Leng

Hidden behind the scaffolding that seems to permanently occupy Broadway and 34th Street sits Leng. From the outside, Leng looks like any typical restaurant, with a front waiting section, bar, and seating area. However once inside, you discover this is not the case. The waiting area consists of a bench and a side table piled with the latest magazines, and a full bar lined with stools. As you walk further into the restaurant, tables line one of the walls, facing a semi open kitchen. My friend and I were ready to sit down on one of these tables until we realized there was a back room full of more tables. Walking deeper inside, we came to this beautifully decorated back room, which had an entire glass wall facing a large courtyard and impressively tall bamboo garden, which is open and alive during the warmer months.

Courtyard + bamboo garden

The story of Leng started when the owner’s father, named Leng, opened his own restaurant in Bangkok in 1942. Years and miles have bought the recipes from Thailand to the heart of Astoria, as the Siricharoen family operates this Thai and Asian restaurant.

Leng’s décor has a trendy, modern look with a folksy, Asian twist. Dark wood panels of various widths diffuse purple, blue, and red lights that filter through the rooms, while diverse tiffin carriers and Asian beer and sake bottles sit on shelves in the back room.  Paintings of flowers line the kitchen area, while ornamented wood panels decorate the rustic washed walls of the back room, next to a picture depicting Thai monks. The lighting is dim, and aided by candlelight, each table displaying a different color and style candle holder.

Seating alongside the open kitchen

Interior of Leng

Interior back room

For our visit, my friend and I started with the Chicken Thai Satay, and moved on to the Gai Pad Med Mamuang and Bul Go Gui, with the Fried Banana for dessert. Shortly after ordering, a complimentary dish of sweet fried noodles arrived on our table in a bamboo steamer. The dish was tasty, sweet, and sticky with a subtle spicy kick. It reminded my friend of kettle corn, and reminded me of a Rice Krispies treat; regardless of the comparisons, it was a fun and light way to start our meals.

Sweet fried noodles

 The Chicken Satay was served with peanut sauce and pickled vegetables, both of which were excellent paired with the marinated and grilled chicken. The peanut sauce was so full of deep flavor, and the vegetables were crunchy and tangy.

Chicken Satay + sweet fried noodles + Thai ice tea

Service is speedy at Leng – we were still finishing up our Satay when our entrees came out. The menu said the Gai Pad Med consists of chicken sautéed with cashews, onions, scallions, and dried chili, however upon receiving my dish, I found it overflowing with many more vegetables, including mushrooms, green peppers, and celery. The portions are quite generous, and each entrée comes with a side of Jasmine rice. The Gai Pad Med was full of favor, the meat was tender, and the vegetables all very fresh and abundant.

Gai Pad Med

The Bul Go Gui is Korean-style beef with sesame, soy, ginger, carrots, scallions, and kimchi. The flavors of the sesame, soy, and ginger all gave the beef a rich taste, with the spicy kimchi adding texture. In addition to the Thai dishes, Leng pulls in influences in its menu from Korea and other Southeast countries like Vietnam and Indonesia.  

Bul Go Gui

Many items on Leng’s dessert menu appealed to me, such as the Coconut Cakes, Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango, and Taro Custard. I don’t like chocolate, so it is nice to go to a restaurant and discover a dessert menu that is not chocolate heavy but instead features some of my favorite tropical fruits, like mango, coconut, and banana. We ended up going with the Fried Banana with Ice Cream, choosing Green Tea as our ice cream of choice.  The Fried Banana came out perfectly fried and warm, with a crisp, sweet coating drizzled in honey. The Green Tea ice cream was overwhelmingly concentrated, and would have tasted better if the flavor was a bit more subtle. All in all, it was a great dessert.

Fried Banana with Green Tea ice cream

Leng offers fresh, delicious, and largely portioned Thai food in a beautifully decorated space that is sure to impress anyone. I am curious to see how the courtyard is when used; looking at the towering bamboo from the back room was impressive enough. Prices for main dishes range from $10 - $14. Although Leng is somewhat hidden on Broadway, it does get crowded, and at times, the small backroom can seem a little too crowded. However, service is fast, for the most part, and turnaround is high. It is a great local restaurant that Father Leng would surely be proud of.

Guacamole

Nestled on Broadway in close proximity to two other Mexican restaurants sits Guacamole, which seems to be a hybrid of the authentic and unassuming Tacos Mexicos and the larger Las Margaritas a few doors down.  Astoria has been experimenting with Mexican cuisine lately, with places such as MexiQ coalescing barbeque with Mexican food, and Pachanga Patterson offering unique and trendy Mexican fusion. Guacamole offers no such pizzazz, but delivers fresh, authentic Mexican food in a relaxed environment.

Guacamole’s interior isn’t anything particularly special. The main dining area consists of a large room, with additionally seating lining the bar located in the back. The back area is spacious as well, housing a delivery bike and bathrooms. The place is small enough where you can see everyone in the dining room, yet large enough that you do not feel crowded. Generic paintings of food, flowers, and a Mexican woman line the citrus colored walls, while the Mexican waitress greets you in broken English and lets you pick a spot to sit in. It’s a comfortable place, that is great for groups of any size.

interior of Guacamole

interior

bar area

back area

 I recently went there with a group of fellow Astorians. Having just completed my taekwondo belt test, we were particularly hungry and looking forward to filling up with some hearty Mexican fare. Amongst ourselves, we ordered the Burrito de Espinaca, Burrito de Pollo, Mexican Taco Salad, Enchiladas Suizas, and Beef Tostadas. And Hot Mexican Chocolate. And some Pacificos.  We also started the night with complimentary chips and salsa. While their taste was nothing special, it was appreciated.

The Burrito de Espinaca consists of spinach sautéed with onions, jalapeno peppers and garlic, and comes with your option of black or pinto beans, rice, and cheese all wrapped up in a tortilla served with sour cream and guacamole on the side. The spinach and ingredients were fresh, and the burrito was generously filled with the spinach.  I had never seen a spinach burrito offered in Mexican establishments before, and found this particularly great for vegetarians or those not wishing to eat meat yet still pack some protein.

My Burrito de Pollo comes filled with grilled chicken, black or pinto beans, rice, and cheese and also served with guacamole and sour cream, and a sad four pieces of shredded lettuce.  I thought they could have been more generous with the chicken, but not being a particularly carnivorous eater, this was fine for me. The ingredients worked together smoothly, and the melted cheese over the rice, beans, and chicken tasted wonderful. The sour cream and guacamole on the sides were delicious as well. The guacamole is made fresh and chunky with pieces of avocado and tomatoes. I thought it could have been more flavorful with the traditional red onion, cilantro, and spices but in most restaurants, you also pay extra for the guacamole, whereas this came included. I also wished the dish came with pico de gallo, which also comes at an additional cost.

Burrito de Espinaca +  Burrito de Pollo + Jamaica Aqua Fresca

The Mexican Taco Salad came in a hard tortilla shell filled with mixed greens, guacamole, cheese, pico de gallo, and grilled chicken (my friend substituted her chicken for black beans) with a honey mustard dressing. The dish was quite large and satisfying, and the toppings all contributed to a more kicked up salad.

Mexican Salad

The Enchiladas Suizas consist of three soft corn tortillas filled with chicken and topped with a cream tomatillo sauce, melted cheese, onions, and sour cream. The dish also came with a side of rice and beans. This was a winning dish, as the cream tomatillo sauce mixed with the sour cream, onions, and cheese fused together so well. The sauce was incredibly rich and robust, and the enchiladas practically melted in your mouth.  The rice and beans side dish was also very tasty.

Enchiladas Suizas

The Beef Tostadas came on a fried corn tortilla shell, topped with black beans, lettuce, sour cream, and queso fresco. Presentation alone looked delicious, and the taste was light, fresh, and good.

Beef Tostadas

Guacamole offers a few bottled beers such as Corona and Dos Equis, yet our waitress recommended the authentic Mexican beer Pacifico to us. I hadn’t tried Pacifico before, but enjoyed the light, almost wheat beer taste. Two people in our group also ordered the Hot Mexican Chocolate which tasted incredible. I don’t even like chocolate but I genuinely enjoyed the richness and deep flavors of the hot chocolate. This chocolate wasn’t some store brought Hershey’s bar. There was definitely a hint of chili and some other spices that gave this such a satisfying taste.

On a previous visit, I had gotten their Mango Guacamole and Jamaica Aqua Fresca, which came in a dark berry hue. I was never able to pinpoint exactly what fruit was in this aqua fresca, and upon asking the waitress before ordering was met with a "it's good" and a point at the Horchata below it, but if I had to take a guess, I thought it had a guava base. The aftertaste was a bit bitter but I enjoyed the what-I-thought-was guava taste, and it is a drink I’d order again. The Mango Guacamole came loaded with chunks of mango. The mango wasn’t particularly ripened yet, which I blame on the off-season, but the sweetness of the fruit mixed with the creaminess of the avocado made it an enjoyable combination.

Mango Guacamole + Pacifico

 Guacamole offers solid, authentic Mexican food in a casual, comfortable, unpretentious setting. I’ve enjoyed my meals there and find it a good hybrid of authentic Mexican food mixed with a restaurant setting that is great for a sit down dinner or group outings. 

Aroma 31

Aroma 31 opened last October, after the comically short-lived Eco Table in that same location mysteriously closed. Fast forward a few months, and the former Eco Table décor and menu had transformed into what is now Aroma 31. Perplexed by this seemingly sudden change, especially considering how Eco Table had been open not even a full month before closing, I was able to get an answer from our server at Aroma 31 on my visit. Story has it that two friends and business partners had the idea to open a restaurant together, and thus, Eco Table was born. However, shortly after opening this venture together, the partners had different ideas about running the place, and butt heads. This lead to them closing the restaurant, while one partner took over the space to open his own restaurant, Aroma 31.

Aroma 31 features floor to ceiling windows that are opened in the warmer months. The interior has a warm feel to it, with exposed brick walls, and dimly lit hanging ceiling lamps. Cool colors in warm hues reign here, with a palette of greens and blues filling the space. It is a simple, cozy space, yet large enough so you don’t feel cramped.  Walking past Aroma 31 quite frequently, it does not seem to get as crowded as other hotspots in that immediate area, making it a nice, quiet place to enjoy a meal.

Aroma 31 from the outside

Aroma 31 from the inside

Visiting Aroma 31 on a Friday night with a group of friends, we were brought complimentary pita and hummus to start our meal. The hummus was freshly made and topped with spices and olive oil, which was a nice alternative to the usual bread and butter most restaurants fall back on.  Aside from the permanent menu offerings, Aroma 31 also offers a few specials, found on the chalkboards outside or inside the restaurant.  Our group started with some drinks, namely the White Sangria and the Organic Nut Brown Ale. The sangria was refreshing, but tasted a bit watered down, while the Nut Brown Ale was just okay for its $7 price point. For our meals, my friends and I settled on the “Seven Hour” Slow Braised Lamb Osso Buco, the Fresh Mint Tagliatelli, two of the Aroma Burgers, and a side of Sautéed Spinach.

hummus + pita

The “Seven Hour” Slow Braised Lamb Osso Buco is described as having a dates and raisin demi glace and served with vegetable couscous.  My friend enjoyed her dish, saying the lamb was tender and falling off the bone. The demi glace left something to be desired, as she wasn’t sure if she tasted the dates and raisin flavors. The vegetable couscous was good as well, but did not have a whole lot of vegetables in it.

"Seven Hour" Slow Braised Lamb Osso Buco

The burgers at Aroma 31 consist of 8 ounces of the Chef’s Blend of Flank Steak, Short Ribs, Sirloin, and Beef Flatiron, served on a brioche bun and house fries. The Aroma Burger comes topped with Feta cheese, crispy onions, and tzatziki sauce, and got mixed reviews in our group. One of my friends enjoyed the burger, which came truly “medium” as requested, with the fried onions piled on top of it.  He thought the brioche bun could have been fresher, but the price of $10 and accompanying crispy fries made up for it. The side of Sautéed Spinach was really tasty and fresh, and loved by us all. My other friend did not love the Aroma Burger, feeling that the Feta and the tzatziki flavors, along with the beef mix, did not complement each other as expected.

Aroma Burger

My dish was the Fresh Mint Tagliatelli, featuring a slow roasted lamb shoulder ragu. Ordering this dish was a bit of a risk for me as one, I do not like mint in my food or beverages, only in my gum, and two, I am very picky eating lamb and only like it prepared certain ways. I love ragu with ribbony pasta so this dish piqued my interest. I was also debating getting the Butternut Squash Risotto, but trusted our server who told me to go with the tagliatelli. Lucky for me, the mint flavor in the dish was not overwhelming, and was quite subtle. The lamb ragu, though chunky, was extremely tender once you bit into it. Having the soft tagliatelli with the delicate and tender lamb made it an enjoyable dish.

Fresh Mint Tagliatelli

We looked at the dessert menu but nothing really captivated our interest, so we skipped a sweet nightcap.

Dinner at Aroma 31 was an enjoyable experience, especially since it is quiet and offers a cozy environment to catch up with friends or bring a date to. Although it is not the first place that pops into my mind when I think of restaurants to eat at, the food was good, and it is a place I would consider visiting again. 

Gyro Uno

Remember back in October when I wrote that the best gyro in Astoria will be saved for another post? Well folks, the time has come! The best gyro in Astoria is found at Gyro Uno, located on Steinway on the corner of 28^th Avenue, right in the heart of Little Egypt. Living in Astoria, which boasts the largest Greek population outside of Greece, there seems to be a gyro spot on each block, each boasting the rights to the best gyro the universe has ever tasted. Gyro Uno claims no such thing, but is a humble restaurant offering a magnitude of options, such as soulvaki, pizza, pasta, breakfast (all day), salads, sandwiches, spanakopita, and of course, gyros; there is little that you cannot find on their menu. Usually I am cautious of places that specialize in one type of cuisine, yet offer so many varied dishes since the latter usually turns out to be a disappointment. However, I can confidently say the majority of items I have tried, gyros aside, have been really good as well.

interior

The gyro at Gyro Uno comes generously filled with perfectly seasoned and tender lamb, red onion, tzatziki sauce, fresh tomatoes, and parsley, sprinkled with paprika and wrapped in a soft, slightly warm pita. The gyro is so big and hearty in and of itself, and for $5, it truly is the best deal town. I wasn’t a huge fan of lamb gyros until I tried one at Gyro Uno. It is now the only place I will eat one. Everything on the Gyro Uno menu is inexpensive, especially compared to other places in the neighborhood. Another equally awesome tidbit: all the food at Gyro Uno is homemade, so their soups, meatballs, tzatziki sauce, everything is made in the kitchen. I discovered this when battling a cold, and looking for some good soup. Asking if the soups were homemade, one of my favorite waitresses there confirmed that it was, like everything else on the menu, homemade. And it turned out to be the best chicken noodle soup I have ever eaten at a restaurant. The spanakopita is equally great, and at $3.75 a piece, another great deal.  Their Greek Salad is another one of my favorites, filled with delicious olives and a thick piece of the best and freshest feta cheese I’ve tasted.

gyro at Gyro Uno

The waitresses are Gyro Uno are two charming, friendly older Greek woman, who alternate days, and who tell it like it is. You can trust them to be honest with you if you have questions about the menu. Gyro Uno is also cash-only.

Walking into Gyro Uno, you feel as though you are back in old Astoria, before the organic burger shops and brunch cafes sprung up everywhere. The place has been around for a long time, and the look hasn’t changed much either. The waitresses themselves are as engrained in the place as the faded menu pictures lining the walls. Although Gyro Uno doesn’t have the look of the ever-increasing trendy hotspots in Astoria, it is a gem, serving delicious, homemade food at unbeatable prices.

Sugar Freak

Sugar Freak has been a long time in the making, with owners Michele and Al signing the lease for the 1,000-square-foot restaurant in 2009, with a longer than usual soft opening in June of 2011 and a grand reopening in September of that year. The restaurant derived its name due to the owners’ original concept of opening a dessert shop, which then grew to become a restaurant dedicated to New Orleans’ home style Cajun cooking.

I was lucky enough to discover Sugar Freak for dinner on the first night of their soft launch, and I have to say they’ve come a long way since their beginnings. The menu has gone through some changes and additions, the staff has grown, and the service has improved.

Sugar Freak from the outside

The décor at Sugar Freak is nothing short of beautiful and unique. Patchwork quilted pillows – each one unique - line the backs of the booth seating, with exposed brick walls and pipes lining the ceiling. The restaurant has a very warm, Southern hospitality feel to it. You feel as though you are in someone’s (beautiful) house (or the pages of the Anthropologie catalog) rather than a restaurant on 30^th Avenue. The extra thought that has gone into each detail is appreciated, from the aluminum split can candle holders, to the Mason jar salt and pepper shakers and the sponge painted paper towel holders on each table. The bathrooms are equally attractive, made entirely of wood and featuring tin pail sinks.

interior

interior

quilted pillows

interior

interior

interior

interior

bathroom interior

bathroom interior

interior

On a recent visit, my friends and I ordered the Deviled Eggs and the “Debris” and Cheese Fries as appetizers. The Deviled Eggs are not your grandma’s holiday party hors d’oeuvres, unless your grandma happens to add some jazz to this traditional staple. Sugar Freak’s Deviled Eggs come in batches of four, with the flavors being spicy crab, shrimp, crispy fried chicken skin, and bacon, egg and cheese. This playful twist on a rather simple dish was delicious. The “Debris” and Cheese Fries is described as beef gravy with tender beef “bits” and Cajun cheese sauce topped with jalapeno peppers. When we got the fries, we thought the chef forgot to include the gravy. It wasn't until we were almost done with the fries did we see the thin layer of gravy on the bottom of the basket, without the beef bits described. This aside, the Cajun cheese sauce and what we could taste of the gravy was very rich and tasty, and went great with the jalapeno peppers sprinkled on top. Though we did not get them this time, we had the Crayfish Boudin Balls on a previous visit. Perfectly fried, these balls are a house favorite.

Deviled Eggs

"Debris" and Cheese Fries

For our main dishes, my friends had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken (All White) and the Grilled Chicken Po’Boy , while I opted for the Jambalaya, consisting of Louisiana-Creole seasoned rice with chicken and Andouille sausage.  The Jambalaya was well-seasoned, and had a hearty kick to the dish. The spices were rich and I enjoyed the little bits of crispy celery pieces throughout. The sausage and chicken were tasty, although the chicken was not as plentiful as the sausage. The first time I got this in the soft opening, I fell in love with the flavors of this dish and found it be one of the best comfort foods. I found the portion to be bigger on this most recent visit, and also found the rice a little bit dry.

Jambalaya 

The Buttermilk Fried Chicken left a lot to be desired. My friend found the chicken flavorful, but dry and lacking the greasy indulgence associated with fried chicken. This came with a side, and my friend opted for the tasty Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken w. Red Beans and Rice

The Po’Boys are served on Gambino’s French Bread from New Orleans, and topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayo and served with fries. The Grilled Chicken on my friend’s Po’Boy was a little greasy, but overall the Po’Boys are a solid hit at Sugar Freak.

Grilled Chicken Po'Boy

Sugar Freak no longer has a dessert menu, but the desserts for the day are read aloud by the waiters. On our visit, Sugar Freak was serving their Popcorn Pudding, Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding, Bailey’s Bread Pudding, and Pineapple and Cherry Crisp. We ordered the Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding, which was moist and wonderful.  I was lucky enough to get a sampler of all three of their desserts at the time on my first visit, due to a longer than usual wait for a to-go order, and they were all equally delicious.  While their desserts are tasty, it strikes me as odd the owners decided to stick with Sugar Freak as a name for their establishment.  

Chocolate and Caramel Bread Pudding

Sugar Freak is a unique restaurant for Astoria, offering delicious New Orleans-inspired dishes in a fun and beautiful setting. It is one that I will continue to visit whenever I’m craving some South in my mouth.