Gastronomos's Profile
Harrisburg/Hershey - kid friendly
Visiting Hershey for a day or so and staying in Harrisburg for 5. Non-picky, well behaved kids, but they don't like hot and spicy food (and won't eat chicken fingers or hot dogs, trust me, we've tried).
I'm confused with the posts here about the places.
Devon Seafood Grill, Bricco, Mangia Qui and Cedars are all I could fish out as decent, but are they kid friendly?
Please, no chains or diners, cheap is always welcome, and [down home cookin'] is just fine. 20 minute or so drive from Harrisburg is about all the family can take in the car for lunch or dinner.
Thanks.
Limani in Roslyn or Oevo in Great Neck?
Thank you debster! You say there are other Greek restaurants in Astoria and quickly mention the Italian Trattoria L'Incontro. Although it has many drawbacks, it is LEAGUES beyond anything Astoria Greek offers. And you don't need to be on the search for that "one perfectly grilled fish", which means nothing and has little to do with Greek cuisine.
For what it's worth, avoid at all cost ETHOS in Great Neck! Unless you go for the cheesey live entertainment, the food is abysmal.
Ethos, I wish
25 Middle Neck Rd, Great Neck, NY 11021
Just so you know to avoid this night club that claims to serve Greek fare. The food was aweful and I still can't get it out of my mind. Truly horrible!
New Astoria Greek
Update. Spoke with Anna, Stamatis wife, who also helps run the place. She said that non-Greek customers "don't know Greek food" and that all they want is "spinach pie and mousaka". She got upset at the last string of orders by non-Greeks who "sent back the food." She said that she doesn't screen people at the door, but if you don't speak Greek or know what you want right away, the wait staff will direct you to pastichio and mousaka, lemon potatoes and the like. For what it's worth, I loathe the place, mostly for the generic Greek food they serve. Sadly though, it is the ONLY eatery in Astoria (or NYC for that matter) serving old school steam table fare that is usually relatively fresh. The generic blandness of the food and the luke warm temperature keeps the place the geriatric ward that it has always been. The prices are WAY TOO HIGH for what you get. I haven't been served a single dish of any kind worth more than ten dollars. Not One. Luckily for me I haven't paid for anything there in a long while and the only reason I go is because of an invitation by an elder that loves the place. I remember, also, not to order anything from the grill of deep fryer. Especially not the biftekia or the fried calamari. Enough said. Wishing you better eating and good times somewhere else.
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Stamatis
29-09 23rd Ave, Queens, NY 11105
Ethos, I wish
Recent dinner, party of 6. Order of at least one of each appetizer on the menu. Left wondering what the stink is about. The "food" was horrible. The portobello mushroom saganaki was by far the worst thing I tasted in a long while. The rest was sad, at best. Why is this place packed? Surely NOT for the food. That's for SURE!
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Ethos
25 Middle Neck Rd, Great Neck, NY 11021
Oceanos or Varka for seafood (Fairlawn and Ramsey)?
Just out of curiosity, why these two restaurants? Is someone in your party a "particular" eater?
Best greek in nyc?
The Greek Corner
322 7th Ave
New York, NY 10001-5008
(212) 239-0760
Call for the lunch specials made fresh daily.
Making Greek Saganaki with Feta instead of kefalotiri
Baked feta is a traditional dish in Greece. Usually prepared solo, with a sprinkle of oregano and hot pepper flakes or as the classic dish bougiourdi, with onion and a semi-hot green pepper olive oil and baked in the oven. Though baking isn't really "saganaki", it has become a popular way of preparing the dish.
Best greek in nyc?
Sorry, kel, Kellari doesn't do it for me. Simple grilled or fried protein, a few dips and a salad doesn't impress me in the least. There isn't anything on the menu that needs a chef/cook to prepare. Nothing really "Greek" here either.
New Astoria Greek
Were you standing next to me on my last visit there?? LOL!!!!!!!!!
Top 5 Most Overrated in Manhattan
Del Friscos. Overrated to a Fault. Can't understand the place in the least. Someone in this thread said that it wouldn't even exist if it weren't for the business expense lunch. I agree wholeheartedly. Really crappy service, whatever steak, sides were as abysmal as expected. Hate this chain. Really HATE this place.
48th and 3rd Greek Style Food
45minutes. Ok. I guess we have to stay local.
So far we got Ammos and Avra. Avra is out of the question, since we are looking for Greek and Ammos looks promising as long as it isn't grilled fish central.
Any other ideas?
48th and 3rd Greek Style Food
How far of a walk is it to Greek Corner on 7th and 28th? Coming from 48th and 3rd, of course. Is it doable?
48th and 3rd Greek Style Food
Sorry. Grilled fish place. Need Greek, please. (see above) Thanks.
48th and 3rd Greek Style Food
Ammos? What's the scoop? Is there a lot of fish for him to swim around or can he ignore the (typical restaurant) requisite two on the menu?
48th and 3rd Greek Style Food
Sorry, egit. turkish is not gonna happen. Thanks anyway!
Your 10 favorite Manhattan restaurants?
Can we rename this "Your 10 favorite Manhattan STEAKHOUSES?
48th and 3rd Greek Style Food
Going to meet a friendly business client late morning near 48th and 3rd later this week. He says he'd like a big Greek salad and he doesn't eat fish or even want to see it. Any Souvlaki places or coffee shops that have that "Greek" feel in the neighborhood?
I tried the search here on the Manhattan board and found Avra is nearby, but, alas, it's a grilled fish place. Need something a bit less pricey, quicker and not so restraining.
Astoria Greek Style Food
Kyclades the other day for lunch. "No fresh fish.” we were told by the indifferent waiter. “Want fries with that?” It was Tuesday after Labor Day. The “fresh” fish arrived by van as we were awaiting our order to come from the kitchen.
Grilled clams in oil/lemon and a touch of butter. Boring, but my dining partner ate all of them never the less, leaving the pool of dressing behind. And a comment of, "I like to grill these at home with a decent dressing..."
"Greek Salad", ice cold green hard tomatoes. Refrigerated cold I would expect, maybe. But these were near freezing temperature. Isn't this the height of tomato season???
Fried Whiting. Never a favorite, but very crispy and a lunch special of four Very Large for $10.95. Side of undercooked, tough, plain dandelion greens.
Grilled Swordfish. My dining partner shuddered at the size and then, later, the price, $24.95. A small spoonful of rice on plate. Side of same undercooked tough plain greens.
I guess if you like plain, this is the place. Grilled or fried? “Want fries with that?”
Astoria Greek Style Food
Perhaps I am looking for something that Astoria doesn't do anymore. No steam tables, no grilled protein. I know that I can find something like it at Kefi in Manhattan, but I don't care much for the place. I guess I'll do the "Greek" salad with lettuce, a bunch of spreads for the bread basket and a simple grilled protein. Maybe I'll find it someday...
Thanks for the rec on Akti. I will try it next in Astoria.
Astoria Greek Style Food
You heard good things. Sounds promising. Is it just grilled fish? What did you hear that was good? Any suggestions welcome. I may actually try Akti this time around. Thanks.
Astoria Greek Style Food
"it's not like the Astoria places are super cheap, either."
John Keenan, none of them are cheap AT ALL. I have yet to find a place in Astoria that is worth the money.
I actually don't WANT super cheap, but when faced with the options....
Stamatis, for example, is SUPER EXPENSIVE!!!! for what you get.
I haven't had a plate there worth a cent over $10.00. (a compliment)
NOTHING!
Even if some of the food IS fresh and hot, made THAT DAY, and not ice cold in the center...it is STILL a maximum $10.00 dish. I would be glad to skip the wait staff, grab a tray, order at the counter and carry it to a table, cafeteria style. Stamatis isn’t worth anything more than that at all, ever.
I guess this is why people cram in on a place like Taverna Kyclades, for that simple grilled piece of protein. Nothing Greek here at all, not even the owner.
Astoria Greek Style food establishments and even the hundreds of fly-by-night-ers seem to think that if the Diner can charge a ridiculous sum for THAT, then so can they. My many conversations with Astoria Greek Style food establishment owners seems to have a similar theme, most of them think that Manhattan isn’t giving you anything better than they are. Perhaps in their world, they’re right…
Still, being of Greek decent, and having to travel to Astoria a couple of times a year, it would be nice to sit and eat a Greek Style dish, without the hassle and bother of non-existent service and high prices for subpar food.
Should you find a prepared dish, not necessarily the whole menu, but a dish or perhaps two that is a prepared dish, not the grilled fish or the broiled lamb chops or the fried meatballs and, please, not the fried calamari, in a Greek Style food establishment in Astoria or surrounding areas that’s worth trying because you find it delicious, please let me know. Thanks.
Astoria Greek Style Food
BZ Grill. I entered at lunch last winter. I ordered a souvlaki sandwich. Waited a LONG while and it finally came. I tried to get it down while listening to the three people "working" in the joint complain about how there are too many non-Greek places serving variations on the same theme. They named a kebob place on Steinway as being very busy and one of them dismissed it as "Americans won't go there". I guess they don't go to BZ Grill either, as I mentioned, it was empty.
Astoria Greek Style Food
I've checked the board for recent threads. All are a rehash of the same-old, same-old. Besides, it's looking more and more like Astoria and the surrounding areas are not producing much Greek food these days. I can't afford Stamatis anymore for the quality and quantity (not to mention the surly service).
I shy away from the “simple” grilled offerings of Kyklades. Nothing really Greek there at all.
S’Agapo never did anything for me and to hear it has been sold isn’t surprising. The fact that the reviews have been bad thus far isn’t surprising either. I’ll wait and see what more have to say.
Agnanti has the right feel and nothing else. Re-heated food. Blech…
I still haven’t had the pleasure of Zenon. Been abysmal every visit.
The Monday special at Aliada is black eyed peas. Very good, but not something I need to travel to Astoria for, especially on a Monday…
The souvlaki places are getting sad. Pita Pan is not what it was when it first opened. The rest are lettuce stuffed pitas with pork fat and gristle.
It’s OK. I will just wait and see if the Greeks are leaving Astoria for good or will someone open a place worth dining.
Thanks for any posts!
Astoria Greek Style Food
Any news concerning Greek Style Food in Astoria and surrounding area(s)?
Since Frank Bruni wrote about Taverna Kyklades in April, "The server mentioned that right up the block was a Dunkin’ Donuts, and that it was still open.", I haven't heard much going on.
Other than the Butcher shop "Ta Vlahika", what is happening in Astoria?
I visit rarely and look forward to trying the news. A Pita Pan, a new cafe - "Avenue", "Grand", a Stamatis that isn't so overly high priced, maybe even a simple "seasoned with great restraint" place like Kyklades....
Anything worth mentioning might be worth trying...?
New Astoria Greek
Is it just me or have the prices at Stamatis gone way above the quality of the food, preparation and (lack of) service? Haven't been since December (on our two to three visits per year), but that may be because of the price shock last visit. How are the prices at "Ta Vlahika"?
Kefi Review -- Mediocre
For additional information I posted on this thread:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/633516
What about Kefi restaurant?
Had dinner with a good friend recently. Our first visit to Kefi and probably our last. I will add that I dined with the same friend at ONERA soon after it first opened and LOVED the food (and the service). We still talk about the food at ONERA to this day, and now lament its loss even more.
Our rushed dinner at Kefi consisted of:
Grilled Octopus, Bean Salad. At least a week old, probably more.
Warm Feta, Tomatoes, Capers, Anchovy, Peppers, Olives, Pita Bread. Sad.
House-made Cypriot Sausage, Cucumber, Radish, Olives, Tzatziki. This one made us laugh out loud. Definitely for the non-Greek clientele. Essentially a grilled version (I imagine) of the "Meatballs, Roasted Garlic, Olives, Tomato" on the menu. This "Cypriot Sausage" were cumin scented unlike 'seftalia' Cypriot Sausage and were not of any recipe found anywhere in Greece or Cyprus under that name. An easy and cheap way to use the same meatball recipe in a grilled and, later in the week, a sauced manner. It must help keep the costs down, I suppose.
Sweetbreads, Spinach, Crispy Shallot, Garlic. Stodgy, dinner-like white wine sauce. Edible, but too much of the bottled caper-berry brine added to the sauce.
Pork Medallions, Spicy Peppers, Capers, Lemon. I'm not sure if I am as adept as this kitchen in hiding two tiny pork 'medallions' under so much other 'stuff'. I missed this dish completely somewhere under all that 'stuff' and the bottled caper-berry brine.
Lamb chops. Lamb chops were ordered medium by my friend and came ill prepared but of decent quality.
Chips, Tzatziki. Refrigerator cold.???. The tzatziki here at Kefi is of the NYC "Greek" restaurant variety and nothing authentic about it, especially the taste. Some must like it as two ramekins came with these cold potato chips.
A bottle of wine we were both familiar with. Both in taste and cost.
Coffee and desserts came WITH the check.
For a "taverna", still a poor example.
Crappy service. Inattentive and typically "Greek" as in Astoria or the like.
I hesitate to try Anthos.
Greek in Astoria?
I believe, especially since my last post was deleted, that NatS above sums it up nicely.
