Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Stoa Becoming an Organic Cafe

The site of the new organic cafe on Austin
A sign has gone up at the former site of Stoa Jewelers at 7160 Austin St. heralding the arrival of an "organic cafe." I peeked inside and it looks like they've done a nice job with the renovation. While I'm very excited about this—anything with the word "organic" in its name on Austin St. means progress for our neighborhood—of course, the proof will be in the organic pudding when it opens.

This may be a good time to offer my opinion of some of the other eateries that have opened in Forest Hills in the past few years.

- OvoSodo: I've gone to this place several times and have yet to have something that really blew me away and made this one of the places in the 'hood that I immediately think of going to, like Bareburger or Banter. The dishes have been just ok. I'm wondering what other people think? Have you had anything there that was really good? Have you been going to OvoSodo for breakfast or lunch or dinner more?

- Reef: This new fish restaurant has a really nice decor inside and is very comfortable, with its two-levels of dining. While some of the standard fare, like salmon, have been excellent, I recently tried Reef's lobster tails and could not believe how much I didn't like it.  So, I'd say Reef for now is very hit or miss, at least in my experience. But again, please share your experiences with it.

- Agora Taverna: We were going to go to Reef again and then decided to give Agora another try. We hadn't been back in a very long time. The last time I was there I think I had their chicken kebab platter and was disappointed. I figured a Greek restaurant has to have a great chicken kebab! But I found I really didn't love it. But that was more than a year ago. So we went back and this time we both had fish dishes and really, really liked it! So Agora's back on my list of good local places. Now I have to try their chicken again, though.

Please share your experiences with these places below. And remember, Agora Taverna is one example of a new restaurant which has only improved with time. So I think we should all give OvoSodo and Reef some time as well...

21 comments:

  1. ovosodo has awesome pizza except for the part it's $18 and so thin you need two pies. portofino for my kids which they seem to prefer.

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  2. We ordered pizza from OvoSodo a couple weekends ago for Sunday football and were really unimpressed. The caesar salad was delicious, but we immediately wished we ordered the pizza from Nick's instead.

    We live right around the corner from Reef and haven't gone yet, but we were just wondering the other day if it's one of those weird 'doomed locations.' It looks really nice and no one is ever in there.

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  3. This was some months ago, but I went to Ovo Sodo on a Saturday afternoon. All you could have was brunch. It was OK; nothing to make me want to make it a regular on my restaurant list.

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  4. "We live right around the corner from Reef and haven't gone yet". --- a restaurant is often only as doomed as people perceive it to be. Go, and un-doom it!

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  5. Reef has become our local favorite for fresh oysters and perfectly cooked fish. Staff is always welcoming as is the decor. A great addition to the hood.

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  6. My new (maybe not new to others) favorite thing in Forest Hills is the Iced Coffee from Red Mango. It is Lavazza Italian Coffee and good lord its great. I always add a little shot of carmel or hazelnut flavoring, other then that, black.

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    1. Silk Cakes serves the best coffee in Forest Hills; they use Stumptown beans. The sweets are very special as well; makes Martha's taste like Entenmanns...!

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  7. We need more places like Station House -- this is an establishment that actually 'gets in'. Most establishments in Queens are utterly clueless....

    Station House is the only place that feels like it would do well in the city or New Breukelen!
    I'm not much a fan of the food (too bro-ish; i.e. nachos, fried this and that-- they could go more for a Spotted Pig feel -- there are individuals with 'sophisticated' palates in 'FoHi').

    Most places cannot even compare with their Cocktails; their beer blows all competitors by a longshot (maybe only Torst in Greenpoint compares)!


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  8. I have been to Agora Taverna a few times and ordered from their brunch menu. So far I haven't been disappointed and nor have my dining companions.

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  9. The best restaurants in Forest HIlls are Danny Brown and Il Poeta. Hands down. Agora, Jack & Nelly"s and Dirty Pierre are consistently good neighborhood places. Wafa is a jewel of a restaurant as well. Pretty much nothing after that. OvoSodo sucks.

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    1. I agree with this -- I'd also add Tazzina now; I'd take out Agora (consistently disappointed).

      Wafa's, I believe, is the best middle eastern place in ny (I like it better than Tanoreen in Bay Ridge)

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    2. Let's not forget Katsuno!

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  10. STATION HOUSE BABY, STATION HOUSE!!!!

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  11. Love Jack & Nellies. So far, they're my favorite.

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  12. I used to not mind the Brunch @ Aged; went this weekend -- it was horrible. Got the benedict with Crab ; crab tasted canned, the poached eggs were solid all through, and the side salad vegetables were limp as if they were overexposed to the dressing...

    Jack & Nellies has the best brunch in FoHi.

    BTW -- The Grill serves very good food. I've been consistently impressed with the offerings; they just need to get more of a scene going.

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  13. Best food in FH: Danny Brown, Wafa's, Five Burros, Tazzinia, Cabana. These are places that are actually worth coming and making a trip to Forest Hills even if you aren't from here. I recently checked out Tazzinia for the first time and my boyfriend and I were blown away at how amazing their food was. Just their free bread that comes with the table was awesome with the olive tapenade spread. Steak =amazing. Fish =Amazing. Drinks=Amazing. Tazzinia is a little pricier than other FH places so it's more like a once a month place to go to. Ovosodo is no where near the same league as these. It comes off to me as sort of a regular diner. I do really like a few other places in FH including Agora Taverna, Dirty Pierre's, Nick's Pizza, and Jack & Nelly's.

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  14. Taci Turkish Kitchen at Metro Av and 71 Av is good too.

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  15. The Brunch at Banter is terrific

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  16. Agora Taverna has a great brunch but I've been disappointed by their dinner. Might be because I am allergic to fish and it gives me few options. I went to El Coyote a couple weeks ago and liked it almost as much as Five Burro.

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  17. Jack & Nellie's and Station House are both pretty great.

    Ovo Sodo has yet to impress me.

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  18. Even if that cafe turns out to be fantastic, I'll probably still call it "Stoa", or at best "The Stoa Cafe". :)

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