Vue Cafe - New Eatery in Quiet Quarters

Vue Cafe - 12-14 31st Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106

718.726.4400

N/W Train to 30th Avenue

You might have seen my initial review of Vue this morning on Joey in Astoria. The review below delves deeper into the menu, prices and the service of this new eatery. Overall my visit was a nice and relaxing experience that I'd repeat. My only complaint is that it's a bit far from the subway.

Atmosphere:
Interestingly situated on the ground floor of an upscale condominium building, Vue is located in a quiet neighborhood in Astoria, bordering on Long Island City. In fact, it's the only cafe on that block and a trendy one to boot! You walk in and are immediately welcomed by a friendly hostess who seats you at a simple, sophisticated table with comfy chairs. The dining room decor is modern and reminds me of 30th Avenue cafes such as Table 30.

A unique part of the design is the chandelier wall--think long rectangular chandeliers that are embedded in the actual wall and boy do they sparkle! Cool concept and fun to look at. The music was also a favorite of mine because it was laid-back without being cheesy--Van Morrison, smooth jazz and the like. Basically the antithesis of boring elevator music.

Food:

Chef Randall Benjamin offers up an eclectic menu of hearty meat and seafood dishes. A lot of warm comfort foods are featured and we took advantage of these at dinner. Here's what we tried:

Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs: A comfort food classic, we were eager to try it, especially because it also featured cheesy jalapeno poppers. The ribs were tangy and we particularly liked the pickled red peppers and onions on top. But the jalapeno poppers were by far a favorite--they had a super crispy exterior and a silky-smooth interior. There were two for us to enjoy, which was plenty for such an indulgence but we secretly hoped there would be more.

Lamb Chops with Zucchini Sticks: I consider a properly cooked lamb to be the measuring stick of a good Astorian eatery and this one didn't disappoint. The meat was soft and juicy and was especially nice to dip into the homemade tzatziki sauce. Pita triangles provided a bed for the lamb, absorbing all the scrumptious juices of the meat--a nice touch. The zucchini sticks were wonderfully crispy on top but unfortunately came dipped in the tzatziki, which made them a little soggy on the bottom. Aside from that they were incredibly tasty and Dan agreed.

Grilled Steak with a Potato Croquette: This was Dan's dish and he enjoyed it thoroughly. While he had to send the steak back because it was undercooked, it came back cooked perfectly and the waistaff was graciously accommodating. The fixins included grilled onions, peppers and green beans--together they gave the steak a welcome char flavor. The potato croquette was tasty but needed a bit more salt in my opinion. Overall--a nice solid dish.

Service and Cost:

The waitstaff is professional and super attentive. Given Vue's new status, everyone is still very much on their toes, trying hard to make things perfect. They did a great job at it, as our dishes came in good time and our water glasses were refilled as needed.

The prices here are moderate, appetizers typically between $8-$10, entrees between $18-$22 and burgers and sandwiches around $10. The quality of the food is good though so you are getting back what you put in. Wines are also available by the glass ($7-$8) and by the bottle (around $25-$28).

2 Mmmms

Ovelia - Brunch Overload--in a Good Way!

Ovelia Psistaria - 34-01 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
718.721.7217

N/W Train to 30th Avenue

www.ovelia-ny.com

I'm a bit partial to this more-than-just-a-cafe eatery, owned by Astoria natives--and two sets of brothers--Chris and Peter Giannakas and Elias and Mark Mandilaras. Thanks to them, Ovelia emanates energy and style to the max--and it has the customers to prove it. Although we had to wait more than 40 minutes to be seated for brunch, as always it was well worth it. The place was even busier than usual because they supported Time Out For Hunger where 10% of proceeds went to help relieve hungry New Yorkers.

Atmosphere:

Modern and welcoming, Ovelia certainly falls out of the 30th Avenue cookie-cutter cafe mold. The decor is eclectic and interesting--and varies depending on where you sit. The front is open and bright with traditional tables, the middle is funky with Picasso-esque art and brass tables and the back is more private with contemporary art and marble tables. So basically, you could choose your setting based on your mood that day--there are plenty of options.

The coolest part of Ovelia in my opinion is the bar--it's made of concrete and subtly shines with fiber optic lights. Yet another non-food piece-de-resistance is the garage door window that opens up on warm, sunny days.

Food:

The extensive brunch is what draws in a lot of customers. Ovelia does a great job of mixing traditional Greek cuisine with modern American tastes. Think French toast stuffed with Greek yogurt and honey or pancakes paired with homemade sausage--made from a family recipe. Here are the dishes we enjoyed this past Sunday:

Tiropita Toast - Served with sliced apples, bacon, cream cheese and apple chutney, this is yet another interesting specialty I haven't seen at other Greek joints. What makes the "toast" special is the homemade bread--a flatbread made with what else but Feta cheese. The result is crispy and flavorful and I loved the pairing of sweet (apple) and savory (bacon). The cream cheese melted nicely and the apple chutney was gentle on the tongue, seducing it completely!

Turkey, Mushroom and Bechamel Crepes - I split these with Kimberly and they were truly amazing, my favorite part being the creamy bechamel sauce on top and on the inside. The mushrooms were a lovely surprise in the middle and the dish was light despite its hearty ingredients. You get three huge crepes with this order so be prepared to share with others.

Our other dining compadres were also loving their dishes. Joe ordered poached eggs on English muffins with crispy hash on the side--and his clean plate was proof of his satisfaction. Same went for Maria who stuck with a lunch basic of chicken Caesar Salad and also had an empty plate by meal's end. Shaya got the stuffed French Toast and I heard no complaints--I think she was especially impressed by the homemade sausage.

Service and Cost:

As always, the service here is super quick and efficient. Although our waitress was new, she was competent and friendly--often cracking a smile and offering as much advice as she could. One thing to note is that because we waited so long, we were offered a free round of morning cocktails on the house. This meant a lot to us, and we happily waited another couple of minutes while toasting to a fun get together with our sweet Mimosas.

The prices here are excellent and yet again offer great value. Depending on what you get, brunch will cost you between $10-$13 per person. This includes coffee/tea, an entree and a morning cocktail--good stuff.

3 Mmmms

Omonia Cafe - My Big Fat Astorian Brunch

Omonia Cafe - 32-20 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106

718.274.6650

N/W Train to Broadway

Crystal and I scoped out the amazing brunch deal at Omonia last week and this past weekend I went over there to check it out. The special consists of coffee/tea/juice, an entree, dessert and a morning cocktail for just $12.95. Incredible but is the food good? I give it a confident yes...check out my commentary below.

Atmosphere:

A trademark of the neighborhood, Omonia has been in existence since 1977. It's famous for elaborate Greek desserts--so much so that it baked the wedding cake for the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. They proudly display this accolade in their window--a worthy bragging right in my opinion.

Omonia has recently gone through a redesign and the decor is now cheery and contemporary. I have to admit that I used to stay away from this place in the past because of the smokers--despite the law, you could find an occasional smoker in the main dining room and that just ruined my appetite. But I'm happy to say that this is no more and Omonia is now a lovely, clean and smoke free environment. The space is open and very colorful. A tad on the cheesy side but still endearing and really friendly. We sat in the covered area near the windows, which is opened up in the summer. It made for a fun experience and made us feel in the center of the action.

Food:

There were so many choices to make for brunch--between all the entrees and desserts, everything sounded so appetizing. My cousins Tibor and Stephanie (and I) all ordered the Strapatsada and Dan got the Western omelette. Both were generous sized dishes and their taste was delightful.

Strapatsada: To give this dish a nickname, I'd dub it the "Grecian Scramble." It consisted of rustic scrambled eggs, feta cheese, tomatoes, olives and Mediterranean seasoning. A side of grilled pita accompanied this beauty and all three of us finished it to the last bite. Unlike some scrambled egg dishes which could be bland, this was anything but--and what I think made it awesome was the fragrant seasoning and the sauce. I certainly tasted oregano and a tomato-based sauce which hit the spot and made this dish ethnic.

Western Omelette: This sounds too ordinary right? I thought the same and personally didn't even think about getting it at a Greek place. Dan was really happy with it though and I could tell you why. I think the trick was that all the ingredients were fully integrated into the egg. And as you see from this picture, there were huge hunks of onions, peppers and ham nestled in every nook and cranny of this thing. I tasted it and it was right on--my favorite part being that it was slightly well done, giving the outside a yummy brown crust.

The Desserts: I'm sorry to say that I was disappointed in this area. The desserts we ordered were just OK, aside from Tibor's flan, which he loved. My Baklava was on the dry side, Dan's Black Forrest cake was bland and Stephanie's Amygdalou was just not what she was expecting--too nutty! To be extra gluttonous, we also ordered the DaVinci crepe. This, unlike the other desserts was spectacular--maybe because it was on the entree menu. The whipped cream was really fresh and reminded me of the fruit cup topping from my childhood in Europe. The filling was also luscious and creamy--with strawberries and silky Nutella. How could you go wrong?

Service and Cost:

We were very happy with the service and our waitress was friendly and kind. She gave us recommendations and even laughed with us when we tried to pronounce some of the hard-core Greek dishes. Overall she was a good sport and a pleasant server.

The cost, you already know is dynamite. $12.95 will get you a coffee/tea/juice, an entree, dessert of choice and a morning cocktail such as a mimosa, bloody Mary or a screwdriver.

3 Mmmms

Sparrow Part Deux - Reyes Reigns!

Sparrow - 24-01 29th Street, Astoria, NY 11102

718.606.2260

N/W Train to Astoria Blvd.

www.sparrowbar.com

You all know that I love frequenting this awesome neighborhood spot. And as I mentioned, the chef here--Reyes--is one of the more interesting and talented characters in town. Besides cooking up impeccable basics and putting inventive spins on all of them, Reyes is known for his unflinching love of his menu--and he will not change anything on it! I had the pleasure of meeting this talented man and have to say that his gregarious manner and toothy smile certainly won me over--even more! Go ahead and try Sparrow--the atmosphere, food and drinks are all spot on.

And let's not forget the delish grub that Dan and I had this evening:

Vegetarian Chili:

Although the regular soup special wasn't available, Reyes offered a hearty veggie chili instead, which was especially good, given the sub polar weather. The dish came festively decorated--as usual--with surrounding tortilla chips and a huge roasted jalapeno pepper. Of course Dan and I didn't dare sink our teeth into the green monster, but the chili itself was out of this world. Hearty with a hint of sweetness, it was rich in color and packed with delicious chopped vegetables. The price was a bit much for soup, $9.50 but we split it and loved it so much that we didn't care.

Pain Perdu:

Now, this is something new and different! Kind of looks like a pancake but tastes a thousand times better. It has a soft bread texture that's infused with all things indulgent--chocolate, butterscotch and maple syrup. Not only is this awesome but you won't feel like a big cow after eating it. I split this with Dan and it was perfectly satiating and not overly gratuitous. The cost is $8 which is also a little steep for dessert but I recommend going dutch with someone to save dough. You can also read about this dish from our friends, Joey in Astoria.

Locale - Modern, Shabby-Chic Spot

Locale - 33-02 34th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106

718.729.9080

N/W Train to Broadway

www.localeastoria.com

I've heard good things about Locale from a fellow Astorian and have been meaning to try their brunch. My experience here was good and I'd definitely return to this off-beat, artsy and yummy eatery.

Atmosphere:
The first thing that you notice upon coming here is the lovely exposed brick wall and shabby-chic decor. I'm a firm believer of this style of furnishing--it can be found in our apartment. The artwork at Locale is cool, contemporary and the nude paintings remind me of Matisse. The large floor to ceiling windows are also appealing and bring in a good amount of natural light--these are open through the summer months, creating a fun, side-walk cafe feel.

Food:

I was quite happy in this department and thoroughly enjoyed my brunch. I got the Texas Toast, which wasn't your typical thick eggy bread. This one came with crunchy corn flakes mixed into the batter, topped with delicious powdered sugar. The side dish was a small fruit salad which was fresh and sweet.

My dining companions were for the most part satisfied. Both got omelets--Moran got the zucchini which pleased her and Peter got the South Omelet with grilled chicken, jalapeno peppers and cheddar cheese. He complained though that his dish was too heavy on the jalapenos; so watch out if you order this!

Service and Cost:

The servers at Locale were great. Our waitress was pleasant and efficient--our water glasses weren't empty even for a second.

My criticism about the price was they had no brunch special. Unlike Ovelia, Grand or Fatty's, there was no great combo special, and Mimosas or Bloody Mary's were an extra $7! However, their brunch dishes were a few bucks cheaper--probably to compensate for their lack of special. Brunch will cost you between $6.50-$9.95 without a drink. Add $10 on to that if you also get a coffee and cocktail. Dinner will cost you between $8.50-$9.95 for appetizers and $12.50-$19.50 for entrees.