Showing posts with label New LIC Restaurant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New LIC Restaurant. Show all posts

Sunday, December 8, 2013

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

Friday, September 16, 2011

Welcome...the New Bear of LIC!

Image by Bear Restaurant


Bear - 12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11106
917.396.4939

N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bearnyc.com

It’s always a pleasure to discover the wonderful, new changes happening around the nabe when food is concerned. And since Astoria/LIC is such a hoppin’ place, there’s never a shortage of it. One area in particular, which I’ve been noticing is at the forefront of action is 31st Avenue. While it’s mostly the upper part of that Avenue that’s budding, the lower part is slowly but surely waking up too.


That’s why I was so excited to hear about Bear, a new European-style restaurant that’s opening up this fall on 12th Street and 31st Avenue, very close to the Noguchi Museum, Socrates Sculpture Park and The Piano Factory.


Even though I haven’t yet been there, I must confess that I had a sneak peek at the menu and it sounds fantastic. Constructed by Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky, you can expect some familiar European-style eats with a new twist. Here’s a sampling of the menu to whet your appetite:


Appetizers
:


Three Shot Vodka with Three Zakusky – Caviar on bliny, house-pickled vegetables, house-made sausage


Charcuterie and Cheese Plate – Butter, bread, cornichons, and mustard with cured meats, house lardo, chicken liver pate and pork jam


Herring – Marinated in white wine sauce, served with steaming potatoes, poached in dill butter


Mackerel Sashimi – Served with lemon ginger pate


Entrees:

Roasted Duck – Slow roasted duck with apples pulled off the bone and served with pan-seared potatoes


Chicken Rissole – Breaded and fried, served with yams and mushrooms


Pork Sausage – House-made sausage, braised in white wine, garlic and ginger, served with parsnip puree


Ricotta Dumplings – Fresh ricotta filled into house-made pasta with red watercress and candy cane beets


Sides and Bar Snacks:


House Pickle Plate – Cucumbers, mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplant


Roasted Croquette – Potato and roasted onion croquette with white wine sour cream


Eggs in a Nest – Eggs mimosa with smoked sprats and mushrooms in a nest of carrot straws


It should also be noted that both vegetarian and vegan options are available. YUM – I can’t wait to try it!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

LIC Market - Nifty General Store and Seasonal Eatery Rolled into One




LIC Market - 21-52 44th Drive, LIC NY 11101
718.361.0013
7 Train to 45th Road/Courthouse Square
http://www.licmarket.com/


I've been meaning to check out LIC Market for a little while now.  Reading about it in LIC Courier Magazine, it seemed like a cool, seasonal eatery with simple, good food and I was eager to get a taste.  My brother Peter and I brunched there last week and had a nice time - although we weren't completely blown away, our meal was enjoyable enough to come back and try other menu items.


Atmosphere:
Staying true its name, LIC Market resembles a little store, located on the lower part of a residential brownstone.  Setting itself apart from the eateries on Vernon Blvd and Jackson Avenue, which are busier in the evening, LIC Market mainly services daytime workers and 45th Road/Courthouse Sq residents.

The decor at LIC is understated yet friendly, with distressed table tops, simple wooden chairs and an earthy color palate.  Seating is available throughout the restaurant - from the sparse outdoor and front-of-the house seating to the more private dining room located in the back of the restaurant, which accommodates larger groups.  It's also nice to see that the front serves as a general store, showcasing a variety of specialty food products for sale such as pickled veggies, tapenade, marmalade, spices and more.  Everything is packaged tastefully, sporting a pretty "LIC Market" label. 

Food:
Currently serving breakfast, lunch and brunch, LIC's menu is still a bit limited, but they plan to roll-out dinner service soon.  A liquor license is on the way in the near future too so that should liven things up.  For brunch we kept it pretty traditional, both of us ordering egg dishes.  I'm very curious about their sandwiches though, as they looked great and I plan to check them out next time.


Bulls-Eye Eggs - I was immediately attracted to this item when I saw that it consisted of 2 fried eggs in the company of 7 grain bread - their own version of eggs in a blanket with a clever name.  It was more than satisfying, rather it was downright delicious with the crispy, earthy bread enveloping the fried eggs with an almost orange, runny middle.  Besides the actual egg, the side of hash browns, dressed with onions and red peppers added an extra injection of zing and homestyle flavor.  Simply put, this dish is a home run!

Frittata of the Day - Peter tried the frittata which changes daily, his containing fresh zucchini and mushrooms, the whole thing topped with milky mozzarella cheese. Once again, the eggs were cooked perfectly and the flavors were nice but maybe just a tad too bland.  It needed a hit of something stronger in spice and I'd recommend going a little more aggressive with the seasoning next time.

Besides the food we ordered, I also wanted to briefly touch upon the impressive bread and biscuit plate we received prior to our actual meal.  It was not only generous, but these baked goods were truly excellent and very fresh.  The flaky biscuits and the mini muffins were my favorite and I spread them generously with wild blueberry jam that came with it too. 

Service and Cost:
LIC Market's servers have it down pat - they're on-point but unobtrusive and they understand the menu well.  Our waiter seemed like he was personally vested in the restaurant and who knows...maybe he was or maybe LIC Market is just super effective in cross-pollinating their mission.  In either case, great job!

Costs are moderate to inexpensive and include the following:

Breakfast - $1.75 - $7
Lunch - $7 - $11

Brunch - $6 - $10

2.5 Mmmms

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Blend - Latin Goods that Bring Home the Flava


 
 
 
Blend - 47-04 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City NY 11101
718.729.2800

7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Ave

This past weekend was my second time at Blend and just like the first time, it was very enjoyable.  We chose to order differently this time by choosing traditional entrees instead of an all tapas meal.  While I love tapas, I wanted to try their main dishes to see which route I preferred.  After a lovely meal, I have to say that I'm partial to the traditional entrees - they were scrumptious.  

Our meal included the following appetizers and main dishes:

Sopes - We started out with these sweet corn cakes that looked like mini arepas.  Topped with cheese, tomato, onions and black bean sauce, they were a nice, savory way to start a meal.  It was a bit chilly outside and these were a great way to warm up, especially since the black bean sauce had spice to it.  This app was ideal for two people.

Carne Empanada - Dan and I both love these little pastry pockets filled with hearty ingredients, and for ours, we chose it to be filled with braised beef short ribs.  The beef was tender and just like the sopes, it was slightly spicy from the picadillo sauce.  I liked the outside pastry shell but thought that it could've been a bit more golden brown.

Ropa Vieja - This was my entree and it came recommended by our server.  As you could see from the above picture, the presentation was impressive - the ropa vieja (shredded beef) was served in a crunchy plantain cup and was carefully positioned on a beautiful mound of mashed plantains.  I loved pairing the sweet plaintains with the salty bite from the shredded beef.  The entire structure rested in a gorgeous--and once again, slightly spicy--tomato broth.  If you're a meat lover, I highly recommend this.

Arroz con Pollo - Although this sounds like the most basic dish on the menu, it was anything but.  Actually I preferred it to my ropa vieja and would like to get it next time.  What I liked about it is that they took the meaning of arroz (rice) con pollo (with chicken) literally, as they placed pieces of oven roasted chicken into flavorful yellow rice, and mixed it with peas, corn and cilantro.  It reminded me of Spanish risotto, which is lovely.  Even though I didn't think it needed this, there were three sweet plaintains resting on the plate as an extra special touch.

Service and Cost:
We were quite happy with our server.  He was knowldeable about the menu and helped me decide on my ropa vieja dish.  He cared about service and came to check on us a couple of times without being too intrusive.  I liked his style, which was attentive but not overwhelming.

Costs remain very affordable, and for two appetizers, two entrees and two alcoholic drinks (we got sangria), the bill was $55 excluding tax and tip. 


Also, as mentioned earlier this week, Blend is running a couple of great holiday specials Mondays - Wednesdays.  Check them out here.

3 Mmmms

Monday, November 30, 2009

El*Ay*Si - Opening This Thursday




Image by elaysi.com

The long-awaited opening of the comfort food eatery, El*Ay*Si is finally here, as the restaurant will open this Thursday, December 3rd at 6:00 p.m.  They've posted the menu on Facebook and I'm also including it here for your convenience.  As you'll notice, since the tastings they held back in October, some items have remained and others have changed.  Prices are reasonable and the selection is plentiful but not overwhelming.

As a special offer to all Facebook fans, El*Ay*Si is offering 20% off all bottled wine until 12.31.09.  So if you're not yet a fan, join here.

Now...the menu:

Starters
:

Spicy chicken corn chowder...$6
Black-eyed pea cakes - with chipotle mayo...$7

Tequila lime fire grilled shrimp...$8
Fry-bread beef tacos - with guacamole...$8
Jalapeno sweet corn fritters...$6

Salads
:

Baby arugula salad - with toasted almonds, orange segments, goat cheese, crispy shallots, citrus vinaigrette...$9
Caesar salad...$8, add grilled chicken...+$3, add shrimp...+$5
Filetto salad - grilled filet mignon with romaine, arugula, grape tomatoes and shallot vinaigrette...$11

Mains
:

Fried chicken - with green beans, mashed potatoes and white gravy...$13
Wild mushroom agnolotti - with ricotta and white wine cream sauce...$15
Orange glazed striped bass - with mixed market greens salad...$17
Roasted loin of pork and pressed pork belly - with caramelized apples...$19
Wild boar sheperd's pie...$14
Seared sea scallops - with sweet succotash...$19
Dry rubbed rib eye - with roasted grape tomatoes with panko and parmesan...$23
1/2 pound burger - with caramelized red onion, lettuce, tomatoes and sweet fries...$10
 

Sides:
Sweet potato fries...$5
French fries...$4
Mac and cheese - with applewood smoked bacon...$8
Creamed spinach...$5

Kidz
(includes juice):

Peanut butter and jelly - with apple wedges...$5
Hamburger and fries...$7
Chicken fingers and fries...$7

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

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

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

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

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.

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