Euro Delights

It is true one can find any sort of food in Astoria, including a restaurant devoted to all types of crepes: sweet, savory, and breakfast crepes. While sweet and savory crepes are common, I had never encountered a breakfast crepe, and was eager to try one on a recent Saturday morning. Euro Delights is an unassuming creperie on Broadway that offers an endless amount of different crepe combinations, as well as breakfast dishes, Panini, burgers, wraps, and just about anything else you can think of. Their main specialty is the crepe, and it is my belief they should stick to that, but for all those crepe haters out there, Euro Delights has you covered too.

From the outside, Euro Delights looks like a typical diner, so I never gave it a second thought whenever I walked past it. It was after I found out they serve crepes that my interest was heightened. I’ve always found crepes to be a bit difficult to find in this city, where I have to wait for the Memorial Day through Labor Day street fairs to indulge in my love for crepes. Once I found out Euro Delights not only served crepes, but a whole bunch of different types of crepes, I had to give it a try.

from the outside

From the inside, Euro delights still looks like a typical diner. The place does not have much character in its orange walls and picturesque painted scenes of many unbeknownst harbors. A few lonely Snapples sit in an empty fridge in the back, and tables fill the main dining area.

interior

interior

dining area

The crepe selection is lengthy, but upon reading the descriptions of the crepes, you notice that they are just the different combinations of the same ten or so ingredients, mixed together in every way possible.  My friends and I all ended up ordering from the breakfast crepes selection, getting the La Basic Crepe, the Stallion Crepe, and the Maple Madness Crepe.

I ordered La Basic Crepe, which consisted of cheese, eggs, and ham (or salami). I chose this crepe because I wanted something simple where the flavors could really shine, and because in Brittany, the region in France where crepes and galettes were invented, this is a common savory galette that is served in every creperie. I thought it would be best to compare apples to apples.  When my La Basic came out, I was a bit disappointed – it did not look anything like the crepes I had from my time in Brittany. The crepe at Euro Delights consisted of scrambled eggs, mixed with cheese and pieces of ham folded inside the buckwheat crepe, whereas in Brittany, the crepes are served thinly, with melted cheese and thin layers of ham, with an ever so slightly cooked (or sometimes raw) egg laid delicately on top. While the crepes and galettes I got to eat in Brittany where absolutely delicious, I guess it is a bit unfair to compare the regional birthplace of a dish to a shop in Astoria, Queens. Putting that comparison aside, my crepe at Euro Delights was good. It was generously filled with my scrambled eggs, cheese, and ham mixture. While the flavors in my crepe were not as delicate, it was an enjoyable crepe that was made well.  It also came with a lone cucumber and tomato wedge covered in balsamic vinegar on the side, which left the cook in me confused and my taste buds offended. I believe this cucumber and tomato slice came with every breakfast crepe, which makes no sense from a culinary viewpoint, as not every crepe flavors’ on the menu harmoniously taste well with balsamic vinegar covered vegetables. It seems as if they were placed there as some sort of lazy attempt at a side or garnish. I had no care for them, and would rather have them not be on my plate, as the balsamic vinegar coat of course found its way on to my crepe.

La Basic Crepe

My friends ordered the Stallion and Maple Madness crepes. The Stallion was filled with cheese, eggs, sausage, caramelized onions, and green peppers. Why the owners didn’t just call it the Italian Stallion will remain a mystery to me. This crepe had the same scrambled eggs as mine did, with a zestier and fulfilling filling. The Maple Madness Crepe had bananas, walnuts, butter, and maple syrup, and came out with whipped crème and topped with powdered sugar and syrup. More of a sweet crepe than a breakfast crepe, it was great and also, generously filled.

the Stallion Crepe

the Maple Madness Crepe

I enjoyed my breakfast at Euro Delights, and will be visiting there again. For a creperie in Astoria, it is great and something we needed. The crepes are hearty and varied, which is nice for trying out new flavors you may not normally have thought of. With that said, there are some pretty wild combinations that do not appeal to me, but may appeal to others. I probably would not order from the breakfast selection again, due to my dislike for scrambled eggs in crepes. I have yet to try their sweet crepes but from what I saw with the Maple Madness Crepe, they seem to have their sweet crepes covered. The crepes will cost you between $6-$12.

The Queens Kickshaw

I had been curious to try The Queens Kickshaw for a while, having seen the much hyped about establishment on various blogs, articles, and media outlets since its opening this past March. The Queens Kickshaw specializes in fancy and alternative grilled cheese sandwiches, but upon my recent visit, I discovered it also has a fine and impressive selection of coffees, teas, sodas, cider, and craft ales.

The Queens Kickshaw

Knowing that The Queens Kickshaw was mainly a grilled cheese shop, and a popular one at that, I waited until I could go for lunch during the work week, when I thought it would not be as crowded as a weekend afternoon. The place is simply decorated, yet amazingly beautiful.  High ceilings reveal vintage tiled molds, with ironwork and lamps surrounding the perimeter of the space.  Rustic light bulbs hang from iron spools above the bar. Industrial iron tables line the main dining area, with a larger wooden communal table in the middle for sharing. Beautiful wooden floors harmoniously brings the look together, alongside a patch of exposed brick in the front of the house, complete with moustache felt appliqués to warmly welcome the hipsters that come seeking refuge in this home-away-from-Brooklyn abode.

Describing The Queens Kickshaw as simply a grilled cheese spot is inadequate. The feel of the place is more reminiscent of an independent coffee shop, with a large variety of coffees in house, free wifi, and a staff that does not mind you sitting on your laptop for hours at a time. The main counter area is split by the coffee counter and the open kitchen, both of which provide seating where you can watch your sandwiches being made or your V60 Pour Over Coffee being dripped right in front of you.

interior

ceiling + light bulbs

interior hallway

communal table

Being a coffee and cider aficionado, I was so impressed over their selection of coffees and ciders. Living in Astoria, there is not much variety of coffee other than the 24 hour Dunkin’ Donuts and coffee you can get at the corner bodega. Queens Comfort offers Stumptown, which is as exotic a coffee I thought existed in this neck of the woods. That is, until I discovered The Queens Kickshaw, which serves beans from Coffee Lab Roasters based in Tarrytown, New York.  The Queens Kickshaw offers your usual espresso based drinks, along with V60 Pour Over Coffee. They also have two types of Japanese Green Tea, and you can take home one liter growlers of Cold Brewed Coffee.  I ordered the Honduras Finca Liquidambar Catuai, which according to the description has flavors of “plum, milk chocolate, subtle grapefruit, pleasant acidity.” I did not taste any of those flavors, and I am sure if you gave me a sample of each of the other coffees I couldn’t taste fig or leather either, but flowery descriptions aside, the coffee was good. My friend ordered the much talked about Iced Matcha Green Tea, which came out a vibrant shade of green, which was also good, and very potent.

pour over coffee + iced matcha green tea

The Queens Kickshaw has a plethora of craft beers, ciders, and wine to pair with your grilled cheese sandwich.  I was impressed I had never heard of the ciders offered and in awe of just how many they had.  In the United States, I am lucky to even find a bar that serves Strongbow. They also serve P&H Soda Co. syrups in all natural flavors such as hibiscus, ginger, and sarsaparilla, which they mix with seltzer once ordered.

The menu at The Queens Kickshaw is a bit limited. They have their eight signature grilled cheese sandwiches, a few cheese plates, some soups and salads, three snacks, and a mac & cheese and a stuffing as a main dish. They also have two desserts. I ordered the Gouda grilled cheese, while my friend ordered the Gruyere.  Reading the description for the Gouda sandwich made me really skeptical at first. The Gouda sandwich consists of black bean hummus, guava jam, and pickled jalapenos on brioche and comes with a green salad with a jalapeno vinaigrette.  While I do love guava and guava jam, the thought of the sweetness of the fruit mixed with the jalapenos and cheese instantly made me hate it; I am not a fan of sweet and savory combinations. I was so close to not ordering it, but heard and later confirmed with our server that it was the most popular menu item, so I had to give it a shot. And it was amazing. The guava jam does not overpower the sandwich like I thought it would, and the sweetness of the jam with the added kick of the jalapenos mixed with the cheese and buttery, toasty brioche bread gave it such a wonderfully unique flavor. The sandwich exceeded my expectations, and I was pleasantly surprised with the depth of the flavors. The green side salad that came along with it was delicious as well, and I really liked how the jalapeno vinaigrette complemented my sandwich. In fact, all the grilled cheese sandwiches come with a side that has flavors which reflect the sandwich.

gouda grilled cheese

gouda grilled cheese

My friend chose the Gruyere sandwich which consisted of pickled and caramelized onions on rye with Napa cabbage-caraway slaw. The flavors of this sandwich were good, and meet expectations but it lacked the wow factor that my Gouda sandwich had.  In the words of my friend, it was good, but not a home run. The slaw that came with the sandwich had caraway seeds sprinkled throughout, which complemented the rye bread the sandwich was on.

gruyere grilled cheese

For dessert, we ordered the bread pudding, which came out warm. The bread pudding was flavorful and moist, but lacked the sauce we were hoping it would come with and the orange caramel sauce described.

bread pudding

Our server was very nice, albeit forgetful, forgetting to bring us water after we asked, and asking us what sandwiches we had ordered after taking our order. I did not mind however, as he gave us our space and time, which is congruent with the atmosphere of the place.

I was very happy with my experience at The Queens Kickshaw, and will be there again, although getting me to stray from the Gouda grilled cheese will be hard. I would like to see The Queens Kickshaw expand their menu and selection of grilled cheeses – with so many cheese options out there, it would be cool to see new combinations of sandwiches. The portions at The Queens Kickshaw are small. Even going there for lunch, I did not feel completely satisfied with just my sandwich, but ordering the bread pudding filled the void. Prices lean towards the expensive, with my Gouda grilled cheese running $10, and the other sandwiches similarly priced. As of now, it is also cash only.

I loved the ambience and décor of the place, and their selection of coffees and ciders is to be envied. I think it is awesome that you can come here and do work while enjoying a coffee, without angry stares from the servers.  The music selection is great as well; in my time there I heard two Strokes songs quietly in the background, mixed in with hip-hop from the likes of Outkast and Biggie Smalls. This is a refreshing break from the usual club music blasting in most restaurants in Astoria.  This place definitely draws in the hipster crowd, and is something you could see being in Brooklyn. The Queens Kickshaw is open at 7:30am Monday to Friday (9:00am on weekends), with sandwiches starting at 11:00am. Closing time is 1:00am.

In addition, The Queens Kickshaw also offers live music on most Friday nights, and hosts various special events, such as cider pairings during NY Cider Week.

Pomme Café

While Astoria is home to restaurants covering a variety of foods from cultures far and wide, there are not many options for French cuisine. Pomme Café is one such place offering diners their share of tartare and escargots on 38^th Street and  Broadway.  In the summers, Pomme Café opens up its outdoor seating, and from walking past the café, I noticed they offer jazz brunches on weekends. Now that summer is behind us, Pomme’s high curtains are drawn in, adding a mysterious touch into this foreign café.

I visited Pomme Café on a bustling Friday night. Before entering the establishment, I read on a flier outside that at 10:00pm that night there would be live DJ music. I’ve lived in Astoria long enough to know that live DJ music around here is never a good thing. Luckily, it was 7:30pm, meaning I would probably be out of there before the obnoxious clubbing music would commence. Upon entering the doors, I caught my first glimpse of the dimly-lit interior. Dark wood and curtains surrounded the dining area, with a full bar to one side. Benches and pillows create a mini lounge in one corner, while a DJ area is located towards the back. Candles and a soft chandelier give the place a warm, seductive glow. As I turned to the hostess, I noticed she was wearing leggings and a corset. Just then, another female hostess walked by wearing the same thing. I understand this restaurant is banking off the French romantic vibe, but I have been to France, twice, and no females go around dressed like that unless they work in Pigalle. It’s rather pathetic that a restaurant has to flaunt sexy women and not let the food speak for itself. This isn’t Hooters. The men also had a uniform, wearing suspenders to the traditional black pants and white collared shirt combination. I understand the uniforms chosen may be a nod to French culture and keeping up with the French theme, but it is not so much French as it is corny to the customer and objectifying to the women.

back of the cafe

bar area

interior wall

front area

My friend and I started our meal with a cocktail. Pomme offers a variety of wines, beers and signature cocktails, and they did not disappoint. I ordered the French Girl cocktail, which has cassis in it, a popular French blackcurrant liqueur. The place was packed on this Friday night, but as I soon realized, all the patrons were in using their Groupon that was expiring soon, myself included.  To start us off, our waiter brought us warm baguette slices with whipped butter. For our appetizers, my friend and I each got the Pomme Onion Soup Gratin, which is made with three types of onions, and three types of cheese.  The soup was very good, made with a rich beef stock base accenting the sharp cheese and crunchy baguette slices.  Next, we ordered an hors d’oeuvres, picking the Charcuterie, which ended up being a lovely surprise. The spread included dry cured aged meats (salami, prosciutto, and another meat), grapes, cornichons, pickled vegetables (cauliflower, carrots) and a fruit pate which I believe was guava. The aged meats were fresh, and the fruit pate complemented the salty meats perfectly. Our waiter forgot to bring us the grilled baguette that came with the platter, and once he brought it over, explained how the menu was going through some changes.  Apparently since my visit, the menu did change, and with that, an increase in prices.

pomme onion soup gratin

charcuterie

It was while we were waiting for our entrees did the atmosphere of the place change.  The music suddenly went from dim (but still awful) background music to full out blaring club music, thanks to the DJ starting her set an hour and a half early. It was loud, obnoxious, and totally out of place for a seemingly nice restaurant. While this may sound harsh hear me out: when I drop $150 for a nice meal at a nice restaurant (which would have been the price without the Groupon), I expect it to be an enjoyable experience, since it is not a typical, everyday occurrence. I do not expect to hear a techno version of Stairway to Heaven midway through my meal. I did not even think there could be a techno version of Stairway to Heaven. I could not hear my friend across from the table, and it disrupted the quiet, relaxing dinner I had anticipated. As I’ve learned, the majority of Astoria restaurants have a penchant for this type of music, no matter how fancy or laid back the venue.

For my entrée, I had the Seared Sesame Tuna, which, according to the menu, was to be served with French lentils, local farms ratatouille, wasabi cream, and pepper aioli. I love ratatouille and was disappointed to see my tuna on a bed of lentils, with a few measly bits of stewed vegetables mixed in the legume. So all I tasted with the tuna were the lentils.  The tuna itself was a bit bland, as were the lentils. I had no care for the wasabi cream and pepper aioli, which did not add much depth nor flavor, but instead presented a nice visual that some trendy chefs today prefer over substance. My friend ordered the Sweet and Spicy Catfish, described as pan roasted, with wild greens, fall couscous, Canadian ham, and horseradish cream. The catfish did come out with the wild greens and couscous, but there was no Canadian ham in the plate. The dish itself was good; it was cooked well, with just the right amount of sweetness but followed by a rather overwhelmingly spicy kick.  While both entrees were not bad, they were not memorable and did not blow me away or really leave a mark or urge for me to go back.

seared sesame tuna

sweet + spicy catfish

For dessert, my friend and I shared a delicious tres leches cake. The spongy, moist cake was served with fresh fruit, homemade whipped cream, and a chewy coconut wafer. I would not change anything about it.

tres leches

The prices at Pomme Café lean towards the pricey side, with entrees ranging from $16-$26 (this is before the supposed price increase and menu change). I did not think the food, especially the entrees, lived up to the prices.  I initially enjoyed the vibe and décor of the place (that is, before the DJ started playing and minus the corsets that make up the hostess outfits). The space itself is quite beautiful but as I soon realized, aside from the dinner clientele, Pomme heavily caters to the young clubbers of Astoria, who want to be seen and heard at all hours of the night. Walking past Pomme Café later that night, I heard the heavy bass thumbing from across the street. Aside from all the outdoor cafes on 30^th Avenue to be seen at, Pomme Café on Broadway is another one to add to the list.