Pasha - A Taste of the Balkans

Pasha - 31-01 31st Street, Astoria NY 11102
718.726.0230
N/W Train to 30th Avenue

I mentioned that Pasha, the Bosnian grill on 31st Street and Newton Ave expanded. Now officially in it's new location, I went in to check it out and try one of their signature dishes--cevapi (minced beef-lamb kabob). This dish is special to me because it reminds me of my childhood when my family and I used to visit the former Yugoslavia for vacation. Although the cevapi at Pasha didn't exactly take me back, they were good and I'd like to come back to try more dishes.

Atmosphere:
There's not much to say about the atmosphere at Pasha--it's as simple as can be. The walls are bare and the now larger dining room lacks charm. It looks generic, desperately needing a couple of special touches to give it coziness and comfort. I was expecting the music to be ethnic at least, but disappointingly, it was the same vanilla pop songs that you hear on the radio.

My Cevapi:
I ordered a standard cevapi to go, which was enveloped in a flat-bread with a house salad and sour cream on the side. Once I put the whole thing together, stuffing the veggies and sour cream right into the pita, I was golden. The cevapi meat was soft and delicious, seasoned well with plenty of fragrant spices, including oregano. There were about five small kabobs per serving and while they would've been too meaty on their own, paired with the salad and the sour cream, they were a fantastic combination. For those of you Astorians familiar with Greek food, this will remind you of a gyro--but a bit lighter.

Service and Cost:
The waitstaff was satisfactory but not yet confident. The woman who took my order seemed confused and unsure of herself--I hope that will improve over time. One thing that surprised me was that no one seemed to be of Bosnian descent. Before walking in, I was sure that I'd hear this beautiful language spoken by boisterous Europeans but unfortunately, I heard no trace of this.

My cevapi was reasonably priced. At $5.95 plus tax, I had a full dinner that satisfied me but didn't make me gratuitously full. The other dishes are also fairly priced with salads and soups ranging from $3.95-$7.50, Bosnian sandwiches from $5.50-$8.95 and larger grill platters from $5.50 - $13.95.

2 Mmmms

A Sneak Peek at the New Pasha

Aware of Pasha's upcoming expansion, I walked by today to check out how it's coming along. Quite nicely indeed. The space is considerably bigger than its hole-in-the-wall starter, which is now officially closed. The new space has extensive outdoor seating with tables and chairs already set up. And while I didn't get to look inside, it seems that it will be spacious. Will the curtains be lifted soon? I think so. Stay tuned for news about Pasha's official re-opening.

Pasha - 31-01 31st Street, Astoria NY 11102

718.726.0230
N/W Train to 30th Avenue

Good News for Pasha

Pasha - 28-27 31st Street, Astoria, NY 11102
718.726.0230
N/W Train to 30th Avenue

On my way home, I spied some good news for Bosnian cevapcici newcomer, Pasha. The place has been open for just a couple of short months and they're already expanding to a bigger place down the block--on the corner of 31st and Newton Avenue to be exact. Business must be booming! According to the sign on their door, continuous patronage has everything to do with it. Here's what I read:

"Thanks to our customers, we will be expanding soon. Come see us in a bigger place with a bigger menu."

It's nice to see a small business thrive, especially during these not so glorious economic times. Way to go Pasha! We'll be checking out your new digs soon.

Pasha - A Convenient Bosnian Grill

Pasha - 28-27 31st Street, Astoria, NY 11102

718.726.0230

N/W Train to 30th Avenue

I've been noticing Pasha, the new Bosnian cevapcici counter, on my way to the gym--it happens to be conveniently located underneath the subway. Everytime, I hear the word cevapcici--grilled minced meat served with flatbread, onions and sour cream--I think about my childhood and the vacations my family took to the former Yugoslavia. I remember the summers in Serbia, where we spent our days on the rocky beaches and our evenings in town, eating these delicious meaty treats.

Pasha provides a small glimpse of that childhood memory, as they serve traditional style cevapcici but their menu is also mixed to please a variety of palates. Below is a sampling of their menu. I'm excited to report back to you once I sample their cuisine--which I hope will be soon.

Bosnian Sandwiches: From the grill, they come served on fluffy pita bread with tomatoes, onion, lettuce and your choice of hummus, ayvar or sour cream).

Cevapcici - Minced beef, lamb kabob...$5.95-$8.95

Pleskavica - Bosnian-style burger...$8.95

Sudzuk - Spiced, smoked sausages...$5.95-$8.95

Healthy Corner: Served on toasted whole-wheat pita bread with mesculin greens

Mediterranean Breakfast Sandwich - Hot pita, hummus, sheppard salad and eggs sunny side up...$4.95

Healthy Tuna Snack - Hot pita bread, tomatoes, black olives, julienned carrots, red onions and light mayo...$5.25

Power Sandwich - Egg whites, turkey, fresh mozzarella, light mayo and tomatoes...$5.95

Salads:

Sheppard's Salad - Tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, peppers, dill, olive oil, lemon sprinkled with feta cheese...$4.95...add $3.00 extra for grilled chicken

Pasha's Salad - Spring mix, chick peas, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, grilled mushrooms, crumbling of feta cheese, olive oil and vinegar...$5.50...add $3.00 extra for grilled chicken

Bosnian Cucumber Salad - Yogurt sauce, fresh cucumbers with dill and a little bit of garlic...$3.50

Desserts:

Tufahija - Sugary, walnut-stuffed apple, Bosnian style...$3.00

Tulumba - Honeyed pastry barrels, an old-time favorite...$2.00

Palacinke - Crepes with choice of nutella, banana and strawberries...$4.50

Pasha would be a good place to stop before going to a picnic in the park or when you're in the mood for a different kind of take-out.