Welcome Crescent Grill

This past week, Meg and I had the pleasure of exploring a new LIC based bar and restaurant in the Dutch Kills area called Crescent Grill.  Even though the shin-dig they threw on Thursday eve was technically a re-launch, I've never been there before, so it was all new to me.

Atmosphere:
Since the evening was all about celebrating, the atmosphere was fun and lively, peppered with tons of folks from the neighborhood, who were happy and eager to welcome Crescent Grill.  On my walk over from the subway, I was surprised by how buzzing the neighborhood was, as I passed a holiday pop-up shop as seeing the new Dutch Kills Centraal bar.  It was a welcome change to the neighborhood, which just a mere 2-3 years ago felt sleepy and deserted.

Once we walked in, Meg and I were impressed by the open space, which was studded by a plethora of beautiful local art and photography.  In fact, the evening was also dedicated to a the opening of the Dougherty Gallery (connected to the restaurant), which pays homage to local LIC artists, some of whom were at the party.  My favorite piece was the one shown above of the NYC skyline from an LIC vantage point.

Aside from the beautiful artwork, we marveled at the industrial-looking light fixtures and the exposed wooden beams.  The overall vibe was industrial chic, but not in a pretentious way - it still accomplished to feel very warm and comfortable as well.

Food:
Although we mostly tasted a few standard appetizers, which were no doubt made just for the party, we took a peek at the menu, which looked delicious.  Exemplifying new American cuisine, you can expect some pretty snazzy dishes, including seafood.

While they'll officially start serving food on the 18th, we found out they'll be featuring a $29 3-course dinner prix-fixe as well as weekend brunch.  Milton Enriquez, who's the Chef here is also known for his success on the Food Network's Chopped program, so I'm quite excited about what he'll deliver in the coming weeks.

I'll circle back with more food details when they're ready, but in the meantime, I wanted to get you excited.

Crescent Grill - 38-40 Crescent Street, Long Island City NY 11101
718.729.4040
N/Q Train to 39th Avenue
www.crescentgrill.com

Windmill Tap & Grill is Coming

Image by Windmill Tap & Grill

It's always exciting when a new establishment opens up in the nabe, and this one called Windmill Tap & Grill has been on my radar for a while.  

Situated in a still untapped (pun intended) neighborhood near 39th Avenue and 29th Street, Windmill hopes to bring in a sense of community to this area and just some good old fashioned fun for residents.  Playing on the historic element of its location, Windmill pays homage to this neighborhood's deep roots through a variety of old time maps such as the one above and many others displayed on their Facebook page.  Although I'm not yet sure how they plan to use these, it'd be super cool if they hung them up on the walls, which may very well be in the works.  

The estimated time of opening for Windmill is during the first week in April and I can't wait to check it out.  They're already asking for local beer suggestions to incorporate into their menu, so make sure you join the conversation and let them know what you think.  Here's what they've got on the cocktail menu so far:

Bronx Cocktail - Plymouth gin, sweet & dry vermouth, orange juice
Custom Gibson - Brooklyn gin, dry vermouth, house pickled onions
Manhattan - McKenzie NY rye, sweet vermouth, angostura bitters
Dark & Stormy - Gosling rum, ginger beer, fresh lime juice
Flying Dutchman - Bols gin, cointreau, orange bitters
El Diablo - Herradura blanco, ginger beer, lime juice

Windmill Tap & Grill - 38-40 29th Street, LIC NY 11101
718.946.3645
N/Q train to 39th Avenue

Petey's Burger is Coming to LIC

Exciting news everyone - Petey's Burger is expanding to LIC.  I noticed its new location today while on my way to Alobar with my friend Bob, and it's right there on that corner of Vernon Blvd and 46th Road, across the street from Manducatis Rustica.

This new location seems like a great opportunity and especially in this budding neighborhood full of great eats.  A casual burger joint seems like a nice addition, and I have high hopes for this Astoria-based micro-chain.  From the looks of it, it seems like an opening will be fast approaching after the new year, but I'll keep you all posted based on what I hear around the nabe.

Here's to hoping for the best and to more burger goodness!

Petey's Burger - Corner of 46th Road and Vernon Blvd, LIC 11101

Attention LICers - Look out for El *Ay*Si Money!

Image by El*Ay*Si

The above picture of an El*Ay*Si $10 bill caught my eye on Facebook. I clicked on it and found out that El*Ay*Si will be "distributing" or better said "planting" these $10 bills around the 'hood, redeemable for credit at the restaurant.  The message instructs locals to "keep their eyes open."  Not sure exactly what this means but I'm assuming that you can find them anywhere in the nabe, whether it's outside or inside other businesses in LIC.  What fun! I'm going to keep my eyes peeled and you should too.  Enjoy.

El*Ay*Si - 47-38 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City NY 11101
718.389.8781
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.elaysi.com

El*Ay*Si - Decent Start and Still Improving

El*Ay*Si - 47-38 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City NY 11101
718.389.8781
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.elaysi.com

I mentioned last week that the not-yet-open comfort food restaurant, El*Ay*Si was holding chef's tastings. Vicky, Eric Dan and I attended one last week with mixed results. We loved El*Ay*Si's cozy space and for the most part enjoyed the food, but they still have some kinks to work out, which is surely the reason they've been holding trial runs.

Atmosphere:
The restaurant space is narrow and on the small side but it manages to make you feel comfortable, cozy and warm. There's a nice, long wooden bar up front with a couple of high stools, followed by a few high tables and chairs sporadically placed around the room. Seating extends further back with a couple of intimate booths for parties of two and/or four as well as a large-ish communal table all the way in the back.

Lighting is dim with exposed bulbs, which I love, and the music is chill, giving off a speakeasy-ish vibe.

Food:
The tasting menu presented interesting options, which sort of dispelled our idea of "comfort food" but nonetheless, we were looking forward to trying everything. We tried to choose different things so we could sample most of the menu.

Appetizers:
My favorite starter were the black-eyed pea cakes with chipotle mayo. They looked like crab cakes but tasted like a mix between hummus and refried beans. I liked them a lot, especially because they had some spice. Their already sharp flavor intensified further when I dipped them into chipotle mayo. Ay carramba, these cakes were spicy but very pleasant.

Two other apps we tried included the fry-bread beef tacos with guacamole and fire grilled tequila lime shrimp. Out of the two, I tasted the fry-bread taco and it was yummy. If you're wondering what "fry-bread" is, it's a crispy, fried tortilla shell, sort of like a chimichanga. I liked this component of the dish, although it was a bit hard to cut through. The beef that topped it was flavorful and like the black-eyed pea cakes, slightly spicy.

While I didn't try the shrimp, Vicky said that was very good and fresh. I'll take her word for it.

Entrees:
This is when we started to get a touch impatient, as we waited about a half hour for our entrees to arrive. When they finally came, we dug in but were a tad underwhelmed.

Eric and I both ordered the grilled striped bass, which looked excellent but needed more seasoning, especially salt. I liked the fresh herbs on top (rosemary and thyme) but a touch of salt and pepper would've gone a long way. The sides of French beans and pancetta were however smoky and delicious (and seasoned well).

I also tried Dan's fried chicken with caramelized apples. Again, pretty good but not awesome. The skin of the bird was nice and crunchy but needed something (salt again?) The side of caramelized apples was excellent and a creative idea--I'd definitely get a side order of it next time.

Vicky chose the dijon marinated flank steak with fingerling potatoes. I didn't have a bite but she said that the meat was tasty and cooked well.

Dessert:
There was one simple dessert and we sort of had to beg for it while waiting another half hour. Finally, it appeared looking gorgeous.

It was a berry parfait with whipped vanilla cream on top and a balsamic reduction on the bottom. The fruit was wonderfully fresh but the vanilla cream was too minty for my taste and just didn't seem to go with the balsamic reduction. I'd reconsider this combination to fit a more common palate.

Service:
Everyone at El*Ay*Si was pleasant, cordial and very laid back. While I could tell they were trying their best, they could benefit from more attention to detail. For example, when I dropped my fork (making noise), instead of grabbing me a new one right away, I had to get someone's attention several times. Overall, nothing to complain about but the service could use more polishing.

Costs are yet to be determined, as this tasting was complimentary.

El*Ay*Si is expected to officially open on November 1st.

Almost But Not Quite 2 Mmmms

El*Ay*Si "Pay What You Want" Tasting this Friday

Image by El*Ay*Si

There's been a lot of buzz about the upcoming LIC comfort food joint, El*Ay*Si. Besides the clever name, which pays homage to this wonderful neighborhood, they're extending a preview tasting to anyone who responds on Facebook.

The night promises interest and intrigue, as you'll be the first to sample Chef Christopher Frakes' comfort creations. You can bring your own bottle of wine--gotta love BYOB--and donations are not required but suggested. It's basically a "pay what you want" deal. Sounds great to me! Spots are going very fast but there are still seats for the Friday night tasting. Here are the deets:

Chef's Tasting at El*Ay*Si
Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m.
47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.389.8781

RSVP here.

Testaccio Roman Cuisine - Opening October 24th

Image by Testaccio Restaurant

Nearly four months have passed since I first found out about Testaccio at the Taste of LIC event, in which they featured a delicious appetizer of figs topped with mascarpone cheese and pine nuts. It was such a nice, light take on Italian fare that it captured my attention and I've been watching its progress ever since--impatiently waiting for it to open. Happily that time has come, as Testaccio is scheduled to open in less than two weeks on October 24th.

Through their newsletter, I got a preview of delicious things that are yet to come. Testaccio's menu will focus on contemporary Roman food - a modern take on Italian cuisine if you will. They've certainly whet my appetite, especially by revealing an interesting recipe for a dish with a playful name, suppli di riso al telefono (rice croquettes "on the phone"). Why on the phone? Read on to find out...

Testaccio's Suppli di Riso Al Telefono
They' re called "al telefono" because when you bite into them, the melted mozzarella creates a "string" similar to that of a telephone cable. This is a great dish that can be prepared in bulk and placed in the freezer for later use.

Ingredients (makes 20)
2 cups carnaroli rice
1 onion, chopped
7 spoonfuls of unsalted butter
1 cup dry white wine
8 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoon of parmigiano cheese
1-2 sprigs of parsley, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
Olive oil
1 tablespoon shelled green peas, fresh or frozen
2 slices prosciutto cotto or cured ham, finely diced
4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
3 eggs, beaten
Breadcrumbs to roll the suppli in

Directions:
Sauté the onions in a pan with olive oil and butter until lightly browned. Add the rice, toasting it for a few minutes - make sure not to burn the grains. Pour the wine over the rice and let evaporate. Once evaporated add broth and cover. Cook for 14 minutes, add broth when necessary and stir continuously. Add salt to taste.

Meanwhile fry the tomato in olive oil until the pulp reaches the consistency of sauce. When the rice is "al dente," incorporate the sweet peas, tomatoes and prosciutto. Finish the rice mixture with butter, parmigiano cheese and parsley, then stir until it becomes creamy.

Pour the mixture onto a flat baking sheet and let cool. Scoop a handful of rice and roll it into an oval shape about the size of a golf ball. Poke a hole in the middle of each suppli with your fingertip and insert a piece of mozzarella inside, sealing the hole with rice. Repeat.

Dip the suppli in the egg mixture, and then dredge in breadcrumbs. In a deep pan, heat olive oil and fry the suppli gently until they are crispy and golden. Drain and serve hot or at room temperature.

Testaccio - 47-30 Vernon Boulevard, LIC NY 11101
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.testacciony.com