Pachanga Patterson

Living in a city with a significantly large Mexican population, finding a delicious taco in New York City is never too far away. Here in Astoria, Mexican cuisine ranges from the street meat variety (El Rey Del Taco Truck and El Rey Del Taco Truck #2) to the traditional (Los Portales) to the fusion (MexiQ).  Pachanga Patterson nestles into the traditional Mexican food territory, with a bit of fusion seen in their unique taco offerings.

Pachanga Patterson has a cozy, intimate atmosphere, with rustic and cultural décor adding to the charm and beauty of the small restaurant. During the warmer months, the restaurant has a small outdoor seating area. A wooden bar outfitted in a weathered turquoise wash is the main focal point of the space, opposite a simple brick wall dotted with prints, and another maroon and red color blocked wall. Festive string lights hang year round, and Dia de Los Muertos memorabilia sprinkles the space. Soft indie music, a refreshing relief from the Euro club tunes that abound in this part of town, plays in the background, making the whole experience very enjoyable, fun, and comfortable.

Pachanga Patterson

bar

bar

interior

tarrot card wallpaper

fish print

outdoor seating

outdoor seating

menu

We started our meal with the Honey in Heat and Tequilla Mockingbird cocktails. Aside from a full bar, Pachanga Patterson has a selection of margaritas, tequillas and mezcals that are a step above your standard cocktail. The Honey in Heat is a Margarita consisting of habanero infused tequila, lime juice, honey, and an ancho-salt rim. The Tequilla Mockingbird is a refreshing blend of tequila, lime juice, cucumber, and mint.

The menu at Pachanga Patterson is a bit limited, but you will find that the offerings are a different take on some traditional Mexican dishes, and that the dishes change throughout the months. The menu is broken down into Salsas, Small Plates, Entrees, and Sides. We started with a Salsa, choosing the Mustard and White Bean, although the Hummus and Chili came in a close second option. The Salsas come served with house fried corn tortilla chips. The dip was different from anything I tasted before, and had a pleasantly thick consistency. The mustard was a spicy whole grain mustard, giving the Salsa a kick, while the white bean mellowed out the flavor. The house fried chips were thicker than most store brought tortilla chips, and varied in their oil-saturated hues. However, they were not overly greasy.

Honey in Heat + Tequilla Mockingbird

Mustard and White Bean Salsa

 For our entrees, I ordered the Ancho Battered Pollack Taco, while my friend went with the Roasted Lamb Taco. The Pollack Taco came with a citrus habanero aioli, cilantro, onion and tomato. The light, citrus aioli and refreshing cilantro tasted great with the Pollack. Although the fish was fried, it did not feel heavy.

Ancho Battered Pollack Tacos

The Roasted Lamb Taco was served with a ramp and almond pesto and cucumber slices. The Lamb came shredded, and had such a rich, deep flavor that immediately melted in your mouth. The ramp and almond pesto was subtle, yet added a great onion flavor that paired nicely with the cucumbers.

Roasted Lamb Tacos

Each serving comes with three tacos, and a small side salad. They also leave their own green sauce on each table for an extra kick.

Pachanga Patterson supports local farmers and artisans, and proudly gets ingredients from Tortilleria Nixtamal, Brooklyn Grange farm, and Raphael Vineyards to name a few. Their Moo Shu Duck Taco was featured on TimeOut New York NYC’s 26 Best Tacos list. Giuseppe Falco, owner of Pacahanga Patterson also co-owns popular sister restaurant Vesta Trattoria.

While I can’t say Pachanga Patterson serves the best tacos I’ve ever had, I do give them immense credit in coming up with eclectic and interesting tacos that most people would not even think to create. The atmosphere and décor make it a really cute and charming place to go with friends or a date, and it is a place where I would definitely return to. 

3E Taste of Thai

If you like your Thai food with a side of smooth R&B music, then 3E Taste of Thai is the place to be. Where the popular music of choice in Astoria is Euro-club beats, Taste of Thai offers a more soulful approach to your dining experience.

Located on Broadway between 35^th and 36^th Street, the restaurant consists of a dimly lit bar area and dining room. The ambience caters more to the young, and seems like a popular group date spot, with many tables set up to accommodate groups. Having visited Taste of Thai on a Friday night, what started as two filled tables later turned into the whole dining room filling up, with a wait forming in the foyer of the restaurant.

3E Taste of Thai Bar + Dining Area

My companions and I started our meal with the Crab Rangoon and Shrimp Co-Nut. Our entrees were the Chicken Pad Thai, Delicious Beef Cashew Nut, and Chicken Healthy Ginger. Although the authenticity of Crab Rangoon in true Asian cooking lends itself to be disputed, the Crab Rangoon at Taste of Thai was excellent, with a perfectly crispy wonton wrapper surrounding warm cream cheese, imitation crab meat, and scallions. The sweet dipping sauce served with it only accented the flavor of the cheese. The Shrimp Co-Nut consisted of butterflied shrimp in a coconut and almond crust served also with sweet dipping sauce. The shrimp was juicy and fresh, and the coconut and almond breading added a sweet and deep flavor. A round of Thai Iced Teas provided a sweet and milky refreshment to our taste buds.

Crab Rangoon

Shrimp Co-Nut

Thai Iced Teas

The Chicken Delicious Cashew Nut was the favorite dish of the night. Served with a blend of carrots, onion, bell peppers, celery, and cashew nuts in a dry chili paste, this dish was full of rich flavors from all the vegetables and chili paste. The cashew nuts added some base to the seasoned dish. All in all, it was a solid entrée that I would come back for.

Chicken Cashew Nut

The Chicken Pad Thai left more to be desired. Having eaten my fair share of Thai food lately (Thai Pavilion, Leng), the Pad Thai at Taste of Thai missed the mark. The mix of rice noodles, bean curd, egg, peanuts, and bean sprouts had a bitter after taste and lacked the flavor pad Thai is known for.

Chicken Pad Thai

The Chicken Healthy Ginger came with stir-fried pineapple, mushrooms, onion, celery, cell peppers, and onion, with fresh ginger. The dish was tasty, and the fresh ginger gave the chicken and vegetables a refreshing kick.

Chicken Healthy Ginger

For dessert, we shared the Fried Banana Ice Cream. The banana came served as four pieces, each covered in a rice sheet, spring roll style. The deep-friend pieces came with vanilla ice cream topped with coconut shavings and honey. The cold ice cream accented with coconut mixed with the warm banana was nothing short of delicious. My one comment was the rice sheet was so thickly and tightly wrapped around the banana that I had to bit through many layers of this sheet until I tasted the fruit. I would have preferred a looser and thinner layer so that I could taste the fruit more.

Fried Banana Ice Cream

While Taste of Thai lacks the ambiance I normally prefer, it features some great dishes that I looked forward to ordering and trying again. It is not the best Thai restaurant I have been to, but it has dishes I enjoy. And at prices barely reaching $10 an entrée, this makes a great low-cost option for Thai food in Astoria.

Bugatti Cafe

I had always been intrigued by Bugatti. Situated on an ever-growing food corner, Bugatti neighbors local favorites Pachanga Patterson, Bareburger, and Il Bambino on 31^st Avenue, with Italian food rivals Bartolino and Portalia on Broadway. Bugatti characterizes itself as a more upscale Italian eatery, seen in its dark wood décor and offering of valet services. My relationship with Bugatti started off on the wrong foot. Having purchased a Groupon to try out the establishment, I was told by one of the wait staff that they would not accept my Groupon on the Friday night I was trying to book, even though there was no mention of this restriction on the Groupon. Conversations with Groupon resulted in this restriction being lifted, but reading Yelp reviews of other Groupon users painted a less than stellar dining experience. Numerous reviews stated that when using their Groupons, patrons were treated differently, charged unfairly, and had an overall negative perception of the restaurant. Unfortunately, it seems as if Bugatti does not understand the point of this service. Yes, restaurants may not see a profit from diners using a Groupon, but the use of this service and other similar services is to gain repeat visits and therefore, more customers. Restaurants that fail to recognize this only end up hurting themselves more when they offer a disappointing experience.

The interior of Bugatti Café features dark wood paneling, with an exposed brick wall and mural covering the main wall. Bugatti has a full bar, located to the right, and has outdoor seating for the warmer months.  Stereotypical Italian music is generally heard to passerbys, but on the evening of my visit, the music choice was the Buena Vista Social Club. While the music isn’t blasting like many other places, it was a bit loud.

interior

interior

interior

Our server was friendly, which helped ease my reservations about the place. A basket of crusty bread was set on our table, served with some roasted zucchini and garlic in olive oil. The bread was fresh , and paired with the vegetables, was a perfect prelude to our meal. For our dishes, my friend and I ordered the Taglierini Con Pesto e Gamberetti and the Nodino di Vitello. I had wanted the Branzino (striped bass) entrée but it was sold out when I ordered. For a starter, we chose the Burrata.

complimentary bread

The Burrata is described as an imported cream-filled Mozzarella served on vegetable caponata and tossed pignoli nuts. This dish blew me and my friend away. A generous pouch of Burrata lay atop a medley of warm chopped vegetables and a bit of fresh pesto. The Burrata was so rich and so fresh, I have never tasted a Mozzarella like it before. Eaten with the seasoned vegetables further brought out the buttery flavor of the cheese. The Burrata is a winning dish at Bugatti, and one that I will be back for.

Burrata

The Taglierini Con Pesto e Gamberetti consists of fresh taglierini pasta with grilled shrimp, basil, and pesto. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish as well  - the portion was perfect, and the pesto was homemade, and very strong. I love strong pesto, but after eating so much of it, it got a bit overpowering. The grilled shrimp was perfectly cooked, and truly grilled, as I could taste the smokiness on the seafood.

Taglierini Con Pesto e Gamberetti

The Nodino di Vitello is a pan-seared boneless loin of veal, served with fresh sage, thyme, and a dry white wine sauce. It comes with broccoli rabe and roasted potato slices.  This dish was heartily enjoyed by my friend. The veal was extremely tender, and the rich wine sauce paired well with the meat. The broccoli rabe and roasted potatoes were both amazing, and well seasoned, making this dish a very fulfilling meal.

Nodino di Vitello

For dessert, my companion and I shared the Nutella crepes, served as two thin crepes rolled with Nutella. It is difficult to mess up Nutella crepes, and Bugatti did a good job in presentation and taste, offering some walnuts mixed in .

Nutella crepes

The owner of the place was sitting at the restaurant while we were there, and did not welcome us or ask us about our meal.  I noticed she catered to the regulars, and made no effort to see how we enjoyed the place, which was a bit disappointing.

Groupon and management issues aside, I really loved the food at Bugatti. We were lucky to get a nice server, and enjoyed our meal. The ambience and typical clientele at Bugatti is not the vibe I gravitate towards when going out to eat, but the excellent food alone makes this a place I will consider visiting again.  

Astor Bake Shop

Grabbing a burger at a bakery may seem unusual to most, but at Astor Bake Shop, burgers, beers, wine, and a dinner menu accompany the macaroons, éclairs, and tarts that decorate the pastry counter. In fact, Astor Bake Shop may just as well be known for their burgers as their desserts, having graced reviews for their beef on Serious Eats and other blogs.

Located in a part of “Old Astoria” I had never quite ventured into, Astor Bake Shop is worlds away from the concentrated Astoria food scene dominating 30^th Ave and the surrounding avenues. Instead, the bakery is located in a quiet part of town, which adds to the charm of this quaint bake shop. The interior of the maroon paneled storefront reveals a fusion of bakery and coffee shop. Décor is minimal, letting the space speak for itself. A white tiled floor holds dark wooden tables, perfect for long hours of laptop work, or a meal amongst friends. The back of the bake shop houses all the bakery equipment and kitchen, while the front holds the pastry displays and coffee counter. Astor Bake Shop proudly serves Stone Street Coffee, which is a micro roaster based out of Brooklyn. Owner-chef George McKirdy brings with him impressive experience at NYC favorites Nobu, Butter NYC, and Café Boulud, to name a few.

interior

pastry counter

coffee bar

pastry selection

Having heard rave reviews of the infamous Astor burger, a group of friends and I decided to try Astor Bake Shop for dinner. The lunch and dinner menu at Astor Bake Shop is the same, and consists of burgers, sandwiches, mac and cheese, fries, and salads, with a few featured specials each day. Being a party of six, our group settled on four Astor Burgers, a Croque Monsieur, the Slow Baked Chicken Sandwich, and Garlic Herb French Fries.

The Astor Burger comes served with Astor Bake Shop’s coleslaw, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and the signature Astor Sauce, on a challah bun.  The burger lived up to its expectations, with rave reviews all around.  Suggestions for improvements were that the special sauce was too scarce and therefore, not very noticeable, and that the coleslaw on the burger was really cold, throwing off the temperature of the whole burger. The Garlic Herb Fries were a table hit, as everyone enjoyed the super crispy and  perfectly seasoned garlicky fries.

Astor Burger

Slow Cooked Chicken Sandwich

Astor Burger

My Croque Monsieur was filled with black forest ham and Swiss cheese, served on brioche bread. As a sandwich, it served its function, however as a Croque Monsieur, I thought it needed improvement. The sandwich to me was more a cheese sandwich than a genuine Croque Monsieur. I had the most amazing Croque Madame (which is a Croque Monsier served with an egg on top) once in a café in Paris, and have been desperately trying to find (or make) an equivalent here in the States without much success. When I saw the menu featured the Croques, I immediately knew I had to have it. Coupled with the fact that the chef-owner has a background in French cooking further sealed the deal. However the Croque Monsieur I had was more of a grilled cheese with ham, and one served limp and cold at that. The nature of the brioche bread itself doesn’t hold up as a bread that should be crispy and grilled, resulting in a soft, buttery sandwich. I thought it could have been served warmer, as it was cold when I received it, and it could also have been a bit hearty with more ham and cheese. Sandwich aside, my dish came with a side salad of shredded cabbage, almost like a cole slaw but without the mayonnaise. The dressing was tangy, and while at first it threw me off, I enjoyed it.

Croque Monsieur

While my friends and I were too full to order dessert, the pastries in the display case looked enticing. I would definitely go back to Astor Back Shop to try their popular brunch or stop by for some coffee and pastries. I loved the atmosphere of the establishment, and while its location is a ways off, it is worth the commute. Astor Bake Shop is the type of café where you can sit for hours undisturbed, enjoying your coffee and the calmness of the bake shop. It is definitely a refreshing change from the Euro-pop cafes lining 30^th Avenue that blast techno all day and night.

La Vita Mia

Good pizza is hard to find in Astoria. I can even go so far as to say good pizza is hard to find in NYC. In a city known for their slices, the low barriers to entry and sustainable profit margin means lots of spots claiming they serve the best pizza in town.

Pizza wise, Astoria is known for Rizzo’s and Sac’s, but there is one lesser known place that I can stand behind as having the best pizza in Astoria: La Vita Mia. A bit off the beaten path on 24^th Avenue and 28^th Street, I happened upon La Vita Mia walking back from Astoria Park one day, and have been hooked ever since. Rizzo’s is known for their Sicilian-esque, saucy slices, and recently expanded from their Astoria outpost to the Upper East Side, a big feat for any Astoria establishment. Thin crust, and brick oven baked define Sac’s pizza. But for those out there who crave a true New York slice, La Vita Mia is it.

The interior and décor of La Vita Mia is standard, no frills, pizza joint. What lacks in character in the décor is picked up by the staff and owner. The owner is a genuine New Yorker, with a boisterous laugh and a New York accent laid thick. You can tell if he’s in from his loud jokes and voice bouncing off the walls, along with playful banter towards his staff. The owner alone makes a visit to La Vita Mia an experience.

La Vita Mia nails the perfect pie – the ingredients are fresh, toppings plentiful, and the crust is fluffy with just the right amount of crunch. Not being a huge crust eater, I find myself nibbling on La Vita Mia’s without even noticing. My favorite pizza pie at La Vita Mia is my own concoction – a white pie with sausage. I’ve had this pie at other places to compare, but nowhere else makes it as delicious as La Vita Mia. Top it with Frank’s hot sauce, (and they only have Frank’s, as the owner asserted one day) and you’re set.

Pizza aside, La Vita Mia offers plenty of other options, including heroes, pastas, wraps, and salads. The one downside of La Vita Mia is that it closes at 10:00pm. Being a block away from Bohemian Hall (the oldest and most quintessential beer garden in NY), I think they could benefit greatly from the hungry, post-drinking crowd.

white pie w. sausage

Seva

With many Indian restaurants to choose from in Astoria, Seva stands out amongst the crowd. Offering flavorful, top notch Indian fare, an excellent prix fix menu, outstanding service and ambience, Seva truly is a gem. Seva is personally my favorite Indian restaurant, and one of my preferred restaurants in Astoria.

Seva consists of a small yet inviting room, holding about twelve tables, with the kitchen and bathrooms located in the downstairs area. Dimly lit, the place is filled with light flowing in from the windowS against the left wall, as well as the candles flickering on each of the tables and bouncing off the colorful, intricate chandeliers. The service is not to be beat, with friendly waiters coming to refill the tin water cups faster than you can finish, and taking your order with a smile. Instrumental Indian music plays in the background. Although the space is small, I feel more cozy than suffocated while inside.

interior

I’ve been to Seva more than any other restaurant in Astoria (although it may be a tie with the weekend morning bagels I crave from Mt. Olympus Bagels) and have yet to experience a bad meal or less than stellar dining experience. Seva starts you off with a light and crispy serving of Pappadum, accompanied with tamarind and mint chutneys.  The prix fix menu is the way to go at Seva, with an appetizer, entrée, Basmati rice, and dessert for $13.50. Not only that, but the portions are generous, guaranteeing a leftover meal the next day. For our visit, my friend and I ordered the Masala Crab Cake and Butternut Squash Soup for appetizers, Chana Saag and Chicken Tikka Masala as the entrees, and Kheer for dessert, along with Garlic Nan, Mango Lassi, and Iced Tea.

This visit was my first time trying the Butternut Squash Soup. I usually get the Vegetable Samosa, which has a perfectly crispy, flaky shell filled with spiced potatoes and green peas, served on top of mint and tamarind chutneys. Not certain the soup could hold up to my samosa expectations, I was pleasantly surprised to find the Butternut Squash Soup had the same depth in flavors as the samosa, and was thick and creamy as if it has been simmering all day. The soup is spiced with nutmeg, tamarind, and a hint of cinnamon, with just the right amount of kick. The Masala Crab Cake consists of lump crab meat, garam masala, and mint, served on top of a yogurt and lemon-cilantro sauce. The yogurt sauce stabilizes the heat of the garam masala spices.

Butternut Squash Soup

Masala Crab Cake

Seva offers Mango and Sweet Rose Lassi. Both are freshly made, thick yogurt-based smoothies. The Sweet Rose has a more subtle, almost vanilla taste than the Mango, which is (obviously) more fruity.  The Iced Tea has been described by my iced tea aficionado pal as the best iced tea he’s had, with the taste of real spices in each sip a pleasant surprise over the generic Lipton black tea served at most places.

Iced Tea + Mango Lassi

The vegetarian Chana Saag consists of chickpeas and spinach flavored with ginger, tomatoes, and cardamom. Indian cuisine can gloriously give vegetarian dishes the flavors most non-vegetarians carp about, and Seva nails it with their Chana Saag. The smooth texture of the spinach, paired with the chickpeas, makes it an excellent choice for vegetarians and non-vegetarians as well.

Chana Saag + Garlic Nan

The Chicken Tikka Masala is my staple Seva dish. As much as I tell myself I will order their other dishes, the dish is so perfectly done, I cannot gravitate away from it. The dish consists of tender white meat cubed chicken, cooked in a clay oven and served in a light cream tomato sauce. Seva lets you choose the spiciness of your entrée, in either mild, medium, or hot, although even the mild has a spicy kick. The Chicken Tikka Masala comes topped with fresh parsley, which accompanies the delicate yet complex flavors embedded in the dish. The sauce is extremely flavorful, and the meat is so tender making this a favorite dish. The Basmati rice is also subtly spiced with cloves and saffron.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Seva offers many types of Nan, leavened soft fresh bread that is clay oven baked. Each Nan is freshly made when ordered, and comes out hot and lightly charred from the oven. Flavors include rosemary, coconut, onion, cilantro, and cheese, but my favorite is the Garlic Nan, sprinkled with finely chopped garlic and butter.

The two most popular desserts at Seva are the Kheer and Gulab Jamun. Both are fantastic. The Gulab Jamun are honeyed dumplings, spiced with cardamom, cloves and rosewater. They are very sweet, and the flavor is strong. I enjoy the texture of the spongy dumplings, and the fact that I’ve never tasted anything quite like it appeals to me.

Their Kheer is equally delicious, and consists of rice pudding flavored with coconut flakes, vanilla, and golden raisins. Calling Seva’s Kheer simply rice pudding is an understatement – the flavors are so rich and creamy, it goes above and beyond just a rice pudding.

Kheer

Seva is not to be missed when in Astoria. Located right next door to hotspot Sweet Afton, Seva is itself becoming another equally popular destination for locals and visitors alike. The delicious food, friendly waitstaff, not-to-be-outdone prices, and unique ambience at Seva help make Astoria an awesome place to live and eat.