Samba Grill is Opening

On my walk down 23rd Avenue today, I saw that a new Brazilian Barbecue restaurant called Samba Grill will open soon. I'm a total carnivore and was very excited to welcome this new establishment to the 'hood. The space looks like it's pretty set to go and I had the chance to ask one of their workers when it would open. His reply seemed confident when he said "Monday or Tuesday of next week." I'll make sure to come by again, pick up a menu and follow-up with a glimpse of the cuisine. Stay tuned...

Samba Grill is located on 29-17 23rd Avenue.

If anyone knows more about it, feel free to drop me a line.

Astorian Father's Day

Father's Day (this Sunday) seemed to creep up on us this year. I reached out to local eateries to see if they've got something special cookin', but it looks like they've been caught by surprise too. No real specials to report and for the most part, restaurants are doing business as usual, which isn't a bad thing. Why fix it when it ain't broke, right?

Below are my suggestions for celebrating Father's Day the Astorian way.

Christos Steakhouse - Treat Dad to a great classic steak dinner or lunch. Their meat and seafood are top quality and I'd suggest trying the Clams Casino and the Steak au Poivre. They're opening shop three hours earlier on Sunday in honor of Father's Day. 41-08 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105. 718.777.8400

Piccola Venezia - This Northern Italian eatery will be serving their regular menu on Sunday. Expect a lot of homemade pasta and interesting combinations such as pumpkin in brandy cream sauce. It's on the expensive side so count on dishing out some bucks. 42-01 28th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103. 718.721.8470

Locale - Again, serving their regular menu, they'll be open from 11a-4p for some fabulous brunch. Dinner service starts at 5p, and I'd recommend trying the Gnocchi Sorrentina. 33-02 34th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106. 718.729.9080

Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden - The Euro Cup is on this weekend and you can catch coverage right here. Just a warning, it gets way crowded so get there early. And while you're at it, treat Dad to a yummy burger or a kielbasa from their outdoor grill. 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102. 718.274.4925

Zenon Taverna - This affordable and homey Greek spot doesn't disappoint. For Father's Day, they'll be serving specials such as spring lamb the old fashioned way, rabbit stew, Greek lasagna and fried meatballs. Stop in and see what the hoopla is about. 34-10 31st Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106. 718.956.0133

Taverna Kyklades - Although the menu is the same as usual, get here early to grab a spot--this place is notorious for lines so be prepared. The seafood is supposed to be out of this world and one of the best in Astoria. 33-07 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105. 718.545.8666

Elias Corner - Another rustic, Greek fish place, this one's definitely masculine and something that Dad would enjoy. Have him pick out a fresh fish for his entree, which he can enjoy on the outside terrace. 24-02 31st St, Astoria, NY 11102. 718.932.1510

Stove - A classic comfort food restaurant that serves Dad-friendly fare such as French Onion Soup (pictured above) and hearty fish and chips. Their outdoor garden is a perfect setting to enjoy a cold one with Dad. 45-17 28th Avenue, Astoria, NY, 11103. 718.956.0372

Happy Father's Day Astoria!

Koliba - Slovak Comfort Food

Koliba - 31-11 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105

718.626.0430

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.kolibarestaurant.com

Any excuse that I can make for eating Slovak comfort food at Koliba, I make. Yesterday's excuse was getting together with friends, Ivona and Edita and showing them a piece of Slovakia in Queens. It was only a short month ago that I went out with this fun duo and the three of us devoured huge plates of dumplings in Brooklyn's Slovak restaurant, Milan's.

My friends were happy with Koliba's food and I was glad. We were a lot fuller this time because we got more food--and it was a bit heavier than at Milan's. It's true that our tummies suffered the next day but in the end it was so worth it. Good Slovak food and company can't be beat.

Here are some of the dishes that we enjoyed:

Fried Dumplings with Eggs (Vyprazany Knedlik s Vajickom): This dish was completely new to me and we got it as a starter. It looked like scrambled eggs with bacon except that the "bacon" was really fried dumplings. It was awesome and also really filling. The fried dumplings had a sweet aftertaste and reminded me of the Italian pastry, zeppole. What made the dish hearty were the eggs and the cold salty toppings of pickles and roasted red peppers. Although I loved it, I don't think I'd get it next time because of the large portions of their main courses.

Beef with Cream Sauce (Svieckova): This was my dish and while I've had it elsewhere, I haven't yet experienced it at Koliba. It consisted of tender beef in a meaty cream sauce, topped with fresh cranberries. Although the cranberries were an American aberration, they provided a nice sweet finish to the meat. The beef also came with a side of bread dumplings or knedlik, which I adore--its spongy consistency is a delight and when dipped into the cream sauce, the deliciousness is indescribable.

Fried Cauliflower (Vyprazany Karfiol): I was having a hard time deciding between the beef and the cauliflower--so when Ivona decided to get the latter, I was glad because I could try both. My mom makes a mean fried cauliflower and my standards for it are high. Koliba's version didn't disappoint and the cauliflower was fresh on the inside and super crispy on the outside. Once dipped into the tangy tartar sauce, the flavor of this fried treat was at its best. The portion was humongous and I got to sample 2 very large pieces from Ivona's plate.

Fried Cheese Stuffed with Ham (Vyprazany Syr so Sunkou): Another Slovak classic, this is so much more than your typical fried mozzarella. Edita had her eye on it and devoured it with gusto. I got to sample it and it was divine--the cheese was super stringy and the fried crust was thick and again, really crispy. I didn't taste the ham in the cheese but assumed it was there. Edita didn't have any complaints except later on that night--fried food tends to be heavy so eat this large portion of fried goodness with caution.

The service was good, as usual. But like I mentioned, I think that you have a serious advantage if you speak Slovak. Our waitress was friendly and we talked to her about our home country. She revealed that she was from a small rural village, which all three of us have never heard of. For a large country like the U.S. this might not seem weird, but given that Slovakia is so teensy, we were surprised to learn about a new place.

The prices here are very reasonable. Our dinner which included an appetizer, three entrees and three generous glasses of Czech beer cost us $66 (excluding tax and tip).

3 Mmmms

Ghenet - Ethiopian for Beginners

Ghenet - 284 Mulberry Street, New York, NY 10012

212.343.1888

V/F Train to Broadway/Lafayette or 6 to Bleecker Street

www.ghenet.com

There's been a lot of buzz around Ethiopian food. At first, my friend Michelle mentioned it a couple of months ago and since then, I've been hearing more and more. So when my friend Maya suggested trying Ghenet in Soho, I was excited and looked forward to a new experience.

Atmosphere:

Ghenet is a very simple, no frills place. For starters, the exterior is very unassuming and if you're not paying attention, it's easy to miss (look for the restaurant name on the window). The decor is basic with deep red walls and simple wooden tables. There is some sparse African folk art and tribal dolls that are also part of the decor but overall, it's pretty subtle. One of my favorite things about the atmosphere was the relaxing tribal music playing in the background. It removed me from my surroundings in Manhattan completely, which was so needed after a hard day.

The only negative about Ghenet is that it's not air conditioned. They had several fans going, which helped but on hot days like yesterday and today, you might want to keep that in mind or reconsider coming back when it's cooler.

Food:

As soon as I told people I was going out for Ethiopian food, the first thing they asked me was "are you going to eat with your fingers?" I did and it was awesome! Here's a little bit about the large dish that Maya, Alexis and I shared.

Ghenet Combination Plate: This was served on a beautiful folk platter, which was humongous and contained three types of meat and six types of veggies. The food rested on a bed of Injera or pancake bread. The Injera was also served on the side for us to break off and use as a scooper, instead of a fork and spoon. It was a lot of fun to eat this way and before anyone gets grossed out, I want to let you know that we each received fresh towels to clean our hands with before eating. They were really cold too which felt so nice on a hot day like yesterday.

The three meats that came with our dish were chicken, beef and lamb. The lamb was my favorite because it was cooked in a dark rich chocolate sauce, which reminded me of Mexican mole. The seasoning was different than that of mole but the color and texture were the same. All meats were braised and therefore were easy to scoop up with Injera. The chicken had an egg that was buried in the sauce--interesting touch but I wasn't in the mood for it. It was a cool association though--eggs, chicken. Hmmm...

The sides were also interesting and we ordered lentils, split peas, spicy beans, cabbage, string beans and a potato, carrot and beet salad. A lot of these reminded me of curry dishes, especially the lentils and split peas. My favorite sides included the spicy beans, which weren't all that spicy and the cabbage. The latter was soft but not overcooked and flavored mildly--it was a nice complement to the Injera. After a while, I got a little sick of the Injera because it was sour and I ended up eating everything (the meat and the veggies) with my fingers. I recommend doing this--it's fun and the food tastes better on its own.

Service and Cost:

The service is pretty blaze--they don't pay too much attention to you but I can't say that they weren't nice. We got everything that we needed but it would've been good to get more recommendations from our waiter, given that we were brand new to Ethiopian cuisine.

The cost was really reasonable, especially for our combo plate, which was only $45.95. Split three ways and rounding up for tax and tip, it set us back exactly $20 each. But if you're looking to order individual plates, they'll cost you in the neighborhood of $12.95-$17.95--also inexpensive.

3 Mmmms

Martha's Country Bakery - Homestyle Baking at its Best

Martha's Country Bakery - 36-21 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.545.9737

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.marthascountrybakery.com

One of my favorite bakeries in Astoria, Martha's always put me in a good mood. And just like I wanted to show off Trattoria L'Incontro to my aunt and uncle, I wanted to do the same with Martha's. They appreciated it for its goodness and we stuck around to indulge in a couple of confections.

Atmosphere:

I love Martha's for its atmosphere as much as I love it for its baked goods. The country theme is definitely conveyed even before you walk in--the awning has maroon stripes and the window display showcases gorgeous lattice fruit pies, tarts, cupcakes and fruit breads. The inside is even more charming with whimsical decorations such as a big vintage clock and country-style furniture in warm yellows, reds and browns. Simply put, it's a lovely place to linger and enjoy a sinful treat. And linger, you can, as Martha's boasts a seating area of approximately 8-10 small tables. Not many bakeries in the area (and in general) can say the same--it's usually a grab-and-go type of situation.

The Treats:

I've had Martha's on a number of occasions but most of the things we sampled last Friday were new to me.

Vanilla Buttercream Cupcake with M&M's: I'm a sucker for Martha's cupcakes and have tried most varieties--my favorite one being the red velvet. I haven't tried this simple vanilla buttercream variation with M&M's and after devouring half of it in barely a couple of minutes, I think I'd call it my new favorite. The inside was beautifully moist and the buttercream tasted like it should--soft, sugary with hints of vanilla and lemon. The M&M's provided that choco fix, which I so often crave and overall, I'd say that this is a nice choice for b-days (for both adults and kids).

Hazelnut Gelato: Dan ordered this and it actually consisted of one scoop of hazelnut and one scoop of cappuccino gelato. I didn't taste the latter so I'll only talk about the hazelnut. Being that Nutella is one of my favorite desserts in the whole world, I naturally adore hazelnut gelato. This one was creamy and rich and had that home-churned feel. I kept taking spoonfuls from Dan's bowl and decided that I'm definitely going to get it next time.

Chocolate Cannoli: This was my least favorite dessert because it just didn't stand a chance next to La Guli's cannoli. The ricotta filling tasted waxy and the crust wasn't flaky enough. While I love chocolate, I think there was too much of it here--in the filling, around the dough and there were even chocolate chips inside. I'd skip the cannoli next time around.

Service and Cost:

Because we were sitting at a table, we had a waitress bring out our order. She was really nice and unobtrusive but she chimed in a the right moments. For example, when we were trying to figure out who sang a song playing in the background, she came to the rescue.

I'd say that for the quality of goods you're getting here, Martha's treats are priced fairly but to the naked eye they could seem expensive. Cupcakes are $1.75 each, cannolis are $2.75 and a scoop of gelato is a whopping $3.75. You pay for the greatness.

3 Mmmms

Trattoria L'Incontro - Always Pleasing

Dan and I went to Trattoria L'Incontro on Friday night with my aunt Ida, uncle Victor and my cousin Vicky. When my aunt told me that she wanted to go to a great Italian restaurant in Astoria, I immediately wanted to show off our beloved Trattoria. No one was disappointed and the evening ended with five very satiated individuals.

If you've been to Trattoria, you'll know that most of the menu isn't found on paper. Instead it's recited verbally through a ten minute speech by your waiter. While most of the dishes we ordered weren't new to me, below are the two great ones that I tried for the first time--and loved.

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Porcini Mushrooms: This is was one of Trattoria's pasta specials of the night. It was absolutely humongous, served in an oversized, deep bowl that was filled halfway. The best thing about it were the porcini mushrooms--they added heartiness and the most amazing aroma to the pasta sauce. Even if the mushrooms wouldn't be visible (which they were), you would've tasted them in this luxuriously smelling and tasting sauce. The shrimp was also wonderful--crunchy not at all chewy. This dish was perfect in my book and when I let my dining companions try it, they were molto impressed. My aunt commented on the mushrooms and said that "they do these really well here."

Osso Buco with Gnocchi: Another special, this one was for the men, as both Victor and Dan ordered it. I've had a gnocchi dish here before, but instead of Osso Buco it included short ribs. I was determined to try this one as well and Dan gave me a generous piece of his. I loved it, especially because it was incredibly tender and embellished with veggies such as diced carrots and onions. The gnocchi soaked up the amazing meat sauce and was a nice complement to this hearty plate. I wouldn't recommend getting this dish if you're not particularly hungry--it's huge and extremely filling.

I stand by my love for Trattoria and even though it's on the expensive side, it's worth the occasional treat--this one was courtesy of my aunt and uncle. Thanks Ida and Victor!