Bliss Bistro
4520 Skillman Avenue
Sunnyside, NY 11104-2117
(718) 729-0778
Food 8
Ambiance 7
Service 7
Overall 22
Good for romantic couples dinner and for upscale small group dining for bargain prices- Orgasmic potential alert!
Now when I started this blog, I swore to myself that I was only reviewing places I had never been to before the blog. My husband thought this was unfair as some of my favorites would not recieve their just due. And while I am still sticking to the policy, I will revise it to add that if one of my true blue places delivers an orgasmic meal than I shall have to review it. And this is why I am reviewing Bliss. Since I started going to Bliss the last several years, it has become one of our neighborhood stars for consistently tasty well priced French food in a romantic atmosphere. The owner Maruf always goes out of his way to greet us and we are always promptly seated. The waitstaff is generally very attentive and food service uniformally speedy. Food quality is generally very good. On occasion spectacular, but on average just really good with good sized portions. .During the week , they have an unbeatable 20 or 25 dollar prix fixe. The atmosphere is elegant cozy chic. Its a fairly spacious dining room that can seat about 50 diners. White walls with cream curtains and historic pictures of Sunnyside in the 19 th century . Comfortable cream well padded banquets throughout.
So we decided to go to Bliss for Valentines Day this year.
The menu for Valentine's Day offered multiple specials not seen on their regular menu.
The standard menu price at Bliss is ultra-reasonable. Appetizers $6-8, Mains $13-21 and Desserts $7. The wine list is also reasonable with a focus on well priced French wines.
We started with cocktails. My husband had a glass of whiskey and I had a signature champagne cocktail.Initiailly I found it too sweet so I asked them to add some lime, which still made it unpalatable. After a few sips I gave up. Although I did not complain or return it, they removed the drink price off our final bill.
We ordered a bottle of $40 Pomeral Bordeux Red which was a medium bodied earthy red.
I started my meal with a $15 appetizer of sauteed fois gras with roast pear and my husband had a $5 mesclun salad.
Now the fois gras and its perfection is the principle reason I am writing this review. Now in case you haven't figured this out yet, my primary reason for eating is taste. While I certainly care about healthiness, supporting local farmers ,having pesticide free food, and being humane to animals,if all of those things also didn't translate into supremely better tasting meals, honestly I really wouldn't bother. So for those who care about the pain the duck suffers being forcefed to produce their premium liver, I say, my first duty is to satisfy my tongue, by whatever means necessary. If a duck must be stuffed to accomplish this, so be it. So in my opinion, one of the best ways to have fois gras is when it is perfectly seared, slightly seasoned and served with a lightly sweetened accompaniment. Just enough accompaniment to highlight that delicate sweetness and creaminess of the fois gras itself. You really don't need to do much to the fois gras. If it is high quality, you want to barely caress it with seasoning, heat and sides so it is the true star of the show. And this is what Bliss did perfectly. The fois gras was lightly salted and peppered and so perfectly barely cooked. Even now the memory makes me infinitely sad it is not on the regular menu. It melted in my mouth, gliding into a creamy slice of perfect luxury. Bliss was not skimpy with the portion either , giving a good 3 inch portion of the fois gras. It was served with a 1/4 of a sliced roast pear and a balsamic reduction with a few sprigs of salad and a few toast points. The pear and balsamic reduction provided the needed undertone of sweet and tart to balance the fois gras. Truly one of the best fois gras appetizers I have ever had. My husband's salad was a simple refreshing salad lightly dressed. The Valentines menu was somewhat pricer than Bliss' typical menu.
For mains, I had the $29 special rack of lamb with couscous and vegetables, cooked rare. My husband had the $27 filet mignon with gratin potatoes,cooked medium rare. My lamb arrived perfectly cooked, well seasoned with a tasty side of couscous and small portion of fresh vegetables. My husband's filet was well seasoned and perfectly cooked and his potatoes were a well balanced mix of creaminess. Overall the mains were the standard consistent tastiness we have come to expect from Bliss. Nothing extraordinary like the fois gras. We finished with an apple tart, which was a light refreshing puff pastry base with sliced apples served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Overall, Bliss is a true New York treasure. I am always amazed it is not packed with more people, as it truly delivers in taste for the price point. If only I could have the fois gras monthly.......life would be divine
So though the Quest continues I am so happy to report my first food orgasm since starting this blog........
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Buttermilk Channel
Buttermilk Channel
524 Court St
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 852-8490
Food 4
Ambiance 7
Service 5
Overall 16
Good for local beers and wine ,skip the pricey food and head somwhere else on Court street
So after hearing so much about this place, this past Thursday I ventured forth with my husband and cousin hankering for some expertly fried chicken. The restaurant is at the far end of Court Street, without too many other competing restaurants nearby. We arrived at 6 pm without reservation and were promptly seated when our full party was complete. The place is standard Brooklyn ,cool and elegant. Cream walls, cozy small space with high ceilings, loads of windows and historic seeming charm. Actually given the menu, focused on so many comfort foods, I was not expecting the refined decor. We waited at the bar for my cousin and I tried a $ 10 Bill Royale, a champagne cocktail with pear brandy and ginger liquor while my husband had a $6 ommegang draft beer. My cocktail tasted like gingerale with a whiff of pear. Not my cup of tea and certainly not worth the price tag but not bad enough to send back.
The menu is somewhat pricey for the mish mash of good ole american and french inspired comfort food. The most well priced were the appetizers 5- 11 dollars, ranging from oysters cooked 3 ways, a variety of charcuterie, cheeses , salads and soups. The wine list is an impressive ode to American wine, with a nice well priced selection of Californian, Oregon and New York varieties. We settled on a $30 Wolffers Estate North Fork Merlot and were nicely surprised.We started off with the $10 winter squash tart and the $7 pork rilletes. The tart was without a doubt the highlight of the meal. A sweet beautifully cooked squash layered on a thin bed of ricotta and puff pastry that tasted like shortbread crust. It was a perfect appetizer, combining a variety of subtle winter flavors in an appropriate sized portion. The rilletes on the other hand were another story althogethr. Underflavored, overly fatty with an unappetizing look and consistency, they reminded me of undercooked hamburger and had none of the lovely fullness that pork can always impart. For the main course ,my cousin had the $14 lamb salad, I had the $18 fried chicken and my husband had the $19 ommegang oxtail chili. Although I did not sample my cousin's salad, it was a small portion of a 2 romaine leaf boat filled with primarily lots of roast cauliflower, eggs and capers with a dusting of lamb chunks. My cousin seemed to marginally enjoy it. My fried chicken was a geneous portion of 2 leg and two pieces of breast meat with a tiny serving of coleslaw and half a cheddar waffle. The chicken was overly crusted and the leg just barely cooked while the breasts were dryly over cooked. The crust was an hard shell around the chicken meat , which was uninspiringly seasoned. The waffle, though a tiny portion, was actually tasty and light but was served with a side sauce that tasted more like molasses than maple syrup. The cole slaw was standard, not too much sugar or mayonaisse. Overall for the price tag of 18 dollars, there a plethora of better fried chickens to be had in Brooklyn and beyond. On to the worst of the worst, my husband's chili. I must preface my comments by saying that somehow my husband managed to swallow the entire portion of this chili and pronounced that he had found it enjoyable. But be forewarned that my husband likes to be contrarian ,especially when I have such obvious disdain for a dish.First , let me state that when I think of chili I think of hearty portion of beans and meat, simmered together into a perfect stew of protein spiced goodness. The first clue that this was not the kind of chili Buttermilk Channel was serving was the minuscule portion of chili served in a beautiful white porcelain mini terrine soup bowl. The bowl itself was filled perhaps a third of the way with chili,at most a 1 cup portion for 19 dollars. Now despite the small portion, I hoped that maybe an incredible taste filled with heaty chunks of meat would make the ridiculous price worth it. Unfortunately, the first impression I felt at looking and smelling the warm dirt brown colored chili in the soup bowl was that it reminded me of dog food . I ventured forth with a bite and my impression was confirmed that this chili was worse than it looked. .Truly shocking for a restaurant of this supposed caliber. A place that can't make decent chicken or chili is very telling. I would certainly not waste my money on their other entrees when they can't get basic standards. We continued with the $7 dollar apple bread pudding which unfortunately continued the theme of disappointment. We were served a barely warmed congealed hunk of bread doused with an overly caramel sweet sauce. We shared 3 bites and then were done. What was truly amazing is that by the time we were leaving, the restaurant had a line out the door. The only reason I would return here is if I wanted some local beers and wines at the bar. Otherwise, to spend your dollar at this Brooklyn joint when there are so many other fine establishments is in my opinion frankly nuts.
The Quest continues...........
524 Court St
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 852-8490
Food 4
Ambiance 7
Service 5
Overall 16
Good for local beers and wine ,skip the pricey food and head somwhere else on Court street
So after hearing so much about this place, this past Thursday I ventured forth with my husband and cousin hankering for some expertly fried chicken. The restaurant is at the far end of Court Street, without too many other competing restaurants nearby. We arrived at 6 pm without reservation and were promptly seated when our full party was complete. The place is standard Brooklyn ,cool and elegant. Cream walls, cozy small space with high ceilings, loads of windows and historic seeming charm. Actually given the menu, focused on so many comfort foods, I was not expecting the refined decor. We waited at the bar for my cousin and I tried a $ 10 Bill Royale, a champagne cocktail with pear brandy and ginger liquor while my husband had a $6 ommegang draft beer. My cocktail tasted like gingerale with a whiff of pear. Not my cup of tea and certainly not worth the price tag but not bad enough to send back.
The menu is somewhat pricey for the mish mash of good ole american and french inspired comfort food. The most well priced were the appetizers 5- 11 dollars, ranging from oysters cooked 3 ways, a variety of charcuterie, cheeses , salads and soups. The wine list is an impressive ode to American wine, with a nice well priced selection of Californian, Oregon and New York varieties. We settled on a $30 Wolffers Estate North Fork Merlot and were nicely surprised.We started off with the $10 winter squash tart and the $7 pork rilletes. The tart was without a doubt the highlight of the meal. A sweet beautifully cooked squash layered on a thin bed of ricotta and puff pastry that tasted like shortbread crust. It was a perfect appetizer, combining a variety of subtle winter flavors in an appropriate sized portion. The rilletes on the other hand were another story althogethr. Underflavored, overly fatty with an unappetizing look and consistency, they reminded me of undercooked hamburger and had none of the lovely fullness that pork can always impart. For the main course ,my cousin had the $14 lamb salad, I had the $18 fried chicken and my husband had the $19 ommegang oxtail chili. Although I did not sample my cousin's salad, it was a small portion of a 2 romaine leaf boat filled with primarily lots of roast cauliflower, eggs and capers with a dusting of lamb chunks. My cousin seemed to marginally enjoy it. My fried chicken was a geneous portion of 2 leg and two pieces of breast meat with a tiny serving of coleslaw and half a cheddar waffle. The chicken was overly crusted and the leg just barely cooked while the breasts were dryly over cooked. The crust was an hard shell around the chicken meat , which was uninspiringly seasoned. The waffle, though a tiny portion, was actually tasty and light but was served with a side sauce that tasted more like molasses than maple syrup. The cole slaw was standard, not too much sugar or mayonaisse. Overall for the price tag of 18 dollars, there a plethora of better fried chickens to be had in Brooklyn and beyond. On to the worst of the worst, my husband's chili. I must preface my comments by saying that somehow my husband managed to swallow the entire portion of this chili and pronounced that he had found it enjoyable. But be forewarned that my husband likes to be contrarian ,especially when I have such obvious disdain for a dish.First , let me state that when I think of chili I think of hearty portion of beans and meat, simmered together into a perfect stew of protein spiced goodness. The first clue that this was not the kind of chili Buttermilk Channel was serving was the minuscule portion of chili served in a beautiful white porcelain mini terrine soup bowl. The bowl itself was filled perhaps a third of the way with chili,at most a 1 cup portion for 19 dollars. Now despite the small portion, I hoped that maybe an incredible taste filled with heaty chunks of meat would make the ridiculous price worth it. Unfortunately, the first impression I felt at looking and smelling the warm dirt brown colored chili in the soup bowl was that it reminded me of dog food . I ventured forth with a bite and my impression was confirmed that this chili was worse than it looked. .Truly shocking for a restaurant of this supposed caliber. A place that can't make decent chicken or chili is very telling. I would certainly not waste my money on their other entrees when they can't get basic standards. We continued with the $7 dollar apple bread pudding which unfortunately continued the theme of disappointment. We were served a barely warmed congealed hunk of bread doused with an overly caramel sweet sauce. We shared 3 bites and then were done. What was truly amazing is that by the time we were leaving, the restaurant had a line out the door. The only reason I would return here is if I wanted some local beers and wines at the bar. Otherwise, to spend your dollar at this Brooklyn joint when there are so many other fine establishments is in my opinion frankly nuts.
The Quest continues...........
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Ornella Trattoria
Ornella Trattoria Italiana
29-17 23rd Avenue, Astoria NY 11105
718-777-9477
Food 6
Service 5
Ambiance 5
Overall 16
Good for authentic and creative pasta and salads
I wanted to check out Ornella after reading about it in Edible Queens and either Metro or AM NY. I am always on the lookout for great pasta like what I seemed to find so easily anywhere in Italy. So 2 weekends ago, my husband and I ventured forth on a Sunday night , with our Amarone in hand.They don't yet have a liquor license, so we actually came without Amarone, but ran to the liquor store next door to recitify that. On our arrival we were immediately greeted by the warm and very friendly owner, Giuseppe Viterale .He showed us to our table and began talking with us to find out if it was our first time visiting and how we had heard about it. Giuseppe is one of the main reasons I will be returning to this restauarant. His love and pride of his home cooking is evident. And he clearly is looking to make people feel truly welcome in his home style restaurant. Every small critique of his food he seemed to be taking truly to heart. Like he wanted us to truly help him make the restaurant better. A rare quality to encounter in a New York City restaurant. Back to the restaurant's ambiance. The place is long and narrow. The Viterales have tried to provide some rustic charm with cheery yellow walls and a few hastily made flowers along with a few poor man's frescoes on the wall, but alas, the place lacks the much needed t authentic charm of its owners. On to the menu. The main menu consists of an assortment of interesting appetizers $7-10, well priced pastas($14-19) and meat and fish main entrees($21-25). Of note a majority of the pastas and risottos are to be found in the menu vegetariano. So you should look at this before making a final selection. Since I had heard the star of the shows is pastas that is where we focused our attention. We started off with a $9 grilled octupus salad. A generous portion, definantly good for 3 to share, we were disappointed by the saltiness and toughness of the octopus. The accompanying salad was perfectly dressed and a refreshing counterpoint. I continued on with their $18 housemade chestnut pasta with shrimp, pasta di castagna, while my husband had the $19 imbustata. Both were generous portions of fresh homemade goodness. My chestnut pasta was similar to linguine made with chestnut flour and served with quickly wilted arugula ,cherry tomatoes and shrimp.We also ordered a side of rabe, which was a delicious garliced complement. Although my chestnut pasta was a tad bit on the salty side, it was a hearty and satisfying with the unique understated nutiness of the chestnut. It reminded me in color and taste profile of buckwheat noodles. Aside from the tad bit over saltedness of the dish I did not find the shrimp married with the other ingrediants- would definantly order this dish straight vegetarian next time. My husband's imbustata was essentially a lasagna filled with a rich creamy mix of ground veal and chicken with mushrooms,spinach, mascarpone cheese and mozzerrela cheese. It was too heavy and unrefined for my taste, the flavors collapsing together into an unrecognizable medly of mush. It was not bad, just in comparison with the sweet simplicity of the chestnut pasta quite surprising- and not for me in a godo way. My husband adored it. We finished our meal with italian flan and tiramisu. The flan was tasty but nothing extaordinary. For my taste, not enough sugar or creaminess. The tiramisu on the other hand I found too sweet , without enough balance of coco and coffe flavors and an unusual orange flavored aftertaste which was not to my liking.
Aside from the owner, waitstaff was adequatey present.
I will definantly be checking out Ornella again. It is rare to find such authentic Italian pasta at reasonable prices in the city. Although there were several misses in our meal, the owner and the opportunity to try more original and unusual pastas make me want to return.
The Quest continues..............
29-17 23rd Avenue, Astoria NY 11105
718-777-9477
Food 6
Service 5
Ambiance 5
Overall 16
Good for authentic and creative pasta and salads
I wanted to check out Ornella after reading about it in Edible Queens and either Metro or AM NY. I am always on the lookout for great pasta like what I seemed to find so easily anywhere in Italy. So 2 weekends ago, my husband and I ventured forth on a Sunday night , with our Amarone in hand.They don't yet have a liquor license, so we actually came without Amarone, but ran to the liquor store next door to recitify that. On our arrival we were immediately greeted by the warm and very friendly owner, Giuseppe Viterale .He showed us to our table and began talking with us to find out if it was our first time visiting and how we had heard about it. Giuseppe is one of the main reasons I will be returning to this restauarant. His love and pride of his home cooking is evident. And he clearly is looking to make people feel truly welcome in his home style restaurant. Every small critique of his food he seemed to be taking truly to heart. Like he wanted us to truly help him make the restaurant better. A rare quality to encounter in a New York City restaurant. Back to the restaurant's ambiance. The place is long and narrow. The Viterales have tried to provide some rustic charm with cheery yellow walls and a few hastily made flowers along with a few poor man's frescoes on the wall, but alas, the place lacks the much needed t authentic charm of its owners. On to the menu. The main menu consists of an assortment of interesting appetizers $7-10, well priced pastas($14-19) and meat and fish main entrees($21-25). Of note a majority of the pastas and risottos are to be found in the menu vegetariano. So you should look at this before making a final selection. Since I had heard the star of the shows is pastas that is where we focused our attention. We started off with a $9 grilled octupus salad. A generous portion, definantly good for 3 to share, we were disappointed by the saltiness and toughness of the octopus. The accompanying salad was perfectly dressed and a refreshing counterpoint. I continued on with their $18 housemade chestnut pasta with shrimp, pasta di castagna, while my husband had the $19 imbustata. Both were generous portions of fresh homemade goodness. My chestnut pasta was similar to linguine made with chestnut flour and served with quickly wilted arugula ,cherry tomatoes and shrimp.We also ordered a side of rabe, which was a delicious garliced complement. Although my chestnut pasta was a tad bit on the salty side, it was a hearty and satisfying with the unique understated nutiness of the chestnut. It reminded me in color and taste profile of buckwheat noodles. Aside from the tad bit over saltedness of the dish I did not find the shrimp married with the other ingrediants- would definantly order this dish straight vegetarian next time. My husband's imbustata was essentially a lasagna filled with a rich creamy mix of ground veal and chicken with mushrooms,spinach, mascarpone cheese and mozzerrela cheese. It was too heavy and unrefined for my taste, the flavors collapsing together into an unrecognizable medly of mush. It was not bad, just in comparison with the sweet simplicity of the chestnut pasta quite surprising- and not for me in a godo way. My husband adored it. We finished our meal with italian flan and tiramisu. The flan was tasty but nothing extaordinary. For my taste, not enough sugar or creaminess. The tiramisu on the other hand I found too sweet , without enough balance of coco and coffe flavors and an unusual orange flavored aftertaste which was not to my liking.
Aside from the owner, waitstaff was adequatey present.
I will definantly be checking out Ornella again. It is rare to find such authentic Italian pasta at reasonable prices in the city. Although there were several misses in our meal, the owner and the opportunity to try more original and unusual pastas make me want to return.
The Quest continues..............
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Capsouto Freres
Capsouto Freres
451 Washington Street
New York, NY 10013-1723
(212) 966-4900
Food 5
Service 6
Ambiance 7
Overall 18
Good for romantic setting for unimpressive old school french for beaucoup dollars
So my husband and I went here before a Chinatown play for restaurant weeek dinner. Although it is a fairly old by New York restaurant standards, the reviews are uniformly glowing. First off ,its in the middle of industrial nowhere, somewhere at the edge of Tribeca , SOHO and Chinatown. Meeting up on a winter's night at 6:30, I was a little scared at the lack of pedestrain traffic around these parts. When I finally sidled up to the restaurant, I was impressed at the size and warm decor. A historic almost cavernous room, with high celings, cheery hints of red and beautiful molding throughout. Giant leafy plants take over the massive windows. I was instantly greeted by a cheery and somewhat cheeky older French fellow, who showed me to my table. The waiters, all dressed up in formal black and white attire, quickly gave me a drink menu to peruse while I waited for my husband. When we arrived at 6:30 the place was fairly empty. But by our departure close to eight it was full with many large parties. We stuck with the restaurant dinner menu. I opened with smoked salmon salad, followed by a daube de boef bourguignon. He had an argula goat cheese salad, followed by a grilled mahi mahi. We both had some wine, which was fairly priced and adequate. My smoked salmon was delicately seasoned and a nice portion. A refreshing opener for the palate. My husband' salad was nothing notable. Overly dressed and certainly not memorable. My beef was an unfortunate tiny small portion that was overly cooked and underseasoned.Very unimpressive for such an impressive looking restaurant. My husband fared worse. His fish was unfresh and miniscule. Although well seasoned, again I was shocked that a place with this look would serve so unfresh a fish. Overall the meal was barely adequate for a restaurant week price. If I had paid full price, I would have been a little more than disappointed. Service was fairly speedy and responsive. Given the ambiance and service, its a shame the kitchen is not more on point.
The Quest continues.....
451 Washington Street
New York, NY 10013-1723
(212) 966-4900
Food 5
Service 6
Ambiance 7
Overall 18
Good for romantic setting for unimpressive old school french for beaucoup dollars
So my husband and I went here before a Chinatown play for restaurant weeek dinner. Although it is a fairly old by New York restaurant standards, the reviews are uniformly glowing. First off ,its in the middle of industrial nowhere, somewhere at the edge of Tribeca , SOHO and Chinatown. Meeting up on a winter's night at 6:30, I was a little scared at the lack of pedestrain traffic around these parts. When I finally sidled up to the restaurant, I was impressed at the size and warm decor. A historic almost cavernous room, with high celings, cheery hints of red and beautiful molding throughout. Giant leafy plants take over the massive windows. I was instantly greeted by a cheery and somewhat cheeky older French fellow, who showed me to my table. The waiters, all dressed up in formal black and white attire, quickly gave me a drink menu to peruse while I waited for my husband. When we arrived at 6:30 the place was fairly empty. But by our departure close to eight it was full with many large parties. We stuck with the restaurant dinner menu. I opened with smoked salmon salad, followed by a daube de boef bourguignon. He had an argula goat cheese salad, followed by a grilled mahi mahi. We both had some wine, which was fairly priced and adequate. My smoked salmon was delicately seasoned and a nice portion. A refreshing opener for the palate. My husband' salad was nothing notable. Overly dressed and certainly not memorable. My beef was an unfortunate tiny small portion that was overly cooked and underseasoned.Very unimpressive for such an impressive looking restaurant. My husband fared worse. His fish was unfresh and miniscule. Although well seasoned, again I was shocked that a place with this look would serve so unfresh a fish. Overall the meal was barely adequate for a restaurant week price. If I had paid full price, I would have been a little more than disappointed. Service was fairly speedy and responsive. Given the ambiance and service, its a shame the kitchen is not more on point.
The Quest continues.....
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Eat Rice in NYC
Eat Rice in NYC
7219 Roosevelt Ave
Jackson Heights,NY
7188039001
Food 7
Ambiance 6
Service 5
Overall 18
Good For cool casual cheap dinner and drinks, good for small groups
We went here early Friday night at 7 pm for some good Thai comfort food.
We were immediately surprised by the funky decor as we were not expecting anything more than some good Thai food in your typical Thai restaurant. Sleek white banquets. White shaded lights. Plastic but cute wheat grass throughout. The overall effect was understated modern. We seated ourselves in the half empty restaurant. The menu is straightforward Thai cuisine with a nice selection of mock cocktails that are sake based , a decent selection of wines by the glass and several beers. We started with steamed appetizer combo, $7.95, of crab shumai, shrimp shumai, dumplings and gyoza. This was a delicious and simple selection of well seasoned goodies. Hints of ginger,garlic and green onioned goodness. My husband continues with a $7.95 large ShrimpTom Yum Soup which was a beautifully seasoned and not overly spicy version of the classic with a fairly generous amount of shrimp. I had a $10.95 chicken and shrimp pad thai. A little more sour and liquidy than normal pad thai but a truly generous and tasty portion of perfectly cooked juicy shrimp and chicken with rice noodles. The portion was really big enough for 2.My husband had a powerful pot of mint tea and I started with a $6 dollar lychee martini and finished with $5 warm sake. The martini was not overly sweet and a nice rounded option. The sake was a truly generous small bottle of good quality sake for the price.
Service was adequate.
Would definantly recommend this place both as a destination and if you are in the neighborhood for good Thai in a sleek atmosphere with well priced drink options.
Aside from Novo, Jackson Heights doesn't have much in the way of funky spots so I am glad to have finally discovered this place.
The Quest continues....
7219 Roosevelt Ave
Jackson Heights,NY
7188039001
Food 7
Ambiance 6
Service 5
Overall 18
Good For cool casual cheap dinner and drinks, good for small groups
We went here early Friday night at 7 pm for some good Thai comfort food.
We were immediately surprised by the funky decor as we were not expecting anything more than some good Thai food in your typical Thai restaurant. Sleek white banquets. White shaded lights. Plastic but cute wheat grass throughout. The overall effect was understated modern. We seated ourselves in the half empty restaurant. The menu is straightforward Thai cuisine with a nice selection of mock cocktails that are sake based , a decent selection of wines by the glass and several beers. We started with steamed appetizer combo, $7.95, of crab shumai, shrimp shumai, dumplings and gyoza. This was a delicious and simple selection of well seasoned goodies. Hints of ginger,garlic and green onioned goodness. My husband continues with a $7.95 large ShrimpTom Yum Soup which was a beautifully seasoned and not overly spicy version of the classic with a fairly generous amount of shrimp. I had a $10.95 chicken and shrimp pad thai. A little more sour and liquidy than normal pad thai but a truly generous and tasty portion of perfectly cooked juicy shrimp and chicken with rice noodles. The portion was really big enough for 2.My husband had a powerful pot of mint tea and I started with a $6 dollar lychee martini and finished with $5 warm sake. The martini was not overly sweet and a nice rounded option. The sake was a truly generous small bottle of good quality sake for the price.
Service was adequate.
Would definantly recommend this place both as a destination and if you are in the neighborhood for good Thai in a sleek atmosphere with well priced drink options.
Aside from Novo, Jackson Heights doesn't have much in the way of funky spots so I am glad to have finally discovered this place.
The Quest continues....
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Char No 4
Char No 4
196 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 643-2106
Food 5
Ambiance 5
Service 4
Overall 14
Good For whiskey shots and appetizers, skip the pricier food and cocktails
Finally made my way to Char No 4 this past MLK monday on our way back from a D.C weekend.
Craving some good barbecue and whiskey, I figured this Brooklyn place should fit the bill.
We arrive at 6:30 pm without reservations, and the tiny spot had a few people dining and drinking already. By the time we left at 8:30 the joint was completely packed. Of course, not hard to do since this place is TINY. Mainly bar as you enter and 4 booths and 2 tables in the back. The place to us was depressing in its decor. An poorly thought out ode to the sevenities with brown walls and wood everything.
We were promptly seated and the menu is on the pricier end for what you get. We were hungry and unimpressed by the primarily all fried appetizers so we went striaght for drinks and main. I ordered the $22 ribs with spicy cornbread and baked beans. Underseasoned and not deliciously smoked ribs. Cornbread was moist and tasty. The beans were undercooked and the spiciness and other flavors not appetizing. Since I am somewhat obsessed with all things barbecue, this was a definante disappointment. My husband had the $18 house made maple sausage with brussels sprouts. The sausage was unmemmorable although the sprouts were nicely caramelized and seasoned. A fairly small portion of food for the pricepoint.We shared a $6 side of braised kale. My husband first ordered the whiskey version of dark and stormy. A very weak sweet and watery cocktail, definantly not worth it. I ended up drinking most of this relunctantly and he went for their midprice $22 whisky flight. I started with a sazerac cocktail, which is not on the regular menu and I have never had, which was completely undrinkable medicine like cocktail. I returned that and went to my standby whiskey cocktail of a Rob Roy, which was predictably delicious.
Service was barely present throughout. And when I returned my Sazerac, my waitress grilled me on why I wa returning it.
Overall, would definantly not recommend this place if you are not in the borough already. The star here is really the whiskies. The food is secondary.
The Quest continues.....
196 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 643-2106
Food 5
Ambiance 5
Service 4
Overall 14
Good For whiskey shots and appetizers, skip the pricier food and cocktails
Finally made my way to Char No 4 this past MLK monday on our way back from a D.C weekend.
Craving some good barbecue and whiskey, I figured this Brooklyn place should fit the bill.
We arrive at 6:30 pm without reservations, and the tiny spot had a few people dining and drinking already. By the time we left at 8:30 the joint was completely packed. Of course, not hard to do since this place is TINY. Mainly bar as you enter and 4 booths and 2 tables in the back. The place to us was depressing in its decor. An poorly thought out ode to the sevenities with brown walls and wood everything.
We were promptly seated and the menu is on the pricier end for what you get. We were hungry and unimpressed by the primarily all fried appetizers so we went striaght for drinks and main. I ordered the $22 ribs with spicy cornbread and baked beans. Underseasoned and not deliciously smoked ribs. Cornbread was moist and tasty. The beans were undercooked and the spiciness and other flavors not appetizing. Since I am somewhat obsessed with all things barbecue, this was a definante disappointment. My husband had the $18 house made maple sausage with brussels sprouts. The sausage was unmemmorable although the sprouts were nicely caramelized and seasoned. A fairly small portion of food for the pricepoint.We shared a $6 side of braised kale. My husband first ordered the whiskey version of dark and stormy. A very weak sweet and watery cocktail, definantly not worth it. I ended up drinking most of this relunctantly and he went for their midprice $22 whisky flight. I started with a sazerac cocktail, which is not on the regular menu and I have never had, which was completely undrinkable medicine like cocktail. I returned that and went to my standby whiskey cocktail of a Rob Roy, which was predictably delicious.
Service was barely present throughout. And when I returned my Sazerac, my waitress grilled me on why I wa returning it.
Overall, would definantly not recommend this place if you are not in the borough already. The star here is really the whiskies. The food is secondary.
The Quest continues.....
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Vesta
Vesta Trattoria and Wine bar
2102 30th Avenue
Astoria, NY 11102
(718) 545-5550
Food 6
Ambiance 6
Service 6
Overall 18
Good for casual couples dinner if you are in Queens, good casual wine bar for small groups
I heard about Vesta through the Edible Queens magazine, which has a nice listing of many new Queens restaurants. Since I am always looking for cool tasty options nearby, I checked it out 2 weekends ago on a Sunday night at about 7 pm. This restaurant is in a very residential part of Astoria and doesn't have many other restaurants nearby. When you enter the small space, you are struck by the understated casual charm of the place and the immediate smile of the host. Brick walls, light olive green banquets, tiny wood tables. It reminded me of your typical Brooklyn joint. Which is a good thing, if you had to guess. Promptly seated, we reviewed the nicely priced menu and small but well ranged wine list. The menu has a wide price range, from $11.95 pizza to $27.95 steak. Wine is offered in 3 sizes, a bottle, a glass or a shot, allowing you to create your own wine flights. We shared a $32 bottle of Aglianico, a nice medium body Italian red which we have only tried once before.We started with a $ 6 celery root soup, a massive portion of creamy goodness in a bowl. I followed with the $14.95 lasagna and my husband had the $27.95 grass fed strip steak. My lasagna was a disappointment. Burning hot, when it arrived on the table I imagined fresh tasty meat and cheese. Unfortunately, the lasagna was primarily a sour tomatoe sauce sparsely layered with mozzarella and which was not adeqautely seasoned. My husband fared better, with a tasty and perfectly cooked steak and potatoes. Nothing unusual in flavoring or presentation and a little pricey for what you get compared to everything else on the menu. We also shared a $4 escarole side, which was a beautiful fresh dish accented with garlic.
We ended the meal with a dessert white and the speciality house Baby Jesus cake.We were underwhelmed by the Baby jesus cake, which is a semi sweet dense fig cake. It tasted too much like a brownie with minimal finesse.
Throughout, service was very good. With constant checking in and fairly speedy food to the table. The only exception was our dessert, which took a long time coming. The restaurant removed the cost of our dessert and glass of wine for the delay.
Although there were many misses in the actual food, I would check this place out again, especially for brunch. Would not trek out here from another borough for this place , given the price point and food quality. But if you are in Queens, its worth a try. Would definantly come here just for some wine and pizza although they have a fairly tiny bar area.
The Quest continues......................
2102 30th Avenue
Astoria, NY 11102
(718) 545-5550
Food 6
Ambiance 6
Service 6
Overall 18
Good for casual couples dinner if you are in Queens, good casual wine bar for small groups
I heard about Vesta through the Edible Queens magazine, which has a nice listing of many new Queens restaurants. Since I am always looking for cool tasty options nearby, I checked it out 2 weekends ago on a Sunday night at about 7 pm. This restaurant is in a very residential part of Astoria and doesn't have many other restaurants nearby. When you enter the small space, you are struck by the understated casual charm of the place and the immediate smile of the host. Brick walls, light olive green banquets, tiny wood tables. It reminded me of your typical Brooklyn joint. Which is a good thing, if you had to guess. Promptly seated, we reviewed the nicely priced menu and small but well ranged wine list. The menu has a wide price range, from $11.95 pizza to $27.95 steak. Wine is offered in 3 sizes, a bottle, a glass or a shot, allowing you to create your own wine flights. We shared a $32 bottle of Aglianico, a nice medium body Italian red which we have only tried once before.We started with a $ 6 celery root soup, a massive portion of creamy goodness in a bowl. I followed with the $14.95 lasagna and my husband had the $27.95 grass fed strip steak. My lasagna was a disappointment. Burning hot, when it arrived on the table I imagined fresh tasty meat and cheese. Unfortunately, the lasagna was primarily a sour tomatoe sauce sparsely layered with mozzarella and which was not adeqautely seasoned. My husband fared better, with a tasty and perfectly cooked steak and potatoes. Nothing unusual in flavoring or presentation and a little pricey for what you get compared to everything else on the menu. We also shared a $4 escarole side, which was a beautiful fresh dish accented with garlic.
We ended the meal with a dessert white and the speciality house Baby Jesus cake.We were underwhelmed by the Baby jesus cake, which is a semi sweet dense fig cake. It tasted too much like a brownie with minimal finesse.
Throughout, service was very good. With constant checking in and fairly speedy food to the table. The only exception was our dessert, which took a long time coming. The restaurant removed the cost of our dessert and glass of wine for the delay.
Although there were many misses in the actual food, I would check this place out again, especially for brunch. Would not trek out here from another borough for this place , given the price point and food quality. But if you are in Queens, its worth a try. Would definantly come here just for some wine and pizza although they have a fairly tiny bar area.
The Quest continues......................
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