A bit bummed out that summer is over, I have to face reality and embrace the upcoming fall season. But it's not all bad, as fall is a nice time of year with mild temperatures and some interesting seasonal eats. I love that some neighborhood eateries are adjusting their menus to reflect this seasonal change, and Bear is of course one such early adopter. Their fall menu looks quite enticing...full of root vegetables, mushrooms, and tons of protein. Just take a look:
Fall Dinner Menu:
Borscht – a creamy beet and tomato bisque, served with garlic dumplings...$6
Summer Squash Bisque – end of summer, bisque with sage and caramelized apple toast...$6
Green Cabbage Salad – peppers, ginger, apples, pears, scallions, sesame seeds, extra virgin sunflower dressing...$7
Stewed Forest Mushrooms – wild mushrooms, stewed with dill, garlic and cream, served with a poached egg, a blanket of cheese and brioche croutons...$9
Pate and Mousse – a plate house made seasonal pate and chicken liver mouse, marinated mushroom salad, grilled country bread...$11
Grilled Squid Salad with Baby Spinach...$9
Seared Diver Sea Scallops with pattypan squash, thyme, and cherry tomato...$MP
Long Island Duck Breast with roasted apples and seasonal fruit...$25
Lamb with cauliflower puree, and brussels sprouts tempura...$MP
Whole baked branzini stuffed with vegetables...$21
Wild Arctic Char with zucchini spaghetti and beet salsa $21
Prime Steak and fries...$MP
The Grizzly Burger – our signature burger served with Bear fries...$15
Rabbit Fettuccini in a creamy rosemary and garlic sauce...$18
Mushroom Stroganoff - perciattelli pasta with aged white cheddar and truffle puree...$18
Pumpkin Gnocchi in a brown sage butter sauce with toasted sunflower seeds...$16
Cod in white wine and ginger, served with braised leeks, turnips, and pears...$MP
Whole Roasted Chicken dinner with seasonal sides...$MP
Peaches and Plums Tart/Sweet calabaza squash pudding with halva cookies and winter berries/Apple Pie
Fall Brunch Menu:
Chowder – freshly made from seasonal ingredients...$6
Green Salad – mixed greens, seasonal vegetables...$7
Pumpkin Latkes...$9
Roasted Beet Salad with day-pickles, cucumbers, sweet red onions, dill-yogurt dressing...$11
Stewed Forest Mushrooms – wild mushrooms, stewed with dill, garlic and cream, served with a poached egg, a blanket of cheese and brioche croutons...$9
Deviled Eggs and Pate – a plate house made seasonal pate and chicken liver mousse, deviled eggs potato salad, grilled country bread...$11
Eggs and Caviar – poached eggs, squash puree, baby arugula, salmon caviar...$15
Seared Diver Sea Scallops backed into a sunny side omelet...$MP
Long Island Duck Breast in a pot with roasted apples, potatoes, mushrooms, and a 6 minute egg...$25
Organic Chicken in a basil-pesto sauce on artisan sandwich bread...$15
Ricotta omelet with tomatoes, fresh dill and aged white cheddar...$12
Whole baked Branzini stuffed with vegetables...$21
Shrimp Stew in fresh tomatoes, chilies, turnips, rice and okra...$17
Prime Steak and fries...$MP
Bear Breakfast – sausage, salmon, eggs, hash browns, toast...$17
French Toast – made with challah bread, fresh berry puree and crème fraiche...$12
The Grizzly Burger – our signature burger served with Bear fries...$15
Breakfast Fettuccini in a creamy rosemary and garlic sauce, crispy bacon and fontina cheese...$18
Mushroom Crepes with sour crème..$18
Beer Battered Fish Sandwich with house tar-tar sauce...$MP
Bear - 12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11106
917.396.4939
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bearnyc.com
We got up early this weekend to brunch with good friends Moses and Sonya. Moses' recent move to Oregon has left us missing our friends, so even though this meal was way early in the morning, Dan and I looked forward to it for many reasons, the food being just one of them.
I was amused to see that when we walked into BareBurger, we were its first customers. It was a cool feeling actually, as this place is anything but mellow during core business hours. We settled in the extended dining room and scored a comfortable booth, which I always prefer.
Although I've brunched here before, the menu changed a bit since then, and all four of us tried something we haven't yet had.
Carrot Cake French Toast - I always wanted to try either carrot cake pancakes or French toast, so here was my chance. Not sure if it would be a bread-like texture with shredded carrots inside, or actual carrot cake, I took my chances. What arrived was the latter - a large, thick slice of carrot cake that was battered in egg and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It was dense, moist and so very decadent. Although delicious, it was difficult to finish the whole thing, as it got a bit too rich for my taste. Dan helped me clean my plate, but in the meantime, I dived into the side of fresh bananas and apples, which were scrumptious. The home fries that sat in the middle of the plate were also tasty and wonderfully crunchy, but I couldn't see them making much sense with the French Toast, as they were too savory. It was a rather curious combo.
Chicken and Waffles -Dan was on the fence about this dish and in the end, he chose it still with some hesitation. As a result, he was disappointed, as he said the waffle wasn't soft enough and that the chicken was too fatty. I had a bite of it but didn't agree at all, so it may have been simply a matter of preference. The chicken meat wasn't all white, which I like but Dan found it off-putting.
Buttermilk Pancakes - Both Moses and Sonya ordered these, and while I didn't try them, they looked fluffy and decadent. They were a huge hit, as our friends didn't have any complaints and nearly finished the generous portion. The most amazing part of this dish was the gorgeous Nutella cream served on the side, raising the bar from ordinary pancakes, which these were not.
Service and Cost:
While our waitress was quirky and a little odd, I really liked her honesty and dedication to our every need. She checked on us often, and even offered to change Dan's order after his Chicken & Waffles wishy-washiness.
Costs are moderate and set us back about $19/person with tax and tip. This included coffee, soft drinks and a beer too.
2.5 Mmmms
BareBurger - 33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.777.7011
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bareburger.com
With Easter and Greek Easter this Sunday, you may find the normally buzzing neighborhood a bit quiet. A lot of businesses and restaurants will be closed, in honor of this holiday, but others will remain up and running and will feature some enticing specials. One of these comes from my favorite Southwestern eatery, Mojave. When it comes to celebrating something special, they're always ready and willing to pull out all the stops. Here's what they'll be featuring this Sunday.Easter Sunday at Mojave:Sunday brunch with a $15 add on for unlimited drinks.
They're offering 10% off the entire check with the use of a coupon. If you're interested, email me and I'll send it over to you.Here's a peek at their brunch menu to further entice you.Hope everyone has a happy and healthy Easter. Eat meat and be merry!
Mojave - 22-36 31st Street, Astoria, NY 11105
718.545.4100N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)www.mojaveny.com
