The weather is crud. Cold and don't like to be out stuck in it? Get your hot chocolate on at some of my favorite places. Il Bambino (34-08 31st Ave.) has the awesomest gluttonous treat, a peanut butter hot chocolate. They have a Nutella one, too, if you prefer; you can't really go wrong. Get a regular cup of ho-cho at Mini Star (30-02 Steinway) It's out of the machine, no frills but tasty.
Thaw off and go for the wings at McCann's (36-15 Ditmars), hey've got all flavors and hotness for you to choose. Don't forget that Koliba (31-11 23rd Ave) is perfect for this time of year. Warm
you bellies with dumplings and yummy porky goodness.
Work off all the heavy winter food and pay a visit to the newest gym in the hood. Planet Fitness (30-33 Steinway) is what I would call a no-frills deal and a half! $20 a month gets you in the place along with massage chairs and tanning beds, too!
If you venture out, why not go for a trunk sale at Candy Plum (30-98 36th St)? This Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. check out all new accessories, tees, and other original goods.
Are you ready for some football? Well it's here, Sunday for Super Bowl get over to Indigo (28-50 31st St) by 6pm and join in on the partying. WLA has scoped out the back garden with the 2 huge TVs for the night. Happy hour specials and food deals all night.
Showing posts with label Koliba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Koliba. Show all posts
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, November 10, 2008
The JIA Crew Goes to Koliba
Last week my colleagues Meg, Sooz and I went to my favorite restaurant in Astoria--Koliba. I'm slightly biased in my preference for it because it reminds me of my home country of Slovakia. For those of you who may not know, Koliba specializes in Slovak and Czech homestyle dishes. That means lots of dumplings, sauces, meat and of course beer!
Potato Spaetzle with Sauerkraut and Bacon ($11.75) - This was Meg's dish and it was also very tasty. The spaetzle were the same as mine and the sauerkraut was seasoned well with lots of pepper. Bacon was also used but it was a lot different than the one on my dish--Meg's was more chewy than crispy and it was pinker, looking like thick-sliced Canadian bacon. Meg took almost half of her portion home too and at the price that you see above, this was once again a great deal.
Pork Schnitzel in Potato Pancake Batter ($14.75) - Sooz just couldn't resist this delicious-sounding dish. I've never had it before myself and when I saw that it came served with plenty of sweet red cabbage, I knew that I'd have to get it next time. The pork schnitzel was enormous and the portion actually included two pieces--one of which is nestled under this big one that you see above. The batter was fantastic, crispy, thick and a little sweet too. The meat that lied underneath was light and not too thick, making it was easy to cut into and eat. Meg and I both took forkfuls of the delightful sweet cabbage, which happens to be my favorite Slovak side-dish. This plate was definitely a home run, judging by Sooz' happy face.
Service:
We had a great experience here and I was delighted that the girls loved it as much as I did. Although Koliba is nothing fancy, the food is among the most comforting, filling and flavorful in Astoria--and it's sort of a hidden treasure, as not many people think to check it out.
Here is some of the amazingness that we sampled:
Potato Spaetzle with Cheese and Bacon ($14.50) - I usually splurge and get this dish almost every time. The cheese is a creamy sheep's cheese that just melts in your mouth upon contact. The spaetzle or potato-based dumplings are a step above gnocchi and the bacon is super thick, crispy and chewy! My favorite part of the bacon is that it feels substantial instead of the thin strips that I'm used to eating at other restaurants. The portion (pictured above) is way too large for one person but it's nice to split it in half with your dining companions or to take some home for tomorrow's lunch.
Potato Spaetzle with Sauerkraut and Bacon ($11.75) - This was Meg's dish and it was also very tasty. The spaetzle were the same as mine and the sauerkraut was seasoned well with lots of pepper. Bacon was also used but it was a lot different than the one on my dish--Meg's was more chewy than crispy and it was pinker, looking like thick-sliced Canadian bacon. Meg took almost half of her portion home too and at the price that you see above, this was once again a great deal.Pork Schnitzel in Potato Pancake Batter ($14.75) - Sooz just couldn't resist this delicious-sounding dish. I've never had it before myself and when I saw that it came served with plenty of sweet red cabbage, I knew that I'd have to get it next time. The pork schnitzel was enormous and the portion actually included two pieces--one of which is nestled under this big one that you see above. The batter was fantastic, crispy, thick and a little sweet too. The meat that lied underneath was light and not too thick, making it was easy to cut into and eat. Meg and I both took forkfuls of the delightful sweet cabbage, which happens to be my favorite Slovak side-dish. This plate was definitely a home run, judging by Sooz' happy face.Service:
Everytime that I go to Koliba it's never crowded and last week was no exception. We were the only people that dined at a table, as everyone else sat at the bar chatting. Needless to say, our waitress wasn't very busy. She was friendly and brought everything to us relatively quickly. We had to signal to her to get the check but once we did, it came in minutes--nothing to complain about.
So...go ahead and try Koliba! If you like good food and aren't afraid of a couple of calories here and there, you'll love it.
Koliba - 31-11 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105
718.626.0430
N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
www.kolibarestaurant.com
So...go ahead and try Koliba! If you like good food and aren't afraid of a couple of calories here and there, you'll love it.
Koliba - 31-11 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105
718.626.0430
N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
www.kolibarestaurant.com
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Astorian Weekend Edition 08.11.07
Well, life got overly crazed this week, and JIA friend John Roleke gave us some weekend fun to start our Astorian Weekend Edition off:
There's only one event I can give my full love to -- a walking tour of Old Astoria. Join Kevin Walsh of Forgotten NY and Richard Melnick of the Greater Astoria Historical Society lead an exploration of Old Astoria Village. See it before disappears, replaced by six-story boxes. Sunday at 1pm. Call 718–278–0700 for exact meeting place and additional information. Tour will last about 2 hours.
----
Thursday through Sunday, the 5th Queens International Film Festival is going on at various Astoria locations, including the Museum of the Moving Image, Cup and Cavo, among others. There will be plenty of special screenings and parties going on, all celebrating independent films. It looks like a great lineup, so check it out.
Friday night brings us a performance of the Lost Dog Ensemble, Astoria's own new music ensemble. They'll be performing at the intimate space that is Waltz-Astoria (23-14 Ditmars Blvd), with works by Michael Hersch, Paul Yeon Lee, Gordon Beeferman, and Per Norgard. No cover and 2 drink minimum.
At the Beer Garden this Saturday from 8pm-midnight, join Chickenhead live in concert. $10 gets you in for music and dancing. Plus all that great bohemian grub. And speaking of Czech food, consider stopping at Koliba one of these days, just a short ways away from the Beer Garden (31-11 23rd Ave). I hear they have the most amazing lentil soup.
And the Hunters Point/LIC Greenmarket is still up and running. It's located at 48th Avenue between Vernon Blvd and 5th Street in Long Island City and runs from 8am-3pm on Saturdays.
Photo (c) Joy Victory
There's only one event I can give my full love to -- a walking tour of Old Astoria. Join Kevin Walsh of Forgotten NY and Richard Melnick of the Greater Astoria Historical Society lead an exploration of Old Astoria Village. See it before disappears, replaced by six-story boxes. Sunday at 1pm. Call 718–278–0700 for exact meeting place and additional information. Tour will last about 2 hours.----
Thursday through Sunday, the 5th Queens International Film Festival is going on at various Astoria locations, including the Museum of the Moving Image, Cup and Cavo, among others. There will be plenty of special screenings and parties going on, all celebrating independent films. It looks like a great lineup, so check it out.
Friday night brings us a performance of the Lost Dog Ensemble, Astoria's own new music ensemble. They'll be performing at the intimate space that is Waltz-Astoria (23-14 Ditmars Blvd), with works by Michael Hersch, Paul Yeon Lee, Gordon Beeferman, and Per Norgard. No cover and 2 drink minimum.
At the Beer Garden this Saturday from 8pm-midnight, join Chickenhead live in concert. $10 gets you in for music and dancing. Plus all that great bohemian grub. And speaking of Czech food, consider stopping at Koliba one of these days, just a short ways away from the Beer Garden (31-11 23rd Ave). I hear they have the most amazing lentil soup.
And the Hunters Point/LIC Greenmarket is still up and running. It's located at 48th Avenue between Vernon Blvd and 5th Street in Long Island City and runs from 8am-3pm on Saturdays.
Photo (c) Joy Victory
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