Grand Cafe - 37-01 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103718.777.7321
N/W Train to 30th Avenue
www.grandcafelounge.com
Grand Cafe always promises a great--and filling--meal, especially for brunch. Known for their $11.50 weekend brunch special, you won't go hungry here with a sampling of fresh-out-of-the-oven mini muffins, an entree, coffee or tea and a morning cocktail. The fact that the portions are super generous never hurts and you'll never find this place empty on Saturday or Sunday--day or night.
My friend Julie and I ventured over there last weekend. We had a fun time relaxing in outdoor lounge chairs with umbrellas that protected us from the sun. It made for a lovely and very European-style dining experience.
We both ordered omelets, which we loved:
Mediterranean Omelet - I ordered a Greek-style omelet with tomatoes, onions and salty--and nicely melted--feta cheese. This is what I call a proper breakfast! The eggs were the perfect consistency--not runny but not too rubbery either. The cheese made this dish, in my opinion, as I loved the way it melted with the rest of the ingredients. The side of home fries that accompanied it were also tasty. Embellished with onions, paprika and cooked on the well-done side, they were a great partner to the omelet.
Omelet with Avocado and Tomato - This was Julie's dish and although I didn't taste it, her comment was that she loved the durable consistency of the avocado--it wasn't mushy and runny, as she was expecting. She said that everything worked well together and she enjoyed the mix of flavors very much.
Coffee - I have to shine a brief spotlight on Grand's coffee because it's really exceptional. It tasted fresh brewed and the aroma took over my senses immediately after being poured into the mug. I also loved that little vanilla pirouette cookie that Grand serves with each cup of coffee. Crunchy and delicious, it's fun to dip into the coffee and indulge, even if for just a brief second. It's those extra special touches that really won over my heart.
Cost and Service:
As mentioned above, the cost for brunch is a prix-fixed $11.50, which is hard to beat.
The service is one of the most efficient that I've experienced in Astoria. Our muffins came out even before ordering and our entrees appeared a short 7 minutes after ordering--unreal! While there was some inconsistency with the service--it seemed like we had 5 different servers--it was all good and very proactive. I give this place kudos all around.
3 loud Mmmms
Great review Judith! I must say the one addition I'd like to see there in the future is soy milk!
ReplyDeleteI hear ya, I forgot about that.
ReplyDeleteCan't say I agree. It's an "okay" brunch. The food is nothing phenomenal, although I do love those mini muffins at the beginning. That may be the only part. I usually find the omelettes over done, salads bland, and pancakes dry. It's good for a place to please any picky eaters. You can't go wrong, but it's not quite right.
ReplyDelete