Sugarfreak Brunch was a Freakin Success

My We Heart Astoria colleagues, Meg, Mackenzi and I recently met for brunch at Sugarfreak to discuss some We Heart Astoria business.  The meeting was not only incredibly productive, we really enjoyed munching on some hearty, comforting grub.  It's been a while since any of us have been there, and as it happens, brunch here was new to us all.  Here's what we tried:

Hush Puppies - I was so glad when Mackenzi suggested we get this, as I can't exactly turn down fried corn bread.  Surprised by how giant Sugarfreak's version was, I enjoyed them nonetheless.  The outside was crispy as can be, albeit a little oily, while the inside was tender, moist and bready.  Dipping these babies into the spicy remoulade sauce totally hit the spot and made this very New Orleans.

Charbroiled Oysters - Even though I just had oysters the day before at the North Fork Wineries, I was happy to try this version, which was totally different.  Boasting some really generous pieces, their Blue Point oysters on the halfshell had a nice golden color and a really meaty interior.  It felt great to scoop up the meat of the oyster and eat it alongside little pieces of crispy, buttery bread.

Jambalaya and Eggs - Since I loove me some jambalaya, this had my name all over it.  There were two fried eggs on top of the actual jambalaya, and I'm happy to report that they had perfectly runny yolks that you can spread over the spicy rice interior.  Although I had the jambalaya here before, I totally forgot how awesome it was, peppered with chunky pieces of andouille sausage and even some seafood action.  The whole thing was incredibly hearty and something that can tide you over for well half the day - hands down.

Dessert - Although we were so incredibly full, we couldn't refuse a generous offer of a dessert trio, including a butterscotch rice pudding topped with popcorn, a classic order of begneits, and also their bourbon bread pudding.  Out of those, the rice pudding was my absolute favorite.  Loving the juxtaposition in texture between the crunchy popcorn and the soft, silky pudding, the flavors were also totally in sync.  The homemade whipped cream was the cherry on this proverbial cake, and I just couldn't get enough of the whole combination.

Service and Cost:
We received great service here, as everyone was super attentive, even during the peak of brunch.  Our waters were refilled without even one look at our waiter, and dirty plates cleaned before we could lick our chops.

Costs are reasonable and include:

Brunch entrees - $13 - $14.50
Starters - $7-12
Sides - $4-$7.50

3 Mmmms

Sugarfreak - 36-18 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.726.5850
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.sugarfreak.com