Boxer Ramen - Salty, Porky Bowl of Yum

I've been eager to try Boxer Ramen for a while but now I had all the more reason to when I found out it moved to our neighborhood in Northeast Portland.  Known to be a legit place to get delicious Japanese-style ramen, Boxer is a no frills type of place but totally worth it if you're craving something flavorful, warm and comforting.  Now that it's in my neck of the woods, I'll surely be back.

Atmosphere:
Located across the street from local favorites such as Bollywood Theater and Salt & Straw, Boxer Ramen is centrally located but also kind of hidden from view (unless you know where to look).  Its signage is very subtle and even when you walk through its doors, you first have to pass through an open air walkway before stepping inside.  Once you do, you'll be welcomed by a modest sized dining room that's on the narrow side.  Most of it is occupied by an open kitchen where you see your food being made and a long bar alongside it.  There are a few tables along the windows that seat at a maximum of four people, but overall Boxer is more suitable for smaller groups.

Food:
We knew what we came for and didn't mess around, both getting the classic Tonkotsu-Shio ramen.  A little sweet bite rounded out this overall delicious experience.

Tonkotsu-Shio Ramen - Interested in trying their signature creation made up of savory pork broth, hefty chunks of pork belly, scallions and a soft poached egg, I wasn't disappointed.  The portion was generous and its contents looked colorful in the deep bowl.  My favorite part was the broth which boasted lots of deep, meaty (and smoky) flavor from the pork.  While the pork belly was delicious, there was so much of it that I had to hold back a little due to all that salt content.  Dan agreed that the dish was excellent but salty.

Chocolate Coconut Mochi - After all that savoriness, we were ready for something sweet and decided to share a modest portion of chocolate/coconut mochi.  It was the perfect little bite, as it wasn't overly sweet but refreshing and vibrant.  The gelatinous crust, which makes this mochi was a perfect complement to the chilled creamy inside.  

Service and Cost:
Being that this location of Boxer Ramen is very new, the staff still has to get their bearings, but they're doing the best they can.  Our server was kind and paid attention to how we were doing, even if it did take her a little while to get us our check.  

Costs are moderate for a ramen place, but definitely justified for the deliciousness they serve.  Our meal set us back about $25 total, including tip which is pretty solid for a weekend dinner.

3 Mmmms

Boxer Ramen - 2038a Alberta Street, Portland OR 97211
503.946.1619
boxerramen.com

Kitaku's All You Can Eat (and Drink) Specials

Kitaku Japanese Fusion on 23rd Avenue is offering an interesting weekday deal that caught my attention:

Tuesdays - All you can drink sake special for $23 per person
Wednesdays- All you can eat special for $23 per person

Might be a nice way to get your sushi and sake fix, and invite some friends while you're at it.

Kitaku Japanese Fusion - 29-21 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105

718.606.8508

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

BYOB Sake Bar - Yamashiro

Back in July, I mentioned the opening of Yamashiro Sake Bar on Steinway Street near 30th Avenue. I walked by the other day and saw that it's a BYOB, which I found to be a big draw. The menu is eclectic and certainly inviting - it could be a fun place to start your Friday or Saturday night.

See what you think about this sampling of the menu. If you'd like to see it in its entirety, send me an email and I'll pass one on to you: critic@foodistanyc.com:

Appetizers (sushi and other)
Treasure Island - Tuna, salmon & yellowtail bed on avocado bowl...$8
Tartar - Choose your favorite fish, salmon, yellowtail or red & white tuna...$9
Wasabi Shumai - Steamed wasabi pork dumpling...$5
Age-Dashi Tofu - Fried tofu with tempura sauce...$4.50
Garlic Soft Shell Crab...$8.50

Noodles (Choice of Udon or Soba)
Chicken Noodle Soup...$8.75
Seafood Noodle Soup...$12.75
Yaki Soba - Choice of chicken, beef or vegetable...$8.75

Teriyaki and Tempura (Served with rice & soup or salad)
Chicken Teriyaki...$12
Scallop Teriyaki...$17.50
Yashai Teriyaki - Mixed vegetable...$10
Seafood Tempura - Shrimp, fish, scallop and crabmeat...$13.50
Chicken Tempura...$12

Hibachi
Chicken or Beef...$14
Shrimp...$16
Scallop...$17
Lobster...$18
Vegetable...$11

Specialty Sushi Rolls
Mango Tango Roll - Eeel & cucumber topped with avocado & mango...$9
Yamashiro Wasabi Roll - Rolled tuna, salmon & avocado topped with wasabi caviar...$9
Green River Roll - Eeel, cucumber, avocado topped with seaweed powder and caviar...$8
Fuji Roll - Tempura shrimp, eel, cucumber topped with masago...$11

Bento Box Special - Includes a miso soup or salad, gyoza, California roll, rice and a choice of two of the following: teriyaki, katsu, beef negimaki, tempura, vegetable tempura, tofu teriyaki, sushi, sashimi...$16

Yamashiro Sake Bar - 30-27 Steinway Street, Astoria NY 11103
718.932.1338
N/W Train to 30th Avenue

Kumo - Affordable Sushi Lunch Special

Another new restaurant that I noticed on Ditmars was Kumo Japanese Restaurant. It's a tiny yet quaint sushi place with affordable prices, including their lunch roll special. I haven't tried it yet but think that stopping in for lunch might be a good way to test it out.

Lunch Roll Special - 11a.m. - 4p.m.

Any two rolls - $6
Any three rolls - $8.75
Served with miso soup or salad

A sampling of the menu includes:

Appetizers:
Vegetable gyoza...$3.50
Tuna teriyaki...$6.95
Fried oyster...$6.95

Roll or Hand Roll:
Salmon roll...$3.50
Eel cucumber roll...$3.75
Spicy shrimp roll...$4.50
Chicken tempura roll...$4.50
Octopus roll...$4.75

Vegetable Maki:
Carrot maki...$2.75
Sweet potato maki...$3.50
Avocado cucumber...$3.00

Specialty Roll:
Yankee roll - Rice in the center with seaweed outside then deep fried, topped with shredded crabmeat, cucumber & spicy mayo...$8.25

Kamikaze roll - Soy paper wrapped shrimp, tobiko, tamago & avocado...$6.95

American dream - Cooked salmon, eel, avocado, seaweed, salad & crunch...$6.50

Cajun tuna roll - Cajun tuna, asparagus with spicy mayo & tobiko...$6.75

Spicy girl roll - Spicy salmon, tuna, yellowtail, avocado & crunch rolled with marble seaweed & tobiko on top...$9

Entrees:
Tofu teriyaki...$8.25
Chicken teriyaki...$9
Seafood teriyaki...$11.25

Curry Rice (servedvwith curry sauce over rice):
Fried shrimp curry...$6.50
Chicken cutlet curry...$6.50
Pork curry...$6.50

Kumo Japanese Restaurant - 37-18 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria NY 11105
718.278.8808
N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

Yamashiro Sake Bar - Will Open Soon

On our way back from Punta Dura, Meg and I noticed a new Sake Bar/Japanese restaurant that will soon open on Steinway Street, between 30th and 31st Avenue. We stopped in our tracks, as we were fascinated by this new addition, promising to bring something new and fresh to the nabe. Its success is yet to be seen, as Steinway doesn't have the best track record in terms of Japanese restaurants--Ginza Japanese restaurant closed about a year and half ago, which served Hibachi-style cuisine.

I'll keep you posted about its official opening, but on Thursday night, it looked like it was almost there. Holler if you know more...

Yamashiro Sake Bar - 30-27 Steinway Street, Astoria NY 11103
718.932.1338
N/W Train to 30th Avenue or R/V/G Train to Steinway Street

Goodbye Nebuta

Nebuta, the convenient Japanese take-out joint near the Astoria Blvd subway stop has closed. Although it hadn't made too big of a mark in the neighborhood, it was an easy and inexpensive place to get sushi take-out and other Japanese specialty products. We'll see what replaces it and by the looks of it, a new owner hasn't been found. Holler if you know more about it. And for the time being, there's always Tokyo I.

Nebuta - 29-18 Hoyt Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102
718.204.6778
N/W Train to Astoria Blvd

Bai Sushi - Nothing Fancy But Still Good

Bai Sushi - 37-03 Broadway, Astoria NY 11103

718.956.7445

N/W Train to Broadway or R/V/G to Steinway Street

www.baisushiny.com

Although not my favorite sushi restaurant in Astoria, Bai Sushi is a good--and clean--Japanese eatery on Broadway. It's been there for a couple of years now, withstanding the fast turnover of other restaurants in the neighborhood.

Bai is nothing fancy--it's a really tiny, intimate place with a casual atmosphere and good, fresh sushi. I haven't experimented with too many sushi options there besides the basics--California, Eeel and Philadelphia rolls. I've had these at the restaurant and ordered them to go. In both instances they were great--the take-out option was surprisingly good, not lacking in freshness. I've also tried their chicken teriyaki and would definitely recommend it to non-sushi eaters.

Below is a sampling of their menu. The prices are reasonable, and are yet another reason to try this place out.

Appetizers:

Kani Su - Crab, avocado, cucumber in special Bai rice vinegar...$4.95

Agedashi Tofu - Deep fried tofu in chef's special sauce...$4.75

Oshinko - Japanese pickles...$2.50

Salmon Naruto - Salmon and crab rolled in cucumber with seaweed...$4.95

Entrees:

Chicken Teriyaki - Broiled chicken marinated in a special teriyaki sauce...$10.99

Ton Katsu - Breaded deep fried pork with tonkatsu sauce on the side...$12.99

Beef Negimaki - Scallion wrapped in thinly sliced beef...$14.99

Bai Big Rolls (8 Pcs Cut)

Bai - Shrimp tempura, crabstick, salmon, spicy tuna, asparagus topped with mango...$10.49

Crazy - Unagi, avocado, masago, cream cheese, deep fried...$9.99

Monster - Salmon, yellowtail, spicy tuna, lettuce, mango with masago and seaweed seasoning outside - rolled in soybean paper...$12.99

Maki Roll (6 Pcs Cut)

Sunshine Roll - Salmon, avocado, mango & masago outside...$6.50

Buffalo Roll - Spicy tuna, papaya, mango, masago and seaweed seasoning outside...$6.50

Chiquitita - Crabstick, avocado, mango with tobiko outside...$6.50

Sweet Potato Roll...$6.75

East Moon - New Asian Bistro on Ditmars

East Moon Asian Bistro - 35-12 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria NY 11105

718.626.8180

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.eastmoon4.com

I've heard about East Moon, the new Chinese/Thai/Japanese eatery from some of my fellow Astorians. While walking on Ditmars this past weekend, I took notice of it and grabbed a menu. So far being open for about a month, the feedback has been positive. East Moon's menu is extensive and the prices are reasonable--I'd say that it's a worthy adversary to Sakura. Not sure yet if it stands a chance against Watawa but that'll remain to be seen.

Below you'll find a sampling of their menu. Hope that it entices you to try it. I'll follow up with a review...

Appetizers:

Gyoza - Pan-friend pork dumplings...$4.95

Chicken in crispy lettuce wraps - Chicken sauteed with sweet basil, red & green peppers, garlic & crisp lettuce...$6.95

Coconut shrimp (5)...$6.95

Noodles: Choice of chicken, beef, veggies or tofu. Shrimp or combo $1.00 extra
$6.25 lunch...$8.50 dinner

Pad Thai - Thailand's best known noodle dish, which includes rice noodles, egg, green onions, red onions, bean sprouts and chopped peanuts

Yaki udon - Stir-fried noodles with chicken and vegetables

Pad Se-Lew - Fresh wide rice noodles with broccoli, egg and sweet soy sauce

Thai Curries: Choice of chicken, beef or tofu. Shrimp, mussels $1.00 extra

$6.25 lunch...$9.95 dinner

Green curry - Spicy green curry with sugar peas, red & green peppers, onions & sweet basil

Pineapple curry - Delicate curry flavor enhanced by pineapple

Panang - Rich thick Panang curry sauce, cooked with coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, basil leaves and ground peanuts

Meat Entrees:

Lemongrass chicken - Tender slices of chicken, bell pepper & onions in a lemongrass garlic sauce...$5.95 lunch...$9.50 dinner

Tonkatsu - Fillet of pork pressed in seasoning and Japanese panko batter, then fried to golden...$6.25 lunch...$9.95 dinner

Crispy duck - Duck marinated with all the authentic Chinese spices then fried. Served with steamed vegetables...$12.95

Specialty Sushi Rolls:

Mango submarine - Deep fried mango & eel served with house sauce...$9.95

Blue Hawaii - Eel and oshiko spicy tuna on top...$10.95

East Moon Roll - Eel cream cheese topped with yellowtail and avocado...$10.95

Tokyo I - A Convenient Sushi Bar

Tokyo I - 31-05 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102

718.777.1880

N/W Train to Astoria Blvd

www.tokyosushibar.net

A fellow neighbor told me about Tokyo 1 Sushi and how it's the best kept secret of the 24th Avenue neighborhood. I walked by the other day and grabbed a menu that intrigued me. I'll definitely be trying it in the near future. In addition to this original location just off the Astoria Boulevard stop, there are two other ones, Tokyo 2 and Samurai Sushi both in Long Island City.

Tokyo 1 is convenient because it's just a short block from the subway and just two blocks from the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden. They have limited outdoor seating that looks more like a mini astro turf/putting green rather than an outdoor patio. Nevertheless, it offers up another alternative for dining and I encourage you to check it out.

Below is a sampling of their menu.

Sake:

Hot Sake...$3.50 (small), $6.00 (large)

Cold Sake...$8.00 (300 ml)

Appetizers:

Kimchi pancake...$5.95

Oshinko - Japanese pickle...$3.00

Pork Harumaki - Japanese style spring roll...$4.95

Entrees:

Shrimp Tempura - Served with a special dipping sauce and rice...$14.95 (8 pieces)

Katsu - Breaded deep fried cutlet cooked on egg with a choice of pork, chicken and shrimp tempura...$8.95

Seafood Chahan - Japanese style fried rice...$9.50

House Specialty Rolls:

Ditmars Roll - Spicy tuna and cucumber with salmon and avocado on the outside...$7.95

Yankees Roll - Cream cheese, crab meat, avocado and black pepper tuna...$7.95

Mango Salmon Roll...$7.95

Lunch Roll Combo - Any two rolls served with miso soup and salad...$8.50 (inquire about specialty lunch rolls).

Nebuta - A Quick Take-Out Alternative

Nebuta - 29-18 Hoyt Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102

718.204.6778

N/W Train to Astoria Blvd

Convenience is key when it comes to Nebuta Japanese Take-Out. It's located just steps away from the Astoria Blvd subway station, next to Dunkin' Donuts and the Second Best Thrift Shop. While it's nothing fancy, it gets the job done when you're in the mood for quick and inexpensive Japanese grub. A cool thing about it is that they have a grocery section with some specialty Japanese items, such as my favorite snack, Pocky.

Check out these selections from their menu and think of them next time you get off the subway and are too tired to cook.

Chicken Teriyaki Platter - Served with rice and veggies...$5.50

Beef Bowl - Served with rice and veggies...$6.49...$8.49 (extra beef)

Shrimp Tempura Udon...$5.99

Fried Chicken Udon...$5.99

Dinner Bento Boxes - Include choices of salmon teriyaki, chicken teriyaki, Japanese fried chicken, beef bbq and eel. Each Bento Box includes 1 sushi roll, tempura and a simple salad as well as miso soup...$10.00-$12.50

Sushi:

Dragon Roll...$6.25

Shrimp Tempura...$3.50

Eel and Avocado...$3.75

Salmon and Avocado...$3.50

Spicy California...$3.25

Bistro 33 - Superb Food and Service Save the Day!

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.721.1933

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.bistro33nyc.com

This was my second visit to Bistro and besides being impressed, I wholeheartedly support the way they run their business--and treat their customers. I came here as part of a double-date foursome on a Saturday night. Needless to say, Bistro was busy and we had to wait long--but they took such great care of us that we're already looking forward to going back (and soon).

Atmosphere:

Bistro exudes simplicity and un-pretentiousness. And although the place is very small, seating around 20-25 people, you don't feel cramped--the floor to ceiling windows also help, giving the place a very open and inviting feel.

The dining room consists of small wooden tables mostly for two and some for larger parties. There is a cool little nook in the front left corner that provides more privacy--and from a design perspective, it looks serene, facing a hand-painted wall with falling leaves.

Food:

Bistro 33 is run by classically trained chefs from the French Culinary Institute--and it shows. The food is not only superb tasting, it's presented impeccably and offers a fusion of French and Japanese cuisine.

We got to sample a bit of everything, as the girls went for the sushi and the guys got the hearty meat dishes. Here's what we feasted on:

Crawfish Tempura: This was a complimentary starter that was offered to us while waiting for our table. We were pleasantly surprised at this offering and especially at its generous portion. The crawfish was crispy and spicy--not so much that you had to wash it down with wine or water, but just enough to get the tastebuds working. It was perfect and scarily addicting--I highly recommend it for a starter.

Corn Soup: Veggie soups get a bad rap for being bland but not this one! This creamy concoction included roasted sweet corn, red bell peppers and crispy prosciutto. Dan and I shared it because it was so hearty, but we both secretly wished we got our own. The texture was luxurious yet chunky and the prosciutto flavor was very pronounced. It tasted like a sweet corn on the cob wrapped in bacon--unreal and a must in my book!

Island Roll and Dragon Roll: To say that Bistro excels in sushi is an understatement--the freshness, inventiveness and flavor of their rolls blow my mind. I ordered a combination of the Island (mango, avocado, red peppers, cilantro, cucumber and tomato) and the Dragon (eel, cucumber and avocado) rolls. Where one provided a hearty bite (the Dragon) the other presented a burst of freshness and sweet flavor (the Island). They're a fun combination that will leave you super full.

Other Dishes:

My dining companions shared my enthusiasm of Bistro's food. Dan ordered the lamb which came in a port wine reduction and garlic potato gratin. He's usually the first to complain when a portion is small--as this one was--but he loved the lamb so much and appreciated its taste that he just nodded and smiled happily. Jay got the braised shortribs, cooked alongside a Granny Smith apple. Wow! I wish I ordered this, as Jay boasted about the tenderness of the meat and the juiciness of the apple. Lisa went for the spicy tuna roll--tempura style--and the red spider roll (with soft shell crab). She's sometimes a tough critic of sushi but this foodie was enjoying her sushi and smiling from ear to ear.

Service and Cost:

The service and overall treatment of customers was phenomenal. To be honest, we were a bit put-off for waiting an hour for our table, but Bistro made it up to us. They not only provided us with a free appetizer, but they also comped our drinks (that's $10 a piece). We were so delighted about this that we almost forgot about the wait. Besides that, our waitress was pleasant, knew what she was doing and did an all-around good job.

Cost-wise, it's pretty moderate--not cheap but not overly expensive. Appetizers range from $3-$11, entrees from $9-$25 and sushi from $4 for a basic roll to $10 for a speciality roll. Bistro also offers a $14 brunch which gets you an entree, coffee/tea and a cocktail. Not as cheap as some Astoria specials but this food is on a way higher level.

3 Mmmms