Munch - 24th Avenue is Bustling

I've been noticing significant development in the residential 24th Avenue neighborhood. First a new wine bar, 24, opened up and just this past weekend a small cafe/sandwich shop called Munch opened too. Although the name is not my favorite (I hold a similar sentiment towards it as I do for the name Winegasm), the place is friendly, charming and serves good food. They had a tasting of their various offerings this weekend and I was able to sample a couple of things--and liked them a lot.

Munchwich - Their signature sandwich with corned beef and zesty coleslaw captured my attention. The bread was nicely toasted and its contents were warmed too, giving it that comfort-food feel. The slaw was crunchy and fresh and the quality of the deli meat was great. I'd like to get this again in a regular portion. Sandwiches range between $4.95 - $5.95, depending on size.

Shrimp Ceviche - Not having high expectations for this, I was surprisingly impressed. The shrimp was delicious and the broth was refreshing with welcome additions of cilantro, onion and nuts. It'd make for a good snack or starter.

I'll follow-up with a menu soon, as they didn't yet have it available this weekend. Although there isn't much room to sit inside, there's a comfortable-looking bench and a small table outside, providing a nice way to enjoy your sandwich, morning coffee, a snack or what have you.

Munch - 24-01 29th Street, Astoria NY 11102
N/W Train to Astoria Blvd

Sparrow Brunch - Different and Delightful

Sparrow - 24-01 29th Street, Astoria New York 11102
718.606.2260
N/W Train to Astoria Blvd

Sparrow continues to be one of my favorite local hangouts and last week was the first time that I tried their brunch. I just loved it and couldn't believe how many options there were. Their chef, Pablo is proving to live up to Reyes' standards, which is just wonderful.

Here's what I tried last week - I'd strongly suggest it:

Leeks and Eggs - What an inventive combo! I adore leeks and eggs respectively and was immediately drawn to this option. My dining companion, Rachel ordered it too and seemed to love it. The eggs were poached nicely for the most part and still had that runny consistency. I loved biting into small pieces of tender leeks--they gave the dish an earthy taste and a hint of freshness. The sweet potato-onion hash was fantastic and again, another interesting spin on ordinary morning hash. The sweetness and caramelization of the onions was welcome, providing my favorite combination of sweet and savory. I will definitely be ordering it again.

Besides this dish, my dining companion, Harlan ordered the breakfast burger with an egg on top, served on an English muffin. He seemed to like it along with the onion fries that came with it.

Sparrow's coffee is also delicious. I got a cappuccino and was impressed by its yummy taste. I think that they use Danesi coffee, which is from Italy.

Service and Cost:
The service was decent and unobtrusive. I didn't notice our waitress much but that's not to say that she ignored us. We were well taken care of without being fussed-over, if that makes sense. I experienced that service is a lot better during the day than at night, when it gets really crowded.

Costs are mild with most brunch dishes in the $10-$12 range. There isn't a coffee/entree combo unfortunately but that was OK by me. The entire meal set up back about $17/person, which isn't too bad.

3 Mmmms

Sparrow - The Burger Still Got It

Since the departure of Chef Reyes back in May, I've been skeptical about Sparrow and have only been there a handful of times. However, more and more I've been hearing great feedback about its continued excellence, with respect to burgers especially.

Dan and I went there on Saturday night to test how everything--the burgers in particular--measured up. Overall, we were pleased but were just slightly miffed at the slow service and the steep prices.

The Burger - Both Dan and I ordered a medium burger. I got mine with gruyere cheese and salad, while Dan chose the bacon and herbed fries. Enjoying mine very much, it took me back to the days of Reyes, which made sense, as his successor is a close childhood friend and apprentice.

The burger was tender, juicy and flavored with quality herbs. I liked that it was the perfect thickness, substantial enough to fill you up but not so thick that you couldn't take a bite. The bun was a good gripping tool--fluffy, buttery and delicious but not overpowering, thus letting the meat take center stage.

Dan's only complaint was about the bacon--it wasn't crispy enough and just didn't do much for him. The fries however, were zesty, crunchy and plentiful--two thumbs up!

Service and Cost:
Our slow service was the result of one waitress tending to the entire place. She was friendly and nice but unfortunately had a hard time keeping up with the increasing crowd--and who could blame her. She was sweet and apologetic for the delay and even treated us to drinks, which was generous.

While the prices are not outwardly expensive, they add up quick. Our burgers were $9.50 each without the toppings and with everything added together, we paid about $32 for two burgers, which was a bit much. I'm of the $10 or less burger school.

Despite minor drawbacks, I'd give Sparrow's burger 3 Mmmms

Sparrow - 24-01 29th St. Astoria, 11102
718-606-2260
N/W Train to Astoria Blvd

DaFranco Ristorante - Coming Soon

This weekend I saw that a new Italian restaurant will be opening in the Pistilli Riverview East building on 24th Avenue and 21st Street. The location will be quite convenient for the residents in the building and it'll join the already existing organic pharmacy on the ground level. I'm excited to find out more about it and promise to post a menu as soon as I get a hold of it. If anyone knows more about it, please give me a shout. I think that an Italian place will be a good addition to that neighborhood, as there's currently a lack of them. We shall see what surfaces...

DaFranco Ristorante Italiano - 19-19 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102

A Food-Coma-Inducing Porkfest

Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden - 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria NY 11102
718.274.4925
N/W Train to Astoria Blvd
www.bohemianhall.com

Today was a day of gluttony, laziness and indulgence otherwise known as Porkfest at the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden. Peter, Dan and I went with full intentions to eat all the pork that we could and wash it down with potent Czech beer. Our mission was accomplished and while it took a while to recuperate from our food and beer coma, we made it through. Here's a recap of this afternoon's pork extravaganza:

Pork and Barley Soup - Because it was so damp and chilly outside, we each ordered this as an appetizer to warm ourselves. It was hot, delicious and salty with plenty of tender dark and white pork meat. The soft barley was a lovely addition, as it rounded out the flavors in the soup and made it even more hearty.

Moravian Pork with Dumplings - This was my dish and I enjoyed it to the last bite. It included soft chunks of garlic-seasoned pork with slightly sweet sauerkraut and knedle or bread dumplings. The whole thing was slathered in rich pork gravy that made this dish irresistible. While Peter's pork goulash looked almost identical, I think that the garlic seasoning in mine made it slightly tastier.

Pork Goulash with Dumplings - Peter chose this as his entree and it was also delectable. The only difference between this and my Moravian pork was that the gravy in the goulash was darker and sweeter--I think that it was made with paprika.

Breaded and Fried Pork Cutlet - Put anything fried in front of Dan and he'll eat it--that's why I wasn't surprised when he ordered the pork cutlet. I think that this was my second favorite dish and the breading is what made it exceptional. It was super crispy but not at all greasy. While it came with roasted potatoes as a side dish, Dan substituted them with his beloved knedle or bread dumplings. For extra crunch and freshness, the pork cutlet was served with peppers, tomatoes and lettuce. Yum!

Apple Strudel - We each had the dessert of the day, which was homemade apple strudel. I absolutely adore apple dessert and was excited once this came out. While I liked it, it wasn't exceptional and needed more sugar or cinnamon. It was an acceptable way to end our meal but it didn't wow me.

Service and Cost:

Our server was a bit off and I think that he was new. He kept forgetting to refresh our silverware and acted strange when we asked for basic things such as more gravy or the check. Overall, the service is hit or miss so don't expect to be pampered.

Porkfest was a prix-fixe deal with $19.95 per person for a three-course meal. I'd say that it was worth it--what drove up the cost of our meal was the beer.

2 Mmmms

It's a Porkfest this Weekend - Literally!

The Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden is celebrating the other white meat this weekend. That's right, it's a pork fest both on Saturday February 21st and Sunday February 22nd.

Czechs and Slovaks are known for their rich pork dishes--think fried pork cutlets, roasted pork with sauerkraut (pictured above) or even pan broiled pork. This weekend will offer a perfect opportunity to indulge in it all for a very low price. Below you'll find the scoop about the entire offering.

You'll probably find me there, stuffing my face, looking happy as a pig (pun intended).

Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden Porkfest
Saturday, February 21st and Sunday, February 22nd

12pm - 6pm
Live entertainment by the Pajtasi Band from 1pm - 5pm
Traditional 3-course Czech menu, including an appetizer, entree, dessert and coffee/tea

*They are also accepting orders for Czech/Slovak pork delicacies such as Tlacenka, Jitrnice and Jelitko.

$19.95 per person

Enjoy the atmosphere, the music--and the pork!

Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden - 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria NY 11102

718.274.4925

N/W Train to Astoria Blvd

www.bohemianhall.com

Tokyo I - A Convenient Sushi Bar

Tokyo I - 31-05 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102

718.777.1880

N/W Train to Astoria Blvd

www.tokyosushibar.net

A fellow neighbor told me about Tokyo 1 Sushi and how it's the best kept secret of the 24th Avenue neighborhood. I walked by the other day and grabbed a menu that intrigued me. I'll definitely be trying it in the near future. In addition to this original location just off the Astoria Boulevard stop, there are two other ones, Tokyo 2 and Samurai Sushi both in Long Island City.

Tokyo 1 is convenient because it's just a short block from the subway and just two blocks from the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden. They have limited outdoor seating that looks more like a mini astro turf/putting green rather than an outdoor patio. Nevertheless, it offers up another alternative for dining and I encourage you to check it out.

Below is a sampling of their menu.

Sake:

Hot Sake...$3.50 (small), $6.00 (large)

Cold Sake...$8.00 (300 ml)

Appetizers:

Kimchi pancake...$5.95

Oshinko - Japanese pickle...$3.00

Pork Harumaki - Japanese style spring roll...$4.95

Entrees:

Shrimp Tempura - Served with a special dipping sauce and rice...$14.95 (8 pieces)

Katsu - Breaded deep fried cutlet cooked on egg with a choice of pork, chicken and shrimp tempura...$8.95

Seafood Chahan - Japanese style fried rice...$9.50

House Specialty Rolls:

Ditmars Roll - Spicy tuna and cucumber with salmon and avocado on the outside...$7.95

Yankees Roll - Cream cheese, crab meat, avocado and black pepper tuna...$7.95

Mango Salmon Roll...$7.95

Lunch Roll Combo - Any two rolls served with miso soup and salad...$8.50 (inquire about specialty lunch rolls).