Given that I've been traveling a lot lately and therefore not around during weekends, I was sad to miss out on the first couple of weeks at the new Astoria Flea. Luckily last weekend finally presented the opportunity to check it out, as Meg and I went to peruse their food, drink and retail offerings.
Overall, I have to say that I liked it very much, and the spacious layout at Kaufman Astoria's lot was a lot more conducive to shopping, browsing and trying food than its LIC locale. I liked the overall vibe, which was comfortable, friendly and welcoming, and the clientele exemplified this as well. Differing from the LIC crowd, I noticed the patrons at the Astoria Flea to be a bit younger vs. the families with young kids you see in LIC.
Aside from being out in the open air and enjoying chatting with local artisans, I had the chance to sample a few goodies, which I'd like to touch on here:
Arborio King - Looking forward to Arborio King's arancine, I had a hard time deciding between the sweet or the savory variety. In the end, I decided to lay off the sweets and tried the saffron, parmesan risotto with 3-meat Sunday ragu. Bursting with flavor and overall cheesy gooeyness, I'm happy to say the rice was cooked to a perfect al dente and paired perfectly with the saucy, meat filling. While it may appear to be just a side dish, this arborio ball is a full meal deal. I'll definitely try the sweet Nutella variety next time!
Frittering Away - This awesome "small batch lemonade" company made a big impression on me from first glance to the last sip. In loved their cheery stand and their cool logo that right away told me this would be quality. Ordering their signature strawberry basil lemonade, I was instantly refreshed and my tastebuds came to attention through each sweet, tangy and earthy sip.
Ice and Vice - It's a pleasure seeing Paul and Ken from Ice and Vice, and as always they were full of positive energy and lots of delicious ice cream samples. Boasting three new flavors that day including the unforgettable Milk Money, Meg and I both went gaga for its toasted milk notes accented with a salty bite from the sea salt and luscious chocolate. Look out for it next weekend, but do come early, as it'll most likely sell out.
Having a great time at the Astoria Flea last week, I'll surely be back. You can visit it as well each Sunday from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and see what foods stand out to you.
Astoria Flea - 35-23 35th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
N/Q Train to 36th Avenue or R Train to Steinway Street
https://www.facebook.com/astoriaflea
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