Brick Cafe: Please Refrain From Licking the Plate

If you ever buried a time capsule as a kid, you'll understand the feeling of walking into Brick Cafe on a random Wednesday night: delight at finding a treasure so surprising yet eerily familiar all at once.  Such is the feel of this sweeping Astoria institution that has occupied the corner of 31st Avenue and 33rd Street for over six years.  Under the stewardship of Bosnian owners, Brick Cafe has continued to provide the neighborhood with consistently delicious Italian-influenced fare.  

For starters, they devised a way to make asparagus sinful- a feat in itself.  Begin with the smoked salmon-wrapped asparagus accompanied by ultra-rich marscapone cheese and caviar. You will not regret it.  The octopus carpaccio with fennel is also a Brick Cafe highlight, prepared with an eye for subtle but unmistakably delectable flavor.  Once you've bid a bittersweet farewell to the appetizers, the veal cannelloni in a bechamel sauce is not to be missed.  Aside from the requisite tenderness, the meat is succulent and will have your mouth in a tug of war over the more enticing taste: buttery soft veal or velvety smooth bechamel.  There is no loser in this equation.  

Another incredibly appealing option is the chicken franchaise.  It avoids the twin pitfalls of over-breading and excessive use of lemon zest, both of which should be crimes punishable by a week long stint of Krystal dinners.  Thankfully, Brick Cafe makes the dish taste like a delicate ballet of flavors while rounding out the plate with garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned vegetables.  Brick Cafe also does a bustling brunch business and its dedicated menu is impressively appointed.  The service is truly happy to serve while the decor will lull you into a serene complacency...until you walk out and realize Tuscany is slightly farther than the walk to the subway.  

INFO:

Brick Cafe

(718) 267 - 2735

3095 33rd Street

Official Website

Winegasm: Come (Over) As Much As You Want

Many folks in Astoria are split on the name, but few can argue over the attention to detail that Winegasm bestows on its namesake drink. The interior of the restaurant evokes the feel of a rustic, mahogany-hued hideaway with enough liquid sustenance to keep a village afloat for years. Its menu is geared towards the wine sipping crowd, beginning with tapas style offerings like the delectable smoked bacon wrapped prunes and wild mushroom and truffle crostini which may prove to be your undoing. The cheese plates are delicious, if not exceedingly creative, while the meats are truly meant to be lingered over. The mortadella alone deserves an hour of your time. For entrees, the seared scallops with roasted garlic polenta garnished with wild mushrooms is a favorite whose essence can be savored long after the plate is tugged away from reluctant diners. Lastly, the winter pork stew is a hearty, homey take on the season’s traditional remedy for frigid nights.

There is a respectable collection of wines by the glass for the avid taster (and the unemployed). The menu for bottles is divided into Old World which encompasses Italy, Greece, France, Spain and Austria while the New World is populated by offerings from Australia, South Africa, Argentina, New Zealand and the U.S. The Malbec "Patriota" Tikal, a 2005 from Argentina, is highly recommended. By providing the community with happy hour, a wine school, wine tastings and open mic sessions, Winegasm seems poised to take Astoria to the next level. With a luscious array of food choices and impressive vino, this little hideaway just may paint the neighborhood red.

Winegasm:
3186 37th St.
(718) 932-3331

Official Website