NYC Cab Driver Review Packs Queens Restaurant
NYC cab driver and food reviewer Ertan Bek's viral video review of struggling Queens restaurant Plaka turned everything around in just four days. He raved about their spinach pie and moussaka, and the spot went from empty to packed with customers — proving one authentic review's power for small businesses (4K likes, 72K views).
Ertan Bek, the cabbie behind the "NewYorkTurk" food reviews, has a history of visiting a wide range of New York City eateries, from Michelin-starred restaurants to local hidden gems. His visit to Plaka, a Greek restaurant in Queens, came after he noticed the family-run establishment appeared to be struggling. The restaurant is owned and operated by a Greek couple in their 70s, with help from their children. Before Bek's review, the spacious dining room was nearly empty, with only a single customer at a table when the food reviewer walked in. Three days after Bek's video went live, the scene at Plaka was dramatically different. The restaurant was filled with customers, and the kitchen was struggling to keep up with the newfound demand. The owner, affectionately called "theía" (Greek for "aunt") by Bek, was so overwhelmed with gratitude that she reportedly had to turn off delivery orders because they had run out of certain dishes. The impact of the viral review was immediately felt by the family. One employee, overcome with emotion, told Bek, "God sent you here." The owner expressed how the review had lifted their spirits and brought their restaurant back to life. This isn't the first time a social media post has turned a restaurant's fortunes around. In Las Vegas, Frankenson's Pizzeria was on the verge of closing before a viral TikTok review by influencer Keith Lee led to a massive surge in customers. Similarly, a seven-second TikTok video posted by the owner's daughter saved Lee's Noodle House, a 20-year-old Vietnamese restaurant in California that was struggling financially.
