The Coffee Bar Has a Burger Special

The Coffee Bar, a casual cafe on 31st Street near Ditmars is boasting an introductory burger special. While I've heard mixed reviews about this place, I thought that the burger special below was enticing enough to try at least once:

Introductory Burger Special - Made with 100% fresh beef

1/2 pound burger with lettuce and tomato - $3.50 plus tax

The Coffee Bar also offers weekend brunch with complimentary coffee and champagne. Sounds incredible at first glance but the same could be said about a lot of other cafes in the 'hood, which group these two items with a brunch entree. Anyhow, it might be worth it. If you've checked it out already, let me know what you think.

I also grabbed their menu and am including a sampling of the food below--the prices are wallet friendly.

Omelets - Served with French fries and toast

Healthy omelet - With egg whites, spinach, peppers, mushrooms and onions...$5.95

Eggs benedict - Canadian ham on an English muffin topped with Hollandaise sauce...$6.50

Steak and eggs - Two eggs & tender skirt steak with fries...$9.95

Appetizers:

Chicken fingers...$5.25

Buffalo wings...$5.95

Mozzarella sticks...$5.50

Wraps:

Thai chicken - Tossed with a confetti of lettuce, tomato & lemongrass dressing on a red pepper wrap...$6.95

Diet tuna wrap - Low fat tuna, lettuce & tomato on a whole wheat wrap...$5.95

Fresh mozzarella wrap - Fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar & sun dried tomatoes...$6.95

House Entree Salads:

Traditional salad - Mixed greens with croutons, chopped eggs & smoked bacon...$6.95

Evil jungle Thai noodle steak salad - Char grilled steak chopped with noodles, mango, avocado & mint...$8.95

Tuna nicoise - White tuna, grape tomatoes, cucumber, chopped egg over mixed greens...$7.95

Desserts:

Godiva chocolate cheesecake...$6.75

Fried cheese cake xango...$6.00

Crisp apple pie...$5.75

Petey's Burger - Close to Opening

I walked by Petey's Burger last week because I'm eager to try a new burger joint in the 'hood. It looks like its almost there. The place was busy with some last minute touch-ups such as painting and decor. The tables aren't there just yet but it looks like an opening is not too far from reach. From what I can tell to this point, the decor is modern but not overdone. I liked that one of the walls had exposed brick but otherwise, it's a pretty bright color scheme--reds and yellows. I'll keep you posted about its official opening but no word yet. If anyone knows the scoop please let me know.

Petey's Burger - 30th Avenue and 30th Street, Astoria, NY 11102

Petey's Burger - Coming to Town

I passed by Sai Organics yesterday and saw that a new burger joint called Petey's Burger will open next door. What a contrast--organic food v. burgers/Americana!

There aren't too many details to report yet except that their logo and design is funky, contemporary and seems to differentiate itself from the Burger Kings and the Mickey-D's. Their tagline is playful yet informative - "A Fresh Touch on an Old Favorite." You can currently sign up for their mailing list on www.peteysburger.com but that's about it for the website--it's not up and running yet.

I'll keep an eye out and let you know when Petey's opens--it's facade has definitely piqued my interest.

Petey's Burger - 30th Avenue and 30th Street, Astoria, NY 11102

Bistro 33 and Fatty's - Astorians Hang Out (and Eat Burgers)

I went to the Bistro 33 Beer and Burger Birthday Bash last night with Dan. I was really looking forward to it but wasn't prepared for the large number of people that would be there. We saw a big crowd from blocks away and once we got there, it was one big party. Everyone had a beer in their hand, a friend by their side and a smile on their face. I didn't see any food but the beer was flowing.

I asked one of the waitresses about the food situation and she mentioned that the burgers disappeared after the first hour and half. Dan and I got there close to 8p so it was tough luck for us--we'd have to get our burger binge somewhere else. And we did.

We ended up going to no other than Fatty's Cafe just a few blocks down. They're known for their burgers and we were both craving, so burgers we got. I ordered the Charity Burger with Angus beef, sliced avocados, garlic aioli and anejo rum ketchup. It was awesome and definitely satisfied my burning burger desire--it was meaty, tangy and had a distinct kick from the rum ketchup. The avocados were good and once I sandwiched the burger patty in between the bread, they blended in with the other ingredients and had a lovely buttery, almost creamy consistency. I'd definitely get this dish again and would recommend it if you're particularly ravenous--the portion is big.

Dan and I got a side of tostones or flattened, fried plantains with a delicious garlic sauce. For those of you who've never had these, I urge you to try them--they're better than French fries and you'll enjoy longer chew time because of their wide oval shape.

The evening turned out to be quite eventful--we joined in the birthday celebration of our favorite and not so 'lil' anymore Bistro 33 and we ended up enjoying quality burger meat just a few doors down. Overall I'd say that the night was solid.

Lava Cafe - Now Officially Open

Lava Cafe - 27-03 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105

718.777.1379

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

At last! Lava Cafe is open and running. Who am I kidding though, it didn't take long at all--in fact, it seemed like it was just under a month ago that construction was still underway and now it's a charming little cafe serving light snacks. I haven't eaten there yet but I grabbed their menu to get a preview of what to expect--pretty basic food at reasonable costs. The exterior looks inviting with a fire engine red and exposed brick facade and colorful flowers. The interior looks friendly too but is quite small, maybe seating 20. Here's a quick sampling of their menu. Email me at critic@foodistanyc.com if you'd like to see the entire thing.

Sizzling Hot 10" Pizzas:

Meaty Salie - Pizza topped with ground beef, ham, pepperoni and bacon bits...$8

Veggie Suzan - Farm fresh peppers, onions, tomato and mushrooms...$7

Lava Blast - Pizza with all the trimmings...$10

Molten Burgers: Served with lettuce, tomato and homemade fries

Molten Lava - 3 cheese burger; American, Swiss and Cheddar melted on 9 oz. beef patty...$9

Vulcan Burger - Jalapeno jack, jalapenos and Lava's zesty salsa sauce...$10

Mauna Loa - Mushroom, onions, cheddar, bacon and lava sauce...$9

The Gobbler - Grilled Turkey burger plain and simple...$10

Sandwiches and Wraps:

Seared Tuna - Grilled 8 oz. sashimi tuna with wasabi herb sauce and mesculin salad...$10

Chicken or Beef Fajita - Sauteed chicken or beef with peppers, onions and Lava's zesty salsa...$11

The Philly - Lava's homemade thinly sliced beef with molten cheese, onions, lava sauce and fries...$10.50

Volcanic Hunger Entrees:

New York Strip - 14 oz. New York strip steak grilled to your taste with steak fries and veggies of the day...$17

Baby Back Ribs - BBQ baby back ribs with a baked potato and veggies of the day...$13

Marinated Chicken - Marinated chicken with lemon sauce, mashed potatoes and veggies of the day...$12

I'll report back with the full scoop (soon).

A Burger Battle in Astoria

Image by www.dishdujourmagazine.com

The first ever Burger Battle of the Boroughs is coming to Astoria. Seven top borough (and even Manhattan...shhhh) burger joints will duke it out on Tuesday, May 20th in Astoria World Manor for the coveted title of the Best Burger of the Boroughs. The event will attract major star quality, with celebrity judges such as:

Kelly Choi, Producer and Host of NYCTV's Eat Out NY

Arthur Schwartz, Author of Jewish Home Cooking

Josh Ozersky, Author of The Hamburger: A History and Co-Editor of NY Magazine's Food Blog, Grub Street

George Motz, Author of Hamburger America

Chef Terrance Brennan, Author of cookbook, Artisanal Cooking

Tony Tantillo, CBS2 HD Food Expert

Phoebe Damrosch, Author of Service Included: Front of the House Secrets Exposed

And....several stars of Bravo's series, Top Chef, including Dave Martin, Lee Anne Wong and Andrea Beaman.

You'll get to sample the best of the neighborhood's food and drink and root for your favorite burger stars. The competitors include:

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

Who'll take the burger crown? Find out for yourself on May 20th at Astoria World Manor from 6-9p. Tickets are $55/person in advance. 718.777.7918

Kafene - All Day Breakfast and Burger Joint

Kafene - 23-08 Hoyt Avenue South, Astoria, NY 11102

718.274.6525

N/W Train to Astoria Blvd

Another fun spotting by Miss Margot, who jogs around the hood, doing double duty--staying in ship-shape and scoping out Astoria's new fooderies. Kafene happens to be somewhat near my place so I decided to take a detour there this morning before going to work. 2 words--so cute! Margot and I will be checking it out properly and treating ourselves to some of their grub, which smelled mighty fine.

Kafene is small and used to be a hangout for the old--literally older men--called Jerry's Place. It remains rustic and homey looking but has definitely been spruced up. There's one guy behind the counter by the name of Constantine. I'm not sure if he cooks and serves but it sure looked like it this morning. He was sweet and so welcoming when I came in--a toothy smile on his face, ready to make me the breakfast of my dreams. Maybe soon. Real soon.

The menu is displayed outside and is a fusion of American and Greek eats. Here's a glimpse of it. The prices look phenomenally cheap! Check it out on a lovely day--they have outdoor seating and they're open late, until 11p.

From the Grill: (served with hand-cut fries, lettuce, tomato and onions)

Greek Burger...$5.75

Italian Burger...$5.75

Western Burger...$5.75

Healthy Euro Toast...$4.25...Make your own option, add bacon...+$.75, add grilled chicken...+$1.50, add hummus...+$1.00

From the Sea:

Crabcakes (3)...$5.75

Shrimp (6)...$6.75

Salmon Burger...$7.75

All Day Breakfast:

2 eggs with bacon on a roll with coffee...$3.00

Greek Omelette...$4.50

Western Omelette...$4.00

Another positive is that Astoria Park is directly across the street--you can head on down after your meal.

Want to work at Kafene? See here!