Last week, the Joey in Astoria ladies and I were invited to have dinner at Da Franco Ristorante. While Meg and I have been there before, our food choices were limited and therefore we wanted to try it again. Not only did we like it even better, I highly recommend it to all of you.
Food:
We tried a lot of new dishes this time around, most of them focusing on fresh pasta and Da Franco's freshly baked breads. Choosing to go vegetarian, we not only wanted to accommodate our vegetarian friend Mackenzi, but we also wanted to be more health conscious.
Appetizers - Our first dish was a great salad called insalata di rucola con noci. It contained fresh, peppery arugula, crunchy fennel, toasted walnuts, apples and generous shavings of parmigiano cheese. I loved the fresh mint cider vinaigrette, which gave the veggies some zing and freshness. It was a fabulous way to start the meal.
Other starters we devoured were the fried calamari, grilled vegetables and a big order of Da Franco's homemade focaccia bread. All were excellent but I had a strong preference for the focaccia, which was puffy and beautiful, tasting like a soft cloud of goodness. I liked that it was seasoned with an aromatic Italian spice mix and that it was slightly salty. Its overall taste improved even more when I dipped it into aged balsamic vinaigrette.
Main Dishes - As I mentioned, we went purely vegetarian and ordered two vegetable based pastas. One of them was the ravioli al profumo di tartufo and the other was the rigatoni alla siciliana.
The ravioli was my clear favorite, as it contained aromatic mushrooms in a creamy sauce, embellished with a hint of truffle oil. I loved that the pasta was super light and cooked to perfection - even though the sauce was creamy, it didn't feel heavy, and I could've polished off a portion of my own. I'll definitely be getting this again next time around.
The rigatoni was tasty too, but was hard to see at first, as it was hiding under large pieces of grilled eggplant. While I enjoyed this entree too, it was sharper on the palate--the overall taste a bit acidy for my liking. The quality of everything was very good, I just preferred the mushroom pasta.
Dessert:This is where Da Franco's took the meal to the next level. We were awed and delighted to see that Franco, the owner, prepared a beautifully sugar-dusted Nutella pizza just for us. Paired with a helping of freshly made zeppoles, Meg and I were in heaven, enjoying every bite.
The other dessert we tried was the tiramisu, and it was simply out of this world. Not sure if this was their regular portion, but it was really huge with beautifully soaked lady fingers lining the side of the dish. It was embellished with two piroette cookies, fresh whipped cream and a cute little melon ball, giving it that extra splash of color. The quality of the custard was amazing and not overly sweet. I liked that it was a bit chocolatey, with a nice sprinkling of cocoa, but again it wasn't excessive.
Service and Cost:
Our server was a young woman from Italy who knew a lot about the menu and the cuisine in general. We appreciated how nice and polite she was. Warming up to us during the meal, she shared some stories about her favorite places to live and to eat.
Franco, Da Franco's owner was lovely--revealing valuable insight about his pasta, bread and the wonderful cheeses, which are produced in his Queens-based mozzarella factory.
Costs are moderate to inexpensive, and as I announced last week, they're currently running a $19.95 weekday pasta special. Other costs include:
Appetizers: $6.95-$14.95Pasta: $9.95-$17.95
Meat: $14.95-$27.95Fish: $17.95-$25.95Pizza: $7.95-$14.95
3 Mmmms
Sapori D'Ischia - 55-15 37th Avenue, Woodside NY 11377
718.446.1500R/V/G Train to Northern BlvdI've heard so many awesome things about Sapori, that when I saw it was participating in Queens Restaurant Week, I just had to check it out. Vicky, Eric and of course Dan came along and we were all so impressed by this off-the-beaten-path eatery, that I genuinely can't wait for my next visit.Atmosphere:Located in an industrial area, sort of in the middle of nowhere, it's hard to believe that Sapori exists where it does. I think it's the only restaurant on the block, and it's worth visiting. For starters, it has a cozy bar area in front with rustic walls, which are somewhat exposed with brick. There are a couple of high stools near the bar and even a table or two for small parties.
Delving deeper into the restaurant, you'll find a dimply-lit comfortable setting, decked with warm colors, simple tables and chairs and impressive displays of cured meats, which are aged on the premises. In fact, during the day Sapori acts as an Italian food retail store--hence its industrial location.
Food:
We were very satisfied with Sapori's generous restaurant week menu, which did a great job at showcasing their specialties featured on the regular menu. Portions were so hefty that we felt we got our money's worth--and then some. Although we each ordered our own dishes, we made a point of trying each other's food so we could sample it all.
Appetizers:The most show-stopping appetizer hands-down was Eric's baby octopus. Served in a beautiful terra cotta dish (pictured above)--with a candle at the base to warm the olive oil and garlic that rested on the bottom--we enjoyed each fresh bite packed with not only the octopus but also borlotti beans, radicchio and caper berries.
My second favorite dish was my asparagus budino, which resembled a baked custard, except instead of a sweet one, it was savory. Each bite was creamy and decadent, with a smoky finish from crispy bits of pancetta and fire roasted peppers. I've never had this kind of starter before and it made a big impression on me.
Two other apps that we enjoyed included the carpaccio and cod fish crostini. Out of those, I preferred the carpaccio, which was generous on the meat (filet mignon) and even had shaved Alba truffles on top. The cod fish crostini was good too but I found the fish a bit bland--the flavors didn't pop as much as in the other appetizers.
Entrees:
We were starting to fill up after the apps but found room in our bellies when the entrees arrived:
I'll start with my favorite, the costola corta, braised short ribs of beef, olive oil with balsamic scented red onions, resting on a fluffy bed of mashed potatoes. Wow! Not only did this dish look gorgeous, it was absolutely scrumptious and a perfect meal to have on a cold evening. The beef was slow-cooked, falling apart upon contact with my fork. But the best part were the sweet onions, which were sliced super wide. Pairing those with the hearty meat and the velvety potatoes created a perfect bite.
Two other stand-outs were Dan's pizza al cornicione and Vicky's pollo della "rosticerria." The pizza was a large pie, big enough for two hungry people, topped with soft, oven roasted potatoes, fresh rosemary and the sweetest red olives. My favorite aspect was the crunchy crust and the pungent truffle oil that was sprinkled on top.
Vicky's pollo (chicken) seemed plain on the plate yet was anything but once you actually tasted it. Roasted to perfection, it had a beautifully golden crust and the juiciest interior I've ever tasted in a chicken. Paired with warm orange citrus sauce and sweet yellow beets, it was the lightest entree out of the bunch.
Sapori's rich pasta offering wasn't ignored, as Eric ordered the pasta "a fourimano." It seemed to me like lasagna but the pasta dough was really special. I could taste the quality and freshness of the pasta as I chewed it, visions of Italian mamas rolling and kneading dough popping into my head. Layered with fresh, earthy spinach, ricotta so silky it made the corners of your mouth turn up and cherry tomato sauce that conjured up images of Italy, this dish couldn't be forgettable if it tried.
Dessert:
Moved by the last two courses, we had high expectations for a sweet finish. When we found out that Sapori makes their own gelato, we knew that more goodness was in store.
The gelato of the day was white chocolate and it was topped with homemade chocolate fudge and fresh raspberries. It was a simple yet refreshing dessert that was rich but not overly so. I found it a lot lighter on the stomach than a lot of buttery, creamy desserts like tiramisu or cake.
Two other desserts we tried were the banana bruschetta and the panna cotta. Both were excellent, especially the banana bruschetta, which was glazed in a thin coat of crunchy caramel, sitting on a crusty piece of bread, smeared with my favorite hazelnut spread, Nutella.
The panna cotta was light and creamy with a cappuccino base, which was different from the norm. Also drizzled with smooth raspberry sauce, it gave this dessert's gentle taste a tangy bite.
Service and Cost:
Warm, friendly and helpful come to mind when thinking about the service at Sapori. The waiters are all Italian men (very old school) and they know their stuff. From pronouncing all the dishes perfectly, to recommending a good wine, these folks are at the top of their game.
Costs were reasonable, especially since we participated in the Restaurant Week promotion. Each meal set us back $25 per person, however the overall check came out to about $42 per person with drinks, tax and tip. The beers were inexpensive but the wine was pricey, at $12 per glass. I 'd skip the wine next time and maybe go with beer.
Regular menu items aren't too bank breaking either with most main dishes in the teens to low twenties.
3 Mmmms
