Tonight, I had the distinct pleasure to try out an Astoria sweet institution otherwise known as Cafe Boulis. Known for its famous loukomades dessert (aka Greek donuts), I was eager to see what the hype was all about. Happy to say that Boulis satisfied my sweet tooth and then some, I'll certainly be going back and buying some of these sweet goodies in bulk.
Atmosphere:
Situated just around the corner from the Astoria Bookshop, Boulis Cafe was the perfect place to stop after tonight's reading of Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking. While it's just a small storefront, it's hard to miss from the street, as the signage is nice and bright.
Once you walk in, you're welcome by a narrow but cozy space that emanates with amazingly sweet smells. You'll notice a display of pretty desserts such as cookies, baklava, cakes and other yummies, which are modest in volume but look oh so inviting. The fresh loukomades are made to order in the back of the cafe to make sure they come out piping hot and fresh. Although they have a few tables out front in the semi-covered seating space, my friend Emily and I sat inside on the elevated counter stools. Since it was a little late, we were the only ones in there and enjoyed some peace and quiet.
Loukomades - The piece-de-resistance here was truly stellar, and something I'm already dreaming of getting again. Shaped unlike the traditional donut holes, but instead looking more like a donut with a hollow middle, they were the lightest, airiest loukomades of their kind. Each bite was truly a pleasure and exposed the airiness inside. The outside was slightly crispy and glazed perfectly in a delicate simple syrup concoction and then sprinkled with cinnamon. A light dusting of powdered sugar added that extra indulgence, which we certainly weren't opposed to.
Service and Cost:
While the service isn't as sugary sweet as the loukomades, the staff is relatively nice and accommodating. I like that we were left alone to enjoy our sweets and didn't feel the least bit rushed to leave.
Loukomades are affordable!
6 pieces- $4
12 pieces - $8
24 pieces - $15
3 Sticky Mmmms
Cafe Boulis - 31-15 31st Street, Astoria NY 11106
718.806.1014
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.cafeboulis.com
A few weeks ago, Meg and I spent some time at Telly's Taverna - a Greek Astorian institution in its own right. It's bizarre to me I've often overlooked Telly's, especially when I lived in this neighborhood, but after our delicious experience, I can confidently say that won't happen again.
Atmosphere:
Pretty traditional as far as Greek restaurants go, Telly's is set up not unlike a lot of its neighboring comrades. The kitchen (including grill) is situated up front, accompanied by a more casual dining area, while the whole left side of the restaurant serves as the formal dining room, and it's where all the action takes place, so to speak.
Loving the spacious room that accommodates both large and intimate parties, Meg and I sat at a four top table towards the back. Even though the front of the room was more appealing, and buzzing with energy, it was quite chilly due to the open windows. The open air atmosphere is great during warm summer months though, and gives diners a good opportunity to observe the goings on on 23rd Ave. It's not unlikely to see a lot of large parties dining at Telly's during the weekend or a weeknight, celebrating a holiday or a special family occasion.
Food:
Although we came hungry, we were so not prepared for this giant feast. Needless to say, we walked out happy and had plenty of leftovers for the upcoming week.
Mezze - Interested in trying a variety of mezze, we went for veggie centric dishes as well as seafood. The veggies were fantastic, and stood out to me both during this course as well as when paired with entrees. The green salad and the tomato cucumber salad were fresh and zesty, and topped with plenty of milky feta. Dressed simply with good quality olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice, it was the perfect way to whet our appetite.
The other big app standouts were the grilled octopus and the gigantes beans in tomato sauce. I loved the slightly crunchy exterior of the octopus and the melt-in-your-mouth middle, which was cooked just right. Surprised by the burst of flavor in the gigantes beans, this was a real comforting dish, as it was stewed in a homemade tomato, garlic/onion sauce that conjured up memories of grandma's kitchen.
Main Dishes - Pleasantly overwhelmed by the rich spread of meat and seafood in front of us, we tried a little bit of everything and had a hard time deciding what we liked best. If I'd have to choose, I'd give the standing ovation to the grilled biftekia and the juicy lamb chops. Both were simple, but beautifully executed dishes that were flavored with fresh herbs and lemon. Paired with classic side dishes such as thin Greek chips with oregano and perfect lemon potatoes, they'll satisfy even the most discerning customer.
Although we couldn't finish everything at that moment, we took a lot home, which made for great leftovers - especially the biftekia, which I later tore into salad.
Dessert - I love me some loukomades (Greek donuts with honey) and these looked and tasted impeccable. Boasting a beautifully golden brown exterior and a soft and airy interior, they were pure heaven with a little bit of cinnamon and honey on top.
Service and Cost:
The staff at Telly's is made up of experienced and friendly waiters who are knowledgeable about the food and pay a lot of attention to diners' needs. We always felt well taken care of, our glasses of water refilled frequently and our sharing plates refreshed periodically. It was nice to know that we could hang as long as we wanted to without being bothered.
Costs are really fair given the high quality of food, and Telly's is a restaurant I'd happily return to in the near future:
Mezze - $4 - $16
Meat - $12 - $24
Seafood - $12 - $24
Dessert - $6
3 Mmmms
Telly's Taverna - 28-13 23rd Avenue, Astoria NY 11105
718.728.9056
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
www.tellystaverna.com
Last week, Meg, Mackenzi and I hosted our bi-monthly Queens Blogger Social, and this one was in one of my favorite Modern Greek eateries, Ovelia. I haven't been to Ovelia in a while, and therefore I was totally craving their food, including lamb, veggies and their sweets too.
Putting on quite the feast for us, Ovelia provided a fabulous menu, tailored just to us, including shared appetizers, a personalized entree and once again, family-style dessert. Here are some newbies I tried:
Salads - We started with two types of salads, including the village salad, which was Ovelia's take on the Greek salad, as well as the Prasini, with lettuce, dill, scallions, simply dressed with oil and vinegar. I liked both, but preferred the latter, as it was super refreshing, and the dill added an earthy, clean - almost surprising - flavor. It was extra delicious when paired with the triangular pieces of warmed, spiced pita, set at the table.
Grilled Kalamari - Even though this is a staple at Greek restaurants, I've never yet had it here, and it definitely delivered. The squid was cooked perfectly and boasted a slightly charred exterior, which I loved. I liked to see that the pieces were significantly sized, and once again, it was nice to couple this dish with the warm pita. It even made for good leftovers the next day, which is a sign of good quality seafood.
Kontosouvli - This in my opinion was the piece-de-resistance - a slow roasted rotisserie pork, which looked and tasted as if it came right off the spit. It was great to see that its texture was tender on the inside with a really juicy bite, while the outside was a tad crunchy and just like the kalamari, also slightly charred. You can eat as much or as little as you wanted, since the meat was sliced into small cubes, which was good enough for a tasting or indulging in several bites.
Loukomades - A sweetly scrumptious finish to this meal came in the form of mini honeyed doughnuts with a fabulously light middle. Besides being glazed with honey, the loukomades were topped with gooey nutella as well as vanilla ice cream. Creating our own Greek Sunday if you will, you could also layer the chopped almonds on top, which were respectfully served on the side in the event of someone having a nut allergy.
Beer - In addition to all the food, we also indulged in a special tasting of Singlecut Beer from the new brewery, opening up next month. Our friend and fellow We Heart Astoria contributor, Andrew brought in a few samples of it for everyone to try, which we thoroughly enjoyed. I got to taste a bit of their lager as well as a darker beer that was almost like a stout. I enjoyed the latter more, as it had a hearty (almost coffee) flavor that totally agrees with fall. Looking forward to the day the brewery opens, I'm sure there will be lots more delicious brewskis to sample.
Service and Cost:
Not only was our server totally on point and really lovely, everyone else treated us with tons of hospitality and attention. I really felt that we were taken care of very well, all our dishes coming out in good time and our every wish and need fulfilled - and then some.
Costs are moderate to inexpensive and the entire dinner I just mentioned set us back about $40 per person, including tax and tip.Ovelia Psistaria - 34-01 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
718.721.7217
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.ovelia-ny.com
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