Alobar's New Cocktail Menu

Always impressed by the seasonally relevant offering at Alobar, I recently found out they've rolled out a new summer cocktail menu.  Featuring a selective but thoughtful offering of refreshing cocktails with both brown and clear liquor, you'll want to come back several times and try each one.  Take a look at the below menu and see what strikes your fancy.

The Neighbor...$13
Four Roses bourbon, Dolin Dry, Averna, maraschino liqueur

Rye Not? (pictured above)...$12
Rye, Fernet Branca, mint, lemon

The Wright Stuff...$13
Greenhook Gin, creme de violette, maraschino liqueur, lemon

Drink with No Name...$13
Del Maguey mezcal, Sorel, Velvet Falarnum, lime 

The Bitter Truth...$13
Greenhook Beach Plum, Campari, Dolin Dry, Cocchi Americano

Chauvinist Pig...$12
Pig's Nose scotch, chartreuse, Romazzatti, douglas fir

Gin & Juice...$12
Greenhook Gin, orange, sage, Cocchi Americano, Cointreau

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

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

New Cocktails at Sweetleaf and Whiskey at Alobar

It's the holiday season, officially and everyone loves to treat themselves to a festive drink.  I'm excited to see that a few nearby restaurants have upped the ante on their cocktail offering, giving us a lot more options.  Sweetleaf on Center Blvd, which is so much more than a coffee shop, and Alobar (also in LIC) are good examples of this.  Check out their new spirits offerings below, and enjoy toasting to the new year!

Sweetleaf's New Cocktail Menu:
Jersey Tenor - American apple brandy, cognac, maple syrup, angostura (served over a rock)
20th Century - Gin, lemon, cacao, Lillet (served up)
Mure Mule - Vodka, fresh muddled blackberries, house-made ginger syrup, fresh lime juice, seltzer (served long)
Paloma Picante - Tequila blanco, fresh grapefruit juice, fresh lime juice, agave, house-made habanero bitters seltzer (served long)
Whizz Bang - Scotch whiskey, dry vermouth, house-made grenadine, absinthe, orange bitters (served up)
A La Louisiane - Rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, Peychaud's Bitters, absinthe rinse (served up)
The Doctor - Jamaican rum, Swedish punsch, fresh lime juice (served up)
Bartender's Choice - Choose from citrusy, sweet, sour, spicy, refreshing, aromatic, shaken, on a rock, long
Hot Butterscotch Rum - Spiced rum, homemade butterscotch, hot water
Xocolatl - Tequila reposado, spiced Mexican hot chocolate, habanero bitters, cinnamon stick

Sweetleaf - 46-15 Center Blvd, LIC NY 11101
347.527.1038
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Ave
www.sweetleaflic.com 

Alobar's New Whiskey Menu:

Bourbon & Blends: 
Alibi
Basil Hayden
Black Dirt
Blanton’s
Buffalo Trace
Bulliet
Bulliet 10
Eagle Rare
Few
Four Roses
Four Roses Small Batch
Four Roses Single Barrel
G. Dickel Select
High West American Prairie
High West Campfire
Hirsch
Jefferson’s
Makers Mark
Moonshine
Old Pogue
OYO
Pappy Van Winkle 12yr.
Pappy Van Winkle 15yr.
Peach Street Prichards Double Barrell
Rock Hill
Rough Rider
Widow Jane
Russel’s Reserve 10yr
Redemption
Smugglers Notch
Town Branch
Wathen’s
Whipper Snapper

Rye: 
1512
Bulliet
Charred Oak
Dickel
Jefferson
Mckenzie
Redemption
Rittenhouse
Russell’s reserve
Templeton
Widow Jane
Few
J.P. Wiser’s
Whistle Pig

Scotch:
Abelour 12yr
Ardbeg 10 yr
Bowmore 12yr
Bunnahabhain 12
Dalwhinnie 15yr
Dewars Glenkinchie
Glenmorangie 10yr
Johnny Walker Blk
Quinta Ruban 12yr
Laphroiag
Macallan 12yr
McCarthy’s (Oregon)
Oban 14yr
Pigs Nose Rosebank 21yr
Oban Distillers 1997

Irish & Canadian:
Jameson
Red Breast 12yr
Bushmills 10 yr
Bushmills 16yr
Crown Royal

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

3 Delicious Summer Eats in Astoria and LIC

To go along with news of summer food gracing restaurant menus, here's a brief round-up of some new dishes surfacing in Astoria and LIC.

Image by Alobar

Alobar's Grilled Octopus - This beautiful summery dish of grilled octopus, tasso & corn succotash, roasted tomato and watercress caught my eye. I love the colors in it - they just scream summer - and appreciate the grilled preparation. 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC. 718.752.6000

Image by Astor Bake Shop

Astor Bake Shop's Watermelon Juice - Sweet and natural, this watermelon juice will surely wake your senses and refresh you at the same time.  It's great to see that Chef George is always thinking of something new to surprise guests with.  Something else that piqued my interest are his recently made blueberry peach pies.  Mmmm.... 12-23 Astoria Blvd, Astoria.  718.606.8439

Image by Bear

Bear's Beet Chips - Although I don't have a picture of these, I think the description will say it all - light and crispy farmer's market beet leafs that are tempura battered and fried.  Also in more good Bear news, they're now offering food delivery from Tuesday - Sunday between 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. 12-14 31st Avenue, Astoria.  917.396.4939

Alobar's Bulleit Tasting

Aside from V-day dinner, Alobar is throwing more fun into its weekly schedule by hosting a Bulleit whiskey tasting and food pairing.  For all you hard core bourbon fans, you're not going to want to miss this tomorrow night, especially since Bulleit is known for its smooth, clean taste.

The plan is to pair 3 whiskies with 3 food pairings for $35.  This is a pretty great deal, since three glasses of whiskey would set you back about that much alone.  If you're interested, please call them asap to make a reservation for tomorrow night.

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

Alobar's Loverly Menu

Image by Alobar

Valentine's Day will be here before we know it, and while for some it's something to enjoy with your loved one, for others it's a fun opportunity to have a lovely meal with friends or family.  I love that restaurants in the nabe are thinking about it ahead of time, and since I was drooling over Alobar's menu, I wanted to share with you here.  If you like what you see, feel free to make your reservation now.

Alobar's Valentine's Day Menu
February 14th - 16th 

Course 1
Prosciutto Duck Salad - with frisee, blood orange, citrus vinaigrette

Course 2
Pork Osso Bucco - with grits and chimichurri

Course 3
Strawberry Beignets - served with Mexican hot chocolate

$40/person and also includes a complimentary glass of prosecco

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

Alobar's Feast Fit for a Blogger

Last week, we celebrated our Winter Blogger Social with my We Heart Astoria crew along with other Queens bloggers.  It's always a fun time when we get the group together, and especially when we have a fantastic venue secured such as last week's at Alobar.
Working out a special family-style menu, a group of us shared a few portions of each course including apps, entrees and dessert - some of which were veggie friendly.  Here are the highlights.

Apps - Starting with an assortment of goodies including the pickled veggies, an array of different cheeses, charcuterie, and the citrus roasted beet salad, there was plenty to choose from.  While I've tried some of these dishes already, others were new to me such the beets, which turned out to be my favorite.  A mixture of peppery arugula, crumbly goat cheese, salted pistachios and of course those amazingly tart beets provided a deliciously earthy combination.  Veggies and carnivores alike enjoyed this very much, as it was also the lightest dish.

Entrees - New things I sampled that night included the ginger glazed baby back ribs, the fried chicken, a bacon wrapped meat loaf and the mac and cheese.  While I stayed away from the latter, the meat-based dishes really sang to me, especially the meat loaf, which was incredibly tender and oh so smoky from all that bacon wrapping.

The chicken dish looked great and tasted nice too, but while I should've paid more attention to the bird, the pickled watermelon and radish slaw is what really got me going.  I liked that the watermelon pieces were really bite sized, providing a welcome element of surprise and delight with every bite.

Desserts - Even though we were pretty full by this point, we couldn't not try the trio of desserts, including the salted caramel bread pudding, the goat cheese cheesecake and a ginger beer ice cream float.  The first two blew me away, and the cheesecake had an especially nice texture and a richness that wasn't overwhelming, as can sometimes be with this dessert.  The float was the most interesting of the sweet dishes, and it boasted complex and sophisticated flavors, that may have been a little too much so.  Classical palates, you may prefer the more traditional options , but adventurous eaters, don't be afraid to ask for it.

Service and Cost:
We were very happy with the warm service that started out well and continued throughout the evening.  Not once did we feel rushed or anxious, and I loved the fact that the staff was knowledgeable and ensured that everyone was well taken care of.

Costs are moderate and since we worked out a special menu with Alobar, it set us back only $25/person excluding tax, tip and cocktails.

3 Mmmms

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

Alobar's Celebratory Feast

This past week, I mentioned to you that Alobar celebrated their big 1 year anniversary.  I can't believe that a year has gone by, as it seems like these guys have been around forever.  

Featuring a new special each day of the week, I just couldn't refuse, and took Gina along for the ride.  Known for her open mindedness when it comes to food, she was happy to try the charcuterie special that night that featured all sorts of cured meats and terrines.  Along with that, here's some of the other things we tried.

Maple Bacon Popcorn - Trying this once before at the recent Food Film Festival, I was so happy that Alobar's owner Jeff offered it to us as an app.  While I thought the sample at the Food  Film Festival was amazing, this one was better and piping hot.  The maple glaze was sweeter and gooeyer and the bacon was just oozing with smokey goodness. And there was a A LOT of it to go around.

Jersey Heirloom Tomatoes - Just to throw in some veggies into the mix, we ordered this refreshing app, which certainly cut the richness in that decadent popcorn.  I enjoyed the balsamic sweet glaze on it very much, which went perfectly with the bite sized pieces of mozz and the juicy tomatoes.  The lardo toast (yes, you heard right) was the perfect vehicle for transporting all this goodness into your tummy.

Charcuterie - Consisting of a two tiered platter or 11 different types of house-made meats, we were quite impressed and also happy to see their pickled veggies as an accompaniment.  Amongst some of our favorites were: the creamy chicken liver pate, the delicate pork tongue terrine (yes it was soft and jelly-like), the spicy chorizo with quite the bite and the smokey duck prosciutto.  Everything was presented in small bites, which was approachable and conducive to sharing.  We had a few pieces of crunchy toast to layer all this goodness on, and in my opinion there could've been a little more of it.  In terms of the pickled veggies, the cauliflower and the carrots were superb.

Dessert - As a special treat, we got the toffee bread pudding - again, compliments of the chef.  While I had this dessert here last time around, and loved it, this time was just as special, as Gina and I delighted in its, sweet, sticky interior and the extra toffee glaze on top.  And just like the rest of the meal, it illustrated sophisticated indulgence.

Service and Cost:
As I've already hinted, the service we received was extremely welcoming and warm.  Not only because I've given them a few shout-outs, I don't think - their attention seemed really sincere and genuine, as it was proven by other satisfied-looking patrons.

Costs are moderate and fair, and for the above mentioned meal (not excluding the $5 glasses of Montepulciano we had at the bar) set us back about $40 with tax and tip.

3 Meaty Mmmms

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

Alobar Turns 1 - Let's Celebrate!

I can't believe it's only been a year since Alobar has joined LIC - it's felt like they've been a staple in the nabe for so long.  In just one year, they've not only brought us some revolutionary food (especially in pig form) but also a great sense of community, elevating the level of food sophistication on Vernon Blvd.  

See what they've got in store for their big anniversary week next week - it looks like a rich lineup of goodies is in store:

Tuesday, November 13th:
Whiskey Tuesday with Four Roses Bourbon - Includes a complimentary tasting of Four Roses Bourbon.  Experts will be on-hand to share their best tips about each variety.

Wednesday, November 14th:
Alobar Charcuterie Night - One large platter of eleven house-made meats for $50 (serves 2-3 people) and includes pig ear terrine, duck breast prosciutto & foie gras-apple terrine.

Thursday, November 15th:
Anniversary Beer Dinner - Includes a 5-course menu paired with beers from San Diego's Stone Brewing Company.  $50/person for dinner and pairings.

Friday & Saturday, November 16th - 17th:
Weekend Pig Roasts - Served family style, $30/person for main course and sides

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

Getting Hooked at the Food Film Festival

Part of last week as well as last weekend, I had the distinct pleasure to attend the 6th Annual Food Film Festival, which has come quite a long way since its inception.  I really really enjoy going to this event each year, and this time was my third year covering it, which is always a pleasure.

For those of you who aren't familiar with this event, it was founded by LIC's very own, Harry Hawk of the former LIC Water Taxi Beach and Hamburger America's George Motz.  Having a sixth run at this, I'm happy to say that the event just keeps getting better and better, now extending its reach also to Chicago later in November.

The Format:
Held in three locations around Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Food Film Festival took place in traditional (theaters) and non-traditional (NY Distilling Company) spaces.  I personally attended events in the AMC Village 7 theater, which was set up nicely in their lower theater and event space.  Enjoying some delightful bites before the movies started was fantastic, only to further munch down on food during the films and then once again chowing down for a concluding food and drink reception.  If you haven't yet been, I highly encourage it, as the format is especially unique, and eating tantalizing food one sees on the big screen is quite the treat.

The Films:
During the first evening I attended the Food Film Festival, the activities were centered around one of my favorite topics - meat (and pork in particular).  Farm to Film to Table: Meat Your Butcher turned out to be an impressive showcase of New York's finest in butchery and meat expertise.  You had restaurants such as Northern Spy Food Company, Jimmy's No. 43, August, Fleisher's Meats and LIC's very own, Alobar and Alewife representing.

In terms of the actual films showcased, we saw:
1.  The world premiere of Meat Hooked, directed by Suzanne Wasserman
2.  Farm to Table, directed by Lindsay Blatt and Paul Taggart
3.  Farmer Poet, directed by Dan Fisher, Becky Liscum, and Gail Grasso

The Food:
As I already mentioned, there was so much incredible food floating around, and the smell of all that smokey, delicious pork was just divine.  Throughout the event, I enjoyed many tasty nibbles, but a couple stood out to me that I wanted to mention here.

Alobar's Pork Crostini with Quail Eggs - One of my favorite stations, I was amazed to see Chef Ian Kapitan at work, frying up an endless amount of petite quail eggs to top his pork belly crostini.  It was a delightful combination, the egg really tying everything together and the slightly runny yolk permeating every crevice of the pork pieces.  The bread was also perfectly executed, with slightly crunchy edges and a nice soft inside.  

Fleisher's Chicken Liver and Homemade Sausage - The minute I saw a huge line, I knew it had to be for Fleisher's meats, as they're pretty famous.  I love me some chicken liver and this one was strong in flavor, tasting a little bit gamey and oh so buttery.  But the piece-de-resistance was the spicy homemade sausage that packed a mean punch, leaving a big exclamation mark on your tastebuds.  For those of you who may not yet know, they've recently opened up a new outpost in Park Slope. 

Dirt Candy's Mushroom Pate - A vegetarian's version of something meaty, leave it up to Dirt Candy's, Amanda Cohen to bring us something fabulous.  I absolutely loved her rendition of pate, using mushrooms, further topped with a mixture of chunky 'shroom bits and caramelized onions.  I rarely went back for seconds during this event, since the food was so heavy but for this, I returned.

Alewife's Berkshire Maple Bourbon Candied Bacon - Simple yet absolutely delectable, Alewife's bacon delivered and then some.  You really didn't need much with it, as it provided the perfect little bite on its own - a beautiful combination of chewy texture and sweet-smokey flavor.  Such perfection needs no companion.

After all the eating, we had the amazing experience to watch a live demo by expert butcher, Jeffrey Ruhalter of the legendary Jeffrey's Meat Market, as he broke down a pig in his characteristic theatrical style.  Here are some videos that will further help paint the picture.

Breaking down a pig with butcher, Jeffrey Ruhalter - Part I, Part II, Part III

And besides this being a fabulous party and an entertaining event, a portion of the proceeds benefited the Food Bank for NYC.  If you'd still like to make a donation, please feel free.  

Alobar's Maple Bacon Popcorn is Tantalizing

Last week, I had the pleasure to enjoy the 6th Annual Food Film Festival in NYC.  I attended two events including the Farm to Film to Table event on Thursday as well as the Edible Adventure #5, which took place yesterday. While I'll spill all the deets on these events later this week, I wanted to start off by featuring one of our very own food extraordinaire from LIC, which is Alobar.

Representing on Thursday at the Meat Your Butcher pre-party as well as featuring their delectable Maple Bacon Popcorn during one of the films, they graciously shared the recipe for the latter with us, which I'd like to extend to you.  To call this popcorn life-changing would be an understatement, as it was truly a work of art - with the thickest, smokiest, candy-sweet bacon, interspersed through the popcorn kernels.  It really gave movie popcorn a new meaning and it made such an impression on me, that I'll certainly be trying my own version at home.  Here it is for your viewing and eating pleasure:

Alobar's Maple Bacon Popcorn

Ingredients (serves 6)
1 tsp olive oil
1 pound, thick-cut bacon
3/4 cup of maple syrup
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
6 cups of basic popcorn

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add bacon strips and cook until crisp, turning occasionally.  Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; reserve 2 tbs bacon drippings.

Crumble bacon.  Toss bacon, drippings, maple syrup, black pepper, and salt with popcorn.  Spread popcorn mixture in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes, rotating trays halfway through, stirring occasionally.  Serve hot.

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

Bear Republic Beer Dinner At Alobar

Image by Alobar

Another reason I love fall is because it's a great time for beer and of course heartier foods that go along with it.  I was excited to learn that Alobar is combining just those two things in an upcoming beer and food pairing event next week.  The event is called the Bear Republic Beer Dinner, and it includes 5 American Craft beers by Bear Republic Brewing Company.  The dinner looks absolutely scrumptious (but is also fit for more adventurous foodies) so take a look, make your reservations and have a ball!

Bear Republic Beer Dinner at Alobar
Thursday, September 13th
5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Rabbit Rilette Patty Melt - with white wine, smoked onions and Jarlsberg cheese
Bear Republic XP Extra Pale Ale

Potted Chicken Liver Mousse - with red wine, bacon jam
Bear Republic Rebellion IPA

Black Molasses Glazed Quail - with braised cabbage and squash puree
Bear Republic Heritage Old Ale

Duck Confit Shepherds Pie
Bear Republic Peter Brown Tribute Ale

Sticky Date Toffee Pudding
Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout

5 Courses for $50 (excluding tax and gratuity)

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

Alobar's Tomato Festival is Coming

Since tomato season is still in full swing, but will begin winding down soon, it's nice to see that restaurants are really taking advantage of all that delicious bounty.  Alobar in particular is making hay with tomatoes through their tomato festival, which is taking place in the first week of September.  Their all-tomato menu ranges from appetizer to even cocktails for a little bit of spirit.  Here's the menu for more inspiration - I hope you get to check it out.
Alobar's Tomato Festival - "A Celebration of all things Tomato"

September 3rd - 9th
2-course special menu with a cocktail or a glass of wine - $30/person

Menu:
Tomato bread and jam for the table
Chorizo, raclette and tomato fondue, toast points
Tomato watermelon salad - roasted scallops and basil sorbet
Spicy tomato shorba - a cold soup native to Algeria
Crab stuffed roasted tomatoes
Tomato and sweet onion crumble - with chive creme fraiche
Roasted tomato housemade ricotta ravioli - with mushroom bacon broth
Grilled wild salmon summer vegetables - stewed in tomato water

Tomato water martini
Freshly squeezed yellow tomato Bloody Mary

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

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!

Alobar - Viva la Piggie

Ever since this place has been fabled to open (back in the summer), I couldn't wait to check it out.  And while it was one thing or another that prolonged me from going, I finally had the opportunity to check it out with my friend Bob, who's a fellow food enthusiast.  We enjoyed it very much and took away the restaurant's theme clearly - pig is king!

Atmosphere:
A modern gastropub, Alobar has all the components that make it feel like a contemporary, sophisticated eatery.  Starting with the dim lighting, your mood eases immediately upon stepping inside, and you can quickly tell that you can now begin to unwind from the stresses of the work day.  Even though the space is on the narrow side, like many of the establishments on Vernon, it's spacious, has nice high ceilings and simple (yet classic) wooden furnishings.

My favorite aspect of the interior is the open kitchen, where you can observe the chefs working their magic.  In fact, our table was pretty perfect for that, as it was right on the edge of the kitchen area.  While normally I'd like to be in the comfy banquettes section, I didn't mind this at all and liked sitting in the middle of the action.

Food:
I love that the menu doesn't mess around with protein, and is filled with tons of traditional as well as creative proteins such as pork belly, bone marrow, short ribs, duck rilette and more.  Of course if you're a vegetarian, you may have to get creative, although there are veggie plates on the menu too - the meat just happens to stand out for me.

Wild Mushroom Toast - This was my favorite starter, as it incorporated some gorgeously sophisticated elements such as a hearty portobella mushroom, smoked ricotta cheese, soft pearl onions and a fried duck egg on top.  The latter was the icing on this savory dish, as we broke the yolk, let it spill over everything and relished each bite.  Carnivore or veggie alike, you have to try this dish.

Citrus Roasted Beet Salad - To keep things at least a little healthy, we chose a veggie plate as well, and as we both happen to love beets, this worked out nicely.  Although the plate was simple as can be, beets marinated in a citrus glaze, they were vibrant, fresh and a nice way to juxtapose the heavier flavors from the aforementioned toast dish.

Pumpkin Risotto - Another veggie friendly option come to think of it, it had all the components of a quality risotto.  I loved that the rice was cooked al dente, however it was also enveloped in the most luxuriously rich pumpkin, cream broth with a healthy dose of peppery mustard greens on top.  The contrast between the velvety rice and the earthy greens was just lovely.

Pork Belly Entree - How great is it that Alobar works through a whole pig over the course of a few weeks (a month?) and each day features a different part of it to its patrons? I thought this was just awesome and we couldn't resist ordering the pork belly, with another risotto base (just our luck).  Not only was the meat as tender as pie, it had lots of delectable, smoky flavor that paid testament to the health of the animal from which it came.  I liked that the seasoning was simple, but thoughtfully put together.

Chocolate Chip/Toffee Bread Pudding - Not sure how we found the room, but when they mentioned a chocolate chip toffee bread pudding, we couldn't resist.  I loved how tender it was on the inside and how the chocolate melted beautifully upon contact with your spoon.  The silky Anglaise sauce on top was a yummy way to dress this already sinful dessert and although it was small, it was so rich and therefore, hard to finish.

Service and Cost:
Just like everything that night, the service went off without a hitch.  We really liked our waiter who was friendly, attentive and brought out each dish in good time.  Never feeling like we had to wait long, the evening's service was very fluid and natural, as it should be.

Costs are moderate, but fair for the good quality food you're getting and include:

Charcuterie and Cheese - $10 - $23
Small Plates - $6 - $22
Pickles, Snacks & Sides - $4 - $9 
Large Plates - $17 - $25

3 Mmmms

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

Goodbye 2011...You've Been Good!

As this year comes to a close, I gratefully remember the wonderful things it has brought.  Lots and lots of changes, and some transitions that went along with it, but all in all a really prosperous and rich year that I would never take back.  I look forward to what this new year will bring, and can already feel the food adventures bubbling up, but before we go on, let me remind you of the big 2011 milestones that affected Fooditka.

1.  My Big Name Change - Of course the most significant thing this year for me was my big name change from the Foodista to Fooditka.  As you may remember, my new name ties in closely to my heritage and allows me to stand out more.  I happily unveiled this new site name and re-launch at a big party, graciously hosted by my good friends at 5 Napkin Burger.  

2.  My Big Travels - I've been fortunate to travel the world this year, living the dream of participating in a cooking program in Tuscany, where I learned about the wonders of clean, simple and delicious Italian cuisine.  But the fun didn't end there, as the year also brought exciting food adventures in Paris, London, Munich, Slovakia and Mexico.  I couldn't be happier to explore the cultures of these beautiful countries, and hope to take it to the next level in 2012.  Fooditka goes international again!

3.  My Big Love of Astoria/LIC - No matter where I go, what I see, and the fantastic things I eat, my passion continues to rest close to home.  And although this year has been fantastic when it comes to international food adventures, what keeps me going are the fabulous food-things percolating at home.  I love that this year has brought on exciting changes to the nabe such as new restaurants, cafes and more.  Some of the most notable ones that come to mind are The Queens Kickshaw, Sugarfreak, Bear, Veslo, Alobar, Astor Room, among others.  

It's been an absolute pleasure Astoria...thanks as always for your support, and I can't wait to do it all over again in 2012.  Hope you had a happy, healthy and delicious one as well!