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.