Thursday, April 10, 2008

A Taste of Queens - In Manhattan




What a beautiful day in NY! I started my morning by reading John's entry about Queens: A Taste of the World coming to Herald Square. So...I decided to walk to Macy's Herald Square during lunch, just in time for their live demonstration. The featured restaurant was Papazzio of Bayside, accompanied by their baked goods partner, Cascon Baking Company from Whitestone. What can I say, both are run by two, nice Italian guys who are not only charming but know their food. Here's a recap of my lovely lunch tasting:

While I just missed the antipasto and the primi piatti, Chef Dominick Bruccoleri served a light Shrimp and Prosciutto and Rigatoni alla Messinase (rigatoni pasta with diced chicken, mushrooms, fresh spinach in a creamy marinara sauce). Both plates looked amazing and it has to be said that the entire tasting offered unbelievably generous portions (dessert included).

Chicken Bianco (with onions, mushrooms, artichokes, rosemary in a light white wine sauce): This dish didn't look so appetizing but it was furthest from boring in flavor--the chicken was delicate and the sauce was light. I wasn't very hungry but I finished my entire plate because it was that good.

I was able to get my hands on all three recipes. Email me at critic@foodistanyc.com if you want to give them a whirl.


Now...for the dessert:

All dessert options can be ordered from Cascon Baking Company or from Papazzio's dessert menu.

Oreo Cheesecake (AKA The Cheesecake Slam):
All I have to say is WOW! The portion was incredibly generous and everyone was ooohing and aahing about it. It was rich yet airy and the Oreo provided just the right amount of chocolate flavor. I'd definitely order this next time and possibly even buy a full cake for a special occasion.

Red Velvet Cake:
This is one of my favorite desserts of all time so I'm always looking out for a good one. While I loved the spongy cake part, the frosting didn't do it for me. Its consistency wasn't thick enough and it could've used stronger flavoring. What I did like about it was that it had a distinct essence of lemon.

My lunch experience was a lot of fun and I urge you to try both of these Queens establishments.

Papazzio: 39-38 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361 718.229.1962

Cascon Baking Company:
7-04 149th Street, Whitestone, NY 11357 718.767.5700

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