Image by Veslo
One of my favorite ethnic eateries on Broadway, Veslo is rolling out two fun theme nights during the week, and it caught my attention. They'll be hosting game night every Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 p.m. to close, where you can enjoy playing nostalgic games such as Scrabble, Connect Four, Trouble, Checkers, Chess, Backgammon and more. Sounds like something totally up my alley and I hope yours too! But where does food and drink come in?
Special deals on drinks will be in order such as:
$15 pitchers of Blue Moon, Guiness, Sam Adams, Spaten & Stella
$4 domestic bottles - Bud, Bud Light, Coors Light
$4 well drinks and wine
While the food won't be on special per se, it's absolutely delicious and I highly recommend ordering the Dalmatian platter of various cured meats and cheeses, homemade gnocchi in veal sauce and don't forget about dessert in the form of Croatian style crepes or palacinke, as they call them.
Veslo - 32-11 Broadway, Astoria NY 11106
718.728.0549
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.veslonyc.com
718.728.0549
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.veslonyc.com
Just this week, a fellow Astorian, Ana gave us her take on a new Croatian restaurant, Veslo. Well I must say that it piqued my curiosity so much that I had to see it for myself. Taking a fellow Croat with me, my friend Jenny and I indulged in an evening of delicious eats and fond memories of our Eastern European culture.
Atmosphere:
Before I get into the details, I wanted to give a brief background about the word Veslo and its meaning. In Croatian as well as in other select Slavic languages including Slovak (my native tongue), Veslo means oar. The significance of this word is important because you see it as the dominant theme in Veslo's interior and exterior design. From its logo to its door handle to its ceiling and wall decor, oars are tastefully displayed everywhere.
I very much liked Veslo's set up - a long rectangular front-of-the-house with a modern, stone stacked bar, which then leads to a more squarish dining room with round tables for groups and square ones for couples. There's a large window in the back that peeks into Veslo's upcoming outdoor seating for when the weather gets warmer (I can't wait!) The color scheme is made up of reds, blues and earthy tones to conjure up images of the sea. I think it works well to create a relaxing, rustic vibe with a modern undertone.
Food:
It's not surprising to see that Veslo's menu is full of seafood specialties, which are interlaced into its every aspect. But besides all the fish, there are also wonderful meat and veggie options that brought me back to my Eastern European roots.
Grilled Octopus - Jenny was immediately drawn to this dish because it hit close to home, as her mom makes it on a regular basis. Needless to say, it had a lot to live up to.
Overall, the octopus delivered. Served in two large pieces that were beautifully charred on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside, it's one of the better versions I've had. In terms of flavor, both of us agreed that it fell a little flat - I think it needed more acid (even after we added a hefty sprinkling of lemon juice, it was missing that punchy zing).
Stuffed Cabbage - I can't even explain how excited I was to hear this was the day's special. Served up with a side of Croatian-style baked potatoes, it rested in the most amazing beef broth that had a slight sweetness to it. The cabbage itself was stuffed with a rice/beef mixture and plenty of delicious spices. Jenny went as far as to say it reminded her of her baba's (grandma's) stuffed cabbage.
Veal Gnocchi - Even before seeing the menu, Jenny knew she was getting the gnocchi (Ana's review enticed her). She gave me a generous amount to taste and it was pretty good. I won't say amazing because I thought the gnocchi were a bit dense, but the veal was tender and flavorful, and the thick veal sauce stuck to the gnocchi dutifully.
Palacinke - The Croatian version of crepes, we were eager to try Veslo's rendition and chose three different fillings - marmalade, chocolate and ricotta cheese. The latter was my favorite, as the ricotta was flavored with orange zest, producing the most delicate combination with the soft, airy crepe batter. The marmalade was yummy too but it would've been better with slightly less of it. Overall, this was a fantastic dessert that I'd love to repeat next time.
Service and Cost:
Since Veslo is a new establishment, the service was very careful, observant and dutiful. I liked our server who seemed to have a good understanding of the menu. On more than one occasion, one of the managers came by to check in on us - and not just because I was taking pictures, I saw this level of attention was given to everyone.
Prices are moderate - our dinner set us back $34/person including tax and tip (and drinks too).
Appetizers - $8 -$15
Pasta - $12 - $24
Fish - $18 - $28
Meat - $14 - $28
Dessert - $5 - $6
3 Mmmms
Today's post will shine a light on an enthusiastic Astorian who's a Foodista and We Heart Astoria reader. Ana lives and breathes Astoria, often chiming in about neighborhood happs, and she's involved with her community. Being of Croatian descent, Ana was especially excited when Veslo, a new Croatian restaurant moved into the neighborhood. Here Ana gives you her personal take on dining in this new, up-and-coming eatery.
Drop Your Anchor At Veslo by Ana Peraica-Stanton
I have the honor of reviewing a great new restaurant called Veslo that is close to home, being that I am Croatian. I decided to go here for my birthday and had the pleasure of dining with my husband Robert, my cousin Joann & her husband Paul and it was great. If you have been to or are from Croatia, it makes you feel like you are transported back there from the décor to the food and overall atmosphere. Definitely check it out if you want a small taste of Croatia without the travel. The service was great and the food was even better…I could not have asked for a more lovely evening.Atmosphere:There is a lounge, bar area when you first walk in. The restaurant is located in the back. It has a very inviting, comfortable, home like feeling. Overall, I would say it is casual but elegant at the same time. There are oars hanging from the ceiling and authentic Croatian antiques on the shelves along the wall, which gives you an indication of the Dalmatian inspired cuisine to come.Food:Here is a sampling of what we had to eat, which was all together wonderfully delicious!Appetizers:
Grilled Octopus - The octopus was soft and tender and tasted wonderful.Stuffed Mushrooms - Stuffed with meat and vegetables, these mushrooms were some of the best I’ve had. They had meat mixed into the stuffing that made it extra tasty and flavorful.Chef Boris Special - Hot seafood platter with clams oreganata, steamed mussels in a white wine sauce, grilled calamari, sautéed shrimp and eggplant rollatini. Everything tasted divine. Everything was cooked well in its own way, but the eggplant rollatini was my favorite. It wasn’t at all oily; there was a perfect amount of cheese and sauce.Entrees:Homemade Gnocchi in Veal Sauce - I’ve had gnocchi plenty of times, but these were awesome. They were light and soft, not leaving heaviness in your stomach, and the veal sauce had plenty of meat and flavor to add.Lobster Ravioli - Homemade lobster ravioli prepared in a light white wine saffron sauce. There was plenty of lobster in the filling, and the ravioli itself was cooked nicely…not mushy at all. The sauce complimented it very well.Grilled Sea Bass - Grilled Sea Bass served in a light lemon sauce. This was what I ordered and my favorite dish of the night. The Sea Bass was cooked perfectly…moist, tender and flaky with a crisp skin topped with a little olive oil, garlic and lemon. You don’t need anything else except a fork to eat it with. The Swiss chard and potatoes were a perfect accompaniment.
Mixed Seafood Platter - A mixed platter of grilled lobster tail, filet of sole, shrimp and calamari along with steamed clams and mussels in a white wine sauce. This was a fantastic fish dish to order if you wanted a little taste of everything, and it was all good.
Dessert:
Palačinke - Dalmatian style crepes served with chocolate, cheese or mixed marmalade filling. We had the palačinke filled with Nutella, topped with a little powdered sugar. They were warm with the Nutella melted a little in the middle. What a lovely dessert to end the evening with!
Tiramisu - I am not a fan of tiramisu, but decided to try it and it was really good…very creamy and tasty.
Chocolate Cake - I love chocolate cake, but did not enjoy this one that much. It was a little heavy on the rum.Service and Cost:We were seated right away and offered coat check. The waiter greeted us, introduced himself and was polite and fun throughout the evening. He brought over bread with an olive spread and extra virgin olive oil for dipping. Menus were given and drinks were ordered…a bottle of red and a bottle of white. We did not wait long for the food to arrive. And the best part was when the dessert came and everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to me! The owner came over at the end of the evening, asked how everything was and thanked us for coming which was very nice.
Overall costs are moderate to high and worth every penny. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended during evening hours especially on weekends.I will definitely be returning again soon, and bringing with me some of my non-Croatian friends so they can also experience a little bit of Dalmatian culture. I also look forward to when the small backyard they have will be open in warmer weather where I heard they will be offering whole roasted baby lamb, goat and/or pig on a spit fire roast grill. Dobar Tek! (good appetite)
3 Mmmms
Veslo - 32-11 Broadway, Astoria NY 11106
718.728.0549N/Q Train to Broadwaywww.veslonyc.com
