More than just Meat at Queens Comfort

Tonight was special, as I went out to support and celebrate the accomplishments of one of my favorite food blogger comrades, Bradley Hawks. For those of you not familiar with Bradley’s work in the food world, it’s quite remarkable how he has his fingers in so many honey pots, and I always marvel at how much he juggles. Not only does Bradley write and edit BORO Magazine, he’s also a contributor to the Village Voice, writes his own blog, guest posts on We Heart Astoria, and takes beautiful photographs for many local restaurants in Astoria and LIC.

Probably known most famously for the latter, Bradley’s photos always entice, tease and make the mouth water. In fact, tonight’s celebration was all about his photography, as Queens Comfort proudly showcased some of Bradley’s best works.

Aside from marveling at the beautiful shots of sushi, burgers, pizza, sandwiches and the many other wonderful foods that serve as muses for Bradley’s photography, Meg and I also enjoyed some quintessential Queens Comfort eats. After a long day, we were both loving all their little indulgences and concurred that the quality of everything we had was great.

BBQ Tofu Sandwich – Seeing an enticing picture of this sandwich from none other than Bradley, I was excited to see it on the menu and went for it. It didn’t disappoint, and in fact far surpassed expectations, as it was a beautifully composed dish with fried tofu, crispy slaw, a tangy Siu Hauu sauce, enveloped in a buttery brioche bun. The tofu was really crunchy on the outside, decked in a golden fried crust, and it was tender and substantial on the inside. I love how that sauce permeated into the little nooks inside the tofu that gave it a very delicious Asian flavor.

Donuts – The first thing we smelled when we came in were the donuts, and they looked divine to boot! We loved watching them be prepared - first the glaze was added and then they were topped with a little fried donut hole.

There were two varieties we tried including the Oreo and the PBJ. I preferred the latter, as it was glazed first with some creamy peanut butter and then topped with a light strawberry jelly. The inside was cakey and wonderfully soft, while the outside was a little crunchy. Although it was tempting to finish completely, I had to hold myself back so I can try its Oreo companion. Even though I liked it a lot, I thought that the Oreo cookies could’ve been more prominent in the donut, and there wasn’t much going on in terms of the creamy white filling. I felt this donut wanted to achieve that nostalgic Oreo-ness but only got there halfway.

Service and Cost:
Despite it being a busy night at Queens Comfort, the service was pretty quick. Even though it would’ve been nice to refresh our waters and get us some more napkins, the actual food came out in good time, and we didn’t have to wait long for the check either. Overall, the staff is friendly and pretty laid back. I felt that we could’ve hung out for a while even after we finished eating.

Costs are affordable, but know that it’s still a cash only establishment. I paid a total of $16 with tax and tip for my sandwich.

3 Comfortable Mmmms

Queens Comfort - 40-09 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103

646.597.8687

N/Q Train to 30th Avenue

www.queenscomfort.blogspot.com 

Basil Brick Oven's New Menu Items are Scrumptious

Last week was really fun as far as foodie adventures go, as I found myself at a Queens food blogger tasting at Basil Brick Oven Pizza, organized by none other than my friend, Bradley Hawks.  Known for his tantalizing pictures of food (aka ridiculously graphic food porn), Bradley did a great job of uniting a lot of different Queens food personalities under one roof.  Basil Brick was only too happy to host and show off their new goods, as they have tons of new menu items they were curious to get in the right hands (and mouths).  While there was maybe a bit too much food served, I really enjoyed what I had and wanted to give you all the highlights.  

Octopus Carpaccio - The mere concept of this dish sounded innovative, and I was curious as to how their octopus would stack up.  Everyone literally oohed and ahhed when the dish arrived, in all its asymmetrical glory, which showed the rustic and beautiful texture of the octopus.  I loved the acidity in its glaze and the octopus felt cool yet anything but tough.  This reminded me of the perfect summer dish I'd love to have while lunching on the beach - the fresh tomatoes, lemon and arugula were lovely too.

Giant Meatballs Marinara - There's really nothing like having great meatballs in a delicious Italian restaurant and these tasted as good as they looked.  You can tell that the marinara sauce was made from scratch, with a slightly acidic bite and a fragrant basil essence  that lingered on your tongue.  The meat itself was soft and juicy, and went beautifully with the stringy fresh muzz that hugged the top of the meatball.

Fresh, Stuffed Mozzarella Balls - And speaking of fresh mozzarella, these pretty pinwheels made me really happy.  Combining some of my favorite things such as salty, soft cheese with the peppery arugula and the smokiness of the sopressata, it was a true winner.  Dressed with a ribbon of sweet balsamic glaze, it also reminded me of eating al fresco in the summertime.  It's definitely a dish that I'll be coming back for either now or in warmer summer months.

Green Lasagna - I've never seen such solidarity in opinion as when we tasted this dish.  Everyone was truly in love with its simple, yet innovative take on lasagna, that was actually very Piedmontese.  Combining garlicky homemade pesto with sheets of pasta and a soft pesto-potato mixture, it pleased both the veggie and meat eaters.  In fact, many of my dining companions said that this is all they needed to make the night complete.  I concur wholeheartedly - especially since it was such a hearty, filling dish.

Service:
Even though this was a rather large dinner, you couldn't help but notice the hospitality and warmth that emanated from every crevice of the dining room and kitchen.  Chef Daniele and his business partners were more than generous and entertained all our questions, but weren't afraid to ask for feedback.  My only constructive point I want to stress is that it was a bit too much food. But don't get me wrong - it was all soo, soo goood.  Mille grazie Bradley and the Basil Brick Oven Pizza crew.  Mission tight waisted pants accomplished :)

Basil Brick Oven Pizza - 28-17 Astoria Blvd, Astoria NY 11102
718.204.1205
N/Q Train to Astoria Blvd
www.basilbrickoven.com