Borough Vegetarian

Cosme - Dining Delight for Vegetarians!

Cosme has been one of the most popular restaurants in New York City since it opened last fall in Flatiron.  The sleek space was opened by one of Mexico's most renowned chefs, Enrique Olvera, and uses local, seasonal ingredients from the Hudson Valley.  

When one reads reviews of Cosme, vegetarian options are not really highlighted.  Instead, the duck carnitas, uni tostada, and variety of fish options are oft-cited as can't-miss dishes.  

Thankfully, having finally visited Cosme this summer, I can report that vegetarians should not just go to Cosme if dragged along by friends or significant others, rather we should be actively seeking out Cosme for its great vegetarian options.  Cosme has five such choices on its menu, and each of the dishes I ordered was really well-designed and executed.

When arriving at Cosme, you first receive some crispy tortillas with a light, yet rich, pumpkin seed spread.  Not sure exactly how pumpkin seeds could be transformed into such a smooth consistency without the flavor being diluted, but somehow it happens with this appetizer.

The first vegetarian dish that arrived was the enfrijolada, a tortilla smothered in the smoothest black bean or enfrijolada sauce I have ever had.  And not only was the black bean sauce itself freshened by Mexican herbs, but also the simple onion, cheese and herb toppings helped lighten this otherwise heavy dish as well. 

The next dish was the beets served with farmers cheese, again complimented by a perfect helping and combination of fresh herbs.  The beets were also served with beet-based tortillas, which were really amazing as well - perfect size and a very light beet flavor.

I can already feel myself getting full, because that's exactly what happened at this point in the meal.  But I powered forward to try what was probably the even most complex and interesting dish I ordered - the roasted eggplant and cauliflower with sesame seed "salsa" that our waitress said was one of her favorites.

Where to start on this one - the sesame seed "salsa" was like a 10x better version of tahini (sweet to complement the nutty flavor, and so, so smooth), and the eggplant and cauliflower were roasted so well.  Were they maybe marinated in something beforehand to really bring out their individual flavors?  

In any case, I will definitely order this again on a return trip because there were so many distinct flavors and they were also great folded into the tortillas on our table.

Ok, at this point, I am definitely over-full.  But my husband ordered dessert, so I mustered the effort to try a perfect consistency and temperature panna cotta, flavored with honey and accompanied by fruit jellies.

Next time, I think I'll order one fewer dishes (2 was enough plates for me) and save room for the popular corn meringue dessert.  Thankfully, Cosme is too expensive and hard to get into for every day dining, otherwise I would fear how often we would return!

Cosme

35 E. 21st Street (btwn. Park and Broadway)

Flatiron, Manhattan

Approx. 2 blocks from the 6 train at 23rd Street, and the N/R trains at 23rd Street.

Hillstone - Chain Restaurant with a Great Veggie Burger

When you read a description of the chain restaurant Hillstone, whose website boasts sushi and steaks, a great veggie burger is definitely what would NOT come to mind.  Like too many chain restaurants, I would have imagined that Hillstone would treat vegetarians as either an anomaly or an annoyance.  

Hillstone rises above its chain competitors by serving one of the most complex (and massive) veggie burgers I have ever had - not only in NYC, but around the country.  Their veggie burger combines savory and sweet with black beans, rice, beets, and a "soy glaze" to really nail a well-rounded meal (or three, based on my leftovers).  

They also don't skimp on the burger add-ons like many places can do with veggies burgers, with a good amount of jack cheese, ripe and vibrant tomatoes, onions, pickles, and shoestring fries complementing each order.  And even better for someone who suffers from nut allergies, the Hillstone veggie burger is nut-free!

They also have a number of other vegetarian options on their menu, but why bother?  The veggie burger is that good!

There are two Hillstone locations in NYC:

Hillstone - Midtown East

153 E. 53rd St. (entrance at corner of 54th / 3rd Avenue though)

1 block from the E/M at 53rd/Lexington and 2-3 blocks from the 6 train at 51st

Hillstone - Flatiron

378 Park Avenue South (at 27th)

1 block from the 6 train at 28th Street

Darbar Grill in Midtown East - Finally, a Good Midtown Indian Lunch Buffet!

Until this summer, I had written off the Indian lunch buffet in Midtown Manhattan.  Yes, I had just written off the many, many Indian restaurants, from Midtown West to Midtown East, because my uniform lunchtime experience was too much oil, limited vegetarian options, over-fried appetizers, and poor service. 

Enter Darbar Grill (55th Street).  I am not sure why I decided to give Darbar a try after really swearing off Midtown Indian restaurants - maybe that feeling that sometimes creeps up called hope?  

In any case, I've probably gone there 5 times over the past 10 weeks because of how great their buffet is.  It is clean, well-stocked with a range of vegetarian and meat options, and is not oily or overcooked.  Rather, the food is actually well-seasoned and relies on flavor instead of oil for taste!  

Another bonus of the Darbar Grill buffet is that they seem to frequently change the options, so you won't get bored on repeat visits.  In addition, the service is friendly and relatively efficient to serve lunchtime crowds.

If I had to identify one downside of my new favorite destination lunch spot in Midtown, it would be that the naan they bring to your table can vary from good to so-so.  That being said, this is a buffet, so it's not like everything needs to be great, just good, so Darbar more than meets that mark!

Darbar Grill

157 E. 55th Street (btwn. Lexington and 3rd Avenue)

Midtown East, Manhattan

2 blocks from the E/M trains at Lexington/53rd, 4 blocks from the 6 train at Lexington/51st, and 4 blocks from the N/Q/R/4/5/6 trains at Lexington/59th.

Tacuba - Surprising Mexican Find in Astoria, Queens

From the outside, Tacuba, the cavernous restaurant around the corner from the Kaufman Astoria movie theater, seems like a substandard Tex-Mex chain.  While its continual crowds should speak to the quality of its food, for some reason, we had associated the crowds with margarita pitchers, drink specials, and cheap but unsatisfying food.

Thankfully, our preconceptions were put to rest when we were looking for a northwest Queens restaurant that could accommodate a relatively large group at somewhat short notice.  Tacuba not only had very good reviews, but also seemed to be from the same owners as Toloache, a Mexican restaurant in midtown Manhattan that is also surprisingly good given its otherwise tourist-y location and the unfortunate fact that many NYC Mexican restaurants are just not that great.

Despite the aforementioned research, we still went to Tacuba with a bit of apprehension.  Thankfully, our food was very good and the service was also quite accommodating despite a packed house.

I started my Tacuba experience with a pineapple juice cocktail, the "skinny" Pina Para La Nina, which was light, tasty and not overly sweet.

We then started our meal with a number of appetizers, including the guacamole, elote (grilled corn), and chips with actually spicy pureed salsa.

While none of these appetizers was necessarily outstanding, our main courses were really, really well done.  I ordered the Calabazita con Jamaica tacos - one of a few vegetarian options - and was surprised at how well the squash, jalapenos and "crispy" hibiscus flowers worked together.  Sweet and spicy, and the salsa accompaniments also added distinctive flavors as well.

Cocktail two, a cucumber-based "Pepinada" was also really well done and refreshing with fresh juice.

And while we weren't hungry at the end of our meal, we still ordered dessert.  My favorite were the churros, which while seemingly easy, can still be hard to execute really well.  Thankfully, Tacuba's were the right size to get the texture consistent and the dipping sauces were equally well done.  

Moral of the story - don't judge a book by its cover.  And visit Tacuba whenever you are in northwest Queens!

Tacuba

35-01 36th Avenue (near Steinway)

Astoria, Queens

A 5-minute walk from the M/R trains at Steinway Street or a 7-10 minute walk from the N/Q trains at 36th Avenue

Casa del Chef - A Gem in Woodside, Queens

Casa del Chef has made a splash on the Queens dining scene - and for good reason.  The restaurant is a great combination between a high-end, Manhattan-esque seasonal restaurant and the homey, immigrant chef-owned restaurants that otherwise populate the borough.  

And what makes Casa del Chef that much better is that the chef and his family are more than accommodating of food restrictions, including allergies and vegetarianism.  My group of friends opted for the 4-course tasting menu (includes dessert) and despite being the only vegetarian, I didn't feel like I was an oversight.  Each of my dishes was wonderfully crafted and perfectly in season with the early June crop.

Our courses started with a complementary shot of a sugar cane liquor, which wasn't overly sweet despite it's origins and instead was fairly refreshing.

My first course was a rich mushroom construction in a mushroom broth.  Despite my general aversion to mushrooms, I really enjoyed this dish because the mushroom flavor was very deep without the mushrooms themselves being too heavy (my chief complaint with mushroom dishes).

My second course was probably the most reminiscent of dining in a high-end, seasonal restaurant - an asparagus risotto which was light, completely fresh, and flavorful.

My main course was a seared tofu on top of fresh spring peas / beans.  I don't fully remember what the contrasting flavor was on top of the tofu, but my memory is definitely wanting to lick the plate - great dish, albeit maybe slightly big (is that even a proper critique?).

To close our meal, we all got the same dessert - a strawberry sorbet dish which was really fantastic, and again, perfect for the time of year.

We'll definitely be returning and our only fear is that when we arrived for our 8:30pm reservation on a Thursday night, we were the only diners in the restaurant.  Queens - don't let this gem close down!  

Casa del Chef

39-06 64th Street

Woodside, Queens

Approx. 3 - 4 blocks from the 7 train at 61st Street

Soleluna - Casual Italian, Neighborhood Restaurant in Sunnyside, Queens

Another vegetarian-friendly, casual Italian restaurant has joined Venturo Osteria in Sunnyside, Queens - Soleluna.  Opened by longtime Sunnyside residents, the casual eatery, which serves breakfast through dinner, offers both a continental and somewhat rustic vibe.

(Mostly took a picture of this complementary bread to show the rustic wood tables)

When we visited Soleluna for the first time a few months back, we sampled several of their vegetarian offerings.  We started with the minestrone soup, which was interestingly chock full of celery and very thick.

While I am not sure if we will order the soup again because of its overwhelming celery flavor, we will certainly get the arancini again, though the portion size seems enough for 3 - 4 people to share instead of 2 (never a bad thing!).

For my main course, I tried the Fagottini alla Valeri0, a fresh pasta stuffed with pear and a light cheese, served in a light butter and rosemary sauce.

The pasta was really light and tasty, though I think I would enjoy it more in cold weather because the pear and rosemary remind me more of fall/winter than spring or summer.  That being said, all of our dishes were simple and fresh, and I can definitely see us returning in the future.

Soleluna

40-01 Queens Blvd.

Sunnyside, Queens

Across the street from the 40th Street stop of the 7 train

 

La Cheesecake - A College Point, Queens Institution

Several weeks back, I paid my first visit to La Cheesecake, the College Point, Queens bakery that has been churning out highly regarded cheesecakes and desserts for decades.  

While my husband has been well acquainted with La Cheesecake creations since his childhood, I don't know if I can remember a La Cheesecake tasting in my past.  

I certainly won't be making that statement again, based on the wonderful desserts we picked up from their wholesale location.  Although the two desserts we selected were quite different from each other - a rainbow bar (like a massive rainbow cookie) and a mini oreo cheesecake - La Cheesecake nailed both.  

The rainbow cookie bar was perfectly moist, and the fruit filling was really fragrant.  The chocolate coating also imparted a great contrasting flavor and textural complement as well.

The mini oreo cheesecake was also great - sweet, light for a non-ricotta cheesecake, and nice flavor from the fruit preserves as well.

Although I had these desserts several weeks ago, I can actually taste both in my mouth as I am writing this post - so I'll definitely be back (as much as my weight goals allow!).

La Cheesecake

126-06 14th Avenue

College Point, Queens

Closest transit option is the Q20B, which connects to the 7 train at Flushing-Main Street

Aliada - Strong Cypriot/Greek Restaurant in Astoria

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!

Aliada

29-19 Broadway

Astoria, Queens

2 short blocks from the Broadway N/Q train station

 

North Fork Inn and Table - Good Excuse for a Trip Outside the City

This past Memorial Day, we followed in the footsteps of many other city residents by choosing to retreat to a more "peaceful" locale outside of NYC.  

In our case, we went to the North Fork of Long Island for the weekend and stayed in Mattituck, which provided us easy access to the rest of the North Fork and its many wineries and restaurants.  Although we had several good meals while on Long Island that weekend (including the great Love Lane Kitchen in Mattituck itself), our most anticipated meal, which also lived up to our expectations, was at the acclaimed North Fork Inn and Table in Southold.

We took my in-laws there to celebrate their 40th anniversary with a quiet lunch away from the rest of the family.  "Peaceful" is definitely the right word to use to describe the experience, from driving into Southold, to the quiet, simple dining room and the accommodating staff.  We started our meal with the "breakfast breads" which included a scone, muffin and sticky bun.  Each were fantastic and well-portioned.

While everyone else ordered a meat-based dish for their main course, I settled on the housemade cavatelli with mushrooms and ricotta.  It was great - the pasta was firm, and there was a good combination of savory from the mushrooms and herbs and sweet from the ricotta.  The only downside was that the health serving of ricotta may have made the dish too heavy, but I wasn't really one to complain during our relaxing, out-of-town weekend :-)

I look forward to returning during our future visits to eastern Long Island!

North Fork Inn and Table

57225 Main Road

Southold, NY

The restaurant is located 15 minutes (by foot) from the Southold LIRR station.

Avli - Versatile Greek Option in Bayside, Queens

When we, and many others in NYC, think of Greek food, our natural destination is the northwestern Queens neighborhood of Astoria. Astoria really has everything one would want in terms of Greek and Mediterranean food - upscale, casual, meat, seafood, and vegetarian-friendly places among the perhaps dozens of independently-owned Greek restaurants.  As I type this post, I actually want to walk up to Astoria now to eat some delicious Greek food!

Despite our love of Greek restaurants in Astoria, we have to admit we have a new Greek favorite over the past few years on the other side of the borough - Avli, in the northeastern Queens neighborhood of Bayside.

We first went to Avli a few years back when in northeast Queens and looking for an outdoor dinner location.  We came across Avli and it's beautiful outdoor patio via Yelp, and were at first a bit skeptical of how good the reviews were - maybe folks in northeast Queens were so Greek-starved that a potentially mediocre option had a stream of 4 and 5-star reviews?  But when we arrived to Avli at 9pm on a Friday or Saturday night, and were encountered by a 30-40 minute wait, we knew we were on to something good.

Our subsequent visits have been as good as our original dinner visit to their great outdoor patio.  We recently went for a more casual lunch, and sample a number of vegetarian offerings to complement the meat options that the other diners opted for.

We stared with the saganaki (pictured above) and the gigantes (pictured below), two of my favorite Greek appetizers.  The saganaki, or fried cheese, was salty, liquidity and firm from the heat, and a great way to get my appetite going.

The gigantes or large white beans were also quite flavorful with lots of carrot, onion, tomato and herb flavor.  Too often, gigantes can be a bit too plain (including the version I've made at home), but this version could carry it's own flavors as a potential main course as well.

For my main course, I decided to opt for the simple Greek salad wrap, which had lots of feta, red onion, and vinaigrette.  Although simple, and perhaps a bit overdressed, it was really nicely paired by the grilled wrap and french fries for a complete meal.

Would definitely recommend getting out of the Astoria Greek scene one day to check out Avli!

Avli

38-31 Bell Blvd.

Bayside, Queens

A two-block walk from the Bayside LIRR station