Djerdan - Serbian Comfort Food at a Comfortable Price

Djerdan Burek - 34-04A 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.721.2694
N/W Train to Broadway
http://www.djerdan.com/locations.htm

My parents and brother came to see me last weekend and the dilemma of picking a place to eat came upon us once again. After much back and forth, we decided on Eastern European-style cuisine, and we headed to Djerdan Burek. We're somewhat familiar with this food, as we used to vacation in Serbia, and this visit would take us back in time.

Atmosphere:
There's not much to say about the atmosphere at Djerdan because it doesn't really exist. Everything is very plain and overall, it resembles a no-frills take-out joint. But don't be turned off by this--you'll quickly see that the food more than makes up for Djerdan's bare-bones vibe, making this place a rare, special find.

There's a small "garden" in the back, with plastic furniture and fake hanging plants, but it is a nice, quiet getaway and a good place to talk. We liked how private it felt and it was like dining in our backyard--peaceful, unobtrusive and relaxing.

Food:
The menu drew us in from the beginning, offering a mix of ethnic appetizers, grilled meats and Serbian entree specialties. All this came at a very affordable price so we decided to grab the menus and sit down, ordering a plethora of dishes:

Appetizers - We ordered a couple of things that we shared including Djerdan's famous burek, shopska salad and a veal soup. Out of those, I strongly preferred the burek, which was stuffed with salty cottage cheese. To say that it was excellent doesn't do it justice! The layered dough consisted of flaky, buttery phyllo and the top boasted a well-done blistery crust. It was a pleasure to bite into, and the cheese provided a nice contrast in texture, mixing the flaky (crust) with the soft (cheese). I'm curious about trying it with meat next time.

The salad was a nice fresh start and reminded me of a Greek salad, with the the feta cheese and all. The veggies were crisp, juicy and overall, the dish offered a nice refreshment for the palate.

Peter ordered warm, veal soup that was comforting and very generous in portion. He finished most of it but I had a few spoonfuls of the flavorful broth and a few bites of the slow cooked veal--it was as tender and delicate as can be.

Entrees - We again ordered a bunch of plates and then passed them around for everyone to try. Our choices consisted of beef goulash, stuffed peppers, veal shish kebabs and cevapcici.

My favorite was the beef goulash, which unlike in Zlata Praha or Koliba where it's served with dumplings, came with hearty mashed potatoes and plenty of delicious beef gravy. The meat was the best part, as it was so tender that it fell apart on contact. Seasoned well and again, not too heavily salted, it was a filling dish, probably more suited for colder months.

Peter's stuffed peppers were wonderful and came with a side of those yummy mashed potatoes that were also served with the goulash. The portion was impressive with two large green pepper halves, stuffed at the seams with rice and ground beef. When I took a bite, I was immediately transformed to my grandmother's kitchen - the mix of comforting flavors tasted very homemade and you could feel the love and tradition that was poured into it.

I ordered my beloved cevapcici, which are tiny veal kebabs served on warm pita bread, with a side of chopped raw onions and red pepper sauce. There were so many of these lovely veal sausages that I knew I'd be taking half of the portion home. The red pepper sauce was refreshing to put on top of the meat and the onions provided a nice crunch. Although the meat came in a large pita, I liked eating it separately but that's a personal preference. If you like burgers, you'll love this.

My mom got an impressive order of veal shish kebabs, which were interspersed with slivers of carrots. The presentation was interesting, and the meat was juicy and zesty--flavored with Mediterranean spices and plenty of lemon. Sides of creamy lemon rice, raw onions, red pepper sauce and a chopped salad made this an extremely generous dish. It was the most well-rounded meal, providing diversity and excitement on a plate.

Dessert - It's hard to believe that we saved room for dessert, but lo and behold, we did. Our two choices were the keks torta (layered custard cake) and bombica (coconut, dark chocolate, rum macaroon). The keks torta was the more impressive of the two, offering a decadent cream filling that came in both chocolate and vanilla, sandwiched between spongy layers of cake. It reminded me of tiramisu, except the texture was firmer and the layers offered more complexity.

The bombica was delicious too and reminded me of my grandmother's rum balls. Djerdan's version was about 4 times the size but the taste and texture was virtually the same--thick, fudgy and chocolatey, laced with sweet coconut and rum. Mmmm...

Service and Cost:
I prefaced this review by saying that there's not much of an atmosphere here, and this extends to the service as well. I'm not saying that the service is bad, it's just kind of lax and not detail oriented. Things that should've been a no brainer (i.e. bringing glasses and straws with bottled water or giving us two extra forks for the dessert) had to be asked and reminded over and over. We didn't care because we weren't in a hurry, but just know what you're getting into--you have to spell it all out for them.

Despite the inconsistent service, our waitress was nice and courteous. She gave us recommendations but we had to pull them out of her. I think that she just wanted to get on with it.

Cost are unbelievably inexpensive and you can dine for way under $20/person for a big meal:

Appetizers: $2.95-$12.95
Entrees: $7.95-$16.95
Dessert: $2.50-$6.95

3 Mmmms

Point Brazil - All Day Buffet Feast

Point Brazil - 38-01 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.278.1934
N/W Train to Broadway or R/V/G Train to Steinway Street

I've noticed Point Brazil on many occasions but haven't taken the time to learn about it until now. What drew me in was a sign that said "buffet all day long." "How bad could that be?" I thought. There's always people around, sitting outside (except for in this picture because it was pouring rain). Needless to say, Point Brazil seems popular and well-respected in the community.

Below are the deets about their all day buffet - as you'll notice, the prices are staggeringly low. Meg and I will check it out soon and I'll report back with the specifics. In the meantime, feel free to be the judge...

Breakfast Buffet - 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. $4.99/lb
Includes three types of omelettes, scrambled eggs, sweet potatoes, fruit, and other Brazilian specialties.

Lunch and Dinner Buffet - Noon - 10 p.m. $4.99/lb regular buffet, $5.99/lb BBQ buffet
Regular buffet offers Brazilian-style dishes including 2-3 types of meats (chicken, red meat and fish). BBQ buffet incorporates the above as well as rotisserie meats with various sauces.

Eat up Astoria!

BareBurger - Take 2 is Still a Hit

BareBurger - 33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.777.7011
N/W Train to Broadway
www.bareburger.com

Last week was my second time at BareBurger and although the first time was more exciting, I still enjoyed trying a new burger flavor--my desire to try them all still very much a mission I'd like to complete. My friend Crystal, who's a veggie, joined me and found the offering conducive to her tastes. Here are the new dishes we tried:

Lamb Bareburger - I was in the mood for lamb and cooling yogurt sauce so I chose this Greek-style burger. In addition to the meat and the yogurt sauce, it contained lettuce, tomato and caramelized onions. I loved the onions but thought there were too many of them--they were thinly sliced and unfortunately got stuck in my teeth (sorry tmi). If ordering this burger, I'd ask for less onions (or no onions) next time. The meat however was excellent and super flavorful--it was cooked to medium consistency, but next time I think I'd like to get medium rare to make it more juicy. The yogurt sauce was super refreshing, giving this burger a summery touch.

Avocado California Burger - Crystal enjoyed this burger for which she chose a vegetarian patty. Judging from her nearly empty plate, I'd say she liked it very much, devouring the avocado, mixed greens, tomato and raw red onion. Avocado, one of my all-time favorite vegetables piqued my interest and I think that I'll be getting this burger next time--with a turkey patty however.

Service and Cost:
Once again, the service hit it out of the park. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, checking on us periodically before and after we received our food. She was meticulous without being overbearing and I appreciated that. I felt the same way the last time I was here and overall, it gave me a good impression of BareBurger, making me want to return yet another time.

Costs are moderate and for two burgers, a basket of onion rings and one soft drink, we paid $21 each including tax and tip. Given that everything is fresh and organic puts these costs into further perspective.

3 Mmmms

BareBurger - An Au Naturale Experience

BareBurger - 33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.777.7011
N/W Train to Broadway
www.bareburger.com

I finally went to BareBurger last week and in spite of all the hype, it lived up to expectations--and even surpassed them. Both Dan and I agreed that we'll revisit it to try their many varieties of burgers. Yum!

Atmosphere:
As described by guest reviewer Aaron, BareBurger has a funky vibe that's casual yet a step up from a traditional fast food joint. The space feels open with a garage door window that boasts casual counter-style seating underneath. There's other seating too such as comfy booths, long communal tables and small-ish 2-seater tables. The music is cheery and uplifting and the staff is young, hip and approachable. I absolutely loved the light fixtures, made up of objects such as spoons and cups--it's all very inventive and super cool.

Food:
The best part about the food is that it's all organic and fresh. You could certainly taste the difference in the meat and the dairy products especially. Despite heavy combinations (blue cheese and bacon), the food felt light in your stomach and didn't fill you up as much as processed food would.

Swiss Turkey Bacon Burger - This was Dan's choice and he took BareBurger's recommendation and ordered it with bison meat. It looked gorgeous and the bun was fluffy but I didn't like the gamey taste of the bison. I'm probably just not used to it because Dan loved it, saying that it was one of the best bison burgers he's ever had.

Big Blue Bacon Mushroom Onion Burger - I selected this incredibly rich-sounding burger because it contained some of my favorite ingredients--caramelized onions, chunky blue cheese, applewood smoked bacon and peppercorn sauce. The flavor of all these ingredients combined was amazing and I certainly tasted the difference in the organic, grass fed beef. It had a stronger, earthier flavor that made it more appetizing and easier to digest. I also loved the 7 grain bun that enveloped this beauty--again, something new and healthy. The only aspect that I didn't love was the blue cheese, as I thought it wasn't melted enough or strong enough in flavor--I'd go without it next time.

Onion Rings - These were hands-down amongst the best onion rings I've ever had. As Aaron pointed out, they were extremely generous with the portion, but unlike in Aaron's case, we had no trouble finishing them. Can we say slobs?! I loved the batter the most, as it was super crispy and not greasy. The variety of dipping sauces was amazing and I loved alternating between all three options - steak sauce (my favorite), curry ketchup and BareBurger's special sauce.

Banana-Strawberry Milkshake - We needed to wash this yumminess down with something sweet--the banana-strawberry flavor was on special and it sounded nice and refreshing. There were these delicious chunks of banana and sweet strawberry preserves in it, not to mention the milky, super thick ice-cream. One problem was that the straws weren't wide enough to comfortably drink the thick shake--I'd recommend switching to something that'd make your sipping experience easier.

Service and Cost:
Our waitress was cheery and patient, especially when I suffered from major indecisiveness. She gave us her opinion about the different meats that were unfamiliar to us, helping to make our decision easier. She was accessible and responsive to any wishes or questions we had.

Eating at BareBurger won't hurt your wallet, yet it's more expensive than a traditional burger joint. However, this is because everything is organic and in my opinion, a good investment. Burgers range between $8.95-$11.95, sides will set you back between $4.95-$9.95 and milkshakes are in the $5.95 neighborhood. Our dinner, which included two burgers, onion rings and a shake cost $39.50 without tip.

3 Mmmms

BareBurger by Guest Reviewer Aaron

A passionate Astorian, Aaron recently wrote about his experience at Bare Burger, the newly-opened organic burger joint on 31st Avenue. He went through the trouble of writing a very insightful review so I decided to share it with you. Hope it's helpful - it sure made me want to try it!

BareBurger - 33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.777.7011
N/W Train to Broadway
www.bareburger.com

Went to BareBurger a few weeks ago. I didn't know it was open yet when I passed by on the way to Il Bambino, but I decided to try it.

Atmosphere:
The atmosphere was fun, playful and stylish. Being that it's summer, they have the place opened up to the street. A garage door, which has been painted yellow, serves as the opening to 33rd Street, which I thought was a nice touch. The metal seating is comfortable and a cross between an outdoor patio chair and something industrial. Tall, greenish booths line the left hand wall and chandeliers made from spoons hang above each of the three tables. A faux, wooden plank floor and ceilings gives it an odd lodge-type feel.

There is something quirky and joyful in the spirit of the place. A flat screen TV is mounted high on the right hand wall, up near the counter, but the sound is turned off and a mix of 50's to 90's music was playing over a sound system. Although there are seats and a waitstaff, there is a counter, much like any burger joint where you can order take out.

Food:
We both went for the original Bareburger ($8.95) which comes with Monterey Jack cheese, lettuce (shredded iceberg), tomato, raw red onion and BareBurger's special sauce. We shared a basket of onion rings which came with ranch dressing and peppercorn steak sauce. We ended by splitting a vanilla milkshake to go.

Overall I enjoyed the meal. I found the burger tasty, but slightly salty. I don't know whether they put spices in the meat or if it was the special sauce, but it could've been a little more neutral. If for no other reason than it would allow the taste of the meat to stand on its own. The bun was delicious and though it may sound strange to say, it fit the burger perfectly and stayed with the burger through the whole meal. You know how sometimes a burger and its bun seem destined to be eaten apart? Not this burger.

The onion rings were delicious, if slightly greasy. I don't want to mislead you here...onion rings are always greasy, they are fried after all. These were not overly greasy, but they were definitely deeply fried and not healthy, organic or not. The thing is, the basket they brought us was huge. I think if you eat a few it's OK, but three or four people could easily be satisfied by a single basket of rings. There were two of us so we probably ate more rings than we ordinarily would have. Even admitting to this gluttony, we didn't finish them.

The vanilla milkshake was tasty, not overly thick or sweet, rather it was a clean and refreshing finish to the meal.

Everything is organic at BareBurger ...organic beef, milk, ice cream, coffee, poultry, vegetables...you name it, it's organic. They serve Boylan soda, which is probably a little more expensive than your average Coke or Pepsi, but it's tasty and constitutes something other than the status-quo. It also goes along with their natural/organic theme as Boylan's advertises itself as all natural.

Service and Cost:
The service was friendly and exuberant. Our waitress seemed a little overly pumped, but not in a negative or obnoxious way. She was on top of everything without being on top of us.

Two original Bareburgers, one basket of onion rings, two sodas and one vanilla milkshake came to $38.38 with tax. With tip the meal came to $46. Forty-six dollars is not a back-breaking expense, but it's not cheap for a night out grabbing a couple of burgers. When I think of having burgers in the summer (the way I think of them, when I was a kid) it was one of those quick, cheap meals that cost a couple guys $10-$20. It was something you ate when you didn't have a lot of money on you. Compare it to cooking at home where you can easily make four non-organic burgers with all the trimmings for roughly $20 and you realize the premium you are paying for the special sauce and organic everything.

That said, the food was delicious, the atmosphere was fun and energetic and the service was good. I would definitely recommend trying BareBurger.

DiWine - Chic Wine Bar With Flava

DiWine - 41-15 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.777.1355
R/V/G Train to Steinway Street
www.diwineonline.com

Meg, Martha (new Joey in Astoria colleague) and I went to check out DiWine wine bar last night. I didn't have many expectations except that I looked at their site beforehand and loved what I saw. It seemed to be a chic, trendy place and a nice venue to meet for after-work drinks. All these things it was, and despite being a bit out of the way for me, I think I'll visit again soon.

Atmosphere:
Trendy, chic and comfortable are all accurate ways to describe DiWine. Although the space isn't huge, it's laid out so creatively that it gives the illusion of something bigger. There's a small outdoor seating area but the inside--at least for me--was more intriguing. The natural wood and exposed-brick decor makes DiWine feel earthy and rustic. Its best feature is the semi-private booth area that's sectioned off by sheer netting. The seats are comfy and cushiony and you can't help but recline and let your hair down. Besides a nice casual date place, I'd also recommend DiWine for a small group of friends.

Food and Wine:
The menu offered a lot of interesting-sounding small plates. We decided on the sharing route and ordered two tapas and a pizza. While the former was underwhelming the latter sure made up for it.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip - Recommended by our server, this was an easy sell, however, what came out wasn't anything to brag about. The bread was stale and the actual dip was just OK, nothing special. I'm wondering if it was homemade...? We voiced our disappointment about the bread and were brought something better, which was a nice way to approach the problem.

Mushroom Torchon - I love a good Portobello but was yet again disappointed with this one, which was filled with roasted red peppers and topped with herbed goat cheese. It sounded great on paper but when we tasted it, it lacked seasoning and was a bit watery. I was underwhelmed because what I envisioned was something aromatic and flavorful and this was anything but.

The Gigi Pizza - This is where things turned around. From first sight and smell, we were impressed, as the pizza looked fantastic--packed with interesting ingredients such as smoked beef, capers, mushrooms and fresh buffalo mozzarella. Once we tasted it, it was simply "divine," the flavors melding together to form a hearty, smoky bite. The crust was super light and crunchy but needed more salt. Overall though, it was a delicious pie that I'd happily order again.

Wine - A nice selection of domestic and international whites and reds (and even organic options), made my decision challenging. I chose a classic Italian Pinot Grigio and was very satisfied by its crisp, fruity undertone. Martha went for another white, which I can't recall by name but it was also nice, with a slightly more acidy touch.

Service and Cost:
I have absolutely no complaints in this department. Our server was considerate and knowledgeable, providing recommendations where he could. He made sure to check on us, ensuring that we were happy and as noted, accommodated us when we were not.

Costs are reasonable with tapas ranging between $6-$14, all pizzas are $10, cheese platters run between $10-$15 and the wine is also wallet-friendly with most glasses at $8. Two tapas, a pizza and three drinks set us back about $21 per person with tax and tip.

2 Mmmms

JJ's Asian Fusion - Fresh, Affordable Goodness

JJ's Asian Fusion - 37-05 31st Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103

718.626.8888

N/W Train to Broadway

www.jjsfusion.com

My friend Crystal and I decided to hit-up JJ's Asian Fusion last night for dinner. Although it's a bit far from the subway, the walk is worth it--even in the biting cold. We loved our dishes and dinner was perfectly affordable, considering the large amount of food we got. JJ's offers wonderful value and equally wonderful food.

Atmosphere:
JJ's is such a lovely, serene place. The calm feeling that came over me as soon as I stepped inside was unmistakable--and this was no accident, as it happened the first time I went there too. The decor is natural and you'll notice a lot of rich, wood accents on the walls. The dining room is separated into three small sections by simple bamboo and wood partitions, which make the space feel even more private. The only downside to JJ's is that it's a little dark but on the upside, that can be quite nice if you're on a date. I'd definitely suggest it for 2nd or 3rd date situation.

Food:
Once again, I was impressed by JJ's food--and their reasonable prices. The menu boasted a nice variety of sushi, dumplings, soups and hot entrees. Both Crystal and I were in the mood for sushi but we also wanted to try a hot appetizer to warm ourselves up. Here's what we had:

Hot and Sour Soup - As soon as I saw that this soup had a spinach wonton in it, I just had to try it. It was wonderful and very flavorful--full of generously cut veggies such as mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and cilantro. The mushrooms were my favorite ingredient and when I finally found the spinach wonton, it was perfection in my spoon. The spinach filling was very light and used in moderation. I was happy to discover that there was not one but two of these wontons in the soup--it was a nice surprise.

Edamame Potstickers - This was Crystal's appetizer--and JJ's signature dish. While I didn't try it this time, I've had it before and liked it. Crystal seemed satisfied with them too and she finished her portion to the last bite. I think that they were a bit filling though because Crystal ended up taking a large portion of her sushi home.

The Sushi - We both ordered sushi rolls, which were fresh and nicely proportioned. I chose the spicy tuna crunchy roll and an avocado roll while Crystal went for the sweet potato tempura roll. The tuna roll was wonderful and crunchy in all the right places--it didn't feel greasy and there was no fishy aftertaste. But I thought that Crystal's choice was even better! The sweet potato had good consistency--it stayed together well--and its corners were slightly fried. Again, this didn't feel heavy or oily--it was just right. What a great option for vegetarians!

Service and Cost:
Absolutely no complaints about the service--they were quick, attentive and polite. They seemed to know their stuff and ran a tight ship. It looks like JJ's has very good management because the place keeps getting better and better.

For the meal that I just described including 2 very full glasses of Pinot Grigio, our total was $39! When we added the tip, it came out to about $24 per person. I think it's a great deal that's worth trying.

3 Mmmms

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

Cavo - A Mediterranean Haven, Inside & Out

Cavo - 42-18 31st Ave, Astoria, NY 11103

718.721.1001

R/V Train to Steinway or 46th Street

www.cavoastoria.com

To me, Cavo’s charm is unmatched to any other restaurant in Astoria. The space here is so versatile that it's great for any occasion--a late night birthday party, a romantic dinner or a casual dessert and cocktail. I recently came here with a posse of friends. They sat us at a large outside table and we were accommodated to our every last wish. Although it took quite some time for the main course to arrive, the waitstaff was super attentive—coming over every few minutes to check on us and replenishing our warm pita bread and olive spread. Our starters consisted of pork and chicken Souvlakia. This dish is deliciously juicy and the side of tzatziki is one of my favorites in Astoria—creamy and refreshing with a hint of mint. I’d also suggest trying Cavo’s seafood such as the baby stuffed calamari or the pasta with baby clams and crabmeat. The desserts are to die for but be prepared to split them with someone--they're quite large and oh so rich. I especially love the warm chocolate cake with Tahitian gelato. The only downside to Cavo are its steep prices, so be prepared to lay out the big bucks. But despite the pricy dishes, Cavo is worth every penny and always keeps me coming back for more.