This weekend was quite a busy one, as I attended several blog related press events, celebrated a dear friend's new journey in life and got to check out a few new neighborhood haunts. One of these happened to be Dutch Kills Centraal, the newish neighborhood bar in the Dutch Kills area on 39th Avenue. Some of you may know it for its recent name trademark controversy with Dutch Kills bar, which is being fully appealed.
But...let's get to the facts:
Atmosphere:
Very much a neighborhood watering hole, Dan and I walked in at an odd time, as we were in the mood for a quick snack and a drink before moving on to the city. We found the bar to be cozy and filled with a few people, celebrating a child's birthday party. Even though this was a bit unusual, it spoke volumes of DK Centraal's friendly, hospitable environment.
Inside, you'll find a nice looking mahogany bar that stretches through the entire length of the main room. On a chill afternoon, we got our pick of seats, but I imagine it gets busy in the evenings. Along the perimeter of the room, there's lots of little tables and an overall spacious airy vibe that makes this place feel very comfortable and conducive to just lounging around.
Food:
Although I wasn't very hungry, Dan was ravenous and ordered a burger sans the bun. Of course I teased him about it, but what came out was as equally impressive as it was delicious. The juicy burger patty totally hit the spot, and it was cooked to a perfect medium texture.
A heaping portion of shoestring fries with skins still on provided a tasty accompaniment that was made even better when dipped into a spicy aioli. An overall solid meal experience made me curious about other things on the menu that I'll have to explore next time (such as the fish and chips).
Service and Costs:
Staying true to its neighborhood vibe, the service at Dutch Kills Centraal also feels personal and friendly. It didn't take long for the bartender to strike up a conversation in getting to know us and vice versa. Enjoying the friendly banter, we'll look back on our experience fondly and would love to return for a tasty bite and a filling pint.
Costs are on the higher side for a casual bar, but definitely justified due to quality and an overall positive customer experience. We paid a total of $25 for Dan's burger, a beer and a club soda.
3 Mmmms
Dutch Kills Centraal - 38-40 29th Street, Long Island City NY 11101
718.606.8651
N/Q Train to 39th Avenue
www.dutchkillscentraal.com
I love exploring new restaurants in Astoria and LIC, especially in untapped locales such as LIC's Dutch Kills area. Visiting Crescent Grill a few months ago for their big debut party, I got a little taste of what this neighborhood has to offer, which is plenty.
Meg and I had the fun of paying another visit to Crescent Grill the other week, properly sampling their refined, sophisticated menu. There's a lot there that impressed and surprised us in positive ways, and Crescent is certainly a place I'd return to again sooner than later.
Since I've already told you about the atmosphere back when I first wrote about this place, let me get right to the eats.
Food:
Sharing a meal with Meg is always fun, which allows us to really experiment with a menu. We enjoyed this style of dining at Crescent Grill, and ordered off their regular, prix-fixe as well as the lounge menu. Needless to say, there's lots of great options for everyone.
Endive Salad - This was my pick, as I adore endives and thought they'd be nice alongside crunchy bartlett pears. Overall, the salad far surpassed my expectations in presentation and taste. It looked striking, made up of little endive and pear peaks, which were then further embellished with frisee salad, dried cranberries, blood oranges and manchego cheese. For a simple salad, it sure provided an explosion of flavors!
Pappardelle Pasta - Meg had her eye on this homemade pasta dish and it totally delivered. The pasta was as fresh as can be, and showcased a beautiful explosion of colors from veggies such as brussels sprouts, kabocha squash and cherry tomatoes. A luxurious duck confit tied it all together, making it feel refined.
Yellowfin Tuna Tartare - A little welcome surprise from the chef put a smile to our faces, as we devoured this beautifully constructed tuna crudo, dressed in a citrusy, slightly spicy Thai chili dressing.
Braised Colorado Lamb Shank - I was really in the mood for something warm and comforting on this cold, rainy night, so I chose this hearty lamb shank entree. The meat was tender and succulent, falling off the bone, as it should. A few earthy elements in the form of roasted root veggies such as squash, zucchini and even rhubarb created an exclamation of flavors that had us licking our plate clean.
Crescent Burger - Meg couldn't resist Crescent's rendition of a classic burger, which you can order from their lounge menu. We oohed and ahhed when it arrived, as the burger looked scrumptious - the meat glistening from all that delicious juice and a mountain of double fried French Fries fit for the most discerning foodie. It more than delivered on its promise, and I'd put this burger right alongside other Astoria and LIC greats such as The Sparrow and Sweet Afton.
Chocolate Tart - Since we were on such a roll with the food, we couldn't ignore dessert and ordered this classic chocolate tart. Although it sounded simple on the menu, it was anything but, with a crunchy toffee crust, a dark, luxurious chocolate middle and even a side of delicate vanilla bean ice cream. In two words - perfect nightcap!
Poached Pear - Another pleasant surprise from Chef Milton, this dessert looked like a piece of art with a pretty, crimson pear, macerated in port wine. Conjoined with a delicate coconut sorbet through the help of a puff pastry stick, I had a hard time deciding how to dig in. Dilemmas, dilemmas...
Service and Cost:
Similarly to when we first visited Crescent, we were treated in a friendly, hospitable fashion and it's clear that their staff is experienced. We especially loved chatting with Chef Milton who has so much passion for what he does and really respects the ingredients with which he cooks. It's evident that he's eager to share his passion with other Long Island City and Astoria residents, and I can't wait to see how his menu will change seasonally.
Costs are on the higher side for LIC, but totally fair given the high quality of the food:
Appetizers: $12 - $14
Entrees: $18 - $34
Lounge Menu: $11 - $19
3 course prix-fixe $29
3 Mmmms
Crescent Grill - 38-40 Crescent Street, Long Island City NY 11101
718.729.4040
N/Q Train to 39th Avenue
www.crescentgrill.com
Back in December, I attended a grand opening party at the new Crescent Grill in LIC. I liked it very much, and was especially impressed with the burgeoning Dutch Kills neighborhood and all the cool food and retail establishments that I encountered. While they didn't yet have a food offering during my visit, it has now been rolled out so I wanted to share the details.
Chef Owner Shaun Dougherty and Executive Chef Milton Enriquez, who's also a Food Network Chopped winner, have constructed the following delicious-sounding menu items. I hope you get to check it out soon.
Signature dishes:
Poppyseed Rock Shrimp Risotto - Mascarpone, Meyer lemon, broccoli florets, oven-dried tomatoes
Butter Poached Lobster - Fennel bread pudding, Thumbelina carrots,
black trumpet mushrooms, parsley beurre blanc
Braised Colorado Lamb Shank - Anson Mills grits, glazed kohlrabi,
roasted root vegetables, fresh horseradish
3-course Prix-Fixe Brunch $25
Includes a main course as well as a savory & sweet selection for the table:
Greek yogurt, house-cured salmon, wild mushroom tartlets with
breakfast sausage, house-baked bread, Green Tea Financier, Chocolate Cupcake, Cheesecake, Hazelnut-Cinnamon Biscuit.
See their full menu here.
An added bonus - The Crescent Grill also offers free shuttle service in the above shaded neighborhood, which is quite convenient.
Crescent Grill - 38-40 Crescent Street, Long Island City NY 11101
718.729.4040
N/Q Train to 39th Avenue
www.crescentgrill.com
This past week, Meg and I had the pleasure of exploring a new LIC based bar and restaurant in the Dutch Kills area called Crescent Grill. Even though the shin-dig they threw on Thursday eve was technically a re-launch, I've never been there before, so it was all new to me.
Atmosphere:
Since the evening was all about celebrating, the atmosphere was fun and lively, peppered with tons of folks from the neighborhood, who were happy and eager to welcome Crescent Grill. On my walk over from the subway, I was surprised by how buzzing the neighborhood was, as I passed a holiday pop-up shop as seeing the new Dutch Kills Centraal bar. It was a welcome change to the neighborhood, which just a mere 2-3 years ago felt sleepy and deserted.
Once we walked in, Meg and I were impressed by the open space, which was studded by a plethora of beautiful local art and photography. In fact, the evening was also dedicated to a the opening of the Dougherty Gallery (connected to the restaurant), which pays homage to local LIC artists, some of whom were at the party. My favorite piece was the one shown above of the NYC skyline from an LIC vantage point.
Aside from the beautiful artwork, we marveled at the industrial-looking light fixtures and the exposed wooden beams. The overall vibe was industrial chic, but not in a pretentious way - it still accomplished to feel very warm and comfortable as well.
Food:
Although we mostly tasted a few standard appetizers, which were no doubt made just for the party, we took a peek at the menu, which looked delicious. Exemplifying new American cuisine, you can expect some pretty snazzy dishes, including seafood.
While they'll officially start serving food on the 18th, we found out they'll be featuring a $29 3-course dinner prix-fixe as well as weekend brunch. Milton Enriquez, who's the Chef here is also known for his success on the Food Network's Chopped program, so I'm quite excited about what he'll deliver in the coming weeks.
I'll circle back with more food details when they're ready, but in the meantime, I wanted to get you excited.
Crescent Grill - 38-40 Crescent Street, Long Island City NY 11101
718.729.4040
N/Q Train to 39th Avenue
www.crescentgrill.com
Just a little something to get you excited for next weekend, since this weekend is pretty much shot. Thanks Irene!
This deal comes from LIC friends and one of my favorite coffee shops in Queens, Sweetleaf. Admiring their recent collaborations with LIC neighbors such as Malu Ice Cream and now Dutch Kills, Sweetleaf does a great job of sharing the wealth with other businesses. In this special collaboration with Dutch Kills, they're putting together a free tasting party in honor of the PS1 MOMA warm-up send-off of the season. Here are more details and I hope you can attend - it sounds super fun.
Sweetleaf & Dutch Kills Free Tasting Party
Saturday, September 3rd from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Get a free caffeinaited alcoholic drink
Check out their Facebook page for more information
Sweetleaf - 10-93 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City NY 11101
917.832.6726
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Ave
www.sweetleaflic.com
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