SingleCut's Pies Hit the Spot

Last weekend, my We Heart Astoria colleagues and I participated in Shore Fest, which overall was a nice experience. Getting to interact with lots of folks from the community and with local business owners is always a pleasure, but the day involved a lot of hard work as well, and we were quite tired after.

Deciding to reward ourselves by going to SingleCut Beersmiths for a drink and some grub, Meg, Dan and I had the pleasure of sampling a few eats we haven't had there before.  Here are my highlights:

Jumbo Soft Pretzel - They were out of this the last time we came, so we thought it'd be a fun item to share, which it was.  We loved its beautifully golden crust that was studded with grains of sea salt, and the beer cheese dip tied it all together.  I enjoyed the grain mustard as well, which added a welcome sharpness to the more neutral taste of the pretzel.

Meat Pies - We went for both of the chicken meat pie varieties, which included the Hickety Pickety with chicken, leeks and mushrooms as well as the King and I with Thai Curry.  I've had the latter already, and was more impressed with the Hickety Pickety, which was lighter and overall incorporated more classic meat pie flavors.  If you like funkier flavors and want to get fancy, the King and I, which has more spice to it is a nice option.

3 Bean Salad - Along with the meat pies, we also got a side of the three bean salad, that was mixed in with a healthy dose of feta cheese.  I enjoyed it very much, as it was served cold and was an overall refreshing way to enjoy an otherwise indulgent snack.  The salad was also quite filling and the portion was on the generous side, making it a great item to share.

Service and Cost:
Just like the few other times that I've been here, I wasn't too impressed with the service, which always has a bit of an edge.  They weren't super accommodating when we brought in a growler to be filled up, and overall had an air of nonchalance that I didn't entirely appreciate.

Costs are moderate and included roughly $25 for the above mentioned food, plus three beers.

2.5 Mmmms

SingleCut Beersmiths - 19-33 37th Street, Astoria NY 11105
718.606.0788
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd
www.singlecutbeer.com 

5 Napkin's Kegs & Eggs Brunch

Last week, I mentioned 5 Napkin's Kegs & Eggs brunch, which I had the pleasure to attend.  My mom and dad came along too and really enjoyed themselves.  Even though we didn't go too crazy with the beer, we had a taste of the SingleCut Billy 18 Watt IPA and liked its bitter hoppy flavor.  

Just to recap things for you a bit, Kegs & Eggs offers $20 bottomless pints for 2 hours during brunch hours.  

It was nice to see the patio open and by the early afternoon, it was nearly all filled up with hungry Astorians.  Many folks came with larger groups and seemed to make a social outing from this experience, which was great to see.
In addition to the beer of course, here are some dishes we tried:

Healthy Frittata - Wanting to keep things nutritious, I ordered the egg white frittata with spinach, tomatoes, onions and peppers.  It was nice and light with little air pockets inside that made it feel super fluffy.  The veggies added an earthy flavor, which went nicely with the well done hash browns and the side of salad dressed with a simple oil and vinegar dressing.  I like that it didn't make me feel overly full, but instead energized and satiated.

Other Dishes - My parents also went with lighter dishes, my mom ordering the Southwestern Chicken Salad and my dad also going with a chicken dish, the Churrasco chicken breast. I was intrigued by the chimichurri sauce on top of the latter dish, which made it look vibrant and taste delicious too.  My dad also liked the side of fried goodies such as French fries and onion rings.  A little bit of salad came with it too, making this a generous offering.

Service and Cost:
Excellence in service never fails to prevail here, as our waiter was really wonderful and paid attention to all our needs. We asked him to hold our food until my dad came to join us and he was more than happy to oblige.  Everyone was really kind and accommodating.

Costs are moderate and include anywhere from $9.75 - $15.50 for egg dishes or $11.50 - $18.95 for other lunch food.

3 Mmmms

5 Napkin Burger - 35-01 36th Street, Astoria, NY 11106
718.433.2727
N/Q Train to Steinway Street, R/M Train to Steinway Street
www.5napkinburger.com

Singlecut Premiers Meals on Thursday

It's no secret that Singlecut Beersmiths has received an overwhelmingly positive reaction since its inception, and the constant changes and improvements they've been making no doubt contribute to that.  As another one of these advancements, I was so excited to see that they're premiering their Meals offering this Thursday.  And what's on the menu, you ask? Artisanal meat pies to go with those hearty growlers of course.  Here's what you can expect:

Artisanal Meat Pies:
Brick cottage shepherds pie
Hickety-pickety - chicken, leek and mushroom
King & I - Thai curry chicken
Monsoon curry - vegetable curry
Over the moon - steak and mushroom

Sides:
Bacon & blue cheese cole slaw
3-bean salad
Pickled vegetables

One pie/one side $10

SingleCut Beersmiths - 19-33 37th Street, Astoria NY 11105
718.606.0788
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd
www.singlecutbeer.com 

Beer Workshop for the Ladies Tonight

Image by Singlecut Beersmiths

Astoria's newest brewery, Singlecut Beersmiths has certainly shook things up with not only their presence, but also with the innovative ways they bring good quality beer to the neighborhood.  Their tap room has become extremely popular on the weekends, so much so that they've extended their hours, and now comes a fun women's beer program they've introduced.

The cleverly named "Pint of Reference" night is a female oriented beer seminar, led by the "Queen of Kegs" expert, Trista Harnisch.  I really like this concept because opens up the male dominated beer world to us ladies.  If you're interested in joining tonight's seminar, contact Trista directly.  And let me know how you  like it!

SingleCut Beersmiths - 19-33 37th Street, Astoria NY 11105
718.606.0788
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd
www.singlecutbeer.com