Fooditka Loves Citymaps!

I've been really getting into Citymaps, a new iPhone app I downloaded not long ago that helps me enhance my posts with custom maps and commentary.  The process of setting up a new map is fun and easy, and it also allows you to share your recommendations with others, at the same time letting them add to your roadmap with their own suggestions.  It's communal, fun and really engaging!

As I was doing some perusing for maps created by others, I noticed a few I wanted to share with you.  I like that the first two have a connection to Queens, while the third is a good reminder of last week's Miami vacation.  Ahhh the hot sun...how I miss thee!

Warm Up in Astoria - Part Deux

Surprise...the chill is back in our neck of the woods!  Just another good opportunity to highlight the warming foods and drinks you can get around town to deal with yet another round of the polar vortex.

Image by Bradley Hawks

Wine is always a good idea, especially at Bear where they're featuring $20 bottles, each day. Check it out also for their warming Russian-style cuisine such as hot Ukranian borscht, cabbage and beef casserole, hunter's stew (with lamb) and more. 12-14 31st Avenue, LIC. 917.396.4939

For more vino goodness, Rest-au-Rant is a great option, especially on Wednesdays when all their wine is 20% off.  Pair it with something luxurious such as their savory fondue or a gooey gorgonzola, fig and green apple panini.  30-01 35th Ave, LIC.  718.729.9009 

I'm loving Alewife's new craft beer collection, including thick malty options such as Peak Organic Oak Aged Mocha Stout, which can be enjoyed with a signature, Sigmund's Pretzel Shop pretzel.  If you haven't tried one yet, they're absolutely fantastic!  5-14 51st Avenue, LIC. 718.937.7494

There's nothing like a warm, delicious, melty mac 'n cheese and the one at the Sage General Store is hard to beat.  Featuring a five cheese concoction with spicy cayenne breadcrumbs on top, it's the ultimate comfort food.  24-20 Jackson Avenue, LIC.  718.361.0707

Warming up with a tasty burger is easy to do in the nabe, and these days I'm pretty excited about BareBurger's new bar offering, which goes beautifully with one of their signature burgers such as the Roadhouse or the Big Blue Bacon.  The 31st Avenue locale now has a full on bar with signature cocktails such as the Johnny Appleseed (bourbon, green apple, hot honey, ginger brew), Rachel Carson (rosemary infused vodka, blackberries, homemade lemonade), Old Macdonald (bourbon, white peach, agave punch) and more.   Check out the awesome $50 gift card giveaway we're doing with BareBurger on We Heart Astoria.  33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria.  718.777.7011

Azucar - Ice Cream with Cuban Flair

During my Miami adventures last week, we happened to stop in Little Havana right on Calle Ocho for some authentic homemade Cuban ice cream.  Azucar, the scene of this delicious crime is a lovely little shop, which feels as if it's been a part of the community for many years, but in truth is actually quite new, opening its doors in 2011.  Dan, my mother-in-law Vicki and I popped in after our Wynwood adventures last week for a sweet adieu.

Atmosphere:
Located in the heart of Little Havana, Azucar is hard to miss, boasting a fun, colorful exterior with heaping scoops of ice cream. It almost looks like some kind of Gaudi structure, being that it's larger than life and a little cheeky.

The interior vibe continues the whimsy theme, as its adorned with colorful artwork and photographs that embody rich Cuban culture as well as the simple and joyful act of eating delicious ice cream.  I especially loved the collage of messy ice cream photographs you see above.  While the shop is small, there's enough seating to hang around and enjoy your ice cream, which is what we did when we made ourselves comfortable on the rounded bench at the front of the shop.

Ice Cream:
With over 40 different flavors to choose from, ordering an ice cream is no easy feat but it sure is fun!  I first did a once over at the display counter and asked to try a few intriguing flavors.  After a few bites of deliciousness, I chose their signature Abuela Maria ice cream as well as the Mantecado.  I wasn't disappointed in the least.

Abuela Maria - Azucar's signature flavor that pays homage to the owner's dear abuela was my absolute favorite.  Incorporating sweet chunks of guava, tangy cream cheese ice cream and crumbly bits of Cuban biscuits (galletas), it was like a fun celebration in your mouth.  I loved the sweet guava sauce that was drizzled on top that gave it Latin panache.

Mantecado - Despite its exotic name, the Mantecado ice cream was pretty basic and clean, but that's exactly what I loved about it.  Made of simple vanilla ice cream with a dash of nutmeg, it defied the meaning of "ordinary vanilla."

Apple Pie - Although I usually love fruit based ice cream, I wasn't impressed with this one and found it to be too sweet.  I'd suggest going with their Cuban flavors instead, as they're a lot more interesting and refined.

Service and Cost:
We enjoyed great service and appreciated the patient staff who was happy to explain all the different flavors to us and even offered us a few free samples.  I was reassured when I found out that I chose some of the house favorites, and trusted the expertise of our server.

Costs are moderate at about $4.50 per scoop but are worth every penny, given its uniqueness and high quality.

3 Drippy Mmmms

Azucar - 1503 8th Street, Miami, FL 33135
305.381.0369
azucaricecream.com

Mandolin Aegean Bistro – Tasty Mediterranean Eats in Miami’s Design District

In the hopes of escaping the polar vortex part deux, Dan and I spent the week in Southern Florida, including parts of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Boca Raton.  I always enjoy visiting this sunny region of the country, which is always accompanied by good friends, family and lots of fun eats.

Before our visit, I reached out to Anthea, a fellow local foodie who I follow on Instagram and who’s also the founder of a vegan cookie company called Om NomNom Cookies.  She has fabulous taste, so I knew I can depend on her for some interesting foodie finds, which she delivered on.  One such recommendation, which I’ll tell you about here is Mandolin Aegean Bistro, tucked away in Miami’s chic Design District.

Atmosphere:
Given my love for Astoria and Mediterranean food in general, I was excited to learn about this Greek/Turkish restaurant and that it was mostly mezze based.  The best part was the beautiful outdoor garden, which was adorned with low trees and plants, which made it feel intimate and enchanted.

We sat at a cozy table in the corner, which gave us a great vantage point for people watching, proving to be fruitful in this trendy Miami atmosphere.  Aside from the beautiful outdoors, the indoor dining room is lovely too, and I can see it being really romantic in the evening – a great place to come to with your special someone.

Food:
Excited about all the different mezze on the menu, we chose to share a few of them and then also took a shared approach for our entrees.  I like that we let the veggies and cheese be the star of the show, with a few opportunities for protein as well.

Turkish Sampler – Unlike the traditional Greek sampler, which often includes tzatziki, melitzanosalata or taramosalata, this one was decked with hummus, tomato walnut dip and fava bean puree.  The latter looked like guacamole, but had a mild and earthy quality to it, which was delicious.  The other winner was the tomato walnut spread – a Turkish version of Italian Bruschetta if you will (but a lot crunchier).

Saganaki Cheese – I adore this melty yet still firm cheese, which is mild in flavor and goes well with pita or the grilled bread they served at Mandolin.  A few generous spritzes of lemon brought it further to life by giving it some zing.

Moussaka – My mother-in-law, Vicki and I shared this Greek comfort food classic, which consisted of sliced eggplant and ground pork, layered with a thick tomato based sauce and a generous layer of béchamel on top.  It’s great to see that the Moussaka is made to order here, as our waitress informed us that it takes about 25 minutes, which was just fine by us, and in the end, we weren’t disappointed.

Classic Gyro Sandwich – A purist when it comes to Greek food, Dan was eager to try this classic gyro sandwich.  He fell in love instantly with the thin sliced lamb, the creamy tzatziki and the perfectly grilled pita.  I had a bite and loved it, noticing that all the right flavors were there and in just the right proportion.

Service and Cost:
As soon as we walked up to Mandolin, we were welcomed by the hospitable staff and sat down immediately.  Although we were very much tucked away in a cozy corner, we never felt abandoned and noticed the close eye the staff kept on everyone.  The wait staff is young and energetic, and suits the overall clientele here well.

Costs are moderate, especially for a trendy part of Miami, with the aforementioned lunch setting us back just $65 for three people, including tax and tip.

3 Mmmms

Mandolin Aegean Bistro – 4312 NE 2^nd Avenue, Miami FL 33137
305.749.9140
mandolinmiami.com

Mexican Style Quinoa - A New Spin on Gluten Free

Getting back to my gluten free diet had me experimenting with different types of foods, including quinoa, which is always a safe bet.  I've made quinoa dishes many times before, and therefore was looking for something a little different to keep us excited about eating it.

Finding an interesting but still really simple gluten free recipe on my Pinterest board, I decided to go for this Mexican style quinoa dish.  Loving all the bright colors and the healthful ingredients, I put it together for a recent We Heart Astoria get-together.  Received well by my colleagues as well as by Dan, I'll certainly be making it again and will probably add a bit more protein to it, including cheese and grilled chicken.  I love this dish because it takes only about a half an hour to put together and doesn't require any special ingredients - it's the perfect thing to make with a lot of leftovers in your pantry.

Mexican style Quinoa recipe, courtesy of A Teaspoon of Happiness Blog

Enthaice – Modern Thai Food with a Hint of Kitsch

Last Friday was all sorts of productive for me, as my We Heart Astoria colleague, Emily and I took a spin class at the new Simply Cycle Astoria.  Enjoying ourselves and working hard to boot deserved a tasty reward, so we headed to Enthaice for a warm, comforting Thai dinner.  It was a first time for both of us, but the experience proved fruitful and satisfying, so we’ll surely be back.

Atmosphere:
Boasting a great location on 31^st Avenue, across the street from the original BareBurger, Enthaice enjoys good foot traffic.  We were surprised to find it especially crowded last week, no doubt as a result of BareBurger’s recent renovations, which found Emily and me waiting for about 20 minutes to be seated.  While this was less than ideal, we made the best of the situation by waiting in their outdoor (but protected) space.

Once we stepped inside, we were welcomed by a bustling yet very cozy dining room, which was full of young patrons.  We even happened to spot some friends from the neighborhood, which was a lovely surprise.

Despite its small size, Enthaice’s dining room offers some great eye candy.  The inventive chandeliers, made of vintage forks, spoons and teacups are especially endearing, and made us both stop and observe.  While BareBurger’s version of these is similar, I found the ones at Enthaice even more intricate and creative.

Food:
As is usually the case in Thai restaurants, the menu at Enthaice was extensive but well organized.  My gluten free diet limited my options for sure, but there was still a lot to choose from, including their half a dozen varieties of curry.

Chicken Satay – Emily and I shared this simple but tasty appetizer, which boasted generous chunks of meat as well as a creamy peanut sauce for dipping.  The chicken was anything but dry and the sauces enhanced this already flavorful dish.  It’s a great option for my celiac friends, and comes highly recommended.

Red Curry – I love me some Thai curry and went with the medium spicy rendition of the Red, which was loaded with beef, bell peppers, eggplant and basil.  The beef was juicy and tender, and I loved the hint of sweetness from the peppers, and the lemony zing from the basil.  What a perfect way to nourish my body after that strenuous cycle class – it did just enough to fill me up but didn’t leave me feeling like a puffball.

Service and Cost:
On a busy Friday evening, you’d expect there to be a few hiccups in the service, but our evening went off without a hitch.  Enthaice’s waitstaff was helpful, friendly and always made sure we were comfortable. 

Costs are comparable to any good Thai restaurant in the neighborhood and set us back about $28 including tax and tip for a shared app, personal entrée and a glass of vino each.

3 Mmmms

Enthaice – 33-20 31^st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106 
718.932.1111 
N/Q Train to Broadway

Cooking for the Snow Storm

The crazy weather today has certainly made things interesting, as a lot of folks are staying home and hunkering down.  While a lot of places in the nabe are staying open (see my Where to Eat Now: Snow Part Deux piece on We Heart Astoria), people are also looking forward to cooking at home.  I thought to hook you up with a few suggestions for comforting, warming dishes.

Apricot Lamb Stew - A combination of sweet and savory is perfect for a winter storm.  I love this recipe because unlike a lot of stews, it only takes about an hour to cook.

Lebanese Beef Stew - For a little taste of the Middle East, I highly suggest this beef stew, which makes use of simple, lean ground beef and a homemade mix of spices.  Serve it up with a side of hummus, yogurt dip and pita chips.

Pesto Bean Soup - An easy soup to make with ingredients you have on-hand, it's nothing fancy, consisting of white beans, roasted red peppers and green olives.  A fresh homemade pesto ties it all together to create an earthy, comforting medley.

Homemade Chicken Soup - There's nothing like a homemade chicken soup from scratch.  Staying indoors creates the perfect opportunity to stew some homestyle flavors of chicken, veggies and herbs.  You can always reuse the chicken carcass for stock.  

Homemade Challah Bread - While this recipe is certainly ambitious, it's something my mom whipped up a few years ago, also during a snow storm.  It not only looks beautiful but creates a lovely accompaniment to any meal.  You can top it with savory or sweet things.  

PizzArte – The Beauty of an Artful Pie

During the first blizzard of the year, Dan and I created a mini stay-cation for ourselves in the city.  He had to work and wanted to avoid any kind of commute, so we cashed in our Citi Thank You points and stayed at the Empire Hotel at Lincoln Center just a few steps from Dan’s theater.

In between his shows, we made room for a few culinary adventures, including the one I’m about to describe here at PizzArte.  What a fun stay-cation it was!

Atmosphere:
Located on 55^th Street, between 5^th and 6^th Avenues, PizzArte’s locale certainly doesn’t insinuate coolness, but that’s just why it’s so great – it’s a true diamond in the rough. 

The space is made up of a two-floor cozy restaurant, bar and gallery rolled into one.  The gallery (hence PizzArte’s name) showcases a plethora of interesting works by international artists and the ones we saw happened to be done by Qinza Najm, a Pakistani American artist.  It was fun to be surrounded by abstract art, which put us in the mood to eat something creative, as well.

Food:
Having the foresight to purchase a Gilt City coupon for our dinner, we sort of had our food choices mapped out for us, which consisted of a glass of house wine each, a personal salad, and a shared pizza pie.

Salad – Loving the fact that we can each choose our own personal salad, I was free to indulge in all the beets and goat cheese my heart desired.  Dan went for a classic Caesar salad, which was done beautifully, with the perfect amount of cheese, anchovy paste and really crunchy, airy croutons, which I devoured as well.  Both salads were generous in size and therefore signified great value right off the bat.

Pizza – Although PizzArte boasts many pizza choices, our Gilt City deal enabled us to choose from a slimmer menu, which was A-OK with us.  Deciding to try the Eduardo, the dough was prepared in a unique fashion by first being fried and then baked in their coal oven.  Dan was a bit skeptical at first, but our waiter reassured him that the fry method adds to the lightness and the airiness of the pie.  He was totally right!  In Dan’s words, the pizza had a “zeppolian pizzaarte” quality to it, meaning a hybrid between a zeppole and a pizza.

We both ooohhed and ahhhed and Mmmmmed a lot while eating the Eduardo pie.  The dough was exquisitely light and the toppings of Italian ham (not quite prosciutto), melty mozzarella and ribbons of fresh basil gave it a beautiful earthy yet still luxurious quality.  It’s unlike any pizza I’ve had before, and overall was a total win.

Service and Cost:
Due to the snowstorm factor, the restaurant was pretty low key in terms of clientele, and we loved it this way.  Having our own little escape haven, watching the snow outside and relaxing with a full bodied red vino made it that much more romantic. 

Our waiter was a great guy, and gave us the fabulous suggestion of ordering the Eduardo.  He didn’t steer us wrong once, and seemed to have a lot of knowledge about the menu.

Costs are moderate on the regular menu, with most pies ranging between $18-$23.  While they’re not overly large, the pizza pies are filling and do a great job of satiating you.  Our Gilt City coupon turned out to be an excellent value, setting us back just $30 total for our aforementioned meal.  Go ahead, and snap it up – there’s still time!

3 Mmmms

PizzArte – 69 West 55^th Street, New York, NY 10019

212.247.3936

F Train to 57^th Street

www.pizzarteny.com

My Veggie Chili Breakthrough

In the winter months, I love making a wholesome one-pot-wonder that’ll get Dan and me through the week. A lot of these all-in-one dishes can sometimes be a little high maintenance when it comes to preparation, but they’re always so rewarding.

Looking through my various Pinterest boards and recipes, I finally found something that caught my eye on the Whole Foods website for an “award winning” vegan chili. While I didn’t have a lot of the ingredients on hand, they were pretty standard so shopping was a cinch (thanks Dan)!

A non-traditional component of this chili was the eggplant, which I peeled and sautéed ahead of time. Despite the dicey nature of eggplant, the texture was awesome and added an almost meaty quality. The corn kernels were a nice touch too and infused a hint of color and some crunchy texture.

The whole thing took about an hour and a half to prepare (including all the chopping) and lasted us the entire week. A good chili gets even better with a few days in the fridge, as the flavors marry to create a rustic, comforting dish. Enjoy it with some tortilla chips on the side.

Cookoff-Winning Veggie Chili recipe, courtesy of Whole Foods

Casa Enrique's Mole Comfort

Anyone who knows me can vouch for how much I love Mexican food.  It's one of the most deliciously flavorful meals I can virtually have on any given day, and I enjoy both making Mexican food at home as well as having it when dining out.

Naturally, I was craving it recently and immediately thought of Casa Enrique in LIC. Since Dan hasn't been there yet, I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity for him to try it, and for me to indulge in something spicy and comforting.

Guacamole - Even though I've tried this here the last time I came, we just couldn't resist.  Loving the texture of this guac, it was both chunky and a little smooth with some punchy flavor from the jalapenos.  I like that we got it moderate to a little spicy, which tickled our tastebuds and got us excited for the next course.

Mole de Piaxtla - It's hard for me to resist a rich, chocolatey mole, so this dish was a must for me.  The chicken was super tender and deeply flavored by the thick mole sauce, which was pretty mild but created an almost stew-like consistency.  The modest side of rice, which came on the side was yet again a tasty vessel for that magical sauce.

Service and Cost:
Very happy with the level of service we received, it felt good to be well taken care of and checked on throughout the evening.  Although the staff was attentive, we never felt annoyed or pestered.

Costs are moderate and we paid about $60 including tax and tip for two entrees, guacamole and one sangria.

3 Mmmms

Casa Enrique - 5-48 49th Avenue, LIC NY 11101
347.448.6040
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue

It's Taste and Share Tuesday at Bistro 33

Image by Bistro 33

There's nothing like getting a great deal at a local eatery, especially on a lazy weekday evening, which is why I'm excited to tell you about Bistro 33's Taste and Share night.  It looks like the deal is a spin off from their usual 2 for $10 deal on Tuesday evenings, which is an equally great deal.  Here's the scoop about tomorrow:

From 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Enjoy $5 small plates on some of their signature items such as Lobster Poutine, Seafood Crepe, Moules Frites, Duck fried rice, and more!

You'll find discounted beer and wine as well, and there's nothing wrong with getting a little toasty with some friends or your significant other.  Here's to a good week!

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.721.1933

N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.bistro33nyc.com