F Words Are Fun Words: Fish, Fiestas, Friends, Food

Fish

My girl and purveyor of wisdom, Trish J, was sweet enough to mention me in her latest food-themed post! Her mouthwatering pictures really got me hankering for some good fish (being the good little penguin I am). Then, I realized I've been meaning to blabber about some recent seafood meals anyway. You read my mind, Trish.


Last Friday, I finally had the pleasure of dining at Astoria seafood staple Taverna Kyclades, courtesy of my Auntie. Scratch another item off of my culinary to-do list! After passing the perpetually poppin' restaurant literally twice a day for four years of my life and also hearing tons of good things, my expectations were high.

I have to say, the food didn't disappoint. Everything was plentiful, super fresh, delicious and no-frills. Their simple preparations really let the quality of the fish shine through. I had grilled calamari and stole chunks of red snapper, broiled sole and stuffed sole from my meal mates. Yum! Plus, we happened to be fortunate enough to dine curbside on a beautiful evening. Seafood is one food that I especially associate with warm weather - I think outdoor dining and grilled seafood were meant to be. I wish there were more neighborhood seafood places of this caliber...

Is it me or is an affordable, quality seafood experience a rarity in New York? Having spent many summer vacations along the New England coast, I find myself longing for the abundant seafood shacks. Isn't it such a shame that a city whose establishment rested on the laurels of its harbor now has so few local sources for fish? The destructive powers of people are great, huh? I long for the day when we people find a way to keep up with our own destructiveness. Then, there will once again be healthy fisheries in New York's waterways and I can pig out!


Speaking of seafood and pigging out, that is just what I did with some Ethiopian shrimp tebsi this past Friday. Ethiopian cuisine is admittedly not something I'm very familiar with. In fact, this was only my second shot at it. So far, I've enjoyed it, but I can't say I'm exactly comfortable with some of the sour notes in the flavor profile yet. It's growing on me, though.

The communal manner in which the food is served on a giant platter is pretty fabulous. I know that's a bit of culture shock for many of us westerners. Unlike my friend, the aforementioned Trish J (who is a bit of a germophobe), I didn't have much trouble adjusting to eating with my hands off of one big plate. A communal plate seems natural if you're with loved ones and perfect for building bonds over the meal. Not to mention fewer dishes! Amen!


Fiestas

I know this isn't a new revelation, but I must say it just isn't a party without some kind of good food.

Celebrating my friend's birthday (with the Ethiopian food) and attending a Yelp Elite Event this past week have really brought that point home to me. While the very casual dinner we had wasn't really a "party," good food and good company meant a great time. On the other hand, the lounge opening I attended suffered quite a bit because there wasn't a lot of good food - portions were small and quality mediocre. The event could have been epic with more munchies.

Promoters and planners take note. Dancing up a storm does require fuel, after all!


Friends

(Sorry if this is starting to sound like Sesame Street.) Rounding out my "f" themed post, I have to shout out my friends and all friends the world over! Good company really does enhance a meal like no fine wine or exotic spice ever could.

Food That Teases: Hors d'oeuvres, High Prices and Hype

Whew! Food-wise it's been a busy week. I've had the opportunity to scratch a few items off of my culinary to-do list.

Patio @ Cavo

Last Tuesday, BF and I were treated to a free evening of cocktails and Greek tidbits (courtesy of the Queens Yelp Elite Event) at Cavo in Astoria. It was my first Yelp Elite Event and I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by how nice the venue and entire evening were. Food and drink can take all the awkwardness out of lounging with strangers, especially booze and passed hors d'oeuvres.

Crowd @ C

Small bites always seem more tantalizing, in my opinion. They leave you wanting more! I got to nibble on some tender fried calamari, a skewer of chicken souvlaki, a crab cake, pita triangles with yogurt and quite a few meatballs.

Calamari, Souvlaki & Pita

This may sound ridiculous, but in my 25 years of life I don't think I've ever technically had chicken souvlaki before that evening. Yes, I've had chicken kebabs and beef souvlaki, but never chicken souvlaki. Just goes to show that I've got a lot of eating left to do as I discussed last post.

Also, I found out that watching bellydancers is quite good for one's appetite. Maybe it's all that attention on the stomachs?



Memorial Day was spent with two of my oldest, dearest friends waddling around that other NYC borough. You know the one. Anyway, after joyriding on the Staten Island ferry to catch a breeze and a view, we found ourselves at Eataly and later Shake Shack.

Oh Eataly, you hurt so good. It was painful how many things looked delicious. I can't believe it took me this long to make it there and am equally incredulous that I controlled myself and didn't walk out with any purchases. Probably my church-mouse status was a contributing factor.

I really wanted that $12 bottle of sciroppo di latte di mandorle (almond milk syrup) so I could reminisce about my Rome adventures. And the package of prosciutto, the ball of fresh mozz, the squid's ink spaghetti, the jar of crema di pistacchi e cioccolato, the absolutely flawless petite eggplants... Sigh.

Ultimately, we left with hungry tummies after determining it would be too expensive to get our proper fill at those gourmet prices. Thus, we crossed the street for some Memorial Day appropriate burgers 'n shakes instead of splurging on the paste, salumi e vino that were teasing us.

After hearing all kinds of "Shake Shack is the messiah" buzz, I was naturally eager to see what was what. It was certainly an experience. That line is no joke, but good company made it tolerable. We had to endure yet more teasing as we waited and contemplated. I loved their idea of a deep-fried, cheesey portobello mushroom on top of a burger, though I think it could be executed better than it was. Great idea, decent reality. The hype was not completely justified. Especially in the shake department. I've had way better shakes at many other places. I like mine very thick. Theirs was sweet and didn't hold up - turned liquidy quickly. A thin shake is pointless! You could just drink melted ice cream instead.

I wonder how places such as Shake Shack achieve messiah status? How do they get so insanely popular that people are willing to wait an hour for only moderately interesting food? Fascinating! Is it only possible in a big city like NY or does this phenomenon occur in small towns, too?

In any case, watching the queue was very entertaining. It always seemed to remain approximately the same length until nearly closing time. My friends and I couldn't help wondering if they try to keep the line long by slowing down if it gets shorter. I certainly noticed that the pace at which we moved when in line was not constant. We would sometimes move a lot at once and then not move a step for ages. Do you think an establishment would stoop so low to create hype? I'm cynical, so I think it's a definite possibility. Hey, bars and clubs do it so why not, right? But don't take my word for it - I don't want to be blamed for starting culinary conspiracy theories!

What's your favorite taste that teases?