Why do certain foods fall out of fashion? That's the question posed by the Astor Room, a new restaurant located in the former commissary of the still-active Kaufman Astoria Studios. The spot is a throwback to the moviemaker's glory days, when Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson, and the Marx Brothers trolled these grounds. The menu is intriguing conceptually, and the staff is both friendly and knowledgeable (you'll undoubtedly learn that J.J. Astor became the neighborhood's namesake after investing $500 there—but never actually stepped foot in it). Unfortunately, owner Chris Vlacich fails to re-create the unbridled bliss of the Roaring '20s. The main problem: the décor. Some natural light filters in, but the subterranean space borders on depressing. While architectural elements like the original multihued tiled walls and an early-20th-century fan add quirky charm, the office-like, exposed-grid drop ceiling and drab, patterned carpet scream hotel dining—and we're talking Ramada, not Ritz-Carlton.
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