Mixed Fare is unfair…

April 29, 2008 — spud

Bistro 33
19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria

Bistro 33 is all the buzz in Astoria. It was recently written up in “Time Out” and was voted the best new addition to all of Queens! The Hubs and I walk by it all the time on our way into town, and we often stop and look at the menu, but we never stop in. The confusion of whether “to eat or not to eat” stems from the confusion of the state of the menu. It is French-Japanese Fusion, which is a weird combo, and it is strangely pricey (all mains running $15 to $30), but I adore fusion restaurants if they are done correctly. This place is always packed with a younger crowd, and it is a really great space with outdoor seating so on one of the warmer evenings, we finally decided to overcome our trepidations about the menu and try it out.
Our experience was extremely mixed. We found the service to run hot and cold. At the bar we had a very friendly bartender chat with us, but then our waitress barely acknowledged our presence. The sushi we ordered was phenomenal! Some of the best I’ve had in a while……on the same level as Sushi Samba with their flavor combos. The sesame crusted shrimp was perfectly fried and served with an addictive orange-curry sauce on the side, and the Spicy Tuna Nagimaki was amazing and also served with a tangy sauce. Really, if you are going to go there, try some of the crazy rolls. I have my eye on the Tuna Foie Gras Roll for the next time we try it. Another nod towards the bad service, I mistakenly poured some soy sauce, not knowing how wonderful the other dipping sauces would be and as the waitress was clearing the table she accidentally spilled the soy sauce on the table….well, the table had slats in it and so the soy sauce dripped all over me…..not just a little bit, but A LOT! Now, it’s not the accident that bothered me, but she did not stop and offer tonic water or even say anything…..I found that a bit worrisome.
Anyways, then we got out main course. We had both ordered the Pork Shoulder, which was braised with prosciutto and manchego cheese. It came out slathered in mayonnaise with large chunks of cheese and prosciutto and pickles, topped with seaweed. Truthfully, this dish was a mess. It was the saltiest food I have ever tasted and I couldn’t really eat it. If you know me, you know what a tremendously crazy statement that is.
At least the soy sauce came out of my skirt.

Posted in astoria, french, fusion, japanese. 2 Comments »

The Perfect Spud

April 29, 2008 — spud

Totally Baked
8 West 18th (5/6), NYC

As you can tell by my pen-name, I am completely and totally obsessed with Potatoes. They are, to me, a perfect food and I absolutely enjoy them in every shape, size and form they come in, although I must admit that I enjoy them as “potato-ey” as possible….meaning that I prefer steak fries to shoe strings and baked potatoes over potato chips. That being said, it was a dream come true to find out that there was a newly opened food establishment called “Totally Baked” that honored my favorite food in its naked form. The menu is terrific and simple, there are 10 Baked Potatoes, each with a different topping. If you enjoy them basic, then stick to the Classic which is loaded with Sour Cream, Bacon and Chives, but if you want an adventure then check out the Brisket (Topped with large hunks of brisket and fried onions all in a marsala wine reduction) or the Pulled Pork (topped with “pernil” pork and mexican slaw). Now, it is not cheap!!! These potatoes cost $10 each and are served with an organic green salad. A lot of comments on other blogs and sights leave me to wonder if the Hubs and I were given some preferential treatment when we went (we happened to mention we were taking pictures for a Food Blog! :- ) Out potatoes were loaded with lots of meat and it was a perfectly filling meal, but other foodies seem not be feeling the potato love, or at least seem to have been denied the amount that we were served. Granted, it is not an overwhelming amount of food, but it can serve as a plentiful lunch if you do not mind paying that much for a classy potato. You can even splurge for the $55 truffle potato…….I think it’s crazy, but, hey, it’s NYC!
The establishment itself is very clean and decorated with all sorts of fun “Potato-abilia”, like fun drawings of Mr. Potato Head himself, “all hail to the Chief Spud!”
The one drawback for me, and it might sound weird, but the staff was overly friendly…..a little too much for me. I don’t need to be screamed “hello and welcome” to as I walk in the door in overly chipper sing-song voices, nor do I need small talk as I decide what I want, or to be given strong hints towards what I should order, or called a “tourist” as I take pictures……hmph! Small pet-peeve, and I’m sure for some it makes them feel special, but I hate forced niceness……

Posted in american, one trick pony, union sq/flatiron. 2 Comments »

Spring Tours

April 24, 2008 — wecouldeat

One of my favorite warm weather activities is an eating tour. It is basically a walking tour, but instead of just looking at great architecture and appreciating a sunny day, you go to various grub-worthy places and have small portions of their specialties. This works well with a small group of people, so that you can try several different things, while retaining the motivation and flexibility that a bigger group lacks. It is fun to h have a culinary theme, instead of just random places. There are great professional tours, like Big Onion, that provide a lot of historical info, but I like to do it my way.

Here is one of my favorite tours, although brief descriptions don’t do it justice:

Jewish Eating in the Lower East Side

  • Doughnut Plant
    Start with a coffee and donut. Not exclusively Jewish, but who’s complaining? 379 Grand St.

    Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery
    A variety of authentic square knishes. Since 1910. 137 E. Houston St.

    Guss’ Pickles
    All kinds of pickled delights. Since 1940′s. 85 Orchard St.

    Kossar’s Bialys
    Get ‘em hot, you won’t miss the hole in the middle. Since 1936. 367 Grand St.

    Russ & Daughter’s
    I usually just window shop, but you could get some smoked fish for your bialy. Since 1914. 179 E. Houston St.

    Katz’s Deli
    This is the final stop, so get a giant pastrami on rye and relax while appreciating the best Jewish deli. Since 1888. 205 E. Houston St.

    • Posted in deli, jewish, les. Leave a Comment »

    R-R-R-R-R-Roxanne’s in Jersey

    April 24, 2008 — wecouldeat

    Roxanne’s
    150 Franklin Tpke, Mahwah, NJ

    We met our friends Joe & Rebecca and awesome their little boy Andrew at Roxanne’s in Mahwah. One of the advantages of eating in the suburbs is large spacious restaurants. This one has a big bar area, two large rooms, and outside patio, and even a backyard with kids playing soccer during a private party. We ate good brick oven pizza, spicy sausage and peppers, and salad. This NYC food snob deems Roxanne’s a decent destination (for the suburbs).

    Posted in the 'burbs. Leave a Comment »

    Philoxenia Lives Up to its Name

    April 21, 2008 — wecouldeat

    Philoxenia
    32-07 34th Avenue (32ndSt), Astoria

    Philoxenia recently re-opened in a beautiful new space on 34th Avenue. The old tiny space on 23rd Avenue had closed about 3 years earlier. When we first moved to Astoria we tried the old Philoxenia and found it fine, but not quite in line with the great press it received. Of course at that point we were Greek food newbies and couldn’t tell you the difference between a gyro and souvlaki, and thought there was only one variety of feta. But times have changed, and so has Philoxenia.

    We loved everything about the new restaurant. Philoxenia means hospitality in Greek, and the friendly service and warmth of the room were evident immediately. The old locale was an authentic hole-in-the-wall, the new a rustic home feeling with exposed brick walls and wooden beams along the ceiling, and a romantic vibe. The prices are comparable to the neighborhood and much better than Manhattan. And the food was some of the best that I have had in Astoria. I must qualify that statement by saying that the choices we made were my favorites, and while Spud liked them very much, but was not quite moaning in ecstasy like I was. We had succulent grilled octopus, marvelously light meatballs, and a tender, flavorful pork and veal stew. Of course we also had the sampling of dips to start. We generally like to have a sampling of small dishes, rather than two big mains, especially when we aren’t familiar with the menu. The quality and flavors were top notch in every dish. Dessert is no longer free, but after an amazing meal like that, we were quite satisfied. This is my new favorite for Greek in Astoria.

    Posted in astoria, greek. 1 Comment »

    Nacho Belly

    April 21, 2008 — spud

    Noche Mexicana
    852 Amsterdam Ave (101/102), NYC

    Yes, I have suffered from all kinds of “belly” ailments……they result from eating large portions of amazingly perfected foods, and believe it or not, I am quite picky about what foods I eat copious amounts of…..for example, I have suffered from “nut belly”, “pie belly (savory)” and “potato belly” (what gal named “Spud” wouldn’t have?) and last Friday night, I succumbed to “Nacho Belly” at Noche Mexicana…….my *favorite* Mexican Restaurant for now! It fits all of the requirements of a Grub Hub Golden Bonzone contender. It is scarcely decorated, unassuming, incredibly authentic and dirt cheap! Run, run, run to the border……the Noche Mexicana Border, that is!
    The three of us devoured the large platter of perfectly proportioned Spicy Chicken Nachos. The chips were recently fried and crispy and warm, the chicken seasoned and spicy, the guacamole given on top substantial and hearty and super-yummy and the pickled jalapeno slices plentiful and just given for the right amount of kick!
    I was quite satisfied with my order of tamales…..the were salty and filled with rich cornmeal and there was plenty of pork in the center. They were delicious and I was given three for $5. Unbelievable deal! Mr. Headphones had a shrimp burrito that was loaded with really nice sized shrimp, not the usual tiny ones you’d expect, and the Hubs had huaraches, which is kind of like a Mexican pizza with a deep fried dough on the bottom and loaded with lettuce, chicken, tomatoes and sour cream. We were so satisfied and insanely full with authentic Mexican flavors. We will definitely be returning.
    I don’t think that I have seen a bill for $30 for three people in the longest time!! Granted, we didn’t drink, but they offer full bottles of wine for $15, so we might the next time.
    Check this place out, you will not be disappointed!

    Cafe Lalo
    201 West 83rd St, NYC
    Afterwards, we stayed on the Westside and traveled down to the famed Cafe Lalo for dessert. The cafe has dinner items, but is mainly known for its dizzying display of desserts. It is widely known as a prominent setting in You’ve Got Mail and is always packed with locals and tourists. We enjoyed a strawberry Napoleon, peanut butter chocolate mousse cake, and cherry pie.

    Posted in GOLDEN BONZONE, dessert, mexican, uws. 3 Comments »

    Bistro Fare on the Upper East Side

    April 16, 2008 — wecouldeat

    Brasserie Julien
    1422 Third Ave (80/81), NYC

    We don’t eat on the Upper East Side very often nor do we dine at French restaurants, but we enjoyed our experience at Brasserie Julien very much. We met my brother and his family for dinner and had a spacious table in the back of the restaurant. The ceilings were high, and the colors rich, but not opulent and the room had a comfortable, airy feel. The menu was excellent, with a wide variety ranging from the classic onion soup and pate, to mussels and frites and bison burgers. French Bistro food is completely different than Haute French food, and truthfully, we enjoy it much better. Bistro food has bold flavors, large portions and simple ingredients – the prices are quite less as well.

    Spud and I share the duck foie gras as an app. Spud loves duck liver pate, I don’t, but this was quite good with a little chutney on crusty toast. I got the croque monsieur, for the first time, and it was delicious. It’s basically a really rich grilled cheese stuffed with ham and loaded with tons of high quality melted cheese. I couldn’t even finish. Spud ordered the Morroccan Chicken Bisteeya, a dish with phyllo layers filled with chicken and vegetables and Morroccan spices. It was also quite tasty. My niece, Jamie, ordered the fillet mignon which she enjoyed. She has a great appetite and likes a wide range of food, which is spectacular, especially for a teenage girl.

    Our very positive experience at Brasserie Julien has made us want to explore other French Bistros and the variety they have to offer. This place is a neighbor eatery for the UES and I thank my non-foodie brother for turning us on to it.

    Posted in french, ues. 1 Comment »

    Above Average Goodburger

    April 16, 2008 — wecouldeat

    So we are standing on the corner of Union Square North & West on a Sunday afternoon with a dilemma that only occurs in Manhattan — Where to eat? There are literally dozens of options with two blocks, but we are stumped. We only wanted a snack (read: lunch), because we wanted to go to Florent for dinner in 2-3 hours. Apparently some eateries in Manhattan do close on Sundays, like the two we had in mind: Totally Loaded (the new baked potato place which Spud is drooling over) and Rainbow Falafel which serves a kick-ass cauliflower sandwich. So, without spending another hour looking for the perfect places (which is usually the case), Spud made the executive decision for Goodburger. Hopefully it lives up to its name…

    Goodburger
    870 Broadway (17/18), nyc
    3 other Manhattan locations

    Goodburger was actually pretty good. It’s kind the of place that everyone at one time has probably thought of opening: fast food with a conscious. Here you can still have a burger and fries, but the burger is fresh and hormone free, the bun can be whole wheat, the grease is recycled and the packaging is biodegradable. They seem to be getting a little creative with the Portobello burger and Crabby Patty. The burgers and fries we had were good and we even got a nice field greens salad to go with. The atmosphere was slightly better than a typical fast food place and they even had tv’s with an NBA game on. All and all it is a good place for a burger. It ain’t the Shake Shack, but it isn’t McDonald’s either. The prices are higher and the wait is longer, but you can feel better about the whole experience. Because I always like to try new and interesting places, it’s not on my short list of return visits, but it is a reliable backup option.

    Posted in american, burger, union sq/flatiron. Leave a Comment »

    Farewell, Florent

    April 12, 2008 — spud

    Florent
    69 Gansevoort St., NYC
    (Between Greenwich and Washington)

    I am very rarely in the Meatpacking District. Really, at this point in my life, it seems like there is no reason for me to be down there…..too many clubs and waaaayyyy too trendy. And so it seems that they are finally taking out the last bit of cool that that area has to offer (I mean, yes, I do like The Spice Market and I love that the streets are cobble-stone). Florent, one of the least trendy restaurants in the area, serves up solid French Bistro food in a totally non-assuming diner atmosphere. The Hubs and I recently made it down there last weekend, and thank goodness we did……because they have been out-priced and are forced to close their doors forever in June! This is quite sad because everyone should try their French Onion Soup, which is just rich enough and baked to perfection. The homemade french fries dipped in the French Dijon mustard were delicious, and it looks like their Mussels and Fries combo was quite good. But really, if you want to know the truth, I am more upset it is closing because it was the only authentic place in this whole over-hyped area. Real people filled the seats and there was so little atmosphere in the whole place that it was filled with reality and felt like a genuine oasis of comfort in a very strange, convoluted land. Dramatic or not, I am disappointed that they raised the rents to the point where they are forced to close. Sometimes I get concerned that Manhattan is falling prey to conventionality and that the local hangouts are getting pushed out of the City. Luckily, I have realized that they all lurk in Queens, which is why I can rest my head easily in my borough. Goodbye, Florent, you were obviously way too real and genuine for your digs, but rest easy knowing that you satisfied customers for many years and that you go out in style.

    Posted in french. 1 Comment »

    Phat Fatty’s

    April 12, 2008 — spud

    Fatty’s
    25-01 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria

    Okay, so the Hubs and I always pass this entry off because we go here all the time, and it is so part of our living in Astoria and our neighborhood that we forget that not everyone might know about it. We love Fatty’s. It is a small restaurant serving a tremendous Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Even though they have raised the price a total of $3 since I have lived around the corner from it, it is still an incredible steal at $11 which includes a ton of food and a great drink (mimosa, lime-ade or bloody mary). The choices are many and include original flavors, like the mofongo stuffed with shrimp or meat or the polenta corn cakes covered in cheese and even a really great Cuban sandwich. If you want a standard, they make a great omelet and light, fluffy pancakes covered in fruit.
    Their regular lunch and dinner menu is well-balanced and also just as creative and hearty. They make great salads and have wonderful vegetarian options, as well as great pork chops and stir-fry’s and burritos and chili. Overall, Fatty’s is that essential neighborhood joint that everyone wishes they had in their backyard and I am always grateful that we do.
    They just recently opened Crescent and Vine next door and we are looking forward to trying their small-plates and drinks. It has a darker interior as opposed to Fatty’s light and airy interior which is always decorated in local artist art.
    While I am writing about my favorite local hangouts, I must mention Waltz Astoria, which now that it has opened its back wing of the coffee house, it really is quite large and open. They make great cheap coffee drinks and have books and board games around the hipster interior. Bring your computers and pay the minimal $2.00 fee to sit all day online. They have cakes and cookies and light bites. I am always impressed by their night time offerings of comedy and live music, as well as cheese and wine pairings. Overall, it is my favorite local coffee house. Freeze Peach is fun but always over-crowded and Oleput is a nice addition to the neighborhood and definitely quite chill, but not as open as Waltz is.

    Posted in GOLDEN BONZONE. Leave a Comment »
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