Sea - Of Madness...Steer Clear

Sea - 114 North 6th Street, Brooklyn NY 11211
718.384.8850
L Train to Bedford Avenue
www.seathainyc.com/

Peter and I went to Williamsburg last week and stopped in for Thai food at Sea Restaurant. We heard good things from friends and family, so we were excited to try it. Sadly though, after our miserable experience we will never go back. Ironically, only after we ate there did I find out that Sea is a Williamsburg tourist trap. We fell right in.

Atmosphere:
What draws you to Sea are its cool surroundings. The building that it's housed in is industrial-looking and spacious--it's very Williamsburg. The ceilings are high and the effect is larger-than-life.

Immediately upon walking in, your eye focuses on the beautiful reflecting pool in the middle of the room with a large Buddha statue protruding from it. There's a wooden boat with gorgeous flowers that swims around peacefully--and if you're lucky enough to sit pool-side as we did, you can watch it float throughout your meal.

Although the aforementioned scene sounds serene, Sea itself is not. Describing it as bustling and loud doesn't do this restaurant justice. Throughout your meal, you'll be distracted by various goings-on, such as frazzled waitstaff, parents running after their toddlers or a loud birthday party.

Food:
Since Sea is sister restaurant to Spice in Manhattan, we had positive expectations about the food. Overall, the food delivered and while not phenomenal, it was tasty and worth the price. Our lunch consisted of:

Tom Yum Seafood Soup - This is my favorite Thai soup and from the description, it sounded like it was packed with seafood. I've only had it with shrimp before, so I was looking forward to this version. It was flavorful and included jumbo shrimp, squid, scallops, and scallions in a lemongrass broth. The seafood was very good, although the shrimp tasted a little fishy. I loved the squid the most and would definitely recommend this starter. Peter got it as well and seemed to love it too.

Black Bean Ginger with Beef - My main dish was a stir-fry of mushrooms, pineapples, scallions, peppers and beef. Overall, I enjoyed it very much but didn't like the way it was thrown at me by a frantic waiter. The beef was on the lean side, the veggies were fresh and the sauce that bound everything together was a little spicy.

Pattaya Noodle with Chicken - Peter's choice was also tasty and consisted of broad noodles, scallions, radish peanuts and chicken. The noodles were especially delicious because they were thick and gentle on the palate. Again, the sauce was wonderful and the nuts provided a nice crunch.

Service and Cost:
This is where everything fell apart. Our waiter seemed confused from the first hello to the last miscalculated check. We ordered things that were never brought to us--like Peter's tea--but annoyingly we were charged for them. Our entrees were thrown at us in confusion and the service overall was so heinous that we sat there with our mouths open in exasperation. And though the food was good, I would never go back due to such disorganization and serious service malfunctions.

The cost of the food was very reasonable at a mere $7-$8 for an appetizer and an entree. While this price is hard to match, we were overcharged on our bill. Being that we were so fed up with the service, we didn't tip at all. The experience was despicable. Steer clear.

1 Mmmm

The Chicken Shack - Opening Soon

I wanted to give an update about the "mystery" restaurant I wrote about a couple of weeks back. As noted by Astoria Realtor and loyal Foodista follower, Peter Horowitz, the restaurant is called the Chicken Shack. I've been monitoring its progress and the awning sign is fully up, displaying its name. I also called them today because I'm curious as to when they're opening. The man on the phone said, "in 10 days or so." Look out for it soon - menu to follow.

The Chicken Shack
35-02 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103

718.721.3035

N/W Train to 30th Avenue

Potato-Wrapped Halibut Gone Awry

THEIRS

MINE

In the last issue of Bon Appetit, I saw an interesting recipe for Potato-Wrapped Halibut. It looked so beautiful on the picture (see top photo) that I was inspired to make it. I'm not sure how I thought I'd pull it off, given that I had no mandolin to cut the potatoes with. I attempted to cut them free-handed and failed miserably. The potato slices weren't thin enough and did not bend around the fish at all. I was annoyed and very hungry so I decided to make my own version, creating a potato-fish sandwich.

It came out awesome and I got much praise from my ravenous husband. He loved the potato-as-bun improvisation and said that the fish remained moist. In addition to halibut, I also used Alaskan salmon, which tasted even better and was juicier than the former. As you see from the second picture, I substituted craisin couscous for the sauteed spinach, which was easy to make and in my opinion tastier.

To make Bon Appetit's version, click here and to try my gone-awry-but-still-delicious version, follow the same recipe but instead of wrapping the potatoes around the fish, layer them on top and on the bottom of the fillets. When frying the fish, be really careful when flipping it. You might need a fork and a spatula. Enjoy!

Flex Mussels - Satifaction in a Pot

Flex Mussels - 174 East 82nd Street, New York, NY 10028
212.717.7772
4/5/6 Train to 86th Street
http://www.flexmusselsnyc.com/

It's true that mussels are an acquired taste but for me, that taste has developed and I just love them. That's why when I found out about Flex Mussels, a mussels specialty restaurant on the Upper East Side, I just had to try it.

I summoned my crustacean-loving friend Margot to join me. Like me, she appreciates good seafood, so when she saw the extensive mussels offering at Flex, I didn't have to ask her twice.

Atmosphere:
I didn't know what to expect from Flex, picturing it as an informal seafood shack with a no frills atmosphere. My perception changed after my visit and though it's not fancy, it's definitely a more polished, modern eatery than what I originally envisioned.

The front of the house is friendly and welcoming, with a medium sized bar and more stool seating behind it. This is where Margot and I positioned ourselves, as we had no reservations. There's apparently another dining room in the back but I think that it requires calling ahead.

We didn't mind our seats at the front counter, as we could be as loud and boisterous as we wanted. Our seats also proved advantageous when I accidentally flung a mussel and its sauce into the mirror--a much safer opponent than another person per se.

Food:
The menu boasted a plethora of mussel preparations as well as traditional seafood fare. Naturally, Margot and I went for the mussels and even splurged on dessert.

The Spaniard - This was my choice of mussels, which included chorizo, tomato sauce, sweet peppers, red wine and Spanish olives. One word - magnificent! The prominent taste was smoky and very Mediterranean, especially with those olives. My favorite part was the chorizo--it was clearly of good quality and enhanced the flavor of the delicate mussels. What a home run!

Fungi - Margot ordered the full mushroom extravaganza mussels, with portabella, shiitake and button mushrooms, seasoned with thyme, smoked bacon and garlic. The overall flavor was a lot gentler than my dish and the thyme infused sauce added earthiness. Margot liked it a lot and so did I--but I liked The Spaniard mussels better.

Homemade Donuts - Our charming waiter convinced us to get dessert, despite the fact that we were full. We chose the homemade donuts with two different fillings - salty caramel and chocolate ganache. I loved them both but favored the chocolate, as it was rich but not too sweet. The donut dough was light and airy and didn't even feel fried--another big yum.

The Beer - We both ordered beer with our mussels and Flex had plenty of exotic versions to choose from. I chose the Unibroue Blanche de Chambly, a light, citrusy ale while Margot got a Unibroue White Apple Ale, which was sweet, refreshing and almost dessert-like.

Service and Cost:
Our server was a character. He was fun, animated, told jokes, danced but above all, he did his job well. He knew the menu backwards and forwards and made wonderful recommendations for us. We were amused by him but also very satisfied with his service. He stood out to me as one of the best parts of our dinner, proving that great service does make a world of difference.

Flex is moderately priced with mussels ranging from $16/lb for basic options to $20/lb for fancy ones. Traditional appetizers are priced between $9-$16 while standard entrees range in the neighborhood of $21-$29. Our meal set us back about $38/person including tax and tip.

3 Mmmms

Celebrate Mardi Gras at Bistro 33

My beloved Bistro 33 will be celebrating Mardi Gras tomorrow with New Orleans inspired cuisine and drinks. And what's even better is that you could find 2 for $10 specials, as is customary every Tuesday night. Check 'em out - they do crawfish (pictured above) really well so this might be worth the trip to the "park side" of Ditmars.

Mardi Gras at Bistro 33
Tuesday, February 24th
New Orleans-Style Food and Drink

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.721.1933

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
www.lilbistro33.com

A Food-Coma-Inducing Porkfest

Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden - 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria NY 11102
718.274.4925
N/W Train to Astoria Blvd
www.bohemianhall.com

Today was a day of gluttony, laziness and indulgence otherwise known as Porkfest at the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden. Peter, Dan and I went with full intentions to eat all the pork that we could and wash it down with potent Czech beer. Our mission was accomplished and while it took a while to recuperate from our food and beer coma, we made it through. Here's a recap of this afternoon's pork extravaganza:

Pork and Barley Soup - Because it was so damp and chilly outside, we each ordered this as an appetizer to warm ourselves. It was hot, delicious and salty with plenty of tender dark and white pork meat. The soft barley was a lovely addition, as it rounded out the flavors in the soup and made it even more hearty.

Moravian Pork with Dumplings - This was my dish and I enjoyed it to the last bite. It included soft chunks of garlic-seasoned pork with slightly sweet sauerkraut and knedle or bread dumplings. The whole thing was slathered in rich pork gravy that made this dish irresistible. While Peter's pork goulash looked almost identical, I think that the garlic seasoning in mine made it slightly tastier.

Pork Goulash with Dumplings - Peter chose this as his entree and it was also delectable. The only difference between this and my Moravian pork was that the gravy in the goulash was darker and sweeter--I think that it was made with paprika.

Breaded and Fried Pork Cutlet - Put anything fried in front of Dan and he'll eat it--that's why I wasn't surprised when he ordered the pork cutlet. I think that this was my second favorite dish and the breading is what made it exceptional. It was super crispy but not at all greasy. While it came with roasted potatoes as a side dish, Dan substituted them with his beloved knedle or bread dumplings. For extra crunch and freshness, the pork cutlet was served with peppers, tomatoes and lettuce. Yum!

Apple Strudel - We each had the dessert of the day, which was homemade apple strudel. I absolutely adore apple dessert and was excited once this came out. While I liked it, it wasn't exceptional and needed more sugar or cinnamon. It was an acceptable way to end our meal but it didn't wow me.

Service and Cost:

Our server was a bit off and I think that he was new. He kept forgetting to refresh our silverware and acted strange when we asked for basic things such as more gravy or the check. Overall, the service is hit or miss so don't expect to be pampered.

Porkfest was a prix-fixe deal with $19.95 per person for a three-course meal. I'd say that it was worth it--what drove up the cost of our meal was the beer.

2 Mmmms