Athens Cafe - A Strong Coffee Break

Athens Cafe - 32-07 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102
718.626.2164
N/W Train to 30th Avenue

Coffee is one of the best things you can get in Astoria, and there certainly isn't a shortage of it, especially on 30th Avenue. We took a stroll down the avenue last weekend and stopped at Athens Cafe for strong Nescafe and Frappes - both enjoyable and of great quality.

Frappe - A signature coffee drink in Astoria, it comes in a tall bamboo shaped glass with coffee foam on top. I think the foam is its best feature, and it's almost as strong as the coffee. Sipping this drink is an experience and I suggest that you go slow, unless you want all the caffeine to hit you at once--not recommended. This drink is wonderful to get on a really hot day when all you want to do is cool off and relax.

Nescafe - The hot version of the frappe, it's more comforting. Nice and strong, it had great foam on top and the beauty of it is that it came sweetened. Not 100% sure about this but I think that they sweeten it with simple syrup instead of sugar, as there was no excess on the bottom--it was all perfectly blended.

Service and Cost:
Our waiter was wonderful. For a big group of eight, he was patient with us and explained the differences between the many coffee options. He made strong recommendations and really knew what he was talking about. With so many variations on the coffee menu, he put things in perspective and was able to help us narrow down some choices.

The costs are on the expensive side with certain specialty coffee drinks costing up to $8.50. I couldn't believe that they would actually charge nearly $10 for a cup of coffee.

Naturally, we stuck with the more economical options, both coffees that I mention above in the $4.95 range--still pricey but a good indulgence for an authentic experience.

3 Mmmms

Mystery Restaurant Coming to 30th Avenue

I passed by the old Table 30 space last week and noticed a new awning, a new phone number and a new slogan, "Char-Broiled." Meg told me that there were suspicions of it being Pio Pio but after some research, I don't think that's true. I tried calling the phone number without success. If anyone knows what's coming here, drop me a line. A good chicken place, which the slogan suggests would be a nice addition to the 'hood. We shall see...

35-02 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103

718.721.3035

N/W Train to 30th Avenue

Cafe Henri - Less is More...

Cafe Henri - 10-10 50th Avenue, LIC, NY 11109

718.383.9315 7

Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Ave

Labor Day was the perfect opportunity to visit Cafe Henri, a quaint French cafe in Long Island City. Vicky and I were in the mood for light, brunch-ish food with a relaxed, charming atmosphere. Cafe Henri delivered on all fronts and we'll be back soon--especially considering how affordable it was. Tres bien.

Atmosphere:

The atmosphere at Cafe Henri was really lovely--low-key yet full of special touches. Interesting details such as rustic brick walls, eclectic photographs, artwork and a vintage chandelier paint a picture of an intimate French bistro.

While the space isn't small, it's pretty tightly packed with tables that are arranged close together. The vibe is social and cheery conversations bounce back and forth from all corners of the room. Pretension is so not the theme here--you can arrive dressed casually, bring your best friend, significant other or even your kids. The free-spirited atmosphere welcomes any and all patrons--for any occasion.

Food:

Vicky and I were impressed with the menu choices. They had a lot of options to choose from--both classic and inventive, hearty and healthy. Because we ate light, we saved room for an indulgent chocolatey dessert. Check it out...

Mushrooms and Goat Cheese Crepe - Loving both savory and sweet crepes, I was looking forward to this one with two of my favorite ingredients. It was wonderful--the crepe was browned nicely on the outside and while it was thin, it had enough substance so that I could taste its freshness. The goat cheese was melted beautifully, marrying tanginess with earthiness from the mushrooms. The crepe was paired with a fresh mixed green salad with Henri's signature vinaigrette of mustard, vinegar and lemon juice. This was a perfect combination for mid-day brunch.

Salade Henri - This was Vicky's dish and it was packed with flavor and tons of ingredients such as roasted chicken, grilled veggies, potatoes, ratatouille, tomato and mesculin salad. While I didn't taste it, Vicky said that she loved it. It suited her because it wasn't heavy on the stomach, yet it was hearty enough to fill her up. She enjoyed the newly tasted ratatouille and also appreciated the good quality ingredients used in this simple dish. I think that's where Henri's secret lies--using really great stuff and getting an exceptional result in return.

Chocolate Mousse - We were happy to have room for dessert and ordered a French classic--chocolate mousse. It was served in a simple metal dessert cup, sporting a rich brown color, topped with fresh fruit and mint. Once we dug in, we were in chocolate bliss--the consistency of the mousse was perfect, as it was thick initially but as smooth as butter when placed on the tongue. The fresh strawberries and orange helped bring out its semi-sweet flavor, adding a bit of juiciness too. I recommend this alongside a strong iced cappuccino.

Service and Cost:

The waitstaff at Henri was good but not spectacular. While our food arrived quickly, our waitress seemed flustered and unorganized. That very well could've been because of how busy the restaurant was but I'll have to judge again the next time that I visit. A nice aspect was that the waitstaff actually seemed French--it was similar to the service at Tournesol minus the cute male waiters.

The prices were reasonable. For our entire meal including dessert, an iced tea and an iced cappuccino, we paid a total of $35. Salads range between $7.50-$13.50, hearty crepes are in the neighborhood of $8-$9 and desserts are between $6-$7.

3 Mmmms

Balu - Miami or Astoria?

Balu - 37-11 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.626.2258
N/W Train to 30th Avenue

Margot suggested trying Balu this week, the newly opened Med cafe on 30th Avenue. I've seen it under construction but didn't know that it finally opened. We checked it out on Tuesday and while the atmosphere impressed us, the food was nothing to brag about.

Atmosphere:

The first thing that popped into my head when seeing Balu was Miami. Everything was white, drapy and soft looking--it had that summery/tropical feel that I love. Even the staff wore white from head to toe.

There's a large outdoor seating area, which is covered by a big, (you guessed it)...white canopy or you can choose to sit inside. To the right, you'll notice a wall with moving water backed by a fish tank computer screen. Margot and I loved the water effect but what was up with the fish tank? Tacky, tacky.

The back of the room features a semi-private large table, which looks fabulous for throwing parties. There are also two identical smokestacks that strangely reminded me of the ones at Ovelia. Coincidence? I think not! While the overall effect was cool, it just seemed like Balu was trying way too hard to be trendy.

Food:

The menu at Balu revealed the usual Med cafe suspects--sandwiches, salads, pita, dips, pizza, specialty drinks and coffee. Margot and I were starving so we both ordered personal pizzas. They sounded great on the menu but in the end we were disappointed all around.

Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella Pizza - This was Margot's choice and it came out quickly. While it looked good and was piping hot, the taste wasn't anything special. Actually it tasted processed, like a frozen pizza. That's not to say that the dough wasn't good--that was actually my favorite part--it was just far from spectacular. Because we were both super hungry and because they messed up my order, we ate this pizza quickly.

Blue Cheese, Spinach Pizza - I thought that this sounded interesting and because I don't often eat blue cheese, I was really looking forward to it. To my surprise, what I received was an exact replica of Margot's pizza (tomato, basil, mozzarella). There was no trace of spinach or blue cheese so I spoke up and sent it back. It reappeared in about 10 minutes with what looked like the same pizza with spinach hastily plopped down on it and still no blue cheese in sight. Needless to say, I was disappointed and especially at the waiter's response of "sorry, we left this pizza in the oven by mistake." What a lie! It was clearly the same pizza as before with just a couple of quick "fixes," which were worse mistakes. I didn't appreciate the trickery and would've much rather preferred honesty.

Service and Cost:

As mentioned above, I wasn't at all wild about the service. They were dishonest, disorganized and inconsistent--we got a different waiter just five minutes after the first one took our order. The staff seemed frazzled and unsure of themselves--could be because Balu is so new but this needs to improve. Pronto!

The prices are low. Our pizzas cost $8 each and we even got drinks ($7-$8 each). Not bad. Sandwiches will cost you in the neighborhood of $7-10 and the same goes for burgers. You won't be dishing out the big bucks here because it's simply not worth it.

1 Mmmm

Butcher is Expanding

Butcher Gourmet Deli and Salad Bar - 49-16 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City NY 11101

718.786.9209

7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue

Butcher, the conveniently located deli on the corner of 49th Avenue and Vernon Blvd in LIC is expanding. No longer only offering deli items and pizza, they'll also open up a cafe/juice bar/hookah bar upstairs. Seems like an odd transition but since this place is so easy to get to, it might just work. I'll monitor it and let you know the deal.

And just for fun, I snapped the above photo of the current-day Butcher. Check out the half naked dude on the upper right hand corner--it made me laugh.

Shoot me a comment if you know more about Butcher's expansion plans.

Cafe Bar - A Laid Back Art Deco Scene

Cafe Bar - 32-90 36th Street, Astoria, NY 11103

718.204.5273

R/V/G Train to Steinway Street

www.cafebarastoria.com

I sometimes wonder why I get caught up in new restaurant hype, on occasion passing up some eateries that have been in Astoria for ages. One such "oldie" but a goody is Cafe Bar on 34th Avenue. This quirky art-deco lounge is known for its relaxed scene, where you can read a book for hours without being bothered or munch on some amazing brunch everyday of the week.

Atmosphere:

Anything and everything goes at Cafe Bar. Walking in, you might be a tad overwhelmed by its art "decoey-ness." The funky plastic chairs, the wild plants that look like they'll overtake you if you don't behave, the wall display of geishas and fish tanks--this place literally has it all! But you can't help and smile at this sight--it's all very colorful, fun and uplifting.

The crowd is young and somewhat artsy--you're likely to find a mysterious, handsome guy with long hair reading a book or a group of boisterous women enjoying coffee and eggs, chatting freely. Even the waitstaff sports a relaxed look--it almost seems like everyone is at home, hanging out in their living room.

Food:

I scanned the brunch menu, my eyes resting on the Huevos Rancheros. I ordered them and was overjoyed with the end result--a gorgeous plate of corn tortillas stacked with a fried egg, refried beans and colorful chile. It looked like a beautiful Mexican Napoleon if you will--and the taste was even better. The chile topping was really fresh and I could feel the juicy crunch of onion and fragrant cilantro. The inside was oozing with silky egg yolk and creamy refried beans. I'm not lying when I say I could've eaten another order of this dish, it was that good. Oh and let me not forget to mention the side of herbed hash--it was light and flavorful, complementing the huevos so nicely.

Kimberly ordered a sandwich version of the ham, brie and apple omelette. She made me try a bite and I become a full convert. The honey mustard dressing made this dish but what also gave it uniqueness was the refreshing crunch from apples and the savory chewiness of ham. Kimberly added the apple as a substitute and the waitstaff was very accommodating.

Service and Cost:

The service here is good and very relaxed, matching the atmosphere. The waiters make you feel comfortable and they're as unobtrusive as they come.

Cost-wise, this place wins again. A brunch entree will cost you between $9-$10 and dinner won't be more than $30 including a drink.