Welcome Back Taste of LIC 2014

It's officially June, which is exciting in itself because summer's coming, but also because we get to celebrate the the best of the LIC food scene through the Taste of LIC.  Organized by the Chocolate Theater, the Taste of LIC is one of my favorite Queens tasting events, with the best eateries in LIC, Astoria, Sunnyside, Woodside and the surrounding area, showcasing their finest.  It's also the place where new restaurants come to preview as well as tried and true places showcase new seasonal bites. Needless to say, it's an all around fantastic gathering that gets the community together and where people show off their LIC pride!

Each year, the event seems to get bigger and bigger, bursting with restaurants, specialty food purveyors and talented entrepreneurs.  Below are just some of the establishments I'm personally excited to see, but they're all really fabulous.

51st Bakery and Cafe
Alewife
Alobar
Antidote Chocolate
Bear
Casa Enrique
M.Wells
Mar's Oyster Bar
Rest-au-Rant
Sweetleaf

Here's a full list of participants as well as the essential event details:

Taste of LIC, Tuesday, June 3rd
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Gantry State Park, 49th Avenue & Center Blvd, LIC

Purchase your tickets here

The 8th Annual Taste of LIC is Coming

One of my favorite, local summer tasting events is the upcoming Taste of LIC.  I look forward to this event each year, as I relish in getting a flavor (and sometimes a sneak peek) of a number of local culinary stand-outs from LIC, Astoria and the neighboring area.  

It's a lot of fun to not only find your trusty staples here such as Tournesol, Manducatis Rustica, and Vesta, but also newcomers such as S. Prime Steakhouse, Casa Enrique, Van Alst Kitchen and others.

Aside from it being a good way to taste great local food, it's always fun to come out and mix and mingle with local business owners, as well as to meet old and new friends.  The whole thing is one big (well-organized) party.  Here are the details and how you can score your tickets.

8th Annual Taste of LIC
Tuesday, June 4th from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. - general admission
$50 per person - purchase your tickets

Please find a list of participating restaurants, food & beverage partners.
I can't wait to see you there!

Taste of LIC is Around the Corner

Image by The Chocolate Factory

I'm pleased to tell you that one of my favorite tasting events is back again next week, which is the Taste of LIC.    Not just another typical tasting frenzy, this one combines the deliciousness of over 50 restaurants, bars and cafes in and around LIC (a lot are from Astoria too!).

It's always a highlight for me, as it's very well organized and I enjoy learning about new exciting local eats, as sometimes restaurants unveil new dishes or sometimes even exclusive eats prepared just for the event.  

An added element just this year is the Malu ice cream competition that has been going on for some time.  The two finalists, who have devised tantalizing new flavors such as Shiraz Rocky Road and Pear Belle Helene, and the winner will be unveiled at the event.  You'll also be able to taste these goodies at the Malu table, which totally rocks.

Even though I'm looking forward to checking out all the exhibitors, the ones I'm pumped to check out in particular include:

Alewife
Alobar
Antidote
Casa Enrique
Chimney Cake
M.Wells Dinette
Malu
MitchMallows
Slovak-Czech Varieties

The fun starts on Tuesday, June 5th at 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. 
Buy your tickets here!

Hope to see you there, and if you see me, don't be shy and please say hi!

Taste of LIC Rocks it Again

From the title of this post, you can guess just how successful this year's Taste of LIC was. Very! I always look forward to this tasting event, as it's one of the best (or even the best dare I say) of its kind in Queens. Not only because of all the fantastic local culinary talent that's showcased, but also because it fosters a sense of community amongst LIC residents and fellow food comrades.

Seeing and meeting so many of my food colleagues and fellow community members made the evening truly enjoyable. And the never-ending supply of food wasn't too shabby either.

Graciously and beautifully organized by The Chocolate Factory, an independent community theater that "supports the creation of new work in a variety of disciplines including theater, dance, music, multi media and the visual arts," the proceeds of this event will benefit their 2011 - 2012 programs.

With over 50 local restaurants from LIC (and Astoria!) represented, there was something delicious and interesting to taste in every corner of the tent. At times, it was some truly serious sensory overload, but who could refuse? Although I enjoyed nearly everything I tried, here are a few stand-outs of the night:

M. Wells Diner - Debuting their offering at this event last year with a slow roasted pork dressed with a sweet maple reduction, this year their goods included smoked oysters on a housemade water cracker and a crazy looking, stuffed-to-the-gills chili dog. The latter was by far my favorite and you can see its gluttunous contents above including chunky beef chili, onions and melted cheddar cheese on an oversized grilled hot dog. The chili had great spice to it and the actual hot dog was juicy with a slightly crunchy casing. I can tell you that I wasn't the only one swooning over this dish. 21-17 49th Avenue, LIC. 718.425.6917

Sage General Store - Always one of my favorites at this event, this year it impressed me again. I was a little sad not to have their bacon brownie again, but surprisingly what won me over was their strawberry salad. Consisting of hulled strawberries, mixed bitter greens, candied pecans and a strawberry buttermilk dressing, it was a refreshing summer dish and one I can see myself munching on for lunch or dinner. 24-20 Jackson Avenue, LIC. 718.361.0707

Malu - It was exciting to sample a new food establishment, on the brink of opening in just about a week. This new ice cream/chocolate shop located next door to Little Oven will serve homemade ice cream and nostalgic chocolate confections.  I loved their cheery table at the event from which I sampled milk and dark chocolate rice crispy treats, corn flake clusters, chocolate covered animal crackers, gummy bears, swedish fish, pretzels and more.  Everything was simple  yet very clean tasting and delicious.  Overall, a good foreshadowing for what's to come - I can't wait for it to open!  12-09 Jackson Avenue, LIC.  718.729-6258

Pachanga Patterson - I couldn't resist one of Pachanga's delicious spicy pork tacos, served on a Nixtamal tortilla, pickled onions and plenty of hot sauce.  It left me with a hot taste in my mouth, that set my tastebuds aflutter.  What a great reminder about why this new up-and-coming Mexican eatery shouldn't be missed.  Their nearly empty table by the end of the event surely proved its popularity.  33-17 31st Avenue, Astoria.  718.554.0525

El Ay Si - Excited to see these folks dishing out their comforting grub, I had a heaping plate of spicy bacon mac n' cheese.  Creamy, smoky with a bit of heat with each bite, it was hard not to finish the whole thing.  It was clear that the quality of ingredients were wonderful and I'd certainly come back to have this anytime with some fried chicken to boot!  47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC. 718.389.8781

Some of my other honorable mentions at the event include:

Testaccio - Pulled oxtail sliders.  47-30 Vernon Blvd, LIC.  718.937.2900
Gian Piero's Bakery - Assorted Italian cookies and loaves of bread that I took home!  44-17 30th Avenue, Astoria.  718.274.8959
Bantry Bay Publick House - Bacon covered dates (gets me everytime!)  33-01 Greenpoint Avenue, LIC.  718.784.9500
LIC Market - Mellon soup with mint infused cream (so refreshing and summery) 21-52 44th Drive, LIC.  718.361.0013
Little Oven - Mini French macaroons that tasted like butta. 12-07 Jackson Avenue, LIC.  718.440.9438
Sweetleaf - Mango iced tea and almond and coconut cookies.  10-93 Jackson Avenue, LIC.  718.832.6726

Hope everyone who attended had as much fun as I did.  I fondly look forward to next year's event!

2010 Taste of LIC - An Evening of Food, Fun and Freakindelicious Bacon Brownies

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending The Chocolate Factory's 5th Annual Taste of LIC held at Gantry Plaza State Park. Although the event was held here last year as well, I think due to last night's favorable weather, it was even more successful.  There was certainly an abundance of restaurants where you could sample more goodies and it was fun to see the new-kids-on-the-block (that haven't officially opened), showcasing their wares.

Below are my highlights of new things, old things and really unusual things that made me stop.

New Things/Places:

Madera - This newly opened Cuban Grill was represented with an offering of baked coconut shrimp, guava and cheese empanadas (which were delicious) as well as slow roasted pork and ropa vieja (shredded beef).  Although they had difficulty keeping their dishes warm, you could tell they were well made and I'd be curious to sample their food at the restaurant.  47-29 Vernon Blvd, LIC. 917.402.7019

Breadbox Cafe - Even though this place hasn't officially opened, the food looked and tasted promising.  It's nothing fancy, made up of simple salads, sandwiches, quiches and baked goods, but the ingredients seemed fresh and tasted delicious. It could become a good breakfast or lunch standby, and the owners mentioned that they'll also offer dinner.  47-11 11th Street, LIC.  718.389.9700

M. Wells - I was intrigued to learn that a Quebeco-American diner is coming to LIC.  The dish they served last night, a slow roasted pork dressed with a sweet maple reduction, was so memorable and left my mind and palate thoroughly intrigued.  I'll get back to you with more details about their official opening.  21-17 49th Avenue, LIC.

Old Things/Places:

Wunderbar - Wow, when I saw the generous offering of bratwurst, weisswurst and all the fixins such as German potatoes, sauerkraut, red cabbage and German-style onions, I couldn't miss it.  Wunderbar's representatives were really great and piled everything expertly in a disposable dish (pictured above) and even dressed it with spicy mustard.  The whole thing was just delectable and reminded me of being back in Eastern Europe. YUM! 37-10 11th Street, LIC. 718.937.2337

Tournesol - Tournesol never fails to deliver and as they do each year, they featured an egg/bacon/onion quiche paired with champagne.  Every year it's this dish and every year, I devour it.  Tournesol uses a really amazing, thick-cut hearty bacon that's wonderful to sink your teeth into. 50-12 Vernon Blvd, LIC.  718.472.4355

Lounge 47 - After hearing a lot of good things about their wasabi deviled eggs, I finally got to taste one.  And was it good!  Being a huge fan of deviled eggs in general, I had a feeling I'd enjoy this but wasn't ready for the subtle hit to your palate from the strong wasabi.  The flavors definitely woke your senses in the best possible way and the dish was addicting to say the least.  47-10 Vernon Blvd, LIC. 718.937.2044

Unusual Things/Places:

Sage's Bacon Brownie - The Sage General Store really brought it up a notch with their bacon brownies.  As soon as I heard the words bacon and brownie in the same sentence I was so down to try it.  The actual brownie was really chocolatey, using good quality dark chocolate and flavored with small bits of bacon.  The taste wasn't overpowering but powerful enough to recognize its distinct smokiness. It was truly incredible and I went back for seconds. 24-20 Jackson Avenue, LIC. 718.361.0707

Omni's Truffled Honey - This unique item from Omnipak Distributing Company was unforgettable.  Paired with crumbly parmesan cheese on top of rustic focaccia bread, it delivered the perfect bite.  The sweetness from the honey brought a smile to your face and you couldn't help but be surprised by the truffle essence that lingered on your tongue after each bite.  I'm certainly going to probe further and find out where this product is ditributed. 

El Ay Si's Homemade Candy - Distributed to all guests in a cute little paper bag with El Ay Si's insignia, these little treats were just adorable.  Individually wrapped in old fashioned wax paper, they consisted of rich, fudgy candy flavored with banana. How inventive yet nostalgic at the same time! The bag also included a $10 gift certificate to El Ay Si, which will surely come in handy.  47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC. 718.389.8781

What did you think of last night's event?

Taste of LIC - Dessert Overload

For the second year now, I attended the Taste of LIC event. I thought that last year's venue, the rooftop of the East Coast Tower apartment building was spectacular, but this year at the Gantry Plaza State Park it was just as (if not more) beautiful. It was fortunate that the event was tented, as the weather was soupy and on the brink of rain. But that didn't stop people from leaving the tents for a much needed food break, enjoying the beautiful city view near the East River. It was gorgeous and relaxing.

I sampled so many yummies that night that it was hard to decide what I liked best. But alas I chose a couple of favorites below that I'll be checking out again - and I encourage you to try them too.

Communitea - They impressed me with their sweets last year, and this year it was the hummus/avocado sandwich I was after. It was unfortunate that the bread got a bit soggy from the humidity but the hummus/avocado spread was delightful - light, creamy and also filling. I liked that it was healthy and you could tell that they used good quality ingredients. They also had various wonderful desserts; one of which I tried was the mini-brownie and it was pure decadence. 10-10 50th Ave, Long Island City, 718-383-9315

Manducatis Rustica - Wow, the offering here was impressive! In addition to savory dishes such as their signature mushroom/spinach quiches, they had a plethora of desserts. I simply couldn't refuse them and tried the walnut cake and a cup of chocolate mousse. I liked both but preferred the walnut cake, which had a soft consistency and a floral, honey finish. It tasted very homemade and I loved that. The chocolate mousse was a winner too but was just a tad too sweet for my tastebuds - the texture was lovely though. 46-35 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, 718.937.1312

Testaccio - This was an exciting discovery, as Testaccio hasn't yet opened (but they plan to in early August). So even though it was a tease, this Northern Italian restaurant offered a lovely starter of figs topped with mascarpone cheese and pine nuts. It was a clean, smooth bite and slightly decadent from the dessert cheese. I could see myself making it at home and especially for guests. 47-30 Vernon Boulevard, LIC, info@testacciony.com

Tom Cat Bakery - There's a reason why movie studios use Tom Cat to do their catering - their products are fantastic. Although known for their breads, they also make spectacular pastries and I tasted their raspberry bar at Tuesday's event. Yowza! Out of this world - the crumbly top was crunchy and buttery and the raspberry filling was just the right amount of sweet and sour. I wanted to have a mere half but couldn't leave it uneaten because it was that good. 43-05 10th Street, Long Island City, 718.786.7659

Foodcellar - Look I know what you're thinking, it's a supermarket...but I had something really, really delicious there, the quinoa salad. Mixed with pistachios, dried cranberries and a citrus dressing, it was a wonderful side that I'd definitely buy or make for myself. A healthy dish, I loved the heartiness of the quinoa (starchy) mixed with the sweet dried fruit and the savory nuts. Fun and imaginative! 4-85 47th Road, Long Island City, 718.606.9786

I hope that you have an opportunity to visit some of these places because they really are great.

Cafe Henri - Pretzel Croissants Coming Soon!

Cafe Henri - 10-10 50th Avenue, LIC, NY 11109
718.383.9315

7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Ave

Last week, I mentioned attending the Taste of LIC event and trying the amazing Pretzel Croissants from Cafe Henri. They made a huge impression on me--a salty, crunchy exterior and a soft, buttery interior--and I haven't stopped thinking about them since.

It so happened that my cousin Vicky and I were in the Vernon Blvd 'hood having dinner at Blend. I took the roundabout way home and decided to stop at Cafe Henri. The place is absolutely charming both from the outside and in. The exterior is all brick with a bright blue awning, a friendly outdoor bench and a bicycle--very French country. The interior is intimate and has a simplistic vibe--small tables for two or four, a large-ish middle counter and some relaxing background music.

I asked a waitress about the Pretzel Croissants and she seemed amused. She said that they don't sell them yet but will soon. Cafe Henri previewed them at the Taste of LIC event and they'll be making their in-store debut in a couple of weeks. She thanked me for inquiring and I'll make sure to follow up and let you know when these spirals of amazingness become available. Stay tuned...

Taste of LIC - Great Food, Gorgeous Setting

Last Wednesday, I had the great fun of attending the third annual Taste of LIC. And while I was expecting a standard tasting event, it was so much more because of its spectacular location in LIC's luxurious East Coast Tower. The event was held on the rooftop of this magnificent building, located on Center Boulevard on LIC's waterfront. The view was incredible and the food was divine. Here are some of my favorite food stops of the night. I'll definitely be hitting these places up in the future.

Café Henri - This low-key French café is in a prime spot just off the 7 train. Pastries and bread are clearly its area of expertise. An absolute stand-out was the pretzel croissant--salty and pretzel-like on the outside, and soft, chewy and croissant-like on the inside. They went like hotcakes and were unlike any pretzel I've ever tasted--and I even took some home with me!

10-10 50th Ave, Long Island City, NY, 718-383-9315

Tournesol - Another Frenchie spot, this one is on the south end of Vernon Boulevard. Its Taste of LIC station was a fine start to the evening with a hearty egg, bacon, and onion quiche, paired with sweet Domaine Brut champagne. They had an olive and onion focaccia, which was also good but didn't stand a chance next to the quiche.

50-12 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY, 718-472-4355

Communitea - This organic country-style tea and pastry shop provided a sweet finish to the night. The treats were bite-sized and my favorites included the toasted oat scone, served with a smooth clotted cream. I also went back for a homemade chocolate chip cookie, which was chewy and super light.

47-02 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY, 718-729-7708

Blend - I was excited to see some Latin fusion and had the chance to try their chicken croquettes with avocado chili. They were good but could've been a little creamier. The chicken arepas were solid though and overall their booth featured some interesting flavors, which I'd like to try for dinner sometime. I checked out their menu and the prices are inexpensive.

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

Proceeds from the event benefited a local arts center, The Chocolate Factory. There was funky music on-site too, courtesy of The Vintage DJ.

I was sad to leave this lap of luxury where food was at your every disposal and booze flowed freely. Not a bad way to spend a summer night. Not bad at all.