Entries Tagged 'Moderate' ↓

Ovelia

August 2nd, 2007 — Astoria, Greek, Moderate, Very Good

Ovelia
Address 34-01 30th Avenue (corner of 34th St) Astoria, NY 11103
Phone 718-721-7217

Specialty Dishes from the Grill-Authentic Greek meats & seafood Schedule
Open for Lunch & Dinner seven days: Lunch: Monday
Sunday 11:30 am to 5 pm. Dinner: Sunday to Thursday 5:30 pm to 11:00 pm Friday- Saturday 5:30 pm to 12:00 Midnight. Brunch: 11:30 am to 3:30 pm

Capacity Seats 55 in Dining room, 11 at the bar, plus in the summer 40 in sidewalk café.
Open November 30th 2006
Plastic Amex, Visa, MasterCard

Parking Curbside
Price range Lunch menu: $10-14 Dinner menu: $25.-30

Ownership Chris Giannakas and Elias Mandilaras

Features The Hellenic influence in the specialty cocktails unique esoteric wine list is apparent.
Having graduated from culinary schools, Mandilaras has extensive hands-on experience through years of occupying responsible posts with companies such as B.R.Guest and Restaurant Associates. The restaurant’s name denotes "the spit" where a lamb is prepared, from Oveliskos (gr.) Obeliscus (Lat) a long, narrow instrument pointy at one end.
Ovelia

Review
Ovelia Restaurant

Breathtakingly contemporary, with a fireplace in the background and two gas-fired flames, contained in clear tubes over it, Ovelia , which denotes
the "spit" on which a lamb is prepared in Greek, with its delightful mix of traditional-elements and ultra-modern, and its corner setting with tables
spilling out onto the sidewalk, is not located in the trendy "Meat Packing District" of Manhattan but resides in an international area of Astoria Queens. The cocktails are exotic and potent; service is friendly and efficient and the food is as creative as it is delicious. It’s also about 40% less than a comparable Manhattan restaurant, which will more than pay for a good
bottle of wine from the excellent list. Besides the fabulous appetizers (some of the best cold Greek dips I’ve ever tasted) and grilled specialties such as marvelous grilled sweetbreads, liver and homemade sausage), there are fun inventions like shrimp, wrapped in eggplant and a lightened-up moussaka. Desserts like honey-coated Greek fritters are standouts.

Continue reading →

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Comments Off

Ninoâ€™s Bellissima

July 31st, 2007 — Moderate, Very Good, restaurant reviews

Ninoâ€™s Bellissima,
890 2nd Ave., near 47th St
212-355-2355

Touted as the world’s most expensive pizza, this gourmet pie is made by â€œNinoâ€™s Bellissima Pizzaâ€? The 12-inch pizza is topped with crÃ¨me fraiche, chives, eight ounces of four different kinds of Petrossian caviar, four ounces of thinly sliced Maine lobster tail, salmon roe, and a little bit of wasabi to complement all the fish. The pizza will serve eight and costs a mere $1,000 … well that is about $125 per serving. Or you can buy a slice for $250. Either way, it requires 24-hour advance notice and for some odd reason, it doesnâ€™t appear on the menu. For us real people Bellissima also chars some the best pizza in town at normal prices in a Italinate room with mosaic columns, colorful murals, on two levels, with a window that peeks into the more formal Ninoâ€™s Positano.

Continue reading →

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Comments Off

Strada 57

July 18th, 2007 — Moderate, Very Good, West Side Midtown

Strada 57

315 West 57 Street at 8th Avenue

212-757-1620.

Open seven days a week, lunch is served from 11:30 to 3pm and dinner Monday to Thursday from 4 to 11pm and Friday, Saturday and Sunday to 11:30pm.
There is a four-course pre-theater prix-fixe menu at $24,95 and a three-course prix=-fixe luncheon menu at $14.95.

Strada 57 specializes in Italian fare with all entrees made to order and served in a casual and romantic atmosphere—-a perfect spot for a relaxing, affordable and enjoyable lunch
or dinner.

Summer porch dining is one of the many treats offered at this attractive restaurant with its wainscoting, walls hung with colorful tapestries, soft lighting and friendly bar.

Some of the many delicious dishes are Pollo Portobello, a hearty portion of chicken served with prosciutto, portobello mushrooms, roasted garlic and sherry wine with choice of pasta or vegetables ($15.95). Capellini Ignacio (named for Ignacio Piedra, the owner and executive chef, who was mentored by the late Nicola Paoni), consists of baby shrimp, crabmeat and vegetables ($17.95). Two special favorites are Vitello Contadina—veal with sundried tomato, artichokes, mushrooms in a lemon and white wine sauce ($17.95) and Salmone Botticelli—-grilled salmon, served over sauteed mixed vegetables ($17.95).

Continue reading →

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Comments Off