5 Napkin's Hornitos Bowl Starts Wednesday

I was excited to learn that 5 Napkin Burger is stepping it up for this year's Superbowl and doing something totally different by creating their very own Hornitos Bowl.  Happening at all their locations, not just in Astoria, the Hornitos Bowl  is a fun way to participate in healthy team rivalry by placing some fancy cocktails into the mix.  Here's how it works:

5 Napkin will be rolling out two themed cocktails, the Deja Blue in honor the G-Men and The Redemption for the Patriots.  Each drink will be served starting from tomorrow all the way through Superbowl Sunday.  Based on which cocktail gets ordered most (eh hem...G-Men?!), a winner will be announced on Monday in its full glory.  Will the Hornitos bowl reflect the outcome of the big game? Let's all hope so.

Here's the scoop about these drinks:

Deja Blue (New York Giants) - $10

2 oz  Hornitos Plata
1/4 oz Blue Curaçao
1 oz  fresh lime
1 oz simple syrup
1/2 oz fresh lemon
1/2 oz fresh OJ
4 ea cucumber wheel
3 ea jalapeño wheel

The Redemption (New England Patriots) - $10 
2 1/2 oz Hornitos Plata
3/4 oz triple sec
1 oz strawberry purée
1 oz lime juice
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 simple syrup

5 Napkin Burger - 35-01 36th Street, Astoria, NY 11106
718.433.2727
N/Q Train to Steinway Street, R/V/G Train to Steinway Street www.5napkinburger.com

Superbowl Take-Out Eats - Are you ready?

As many are just thrilled about the big game this Sunday, restaurants are no doubt planning big parties with lots of food and drinks specials.  It's going to get wild!  While I usually do a round up of where to go out, this year I'm switching it up by giving you the scoop on the best places to take-in when hosting your own football shin-dig.  Whatever you do, enjoy and let's hope the G-Men bring it home!

Sal, Chris & Charlie's Deli - Want to ring in the Suberbowl with a big sandwich? This is the place to go, as any true Astorian knows they make the most delectable sandwiches in town with fresh, premium cold cuts and great quality cheeses.  The bread is fantastic, sealing the deal on this big time hero.  Pre-order yours pronto to get it in time for the big game.  33-12 23rd Avenue, Astoria NY 11102.  718.278.9240

Key Food - I know what you may be thinking..."Key Food...really?!" Yeah, really.  Their big hero sandwich is also legit and generally more affordable than the full monty at Sal, Chris and Charlie's.  It's packaged conveniently and comes with all your necessary condiments like mayo, mustard, and a side of potato salad and cole slaw.  32-21 Newtown Avenue, Astoria NY 11103.  718.728.9403  

Palace Fried Chicken - One of the best places for wings in Astoria, you can get them as hot or mild as you want to.  They do a nice job with take-out, as the wings arrive fresh and piping hot.  The fried chicken and biscuits are also really delish and make for a perfect football snack.  27-01 21st Street, Astoria NY 11102.  718.932.8855

The Chirping Chicken -For more chickeny goodness, try the Chirping Chicken where the bird is king.  There's tons of football friendly options to choose from such as buffalo wings, chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, and whole or half chickens too if you're interested.  30-15 Broadway, Astoria NY 11106.  718.721.7766

Pita Pan - Although not your traditional football grub, I love their take-out options including the healthy souvlaki sticks, chicken or beef gyros and even a variety of pizza if you're so inclined.  I like that they offer a whole wheat option on the pizza and the portions aren't gargantuan if you're trying to tone things down.  Their delivery is pretty quick too, but allow for extra time on Superbowl Sunday.  37-15 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103.  718.204.1633

Sac's Place - If you're in the mood for really nice quality brick oven pizza, treat your guests to Sac's.  You can choose from your basic margarita pizza to fancy options with prosciutto, meatballs, gourmet cheeses and more.  Pasta is a nice complement to your order, and since it's pretty filling, it'll go a long way.  25-41 Broadway, Astoria NY 11106.  718.204.5002

La Vita Mia - Another yummy place for pizza take-out, I love the great quality of their dough on their traditional pizzas, but especially on the thicker-crust Grandma pizza.  You'll pay a premium for the latter but it's worth every penny.  Their wings are pretty delicious as well.  28-01 24th Avenue, Astoria NY 11102.  718.267.0310

La Guli Pastry Shop - Making the food at home but still looking for a gorgeous dessert? My colleagues at We Heart Astoria just spotted this beauty from La Guli Pastry Shop, which is making Giants themed cakes in honor of Superbowl Sunday.  Order yours in advance or pick up a couple of spontaneous treats on game day.  29-15 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria NY 11105.  718.728.5612

Make Your Own Big Sandwich - If you're the one making the grub for the shin-dig, consider making your own big sandwich.  For great quality cold cuts, I highly recommend Rosario's Deli, and in terms of bread, you can't get anything better than at Rose & Joe's right across the street - especially their olive bread, it's amazing!  Rosario's - 22-55 31st Street, Astoria NY 11105.  718.728.2920.  Rose & Joe's Bakery - 22-40 31st Street, Astoria NY 11105.  718.721.9422

Bacon Deviled Eggs - You may remember that I first tried making these a week ago for the championship Sunday party and they were a hit.  I love them for a football party because they're bite sized, easy to eat, and the bacon makes them stinkin' delicious.  See my recipe here. 

Calling All Talented Female Chefs

Image by nymag.com

Here's something fun and totally different from my friends at Ovelia.  I don't have to even tell you how much I love this place, and the friendly folks that run it are the main reason.  Loving how entrepreneurial and innovative they are, I'm always finding out about the cool, new things they're constantly doing to spruce up Ovelia but also how they're evolving professionally.  This new idea comes from their chef and co-owner, Pete who some of you may know has previously been featured on Food Network's Chopped.

Calling all talented female chefs!  
Pete is working on a cool performance piece at Lincoln Center and is on the hunt for a talented female chef who's also artistically inclined, and certainly not camera shy.  The gig involves for this individual to cook in front of a camera but to also use her performance skills, whether through singing or acting.  It sounds like a fabulous opportunity to get noticed and what better stage to take than at Lincoln Center!  Here are the vitals:

- The performance will take place in May

- Candidate must be willing to put in about 4 hours of practice time per week

- Would prefer to get someone from the boroughs

If this sounds interesting to you, please feel free to contact Pete directly, and tell 'em who sent ya.  Good luck and I hope to see you on the big stage!

Fort Reno BBQ - Simply Good Barbecue

This week, I was lucky to attend a special preview of a new barbecue joint in my brother’s neighborhood of Park Slope.  Enjoying the Slope not only for its charm, I just love trying all the amazing culinary treats it offers.  Excited to attend the restaurant’s preview, open just to the media before its big reveal this week, I invited Dan to join me in this yummy meatfest.

Atmosphere:
Even though it’s located on a major street near the R train, Fort Reno is a bit hidden from view and you really have to keep your eyes peeled to spot it.  It helps that its street number is prominently displayed on the outside, so definitely look out for that, as it’ll help you find the way.

Once you get inside, you’ll notice just how intimate it is.  There’s a small bar immediately opposite the entrance and some communal seating off to the left.  To the right of the bar is where you can find the food counter where you place your order and pick up your food.  I first didn’t know how I felt about that, but honestly, it’s all part of the casual BBQ fun and fits in quite well.

I just loved the repurposed look of the whole place, including a mirror mosaic wall, mason jar and colander light fixtures, and repurposed wooden tables and benches.  It set the theme for what was a comfortable evening filled with delightful, homey food.

Food:
Although the offering was a bit limited, featuring 3 proteins and 5 sides, we managed to try nearly everything - even getting a little bonus of a side, which I'll get into shortly.  We really enjoyed the simple, but thoughtfully prepared food, which left a great impression on us and no doubt a burning desire to come back.

Meats - Dan and I immediately gravitated to the pork ribs and the brisket.  The former was ready from the get go and we devoured it, but the latter wasn't yet finished and we had to wait about an hour and change for it (that's where the extra side dish came in).  Even though we thought it'd be worth the wait, I'm not entirely sure, as it was flavorful but too over salted.

The ribs were delectable though, falling off the bone, finger lickin' good and packed with tons of smoky flavor.  There were about 5 in the small rack we got, and we could've devoured another 5 easily.  Despite the small portion, there was a lot of meat on the bones, which was refreshing.

Sides - This is where Fort Reno really shined, and I can't say that any one side didn't completely satisfy me because it clearly did.  My two big standouts were the fluffy, buttery biscuits you see above and the 3-cheese mac 'n cheese.

Let me first start with the biscuits, which were soft and airy, with the most amazing crunchy crust.  I can confidently say I haven't had a biscuit this spectacular to date - and what was fantastic is that they didn't feel the least bit heavy.

My second clear winner was the 3-cheese mac n' cheese, which was just bodaciously good.  It combined gruyere, cheddar and parmesan with small shell pasta and the creamiest bechamel sauce that went down real smooth.  I loved the crunchy breadcrumb crust on top, and because we both recognized its excellence, we nearly licked the bowl clean.

The other sides of baked beans, collard greens and cole slaw were also tasty, and I especially enjoyed the veggies that cut some of the richness of the other sides I just mentioned.

Drinks - Besides the food, Fort Reno is really great at creating sophisticated specialty drinks that pair really well with all the comforting food.  Dan and I both tasted their fun creations, he going with the Old Fashioned and me with a drink called Bobbito Burns.  I was especially drawn to mine because it combined the smoky flavors of mezcal, tequila and even meat bitters.  Yep, you heard me right...meat bitters.  As I initially raised an eyebrow at that, my doubts were put to rest, as this drink delivered something incredibly sexy and masculine, a perfect pairing with the smoky BBQ.

Service and Cost:
Overall, the service matched the atmosphere at Fort Reno, as it was casual and laid back, but everyone was also well informed about what they were serving.  It seems that the place is run by a group of good friends, and they do a nice job of promoting that camaraderie to their patrons.  Dan and I felt it, and it made us feel happy and relaxed.

Prices are affordable and even though this was a complimentary tasting, I inquired about the price point.  They purposely gave us portions reflective of everyday plates and a serving of a single protein and two sides would've set one back about $15 or slightly less.  Specialty drinks are priced at $7 - $11 and beers are $6.

3 Mmmms

Fort Reno BBQ - 669 Union Street, Brooklyn NY 11215
347.227.7777
R Train to Union Street
www.fort-reno.us

Bacon Deviled Eggs - A Smoky Football Treat

As football mania continues with the Giants’ big win last week, I’ve been experimenting with fun football treats that I’ve been trying out on friends and family. Last week’s was a creative rendition of deviled eggs, which were made with sinful, smoky bacon bits inside the egg filling and on top too.

I got the idea to do this from an article in this month’s Bon Appetit that highlighted many non-traditional ways to make a deviled egg. The bacon option really appealed to me, especially since I’ve been on a bacon kick lately (i.e. did you see my chocolate chip bacon pancakes?).

Broiling off some really good quality bacon, I got it nice and crisp, then let it cool down and cut it up into little chunks. This then got mixed in with the egg yolk filling, together with some creamy mayo and also the super flavorful bacon drippings that I saved for myself. As you can tell from the picture, the overall effect looked vibrant and appetizing, and my guests were pretty happy with it too. I stuffed the eggs in a rustic fashion, simply by using a spoon instead of a fancy piping technique, and it definitely fit the occasion.

Hope you have fun experimenting too, and do let me know about the different combinations you come up with.

Bacon Deviled Eggs (serves 6)
Ingredients:
12 eggs, hard boiled
3 tbs of mayonnaise
2 tsp of grain mustard or Dijon mustard
3 - 4 pieces of organic bacon, broiled
Handful of parsley, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 or set to broil.  Place bacon on a lined baking sheet and cook for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes.  Chop into small pieces and reserve about 1/4 of it for the topping.  Strain bacon drippings into a small bowl.

Place eggs in a large saucepan, add water to cover by 1".  Bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Drain.  Transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water and let cool completely, about 10 minutes; peel.  Halve lengthwise and remove yolks.

Finely mash reserved yolks, bacon fat, mayonnaise and mustard in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper, but use the salt sparingly.

Take a spoon and scoop out the filling into each egg in a rustic fashion.  Top with the remainder of the bacon and the chopped parsley. 

Recipe adopted from Bon Appetit, February 2012 issue

Unlimited Sunday Brunch at The Beer Garden

Always on the hunt for a good brunch deal, I noticed a really sweet and unexpected brunch special at The Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden that I wanted to share.  Extremely popular in the warm spring and summer months, "The Beer Garden" as many of us still call it, chills out a bit during the wintertime when their outdoor garden isn't exactly the draw.  For this reason, I see they're working on a couple of interesting specials (including drinks and food deals during sporting events) but also this fabulous all-you-can-eat brunch option on Sundays.  Here goes...

Every Sunday from noon - 2 p.m. enjoy an all-you-can eat breakfast buffet for just $10.95.  What's even better is that this comes with your choice of 2 mimosas or 2 bloody Marys.  How great is that?!

Note that this special is very much seasonal, so when spring and summer arrive, expect that it may not stay put.  But in the meantime, go ahead and enjoy it!

Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden - 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria NY 11102

718.274.4925

N/Q Train to Astoria Blvd

www.bohemianhall.com

Koliba's Venison Feast is Coming

Any excuse I can make to get myself over to my beloved Koliba Slovak restaurant, I'm there.  The reason I love it, aside from the fact it deeply connects to my Slovak roots, is the excellent quality Eastern European comfort food they serve.  True that it's beloved by a lot of European ex-pats (including my whole family) but it has to be said that not one of my American friends hasn't embraced it with enthusiasm and an open palette.  

I recently caught wind of the Venison Feast they're hosting this entire weekend.  Just take a gander at this menu, and if it strikes your fancy, I highly recommend making a reservation:

**Caveat - the below menu is not for the faint of heart**

Venison Feast - Friday 1/27 - 1/29

Deer with cream sauce
Sauteed boar's leg
Deer loin in garlic
Hunter's goulash
Wild rabbit in cream sauce
Pheasant in wine sauce

If you prefer ordering off their regular menu, you can do that too, and I highly recommend the spaetzle with sheep's milk cheese and bacon or the beef goulash.

Koliba - 31-11 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105

718.626.0430

N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.kolibarestaurant.com

Who Wins the Crown for the Best Hot Chocolate?

Only recently have I started getting into these NYC Food Crawls, participating in the last one back in December, where we were on the hunt for macarons.  Well I had so much fun, making new foodie friends and tasting amazing things, that I decided to do it again this month.  The theme of hot chocolate sounded delicious and impossible to turn down, so friends or no friends with me, I decided to just go for it. 

Just like last time, all the crawlers met at an agreed spot, set by our organizer, Amanda.  There we broke up into groups and received our location map, listing 5 intriguing hot chocolate haunts, located in the Soho area.  Luckily, I'm pretty familiar with this neighborhood, so I was able to advise my group about the best order of our hot chocolate route.  They seemed grateful and in the end, we found our strategy worked, as we got ahead of every larger group on the crawl and enjoyed these places without having to wait too long.  

Here's where the hot chocolate route took us...

Ground Support - Realizing I must've passed by this place on many occasions, but for whatever reason failed to go in, I was excited to explore a new niche coffee house in the area.  Although we came for the hot chocolate of course, it has to be noted that they also sell Intelligentsia Coffee, which is devine and originates from Chicago (my friends Kimberly and Jonathan turned me on to it).  But back to hot chocolate...

Ground Support's hot chocolate looked anything but standard, elegant with a beautiful heart shaped foam on top.  Its taste was nice and smooth, and not too sweet, which I liked. Some of my crawl companions noted that it was a little watered down, but I liked that it wasn't overly rich and would go back for another.  399 West Broadway, New York NY 10012.  212.219.8722

Vosges Chocolat - Oh yes...this place again.  Some of you may have read my post a few weeks ago about the spicy hot chocolate I had there, together with my cousin Vicky, but in this visit, I tried the white Bianca Couture Cocoa.  Its taste was unlike anything I've had before, and for something totally unique and un hot chocolate-like, I'd highly suggest it.  Containing a citrus essence from the lemon myrtle (sort of like lemongrass) and a hint of lavender too, it was a sophisticated anti hot chocolate if you will.  132 Spring Street, New York NY 10012.  212.625.2929

Marie Belle - Almost on the same level of sophistication as Vosges, but maybe a little bit more even, Marie Belle's charming chocolate room provided us with a perfect little tasting of their signature Aztec hot chocolate.  We all swooned over the first sip and the next few that followed, as we drained our cups and licked our lips with satisfaction.  This was the real thing, with a deep, dark rich chocolate flavor that tasted almost more like a sauce.  There was nearly no dilution of milk and a small portion went a long way.   484 Broome Street, New York NY 10013.  212.925.6999

Jacques Torres - After Marie Belle, we were off to Mr. Chocolate's place AKA Jacques Torres.  Known for incredibly rich, and excellent quality chocolate, we had high hopes, but at the same time, I knew it wouldn't be as unique as a Marie Belle's, as it's quite commercial.

Upon entering the store, which also has a chocolate factory attached to it, we were astounded by how crowded it was.  No matter, we were already here and we wanted what we came for.  Impressed by all the flavors of hot chocolate they had, we ordered a caramel and a peanut butter hot chocolate.  I'm disappointed to report that both looked an tasted exactly the same, and I simply couldn't detect the peanut butter flavoring at all.  Its taste was very delicious and creamy, however I saw it was made with a lot of butter, as a layer of grease was visible at the top.  My crawl companions loved it though and said some even tasted the peanut putter.  Maybe a placebo effect? I don't know...350 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014.  212.414.2462 

Little Cupcake Bakeshop - I liked that this location was off the beaten path, and like its name suggests, it was a charming cupcake shop with many creative flavors of cupcakes (none of which were small).  There's only one hot chocolate flavor here, and it comes with marshmallows.  It reminded me of Ground Support's a bit, in that it was lighter and not as thick as Marie Belle's or Jacques Torres'.  The marshmallows were lovely and I was glad they finally made an appearance on our tour.  As I took my last few gulps of chocolatey goodness, I concurred it was a good way to end our chocolate journey, with something a little lighter and more nostalgic.  30 Prince Street, New York NY 10012.  212.941.9100

So which one takes the crown, you ask?  Marie Belle hands down!

If you'd like to join a future NYC Crawl, sign up for their Facebook alerts, and I hope to run into you there.  A big shout-out to my new hot chocolate friends Sarah, Ben and Marina!

Snow Day Breakfast - Chocolate Chip Bacon Pancakes

Today's first real snowstorm of the season provided a nice break from reality, as I stayed in most of the day and cooked up some tasty eats.  It all started with breakfast, as I took it as an opportunity to finally make the Mo's Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancakes I've been meaning to make for Dan and me for over a month.  You may remember me telling you about the bodacious hot chocolate I recently had at Vosges.  Well while perusing the store, I also bought the aforementioned pancake mix that completely intrigued me upon first sight. 

While I normally wouldn't make something from a mix unless I was in a real bind, this was totally different, as it contained really excellent ingredients, and not to mention the to-die-for bacon chocolate Vosges is so well known for.  Although I'm not a skilled pancake maker and end up mangling their shape most of the time (and again today!), the flavor was absolutely delicious and the chocolate bacon chips I nestled into each pancake melted beautifully, producing the most amazing sweet and smoky flavor.  Paired with really good quality natural maple syrup, Dan and I were on cloud nine while eating them rather quickly.

I truly enjoyed this treat and saved enough of the mix and chocolate chips for another day, but I may experiment with my own version of it in the future too.  If you'd like to buy the mix, it's well worth it and available at the Vosges boutique on Spring street, or you can simply buy it online.  Salivating yet?

Vosges - 132 Spring Street, New York NY 10012
212.625.2929
6 Train to Spring Street
www.vosgeschocolate.com 

Last Minute Emergency Gnocchi

I had quite the culinary dilemma today, as I got home late from work, had to do more work at home and eat somewhere in between too.  Another issue was that I had absolutely nothing good in the house, and had no time to grab my favorite take-out.  On the verge of being extremely grumpy (no doubt influenced by my hunger), I started to really rack my brain for what we had in the fridge and whether I really could create something out of nothing.  "Tomatoes, blue cheese, garlic, parsley...Hmmm...," it was definitely enough to work with.  I also remembered I had some store bought gnocchi in my pantry that could certainly go well with those ingredients.

I first started to chop my tomatoes, then some red onion I found in the fridge too.  Next came the garlic and wha la, I was on my way to making a homemade tomato sauce.  Getting another idea to further reduce this sauce with good quality red wine that we also had on hand, I created a rich, earthy reduction that tasted like it took hours to prepare (but actually only too about 10 minutes).

Finishing the dish off with crumbled blue cheese, fresh parsley and toasted pepitas, it was really an exceptional surprise.  I was pretty proud of myself to create it on the fly like that, and after the long day I had, I guess I needed some unabashed self-encouragement.  Here's the recipe:

Fooditka's Last Minute Emergency Gnocchi:

Ingredients (serves 2)
1 package of store bought gnocchi (frozen or dry)
2 1/2 medium roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 sweet red onion, diced
2 small garlic cloves, diced
Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Handful of crumbled blue cheese
Generous handful of toasted pepitas
1/4 cup of red wine or two generous glugs
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook gnocchi according to the directions on the packaging.

Pre-heat a non-stick medium skillet and coat it with olive oil (about 1 1/2 tbs or eyeball it).  Let the oil get really hot and then drop in your onions and garlic.  Let cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes and keep stirring it so it doesn't burn.

Lower the heat and add the chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt.  Keep stirring occasionally.  Lower the heat and add your wine, letting it reduce for a few minutes (about 5 minutes).

Combine the cooked gnocchi with a little pasta water, if needed to thin it out.  Garnish with fresh parsley, cheese and pepitas, and freshly ground black pepper.

Alewife - Bar Food with Good Mojo

Ever since I've heard Meg praising the herb fries at Alewife, I knew I had to try it.  She's a bit of a French fry connoisseur, if you will, so I knew she was on to something, and I was naturally eager to try it.  Recently finding out that my friend Julie lived in the neighborhood too, we made plans to meet at Alewife after work and devoured those much praised fries and the impressive-looking gourmet burger you see before you, as well.

Atmosphere:
Situated in the old Lucky Mojo space, I was surprised at Alewife's sheer size.  Based on what I heard and read about it, I expected it to be a small, quaint, cozy place, but instead it's a rather large, open spaced bar with plenty of casual seating.  While the vibe tries to accomplish something rather gastropubey, to me it feels like a glorified sports bar.  Not to say this is a bad thing, as the quality of the food and drink is really good, but somehow its surroundings don't really match its intended concept.  On a random Wednesday night, it felt rather empty and abandoned, but I'm curious to observe it on the weekends, and especially during large sporting events.

Food:
While the menu boasts a lot of sophisticated eats like crispy pork belly, carrot & artichoke tordelli, black feather chicken and more, what we both wanted was some good old fashioned bar food, which of course came in the form of a burger and fries.

Dry Aged Burger and Fries - When asking our server about the burger, he reaffirmed our desires and highly recommended it.  Surprised and delighted when we saw it arrive, the burger was impressive, consisting of a beautifully grilled patty, oozing with juices and topped with melted cheddar cheese.  The true piece-de-resistance, as you can guess was that beautiful pretzel bun, which was golden brown, soft and absolutely substantial enough to hold the burger meat and fixins.  I also loved the pickles on the side, which were clearly homemade, and a nice mix of sweet and sour.

The fries were truly out of this world, as they were the thin, shoestring kind, sprinkled with flecks of rosemary, salt and a healthy dose of truffle oil.  Each bite was crispy and delicious and so addicting that I nearly polished off the whole bowl.  The portion is quite large and I recommend splitting it with your dining companion.

I also wanted to highlight that since Julie adheres to a gluten-free diet, Alewife happily accommodated her with a bun-free burger.  It was presented beautifully with veggies and those yummy pickles too.

Service and Cost:
We had no complaints about the service, as our waiter was friendly and attentive and offered up his valid opinions.  He seemed intelligent and in-the-know about the menu and we felt his service in general was on-point.

Costs are expensive, also considering the casual atmosphere that doesn't quite match this menu and price point.

The burger, fries and a drink set us back about $30/person.  Call me crazy but that's a bit rich even for really good, sophisticated bar food.

2.5 Mmmms

Alewife - 5-14 51st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11101
718.937.7494
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alewifequeens.wordpress.com

Queens Kickshaw Morning Glory

Although yesterday was technically a non-work day for me in the traditional sense, my We Heart Astoria colleagues and I had a super productive day, meeting at The Queens Kickshaw.  Choosing this venue for its casual, laid-back vibe and superb coffee, we settled into the large square table upfront and spent most of the morning and the early part of the afternoon discussing "business."

In the midst of all this, we of course took breaks to drink delicious Kickshaw coffee, and indulged in their signature comfort food.  I've never not liked what I've had here, and this time even further upped the ante.  Some new things I tried...

Egg & Cheese Sandwich - When Dan ordered this before, I hungrily watched him eat it, but this time I was ready to devour it solo.  Just like each Kickshaw sandwich, it used really high quality bread, a buttery brioche in fact, which held deliciously savory elements such as perfectly scrambled eggs, soft ricotta cheese, tangy gruyere and some hot sauce to boot.  Because I usually pair egg dishes with ketchup, the hot sauce was a great substitute that made the sandwich incredibly moist, with a healthy kick in the butt from the spice.

White Bean and Beer Stew - Listening to Jen, Kickshaw's co-owner, describe this soup excited me.  It sounded incredibly hearty, mixing two types of beans, white gigantes and garbanzos, along with roasted peppers and braised greens.  The whole thing would then be submerged into a pungent beer broth and further topped with crunchy rye bread with basil aioli.  While I loved the bread with that earthy, garlicky pesto, I thought the soup needed more broth.  I enjoyed its chunky contents, and it did a great job of filling me up, but I would've appreciated more liquid to soak up the bread.

Dessert - Surprised with a sweet treat at the end of our meal, we received two on-the-house desserts, including a brownie affogato and and the bread pudding.  It so happens they combined two of my favorite things of all time - bread and chocolate - so needless to say, I was very happy.  Out of the two, I had a strong preference for the brownie affogato, as it paired together a rich, dark chocolate Godmother Rozzie's brownie with chunky walnuts, with a cool coffee cream.  Dipping the brownie in the cream was just fantastic and made it even moister than it already was.  I appreciated the tie-in with coffee, as it related back to Kickshaw's foundation.

The bread pudding was also lovely, made with a beautifully rich custard brioche, hints of orange and ribbons of caramel.  Even though it was by no means a low cal dish, it didn't leave you with a heavy feeling and we polished it off rather quickly.  My favorite aspect were the slightly crunchy edges of the brioche - yum!

Service and Cost:
Always treated with much hospitality and a friendly but unobtrusive manner, I continue to love the service here.  I appreciate the professional way they conduct business and the high quality they deliver.  It was interesting to see that there's table service too, which I haven't much seen at other coffee houses.  It has to be said that the entire place was busy on a Monday, which is testament to its continuous excellence.

Costs are fair and I paid about $17 for a cappuccino, an egg and cheese sandwich, and the bean soup.

3 Mmmms

The Queens Kickshaw - 40-17 Broadway, Astoria NY 11103
718.777.0913
M/R Train to Steinway Street
www.thequeenskickshaw.com 

Bistro 33's Winter Beach Party

Here's something fun and a little kooky to look forward to next week from the folks at Bistro 33.  I like that they often think of fun food events to shake things up, and I was surprised and also a little intrigued to find out about a winter beach party and clambake they're hosting next week.  Sounds like they want to shake things up and add a little whimsy to brighten up the winter blues.  Here's the special you can expect:

Wednesday, January 25th, starting at 5 p.m.

Lobster & Clambake
$5 Margaritas and other drinks special

They encourage people to dress up in the spirit of the clambake and they'll even provide beach balls, shades and hats.  It's going to be a sight to see...that much I can guarantee.

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105
718.721.1933
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
www.bistro33nyc.com 

Fooditka's Mama Makes a Homemade Round Challah

In this seasonably blistery weather we're having, it's always nice to turn up the heat by cooking or better yet, baking something fresh and delicious.  There's nothing like the smell of a homemade pie or a crusty bread (in this case challah) to go along with that hot tea or chocolate you're already sippin' on.

Although I consider my mom to be more of a cook than a baker, she's really good at making breads.  I thought her beautiful round challah pictured above deserved a big shout-out and some encouragement to you that it's not as hard as it looks.

Inspired to make this challah from an episode of Martha Stewart we both watched together, this beautiful bread was made by a local baker, Diane Margaritis from Roslyn, NY who owns a fantastic bakery and restaurant called Diane's.  Introduced to this bakery by a friend, I was impressed at the quality of sweet and savory goods, everything made with classic French techniques and resembling something you'd find in a quaint boulangerie in Paris.  

The main differentiation in Diane's challah is the use of wholesome ingredients such as buckwheat honey (which you can find in any local supermarket) and wheat germ.  Since challah is a sweet bread, sugar is used, by my mom noted Diane's recipe calls for a bit too much for her liking so she almost halved the quantity suggested.  You may want to do the same if you're striving for something semi-sweet.

Looking at my mom's creation makes me want to make my own and invite some friends over to try it.  Hope you do the same and enjoy a cozy winter evening at home.

Challah recipe courtesy of Diane Margaritis via Martha Stewart
You can also watch Martha's step-by-step video on how to create your own round challah

Mojave's Festive MLK Brunch

I'm sure we're all excited for the upcoming long weekend - having Monday off is always a nice treat and a great way to get through the work week.  While some restaurants in the nabe will be doing business as usual, others are taking it as an opportunity to offer an extended brunch offering.  Being that brunch is my favorite meal, and I know many would agree, I was excited to learn about the special MLK brunch offering at Mojave.

If you have an appreciation for quality Southwestern food, I urge you to check it out.  Here's a sampling of what you can expect starting from 11:00 a.m.

Energy Breakfast - scrambled egg whites served with grilled chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms & baby spinach...$7.50

Morning Quesadilla - filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, peppers, onions & black beans, served with tomatilloo cream...$8

Huevos Rancheros - with blue corn tortillas, beef & pork chili and a golden fried egg...$7.95

Mojave's Desert Omelet - filled with cheddar cheese, house salsa & crispy bacon served with a side of homefries...$6

Mojave's Benedict - with avocados, tomato and a delicate habanero hollandaise sauce...$9

Texas Gulf Blue Crab - and spinach poached egg popovers served with green chili hollandaise sauce...$10.95

Rise & Shine Chilaquiles - crispy golden tortillas served with eggs, tomate crema and onion-jalapeno  house salsa...$6.95

In addition to the regular menu, they'll also have a special open bar option for $15.  Happy MLK!

Mojave - 22-36 31st Street Astoria NY 11105
718.545.4100
N/Q Train to Ditmars
www.mojaveny.com

Psari - The Greek Captain Knows Best

I was very very excited to finally try the food at Psari (formerly known as The Greek Captain) for many reasons - a).  it's been a part of the Astoria community for as long as I could remember, b).  I've tried their oysters previously at a local tasting event and loved them and c). I was just in the mood for traditional, delicious Greek food.

Atmosphere:
Located on the not so atmospheric 36th Avenue, Psari is a true gem and stands out as such not only by its nice facade but also by its enticing menu of fresh seafood.  While everyone is seated inside these days due to the cold, in the summertime, sidewalk seating is available and you can peek inside to see what's going on.

Having been a part of this neighborhood for many years, Psari did something really smart to keep its positive standing and desirability in the neighborhood - they revamped the interior to modernize it, appealing to growing younger audience in the neighborhood.  I think this was a great move and the interior is really tastefully done, with sleek wooden finishes, a gorgeous partially exposed historic ceiling, vintage artwork and an oyster bar.  The whole space feels comfortable and inviting, and we were happy to see it bumpin' on a random, rainy Wednesday night.

Food:
I just love looking at a Greek menu of goodies - there's always something delicious to explore in the meze part especially.  Psari's nice looking menu totally got me excited for the meal yet to come.

Meze - Our eyes immediately focused on the dip combo with pita, which is a common app at Greek restaurants, and it's always a winner.  I'm happy to say it won us over here too, and I first off loved how it was presented, each of the 5 dips separated by a spoon.  My two favorite dips were the garlicky skordalia (potato/garlic salad) and the spicy feta/jalapeno dip.  I've seen the latter also served at Ovelia, and they do it quite well, but Psari's version was a close competitor with just the right amount of spice and a nice, spreadable texture.  

We also ordered saganaki as a starter, a lightly fried kefalograviera cheese, which was out of this world.  I mean, there's never a wrong way you can go with fried cheese in my book, but still, this was exceptional.  The light batter around it, coated it beautifully and gave the cheese a nice, crispy skin, while the inside was soft, warm and oozing with goodness.  It was quite salty too, but once you spritzed some lemon on top and paired it with a well done pita, it created the perfect Greek harmony.

Porgy - I just love that you can get your fish prepared in virtually any way you want it.  Want to indulge? Get the fried.  Conscious of your waistline? Order the grilled or broiled.  We opted for the grilled, and with a light olive oil and lemon dressing on top.  
The fish arrived whole, as I expected it to and I like that very much, as I enjoy playing with my food and picking the fish apart in all its glory.  Generally porgy is a pretty light fish with some dark meat too, which is on the oilier part, but both are very flavorful.  Overall, it was a quality protein, as it smelled like the sea and tasted even better - especially when paired with the gorgeously tender lemon potatoes.  

Veggie Feast - Our dining companion and friend Sarah is a vegetarian and got a veggie feast fit for a Greek goddess.  We joked around about how much food she got, and you can see her relishing in the sheer quantity of it all in the above picture.

Aside from the lemon potatoes we also got with our fish, she chose the horta (dandelion greens), a cabbage salad and zucchini croquettes.  I tasted the latter and really loved their flavor and texture, which was minty, garlicky and as tender as a perfectly fried potato pancake.  I love dipping it into the cool tzatziki sauce that we had left over from our dip appetizer.

Service and Cost:
What can I say about the service, except that it was truly remarkable.  The staff has really invested a lot of time, energy and love into this place, and they run like Psari like a well oiled machine.  We only partially joked about how unbelievably attentive everyone was, and as soon as we finished our sentence, one of Psari's wonderful servers was refilling our glasses of water.  Everything in this realm was excellent, and there seemed to be nothing that the staff could not achieve - it was impressive.

Costs are inexpensive to moderate, and you really get bank for your buck.  The whole dinner, which was a total feast was just under $30/person with tax and tip.  And we took tons of leftovers home too.  Cheers to that!

3 Mmmms

Psari - 32-10 36th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.786.6015
N/Q Train to 36th Avenue
www.psari-restaurant.com

Alobar - Viva la Piggie

Ever since this place has been fabled to open (back in the summer), I couldn't wait to check it out.  And while it was one thing or another that prolonged me from going, I finally had the opportunity to check it out with my friend Bob, who's a fellow food enthusiast.  We enjoyed it very much and took away the restaurant's theme clearly - pig is king!

Atmosphere:
A modern gastropub, Alobar has all the components that make it feel like a contemporary, sophisticated eatery.  Starting with the dim lighting, your mood eases immediately upon stepping inside, and you can quickly tell that you can now begin to unwind from the stresses of the work day.  Even though the space is on the narrow side, like many of the establishments on Vernon, it's spacious, has nice high ceilings and simple (yet classic) wooden furnishings.

My favorite aspect of the interior is the open kitchen, where you can observe the chefs working their magic.  In fact, our table was pretty perfect for that, as it was right on the edge of the kitchen area.  While normally I'd like to be in the comfy banquettes section, I didn't mind this at all and liked sitting in the middle of the action.

Food:
I love that the menu doesn't mess around with protein, and is filled with tons of traditional as well as creative proteins such as pork belly, bone marrow, short ribs, duck rilette and more.  Of course if you're a vegetarian, you may have to get creative, although there are veggie plates on the menu too - the meat just happens to stand out for me.

Wild Mushroom Toast - This was my favorite starter, as it incorporated some gorgeously sophisticated elements such as a hearty portobella mushroom, smoked ricotta cheese, soft pearl onions and a fried duck egg on top.  The latter was the icing on this savory dish, as we broke the yolk, let it spill over everything and relished each bite.  Carnivore or veggie alike, you have to try this dish.

Citrus Roasted Beet Salad - To keep things at least a little healthy, we chose a veggie plate as well, and as we both happen to love beets, this worked out nicely.  Although the plate was simple as can be, beets marinated in a citrus glaze, they were vibrant, fresh and a nice way to juxtapose the heavier flavors from the aforementioned toast dish.

Pumpkin Risotto - Another veggie friendly option come to think of it, it had all the components of a quality risotto.  I loved that the rice was cooked al dente, however it was also enveloped in the most luxuriously rich pumpkin, cream broth with a healthy dose of peppery mustard greens on top.  The contrast between the velvety rice and the earthy greens was just lovely.

Pork Belly Entree - How great is it that Alobar works through a whole pig over the course of a few weeks (a month?) and each day features a different part of it to its patrons? I thought this was just awesome and we couldn't resist ordering the pork belly, with another risotto base (just our luck).  Not only was the meat as tender as pie, it had lots of delectable, smoky flavor that paid testament to the health of the animal from which it came.  I liked that the seasoning was simple, but thoughtfully put together.

Chocolate Chip/Toffee Bread Pudding - Not sure how we found the room, but when they mentioned a chocolate chip toffee bread pudding, we couldn't resist.  I loved how tender it was on the inside and how the chocolate melted beautifully upon contact with your spoon.  The silky Anglaise sauce on top was a yummy way to dress this already sinful dessert and although it was small, it was so rich and therefore, hard to finish.

Service and Cost:
Just like everything that night, the service went off without a hitch.  We really liked our waiter who was friendly, attentive and brought out each dish in good time.  Never feeling like we had to wait long, the evening's service was very fluid and natural, as it should be.

Costs are moderate, but fair for the good quality food you're getting and include:

Charcuterie and Cheese - $10 - $23
Small Plates - $6 - $22
Pickles, Snacks & Sides - $4 - $9 
Large Plates - $17 - $25

3 Mmmms

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

January Specials at Studio Square

As I was telling you last week, there's lots of fun specials happening this month at not only our local restaurants but some of Astoria's best watering holes.  I was totally psyched to see that Studio Square is hosting something fun and affordable each night of the week.  Here goes...

Football Sunday + Monday - In game specials include 25 cent wings, $15 beer pitchers, $5 mixed drinks and $3 shot specials

Tuesday - Rock 'n Roll and Beer night from 7 p.m. - Midnight

Wednesday - Open Mic Night with 2-for-1 drinks from 7 - 9 p.m.

Thursday - Ladies Night, $1 mixed drinks for ladies all night

Bring your friends along, and enjoy!

Studio Square - 35-33 36th Street, Astoria NY 11106
718.383.1001
N/Q Train to 36th Avenue or R/M Train to Steinway Street
studiosquarenyc.com

Queens Comfort Amplifies Brunch

Ever since I saw that enticing picture of the brioche French Toast on their site, I've been thinking about hitting up Queens Comfort's brunch.  Lucky for me, Kimberly was totally game for it this weekend, and together we indulged in a super rich meal that started off our weekend on a sweet note.

I've visited Queens Comfort on one other occasion, and really enjoyed the rich treats they put out.  Recognizing that their entire menu is super rich, and therefore can only be consumed in moderation, I was ready for something like that, considering how health conscious I was this entire week.  The yummies we feasted on included:

Brioche French Toast - Completely floored by its larger than life appearance, the brioche French Toast consisted of two huge pieces of bread, coated in a custardy egg batter and then topped with two generous mini scoops of maple butter, with a side of maple syrup too.  While I appreciated the richness, I think they overdid it on the butter, and I had to take a lot of it off, otherwise it would've been like eating straight out of a Paula Deen cookbook.  

I loved the toast's texture, as it was soft, silky and edges were a little crispy too, which was ultra delicious.  Something I didn't care for was the half done middle, where the egg part was still runny.  Although I didn't let that ruin my experience and I put those pieces aside, it put a damper on what could've been a perfect French toast. 

Queens Comfort's Version of an Egg McMuffin - Kimberly's dish was something truly special - a unique twist on the Egg McMuffin if you will.  Besides being absolutely gargantuan, it was packed with comforting goodness from top to bottom.  Taking a generous bite of this delectable entree, it included a soft yet crispy-on-the-edges English muffin, tangy gruyere cheese, which was then topped with a heaping portion of scrambled eggs, chives and bits of chewy bacon.  Each bite was truly exceptional, as I loved how the smokiness of the bacon married with the well done, stringy cheese, the fluffy eggs and the soft bread.  It's obvious that the dish isn't for the faint of hearts and if you'd like to have a try instead of completely diving in, I'd suggest you split it with your dining companion.

Service and Cost:
This is where I think Queens Comfort missed the mark a bit, as the service left something to be desired.  I'll give them that the restaurant was super busy, and that we came in during peak brunch hour, but we still felt that our servers weren't as attentive as we would've liked.  Another slight annoyance was that for such huge dishes as we ordered, the plates were way too small and we had to be super careful about not spilling any of its contents over the side.  Although sharing plates seemed like an obvious necessity, we had to ask for them twice.

Costs are affordable and include about $11 - $14 per brunch entree.  Coffee, tea, OJ or the beverage of your choice is separate, however note that this joint is still BYOB and you can bring your own champagne or prosecco to make mimosas.

2.5 Mmmms

Queens Comfort - 40-09 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103

646.597.8687

N/Q Train to 30th Avenue

www.queenscomfort.blogspot.com