Happy Father's Day Astoria

Picture of my dad - we call him "Oci" (Slovak word for dad).

Father's Day is just around the corner, this Sunday, June 20th.  If you're still wondering what to do for it, here are 10 helpful suggestions that should certainly whet Dad's appetite.  While most restaurants aren't having any specials or prix-fixes, I think that's a good thing.

5 Napkin Burger - What better place to take Dad than for a hearty, juicy burger at this newly opened joint.  I highly recommend their signature "5 Napkin" burger with caramelized onions and melted Gruyere cheese.  They open at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.  35-01 36th Street, Astoria. 718.433.2727

Ornella - If Dad is a pasta man, you have to take him to this intimate Italian eatery, boasting traditional and innovative pasta.  My favorite is the imbustata, which is a pasta "envelope" stuffed with roasted veal, chicken and wild mushrooms.  The homemade ricotta cheesecake is an absolute must.  29-17 23rd Avenue, Astoria.  718.777.9477

Zenon Taverna - Zenon provides the ultimate family atmosphere with homemade Cypriot dishes such as pasticchio, keftedes (meatballs), loukaniko (sausage), grilled halloumi cheese and so much more.  For $18.95 - $22.95 per person, you can get a whole 12-16 course mezedes tasting. No...I'm not kidding! 34-10 31st Avenue, Astoria.  718.956.0133

Christos Steakhouse - Want to treat Dad to a nice steak dinner with an unpretentious vibe? Christos has that and much more. The steak speaks for itself and the appetizers and sides have a Greek twist, such as the Greek spreads, saganaki cheese, loukaniko (Greek sausage) and more. 41-08 23rd Avenue, Astoria. 718.777.8400

BareBurger - Another delicious burger place, this one is all organic and serves amazing organic beer at affordable prices.  Try the Big Blue Bacon Mushroom Onion Burger and the crispiest onion rings in all of Astoria.  33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria.  718.777.7011

Taverna Kyclades - If you're a family that loves Greek food, you can't miss this place.  Even though they don't take reservations, I'd suggest getting there at an off-peak time (around 4 or 4:30 p.m.) to get a prime table.  Enjoy any of the grilled seafood such as the calamari or shrimp, and don't forget to get a slew of apps too.  33-07 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria.  718.545.8666

Akti - Akti is never a miss and it's a close second for me (right after Kyclades) for Greek food.  Dads will love the plethora of grilled Greek meat and seafood as well as a selection of fresh salads and really amazing Greek cheese. Prices are affordable.  34-19 30th Avenue, Astoria.  718.721.3530

Lucas Steakhouse - While a definite splurge, modern Dads will love this chic steakhouse with stylish furnishings and all your favorite steakhouse classics.  They boast a 28 days dry-aged steak, which comes served with their house steak sauce.  34-55 32nd Street, Astoria. 718.786.5200

Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden - Beer-enthusiast Dads will love the laid-back atmosphere of this outdoor space.  It's probably going to be a lot more crowded than usual because of the World Cup, but if you get there early enough, you'll get a good spot.  Besides the beer, enjoy authentic Slovak and Czech cuisine.  29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria.  718.274.4925

Trattoria L'Incontro - I couldn't believe it, but for once on a special occasion, L'Incontro is not having a prix-fixe.  Dads will love their extensive daily specials including homemade pasta, a variety of antipasti, brick oven pizza, fresh seafood and more. 21-76 31st Street, Astoria.  718.721.3532

Fatty's - If you're looking to have a very low key Father's Day, Fatty's is a nice choice.  You can munch on a casual meal with Dad in their outdoor garden over beers, burgers, burritos and empanadas.  25-01 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria.  718.267.7071

Vesta - Take Dad to this delicious, intimate eatery serving the freshest ingredients sourced from a nearby rooftop farm.  I recommend any of their salads - they're absolutely wonderful and so vibrant.  The pizza and the fresh pasta is excellent too. 21-02 30th Avenue, Astoria.  718.545.5550

Taverna Kyclades Rocks It Again

Taverna Kyclades - 33-07 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria NY 11105
718.545.8666

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
http://www.tavernakyclades.com/

Given that it was such a scorcher yesterday, I was in no mood to cook so Dan and I decided to have a late lunch at Taverna Kyclades.  We've only been there once before and were absolutely blown away, and this time was no different.  Although it's usually unbelievably crowded and they never take reservations, we came at a good time, around 4:30 p.m.  Not only were there plenty of tables outside but we ended up getting a prime spot inside in the air-conditioned dining room. 

We couldn't resist some of our favorite standbys such as skordalia, grilled calamari and fried Greek potatoes, but there are a few new things we tried too that I'll highlight here:

Grilled Shrimp - I remember the beautiful stuffed shrimp that Dan and Margot got last time and it got me in the mood for something similar but not as indulgent.  Plus because it was so hot outside, I went with the grilled version without the stuffing.  WOW! It was truly amazing.  The shrimp was jumbo sized and butterflied in the middle, which made it appear larger.  I loved the clean seasoning of olive oil, lemon and salt and pepper.  The dish couldn't be simpler, but it was quality.  The only semi annoying part was that you had to peel off its shell, which was first a nuisance but then started getting fun, as it got you more involved with what you were eating.

Garlic Beets - Beets are hands down one of my favorite vegetables, so when I heard that this was a possible side with my entree, there was absolutely no question that I'd choose it.  Again, the dish was simple - sliced, cooked beets dressed with olive oil and diced garlic.  I loved the natural sweetness of the beets and the garlic just gave it that something special - that Greekness you might say.  It was awesome and I'm definitely going to make it at home.

Service and Cost:
Kyclades doesn't mess around when it comes to service.  Because of the large crowds they get throughout the year, they're very efficient in getting you what you need.  All waitstaff and busstaff is experienced and yesterday was no exception.  Even though they're quick with orders, they don't make you feel rushed to leave, which we appreciated.

Costs are moderate but I think inexpensive for the great quality and the generous portions you get.  We paid a total of $57 including tax and tip for an appetizer, two entrees and two beers.

3 Mmmms

Taverna Kyclades - Hands Down The King of Seafood

 

  

  

  

Taverna Kyclades - 33-07 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria NY 11105
718.545.8666
N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
http://www.tavernakyclades.com/

I can't believe that I'm actually writing these words, but the day has come when I've stepped foot into Taverna Kyclades, and enjoyed their food.  Why is this a big deal you ask?  All you locals undoubtedly know how incredibly difficult it is to get into this place--they don't under any circumstances take reservations.  Therefore, the wait is (and has always been) simply too great of a burden to bear.  Until now. 

Margot, Dillon, Dan and I waited patiently last week, and were rewarded with the best Greek dinner of our lives.  No exaggeration.

Atmosphere:
Taverna's surroundings are humble, but somehow they make you feel comfortable, almost as if you're hanging out at your grandmother's house. 

There are two dining sections that occupy the space--one is to the left and the other to the right of the entrance.  Both have a very different feel--the right seems to be more traditional and diningroom-esque, whereas the other reminds me of an old, rustic sun room with wild plants and a makeshift plastic screen, protecting you from the cold.  Although I preferred where we sat (in the real dining room), the other area wouldn't deter me from enjoying myself--actually it was endearing.

Food:
We've heard so many amazing things about Taverna's seafood that we couldn't wait to try everything.  Taking a stealth peak at other people's plates, our appetite intensified by the second.  We all ordered seafood dishes, which came as no surprise, and we walked out with smiling faces and full bellies.

Apps  - Our first two plates were relatively "light" compared to the rest of our meal and included a big portion of skordalia as well as grilled octopus.  Both were absolute stand-outs and I had a hard time deciding which I liked better. 

The skordalia was silky smooth and flavored with just the right amount of garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.  I'm often not in love with this dish because it's so easy to mess up - sometimes it can be gummy and lumpy.  Not this one, as it was a perfect puree of ingredients and the flavors just melded together like perfectly composed music.  I strongly recommend it!

Almost everyone at our table was an octopus lover and while the skordalia was awesome, the octopus was an absolute home run.  I've never had octopus that was this meaty and delicious - if not prepared right, it can be tough and unpleasant to chew.  Well...not the case here at all - these guys know what they're doing.  I loved that the dressing was simple and light, consisting once again of good olive oil, lemon juice and crunchy cucumbers on the side.

Main Dishes - Seafood couldn't be passed up and we all got our own variation.  Dan and Margot chose the stuffed shrimp with crabmeat, Dillon got the fillet of fish also stuffed with crabmeat, and I went for the grilled calamari entree.  I can't say that I had a favorite, because all were exceptional in their own way.

The stuffed shrimp was the greatest indulgence in my opinion.  The shrimp itself was huge, affixed with bulbous appendages made of quality crabmeat.  There's no other way to describe it except for ridiculous.  The crabmeat (topped with crunchy breadcrumbs) added so much flavor to the shrimp, that it made them unusually filling.  We couldn't believe there were just five shrimp on the plate because it felt like so much more.

Dillon's stuffed fillet had a similar taste to the shrimp (the stuffing was the same), while my grilled calamari resembled the grilled octopus. It was awesome, flavored in the same way as the octopus--lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Simple and perfect.  The calamari were fresh as can be and just like with everything else, there was lots of them. 

Dessert - While we didn't order dessert, we were presented with a complimentary plate of galaktoboureko, a custard filled phyllo pastry.  Wow, was this heaven!  The custard was rich and creamy, sandwiched between flaky phyllo dough, soaked in syrup and topped with cinnamon.  It was a perfect end to an incredible meal without being overly sweet. 

Service and Cost:
Although we waited for almost an hour to be seated, Taverna did it right by giving us 4 drink tickets to a nearby bar to compensate for the wait.  "How smart," I thought, as they kept us happy and "toasty" at the same time.  When we got back to Taverna, we waited a mere five minutes before getting seated--not bad.

Our waitress was good and overall, the service was efficient.  All dishes came out promptly and piping hot.  The only awkwardness we encountered was when we asked to have two dishes wrapped up - the server looked at us like we were crazy but then brought out the doggy bags.  No harm done.

Costs are moderate for Astoria but so worth it given the amazing quality and taste of everything.

Appetizers:  $3.50-$10.95 

Entrees (meat):  $10.95-$19.95
Entrees (fish):  $13.75-$31.95
Lunch specials: $7.50-$12.50

3 Loud Mmmms