The Craft Beer Clambake at Snowdonia

Image by Snowdonia

In the true spirit of summer, I was interested to see that Snowdonia will be hosting a Monday eve Craft Beer Clambake during the entire month of June.  The menu intrigued me, as I'm a big beer and seafood fan - plus knowing that the beer comes from local Coney Island Brewing Co was a plus.  Check out the menu and pop in on a warm Monday eve to start your week:

The Craft Beer Clambake Menu:

Mains:
Broiled stuffed half lobster...$14
Clams & mussels in spicy beer broth...$12
Grilled hot sausage and peppers...$10
Monkfish corndogs...$10

Sides:
Roasted redskin potatoes...$4
Corn on the cob with miso butter..$5

Snowdonia - 34-55 35th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
347.730.5783
N/Q Train to 36th Avenue
snowdoniapub.com

It's Taste and Share Tuesday at Bistro 33

Image by Bistro 33

There's nothing like getting a great deal at a local eatery, especially on a lazy weekday evening, which is why I'm excited to tell you about Bistro 33's Taste and Share night.  It looks like the deal is a spin off from their usual 2 for $10 deal on Tuesday evenings, which is an equally great deal.  Here's the scoop about tomorrow:

From 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Enjoy $5 small plates on some of their signature items such as Lobster Poutine, Seafood Crepe, Moules Frites, Duck fried rice, and more!

You'll find discounted beer and wine as well, and there's nothing wrong with getting a little toasty with some friends or your significant other.  Here's to a good week!

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.721.1933

N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.bistro33nyc.com

New Winter Eats at Bistro 33

It's been quite a while since I've visited Bistro 33, but that'll soon have to change, as I recently learned about a few new menu items they're featuring this season.  Sounding all sorts of decadent and comforting, I think these specials will do the trick as far as winter food goes.  Take a bite out of these seasonal specials:

Lobster Poutine $14
Pomme frites, Maine lobster, cheese curd, bacon jus

Scallops & Bacon $13
Root vegetables quinoa, maple syrup glaze

Seafood Crepe $12
Seafood medley, cognac creme sauce, mushrooms

Short Rib Ravioli $8
Shallot garlic demi glaze

Bar Snacks:
Parmesan Popcorn $6
With pancetta crisp

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.721.1933

N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.bistro33nyc.com

A Very Lobsterific Valentine's Day

This past Valentine's Day was a lot of fun and pretty low-key too, as Dan and I stayed in and made surf and turf for dinner.  Part of that was boiling a giant live lobster, which was an experience we'll never forget.  We got a pretty big guy that you see above--a 2 pounder--and split it equally.  Even though it was our first time, I'd say we did pretty well and really enjoyed the sweet, succulent meat from the claws.  The tail was tasty too, but a little overdone - however, it was still such a nice treat, especially when dipped into the hot buttah.

The simplest way to cook a lobster at home is to boil it.  Here's what you do:

1.  You pick up the poor thing in your hands and drop it into a big pot of boiling water.  Make sure the water is seasoned with plenty of salt water (and by plenty, I mean 3-4 large handfuls of it)
2.  Depending on the weight of your lobster, boil it about 10 minutes per pound - so we boiled it for roughly 20 minutes
3.  Take out of the water and let rest for about 5 minutes
4.  Serve with warm clarified butter

We enjoyed this dish with a heaping spoonful of garlic mashed potatoes and lemon-misted asparagus.  Mmmm...it was a luxuriously decadent meal.  I hope you try it too sometimes.

Fun Dinner Special Tonight at Thymari

Image by Thymari

For those of you who stayed home this weekend, there's plenty to do.  Beside the U.S. Open, and the eats around it, which I'm totally addicted to, there's other things to munch on right in our neck of the woods.  I was excited to see this awesome special on dinner at modern Greek restaurant, Thymari.

Enjoy 20% off on all dinner entrees today all night long.  

This includes their lobster as well, which looks fabulous.  Other things I really enjoy here are their soutzoukakia (Greek meatballs), kolokythokeftedes (crispy zucchini fritters) and their variety of Greek spreads (aka Pikilia).

If you go, do let me know what you think of the lobster.

Thymari - 32-07 34th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.204.2880
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.thymari.com

Visiting Montauk and Their Famous Clam Bar

I'm happy to report that most of this week was spent chillin' and relaxing out East in Montauk, in celebration of my birthday.  Like a little kid, I tend to make my birthday celebration last a whole week and this year totally followed suit, as Dan and I headed out for a little mini vaca.  

Part of why I love the East end, including Montauk is for its fresh seafood, and we of course had nothing but this out there.  Loving the fact that you can get a lobster roll at the drop of a hat, we of course had to take advantage of this at Montauk's famous Clam Bar.

Atmosphere:
Located right off of the main road that leads into "Downtown Montauk" or 27 as the locals call it, the famous Clam Bar is a drive by kind of place.  The atmosphere is super lax, with white plastic backyard furniture set up as its outdoor dining room.  Each table is covered by a large umbrella, which helps shield the hot rays, especially during the summer months.

And although sitting down and enjoying the local atmosphere is quite lovely, you can also go up to the counter, order and take away.  Dan and I chose the former, wanting to relax and enjoy the summer vibe, including their classic rock music mix, and catching some rays in the process too.

Food:
I love that the menu includes all your seafood favorites such as clams, steamed lobster, lobster rolls (yay!), clam chowder, steamed mussels, fish and chips and more.  Aside from these mainstays, there are also a wide array of daily specials, which showcase just how fresh everything is.  In fact, we found out that The Clam Bar has their own fishing boat, which they take out each morning and catch the freshest stuff, for each day's service.

Lobster Salad Roll - I was a bit confused about why they were calling this a lobster "salad", as I always think of the chunky lobster meat rolls when ordering this dish.  The staff at the Clam Bar however assured me that this was no "fake lobster salad" but indeed the real thing, with chunky bits of lobster meat, a minimal amount of mayonnaise and some crunchy pieces of celery.  Even though I was still a little skeptical, what arrived in front of me was just awesome.  

The lobster roll was indeed what I was expecting - a beautiful, soft buttery bun, filled to the brim with chunky fresh lobster meat.  Amazingly flavorful, the combination worked beautifully and far surpassed my expectations, for there were tons of meaty pieces of lobster and the crunch from the celery added a nice, clean freshness.  The roll was so huge and so filling, that I gave away a few generous bites to Dan.  Even though I haven't tried the place across the street called Lunch, also known for their lobster rolls, everyone swears that Clam Bar's are better.  I trust this is true!

Fried Clam Strips and Sweet Potato Fries - Dan was dreaming about his beloved fried clam strips and this too delivered.  The clams were fresh as ever, and coupled with a tangy, homemade tartar sauce that we even used on their crunchy sweet potato fries.  The whole combination was just a mountain of fried goodness that I'd recommend in small doses, but still, a totally worthy summer indulgence.

Service and Cost:
Even though I wanted the service to be awesome, it just wasn't.  We found our waitress to be surly and rude, and like a lot of the restaurant service we encountered in Montauk, it was made up of 20 somethings who seemed to be too cool for school.  Even so, the food arrived really quickly and piping hot.

Costs aren't cheap, but given the quality of the seafood, they are fair.  The lobster roll set us back $19.50, which is pretty standard (even cheap for a good lobster roll), while the fried clam strips and the fries were $13 in total.  

3 Mmmms

Clam Bar at Napeague - 2025 Montauk Highway, Amagansett NY 11930
631.267.6348
www.clambaronline.com

Bistro 33's Winter Beach Party

Here's something fun and a little kooky to look forward to next week from the folks at Bistro 33.  I like that they often think of fun food events to shake things up, and I was surprised and also a little intrigued to find out about a winter beach party and clambake they're hosting next week.  Sounds like they want to shake things up and add a little whimsy to brighten up the winter blues.  Here's the special you can expect:

Wednesday, January 25th, starting at 5 p.m.

Lobster & Clambake
$5 Margaritas and other drinks special

They encourage people to dress up in the spirit of the clambake and they'll even provide beach balls, shades and hats.  It's going to be a sight to see...that much I can guarantee.

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105
718.721.1933
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
www.bistro33nyc.com 

Luke's Lobster - Simple and Perfected

Given our long Thanksgiving weekend, it was also a great time to explore new food places that have been on my must-try list.  One of those included Luke's Lobster, the rustic lobster joint that started out in the East Village and that now has locations virtually all around the city.  Dan and I visited the Upper West Side locale. 

The legend of Luke's Lobster has to do with freshness and being supplied directly from Maine shores - no middle man involved.  Therefore, you know that your lobster is freshly caught and hasn't been transported to your plate from afar.  And...you can therefore feel really good about eating it.

Atmosphere:
Staying true to its humble beginnings, Luke's Lobster is a simple, no frills place that feels like it belongs in a quiet New England town, as opposed to the busy streets of Manhattan.  In fact, when you step in, you're immediately transported into a more laid back place, and can't help but think of lazy summer days by the beach.

The space is long and narrow and decked with a couple of communal style high tables with stools.  A long mural, depicting a Maine beach scene on one side, and a busily stacked wall of Luke's redeemed frequent customer cards on the other, showcases just how popular it is.  I plan to put mine up there someday, as after my first experience, I can with certainty say I'll be back.

Food:
Dan and I both got the lobster roll combo, which came with a pickle, a bag of chips and a drink of choice.  We ooh'd and aaah'd as soon as we took a good look at this lobster roll, main reason being because the chunks of lobster were so gorgeous in color and so substantial in size.  What a bummer it is when you receive a lobster roll with more mayo than lobster, the whole thing resulting in a soggy mess! Well not this, for the lobster was surely the main ingredient, only hit with a touch of mayo and some ingenious house seasoning.  It was so simple, yet so very delicious, each bite of the chunky sandwich reaffirming to us the starring role the lobster played.  After we finished it, we felt satisfied and happy, as opposed to weighed down and overly full, as can be the case with heavily mayo-drenched renditions.

Service and Cost:
Although the service is as casual as the rest of Luke's, the staff is friendly and helpful, and generally seems happy to be there.  The woman behind the counter was nice and tried to accommodate Dan with the beer of his choice, after some ambivalence.  She had a sound idea of what was good, and tried to weigh out the options for us in terms of the best value.

Costs are very fair for the amazing quality you get.  Each lobster roll combo set us back $17, which included the aforementioned pickle, chips and a drink.

3 Mmmms

Luke's Lobster - 426 Amsterdam Avenue, New York NY 10024
212.877.8800
1 Train to 79th Street
www.lukeslobster.com 

More News about Lobster - This Time at Veslo

Image by Veslo

Once again...I have lobster news for you - this time coming from Veslo, the vibrant Balkan restaurant, located on Broadway near 32nd Street.  I love the personality and fun this place injects into their weekly activities and they've added another one to their roster.  I wanted to give you a heads up about it, as a special lobster theme night is happening next weekend, and it sounds scrumptious.  Five different lobster preparations all in a twelve hour time frame!

Here are the deets, and if you're interested, please make sure you call them to make a reservation, as they book up quickly.

Veslo's Lobsterfest 2011
Saturday, August 27th from 12 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Lobster prepared five ways including: lobster bisque, stuffed lobster, boiled lobster with butter, lobster fra diavolo, surf & turf and broiled lobster tail

What more can you ask for in a crustacean shin-dig? I'm pretty curious and may check it out with friends.  Hope to see you there.

Veslo - 32-11 Broadway, Astoria NY 11106
718.728.0549
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.veslonyc.com

Ornella's Lobster Night

It's fun to witness all the lively food developments percolating at Ornella, one of my all-time Astoria faves.  Their theme nights offer some pretty great deals including Thursday night pasta night, where you can get any pasta dish for just $10 off their special menu.  Through my many rave reviews about their pasta, I don't think I have to convince you to try it out.

But now Ornella has a brand new theme night on Tuesdays, which involves lobster.  That's right...lobsta!  Giuseppe, Ornella's co-owner loves to experiment with new things and happened to be serving linguine topped with lobster.  It was such a huge hit that it convinced him to expand the offering:

Tuesday Night Lobster Night
1 1/2 lb broiled lobster served with linguine - $21

Check it out and do let me know how you liked it.

Ornella Trattoria Italiana - 29-17 23rd Avenue, Astoria NY 11105
718.777.9477
N/Q Train to Ditmars
www.ornellatrattoria.com

Wednesday Nights are Lobster Nights at El Ay Si

Image by El Ay Si

Here's something fun, which can be a last minute deal for tonight or for any upcoming Wednesday at El Ay Si - Lobster Roll night.  They started this a few weeks ago and it seems to be going strong, with most nights experiencing quick sell outs of these crustacean wonders. 

They learned their lesson and stocked up this week, so in the event you do decide to get to it tonight, there's a good chance you'll get some.  I'd recommend calling ahead.

Here's what you'll get - nice sized chunks of lobster, coated with tangy mayo on a toasted, buttery bun.  Mmmm...can't you just smell the summer in that?

Each roll is $19, which is a lot but the quality should be worth it.  Try it and let me know what you think.

El*Ay*Si - 47-38 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City NY 11101
718.389.8781
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.elaysi.com