Ever since I've found out about Venturo, the newest outpost from the guys that run Vesta and Pachanga Patterson, I knew I wanted to check it out. Promising a cozy, comfort food experience in an intimate setting in Sunnyside, I didn't need to hear more to know I wanted to experience it. My brother Peter and I headed there on Saturday and totally dug it - from the friendly vibe to the down-home delectable food.
Atmosphere:
Located in a prime location on Queens Blvd, near 44th Street, Venturo is easy to find and it's also subway accessible. Surrounded by a few disparate establishments such as a pet store, an Irish pub, not far from the old Meat Boutique (now closed), Venturo really stands on its own, as it's the only one of its kind in the neighborhood.
Once you walk in, you feel not unlike you do at Vesta or Pachanga Patterson. The space is small and intimate, but it has a certain buzz and charm. On a Saturday evening, it was packed to the gills, and I was glad I had the foresight to make a reservation. There's a small bar in the center of the dining room, which is similar to the setup at Vesta. I appreciate the varied clientele, from young professionals, families, singles ready to mingle and the like.
Food:
Given that the menu is quite simple and short, it's not difficult to make a decision. Since I was limited by my gluten free diet this week, I couldn't try the pastas, but will definitely come back for them next time around.
Cauliflower and Raisins - We ordered this dish as a starter, even though it's technically a side. Loving the sweetness that came from the golden raisins, we devoured the cauliflower, which was beautifully separated into bite sized florets. Enjoying the lovely texture, which was quite tender, it's certainly a unique take on a sometimes underrated vegetable.
Stuffed Trout - Since I was limited in my food options, I chose the stuffed trout, which sounded and looked delicious. I'm not sure what I imagined when reading its description, but I was in awe at how gorgeous and rustic it looked. The taste was excellent, as the fish was flaky and buttery, while the skin remained crispy and nicely seasoned with fresh herbs. My favorite aspect was the pesto, which the fish rested on, and I scooped it up with my fork and smeared it onto the already flavorful skin. Adoring how garlicky it all was, it packed a lot of flavor and personality.
Eggplant Lasagna - Peter couldn't resist a pasta dish, but at the same time was curious to try something new, so he went with this "pasta free" concoction. Made of layers of breaded eggplant, cheese, tomato sauce and a creamy bechamel sauce, it was the epitome of a fall comfort dish. I had a little bite sans the breadcrumbs of course, and was totally obsessed.
Service and Cost:
Just like at Vesta or Pachanga Patterson, the service at Venturo was unassuming yet efficient and in general took care of business. Even though the place was packed on a Saturday night and people were hustling, we always felt well taken care of.
Costs are moderate to inexpensive for the high quality of food and the nice atmosphere. Like I said, the only one of its kind right now.
Appetizers - $8 - $18
Pizza & Pasta - $12 - $15
Entrees - $17 - $22
3 Mmmms
Venturo - 44-07 Queens Blvd, Sunnyside NY 11375
718.406.9363
7 Train to 46th Street
www.venturovino.com
Last week, Meg, Mackenzi and I visited one of the best underrated Greek food restaurant in Astoria, Psari. Previously known as the Greek Captain, Psari specializes in seafood and they've recently announced a Seafood Feast Special on Groupon, which I think I saw a few folks taking advantage of.
While we ordered a nice selection of their dips that were also veggie friendly, we each got our own entree and mine was the fish. After all, when in a seafood restaurant...
Broiled Porgy - A good alternative to grouper or red snapper, I chose a broiled porgy as my choice for dinner. I've had this fish before at local Greek joints, and enjoy its flaky texture and buttery taste. For those of you who like a milder fish, this may not be for you, as the sea flavor is pretty distinct, but I think in a good way. I absolutely loved its crispy, slightly burnt skin, which I devoured and dotted with some of the leftover spreads like the the tzatziki, which we still had on the table. My side that I chose along with it were the lemon baked potatoes that did a good job of rounding out the dish and making the meal more filling.
Galaktoboureko - A complimentary dessert, I enjoyed this little sweet bite, which was soaked in a sweet, syrupy liquid. The portion was just right and allowed for about 3 solid bites. The inside, consisting of a creamy, lemony custard was soft and luxurious, while the outside was a little flaky from the phyllo that crumbled at the contact of your fork.
Service and Cost:
Just like last time, the service was quite good and so attentive. Once again, I was impressed by how quickly our glasses of water were filled and our empty plates were cleared. I never felt as if we were forgotten about, and our dishes came out fast, which was great.
Costs are really fair - the porgy and the potato entree costing only $19, while the plate of dips was about $15. As I already noted, the dessert was complimentary.
3 Mmmms
Psari - 32-10 36th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.786.6015
N/Q Train to 36th Avenue
www.psari-restaurant.com
Since summer is officially upon us, I've been trying to cook light, healthy foods that fill me up but don't leave me feeling weighed down. Fish is great for this, as it's easy to digest and when prepared on a grill it's super fresh and has that lovely charred flavor. The dish you see here took me about a half hour to prepare and cook, which is really convenient, especially on a weeknight. Here's what I did:
Grilled Swordfish Steaks (serves 2)
Ingredients:
2 medium sized fresh swordfish steaks (or frozen)
1 green zucchini, sliced into circles
1 yellow zucchini, sliced into circles
1/2 red onion sliced the same width as the zucchini
Olive oil
Coarse salt and pepper
Lemon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees for the zucchini and also preheat the grill or grillpan for the fish. Make sure to oil the grill or grillpan lightly with olive oil.
Toss the zucchini and onions in olive oil (2 generous glugs) and season with salt and pepper. Place on a lined baking sheet and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the zucchini gets nice and brown. Turn them over halfway into the cooking process, so both sides get well done.
Season fish with salt and pepper. Place swordfish steaks on the grill/grillpan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side. Rotate 45 degrees halfway into the cooking process to get nice crosshatch grill marks. Remove from grill, and spritz with lemon. Serve with the warm zucchini, and enjoy with a cold glass of chardonnay.
THEIRS
MINE
In the last issue of Bon Appetit, I saw an interesting recipe for Potato-Wrapped Halibut. It looked so beautiful on the picture (see top photo) that I was inspired to make it. I'm not sure how I thought I'd pull it off, given that I had no mandolin to cut the potatoes with. I attempted to cut them free-handed and failed miserably. The potato slices weren't thin enough and did not bend around the fish at all. I was annoyed and very hungry so I decided to make my own version, creating a potato-fish sandwich.
It came out awesome and I got much praise from my ravenous husband. He loved the potato-as-bun improvisation and said that the fish remained moist. In addition to halibut, I also used Alaskan salmon, which tasted even better and was juicier than the former. As you see from the second picture, I substituted craisin couscous for the sauteed spinach, which was easy to make and in my opinion tastier.
To make Bon Appetit's version, click here and to try my gone-awry-but-still-delicious version, follow the same recipe but instead of wrapping the potatoes around the fish, layer them on top and on the bottom of the fillets. When frying the fish, be really careful when flipping it. You might need a fork and a spatula. Enjoy!
Malagueta - 25-35 36th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106718.937.4821N/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
