Surprise...the chill is back in our neck of the woods! Just another good opportunity to highlight the warming foods and drinks you can get around town to deal with yet another round of the polar vortex.
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Image by Bradley Hawks
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Wine is always a good idea, especially at Bear where they're featuring $20 bottles, each day. Check it out also for their warming Russian-style cuisine such as hot Ukranian borscht, cabbage and beef casserole, hunter's stew (with lamb) and more. 12-14 31st Avenue, LIC. 917.396.4939
For more vino goodness, Rest-au-Rant is a great option, especially on Wednesdays when all their wine is 20% off. Pair it with something luxurious such as their savory fondue or a gooey gorgonzola, fig and green apple panini. 30-01 35th Ave, LIC. 718.729.9009
I'm loving Alewife's new craft beer collection, including thick malty options such as Peak Organic Oak Aged Mocha Stout, which can be enjoyed with a signature, Sigmund's Pretzel Shop pretzel. If you haven't tried one yet, they're absolutely fantastic! 5-14 51st Avenue, LIC. 718.937.7494
There's nothing like a warm, delicious, melty mac 'n cheese and the one at the Sage General Store is hard to beat. Featuring a five cheese concoction with spicy cayenne breadcrumbs on top, it's the ultimate comfort food. 24-20 Jackson Avenue, LIC. 718.361.0707
Warming up with a tasty burger is easy to do in the nabe, and these days I'm pretty excited about BareBurger's new bar offering, which goes beautifully with one of their signature burgers such as the Roadhouse or the Big Blue Bacon. The 31st Avenue locale now has a full on bar with signature cocktails such as the Johnny Appleseed (bourbon, green apple, hot honey, ginger brew), Rachel Carson (rosemary infused vodka, blackberries, homemade lemonade), Old Macdonald (bourbon, white peach, agave punch) and more. Check out the awesome $50 gift card giveaway we're doing with BareBurger on We Heart Astoria. 33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria. 718.777.7011
You may have heard that the bi-annual Fancy Food Show is in town, which is the country's largest specialty foods conference, attracting more than 40,000 international visitors. I've been once before and was mesmerized as well as befuddled by the whole thing. The overall experience is pretty amazing, and gets better with each year, as new specialty foods vendors join and showcase some of the most inventive, interesting and ever so unusual products (i.e. even funky food fashion was exhibited - see ice cream pants above)
This year's show had special meaning to me, as I was so proud of our dear Astoria bringin' down the house by having a nice presence at the Cooking Channel Theater on Level 1.
Bear Restaurant Demo:
It was awesome to see Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky of Bear Restaurant today rockin' it out with her bad self, as she showed the curious foodie audience just how to construct a sophisticated and comforting Russian-style feast. Meg joined me for the demo as well, and we enjoyed learning about the way a traditional borscht is constructed, as well as the true meaning of Russian zakuski.
Doing an absolutely tremendous job, we were proud of Chef Natasha's accomplishments, as she presented with confidence and her quintessential easy going style. It was awesome to see a strong female chef representing for our neck of the woods, and I sincerely hope it continues to raise our profile as a culinary neighborhood, as well as to pique people's curiosity about Bear.
More Astoria Action:
If you're still planning on attending the show tomorrow, don't miss another awesome Astoria representation from Chef Youngsun Lee of The Queens Kickshaw. He'll be demoing a signature Kickshaw dish tomorrow at the Cooking Channel demo theater at 11:00 a.m. For a quick find, look for the NY aisle (aka aisle 4,600) on Level 1.
Go Astoria...R-E-P-R-E-S-E-N-T!
As we begin feeling the winter's chill, lots of great restaurants that are in tune with the seasons are adjusting their menus - and Bear of course always leads the pack in bringing us season appropriate dishes. What I love about Bear is that comfort food is in their blood, being that the owners, Natasha and Alex have Russian roots. It's the perfect kind of winter food in my opinion, and I was excited to learn about their new winter offering that spills into every part of the day from brunch to dinner. Just take a look at a sampling of their new yummies - now available at Bear.
Brunch:
Borscht - Hearty beet borscht, served warm prepared with potatoes, cabbage, carrots and other market veggies...$7
Chicken liver mousse - Made with French brandy, served on a crostini
Hunters Stew - Lamb, goat, beef, pork stewed in red wine with vegetables and herbs...$21
Veal Dumplings - Ukranian style dumplings in a caramelized onion creme dill gravy...$18
Bear Eggs Benedict - Toasted French baguette, pork loin, poached eggs, fresh Hollandaise sauce and a side of habanero salsa verde...$14
Tofu stir-fry (vegan) - Marinated tofu stir fried with fresh greens and vegetables...$14
Dinner:
Golden Egg - Deviled eggs with smoked fish and caviar...$12
Mini meatballs - With Italian tomatoes and aged white cheddar...$11
Roasted Duck with Apples - Slowly roasted Long Island duck served with pan fried potatoes...$23
Mushroom Stroganoff - Vegetarian mushroom pasta served with stewed forest mushrooms in a light cream sauce with aged white cheddar. Can be made vegan...$18
Pork Loin Sandwich - Roasted pork loin on a fresh baguette with carrots, cilantro, sesame dressing and pickles. Served with steak fries...$16
Chef's 7-course dinner tasting - $68/person (tasting is based on seasonal dishes prepared daily by the chef)
Drinks:
St. Dill Martini - Cornichon pickle brine, mustard seed, Stolichnaya vodka. Garnished with a full small pickle and fresh dill...$12
Layover - Rum, lime juice, Cointreau, agave, French cognac...$12
Pond - Fresh mint, fresh limes, Bombay Saphire gin, agave nectar, served in a large chilled chalice...$11
Or...you can drink like the Russian Nobility and get the chilled vodka with a "zakuski" platter including Russian rye bread, pickled veggies, various smoked fish, cured meat, salad and warm bites, even a small book of translated Russian poems to take with you - $85/twoBear - 12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11106
917.396.4939
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bearnyc.com
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