Uncomplicated but Tasty Brunch at Woodbines

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving last night, and that your bellies are still full (but not in an uncomfortable way).  While many of you may have lots of delicious Thanksgiving leftovers you can't wait to bite into, there's also a lot going on in the neighborhood in terms of brunch.  I wanted to tell you about the simple yet delicious brunch I had with my friend Julie last week in LIC at Woodbines.  While the food was simple, it was classic and definitely makes for a good way to enjoy an afternoon.

Atmosphere:
Being that Woodbines is a fairly new restaurant on the Vernon Blvd strip, it was pretty darn busy last weekend.  We went in towards the late-ish side of brunch - after 2 p.m. and it was still kickin'.

I remember this space from when it was Lounge 47 and while the layout remains the same, the furnishings have been revamped in a nice way.  The wall accents are lovely, adorning distressed wood paneling on one side and some vintage wallpaper on the other.  It's a little hipster but still feels comfy and lived in, and it seems like folks from the nabe agree, as we saw tons of parties of all types dining there - from families with young children to couples, and good pals like Julie and me.  Everyone feels welcome!

Food:
It's pretty easy to make a decision here, as the brunch menu features a modest list of options.  Not that there's not enough to choose from, it's just that the menu is definitive, classic and no frills.  Here's what we ended up with:

Woodbines Omelette - Their signature omelette promised a medley of hearty ingredients such as bacon, peppers, onions and Irish cheddar, with a side of home fries.  I thought the omelette was nicely cooked and contained a generous amount of the aforementioned ingredients.  The cheddar was especially silky and melted nicely into the egg.  Even though there was a little too much of it for my liking, it gave the dish a hint of decadence.

While the home fries were really tasty and crunchy, they looked a little too well done on the outside.  Sure this was a bummer in terms of taking good food porn pics, but the dish didn't lack in the flavor department.

Bloody Mary - I love me a good Bloody Mary and Woodbines' version totally delivered.  Again, a simple rendition of this classic drink, it contained a nice spicy mix of flavors (lots of Worcestershire sauce and horseradish) that gave it a kick with each gulp.  I appreciated the fresh garnish of lemon and lime, along with a nice piece of crunchy celery.  It was quite the stiff drink, and I was glad we took a stroll around the neighborhood after brunch to burn some of it off :)

Portabella Salad - Julie enjoyed a heaping portion of portabella salad, and for someone who adheres to a gluten free diet, it was a good choice.  While there was nothing exceptionally spectacular about this salad, the veggies were fresh, crispy and generally of a good quality.

I'd also like to mention that Woodbines boasts 3 varieties of gluten free beer, one of which Julie tried and spoke well of.  I had a glug of it too and couldn't tell the difference with this Widmer Omission Gluten Free Pale Ale.  

Service and Cost:
Our waiter was nice and accommodated all our high maintenance, gluten free requests.  Although we sometimes felt he could've been a little more attentive, overall we were relaxed and happy to hang out at our table as long as we liked.  Note that if you're looking for a quiet place to escape on a weekend, this won't be it though, as the atmosphere is pretty energetic, but it suited us well.

Costs are moderate and for the aforementioned meal, including an alcoholic beverage, we paid about $24/person with tax and tip.

If you'd like to try Woodbines out this weekend, know that they'll be participating in LIC's Leftovers for Leftovers food event, where you can get a small-plate special of their eats for $8/person.

2.5 Mmmms

Woodbines - 47-10 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101
718.361.8488
7  Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.woodbinesnyc.com

Astoria Bier & Cheese Satisfies the Gluten Free

After what was a very exciting day on Friday, as I did a fun foodie taping for JOJ.sk TV, Dan and I headed over to Astoria Bier & Cheese for a little respite and celebration.  Wanting to stick to my gluten free diet (2 days to go!), I knew they'd have some yummy options to choose from, some of them in beer form.

Our visit confirmed my suspicions, as Astoria Bier & Cheese is indeed a gluten free friendly establishment, and I was delighted to see a whole rack of gluten free beers that were already nicely chilled. Here's what we tried:

Celia Saison Beer - I must admit, the beautiful bottle design caught my eye, and the foreshadowing of fruity hints totally sold me.  The beer comes from The Alchemist brewery in Vermont that's also the originator of the delicious Heady Topper beer.  The Celia provided a smooth, slightly sweet and citrusy taste from the orange peel, which is one of its main ingredients.  It's almost impossible to taste the difference between this and a regular beer, except that you don't feel uncomfortably full after.  I give it two heady thumbs up!

Jerky & Cheese Platter - Never mind the little bread slices on the side (I left those for Dan), but all the other stuff you see here is deliciously gluten free.  All the jerky comes from a local supplier, Lawless Jerky and boasts three varieties including a chipotle honey, a Hawaiian style called Aloha Teriyaki and a Sweet Sriracha.  And although the pieces are teeny, the flavor is intense and goes a long way.  I loved pairing the meat with a sliver of cheese, the smoked gouda was particularly nice to pair with the spicy chipotle honey.  Dan loved it too, but wished there was a more of it.

Service and Cost:
We experienced good service and I liked how knowledgeable the staff was about the gluten free beer in particular.  Once we sat down, our jerky & cheese platter came out promptly and our server thoroughly reviewed everything on our plate with us.

Costs are pretty darn expensive, not for the beer, but more so for the jerky platter, which set us back a whopping $13.  With the beer, we paid about $28 in total including tax and tip.

3 Mmmms

Astoria Bier & Cheese - 34-14 Broadway, Astoria NY 11106
718.545.5588
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.astoriabierandcheese.com