them back after he closed Bliss. “If everyone supports me, it will do well.” I certainly will not be supporting a guy like this.
All those restaurants and we can’t get a simple fresh turkey club with a cup of coffee. Or Leek soup, homemade. The kind The Rose used to serve. BooHoo.
two “french” restaurants? One chef has a latino name and the other guys sound middle eastern. Only in Sunnyside. Guess you can get away with charging 20 bucks for dishes if you “claim” its French. In a town that can’t support anything but 99 cent stores why would 2 $$$ faux-french restaurants move in?
Mike Novak,
Don’t get confused. Bliss 46 (the French Restaurant) is NOT the one being run by Alim Maruf.
Maruf’s will be Tapenade where Rose Restaurant is.
For those of you who who don’t know the story…Dorothy Moorhead is the owner of the building where the Bliss restaurant was under Maruf. He fell back on his rent, bounced several checks, and finally had to be evicted by the courts for nonpayment.
The hubris of Maruf to open up two blocks from his last disaster is unmeasurable. How anyone can continue to patronize his businesses after what he did is beyond me.
Caveat Emptor.
Hey, Mike, don’t sugarcoat it, tell us what you really think! 😉
If we’re all eating “fair trade” and “locally sourced” food, we must consistently support right relationships between citizens. If the restauranteur left unpaid bills in this neighborhood, he needs to settle up fair and square before we patronize him again. Fair is fair. And unfair stinks.
Absolutely adored Bliss Bistro and will be happilly supporting Alim!
Can’t wait!
Last summer, I reported a Sunnyside restaurant for not displaying a sanitation rating. Finally, a “Rating Pending” notice appeared at the entrance, dated 9/15/11. Today, 11/25/11, that “Pending” notice is still displayed. Should it take more than two months for an actual rating to be decided?
Does anybody in Sunnyside want to eat French food? Not at those prices?
Do we know that he’s not paying back the money? It would influence my patronage.
Do you have to be French to make French food? I make great tacos and a tasty pasta dish but I’m neither Mexican nor Italian.
Awesome! Just what we need in Sunnyside…more places to eat! I swear you’ll go hungry around here if you’re not careful.
How is someone allowed to stay in bisiness and not pay rent for a year. I would have shut hime down asap. No rent no store or restarant. What are the laws regarding lack of payment of rent? Does anyone know the answer.
Pus two guys opening a french eatery that do not know french. This shoud be intereting. Plus they did own Biss Bistro so they did were successufl in business and evading paying their rent as well.
he will be running another dirty grade pending place.
Perhaps a French restaurant owned by someone with a French name might be more successful.
As the above commenter points out, this guy is a deadbeat.
Loved his food then and will probably love it again. Sorry for whomever Ms. Moorhead is. Maybe she should pursue this through the court system.
With owners named Alim Maruf and Abu Khan, one can only wonder how “French” this restaurant will be.
How the F&^K does he have the BALLS to open up on 46th Street after he screwed Dorothy Moorhead out of nearly a years rent at Bliss? NOBODY SHOULD SPEND A DIME ON THE GUY!!!!