Ay Gevalt

Moishe's is one of many Russian/Central Asian bodegas catering to the local Jewish community, remarkable because it's conveniently located right next door to the mighty bagel emporium Hot Bialys. Among its small selection are plenty of freshly baked cookies and breads, barrels of dried fruits and nuts, frozen and canned goods galore, a few cases of meats, cheeses, and assorted prepared foods, and, of course, phone cards. This Queens County juror was happy to take home a bag of frozen Russian veal dumplings made in Brighton Beach, a vacuum-packed hunk of spicy Armenian basturma, a chewy wheel of Uzbek lepeshka bread, a pound of garlicky carrot salad, and a tub of super-sour cream for under $20. The only disappointing purchase was a fresh meat pastry: light and flaky on the outside, mysterious and gray on the inside.

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Shopping • Forest Hills

The Past is The Present

It's like stepping into a Norman Rockwell painting. Take a stool at the original marble counter and get served ice cream in cold steel dishes. Ditch the paper cups. That whipped cream doesn't take orders from an aerosol can; it's made fresh. The Cintrano family has been getting the scoop since 1968, but the shop goes back over ninety years. Four families have presided over the freezer. Toffee chip, vanilla chip, butter pecan, and peach (in summer) are favored at Eddie's. There are no gimmicks, only reliable stand-bys: banana splits, milkshakes, malts, and sundaes. Leaded glass--not real Tiffany lamps but we'll work with them. The freezer is from the '30s and still in use. There's an old-fashioned display case for toys (remember Pinky balls?). There's even an old-time phone booth. The fittings somehow enhance the flavors. It's all real, in case you thought this kind of joint went the way of ten-cent subway fare.

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Restaurants • Forest Hills

Jury Duty Lunch

If sentenced to serve as a Queens County criminal court juror, one can do worse than to follow the crowd over to Hot Bialys at mealtime. The shop's namesake carbohydrate is really nothing special, but the bagels are good, the coffee decent. The lunchtime roster of classic deli sandwiches draws a chatty crowd of regulars--court employees, lawyers, judges, and even a smattering of what could be defendants--making eavesdropping much more fun than turning on the iPod. My best overheard exchange: "Well, here we are again, both having the beef on rye." "Yep, that bitch got me again. Damn." Dick Wolf would like this place.

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Bagels • Forest Hills