5 Ways to Eat Healthy in Astoria

Now that the holidays are over, so are the indulgent meals.  Lots of people (including me!) are trying to eat lighter and healthier to get rid of those extra holiday layers.  Here are five suggestions to help you out, whether if you're eating out or staying in.  Enjoy them and as always, chime in with your tips.

Fresh, fulfilling salads - Although 30th Avenue isn't known for complicated cuisine, it has great staples such as Grand Cafe, Avenue Cafe and Pinocchio, which boast yummy fresh salads.  I particularly enjoy Avenue's tabouleh salad with tomatoes and grilled pita bread (pictured above) - it's fresh, juicy and healthful. 

Grand Cafe - 37-01 30th Avenue, Astoria.  718.777.7321. 
Avenue Cafe - 35-27 30th Avenue, Astoria.  718.278.6967
Pinocchio Palace - 32-02 30th Avenue, Astoria.  718.932.4976

Savory, organic brunch - Sage General Store is my go-to place for quality food, especially brunch.  Their dishes always fill me up but never leave me over-stuffed.  I love that Sage's ingredients are organic, natural and locally sourced.  I recommend the ranchero buritto with scrambled eggs, caramelized onions, ham, tomatoes and cheese, with a side of mesculin salad.  Since this dish is large in portion, I'd eat half and take the rest home.

Sage General Store - 24-20 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City.  718.361.0707

Sushi with flava - Although I'm not a big sushi lover, I really enjoy Watawa on Ditmars and think it's a fantastic place to have a light meal.  Everything is wonderful and the portions are normal - not unncessarily oversized.  Try the soups, sushi or even their Japanese entrees such as the chicken or tofu teriyaki for you veggies.

Watawa - 33-10 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria.  718.545.9596 

Cook a healthy meal at home - Astoria offers tons of eclectic food markets with fresh, healthy and inexpensive ingredients.  One of my produce favorites is the United Brothers Fruit market on 30th Avenue, where you can buy a full basket of various seasonal fruits and veggies for under $10--and I mean A LOT of stuff!  I particularly like their selection of fresh herbs.  

For fish, I hit up the Astoria Fishery Co on the corner of 31st Street and 23rd Avenue--prices are competitive and the quality of the fish is impressive. 

If I'm looking for ethnic ingredients such as Mediterranean foods, I like Titan Foods on 31st Street near Astoria Blvd.  Greek yogurt comes in many varieties, as well as phyllo dough, which you can get for under $4 per package.

United Brothers Fruit - 32-24 30th Avenue, Astoria. 718.728.7011

Astoria Fishery Co - 22-78 31st Street, Astoria.  718.726.6390

Titan Foods - 25-56 31st Street, Astoria.  718.626.7771

Farm-to-table good-for-you food - Vesta is a personal favorite of mine, their ingredients coming from a nearby rooftop farm.  The food is delicious, interesting and very conducive to healthy eating.  My recommendations include a whole wheat thin crust pizza and any veggie dish such as a fresh salad of the day or the crispy brussel sprouts.

Vesta - 21-02 30th Avenue, Astoria.  718.545.5550 

Queens Restaurant Week Continues

Image by www.discoverqueens.info

Good news! Queens Restaurant Week has been extended until the end of this week, Thursday, October 2nd. I'm not surprised, as this happened with NYC Restaurant Week too--must be the economy.

The following Astoria and LIC restaurants are still participating:

El Jamon - 25-51A Steinway, Astoria NY 11103. 718.726.2661

Masso - 47-25 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City NY 11101. 718.482.8151

Mezzo Mezzo - 31-29 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria NY 11105. 718.278.0444

Oceano - 35-02 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria NY 11105. 718.777.8844

Pinocchio Palace - 32-02 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11102. 718.932.4976

Ponticello Ristorante - 46-11 Broadway, Astoria NY 11103. 718.278.4514

Riverview Restaurant and Lounge - 2-01 50th Avenue, Long Island City NY 11101. 718.392.5000

Zenon Taverna - 34-10 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106. 718.956.0133

Queens Restaurant Week Coming Soon

Image by www.discoverqueens.info

Like Manhattan, Queens is also holding its Restaurant Week soon--September 15-18, September 22-25. Usually it's been great because the prices are lower than in Manhattan, actually making Restaurant Week a good value. Not this year! I was surprised and annoyed to find out that the prices are on par with Manhattan Restaurant Week--$25 prix-fixe for lunch and $35 prix-fixe for dinner. I don't see the point, as most restaurants in Queens are a lot more cost effective than their Manhattan counterparts. So why put a big price tag on them and market them as a good deal? I simply don't get it.

Here's a list of the Astorian and LIC Restaurant Week participants. Some of them are worth checking out, but most of them I'd visit on a regular night.

JJ's Fusion - 37-05 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11103. 718.626.8888

Mezzo Mezzo - 31-29 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria NY 11105. 718.278.0444

Mundo - 31-18 Broadway #E, Astoria NY 11106. 718.777.2829

Pinocchio Palace - 32-02 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11102. 718.932.4976

Riverview Restaurant (this one might be worth it) - 2-01 50th Avenue, Long Island City NY 11101. 718.392.5000

Tournesol - 50-12 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City NY 11101. 718.472.4355

Water's Edge (not worth it) - 4-01 44th Drive, Long Island City NY 11101. 718.482.0033

Winegasm -31-86 37th Street, Astoria NY 11103. 718.932.3331

Zenon Taverna - 34-10 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106. 718.956.0133

But there is one thing, which actually sounds like a deal:

The first 200 people that reveal their favorite restaurant in Queens will be invited to a kick-off party and media event, which includes a three course menu, representative of the Queens culinary scene. And these participants will also be entered to win various Queens restaurant gift certificates. Visit www.discoverqueens.info and then click "contact us" to name your favorite Queens restaurant.

Good luck!

Pinocchio is Back

A couple of weeks back, I noted the close for renovation of 30th Avenue gyro and pizza king, Pinocchio Palace. Well it's back in action and as busy as ever, judging from what I saw this past Sunday. I peeked inside to see the new digs and liked what I saw--an airy, clean space with a modern flat screen TV, which was tuned to a soccer match. The interior redesign seems contemporary but not so much so that you wouldn't recognize this place. The exterior is still the same, with the exception of a new maroon awning--I don't think it matches with the blue Pinocchio sign but oh well.

I asked about the menu and it hasn't changed much since the renovation. There are a couple of low-sellers that were dropped such as the Doners and the sandwiches but the pizza and gyros continue to be their show stoppers. When asked about the pizza specifically, a Pinocchio waitress replied "Of course we'd never change that!"

Go on and check out the new space and let me know how it suits ya.

Pinocchio Palace - 32-02 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102

718.721.9636

N/W Train to 30th Avenue

Pinocchio is on Hiatus

My 30th Avenue Bureau Chief, Kimberly has informed me that our beloved Pinocchio Palace is undergoing some needed renovations. Exciting news but also a bit sad, considering that they will remain closed until May 9th. We're looking forward to a new and improved Pinocchio but in the meantime wait impatiently until we can sink our teeth into their delicious brick oven pizza and killer gyros.