Mojave - Because I Believe in Second Chances...

Mojave - 22-36 31st Street, Astoria, NY 11105

718.545.4100

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

This was my second visit to Mojave, Astoria's newest Southwestern restaurant. As you might recall, my first experience was rather mixed--main complains being about the seafood and the careless service. For my second time here, Dan and I were joined by Manhattanite friends, Carrie and Neil. They looked forward to trying Mojave, being supports of its NYC sister Agave.

Our friends agreed that while this visit showcased Mojave's food expertise, the service had yet to show itself in a positive light. Our waiter took too long to take our initial order and didn't check on us even once throughout the meal. Even when most patrons cleared out and the restaurant wasn't busy, we had to practically beg him for a check. So I continue to stand by my original impression of the service--it needs a slew of improvement.

Luckily though, despite the less than stellar waitstaff, we enjoyed some delectable dishes:

Braised Shortribs of Angus Beef: This dish came recommended so I naturally went for it. The beef was tender and separated itself effortlessly from the bone--as a braised piece of meat should. It rested comfortably on a bed of chile-corn mashed potatoes which were hearty and flavored by a thick beef sauce in which I also detected a hint of red wine. The combination was fantastic and incredibly filling. The veggies that surrounded this dish were also a nice touch and were very rustic looking.

Chile Glazed Meat Loaf: Dan ordered this and was really happy with it. Besides it being incredibly hearty, it was also interestingly seasoned with pico de gallo, corn and chile. When trying a bite of this, I also detected a pungent coriander flavor. I liked it but in all honesty it wouldn't be my first choice.

Carrie and Neil both ordered beef dishes--a quesadilla and tacos. Overall, they enjoyed them very much but Neil commented that his side of rice was too spicy for his liking.

Mexican Fondue: Even though we were full, we couldn't pass up dessert and decided to share a bitter-sweet chocolate fondue. This dish was so perfect for our foursome and I'd highly recommend it as a fun double date option. The chocolate was wonderful--super dark and shiny but not overly sweet. The dippings included fresh apples, bananas, kiwi, strawberries and my favorite, banana spice bread.

Foodista(o) for a Day...It Could be You!

Insert your picture here

Hi Foodies! This mystery silhouette could be YOU.

If I haven't told you lately, I love you--all of my loyal readers. I bow down to your enthusiasm for my site and value your strong opinions. And what better way to show you my appreciation than to give you a voice?!

Every month, I will be featuring a guest Foodista(o) on my site, as I invite you to share your personal restaurant experiences. You can review eateries in Astoria, NYC or anywhere in the U.S. I'm excited to see a restaurant through your eyes and know it'll be a great way to learn about some undiscovered culinary treasure.

Here's how to do it:
1. Send an email of your restaurant review to critic@foodistanyc.com
2. Provide your name or alias (your choice), a photo of yourself and where you're from
3. Include the name of the restaurant, address, phone number, website (if applicable) and subway directions (if applicable)
4. The review could be as short or long as you want it and it should cover your overall experience: Atmosphere, Food, Service and Cost
5. Provide 1-3 pictures of food and/or the exterior/interior of the restaurant

When do I send this?
I will post one guest review per month so the sooner you get me your review, the sooner it will go up on my site.

I can't wait to hear what you have to say!

*Foodista

Mezzo Mezzo - Just Barely So-So

Mezzo Mezzo Restaurant - 31-29 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.278.0444

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.mezzomezzony.com

Mezzo is a longtime Greek staple in the neighborhood. It wasn't our first choice for dinner when on Ditmars--we were actually trying to eat at the well-known Taverna Cyclades but the wait was too long. We settled for Mezzo--and unfortunately endured an evening of culinary disappointment.

Atmosphere:
The wonderful atmosphere is what persuaded us to come here. Outdoor seating is inviting, especially in warm weather and the rustic taverna exterior has a home country feel. The interior is even more interesting--you'll find unique wooden tables and chairs that almost look hand crafted. It kind of resembles a cabin from Goldilocks and the Three Bears, where you never know what you'll discover next.

The crowd at Mezzo ranges from young twenty somethings to older patrons who've been coming here for years. Everyone dresses casual to match the comfortable, homey scene. And you can be sure to hear some beautiful Greek spoken--both by the patrons and the waitstaff.

Food:

Judging by the authentic atmosphere, I thought the food would be spot-on but I was so wrong. Click for menu. We started with a seafood appetizer of stuffed clams. These were filled with breadcrumbs and topped with melted mozzarella cheese, served on a bed of salad. Let me just say that the only good thing about this dish was the salad. The clams were so salty and so fishy that we had to request more pita bread to get the rancid taste out of our mouths.

Next came my lamb souvlaki and Dan's seafood souvlaki. It's a Greek place so how could they mess this up? Lo and behold, they were both disasters. My lamb was too thick and chewy--I had to drink a lot of water to get it down. The only good part about my dish was the white rice--and because I was so hungry I polished it off quickly. Dan's seafood souvlaki was no better. He said the seafood was too salty and tasted unfresh--clearly a bad sign. The veggies and lemon potatoes were to his liking but that could've been his hunger talking.

The only thing that I liked here was the complimentary dessert that came at the end of our meal. It was called "ekmek" (not sure of the spelling) and consisted of semolina cake topped with Greek yogurt and cinnamon. It was light, had interesting texture and tasted fresh. I would certainly recommend it!

Service and Cost:
Despite our disappointing food, the service was impeccable. Our waiter was on-point with every aspect of service--great attitude, efficient, perceptive. He clearly saw that we weren't liking our meal and offered free dessert to lift our spirits--this really scored points with both of us.

I expected Mezzo to be cheaper than it was. Dinner for two including an appetizer and two entrees (no alcoholic drinks) was almost $70--not worth the money, in my book. Appetizers range from $5.90-$10.90 and entrees go for $13.90-$20.90.

Pizza and Cranberry Cobbler - An Easy Sunday Dinner

Sunday nights are big cooking nights for Dan and me and we try to make something together. Besides it being a lot of fun, it saves me a lot of grunt work and preparation. This time, we decided to go semi-homemade, as we made our own giant pizza with store bought dough and I made a cranberry cobbler from scratch. The meal was a big success and there were no pizza leftovers in sight. We shared the cobbler with our family and it was also a big hit.

Giant Pizza a la Foodista and Dan

Ingredients:

Store bought pizza dough (1 lb)

Store bought pizza sauce

Fresh mozzarella cheese

Dried Italian sausage

A dash of Italian seasoning (use your judgement)

1 shallot, sliced

Preparation: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out the pizza dough to the desired size--when rolling, make sure you put enough flour on the rolling pin and board. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the dough and then sprinkle with fresh muzz, sausage, shallots and seasoning. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown. This is so much more fun--and better tasting--than a store bought pizza!

Cranberry Cobbler

This recipe comes from the January '08 issue of Bon Appetit. It's official name is Cranberry-Maple Pudding cake--click for recipe--but to me it looks and tastes like a good ol' fashioned cobbler.

My Variation: I wanted to make my version lighter on the tummy so I substituted the whipping cream for 1 percent milk and it worked just fine. I also skipped the crem fraiche topping, used for the big finish. The cornmeal is what made this a comfort dish, and it was nice to bite into the chewy cornbread topping and then into the gooey cranberry filling. What a great winter dessert!

Mojave - Agave's Little Sister Comes to Astoria

Mojave - 22-36 31st Street Astoria, NY 11105

718.545.4100

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

Mojave has been the talk of the town ever since its much awaited opening last week. So naturally, I couldn't wait to check it out for myself--especially because I'm a huge fan of Agave, its big sister in the city.

Atmosphere:
The first thing I thought upon stepping inside is how much this place has transformed since its predecessor, All-Star Burger--it has done a complete 180!

The overall look very much mirrors Agave and if you've been there before, you'll feel right at home. The wooden paneling on the ceiling, the rustic white concrete walls and the cushion seating all very much say, the modern Southwest. The bull horn ceiling fixtures are also a nice touch, adding to Mojave's authentic simplicity.

Food:
Being a fan of Agave, I had a certain level of expectation from the food--and the menu is basically the same as at Agave. Overall, my expectations were only met halfway.

Margot and I both got individual soup appetizers. Mine was the butternut squash bisque, which I highly recommend. It was sweet, creamy and had a lovely surprise in the middle--goat cheese with fresh chives. The soup was also an amazing value--a large portion was only $6 and I took the leftovers home. Margot's roadhouse chili was equally fantastic and consisted of shredded beef and pork mixed in with sweet pico de gallo. It came with a generous side of flour tortillas and Margot's only regret was that she got the cup instead of the bowl.

Based on the quality of appetizers, we couldn't wait for our entrees but were sadly let down. I ordered the blue crab quesadilla and Margot got salmon tacos. Even before describing these dishes further, I will simply say that seafood is not Mojave's strong point--next time I come here, I'm going to stick to the basics such as beef or chicken. The crab quesadilla had a really funky taste--the crabmeat was so salty and gummy that it was inedible. And Margot's tacos were so bland that she left her plate half full.

Service and Cost:
Besides the fact that we ordered the wrong thing, we also had a really inept and callous waiter--it just wasn't our night. He started off by saying that since he and the restaurant are new, he's not responsible for knowing much on the menu--a terrible first impression. His performance certainly didn't improve as the night went on--he was inattentive, basically ignoring us the whole night.

The cost of dishes is very comparable to Agave. Some items are a bit cheaper (i.e. the butternut squash bisque is $6 at Mojave vs. $10 at Agave). On average, appetizers will cost you between $4-$13 and entrees range from $8-$24.