FTW - Artopolis Cheese Pies

It’s been a while since I’ve set foot in Artopolis Bakery, as I’ve been trying to abstain from sweets and various types of baked goods.  Saturday however, was a different story, as I took the opportunity to indulge and bring some of their goodies over to my brother and sister-in-law’s lunch get together.

Naturally, I wanted to get Artopolis’ rosemary bread that goes well with hummus, olives and even just on its own.  But one can’t simply leave this place without picking up a few other provisions.

Cheese Pies – The bread counter at Artopolis not only serves a few varieties of rustic loaves, it also boasts a display of different cheese and spinach pies.  I chose two varieties of the former, one of which was savory, boasting a crumbly thick crust and a tender, savory middle.  Although I’m not 100% certain of the cheeses used in this particular pie, my guess would be something like feta.

The sweet cheese pie was everyone’s favorite, which resembled more of a danish, and it was further sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon.  Heated up a bit, each bite was decadent, boasting a sweet/savory filling of anthotyro cheese.  Even the most discerning eaters found this pie delicious.

Spinach Pie – Who doesn’t love a classic spinach pie!?  This one was executed perfectly, with a pretty golden brown crust that was a little crunchy and crumbly too.  The bright green inside was earthy and vibrant, the spinach layers bejeweled with a few flecks of white feta.

Service and Cost:
Since the bakery was quite busy, it took me a while to get someone’s attention, but once I did, it was all good.  All in all, I was in and out in a matter of 10 minutes, which is more than acceptable on a busy Saturday.

Costs are expensive but worth every penny, setting me back $31 for two loaves of bread and 6 pastries.

3 Mmmms

Artopolis - 23-18 31st Street, Astoria NY 11105

718.728.8484

N/Q Train to Astoria Blvd or Ditmars Blvd

www.artopolis.net

Tasty Impromptu Dinner at Mezze Place

Tonight, I attended a lovely party at Mackenzi's brand new, Lockwood Shop, which is an evolution of her original Site.  The party was fantastic and gave me a chance to reconnect with folks in the community that I haven't seen this summer.  Meg was there of course, and the two of us decided to grab a quick dinner after the party at nearby, Mezze Place.  We felt like having something light, and since Mezze is also close to the train, it couldn't be more convenient.

We shared a few apps, including the Labaneh dip, bureke, falafel and the red lentil kofte.  While everything was really tasty and satiated us for the night, my two stand-outs were the bureke and the falafel, pictured above.

Bureke - Not reading the description carefully, what I thought this would be was a meat filled dish, however what arrived was something purely vegetarian.  I didn't mind, and in fact it worked out better, as the flaky pastry crust married so well with the spinach, feta and leek filling.  I liked that it was a little bit indulgent, but that the richness was cut with the fresh tomato coulis, which came as a side.

Falafel - I remember the falafel being good the first time around, but it particularly shined tonight.  The outside was crispy and nicely browned whereas the inside was almost bright green, slightly chunky and wonderfully garlicky.  It didn't need much in terms of a dipping sauce, but we couldn't help ourselves with the Labaneh, which was also a nice complement to all that hearty goodness.

Service and Cost:
We experienced really nice, attentive service tonight.  I liked that our waiter was easy going, but we never felt that he forgot about us, and our food came out in the perfect amount of time.  We hung around for a little bit to chat, and weren't in the least bit rushed to leave.

Costs remain wallet friendly, and for the above mentioned meal, we paid a total of $17 each including tax and tip.

3 Mmmms

Mezze Place – 31-18 Broadway #E, Astoria NY 11106
718. 777.2829
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.mezzeplace.com