Suddenly it seems like there are many French restaurants in Astoria. 718 has been around a long time, but the past few years has welcomed Bistro 33, Pomme Cafe, and now L’Artiste. Combined with LIC’s Tournesol and Cafe Henri, there are certainly a lot of Croque Monsieurs and Madames in this hood. While I don’t feel qualified to make direct comparisons, since I’ve had brunch at some and dinner at others, I think L’Artiste is certainly worthy of being in the group. The mega-restaurant complex, Cavo, dominates the block, but L’Artiste has a small unassuming store-front next door. I wouldn’t call it cozy, but its a smaller space that is open and airy, and has decent decor – aside from the ridiculous sketch drawing on the ceiling (you’ll know when you see it).

The brunch we ordered was quite good. We had a lighter dish of roasted beets and sliced eggs on crusty toast, topped with arugula. It was fresh and flavorful. The Eggs Florentine was delicious. The Hollandaise sauce was really creamy and flavorful and really made the dish pop. The spinach and English muffin were definitely high-quality as well. L’Artiste is not as good as 718, but it is solid, and I will definitely go back and try more dishes and check out their dinner offerings. It’s a little odd that they only have Facebook and Twitter sites and I can’t seem to find a menu. Even if most people receive their info from those places, a restaurant should still have a dedicated webpage. That’s what I think.

When I moved into Astoria nearly 6 years ago, 718 Restaurant was one of the first places I came across. I was still a Manhattan snob and didn’t think Astoria really measured up. I thought “7-1-8″ – wow, that’s a really cheesy Queens name, it’s probably a really bad club or over-priced eatery with crappy food. So, I judged the place by its name and facade and wrote it off for over 5 years. In the past few months, I have come to realize that it was a huge mistake. 718 is one of the best French restaurants in the area, has a very appealing menu, and is a great value.

We have dined at 718 for dinner, lunch, and brunch are have been thoroughly pleased each time. The brunch deal is pretty amazing. At $22 it is one of the priciest in the area, but includes the whole menu: appetizer, main, dessert and bloody mary or mimosa. But let me explain the choices: We ordered onion soup, pain perdu (French toast), but there is also salad nicoise, escargots and ham & brie baguette – and that’s just appetizers! Mains include these thin crust pizzas (les tartes flambees – I like the onion, bacon, and gruyere), pastas, mussels, steak frites, eggs benedict (with both Canadian bacon and spinach), and so many others. There is usually only one dessert choice, but I was so full I couldn’t even eat the apple tart. The atmosphere is rich and cozy and the staff is relaxed and will leave you alone for a prolonged meal.

So if you want to go out for a nice brunch, classy lunch, and or solid date night, don’t overlook 718, like I did. You will be hard-pressed to find better French food in the area code.

Note: The sauteed gnocchi and artichoke side is a delicious steal at $5

Kaz An Nou
53 6th Avenue (Dean/Bergen)
Park Slope/Prospect Heights

Kaz An Nou means “our house” in Creole and serves French and Caribbean dishes in a cozy setting. I liked the idea and website so much, that I organized Spud’s birthday party here with a bunch of our friends. One of the main draws is the BYOB policy (without corking fee) and the very reasonable prices. Michelle, an owner, was very accommodating to our party of eight, which occupied a quarter of the eatery. Our group ordered most of the menu, with standout appetizers being the pate with brie in a puff pastry ($7), escargot in spicy curry garlic butter ($7); entrees of duck leg confit ($15) and smoked jerk chicken with goat cheese ($14); and desserts of creme bruele and delicious spicy chocolate cake.

We had a great three hour dinner at Kaz An Nou and strongly recommend it for a special occasion or just a very satisfying experience any night. I feel uneasy about giving it press, because I want it to remain a hidden gem, and not an over-hyped Brooklyn poser, but it is just too good not to share.

Pastis has been around since 1999 and has definitely been made famous by the fact that the “Sex and the City” women would often frequent here on the show, sitting on it’s plentiful sun-soaked sidewalk, enjoying lots of frites (cause you know those figures that they have were definitely made by eating lots of fried foods….harumph!). So, it was on one of these beautiful Summery days we’ve been having lately, that the hubs and I walked around the High Line and then decided to have an early dinner. Pastis is not cheap, but if you want to feel like you are in Paris, it’s a wonderful experience.
We sat for two beautiful hours dining on simple arugula salads with nice shavings of parmesan cheese. We then enjoyed really rich Croque Madame’s and Croque Monsieur’s . A simple order like this will run you about $25 per person, without any wine, but you cannot beat sitting in the sun, watching all of the beautiful people walk by. The food is good….the sandwiches were far more rich than anything we had in France, but they were tasty, with large, buttery slices of brioche covered in a thick slice of ham, slathered in rich bechamel sauce and gruyere cheese and then baked in the oven until they are browned and toasty. You really can’t go wrong with a sandwich like that! The service was great; they refilled the water glasses constantly….they were almost too attentive (afterall, when you’re in France, they let you sit forever without waiting for you to be done)….and I was only slightly bothered when a pretty little waitress waited over me because I had a few slender pieces of arugula left on my plate….hustle along, pretty one….this gal is a finisher and those leaves were headin’ towards my tummy!
Overall, I would not run here all the time, but it’s a great place to enjoy decent French food in a beautiful setting. Maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll hear some puns about weight-loss and love and hormones floating from the “Sex and the City” wannabe’s at the table next to you!

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.

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.

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.

So, this does not fit with all of the other entries on this “GrubHub” food blog. This meal, in in no way, should be considered “Grub” and I don’t think the establishment would want to be referred so cavalierly as the “Hub”…….but, nonetheless, it deserves some attention.

Everyone knows that we are foodies, so it comes as no surprise that we were given the fantastic gift of a gift certificate to Per Se for our wedding. As you can tell from this website, my husband and I usually frequent the hole-in-the-wall joints; the places where the food is hearty and comforting and the spaces eclectic and diverse, but every once in a while it is a treat to dine in one of New York’s high class eateries. So, for our one year anniversary we got all dressed up and headed out to Per Se.

The location is within the Time Warner Building in Columbus Circle, and basically within a mall. It is an unusual location for such a high class restaurant, but there are many on the top level, including Masa. We arrived a bit early, so we found ourselves wandering around Williams Sonoma and such before heading up to our 1pm lunch reservation. Nonetheless, once you are through the sliding glass doors which lead you into the all-white, open, zen-like space of Per Se, you simply leave the blatant commercialism behind you. There’s a lovely garden space where they have fountains and flowers and then, of course, there are the floor to ceiling windows which overlook Central Park and Columbus Circle. We were there during the middle of November when the leaves were shades of auburn and crimson. It was simply spectacular.

Now, I am the type of person who breaks out in hives at pomposity, but I must say that the “down-to-earth” service and the vernacular of the waiters immediately put me at ease. They joked with us and made us feel welcome…..and they smiled! The menu was explained to us by one of the cheerful waiters who knew every detail about the food, which as we found out later, they come in early in the day to study the menu, since it changes daily!

And then we were off: We had warm brie oozing from delicate puff pastries, and salmon tartare on top of creme freche placed in these super-tasty sesame cones. We had a heart of palm salad, caviar atop sea urchin custard, small lobsters bathing in deliciousness, and pork belly perfectly grilled; a lovely white fish with sesame paste and tempura scallions and spectacular cheddar cheese with a beet soup, all the while sampling fresh baked breads ranging from pear through a wheat that was simply divine. Then the main of lamb came and we were in heaven, it was succulent and perfect. Then the desserts began. We had sorbet and poundcake and reveled in the beauty of the chocolate cake with candied grapefruit, lapped up the creme brulee and the pot de creme and then gasped at the homemade chocolates, taffies, and cocoa dusted almonds. Along with the bill came two bags of macarons (which I am solely dedicated to recreating this holiday season, although the recipe is outrageous! )

Now, all of these dishes were incredible….they somehow managed to hit upon every taste bud on the tongue. The flavors were spectacular, yet none of them were overpowering. They blended together and created a symphony in our mouths and we enjoyed every second of our dining experience. I’m not sure we would ever have gone there, had we not been treated, as the set menu runs $250 per person, not including wine, of course, or the many supplements. But, I must say, if you are a foodie and you had to decide between one night in a B&B and some so-so meals to celebrate your special occasion, or one 4 hour culinary extravaganza….consider Per Se!