xtrasharp1's Profile
Best Chinese Food in Astoria, Bayside, Whitestone ?
The place next to Ben's is or actually, was, Tofu. They are currently closed. Don't know why or if they're coming back.
desperately seeking brussel sprout sandwich
Not a sandwich but had brussel sprout bruschetta at the vegetarian restaurant at Eataly. It was practically a sandwich though as it was served on 2 hunks of bread. Not something I would normally get but it looked really good. Glad I tried it. Was a special on the day I went.
Chin Chin
A friend recently visited Nigeria and fell in love with a snack called chin chin. Anyone know where to get some?
Where to buy cheese curds?
Try Saxelby Cheesemongers at the Essex Street Market. I bought them there a few months ago.
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Saxelby Cheesemongers
120 Essex St, New York, NY 10002
Essex Street Market
120 Essex St, New York, NY 10002
Comments on Commander's Jazz Brunch
Perfect! Thanks so much for the info. I'm going to make my brunch reservation right now!
Comments on Commander's Jazz Brunch
Will the brunch at Commander's Palace provide us with a good enough idea of a meal there? It may be the only time of day we can squeeze it in. Also, any suggestions on what to order at the brunch?
Fino Tapas in Bayside
Just drove by the other night and was thinking of trying it again. Glad to see all the positive remarks. Reinforces my decision to go back!
Best Pizza in Queens ??
VIP on Bell is so good that they don't deliver and all they do is pizza, a couple of rolls and garlic knots. The guys there are sweethearts and the pizza is consistent.
Best Chinese Food in Astoria, Bayside, Whitestone ?
I like Peking House on Union Turnpike in Fresh Meadows. Similar to King Yum as to the old school Americanized Chinese food. You know, the minute you sit down, crunchy noodles on the table with duck sauce and hot mustard.
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Peking House
185-23 Union Tpke, Queens, NY 11366
Fino Tapas in Bayside
Glad to hear it. Will give it another go round. I really wanted it to be good because it is different and the place itself is really nice.
looking for off the beaten path birthday dinner place
If you go to Islero, try the forbidden black rice. So good...
Fino Tapas in Bayside
Fino opened on November 14 on Bell Boulevard. I was excited because, yes, there are nice places to eat on Bell but this was something different and the actual venue looked really nice and loungy. I went there on their second day. What a let down. We sat at a great bar type table near the window and perused the menu. The hostess came over and talked a little about the menu. We later came to realize she should probably be in charge. She was the only one with any sense.Cocktails were first. After we put in our order for some "signature" drinks, our server came back to our table to inform us that they were missing ingredients for one of the drinks my friend ordered. She was disappointed but picked another "signature". A surly guy from the bar came by about 10 minutes later and said our server should have told us they didn't have that either or the drink my other friend ordered. We asked him a question about one of the drinks, he walked away and never came back. About 10, 15 minutes later, the server came back and let us know 4 drinks were available including one of the ones they said they didn't have. It was raining and we liked our table so we cut them some slack and stayed. My blood orange mimosa was pretty good. Turns out the missing ingredient for the drink my friend wanted was champagne. Guess they never heard of a liquor store. We eventually ordered a meat and cheese plate that was truly disappointing and pricey. There were three of us and they gave us 4 pieces of bread. The cheeses were parmaggiano, gorgonzola and a brie type cheese the server couldn't name and never came back to tell us what it was. The meats were nice and more in keeping with the tapas theme. How is there not a Spanish cheese on the plate?!?! I get a less international but more enjoyable meat and cheese plate up the block from Press 195 for only 9 bucks! Despite the waiting and the missing ingredients, I think the lack of acknowledgement that they were slacking was the worse part. I didn't expect a free entree but a comped drink, an apology, a couple of things to taste, etc. would have been the right thing to do. The customer service was horrible. Believe it or not, I would like to go back to this place so I'm hoping these are all kinks that need to be worked out and that there'll eventually be some more favorable reviews posted here. Keep me posted...
FH Trader Joe's top ten hits? And will Amish survive?
Some faves from TJs:
Not a health nut but the multi-grain tortilla chips in the light blue bag are really good.
Pre-seasoned frozen wild turbot; very convenient.
Bruschetta in the jar.
Decent selection of frozen apps in a pinch. Mushroom turnovers are nice.
Frozen haricot verts rock.
Agree that produce mostly sucks but the non-organic romaine hearts last FOREVER and are very reasonable. And when I need a fresh pineapple fix, the cut up pineapple in the produce section rarely disappoints. They sell out of it quickly though.
Sala-New Meditteranean in Flushing
It's like a block away from Utopia. It's really an odd location. My friends just went as well and said the roasted chicken was excellent. If either one of you try it, please share. I'm definitely going to give it another visit.
Sala-New Meditteranean in Flushing
Went to a new spot on Friday called Sala on Northern between 189th and 190th streets. It's in a house that has been converted into a restaurant. The entire front yard is a dining space. That is the the thing that caught my eye. There aren't many places in this area that I know of where you can eat outside in such a large space. There are several appetizers on the menu. My husband and I shared a couple of apps, a salad and an entree. Apps were zucchini and eggplant chips with a side of tzatziki sauce (chips were crisp and well seasoned. Sauce needs work, they should get some tips from their Northern Blvd. neighbors, Fontanas or Gyro World.), and the tiropita (a blend of Greek cheeses wrapped in fillo dough-yum!). The name of the salad escapes me but it was made with baby romaine, scallion, dill and feta dressing. It was cool and crisp, nice for the summer. Feta dresing did not have as much bite as I expected though. We got the grilled shrimp for the entree. Nice size shrimp but overcooked and not much taste. Dessert was chocolate mousse cake served with a generous amount of whipped cream. The outside dining is like a little oasis. You don't even feel like you're on Northern Boulevard! Inside, they have a very nice bar and an intimate dining area. The service was very good; water glass was always fulll and we didn't have to search for our server when we needed him. The only complaint about the service was when our server failed to tell us until the check came that their credit card system wasn't working that night. It's nice for couples but also seems like a great place for a group. Pay attention when you're looking for it as it is tucked in behind some trees and next to a garage. Despite the few glitches (they've only been open a week), I will definitely go back again.
Where are the great Buffalo wings in Queens?!?
I can't seem to find decent traditional buffalo wings in the Flushing/Bayside area. Any recommendations? I'm a fan of Pluck U. and Atomic Wings in Manhattan.
