Peanut butter & jelly. Gin & tonic. Tom & Jerry. Some things are just meant to be together.
The next colossal combo is Natan Badalov with Tootles & French.
That’s right. The Astoria-based comedian has a steady, First Sunday gig at a local restaurant for the next few months.
He’ll tackle empathy, family, and the Middle East via Chosen Fam: A Work In Progress on Sunday, Jan. 5, at 8 pm…and so on until at least March.
Admission is $5 with a one-item purchase minimum.
Badalov, who was born in Uzbekistan, but grew up in Jackson Heights before settling in Astoria, has appeared in the New York Comedy Festival among countless other showcases around the state. The thirty-something created Park West, an animated web series about his time in yeshiva which ran on Jewzy.tv, Channel 101 NY, American Jewish Film Festival, Alternative Film Festival, and ANIMATOR, a Polish animated film competition. He also wrote The Unibrow and Plastic Bag, a collection short stories published by Be’chol Lashon, a nonprofit that celebrates diverse Jewish voices.
Tootles & French, which operates at 36-15 Ditmars Blvd., was recently nominated for USA Today’s Best New Restaurant. (Winner to be announced on Jan. 2, 2025 at noon.) The eclectic menu features a Bone Marrow small plate, Glazed Tofu, French’s Chopped Cheese, and Vegan Benedict, along with several dozen wines.
Image: Nathan Badalov