Rosario's - Old-School Gourmet Italian Deli

Rosario's Deli - 22-55 31st Street, Astoria, NY 11105

718.728.2920

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

I stumbled upon Rosario's yesterday afternoon on my way to Key Food. On a mission to get good brie and light snacks for our dinner guests Lauren and Keith, I peeked inside and liked what I saw. After my great experience, I'll definitely be hitting it up again for quality specialty foods.

Upon walking in, I immediately saw that this was a traditional, old-school, Italian deli--cured meats and cheeses displayed by the deli counter and neatly stacked shelves of specialty pasta, sauce, olive oil and various chocolates, both domestic and international. The staff is hospitable and really seem to know their customers--they're nice Italian guys who smile a lot and spend time with customers, making small-talk.

Browsing through the shelves and the deli section of Rosario's, I was impressed with their goods:

• Gourmet pasta and olive oil
• Mozzarella bufala so fresh, it was still warm
• Eurocrem, which is similar to Nutella but in addition to hazelnut, it also contains milk creme
• Fresh pizza dough, which you can take home to make your own pie
• All types of Baci chocolates
• Specialty sandwiches made-to-order (i.e. mortadella, fresh mozzarella, lettuce, tomatoes and roasted peppers--$4.95)
• Other specialty snacks such as Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate Mix

I ended up buying a block of Le Chatelain Camembert, which is a creamy French cheese that's very much like a brie. Our guests seemed to like it a lot and I cut up half of it yesterday and the other half I saved to bake and garnish with strawberry preserves ($4.99). It was hard to pass up the Serendipity Hot Chocolate Mix so that went into my basket too for a whopping $4.99. It's a specialty product after all, so I was OK with paying a premium.

Rosario's will remain on my must-list in the future and if you haven't been there yet, I urge you to stop in--you'll be glad that you did.

Burger Battle of the Boroughs - Queens Rules!

I had the privilege of going to one of the best events that only a community like Astoria could provide--the first ever Burger Battle of the Boroughs, hosted by Dish du Jour Magazine. The burger competition was part of a larger event, the 7th Annual The Cuisine of Queens and Beyond.

Held at Astoria's glitz central, the Astoria World Manor, the event featured amazing cuisine from over fifty local restaurants. I was glad to see some of my favorites like Cavo, Arepas Cafe, La Guli Pastry Shop and of course Trattoria L'Incontro. In fact, Trattoria's famous chef, Rocco Sacramone was there in his full glory, melodic Italian accent and delicious food in-hand, he charmed everyone, but mostly the ladies.

Some of my favorite food samplings of the night were:

Arepas Cafe: Chicken arepa with cilantro-garlic sauce, fried plantains and rice and beans.

33-07 36th Ave Astoria, NY 11106. 718.937.3835

Benjamas Taste of Thai: The veggie eggrolls were exceptional and served full sized--none of that tiny sample size business. 34-16 Broadway Astoria, NY 11106. 718.932.8826

La Guli: The cannoli kiss gives heavenly a whole new meaning.

29-15 Ditmars Blvd Astoria, NY 11105. 718.728.5612

Mojave: Their chunky guacamole and an offering of braised pork hit the spot.

22-36 31st St Astoria, NY 11105. 718.545.4100

Dan had a grand ol' time and he was especially loving the Blue Point beer station, sampling their different seasonal ales. I personally had a ball at the Brooklyn Lager station, where by the end of the night we received our very own six pack to go--what a deal!

The burger competition was a lot of fun and Dish du Jour brought out all the big guns to do the judging:

Arthur Schwartz – New York’s food maven and author of the recent book, Jewish Home Cooking

Terrance Brennan – Chef and owner of Artisanal Cheese and Wine Bistro & Picholine Restaurant in Manhattan. He’s also the author of Artisanal Cooking.

Kelly Choi – Producer and host of NYC TV’s program, Eat Out New York

Josh Ozersky – Co-editor of New York Magazine’s Grub Street and the author of The Hamburger

Tony Tantillo – CBS2 HD food expert

I, as most of the crowd, was excited to see Kelly Choi and I even had a chance to meet her, tell her about my blog and get a picture with her. Mind you, I look possessed and a little maniacal but still, a picture is a picture. We also spotted a couple of Bravo Top Chefs such as Dave Martin, Lee Anne Wong and Andrea Beaman.

And now for the burger competitors:

Brgr of NYC

Resto of NYC

The Farm on Adderley of Brooklyn

67 Burger of Brooklyn

Harry's at Water Taxi Beach of Long Island City

Joe's Bestburger of Flushing

Coals of the Bronx

The competition was fierce and there were some impressive burgers that came off those grills. But there could only be one true burger master. Drumroll please...CONGRATULATIONS to Long Island City's very own Harry's at Water Taxi Beach!

Harry was there in his full glory. He accepted the burger crown with a toothy smile and spoke nice words to the hosts. You could tell that he was proud and so was the audience. It was a great day for Queens and for our LIC neighbor.

Ron's Ice Cream - Vote Now!

Kimberly's dear friend Julie has a great family business, owned by her dad Ron, which is getting some media attention. Ron is in the business of homemade gourmet ice-cream and he happens to be one of the finalists of GMA's The Best Scoops in America competition. The voting has begun and goes on until tomorrow end of day.

Check out Ron's story and his multitude of amazing flavors such as the signature Brownie Nut and Creamy Vanilla. The shop also doubles up as a candlepin bowling alley--how neat is that? It's nice when family businesses get well-deserved clout and this one should take the crown, in my opinion. To learn more about Ron's click here and to vote now, click here.

I also learned that Ron has a very famous fan--Hillary Clinton. Rumor has it that back in the 90's, she sent the Secret Service in to get her own private stash of the sweet stuff. Now that's big!

Ron's is located in Hyde Park, Massachusetts right outside of Boston. And while I swore that I wouldn't cover that damn city anytime soon, it's for a good cause and for a nice person, so forgive me.

Ron's Gourmet Ice Cream & 20th Century Bowling

1231 Hyde Park Avenue

Hyde Park, MA 02136

617.364.5274

Seva - Opens Tomorrow!

Seva Indian Cuisine - 30-07 34th street, Astoria, NY 11103

718.626.4440

N/W Train to 30th Avenue

Finding good Indian food is no easy task in Astoria and that's why I wanted to let you know about a new Indian restaurant, Seva that will open tomorrow. Its opening will be a soft launch so they might not have all menu items available yet. But rest assured Veggies, Seva boasts a lot of vegetarian and vegan options for you to enjoy.

I was able to get a special sneak preview of the menu from the proud owner, Charu Rajput. A sampling is below and as you often do, please email me at critic@foodistanyc.com to see the whole thing.

Appetizers:

Bok Choy Crispy Curls - Gram flour batter, mango powder, lemon, mint raita...$3

Chicken Samosa - Minced meat turnover, coriander, mint and tamarind chutneys...$3

Pakora - Cauliflower, onion, potato fritters...$3

Entrees:

Tandoori - Tandoor is an earthen oven that is heated by charcoal. Meats, seafood and vegetables are marinated and rubbed with our spice blend, skewered and cooked slowly in the Tandoor resulting in juicy foods with smoky flavor.

Tandoori Veggies - Cauliflower, broccoli, bell pepper, mushroom, mango powder rub...$8

Tandoori Shrimp - Ginger-garlic rub, sour cream, lemon juice...$11

Mix Grill - Chicken Tikka, Chicken Malai Kabab, Lamb Seekh Kabab, Tandoori Shrimp...$11

Biryani - Biryani is a complete meal in itself. Meats or vegetables are cooked with long grain Basmati rice in a Dum method. A closed thick-bottomed utensil is used in which the main ingredient is slow cooked with rice, saffron, bay leaf and cardamom. It is served with cucumber raita.

Mixed Vegetables....$8, Chicken...$9, Lamb...$10, Shrimp...$11

Vegetarian and Vegan:

Malai Kofta - Vegetable croquets, cardamom, tomato, fresh cream...$8

Saag Paneer - Chopped spinach, homemade cheese, ginger, garlic...$8

Kadai Paneer - Homemade cheese, bell peppers, onion, cumin, tomato...$8

Try it out and let me know what you think. Review to come soon...

The Beehive - Legal Drinkers Beware!

The Beehive - 541 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116

617.423.0069

www.beehiveboston.com

The Beehive was where our family celebrated my brother, Peter's college graduation. We were all looking forward to trying it, especially because we've heard great things about it and also because we were curious about checking out Boston's trendy South End district. The food more than surpassed our expectations but the service was despicable in my opinion and I wouldn't go back. I fully believe that the restaurant business is about taking care of people and this wasn't done here at all--actually on the opposite, I felt shunned and embarrassed.

Atmosphere:

Located at the Boston Center for the Arts, The Beehive is a tricky place to spot. First of all, we drove by it without noticing it (there's no sign) and even when walking up to it, it was anything but obvious. The only hint you get is the letter "B" and its address, 541 Tremont.

As you walk in, the dark, mysterious vibe envelops you. The lighting is subtle, the decor is shabby-chic and all the servers wear clothes so casual and effortless that ironically, they look meticulously put-together. Seating is available both upstairs and downstairs. If you're here to enjoy a nice dinner rather than quick appetizers and drinks, I recommend dining downstairs. There's a nice-sized stage on this floor with a vintage lace curtain and the atmosphere is reminiscent of a 1920's Parisian artist hangout--the very inspiration for this restaurant. In fact, The Beehive stays so true to its artist roots that it features live jazz, cabaret and burlesque acts on most evenings, usually starting at 10p.

Service:

You probably know that I usually save this section for last but this time I'd like to switch it up. I want to pay special attention to Beehive's rude service, which left me feeling shunned, unappreciated and insignificant.

The cause of the problem was the wine list. Since this was Peter's celebratory dinner, we wanted to get a good bottle of wine to toast the occasion. I asked our waitress for suggestions and she was helpful, offering us a small tasting before giving us a full bottle--reasonable decision. Before bringing out the sample, she asked for my ID, which I guess was customary. This is where I messed up--I stupidly forgot to transfer it from my other handbag. I was annoyed at myself and apologized for not having my ID but told her that I was 27 going on 28 and that I was with my parents who could vouch for me. Mami and Oci of course chimed in and added "this is our daughter--she's 28!" It didn't matter. Not only was I not served alcohol that night, I was given an attitude about it. There was an underlying bitterness that lingered at our table throughout the night, which came from me and our waitress. At one point, she asked us curtly if "we'd like to quit now and just call it a night." Who says that? It was condescending and unnecessary.

To make a long story short, my parents and brother ended up getting alcohol and I sadly toasted to my brother's accomplishments with a lonely water. It was embarrassing, annoying and although partially my fault, the whole thing was absolutely ridiculous and something that would never happen in New York. What can I say, Boston is the pits. I'm happy that I have no reason to come back anytime soon.

Food and Cost:

After my horrid experience with the service, I'd be lying if I said that the food was disappointing. It wasn't. In fact, it was way above average and everyone (including my dad who is the toughest food critic) loved it. Here's what we tried:

Mini Beef Wellingtons ($9): These were hands-down the table favorite. The beef was so tender that it was coming apart and the buttery pastry crust was pure divinity on a plate.

Ricotta Stuffed Red Peppers ($8): Also an appetizer, this one was yet another stand-out. Two large roasted peppers were bursting at the seams with creamy ricotta cheese, seasoned with fragrant herbs and pepper. This dish was very rich and I was starting to feel full after eating only a small portion.

Broiled Scallops with Lemon & Parmesan Cous-Cous ($22): This was my entree and it was sensational. The scallops were cooked to absolute perfection and floated in a sweet butter sauce with roasted garlic, breadcrumbs and parsley--heaven! The cous-cous reminded me more of risotto--it was super creamy and topped with garlic spinach. I was happy with the portion, which I thought was generous but not excessive.

The other entrees were also devoured by my family. I tried Peter's hanger steak ($25) but after taking that fabulous steak class with Mike Calameco, my expectations were high and I was disappointed with Beehive's version--the meat was too tough. My dad loved his salmon ($21)--a safe dish--and my mom was happy to experiment with the baked polenta, spinach, ratatouille, ricotta ($18) that tasted like homemade dumplings. My mom also tried a seasonal side dish called fiddleheads ($8). They're a type of fern shaped like a squiggly circle (sort of like a green snail) and slightly charred in the middle--they reminded me of sauteed Brussels sprouts.

Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake: Despite our waitress's suggestion, we did not call it a night and ordered a sweet finish. I absolutely loved this cheesecake because it had a natural chocolatey taste and a crumbly consistency. I'm not a fan of super creamy cheesecakes because they often taste artificial. I reached for many spoonfuls of this delicacy, which rested on a fluffy cloud of whipped cream--perfection on a plate. And again, the portion was more than generous for four people.

Food: 3 Mmmms, Service 0 Mmmms

Foodista's Apple-Peach Crumble

I decided to throw together some fruit and oats for a quick, low-maintenance dessert. Not wanting this to be super rich, I made sure to incorporate healthful and flavorful ingredients such as lemon juice, lemon zest, brown sugar and cinnamon. The result was quite good and I'd recommend trying it with any of your favorite seasonal fruit. It satisfies a sweet tooth and is also a great comfort food.

Foodista's Apple-Peach Crumble:

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 large Granny Smith apple (or any apple of your choice), peeled, cored and sliced

2 small peaches, sliced (you can substitute with apricots, plums or any other fruit)

2 tbs of old fashioned oats

1 tbs of brown sugar

The juice of 1/2 lemon

The zest of 1 lemon (or slightly less if you don't want it to be too lemony)

2 small sprays of non-stick spray

2 modest dashes of cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients except the old fashioned oats in a medium bowl and let macerate for about 5 minutes. Place the mixture in two small oven-safe ramekins and then top with old fashioned oats and 2 quick sprays of the non-stick spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and the mixture is bubbling. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5-7 minutes. Enjoy this while warm after a nice dinner or snuggle up with it while watching your favorite TV show.

J.P. Licks - Beantown is Wicked Sweet

J.P. Licks - 311 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02445

617.738.8252

C Line to Coolidge Corner

www.jplicks.com

I went to Boston this weekend for my brother Peter's graduation. And since Boston is also the city of my alma mater (Peter and I are both Boston University Alumni), I always get a little nostalgic and look forward to visiting my beloved hot-spots. One of those happens to be my favorite homemade ice cream shop called J.P. Licks. It's pretty famous in Beantown--now boasting 7 locations--but its secret really stays there.

The Brookline location, which I visited on Saturday is large and colorful, displaying J.P's trademark cow motif. The staff is friendly and genuine--none of that syrupy fakeness, which I find so annoying. I was happy to discover that they had soft serve frozen yogurt in my two favorite flavors: chocolate chip cookie and oreo. I got both in a small cup and they were heaven...

Chocolate Chip Cookie and Oreo Frozen Yogurt: The chocolate chip cookie yogurt really stays true to its name--a spoonful will feel like you're eating the entire sweet confection with the dough and the chocolate chips. The oreo too is magical and tastes like the complete sandwich cookie, not just the filling. I recommend closing your eyes while eating this dessert--you'll be fooled completely but in the best possible way ($3 for a small).

In addition to the soft serve frozen yogurt, they also feature new ice cream flavors of the month. May brings exotic finds such as Fresh Banana Oreo, Negative Chip and Peanut Butter Ripple. Sorbets are also available with fun flavors such as Margarita and Fresh Hibiscus Lemon.

But besides the flavors of the month, there are also great standbys such as Cake Batter, Cow Trax, Maple Walnut, Cherry Ortiz (previously called Garciaparra), Cappuccino Crunch, Pistachio and much more! And on top of all that ice cream, they even roast their own organic, fair trade coffee.

So next time you find yourself in Beantown, stop off for something cold and sweet at J.P. Licks. You won't be disappointed.