Taste of LIC - Dessert Overload

For the second year now, I attended the Taste of LIC event. I thought that last year's venue, the rooftop of the East Coast Tower apartment building was spectacular, but this year at the Gantry Plaza State Park it was just as (if not more) beautiful. It was fortunate that the event was tented, as the weather was soupy and on the brink of rain. But that didn't stop people from leaving the tents for a much needed food break, enjoying the beautiful city view near the East River. It was gorgeous and relaxing.

I sampled so many yummies that night that it was hard to decide what I liked best. But alas I chose a couple of favorites below that I'll be checking out again - and I encourage you to try them too.

Communitea - They impressed me with their sweets last year, and this year it was the hummus/avocado sandwich I was after. It was unfortunate that the bread got a bit soggy from the humidity but the hummus/avocado spread was delightful - light, creamy and also filling. I liked that it was healthy and you could tell that they used good quality ingredients. They also had various wonderful desserts; one of which I tried was the mini-brownie and it was pure decadence. 10-10 50th Ave, Long Island City, 718-383-9315

Manducatis Rustica - Wow, the offering here was impressive! In addition to savory dishes such as their signature mushroom/spinach quiches, they had a plethora of desserts. I simply couldn't refuse them and tried the walnut cake and a cup of chocolate mousse. I liked both but preferred the walnut cake, which had a soft consistency and a floral, honey finish. It tasted very homemade and I loved that. The chocolate mousse was a winner too but was just a tad too sweet for my tastebuds - the texture was lovely though. 46-35 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, 718.937.1312

Testaccio - This was an exciting discovery, as Testaccio hasn't yet opened (but they plan to in early August). So even though it was a tease, this Northern Italian restaurant offered a lovely starter of figs topped with mascarpone cheese and pine nuts. It was a clean, smooth bite and slightly decadent from the dessert cheese. I could see myself making it at home and especially for guests. 47-30 Vernon Boulevard, LIC, info@testacciony.com

Tom Cat Bakery - There's a reason why movie studios use Tom Cat to do their catering - their products are fantastic. Although known for their breads, they also make spectacular pastries and I tasted their raspberry bar at Tuesday's event. Yowza! Out of this world - the crumbly top was crunchy and buttery and the raspberry filling was just the right amount of sweet and sour. I wanted to have a mere half but couldn't leave it uneaten because it was that good. 43-05 10th Street, Long Island City, 718.786.7659

Foodcellar - Look I know what you're thinking, it's a supermarket...but I had something really, really delicious there, the quinoa salad. Mixed with pistachios, dried cranberries and a citrus dressing, it was a wonderful side that I'd definitely buy or make for myself. A healthy dish, I loved the heartiness of the quinoa (starchy) mixed with the sweet dried fruit and the savory nuts. Fun and imaginative! 4-85 47th Road, Long Island City, 718.606.9786

I hope that you have an opportunity to visit some of these places because they really are great.

Mundo Introduces La Papa - Baked Potato Bar

Image courtesy of Mundo

When Meg told me last week that a baked potato bar was opening in Astoria, I got mighty excited. And when I heard that it's from the owner's of Mundo, my enthusiasm grew! Introducing, La Papa in the old Pastalicious space on 30th Avenue.

La Papa's show-stopper is the mighty baked potato (apparently a popular fast food in Turkey), which after baked, its contents are mashed with butter (or olive oil) and kasseri cheese. The rest is up to you, as you can choose unlimited toppings or you can go with a suggested "papa," such as:

LaPapa Classic - Beef franks, Russian salad, pickles, green olives & corn

LaPapa Chili con Carne - Chili con carne with beans, jalapeno, tzatziki, corn & tortilla chips

LaPapa Vegetarian - Corn, mushrooms, Russian salad, beets & green olives

LaPapa All-American - Corn, sour cream, bacon bits, fresh broccoli & pickled cucumbers

Or you can choose any of these toppings: artichokes, bacon bits, beef franks, beets, black olives, black olive paste, corn, green olives, jalapeno, mushrooms, pickled cucumbers, roasted red & green peppers, Russian salad, sour cream, sweet & sour red cabbage, tortilla chips, tuna salad, tzatziki

If you're not in the mood for a potato, they also have soups, a jumbo hot dog and Turkish-style paninis. A sweet treat that caught my eye was the Supangle (dark chocolate pudding).

Prices are very affordable with all baked potato options being just $6 (except for the chili con carne, which is $6.50). In fact, nothing on the menu is over $6.50, which is quite the steal.

I plan on trying them soon and will let you know my thoughts.

LaPapa - 25-13 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102

718.777.7879

N/W Train to 30th Avenue
www.lapapaonline.com

Bistro 33 Celebrates Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Bistro 33! If you remember, they celebrated their birthday last year with burgers and beer. Sadly, the burgers ran out quickly so they changed things up a bit and are now charging a $20 cover, ensuring that you will get what you pay for. Below are the details - it was quite fun last year but I'd suggest getting there as early as possible.

Bistro 33 - Beer and Burger Birthday Bash

Thursday, June 11th from 6 p.m. - close
$20 per person

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria NY 11105
718.721.1933
N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
www.lilbistro33.com

Cherry Mania - 3 New Recipes

It's lovely that cherries are now in season, and while they aren't always as sweet as in the middle of summer, there are plenty of things to do with them. The below three recipes offer a couple of unique ways to use cherries, especially ones that are a bit sour. Two of the recipes come straight from my grandmother's kitchen and the other is from my great uncle Simon. From our Slovak kitchen to yours...

Cherry Compote - This dish can be eaten in many ways - as a dessert, a side or even a snack. It's super simple and can be stored in an airtight container for months. You can substitute cherries with any fruit of your choice.

Ingredients
A bowlful of fresh cherries (3-4 cups), pitted
2 tbs of sugar

Directions
Place cherries, sugar and water (enough to cover cherries) in a deep saucer on medium heat. Let boil and then simmer for 15 minutes or until cherries are soft. Remove from heat. Let cool completely and then transfer to an airtight pickling jar. Store for up to 4 months.

Cherry Soup - I remember this soup from my childhood, eating it on warm days for lunch or even dessert. My grandma made it best and she finally revealed her delicious yet simple recipe. I altered it a bit with cinnamon and you can add spices of your choice too (cloves might be nice).

Ingredients (serves 4)
Bowlful of fresh cherries (3 - 4 cups), pitted
2 tbs of sugar
2 eggs
A dash of cinnamon

Directions
Place cherries, sugar and water (enough to cover cherries) in a deep saucer on medium heat. Let boil and then simmer for 15 minutes or until cherries are soft. Remove from heat. In a separate container beat both eggs well. Slowly and gradually add the cherries to the eggs and keep mixing - the warm cherry liquid will cook the eggs. Continue until you've added all of your cherries. Add cinnamon and let cool completely.

Cherry Cake (Bublanina) - Another dessert from my childhood, it's made by each member of my family and everyone has a slightly different version. This one comes from my uncle Simon and while it's simple and quick, it's quite delicious and will make your whole house smell divine. Enjoy it with a lovely cup of tea or coffee - for the morning or a late night snack.

My uncle's recipe follows the metric system so I didn't want confuse anyone. Use the recipe here instead.

Enjoy cherry season!

Cactus Pub - The Mighty Slovak Burger

Cactus Pub - Zamocnicka 1, 04001 Kosice, Slovakia

While in Slovakia, I made a couple of visits to Cactus Pub, a hangout where my friend Ivanka is a regular. Cactus always promises a good, relaxing time and I find it slightly amusing that even Eastern Europe celebrates Mexican culture and the fun that goes along with it--beer, tequila and delicious food.

Atmosphere:
Located right off of Main Street (Hlavna Ulica) in the Kosice city center, Cactus is easy to get to. The main venue lies in a building cellar (sounds uninviting but is quite the opposite) but there's also a nice outdoor garden available on sunny days.

Decked with Mexican embellishments such as sombreros, tequila and colorful wall art, Cactus is cheery without being too gimmicky. The middle sitting room is modern-rustic with simple wooden tables and chairs, sleek lamps and exposed brick wall. It feels homey and you quickly forget that you're in a cellar.

On weekends, they pump up the volume with catchy, pop hits that elevate the atmosphere--and their customers' mood.

Food:
While drinks are their specialty, Cactus also offers simple nosh food such as burgers, tortilla chips and salads. I was curious and maybe a little skeptical at first, but my doubts quickly melted away as I sank my teeth into a delicious version of the Slovak burger.

Cactus Hamburger - True that the above picture of Cactus' burger looks a little disheveled, but don't be fooled by its appearance, as this burger was phenomenal from first to last bite. The bun played a major role in its success, as it was slightly toasted and warm, with a hint of sweetness, topped with crunchy sesame seeds.

The meat, while a lot thinner than American burgers (I'd say half as thick) had spectacular flavor and couldn't be more juicy, despite that it was on the well-done side. Unlike in the States, Slovaks don't ask how you'd like your burger cooked because there isn't such thing as a "medium" or a "rare" burger. Americans might get turned off by this but it actually doesn't matter as long as the meat is of good quality, and it was.

Another lovely aspect was the dressing on top. Again, unlike an American burger, there was no ketchup but instead a creamy Russian-esque dressing--just fantastic and such a welcome difference!

Service and Cost:
The servers at Cactus are as friendly as can be, and especially because my friends are regulars. Our burgers appeared in about 15 minutes, carefully presented with a knife and fork (just in case). I thought that was a cute touch.

In terms of cost, you can't get more affordable than 2.20 Euro for a burger (that's about $2.86 in dollars, depending on the exchange rate). The beer is cheap too and a small glass (which is actually quite normal sized) is under 1 Euro (or about $1). Velmi dobre!

3 Mmmms

Back from Eastern Europe

Pictured above - My home city of Kosice, Slovakia

Hi Readers,

I'm officially back in town as of yesterday - a special thanks to Guest Foodista Vicky for holding down the fort so well. I hope that you've enjoyed her excellent content.

I had a great time visiting my home country, Slovakia, where I was seeing family and dear friends. While the weather wasn't ideal, I made the best of my experience and have tons of delicious tid-bits to share with you. From delicate ice cream to homemade Hungarian cherry soup and even an Eastern European spin on the classic burger, I'll cover my many food adventures from abroad. But, I'll also make sure to keep you abreast of the latest and greatest Astorian developments, as I had a chance to explore several restaurants this weekend. It'll be a rich week so I hope that you read up.

Yours,
The Foodista