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!

Rio Market - Brazilian Specialty Foods

Rio Market - 32-15 36th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.706.7272
N/W Train to 36th Avenue

I was both surprised and delighted when I saw that a new Brazilian specialty supermarket opened up on 36th Avenue and 32nd street. A bit confused at first, I couldn't figure out what it was, as the space also houses a Brazilian travel agency and a small eatery, offering various grilled meats and even desserts.

Exploring the supermarket portion, which is located in the middle of the two aforementioned businesses, I saw that that they carry a lot of interesting national foods such as breads (both sweet and savory), meat, sweets and inventive frozen foods such as croquettes. They offered a generous tasting of the latter and they were delicious--I really liked the chicken breast and cheese croquette the best and might have to buy it the next time I host a cocktail party.

Prices are inexpensive and judging by Saturday's traffic, it doesn't get crowded. I'd suggest checking it out and stopping at Arepas Cafe for an afternoon snack. Yum!

Malagueta - The Steak was a Hit

Malagueta - 25-35 36th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106
718.937.4821

N/W Train to 36th Avenue

I recently had a romantic dinner with Dan at Malagueta, mainly because I wanted to introduce it to him and also because I was craving their Moqueca de Camarao (shrimp stew, palm oil, onions, peppers, coconut milk and cilantro). Besides getting that and the already-tried Brazilian sausage with fried yucca, Dan ordered the most delicious steak that I wanted to highlight here:

Broiled Steak - Brazilians are known for their steak so Dan, a serious meat eater, was eager to try it. Malagueta's broiled steak over-delivered on all counts--presentation, taste and texture. The cut was a classic filet mignon and it was cooked perfectly, medium-rare. The mashed potatoes were also nice, although not overly exciting--again seasoned well and not too heavy.

The sauteed spinach was my favorite component and I pretty much finished most of Dan's portion--it was so crispy that I thought it had been fried. It tasted more like spinach chips rather than unexciting sauteed spinach--I asked how the chef prepared it but I didn't get a straight answer. I would definitely like to make this style of spinach at home if I learned how.

Service and Cost:
Our servers were hospitable and friendly but also lax. We liked that, as we were looking for a romantic evening without too many disruptions. Just perfect--I'd highly recommend it for an intimate meal.

A lovely dinner consisting of an appetizer, two entrees and two drinks set us back about $35 per person including tax and tip. Muito sabroso!

3 Mmmms

Sabor Tropical is now Samba Tropical

A few months ago, I mentioned Sabor Tropical's move from 30th Avenue to 36th Avenue. A few changes took place along with the move including a new name--it's now called Samba Tropical. Not sure why this happened, as I thought that Sabor had good recognition amongst Astorians.

The second most significant change was the stop in rodizio style service, which so many people--including my husband and I--love. But it's not all bad news, for I think that the new location has better visibility, now closer to the subway. They also boast some interesting and affordable specials--just take a peek at the below lunch offering:

All dishes are served with rice, mixed greens, fried banana, potato salad.

Bife Acebolado - steak and onions...$7.95
Bife Acavalo - steak and eggs...$7.95
Frango Grelmado - grilled chicken breast...$7.95
Frango Milanesca - chicken breast battered and fried...$7.95
File de Peixe a Limau - tilapia filet sauteed in lemon and butter...$8
Fraldinha Carioca - skirt steak topped with harts of palm...$9

Samba Tropical - 35-48 31st Street, Astoria NY 11106
718.777.8506
N/W Train to 36th Avenue

Rio's Mania - Mad about Acai!

Rio's Mania - 37-05 28th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.777.1017
N/W Train to 30th Avenue

Sooz and I got invited to visit Rio's Mania, a relative newcomer to 28th avenue. It's a Brazilian spot that's different from the stereotypical churrascarias, that Brazilian fare is known for. Instead, Rio's offers light and healthy options at even lighter prices.

Atmosphere:
Rio's is a small place with modern, cheery decor. Their awning is nice and new looking, peaking your curiosity to see what lies beneath the surface. Once you go inside, the space is intimate yet uncluttered and uplifting. There's a mural in the back of the room, depicting an inviting beach in Rio. There's a counter up front where you could order for takeaway or you could get table service. Most of the tables are wooden and simple but there are a couple of cushiony chairs in the front where you could really unwind.

Food:
Themes of health and wellness weave through the menu. Rio's offers a multitude of sandwich, salad and crepe options, along with a variety of smoothies. You'll also find the hot new health food craze, the acai berry in dessert form. Here's what Sooz and I tried:

Chicken, Catupiry Cheese, Corn and Hearts of Palm Crepe - I was drawn to this crepe because of the cheese, which Sooz said was light as well as for the chicken-corn combination, which I love. Happy with what came on my plate, it was a manageable portion that still filled me up. The chicken, corn and hearts of palm were a lovely filling for the paper thin crepe, which was wrapped in the cheese like a little package. It didn't come with an unnecessary side of fries or other starches. Instead it was served with a beautifully cut radish, which I devoured.

X-Tudo - Sooz explained that the meaning of "x-tudo" is "everything" and that described her dish quite well. It included everything under the sun such as hamburger meat, ham, cheese, egg, bacon, corn, lettuce tomatoes and mayo. She kept saying how light it was, which I found unbelievable until I tried it. Despite its all-encompassing look, this sandwich was light, which could be attributed to the delicious hamburger meat. It was thin yet so flavorful, leaving you with a pleasant feeling without weighing you down. The bun was sprinkled with French fry potato chips, which added a nice crunch. I'd definitely order this the next time around.

Acai Traditional - We were talked into this dessert by the restaurant's owner Fred. At first I was skeptical but after he described that it would be topped with fresh strawberries, bananas and granola, I was so in. After I took one bite, I was hooked. The acai tasted like delicious blueberry sorbet. It was sweet but not overly so and was just so refreshing. I could see getting it after a good workout and I'd love to come back and have more, especially in the summer where it could serve as a healthy alternative to ice cream.

Service and Cost:
Our servers were wonderful, attentive and knowledgeable. They weren't afraid to make suggestions and I'm so glad that they talked us into trying acai. Overall, everything about the service was spot-on--timing, personality and accuracy. It was all good and you could tell that the people there really love their jobs.

Rio's is inexpensive and you'll get great bank for your buck. All savory crepes are $6.50 while the sweet ones are $7. Salads and sandwiches range between $3.75 and $7.50 while smoothies are all $4.50. Our acai was $6 for a very large bowl - so worth the price.

3 Mmmms

Sabor Tropical Has Moved

Sabor Tropical's sister restaurant, Churrascarria Tropical used to be my favorite restaurant in Astoria. Churrascarria closed about two years ago and since then, Sabor took over its all-you-can-eat Brazilian BBQ extravaganza.

Walking by the other day, I noticed though that Sabor has moved. Good thing too because its old location did need some sprucing up. You can now visit them at their new location:

35-48 31st Street, Astoria NY 11105
718.777.8506

I'm going to check it out and grab a menu--and report back soon.

Samba Grill - Carnivores Advise

Everyone loves a good Churrascaria where you can take advantage of all the different meats that you heart desires--at least I do. While Samba Grill is more on the casual side and it offers a self-serve option, it also has traditional Rodizio style service that people love.

While walking by the other day, I grabbed a menu. Below is a taste of the kind of food that you'll find here. I have to get myself over there and when I do, I'll report about my full experience.

In the meantime, enjoy this preview of the food:

Serve yourself and pay by the pound:

From the buffet only...$5.99/lb

Buffet + BBQ meats...$5.99/lb

Only BBQ meats...$7.99/lb

Rodizio style service - All you can eat BBQ meats & buffet:

All meats are carried out from the BBQ pit directly to your table and served off skewers onto your plate. The buffet is self-serve.

Monday - Friday

Lunch...$17.95 per person

Dinner...$25.95 per person

Saturday - Sunday

Lunch and dinner...$25.95 per person

Meat Sampling:

Flank steak, prime rib, sirloin, beef ribs, chicken, sausage, turkey wrapped in bacon, pork loin, pork spare ribs and more...

Buffet Sampling:

Chicken with okra, chicken or beef stroganoff, cod fish with potato, beef stew, Brazilian potato salad, plantains, beans with pork and collard greens and more...

Desserts:

Brazilian style flan...$3.75

Passion fruit mousse...$3.75

Samba Grill - 29-17 23rd Avenue, Astoria NY 11105
718.777.9477
N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

Samba Grill is Opening

On my walk down 23rd Avenue today, I saw that a new Brazilian Barbecue restaurant called Samba Grill will open soon. I'm a total carnivore and was very excited to welcome this new establishment to the 'hood. The space looks like it's pretty set to go and I had the chance to ask one of their workers when it would open. His reply seemed confident when he said "Monday or Tuesday of next week." I'll make sure to come by again, pick up a menu and follow-up with a glimpse of the cuisine. Stay tuned...

Samba Grill is located on 29-17 23rd Avenue.

If anyone knows more about it, feel free to drop me a line.

Malagueta - A Different Kind of Brazilian

Malagueta - 25-35 36th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106
718.937.4821

N/W Train to 36th Avenue

I was excited to try Malagueta because it offers a side of Brazilian cuisine than I'm not used to. Instead of serving predominantly beef and sausage dishes, it presents a lot of delicious seafood options. Don't get me wrong, I love my Churrascaria as much as the next girl but it was nice to switch it up a bit.

Atmosphere:

Simplicity and elegance envelop you upon entering Malagueta but not so much that you feel intimidated. In fact, the decor is very lived-in and cozy. The walls are painted in rich tones with colorful artwork that's cheery and the tables and chairs are simple and comfortable. In fact, comfort and family seem to be the running themes here. From the friendly waitstaff to the laid-back patrons, Malagueta is only a short step away from your own dining room.

Food:

As I mentioned, Malagueta has some neat surprises up their sleeves when it comes to food. Their seafood is excellent and flavored with such care that you feel privileged to eat it. The menu choices are plentiful and the portions do not disappoint. Be prepared to be satiated but not to the point where you can't breathe. Here's a sampling of my dinner with Kimberly:

Linguica Grelhada Com Mandioca: AKA grilled Brazilian sausage with fried yucca and spicy mayonnaise. This was our appetizer but it looked--and felt--like a full meal. There were plenty of sausage slices for the both of us and the fried yucca was a much tastier alternative to French Fries. In fact, this whole dish reminded me of the festive Peruvian street food, Salchipapas. Our favorite part was the mayo, which was super garlicky and herby.

Moqueca De Camarao: This is Malagueta's most famous dish, consisting of a shrimp stew, palm oil, onions, peppers, coconut milk and cilantro, served with rice. Kimberly ordered this and she loved both its taste and its festive presentation. The jumbo shrimp happily revolved around the mound of rice topped with a pretty fringed scallion. The best part about it was the seasoning and the delicious coconut milk sauce that the shrimp floated on. It was fun to scoop up a generous forkful of all ingredients--simply a dream for the senses!

Corvina Com Vatapa: This was also a fish dish, which included roasted fillet of Pollock served with Vatapa (a spicy cream of fish, bread, dried shrimp, palm oil, cashews) and shrimp sauce. I've never tasted anything like it. The fish was super light and so flaky. Now the Vatapa is what did it for me. It tasted like shrimp mashed potatoes--the essence of shrimp was there but not overpowering. And since the fish rested on the Vatapa, it gave the illusion that there was less of it. I was pleasantly surprised to find a big mound of Vatapa waiting for me after I devoured my Pollock--nice touch Malagueta.

Pudim De Leite: Flan! No explanation needed except to say that this was the real thing. No soggy custard here, this one had rich substance and impeccable flavor. It looks pretty small on the picture and even appeared so in real life, but once we dug in, it's luxuriousness was so impactful that we slowed down quickly. It was truly the right way to end our meal.

Service and Cost:
Our waitress was friendly and the menu seemed almost second nature to her. I suspect that she's part of the Malagueta family because she looked comfortable in her surroundings and projected a family hospitality onto us. I liked her immediately and she served us well throughout our dinner--dishes came out quickly and we did not feel rushed in the least.

The prices here are hands down unbelievable--as in cheap! The appetizers are large and generally go for $7-$8. All entrees are under $18 and dessert is $4. I was especially impressed because the quality of the food is incredible and the dishes are presented in a gourmet fashion.

3 very loud Mmmms