Queens Comfort

Queens Comfort popped up on my radar this past May, when a New York Times article highlighted various culinary hotspots in the up-and-coming food scenes of Astoria and Long Island City. Before ever visiting it, I was immediately drawn to two things about the place: the distinguished look of the restaurant and the accompanying vibe, and their menu that changes daily. Having a menu that constantly offers new food choices is no easy task, and I was intrigued at the dedication that must go into coming up with new, different food options so frequently. I also appreciate the physical restaurant itself – the exterior looks like it could be someone’s house, with a “Queens Comfort” sign hanging outside one of the two windows, and a bench in front of the other. The inside of the establishment is not big, but it is not cramped either; smaller, four person tables line the perimeter of the room, with a bunch of these smaller tables forming one long table stretching throughout the middle, making it perfect for larger groups, or intermingling of smaller ones. Additionally, there are individual seats on the counter. It is a cozy, comfortable dwelling, which pairs well with their name and comfort food offerings. The interior is decorated like someone’s personal living space as well – a projector plays movies on a projector screen, with shelves of movies one can choose from within reach. There is a bowl of candy near the entrance, along with a guestbook.  And the mugs for coffee and tea are a hodgepodge of collected mugs like one would have in their own cabinet – my friend got a Florida mug with postcard images of seashells and aquatic life.

Queens Comfort exterior, by night

window number one

window number two

projector screen playing a Halloween movie

middle table chain + counter area

Queens Comfort is unique for Astoria. Besides having an evolving daily menu, they are also BYOB and specialize in southern comfort food. Although not the healthiest of places, Queens Comfort aims to evoke nostalgia through their food, using kid-friendly ingredients such as Eggo waffles for their fried chicken and waffle dish, Honey Smacks cereal sprinkled on salad, Oreo doughnuts, and a PB&J Burger, with Skippy’s peanut butter and grape jelly spread on a beef patty.

My friends and I found ourselves at Queens Comfort on a Tuesday night, a bit later on in the evening for a late dinner. Having checked out the menu online, I was excited to learn that they had two types of mac and cheese as appetizer dishes that day: a scallion mac and cheese, and a bacon mac and cheese. As I was ordering the scallion mac and cheese, I was told by the waitress they had run out. I was really looking forward to this and had it in my head I was going to have it there, so I was a bit disappointed to find out so last minute that they had run out for the day. I also had a question about the meatloaf sandwich, and learned they were out of that as well.  Our group decided on the fried green tomatoes with ranch dressing, and the corn with Parmesan cheese and sriracha sauce drizzle for our appetizers. For our main dishes we had the Animal Burger, the Fried Pickle Burger, and the Pulled Pork Sandwich. All three came with fries, and ran for $12 each. 

The fried green tomatoes were a delightful surprise. Considering they were covered in a thick coating of breadcrumbs and fried, they were light and not soaking in oil upon their arrival. The tomatoes were fresh and perfectly coated and seasoned in the breadcrumbs. I was expecting the generic store bought, thick ranch dressing to come with it, but was pleased to see a lighter, homemade ranch sauce arrive at the table, which did not overpower the taste of the tomatoes. 

fried green tomatoes w. ranch dressing

fried green tomato

The corn was equally delicious, with the taste of the cheesy Parmesan mixing with the kick of the sriracha sauce and the sweetness of the corn harmoniously.

corn w. Parmesan + sriracha

Our waitress did not ask us how we wanted our burgers cooked, which caught me by surprise and also made me nervous for what was going to be on my plate. Being picky about my meat and how it is cooked, I was relived upon biting into my Animal Burger to notice that it was cooked perfectly – medium well with no pink on the inside, and a bit of char on the outside, just how I like it. The burger itself was delicious – I was really impressed by the juiciness and flavor of the meat. It was a great burger. The Animal Burger consists of caramelized onions and “animal sauce.” Not knowing what this animal sauce was, I figured it would be some blend of mayo and ketchup, which I believe it was. I enjoyed my burger wholeheartedly but was not impressed with the fries, at all. After eating a few of them, I gave up on the spuds. They were overwhelming soggy and limp, and so saturated with oil that many of them were translucent. They were also lacking seasonings, and not hot. I love fries but only when done right, and that to me means crispy, fresh, hot, and salted. Queens Comfort fries lacked on all fronts. And it wasn’t just mine – the fries that accompanied the Fried Pickle Burger and the Pulled Pork Sandwich were the same.

Animal Burger

The Fried Pickle Burger came stacked high with freshly fried pickles and Dijonnaise sauce. Fried pickles are a bit tricky since the fried coating usually slips off the pickle, but the crunch and the accompanying sour bite of the pickles synced with the juicy beef. The Pulled Pork Sandwich came topped with fresh homemade coleslaw. Additionally, my friend ordered a homemade lightly sweetened iced tea which was, as the description stated, perfectly sweetened with just a subtle hint of sugar.

Fried Pickle Burger

 Pulled Pork Sandwich

Next came dessert. One of our main deciding factors on coming to Queens Comfort that evening was seeing that they had Pumpkin Butterscotch Bread Pudding on the menu. My friend is a fiend for bread pudding, and the sound of this got us all excited for dessert. As our waitress came over to take our dessert order, and as the word butterscotch left my friend’s lips, our waitress informed us they were also out of the bread pudding for the evening. Our other options were the Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts and Pumpkin Pie. We ordered those, along with a Stumptown coffee. Yes, Queens Comfort serves the fan favorite Stumptown coffee, which is hard to find in this neck of the woods. The Pumpkin Pie was okay, but had no particularly special flavor. The doughnuts however, were awful. Both our doughnuts were hard, dry, and stale, and tasted as if they had been sitting out from the day before.  I knocked my doughnut a few times on my plate to hear a knocking sound, with sprinkles of the sugar and cinnamon coating falling on my plate. I unfortunately could have gotten fresher doughnuts at Dunkin’ Doughnuts.

Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut

Pumpkin Pie

I would go back to Queens Comfort, but under certain conditions. I would definitely aim to get there earlier in the day, before they run out of some of their dishes.  Next time I order dessert, I’d ask when the dessert was made. As for the soggy fries, I do not know if that would change depending on the day, or if that is how they are made intentionally. I know some people like soggy, oil drenched fries, but I certainly don’t.  Our server was not very attentive, and lacked to tell us what was done for the day until we ordered it. I understand that due to the nature of their menus, they do not have big batches of dishes, and run out of menu items fast. But what bothered me about our server is instead of telling us upfront “we are out of x-y-z” she waited all three times until we asked about or chose to order certain dishes before telling us they were out. It is also cash-only. These issues aside, I really enjoyed the atmosphere of Queens Comfort and am curious to try their other offerings. I like that it is BYOB, and that their menu has some really unique items you cannot find elsewhere in Astoria.  I am fond of Queens Comfort's laid back vibe, and think it has a lot of potential to amass a foodie following here in Astoria and other parts of Queens. 

Pita Pan

Pita Pan holds a dear place in my heart, as it was one of the very first places I ate at in Astoria prior to moving to this town. My friend Vinny (thank you bud!) introduced me to this gem back in 2009, and I have been hooked ever since.  As it became apparent that I would be moving to Astoria, I was comforted by the fact that I would be mere minutes away from the orange and green haven. Even before moving to Astoria, I once convinced a fellow Manhattan dweller to drive me to Pita Pan from Kips Bay to fulfill a craving (and thus, hooking her onto Pita Pan too).  So it is no surprise that I love this place.

The best way to describe Pita Pan would be a fast food gyro shop. It is not your traditional gyro restaurant; Pita Pan takes some liberties in their gyro offerings, liberties that I appreciate. They do not have the best gyro in Astoria (that, my friends, I will save for another post). But they do have very good gyros, ones that I find myself craving, more often than not, over the traditional gyros. Astoria is a historically Greek neighborhood, meaning you can find a place that serves gyros on practically every block, with new gyro establishments still popping up everywhere.  Traditional gyros consist of a beef-and-lamb combination of meat (slowly cooked together via vertical spit), served with tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce, wrapped in a pita. Pita Pan offers you a choice of three meats for their filling – chicken, pork (also known as the Pita Pan gyro), and beef/lamb, as well as a choice of whole wheat or regular pita. Your gyro is then filled with red onion, tomato, thin hand-cut fries, and your choice of sauce – tzatziki, mustard, mayo, or Pita Pan sauce (a mixture of ketchup and hot sauce). Although fries in a gyro sounds like an unlikely pairing, Pita Pan makes it work, adding no more than a handful to give you a subtle, albeit unique taste.

photo courtesy of flickr

My favorite items to get at Pita Pan are the chicken gyro on whole wheat pita with extra tzatziki sauce, and the Mandarin salad. The tzatziki sauce is a must; a gyro without tzatziki is like a pizza without cheese – it just doesn’t work. Pita Pan’s tzatziki is great and full of the bold favors of the cucumber and dill. The chicken is tender and juicy, with a light crispiness on the outside (due to the spit). Their gyros are always made fresh, with the meat shaved off the spit a minute before it reaches your table. The Pita Pan gyro (with the pork) tends to be a bit fattier in taste, due to the nature of the pork itself, while the beef/lamb gyro stays true to the traditional gyro taste. One thing to note about the gyros is that they are smaller than your typical gyro, with most patrons ordering two to make a meal. This is a plus in my book, as it lets you mix and match gyro sandwiches if you please, or enjoy your gyro with something else on the varied menu. I believe Pita Pan’s gyros are perfectly filled with just the right amount of meat and toppings. Most gyros elsewhere are so overflowing with meat that it is nearly impossible to hold the gyro in your hand without everything spilling out. Although Pita Pan is known for their gyros, they do serve a myriad of other options, including souvlaki, falafel, panini, wraps, salads, burgers, and pizza.

beef/lamb gyro + chicken gyro w. extra tzatziki on whole wheat pita 

chicken souvlaki sticks, served w. tzatziki, bread, + lemon wedge

two falafel sandwiches + milkshake

Aside from the gyros, I am a huge fan of the Mandarin salad, which consists of mixed mesclun greens with sliced almonds, Mandarin oranges, and raisins, served with warm pita and balsamic vinaigrette on the side. I always ask for the salad to go, even if I am eating in, as I noticed the glass salad bowls for dining in are substantially smaller than the take-out containers, hence, more salad. Aside from being a tasty salad, I fell in love with the dressing. I bought countless bottles of balsamic vinaigrette from the supermarket to try and figure out what brand they use, until I finally just asked the woman behind the counter. Turns out, I cannot get that balsamic dressing anywhere – they make it homemade in house. She then kindly suggested that she could let me know next time they make a big batch, in which I could purchase it off them.  I have not taken her up on her offer yet, but it is nice to know it is there.

Mandarin salad w. pita

The establishment itself has a bit of a brand strategy issue going on. Aside from the orange and green color theme being splashed everywhere, there is always loud techno/house music blasting, with the occasional rap and hip-hop song interjecting the club-like ambience.  There are also three mini TVs stacked into the wall next to the counter showing an animated dancing hamburger, pictures of women dressed in club attire, and a picture of a skydiving man with copy being flashed in two different size fonts and colors. The site has a similar problem, with a music player playing the “Pita Pan Jingle”, traditional Greek instrumental music, and trance/house/rap on a constant, mind-numbing loop.

Appearances aside, Pita Pan’s food is delicious, fresh, and cheap (one gyro runs you $3 plus change). Additionally, Pita Pan is open late (up to 2AM on weekends), always clean, and the cashiers bring your food to your table and clean it up afterwards – all excellent perks. Although you may not find a gyro with fries in it on the streets of Thessaloniki, Pita Pan is well worth the interpretation.

Mt. Olympus Bagels

Mention bagels to anyone in Astoria, and you will most likely hear the name Brooklyn Bagel getting tossed around.  With three locations in my neighborhood (and none in Brooklyn), Brooklyn Bagel is the popular choice for many Astorians looking for their fix.  I, however, prefer a far less hyped up joint, by the name of Mt. Olympus Bagels. While not as fancy and chic as Brooklyn Bagel, Mt. Olympus delivers fresh, delicious, and very reasonably priced bagels and coffee, which is all I really need from a bagel shop. So they don’t offer WiFi? It’s okay in my book.

What makes Mt. Olympus Bagels so delicious is the texture of their bagels. Soft and chewy on the inside, yet delicately firm on the outside, the bagels are always fresh. They are not overly huge, meaning, your bagel filling does not get lost in the pillows of dough. Being a huge fan of everything bagels, I feel Mt. Olympus has perfected the art of applying the seeds/seasonings to each side of the bagel without drowning it. You can taste the sea salt, and poppy seeds, and sesame seeds, and onion, without feeling engulfed in them.  In addition to the fine bagels (so fine, the gods of Olympus named this bagel place themselves), you can enjoy rapidly fast service, no matter how crowded, and a copy of a Greek newspaper, if you feel so inclined. All for a very affordable price.

Mt. Olympus from the outside

Mt. Olympus from the inside

My two usuals at Mt. Olympus are their ham-egg-cheese on an everything bagel, and their everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese.  Both have never disappointed me. Their ham-egg-cheese pairs deliciously with the flavors of the everything bagel, and their vegetable cream cheese is equally tasty. They are also generous with their spreads, which I enjoy.

ham-egg-cheese on an everything bagel

I wasn’t impressed upon first seeing Mt. Olympus on my initial visit. The place is a hole in the wall from the outside, and the inside is nothing special. However, once I tasted the bagels, I knew this was not your average bagel shop. Thank you, MB, for introducing me to this place that I might never have given a chance.

5 Napkin Burger

The surrounding area of Kaufman Studios in Astoria is a bit of a barren land compared to the more bustling areas of 30^th and 31^st Avenues, where an outdoor café (or two) lines each block, with food offerings as diverse as the city itself. What you will find near Kaufman is a handful of chain restaurants (such as Uno, Panera Bread, Starbucks, Applebee’s), Studio Square (casually known as “the new beer garden” but don’t be fooled by this…it is a beer garden but strikingly opposite to the real beer garden in this town AND oldest beer garden in NY, Bohemian Hall), The Astor Room, and 5 Napkin Burger. Yes, 5 Napkin Burger is technically a chain, but it is not your cookie cutter dining establishment that leaves the diner with an acute sense of déjà vu.

photo courtesy of flickr

Even though 5 Napkin Burger Astoria is not located in the busier parts of this town, I think that is more of a blessing than a curse. Five Napkin is huge for city standards, with a private room that can hold over 80 people, a full bar area, a large wooden table for folding all those napkins (and for decorative purposes – more on that later) and tables and booths where you are not rubbing elbows with other diners. AND outdoor seating.  I loved the ambience of the place. While very spacious and open, the restaurant is lit with string Edison lightbulbs. The decorations are a hybrid of old-school hamburger joint meets industrial butcher shop.  On a back, white tiled wall, a plethora of glass siphon bottles in various shades of blues and greens were on display (the old-school way to make soda) as well as a vintage milkshake machine.  Metal tracks lined the ceiling of the restaurant, with meat hooks and large scales dangling about that gave the place a butcher shop feel. Rumor has it that the place used to be an old butcher shop, but I have yet to hear an actual confirmation. A large, beat-up wooden table was parked in one corner, with napkins and more siphon bottles atop that. I later discovered this was a napkin folding station – practical and pretty!

interior decorations

For dinner, my dinner partner and I each enjoyed the 5 Napkin Burger, which is a 10 oz. hunk of custom ground beef, caramelized onions, rosemary aioli and gruyere cheese on a soft white roll. I had some tweaks to mine, substituting raw onions instead of caramelized onions, and adding lettuce, tomatoes, and extra pickles. Essentially, a cheeseburger, on my end. I was a bit hesitant initially, since burgers of that magnitude tend to overwhelm me, and seeing the servers carrying them to other patrons confirmed these burgers were big. For our sides, I got the tater tots, while my partner ordered the Tuscan fries.

Our food came amazingly quick. I don’t think a full ten minutes went by. Even though the food came fast, it was hot and fresh, calming any suspicion that could have arisen. The ground beef paired with the gruyere was delicious, not at all overpowering. The meat was very tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked. I enjoyed my parings with the raw onion, lettuce and pickles. I was not a fan of the rosemary aioli, but my partner thoroughly enjoyed it, saying its flavors perfectly complemented the caramelized onions. Even though the burgers were large, we were both able to finish them, making them a perfect size for a hearty dinner. The sides were amazing as well. It’s always a bummer when you find a solid main dish, only to have disappointing sides to accompany it. The tater tots were a wonderful surprise – after biting into the crispy potato crust, I discovered the insides were filled with velvety soft seasoned mashed potatoes. The contrast in the crispy skin to the soft filling is very enjoyable. My partner’s Tuscan fries did not disappoint either: crispy fries were covered with a mix of garlic, parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese. Another plus -- the fries were covered with the topping all around, not just the top layer.

my order w. tater tots

my partner's order - the 5 Napkin Burger w. Tuscan fries

My one critique about the place would be their pickles. I am a big fan of pickles, especially on burgers, and 5 Napkin’s pickles are of the bread and butter variety, which I am not a fan of.  I also thought it was nice that they let you substitute any side you want for the fries, without an extra charge. They did charge for my extra pickles however, which did not make sense to me since I did not get the caramelized onions with my 5 Napkin Burger. So no swap there. In conclusion, 5 Napkin Astoria is a place I will definitely be returning to again. I dare to say they have the best burgers I have tasted in Astoria (sorry Bareburger) and the sides were equally tasty. The vibe of the restaurant made it one I will frequent often, and the quick service and full bar are added bonuses.