Although the summer is sadly winding down to an end, it's still a great time to enjoy some fresh seasonal seafood, and there's plenty of it to be found in the neighborhood. Recently spotting some a great lunch seafood special at Psari on virtually everything, I wanted to share the news. Make sure you come with a big appetite, as all seafood options come with Greek salad, garlic bread and your choice of a baked potato, French Fries or rice.
Seafood Lunch Special at Psari: $13
Monday - Friday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Tuna
Salmon steak (grilled or broiled)
Swordfish steak (grilled or broiled)
Fried calamari
Porgy (grilled or broiled)
Flounder filet (broiled or fried)
Tilapia (grilled, broiled or fried)
Fried whiting
Stuffed filet with crab eat
Stuffed shrimp with crab meat
Maryland crab cakes
Shrimp & scallops with veggies
One dozen large fried shrimp in a basket
Whole fish of the dayPsari - 32-10 36th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.786.6015
N/Q Train to 36th Avenue
www.psari-restaurant.com
As summer is almost officially here, I love all the delicious seafood that comes with. It makes me feel good to know that when I have this fresh, yummy seafood, it's at its best. That's why I was excited to see that Ovelia is extending it's Raw Bar happy hour to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays between 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Here's what you can enjoy at a really competitive price:
Blue Point oysters - $1
Little Neck Clams - $.50
Baked Stuffed Clams - little neck clams stuffed with jumbo lump crab stuffing...$13
Lobster (1.5 lb) served with corn on the cob...$21
Buttermilk Fried Oysters - with Metaxa cocktail sauce...$12
Baked Oysters - baked oysters with yellow squash and seasoned bread crumbs $14
Let me know which one's your favorite! Ovelia Psistaria - 34-01 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
718.721.7217
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.ovelia-ny.com
After a week of indulging, I was ready to lighten things up this weekend. Taking a trip over to Artopolis Bakery for some peasant bread, I was inspired to hit up Mediterranean Foods, just two doors down for some delicious provisions.
Known for their authentic Greek groceries, including, pita, cheeses, prepared foods, olive oil and various sweets, I enjoy visiting this specialty foods store when I'm in the mood for a treat. This time once again did the trick, as I picked up a few staple goods to create a really light vegetarian dinner, including:
Homemade Tzatziki - Even though I've tried to make tzatziki at home, it never comes out as good as in restaurants because the texture is always too runny. Med Foods has their own version, which is really delicious and tastes like the tzatziki you get in any top Greek restaurant in Astoria. It's tangy, refreshing and perfectly spreadable.
Mixed Olives and Stuffed Grape Leaves - I was immediately drawn to the olive bar, which boasted many (up to 10!) varieties of olives, including giant stuffed olives with garlic or peppers, tiny Koroneiki black olives, bright purple Amfissa olives and more. Loading up my container with all of these varieties, as well as their stuffed grape leaves, I really enjoyed them on their own, but also dipped in the tzatziki - especially the grape leaves.
Thick Greek-Style Pita - To keep all these goodies in one place, I needed a good sturdy pita bread to hold everything. I went with the Kontos brand, hand stretched, pre-oiled pita, which tasted lovely when grilled and was definitely robust enough to hold a generous helping of tzatziki, tomatoes and olives.
Cost:
Another thing that I love about Mediterranean Foods are their prices. The above mentioned shopping cost me just a little over $6, which will last me for almost the whole week (at least the pita and the tzatziki will).
Mediterranean Foods II - 23-18 31st Street, Astoria NY 11105
718.721.0221
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd
With our friend Moses in town last week, we were all excited to get together and give him a piece of what he's been missing in Astoria while living in Portland. Being that he's Greek and naturally an expert on Greek cuisine, I thought it'd be fun to try Thymari, given that he loved its predecessor, Philoxenia.
Overall, the experience was fun and memorable because it was a nice get-together between great friends, but some of the food left something to be desired. Not all of it, but still some of it proved to be a work in progress for most of us.
Atmosphere:
Not changing things around too much from its predecessor, we saw this as a good thing, as the large, spacious dining room remained, along with all its modern furnishings. The exposed brick walls and wooden beams are wonderfully rustic and convey a cozy vibe that somehow reminds me of the islands, especially with the open windows giving off a nice breeze from the outside. The lighting is soft and atmospheric, and I could see how it can create an intimate vibe for couples.
Besides the interior dining room, there's also a small sidewalk space outside you can enjoy, but I think the inside is a lot more charming and special. It feels more Greeky!
Food:
Since we were really in the mood to enjoy a true Greek-style dinner, we ordered a few mezedes and shared everything. I love doing this because I love Greek food and also enjoy tasting a whole lot of things including dips, meats, seafood, veggies and other specialties. My dining companions were totally on-board.
Pikilia - A sampling of different dips such as tzatziki, melitzanosalata, tyrokafteri and skordalia, it was a nice way to start the meal but it wasn't some of the best stuff I've had in Astoria. I thought the tzatziki and the melitzanosalata were delicious, garlicky and fresh, but the skordalia and the tyrokafteri were just so so and a bit bland. They didn't really differentiate themselves from the bunch, which is not usually the case.
Horiatiki Salad - Even though this was really simple, it still stands out for me as one of the best dishes of the night. All the veggies including super ripe, blood red tomatoes, huge chunks of feta and buttery olives made this a much needed, refreshing preamble to the main meal.
Sotzoukakia - These are the meatballs you see above and they were one of the stand-outs (this confirmed by our Greek expert Moses). Incredibly moist and flavorful, they were spiced with cumin and fresh mint, and covered in a spectacularly rich, homemade tomato sauce, further topped with a creamy Greek yogurt sauce. Totally satisfying and worth getting again!
Octapodi Psito - This was the grilled octopus dish, which we were really looking forward to but that only half delivered. It looked gorgeous, but once we bit into it, it was on the chewy side and the flavors were too muddled, as Moses said. They failed to keep the dish simple and clean, as it should be.
Kalamari - We chose to get the fried calamari, which was a no brainer. Even though it tasted nice, I think it was a bit too greasy and thick. Personally, I prefer when the pieces are thinner and daintier and also when I get a lot of those wiry tentacle pieces, which I unfortunately didn't see here.
Dolmades - Stuffed grape leaves, with bulgur wheat, pine nuts, mint and diced apricots, it sounded better than it tasted. When I bit into one, the flavors I just described were muddled, and all I tasted was the thick bulgur and not much else. I was really excited for the apricots particularly, but didn't really get a feel for them at all in this dish.
Kolokythokeftedes - Ordering these by mistake, it was the best mistake we made. Piping hot zucchini and feta fritters, they were tender and the cheese melted beautifully on the inside. A perfect combination of rich and earthy, they were even better when paired with the cool tzatziki. Each bite made me think of being on an exotic Greek isle.
Dessert - A bonus treat we received from the chef, it was another surprising stand-out. A cold dessert, consisting of a yogurt mousse cup, topped with an amaretto walnut mixture, it was wonderfully refreshing and clean tasting. Not only did it do a great job of cleansing our palate after this diverse meal, it didn't leave us feeling weighed down and was a total hit that I'd get again in a heartbeat.
Service and Cost:
The service was really nice here, as our waiter knew a lot about the menu and was just generally really attentive, making sure all was OK during our entire experience. I liked that they let us linger around and chat as long as we liked, and we felt totally welcome and relaxed, which is something I'd return for.
Costs are moderate, and for the meal I just described to you (with drinks), we paid about $46/person (including tax and tip).
2 Mmmms
Thymari - 32-07 34th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.204.2880
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.thymari.com
I was very very excited to finally try the food at Psari (formerly known as The Greek Captain) for many reasons - a). it's been a part of the Astoria community for as long as I could remember, b). I've tried their oysters previously at a local tasting event and loved them and c). I was just in the mood for traditional, delicious Greek food.
Atmosphere:
Located on the not so atmospheric 36th Avenue, Psari is a true gem and stands out as such not only by its nice facade but also by its enticing menu of fresh seafood. While everyone is seated inside these days due to the cold, in the summertime, sidewalk seating is available and you can peek inside to see what's going on.
Having been a part of this neighborhood for many years, Psari did something really smart to keep its positive standing and desirability in the neighborhood - they revamped the interior to modernize it, appealing to growing younger audience in the neighborhood. I think this was a great move and the interior is really tastefully done, with sleek wooden finishes, a gorgeous partially exposed historic ceiling, vintage artwork and an oyster bar. The whole space feels comfortable and inviting, and we were happy to see it bumpin' on a random, rainy Wednesday night.
Food:
I just love looking at a Greek menu of goodies - there's always something delicious to explore in the meze part especially. Psari's nice looking menu totally got me excited for the meal yet to come.
Meze - Our eyes immediately focused on the dip combo with pita, which is a common app at Greek restaurants, and it's always a winner. I'm happy to say it won us over here too, and I first off loved how it was presented, each of the 5 dips separated by a spoon. My two favorite dips were the garlicky skordalia (potato/garlic salad) and the spicy feta/jalapeno dip. I've seen the latter also served at Ovelia, and they do it quite well, but Psari's version was a close competitor with just the right amount of spice and a nice, spreadable texture.
We also ordered saganaki as a starter, a lightly fried kefalograviera cheese, which was out of this world. I mean, there's never a wrong way you can go with fried cheese in my book, but still, this was exceptional. The light batter around it, coated it beautifully and gave the cheese a nice, crispy skin, while the inside was soft, warm and oozing with goodness. It was quite salty too, but once you spritzed some lemon on top and paired it with a well done pita, it created the perfect Greek harmony.
Porgy - I just love that you can get your fish prepared in virtually any way you want it. Want to indulge? Get the fried. Conscious of your waistline? Order the grilled or broiled. We opted for the grilled, and with a light olive oil and lemon dressing on top.
The fish arrived whole, as I expected it to and I like that very much, as I enjoy playing with my food and picking the fish apart in all its glory. Generally porgy is a pretty light fish with some dark meat too, which is on the oilier part, but both are very flavorful. Overall, it was a quality protein, as it smelled like the sea and tasted even better - especially when paired with the gorgeously tender lemon potatoes.
Veggie Feast - Our dining companion and friend Sarah is a vegetarian and got a veggie feast fit for a Greek goddess. We joked around about how much food she got, and you can see her relishing in the sheer quantity of it all in the above picture.
Aside from the lemon potatoes we also got with our fish, she chose the horta (dandelion greens), a cabbage salad and zucchini croquettes. I tasted the latter and really loved their flavor and texture, which was minty, garlicky and as tender as a perfectly fried potato pancake. I love dipping it into the cool tzatziki sauce that we had left over from our dip appetizer.
Service and Cost:
What can I say about the service, except that it was truly remarkable. The staff has really invested a lot of time, energy and love into this place, and they run like Psari like a well oiled machine. We only partially joked about how unbelievably attentive everyone was, and as soon as we finished our sentence, one of Psari's wonderful servers was refilling our glasses of water. Everything in this realm was excellent, and there seemed to be nothing that the staff could not achieve - it was impressive.
Costs are inexpensive to moderate, and you really get bank for your buck. The whole dinner, which was a total feast was just under $30/person with tax and tip. And we took tons of leftovers home too. Cheers to that!
3 Mmmms
Psari - 32-10 36th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.786.6015
N/Q Train to 36th Avenue
www.psari-restaurant.com
It's been a couple of days and I'm so delighted by how many of you participated in my Ovelia 3-course dinner giveaway, in honor of their 5 year anniversary. It was a pleasure reading all of your comments about why you love Ovelia or in some cases why you'd like to try it. I truly wish I could offer each and one of you this prize, but alas, there can only be one winner.
And the winner is (as selected by Random.org)
#5 - Hailey who said "I've only been for brunch but it's my favorite brunch of all time. Stuffed French toast and sausage!!!"
A BIG CONGRATS Hailey. I hope you enjoy your dinner for two, and please do let me know how you enjoyed it. I appreciate everyone's thoughtful responses - hope you get a chance to win something fun in my next giveaway.
Ovelia Psistaria - 34-01 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
718.721.7217
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.ovelia-ny.com
I can't believe it's been 5 amazing years since my beloved Ovelia Psistaria opened. I remember it like yesterday, checking out the new storefront with Margot, peeking in and wondering what's to come. We tried to crash their opening friends and family party (it's true) but had to wait another week to step into this modern Greek food haven.Since that day five years ago, I've been back continuously and watched it evolve into something even more amazing than when it opened. The care and perfection that's poured into this family owned restaurant never gets old, but they also do a great job of sticking to tradition and respecting their roots.
In honor of their big 5, Ovelia is graciously inviting a Fooditka reader and their guest to join them for a complimentary 3-course dinner. I'm pretty excited about this giveaway, giving you a chance to taste the greatness.
Ovelia 3-course Dinner Giveaway
Includes - 1 appetizer, 2 entrees and 1 dessert (valid for the entire month of December)
How to Enter: Comment on this post and tell me what you love about Ovelia, or if you haven't been, why you'd like to try it.
Enter between now and Thursday, December 1st 2011. A winner will be chosen at random and announced on email and on this site on Friday, December 2nd. Please make sure to leave your email in your comment, so I can contact you.
Good luck everyone - and please join Ovelia in their 5 year celebration this Thursday, December 1st.
Ovelia Psistaria - 34-01 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
718.721.7217
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.ovelia-ny.com
Tonight, my We Heart Astoria friends, Meg, Mackenzi (and a future WHA'er, Lindsay) got together at Ovelia for a team meeting and dinner. We haven't been in quite a while and decided to come by last minute. It was such a happy circumstance, and especially since their happy hour was going strong until 9 p.m. But I was also especially sated, since I finally got to try their piece-de-resistance burger called the lamburgini.
Pikilia Dips - We started with these lovely apps and shared a large portion for the four of us. These are simple, staple starters you can find in any good Greek restaurant, but simple doesn't always mean it's flawless in execution. Ovelia however masters them splendidly, the melitzanosalata is chunky, garlicky and full of flavor, whereas the tzatziki is cool, refreshing with a hint of dill too. The taramosalata is creamy and luxurious, reminding me of something really delicious I wouldn't mind spreading on a plump bagel.
Lamburgini - The relatively new lamb burger is quite the showstopper here, and although it comes at a premium, it incorporates some pretty spectacular ingredients. A thick lamb burger is cooked to your liking and then bathed in a creamy feta sauce and topped with chunks of crimini mushrooms. But the best part for me was the bretzel (homemade pretzel bread) that hugged the burger's contents - so hearty and salty and very filling. I think because this dish is so robust, I'd recommend splitting it or saving the rest for take-away. Since I was pretty hungry, I devoured nearly the whole thing, but as I'm writing this, I'm still pleasantly full.
Service and Cost:
Our waitress did all the right things - she was observant yet really appropriate when it came to timing. Everything was brought out efficiently and very close attention was paid to refilling our glasses of water, pita bread, and cleaning our plates. I felt like we didn't have to ask for a single thing and really appreciated that. In all honesty, I haven't had especially stellar service lately in Astoria and my experience here proved that it still exists.
Costs are moderate and all dishes we got were very gently priced, except for my crem de la crem, lamborgini, which was $22 (but it also included a generous side of French fries). All in all a very satisfying and delicious meal that I'd love to repeat on any day. Thanks Ovelia!Ovelia Psistaria - 34-01 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
718.721.7217
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.ovelia-ny.com
As fall rolls in, restaurants are changing things around, including adding new menus, changing their specials and offering new discounts. This happens to be the case at Cavo, one of Astoria's high-end Greek restaurants, which I really like. Although it's a little fancy schmancy, I think the quality of the food and the overall experience always delivers.
Here's what you can expect this fall...
For starters, they've revamped their lounge and rumor has it that it's pretty snazzy. I haven't taken a peek yet, but plan to soon. Now for the actual deals, they include:
Tuesdays: 1/2 priced entrees, excluding specials. This is a great deal, as the restaurant is moderate - expensively priced.
Wednesdays: You receive a free bottle of wine with the order of 2 entrees (one per table)
Thursdays: From 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. ladies enjoy $4 martinis, sangrias, and mojitos (honored both at the bar and at tables)
Sundays: 60 oz. pitcher of sangria for $20
Enjoy these specials and if you end up there over the weekend, stay awhile and dance the night away. I've done it before, and it's always good fun.
Cavo - 42-18 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.721.1001
R/M Train to Steinway Street
www.cavoastoria.com
First off...brunch:
- All eggs are now organic and dairy products come from a farm in upstate NY
- When ordering a brunch entree, you now have a veggie or a turkey option for the previously traditional "side meat"
Dinner:
- Rock 'n Rib Wednesdays' new special - Buffalo style calamari that has also recently debuted on the lunch menu
- On any other day, another new item to try are the feta cubes (appetizer) and the lamburgini, which is a lamb burger with crimini mushrooms on a pretzel bun that's baked in-house daily
- They now have a vegetarian version of their famous moussaka
- The new dinner menu has also changed in a way that it distinguishes the types of dishes one would typically find in a traditional Psistaria in Greece. Fun!
Drinks:
- The Karpouzo is back for the summer. (Ask your favorite Ovelia bartender all about it)
- They now boast 7 beers on tap and a new wine menu to come soon
Now that I've gotten myself completely hyped up, I hope you'll share in my excitement and check out these awesome Ovelia changes. Eat up!
Ovelia Psistaria - 34-01 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
718.721.7217
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.ovelia-ny.com
It's been a while since Dan and I have eaten at one of our Astoria Greek food favorites, Zenon Taverna. We finally went back last week after a successful afternoon at the first Queens Swap, and as ever, our experience at Zenon sealed the deal on what was a very enjoyable day.
Although we've tried a lot of items on their extensive menu, we went pretty standard and light that afternoon. However, as simple and classic our selections were, they also tasted wonderful. Here's what we enjoyed:
Chicken Souvlaki Platter - Given that Dan is still on his strict exercise and diet regime, he wanted to order something light and healthy and went with this grilled chicken kebob option. Although a simple dish, it was really excellent, boasting juicy chicken cubes that were perfectly charred on the outside. For me, dipping the chicken into the creamy, zesty tzatziki was the best part, and I was a little addicted to it after Dan gave me an initial taste. The lemon potatoes that came as a side were also flavorful and light, stepping up the hearty aspect in this dish.
Zenon Pita - When I first read the description of this pita, I right away noticed that halloumi cheese was included - and based on that, I was immediately sold. Adoring this firm, salty cheese that's great for grilling, I was excited to also see that it was paired with grilled pork loin, which I've already had (and loved) at Zenon. The two were a nice combination indeed, stuffed in an oversized thin pita, which loosely hugged its contents. Once again, the homemade tzatziki enhanced all the flavors on the inside of the pita and helped bring in a welcome element of freshness.
Dessert - As a surprise from our friend Constantina whose family owns Zenon, we received a generous piece of semolina cake, which was flavored with sweet syrup and rosewater. Moist and decadent, the cake was a splurge, our favorite part being the sweet, floral aftertaste you got at the end of each bite. We ended up taking most of it home, and I'd recommend eating it with a refreshing piece of melon or strawberries.
Service and Cost:
Even considering how busy and bustling the restaurant was on a Sunday, the service didn't suffer at all. Our water glasses were always full, fresh pita and olive bread were at the table in minutes and our dishes arrived within good reason. There's something to be said for the warm, family atmosphere, and regardless of your heritage, Zenon makes you feel at home.
Costs are affordable, especially given the generous portions. The above meal, which I described set us back $38 including tax and tip.
3 Familiar Mmmms
Zenon Taverna - 34-10 31st Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106
718.956.0133
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.zenontaverna.com
