In our digital age, my version of "stumbling" into restaurants means doing 3 - 4 minutes of smartphone research instead of pouring over reviews days in advance. Such "stumbling" is what led us to Aliada after a movie at the nearby Kaufman Astoria theater.
The key factor in picking Aliada was that the restaurant has outdoor seating - important on a perfect summer night. Thankfully, Aliada also had decent reviews on Yelp and was slightly different than the standard range of Greek restaurants in Astoria in that the reviews highlighted their Cypriot dishes as well.
While I still don't fully understand the unique features of Cypriot cuisine, we enjoyed the range of dishes we ordered that night and I could definitely see us returning to Aliada in the future. And vegetarians rejoice - Aliada has a vegetarian entree section on their menu!
We started with a few appetizers, including the scordalia (garlic potato puree):
the grilled halloumi cheese (salty, and firm - yum!):
and finally some complimentary hummus (?) served with the pita bread that came to our table.
My main course was the Spinach Kanellonia, thin crepes filled with spinach and a light cheese and topped with a somewhat nondescript tomato sauce. While I may not order this main course again because it wasn't as flavorful as I would have liked (mostly due to the sauce), it was definitely a healthy portion and accompanied by great lemon potatoes and rice pilaf.
I have to admit, writing this post makes me want to return to Aliada NOW!
29-19 Broadway
Astoria, Queens
2 short blocks from the Broadway N/Q train station
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