HAPPY V-DAY WESTERN QUEENS: It's not to late to buy beautiful flowers for your love?

 

My favorite florist in Western Queens is fLorEsta in Long Island City.  Is has been since the day I read a feature on the florist in BORO Magazine a year ago (Link to article below). Since the feature in BORO Magazine fLorEsta has been written up numerous times, they have also been featured on NY1, Time Out NY as well as the New York Times.

 

 

Floral Designer Juan Carlo Bermundez, a native of Colombia, has floral design in his blood.  He is the third generation to be in the industry.  His flowers are creative, beautiful, and would give any shop in Manhattan a run for their money.  On the fLorEsta website it states ”Flowers can enhance our lives on a daily basis” and you could feel that within every arrangement in his store.

 

 

Didn't have time to place an order at the shop in time for Valentine's Day... Fret not my friends! You could also buy beautiful bouquets from fLorEsta at their second location at Foodcellar & Co. in Long Island City.  Thats were I would have been heading right now to get flowers for Mrs. D if our can't wouldn't lose his mind if flowers were brought into the house :0)

FLORESTA

51-02 Vernon Blvd

Long Island City, NY 11101

(347)642-8108

www.florestaNYC.com

FOODCELLAR & CO.

4-85 47^th Road

Long Island City, NY 11101

(718)606-9786

www.foodcellarandco.com

@FoodCellar

BORO MAGAZINE

www.boromag.com

@BoroMag

http://boromag.com/featured/floresta-long-island-city-flowers/

HAPPY V-DAY WESTERN QUEENS: What champagne will you be drinking on Valentines Day?

 

I’m a huge fan of Piper-Heidsieck champagne. Where else could you find a champagne of such quality for this price point.  For my fellow wine geeks out there the wine maker was named “Champagne Wine Maker” of the year for the 6^th time since 2004.

 

 

PIPER-HEIDISCK BRUT NV

Piper-Heidsieck Brut champagne is a crisp clean champagne.  Its light gold in color with fresh fruit and aromas of citrus.  It was given a 93 point rating from Wine Spectator. – Price range $33 to $36

 

 

 

PIPER-HEIDISCK ROSE SAUVAGE

Piper-Heidsieck Rose Sauvage is my favorite rose on the market.  It has a deep scarlet red tint unlike any other rose.  The deep, rich color has to do with the higher percentage of Pinot Noir in the blend. It has amazing aromas of red fruits and citrus. It was given a 93 point rating from Wine Spectator. – Price Range $43 to $46

 

 

WESTERN QUEENS: WHERE WILL YOU BE GETTING YOUR MARDI GRAS ON?!?!

 

Mardi Gras is one of my favorite holidays and should be celebrated in true New Orleans Style.  If you know of any other spots having Mardi Gras festivities, please list the info in the comments below.

SUGAR FREAK

36-18 30^th Avenue

Astoria, NY 11103

(718)726-5850

www.sugarfreak.com

Facebook.com/SugarFreak

@SugarFreakNYC

 

A jazz quartet plays Mardi Gras at Sugar Freak on Tuesday 2/12/2013 from 8pm-11pm.  In addition to their fabulous menu, a Mardi Gras Prix-Fixe menu will be offered.  It includes a Gumbo appetizer, followed by a taste of New Orleans sampler, which includes Collard Greens, Crawfish Etouffee, Red Beans & Rice with smoked sausage, jambalaya & Potato salad. Of course, the menu is topped off with King Cake Bread Pudding.  Make sure to make reservations since seating is limited.

I know where I'll be!  So come hang out at the bar or make RESERVATIONS for a table. I will be there at 9:30pm… so come have an Abita with me and celebrate Mardi Gras with Sugar Freak!

HAPPY V-DAY WESTERN QUEENS:  Where will you be going to dinner?

Hello friends of Western Queens.  Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching.  With that being said, reservations need to be made.  Don’t wait till the last minute!  Make sure your seats are secured.  I compiled a list of restaurants in Western Queens that are having Valentine’s Day dinner specials.  I am sure there are many more then I have listed so PLEASE add to the list by providing the restaurant information in the comments below.  In addition, please note the prices listed below do not include tax & gratuity.  Reservations are also required.
 

SALT & FAT

41-16 Queens Blvd
Between 41^st & 42^nd Street
Sunnyside, NY 11104
(718)433-3702
www.saltandfatny.com
@SaltandFat

*A three course pre-fixe dinner menu is being offered for $50 per person.  Accepts Master Card & Visa only. 

 

 

VESTA

21-02 30^th Avenue

At 21^st Street

Astoria, NY 11102

(718)545-5550

www.vestavino.com

@VestaVino

*There will be Valentine’s Day Dinner seating’s every hour.  A three course pre-fixe menu is being offered for $65 per person.  An additional $20 could be added per person to include a wine pairing.  Accepts Master Card & Visa only.

 

 

 

BRICK CAFÉ

30-95 33^rd Street

c/o of 31^st Avenue

Astoria, NY 11102

(718)267-2735

www.brickcafe.com

@BrickCafe

*The full dinner menu will be served on Valentine’s day.  All major credit cards are accepted.

 



SHI

47-20 Center Blvd

Long Island City, NY 11109

(347)242-2450

www.shilic.com

@ShiLIC

*A four course pre-fix dinner will be offered with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rose 375ml for $75 per person.  All major credit cards are accepted.

 

 

ALOBAR

46-42 Vernon Blvd

Long Island City, NY 11101

(718)752-6000

www.alobarnyc.com

@AlobarNYC

*A three course pre-fixe dinner menu will be offered with a glass of prosecco for $40 per person.  All major credit cards are accepted.

 

 

LIC MARKET

21-52 44^th Drive

Long Island City, NY 11101

(718)361-0013

www.licmarket.com

@LICmarket

*The full dinner menu will be served on Valentine’s day.  All major credit cards are accepted.

 

 

VESLO

32-11 Broadway

Astoria, NY 11106

www.veslonyc.com

@VesloNYC

*A three course pre-fixe dinner menu will be offered for $50 per person.  There will also be live jazz all evening.  All major credit cards are accepted.

 

 

IL BAMBINO

34-08 31^st Avenue

Astoria, NY 11106

(718)626-0087

www.ilbambinonyc.com

@ILBambinoNYC

*A $40 Valentine’s Day dinner will be offered.  All major credit cards are accepted.

 

 

MEXIBBQ

37-11 30^th Avenue

Astoria, NY 11103

(718)626-0333

www.mexibbq.com

@MexiBBQ

*A four course pre-fixe dinner menu for $39 per person will be offered.  All major credit cards are accepted.

 

 

 

WATER’S EDGE

401 44^th Drive

At East River

Long Island City, NY 11101

(718)482-0033

www.watersedgeNYC

@WatersEdgeNYC

*Two Valentine’s Day packages are available.  The first is the “Restaurant Package” a four course sit down dinner between 7pm to 11pm for $85 per person.  The Second is the “Banquet Package” which includes the four course sit down dinner in addition to a complimentary champagne toast & top shelf open bar from 7pm to 11pm.  All major credit cards are accepted.

 

 

S PRIME STEAKHOUSE

35-15 36^th Street

Long Island City, NY 11106

(718)707-0660

www.sprimenyc.com

@SPrimeNYC

*A four course pre-fixe dinner will be offered with a complementary box of truffles for $125 per person.  All major credit cards are accepted.

 

 

RIVERVIEW

201 50^th Avenue

Long Island City, NY 11101

(718)392-5000

www.riverviewny.com

*A three course pre-fixe dinner is being offered for $75 per person.  Master Card & Visa accepted only.

 

 

REST-AU-RANT

30-01 35^th Avenue

Astoria, NY 11106

(718)729-9009

www.rarbarlic.com

@RaRBar

*A five course shareable menu for two is being offered for $40 per person.  There will also be live music all evening.  Accepts Master Card & Visa only.

 

 

MOJAVE

22-36 31^st Street

Astoria, NY 11105

(718)545-4100

www.mojaveny.com

@MojaveNYC

*A three course pre-fixe dinner is being offered with a complementary cocktail for $55 per person.  There will also be live music all evening.  All major credit cards are accepted.

 

MAMA LIKES TO DRINK ON THURSDAY'S: Wither Hills Sauvigno Blanc

 

 

Mrs. D and I tasted the wine above while out to dinner at One If By Land, Two If By Sea in Manhattan.  It was the Sauvignon Blanc offered by the glass and we have never been steered wrong by a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  Everything about it was wonderful from the smell to the taste.  It had all the characteristics of a classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with the grass, citrus, grapefruit bite to it. The Wither Hills SB added a bright, bold crispness to it that made it so pleasant and easy to drink.  Mrs. D ordered a second glass with dinner and I promised to order it from our local retailer for her.  It should approximately be priced at $15.  FYI if you can’t find a wine you like at your local Liquor Store ask the staff to see if they could order you a bottle.  I find most stores are willing to do so and will eagerly accommodate your request.  I also find it helpful to take a photo of the label so you can ensure to give the store all the correct information.

YOUR FRIENDLY UPSCALE NEIGBOORHOOD DINER: SANFORDS

I had never tried Sanford’s before and I thought I’d try something different.  Not to mention, I was craving pancakes likes nobody’s business.  Having a long wait usually deters me from going anywhere so I was happy to be seated right away.  Being a tea drinker as well as a lover of coffee, when I am in the mood for Tea with my breakfast I want something other than Lipton.  I was thrilled when I was brought “Southern Mint Herbal Tea” with a side of honey.  I was tempted by all the pancake options, but being that I have been indulging for a week, I decided on Whole Wheat pancakes…with caramelized bananas, crushed pecans, cinnamon caramel maple syrup with a triple sec reduction!  I usually have an aversion to anything with Triple Sec (Come on folks you should always be using Cointreau) but all the other yummy-ness made up for it.  When the plate was put in front of me my eyes got huge and I heard my stomach growl.  At first I thought all of the ingredients together would be overwhelming and too sweet but it all worked and it was heaven & the pancakes were fluffy goodness.  I already have my eye on the Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes.  Thank God they are open 24 hours so I can have pancakes whenever the urge hits me.

SANFORD’S RESTAURANT

30-13 Broadway

Astoria, NY 11106

(718)932-9562

www.sanfordnyc.com

@SanfordAstoria

*Accepts all major Credit Cards

*Open 24 Hours

 

 

MAMA LIKES TO DRINK ON THURSDAY - "Altos de Luzon"

Altos de Luzon Is a red blend with a deep, bright inviting color with red berry on the nose.  This wine was well rounded with sweet raspberry and cherry flavors.  It is a wine I like to call my “Wednesday Wine” which means you can drink it any day of the week with or without food.  My “Wednesday Wines” are my favorite because sometimes you just feel like kicking back and having a glass while watching Scandal (Which is a new episode tonight I might add for those Scandal Lovers).  Mrs. D enjoyed it so its high on my list.  If the wife is happy I am happy and we both enjoyed this wine.  We loved it even more being its under $15.

INDUSTRIAL SPACE, ARTISINAL TASTE: COFFEED

 

 

I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into COFFEED. I was already under the misconception that it was yet another cookie cutter coffee shop, but I was completely wrong.  Upon walking in with my lovely wife, Mrs. D, I was greeted with smiles from the incredibly chill staff. Despite the warehouse feel and high ceilings, COFFEED has a welcoming, warm embrace.  My eyes were immediately pulled to the far right wall, dedicated to their support of Brooklyn Grange Farm.  COFFEED supports fair trade growers and also helped to sponsor the Brooklyn Grange Farm new compost system.  You can find many artisanal products for sale from the Brooklyn Grange Farm and it was wonderful to see a restaurant truly standing behind local organization.  As the warm weather hopefully quickly approaches, COFFEED will be sourcing much of their produce from the Brooklyn Grange farm and will also be the host of the first-year round Brooklyn Grange farm stand.  Ok I admit I was being sucked in and I had not even tried their coffee yet! I am also the first to admit I am hard to please when it comes to a cup of Joe.  However right there on the front of their menu it states in their mission statement “To provide the best cup of coffee in New York by sourcing some of the world’s best single origin coffees roasted by, Giorgio, one of the most experienced roasters, in the tri-state region”.  With that said I was up for the challenge.  I sadly did not get the lovely women behind the counters name who eagerly offered me so much wonderful information on COFFEED.  She was obviously proud to be part of which was really great to see.  I ordered a cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain and she asked if I was open to trying a similar blend.  Being I had never had the Kona, which she suggested. I was up for it and I am so glad I did since it was a fabulous cup of coffee.  What made the cup even more fabulous is that 10% of all coffee & drink sales as well as 5% of food sales go directly to the local charity City Growers.  For those of you not familiar with City Growers, it connects the urban communities with agriculture & food through farm education and advocacy.  Being that Mrs. D and I were pleased, we decided to stay for lunch.  I ordered the Turkey & Swiss and Mrs. D ordered the Turkey Club.  All sandwiches are made with the wonderful bread of Tom Cat Bakery in Long Island City.  All I can say is simple, classic and tasty. Mrs. D and I had a wonderful experience at COFFEED and we are both looking forward to going back.  Being they have free WiFi in addition to amazing coffee and tasty food I might have found a new place to work from.  With that said congrats to COFFEED and I will see you soon.

COFFEED

37-18 Northern Blvd

Astoria, NY 11101

(718)606-1299

www.coffeednyc.com

@COFFEEDNYC

*Accepts all major Credit Cards

 

ALSO MENTIONED

BROOKLYN GRANGE FARM
www.BrooklynGrangeFarm.com
@BrooklynGrange

TOM CAT BAKERY

www.TomCatBakery.com

@TomCatBakery

CITY GROWERS

www.CityGrowers.org

@CityGrowers

CEDAR HOUSE RULES

Shawerma where have you been my whole life?  The Cedar’s Fresh Meats is wonderful Lebanese cuisine on 30^th Avenue between 41^st & 42^nd Street.  I never thought a sandwich could change my life but it did.  No I am not always an adventurous eater.  It is not because I am not open to branching out but sometimes my stomach protests my decision and my brilliant ideas are vetoed.  But gratefully, I plunged into Cedar’s Fresh Meats.  I tried a Steak Shawerma, which had hints of clove and spices that perfectly melded together leaving my mouth watering.  I also sampled my wife’s Chicken Shawerma, which was equally as scrumptious.  The adorable guy behind the counter was so proud of the food he was preparing and was beaming when I said it was the best sandwich I had eaten in a long time.  We had lunch there on Saturday afternoon and was craving it all weekend.  We journeyed down 30^th Avenue last night to pick up dinner and we greeted by the same young man who recognized us and smiled welcoming us back.  AND yes they deliver so you can secretly order as many times as you would like without feeling judged. They know it is just that good.

CEDAR’S FRESH MEATS

41-08 30^th Avenue
Between 41^st & 42^nd Street
Astoria, NY 11103
718-606-1244

*Accepts all major credit cards

WELCOME!!

I want to welcome you all to The Queen of Western Queens blog.  I am thrilled to be sharing my journey through the community I love with all of you.  The idea of starting this blog came about around the holidays when I asked the cyber world of Astoria what restaurants were open for Christmas.  Most responses were the usual suspects of Chinese food and/or diners. I knew that those couldn’t be the only options and that we weren’t the only folks not going away for the holidays.  On Christmas day, while in search of our perfect holiday meal, my wife and I drove up and down the Avenue’s of Astoria to see who was open and in fact several restaurants were.  I want to be able to offer this kind of information to people.  What restaurants are open on Christmas and have special pre fix options?  Who has New Years Eve seatings available?  Where could you go for the perfect New Years Day brunch to help with the absorption of all the champagne you consumed?  Where could you have the best Valentines Day dinner with out being subjected to the Manhattan mark up?  Who has the best Karaoke? Who has the best wines by the glass?  Where is the best cup of Joe? What Bodega has the best craft beer options? What local non profits are available in Western Queens and have volunteer opportunities? How do I help keep Astoria Park clean? This is all information I would like to be able to provide in one place and I hope you will find all the information as useful as I do.  I would also like to stress that any opinions posted in my blog are simply my own and of my “loves” of Western Queens.  It doesn’t mean they are the best or better then your favorites.  That your top Pizza joint isn’t quality it just means we all have different palates, tastes and passions.  If you have a favorite that I haven’t mentioned and you would like me to check out, by all means let me know.  I love trying new things.  This blog is meant to be fun resource, a place to share information and to bring those together that also love living in Western Queens.

QueenofWesternQueens@gmail.com

 

@LanaLauriano

Xoxo

Lana