Salt & Fat (Sunnyside, NY)

Sunnyside, NY is a 5 minute drive from Astoria or worth the 20 minute walk for this fantastic restaurant.

"Shaved" Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Cinnamon, Mandarin Oranges, Bacon Brittle 

Grilled Shrimp, Tasso Ham Broth, Beans, Roasted Red Peppers

Oxtail Terrine

It has taken me way too long to find the genius that is Salt & Fat.  This is absolutely gourmet food, fine attention to detail, high end ingredients respected properly, and getting the very most out of low end or more inexpensive ingredients, this place is special.  They seem to combine new American technique and excitement with a good amount of Asian flavors, it reminded me at times of WD-50.  Absolutely delicious, fun, exciting and affordable food!  What more can be said about a place that offers Bacon Popcorn to start the meal?  The service is very laid back and relaxed, its gourmet food, with a neighborhood feel and no pretension.

My favorite bite of the night (and perhaps one of the best bites I've ever had) was the "Shaved" Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Cinnamon, Mandarin Oranges, Bacon Brittle.  A variation of the classic at Momofuko Ko, this was absolutely perfect mix of flavors and textures.  The ingredient I was expecting to dislike the most (Cinnamon) was the one that brought all the flavors together.  The Foie absolutely melts in your mouth and is just incredible.  The Oxtail Terrine was another winner.  Super rich and beefy, with a few sweet sauces and great mushrooms.  Both those items are highly recommended.

The fried chicken was amazingly tender, as if it was sous vide, then fried, which I would not put past them.  If that was not their technique, that I'm really impressed, because it as juicy and tender as the steamed chicken I order in Chinatown.  I believe they also removed the bones from the chicken before frying, not sure how but that's what it appeared to be.  It was also a very nice portion of chicken, and paired well with the picked diakon and herb ranch.

Even the dessert was true harmony.  The Lychee panna cotta was accompanied perfectly by the Yuzu and Buttermilk sorbet.  They were cleverly placed on opposite ends of the plate, beckoning me to eat one, then the other, and not combine.  Each bit was better then the one before.  The extremely bright acidic sorbet was the perfect foil to the mellow subtle panna cotta. Both brought the flavors of the other out in a way that I was quite impressed with.

Even the complementary Probiotic Yogurt Drink they give you with your check was delicious.  I loved absolutely everything about this place and cannot wait to return!

Queens Comfort (Pt 2)

Peanut Butter & Jelly - Skippy Peanut Butter, Grape Jelly, Smoked Bacon

 

 

Mac & Cheese

 Chicken & Waffle – Tabasco Glaze, Maple Syrup, Powdered Sugar

Free-form Tamale with Smoked Pork

The Billionares Salad with Brown Sugar Bacon, Mesclun, Blue Cheese, Poached Egg, Maple Vin

Ring of Fire - Batter Fried Jalapeno & Bell Peppers, Cheddar, Sriracha Aioli (Left)

 Meatloaf Sandwich – Cheddar, Onion Rings, Bacon Ketchup (Right)

House-made Jalapeno Poppers

The Wall of Queens Comfort

In the year or so since I've first reviewed Queens Comfort, I've eaten here nearly 20 times.  It has become my go to place for brunch; when guests are in town and want something funky and fun; weekly dinners with my father who is notoriously picky but loves this place; even for Friday date night with my wife (which is appropriate because our pictures are on the wall). No matter the occasion (aside from perhaps a formal celebratory dinner), this is my place for local delicious food.  The servers seem like old friends, the chef/owner is thankful and passionate about what he serves, and they have an awesome collection of cook books for viewing.  This is a true neighborhood spot where you see the owners of other local restaurants splitting the mac and cheese and nearly every table has friends sharing a bottle of wine or a 6-pack, taking advantage of the BYOB policy, enjoying a few hours while B-movies and classic wrestling moments play on the projector screen.

They have listened to their customers feedback and incorporated change when needed.  Instead of the frozen lego, they now serve a thick fluffy homemade waffle with a tabasco glaze and the most amazing boneless fried chicken breast.  They still serve alot of the delirious southern inspired comfort food with a twist, but now they serve more Mexican food.  The owner Donnie cooks wonderful Mexican food, my favorite dish being his free-form tamale and smoked pork.  The homemade Jalapeno Poppers are the best I've ever had.  Huge, plump jalapenos with the seeds included, fried to a perfect crisp, yet not greasy at all. 

I've had most of the menu and there is not much that is not memorable and delicious.  The Disco Tots with Tater Tots, Sawmill Gravy, Cheddar are a perfect fried snack to share, rich and cream, and begging for the vinegary hot sauce.  The Billionares Salad with Brown Sugar Bacon, Mesclun, Blue Cheese, Poached Egg, Maple Vin is a fantastic spin on a cob.  The flavor is massive, its a perfect start to the meal.

The Peanut Butter, Jelly & Bacon burger is amazing!  It is not as funky as it sounds, its actually a good balance of sweet, salty and umami.  The melting Peanut Butter looks like sharp cheddar cheese but the sweetness reminds me of ketchup.  That may be my favorite burger at QC, but all of them are fantastic.  Served with a huge pile of crispy house-made shoestring french fries.  Absolutely delicious.

The other sandwiches are also worth ordering.  The house-made fresh bologna with a fried egg is excellent and has a very meaty rich flavor.  The Meatloaf Sandwich with Cheddar, Onion Rings, Bacon Ketchup is a huge mess of delicious tender meatloaf paired perfectly with the crunch of a thick Onion Ring.  Even my non onion eating father loved the crunch and taste of the ring.

I love the music they play, the prices are very affordable, the service is attentive friendly and casual, and the vibe is perfect.  This place is a real neighborhood gem, and I look forward to many more meals here.

HinoMaru

Tonkotsu Shoyu (Kagoshima Style) 

Creamy Pork Broth w/ Chashu, Kikurage, Scallion, Menma, Nori, Naruto

Pork Bun

Salmon Salad with Grapefruit

Pork Gyoza

Salt & Pepper Pork

Pork Sausage

Uni & Parmesan Ramen

Fried Squid Legs

Miso (Sapporo Style) 

 Chicken, Pork & Fish Broth w/ Minced Pork, Cabbage, Corn, Scallion, Menma, Bean Sprouts

Perhaps my new favorite restaurant in Astoria.  Fast, inexpensive, creative and most importantly delicious food!  The servers are also quite friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.  I'm not yet a true ramen connoisseur, so I can't really compare this Ramen to many other places.  However I can tell you most of what I've had here is excellent.  They excel in the soup, broth and noodles, with the Japanese style 'Tapas' being good to ok.

My favorite dish they serve is the Uni and Parmesan Ramen.  Really different and unexpected to have fish paired with a cheese based broth, but it works perfectly together.  The Uni is small and mild, but is well accented by the broth.  The noodles are al-dente and delicious!  The broth is rich and filling, yet not to thick.  The bits of tomato provide a nice acid component that helps cut into the richness of the broth.

The Tonkotsu (Hakata style) Ramen is really good.  Rich, silky broth, not to salty; perfect texture of the noodles; great soft braised pork belly and very affordable at around $10.  Highly recommended.

The Pork Sausage appetizer is ok, its more like small hotdogs, complete with the oily texture and taste.  Paired well, just as the Gyoza is, with I believe a puree of sweet squash and a few crunchy bits.  It adds a bit of complexity to an otherwise standard and somewhat oily dish.  The Gyoza also benefits from the accoutrement.  The Takoyaki is dressed well with the usual dancing bonito flakes, but upon first order they are undercooked, and the squid was quite chewy.

The salmon ceviche is nice but served unexpectedly as a salad and is slightly overpowered by the grapefruit.  The Pork buns are the best appetizer I've had here, very soft, flavorful pork belly, although I'm not a fan of the lettuce in the bun, brings down the overall taste.  The salt and pepper pork was unexpectedly served on a skewer and reminded me a lot of something I'd get on the street corner here in Astoria.  Very fatty, and since it was quickly grilled it did not have the time or the temperature to render off, leaving chewy fatty pieces in between decently flavored pork.  Not my favorite dish here.

Highly recommended for the Ramen, its excellent, fast and cheap!  Try and appetizers, some are better than others, and there are still a bunch I have yet to try.