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!

Zenon Taverna - A Scrumptious Taste of Cyprus

Zenon Taverna - 34-10 31st Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106

718.956.0133

N/W Train to Broadway

www.zenontaverna.com

My colleague Meg from Joey in Astoria inspired me to come here. After reading her post about Zenon and the amazing value you get, I had to experience it for myself. Margot, Jen and I had a lovely and very peaceful dinner there on Tuesday night. Our wallets did not suffer and our bellies were quite happy in the end. I highly recommend visiting this Astorian well kept (until now) secret.

Atmosphere:

There's no other way to say it, Zenon Taverna feels like a home. Although the space isn't small it's on the narrow side, making it feel intimate. The decor falls very much in line with a Greek Taverna--lots of blues and whites and plenty of colorful murals depicting Greece and the Mediterranean. The back of the restaurant has a gorgeous, rustic credenza, with authentic clay trinkets from the home country.

Although we visited Zenon on a Tuesday, when it was quiet, I have a feeling that this place doesn't get too crowded. I personally love this kind of atmosphere and would be willing to try Zenon for a group birthday party. Something about the decor, which made me smile were their serving plates--all are vintage and different from one another. They really look like something that came out of my mom's or grandma's kitchen.

Food:

I've heard good things about the food and had high expectations, which were fully met. My dining companions agreed and we especially appreciated the freshness of Zenon's ingredients. Our dinner consisted of:

Bread (on the house) and Salad: I normally wouldn't write about a bread basket because it's so standard but this one went above and beyond the call of duty. The basket was generous and consisted of three bread varieties--Italian, olive focaccia and good ol' warm pita. The pita and olive focaccia were to die for and we kept dipping them into Zenon's fruity olive oil.

The salad was great too and came with Margot's and my dishes. It was a plain chopped Greek salad but the veggies were so juicy and fresh that I must make note of it here. The tomatoes and the olives were my favorite and while I'm not a huge fan of an ordinary salad, this one was exceptional.

Souvlaki kai Sheftalia (Pork Kebab and Meatball Combo) - I ordered the platter portion and Jen got the appetizer. Both were so generous that we couldn't finish them and had our respective man friends (Dan and Ted) polish them off at home. They tasted amazing and incorporated many fragrant Mediterranean spices such as oregano and cumin. Our platters came with chopped onions and fresh parsley, which were both excellent but one thing was missing--the tzatziki sauce!

We loved the sides that came with our meat--especially me. Jen chose the black eyed peas in olive oil and lemon and I got the Cypriot fries. The black eyed peas were creamy, light and a bit fruity from the olive oil. My Cypriot fries were by far my favorite food at Zenon. They looked like potato chips, except that they were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I've never seen these served anywhere else and highly recommend trying them. If you like fries, you will love Cypriot fries, which come seasoned with dried parsley, salt and pepper.

Octapodi (Octopus): Margot was brave and went for the grilled octopus. I tried it and it was fresh, not overcooked and much better than at Akti, which is not meant to be an insult. Margot seemed happy with it too and finished her generous portion, which came with a side of lemon potatoes. She wasn't wild about them and said they were pretty standard and lacked pizazz.

Fresh Fruit (on the house) - This was such a lovely surprise at the end of our meal--freshly cut apples and oranges were put on the table. We welcomed them, as they were succulent palate cleansers. Nice touch Zenon--thank you!

House Wine: The three of us enjoyed Zenon's house wine--Margot and Jen opted for the red and I got white. They were $5 a glass--what value! Margot and Jen got a small carafe, which was actually the same price as 2 regular glasses but it gave them an extra 1/2 a glass each. The carafe is worth getting not only for value but also for its charm--it was a beautiful hand painted clay mini-jug (see above picture). Too cool for words!

Service and Cost:

The waistaff did a good job and was unobtrusive. Our waiter was young and I suspect he was a son or a cousin of Zenon's owner. Just my speculation but it seems like this place is very much a family run business. Polite and attentive, our waiter made sure to wrap our dishes and we didn't feel rushed to leave.

The prices here are very reasonable and you've already heard about their generous portions. Appetizers run between $3.95-$13.95, entrees between $11.95 - $35.95 (a rack of lamb for 2) and dessert between $3.75-$3.95. Another thing which has to be touted is their unbelievable mezedes tasting--16, yes 16 hot and cold mezedes for $17.95 per person. Have you EVER heard of anything more indulgent and affordable?!

3 very effusive Mmmms