Easy as Pie Matzoh Brei

I promised another easy Passover recipe. A lot of Jews remember this one from childhood, the eggy soft matzoh that tastes like a delicious flat-bread omelette--you can't beat it. Here's my mom's version. A fun way to add to this recipe is to mix in your favorite toppings--whether it be chicken sausage (not a Jewish sacrilege), peppers or cheese, make it your own.

Matzoh Brei a la Foodista's Mama

Ingredients: (Serves 1)

2 matzoh sheets

2 eggs

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 tbs milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Vegetable oil

Directions:

Break matzoh into small pieces and place into colander. Pour boiling water over matzoh just to wet. Drain off excess but matzoh should not be soggy. Pour oil into a skillet and fry matzoh until lightly toasted. Beat eggs with milk, salt and pepper. Pour over matzoh and stir until eggs are set.

Enjoy your Passover egg sensation!

Passover Recipe: Bulotchky by Foodista's Mama

Passover is almost here! For my Jewish friends (or anyone who appreciates Maccabee culture), I reveal an old family recipe, which originates from the Ukraine and has been handed down to me from my mom by way of my great aunt Jolika.

This dish is of course Kosher for Passover and is a great substitute for biscuits. In fact, I think it's better! Enjoy it with some butter, jelly or even cream cheese. Bulotchky are the perfect bread substitute and they're not a fussy dish--very easy to make.

Bulotchky by Mira by way of Jolika

Ingredients: (makes about 8 rolls)
1 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Pinch of salt
2 cups of matzo meal
4 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saucepan bring water, oil and salt to a boil. Put matzo meal in another bowl and pour boiling water with oil over dry matzo meal. Cover and let cool. When luke-warm, mix well and add the beaten eggs, but do not overdo it. Wet hands and form rolls roughly the size of a lemon. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown. You can also use a muffin pan instead of forming the rolls yourself.

Happy Passover. Another recipe to follow tomorrow...

Pinocchio is on Hiatus

My 30th Avenue Bureau Chief, Kimberly has informed me that our beloved Pinocchio Palace is undergoing some needed renovations. Exciting news but also a bit sad, considering that they will remain closed until May 9th. We're looking forward to a new and improved Pinocchio but in the meantime wait impatiently until we can sink our teeth into their delicious brick oven pizza and killer gyros.

Vibe Cafe and Lounge - Another Newbie on 30th Ave

Vibe Cafe and Lounge - 40-11 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103

718.932.1212

N/W Train to 30th Avenue or R/V/G Trains to Steinway

www.vibecafelounge.com

Another cafe on 30th Ave? It's true that while Vibe isn't a unique concept--a Greek indoor/outdoor cafe--it's still a welcome spot on the Eastern side of 30th Avenue (past Steinway). Outdoor seating is located both in front and back of the house. The front seating puts you in the midst of the action on 30th Ave and the back garden seating is more private and guarded. I haven't seen this place too crowded yet, which is nice. You can count on Vibe for a laid-back Sunday afternoon coffee or a light sandwich with a friend.

The heat turns up on Fridays though, as Vibe presents Greek Nights with DJ Stamatis spinning "the best of Greek and today's hottest music." Check out this Mediterranean eatery and be prepared to shake it!

A sampling of the menu includes:

Appetizers:

Tiropita - Feta, manouri, graviera, wrapped in phyllo dough...$4

Grilled Octopus - Tender octopus served with roasted red peppers, onions, capers and red wine olive oil dressing...$9.50

Ktipiti - Traditional Greek feta spread...$4.50

Sandwiches:

Vibe Veggie - Grilled eggplant, arugula, red peppers, tomato, hummus...$9.50

Lountza Halloumi - Smoked loin of pork, halloumi...$8

Greek Toast - Tomato, kasseri (Greek cheese), ham...$6

Coffee:

Fredo Cappuccino...$3.75

Black Forest Delight - American coffee with cherry and chocolate...$5

Orange Truffle Mocha - With OJ, chocolate ice cream and milk...$5

Want to know more? Email me at critic@foodistanyc.com

Kitaku - New Japanese Fusion Joint

Kitaku Japanese Fusion - 29-21 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105

718.606.8508

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

23rd Avenue welcomes Japanese Fusion restaurant, Kitaku, open just shy of a month. Kitaku is noticeable not only because of its "Grand Opening" paraphernalia like colorful flags--it also happens to be the only Japanese restaurant in this neck of the woods.

I immediately saw the value that a place like this offers--light Asian fare at fair prices. Their Hibachi specials are unbeatable--$4.49 for veggies, $5.49 for chicken and $6.49 for beef and shrimp. Another plus is the diversity of the menu, which includes traditional and inventive sushi rolls (tuna roll, Greek, BMW roll), Bento Boxes, Noodle Dishes, more traditional American entrees such as New York Strip Steak and even new dishes that are unheard of in Japanese restaurants such as the Smoked Salmon Pizzette.

Below is a sampling of Kitaku's eclectic offering:

Appetizers

Rock Shrimp Tempura - Lightly fried crispy rock shrimp served with spicy aioli sauce...$7

Harumaki - Crispy pork spring rolls with sweet and sour chili sauce...$4

Smoked Salmon Pizzette - Tobiko and smoked salmon with crispy potatoes and rice latka with a tangy sauce on top...$8

Specialty Sushi Rolls

Greek Roll - Tuna, salmon, avocado inside; tuna, salmon, eel on top with crunchy scallion, caviar in special sauce...$12

BMW Roll - Tuna, salmon, avocado, caviar inside; white tuna, pepper tuna outside topped with Chef's special sauce...$12

Spicy Mango Lobster Roll - Lobster tempura, lobster salad, cucumber, caviar wrapped in special soybean paper with Chef's special sauce...$13.95

Bento Box (comes with rice, gyoza, California roll, soup and salad)

Chicken, salmon, beef or shrimp teriyaki...$9

Beef Negimaki...$9

Veggie or Shrimp Tempura...$9

Entrees

Grilled Lamb Chop - American style grilled lamb chop with carrots, red pepper and celery in Chef's special sauce...$26

XO Scallop - Lightly pan-fried sea scallop cooked in Chef's special wine sauce...$23

Mango Chicken/Shrimp - Sauteed chicken/shrimp with asparagus, red pepper, mango, mushroom, bamboo shoot in Chef's special sauce...$16 (chicken)...$19 (shrimp)

Email me at critic@foodistanyc.com if you'd like to see the whole menu.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Dolce Italia - Pastries with Pizzazz

Dolce Italia - 36-06 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.278.4188

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

Some of you might have observed that I'm partial to sweets--in fact, my meal isn't complete without a lovely sweet finish. And that's why on Saturday, I took a walk over to a delightful Italian bakery and pastry shop on Ditmars called Dolce Italia. I admit I've passed over this sweet shop in the past but after my delicious experience, I will never make that mistake again.

Founder, owner and Desserts Diva, Josephine DiMarco runs this shop. A perfect ambassador for her business--she's experienced and super passionate about her sweet sensations. Pastries and bread have been in her family for generations and her brother also owns a successful bakery in Queens called Lulu's. Josephine's Dolce is unique in that it offers creative renditions of staple desserts--think Nutella filled Linzer Tarts, Nutella Turnovers, Rainbow Cookie Cake and even Hazelnut-Chocolate Cannolis.

Aside from the yummy pastries, don't skip out on Dolce's flavorful coffee. It's incredibly fresh tasting and considerably different from the other neighborhood brews.

Here's a sampling of their sweet selections and wallet-friendly prices.

Cakes (custom options for special occasions are available): $18 and up

Danishes and Muffins: $1.50

Cookies and Pastries: (look out for their super puffy black and white cookies) $2.50 and up

Bread (they also serve specialty olive and prosciutto bread): $.50 - $4.50

Coffee: $1.25 -$4.00

The staff here is hospitable and the atmosphere is very family oriented. Stop in for a quick coffee and pastry or get an impressive loaf of specialty bread to feast on.

Il Bambino Cafe - Panini Squisiti

Il Bambino Cafe - 34-08 31st Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106

718.626.0087

N/W Train to Broadway or 30th Avenue

www.ilbambinocafe.com

Il Bambino has been the talk of the town since it opened its doors less than two years ago. This place is known for amazing paninis made out of simple, quality ingredients. Friends from the neighborhood have been talking it up so much that I finally went over there after my Sunday afternoon bellydancing ritual. I'm not exaggerating when I say that my life will never be the same--this is some good, not-to-be-missed stuff!

Atmosphere:

As I already hinted, Il Bambino is simple and on the small side yet its decor is tasteful and charming. I especially love the wall of rustic mirrors juxtaposed with the wall of wooden cutting boards and paddles. The front of the house shows an oversized wall painting of a pink, fleshy pig, arrows pointing to the parts of the body that produce prosciutto, speck, cappa, sopressata and your other favorite cured meats.

The vibe here is really fun and casual. Young patrons occupy small wooden tables, they chat freely and listen to the upbeat music coming from the sound system. I was pleasantly surprised by some of the music selections--a jazz rendition of Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" and Britney Spears' "Toxic." I know, I know, cheesy as hell but I promise that the jazz versions were awesome.

Food:

The main reason for our visit was of course to sample the famous paninis. We took our panini tasting very seriously, ordering three different kinds and sharing them with each other --a fun way to experience a variety of flavors and I recommend it. Here's what we tried:

Root Vegetable Soup: This was a group starter and what a beautiful introduction to our meal it was! The soup was topped with a warm pesto flatbread, which we split into thirds and dipped into the soup. I couldn't decide which was better--to eat it on its own or to submerge it into the creamy soup. I'd get this again in a heartbeat and because the portion was generous, we hung on to it for dipping sauce for our paninis.

Fried Eggplant: Served with fresh tomatoes and basil pesto, this was our only veggie panini and it happened to be my favorite. Despite being fried, the eggplant was very light and enhanced nicely by the pesto. My mom pointed out that it was not overly garlicky like some pestos can be and I think that's what made it yummy. Bravo for the pesto!

Prosciutto: This meaty panini also included tangy Gorgonzola cheese and sweet fig spread. The figs gave it a "desserty" taste, providing a nice contrast to the other more salty paninis. Although my dining companions loved this dish, I'm not a huge fan of cooked prosciutto. I would've preferred if the prosciutto was added at the last minute in its original form.

Sunday Special - Soppressata: Served with fontina cheese and sliced green apples, this sounded too good to pass up. The apples were paper thin, a perfect complement to the salty soppressata and the stringy fontina. I'd say that this pannini was the gentlest of the bunch and I could've finished the whole thing myself.

In addition to paninis, Il Bambino also boasts a sampling of tapas.

Service and Cost:
Absolutely no complains about the service--our waitress was laid back, pleasant and our plates appeared and disappeared in good time. Another positive is that we didn't have to wait long for the check. The staff at the front counter was friendly and welcoming too, answering our questions about their impressive, colossal cupcakes.

Cost-wise, Il Bambino is wallet friendly--$4 for soup and crostini, $6-$10 for antipasti, $7-$8 for salads and tapas, and $7.50-$8.50 for paninis. Il Bambino is a BYOB establishment, which fits its personality--so come by for lunch or dinner and bring a bottle of white with ya.

3 Mmmms