Before the big Cinco de Mayo fiesta this Saturday, I wanted to make sure you have at least a couple of fun suggestions to consider before going out that day (or evening!) Being that it's on a weekend, people will be out and about all day, and you can certainly hop around and try a few different things.
Mojave - For something authentic and festive, pop over to Mojave starting at 6 p.m. and enjoy a live mariachi band, the Mamboblue Trio. As is customary, they'll also be featuring a tequila tasting all night, and will of course have their signature margaritas and sangria available as you please. 22-36 31st Street, Astoria. 718.545.4100
MexiQ - Another great way to celebrate is to walk over to 30th Avenue and check out MexiQ. The party will be kickin' from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. the next day with Happy Hour prices ($3 beers) and a live band too. My favorite thing to munch on here is their flavored guacamole, and I especially love the one with crispy pork on top. 37-11 30th Avenue, Astoria. 718.626.0333
Ditmars Station - The most convenient location in town, just under the N/Q train (Ditmars stop), they're hosting a big Cinco shin-dig which starts at 11 a.m. You'll enjoy food and drinks specials, such as $5 Coronas, $5 Tecate/tequila combo, $4 PBRs, and a Grande Quesadilla special for just $10. 22-55 31st Street, Astoria. 718.777.1177
Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden - Although it's far from Mexico, they sure throw a great party and will certainly be making hay for Cinco. So much so that they're starting as early as Friday and celebrating into all day Saturday with a beer tasting, raffles, live entertainment and more. There's no cover this weekend, so go on and see what it's all about. 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria. 718.274.4925
El Ay Si - Doing things a little differently, stop in at El Ay Si to check out their Bottomless Brunch Bash (not pants but cocktails). For just $25/person, you'll enjoy a brunch entree of your choice and a bottomless supply of fizzy brunch cocktails such as mimosas. The party starts at 11:00 a.m. and goes until 3:30 p.m. and reservations are highly recommended. 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC. 718.389.8781
Sitting here was a treat, as its charming and cheery vibe really gave us that much needed respite from the craziness of city life. I loved the birch paneling on the walls and floor, which gave it that added jolt of newness. That, coupled with colorful umbrellas, little hanging lights and plenty of greenery made it a fantastic place to unwind and linger.
Since the menu is limited, there's only a few things I haven't yet tried, and here they are:
Vintage Steak Tacos - Dan ordered these, as they were the healthiest taco option on the menu, given they are grilled. Basted in a smoky, thick salsa, the steak was far from dry and it was grilled to a nice medium texture (sans any chewiness). The mix of onions and cilantro on top gave each bite that extra zing and freshness, looking very plain but tasting anything but. Overall, the dish was very light and allowed room for other things such as snacking on chunky/creamy guacamole. I know it sounds like a contradiction, but it was indeed both of those things.
Summer Smoke Margarita - My cocktail of the night, I enjoyed its spicy flavor and the smoky aftertaste that lingered on my tastebuds after each sip. Although it looked like any ordinary margarita on the rocks, it wasn't. You could taste the freshness and quality of ingredients instantly, and that smoke factor was something else.
Service and Cost:
As always, the service was hospitable, attentive yet unobtrusive. It stands true that whenever I walk into a Giuseppe/Leo establishment, I'm always treated with kindness and friendship. Even though I've known these guys for a few years now, I observed that everyone is treated this way. Kudos to that!
Costs are moderate and for a dinner consisting of 2 drinks, an appetizer and 2 entrees, our total was $60 with tax and tip.
3 Smoky Mmmms
Pachanga Patterson - 33-17 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.554.0525
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.pachangapatterson.com
Pachanga Patterson - 33-17 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.554.0525
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.pachangapatterson.com
As you can tell from these pics, it was a celebration at Pachanga Patterson, as we rang in our friend Paul's (aka Ball's) birthday. I was so happy to finally check this place out - it's been open since March and this is the first time I've been. The owners, who also run one of my Astoria faves, Vesta, continue to deliver with this one.
Atmosphere:
Quaint and interesting are the words that come to mind when thinking back on Pachanga. The front of the house is set up with a few small and larger sized rectangular tables, one of which we occupied. I loved the turquoise wrap-around bar with casual stools and a friendly bar staff, ready and willing to have you taste some nifty tequila specialties, some of which are concepted on the spot.
Overall, the space is on the long, narrow side, and lit partially by decorative hanging lights, reminiscent of Mexican street fairs. Funky wall art decs the gorgeous exposed bricks that add another element of earthiness and authenticity to this already fabulous vibe.
Food:
Very different from Vesta, Pachanga features homemade Mexican food. Comforting, filling, spicy and delicious Mexican food. But just like at Vesta, quality and simplicy are key, as Pachanga showcases this both in their ingredients and its overall menu setup. Choosing a dish from its pithy menu is a cinch, and a lot of items are conducive to sharing. Here's what we tried:
Appetizers - Because this was a celebration, we started with a couple of apps including the guacamole with house-fried tortillas, a trio of salsas and cheese quesadillas. My favorite were the quesadillas, which were creamy and cheesy with a nice charred exterior. The inside was stuffed with a combination of corn, cannellini beans, pickled serrano and cotija cheese. It had a hint of sharpness at the end of each bite, but overall was a mild and interesting dish - definitely an elevated version of your ordinary quesadilla.
Entrees - Everyone more or less got a variety of tacos and shared them. Sonya also ordered an interesting vegetarian dish called the veggie jenga, which turned out to be one of my favorites. But before I get to that, a bit about the tacos...
I got the trio of the Vietnamese marinated pork tacos with pickled beans. It was an interesting combination and unlike any taco I've ever had. I adored the crunchy beans, which caused your face to pucker a bit, but the pork was a tad on the dry side. Maybe I'll add some sauce to it next time.
What completely blew my mind (and my tastebuds) were the fish tacos, which were ancho battered and dressed with a citrus habanero aioli. Not only was this taco wonderfully spicy, it also had an immense amount of flavor, freshness and a gorgeous firm texture (not mushy like some fish tacos can be). Before trying it, I was convinced that Nixtamal's version of fish tacos could never be beat, until now. I am hands down getting a trio of those next time around - and the Pollack they used in it was just wonderful.
Now about the veggie jenga...where do I start? The hues in this dish were just gorgeous, featuring just about very color under the sun. Consisting of pieces of a tostada, mashed up beans, avocado, sweet potato puree that rested on the bottom of the plate and two fried eggs on top, it was an all-inclusive meal. I don't even have to explain how much I love fried eggs on top of anything, and breaking these into the ingredients I just mentioned created a silky, comforting concoction. Almost everyone had a bite and agreed that this dish was something special.
Dessert - Because it was Paul's birthday, we had to get dessert and indulged in three options including banana tortillas with caramel sauce, cinnamon panna cotta with caramel brittle and pepitas as well as Pachanga's version of the famous Vesta Baby Jesus cake, which they call The Diablito here. Although all three desserts were delicious, my favorite were the banana tortillas, which were so delicate on the outside, and filled with a delectable caramelized banana on the inside. I adore banana desserts and this one was no different - everyone agreed that this was the piece-de-resistance, and the caramel sauce definitely put us over the edge from full to really really full. But it was worth every calorie, and then some.
Service and Cost:
It's easy to tell that the hospitable, warm owners of Vesta, Joe and Leo run this place. The staff is cordial and friendly, pleasantly conversational but not overbearing. I loved that they weren't afraid to give their recommendations, and because it was Paul's birthday, they treated our whole party and Paul especially, like VIPs. It was really sweet, and didn't go unnoticed.
Costs are moderate and include:
Appetizers - $4 - $10
Tacos - $7 - $12
Entrees - $10 - $19
Sides - $4 - $9
3 Mmmms
For those of you lucky people who have the day off tomorrow, there's fun things going on in addition to the Columbus Day parade. One of those things is lunch/brunch at Mojave, the upscale Southwestern restaurant right under the Ditmars Blvd subway stop.
In honor of Columbus day, they'll feature a lunch/brunch combination menu. And for those of you who want to make your experience, extra jolly, for an extra $14.95 you can get an hour and half worth of unlimited drinks with your entree. Could be a fun way to celebrate the man who "discovered" this amazing land. And if I may recommend a cocktail...the mango margaritas are especially delicious. Cheers!
Mojave - 22-36 31st Street Astoria NY 11105
718.545.4100N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)www.mojaveny.com
There's a new Mexican restaurant in town and everyone is talking about it. Still just in its second week of operation, MexiQ is buzzing with customers and so far has garnered some pretty favorable user reviews.
I peeked inside to find the large, modern space (previously Balu Lounge) to be warmer, more inviting and somewhat bar-like. There's a large bar that occupies the left part of the restaurant and they have a plethora of flat screen TVs to watch your favorite sporting events.
In terms of the food, I'd call it upscale Mexican Barbecue with dishes such as Mexican fried chicken, tequila-and-oregano braised brisket, and other standbys such as tacos and quesadillas. My plan is to try them next week, so I'll report back with a full review. In the meantime, let me know what you thought if you've already tried it.
MexiQ Kitchen & Draught - 37-11 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.626.0333
N/W Train to 30th Avenue
