Some Louisiana cooking in Astoria!

When my friend Karen told me about Sugar Freak  in Astoria. She told me right away that I will really love this place since it screams of a mix and podge of anything old, vintage and collectibles. She then send me a link to check it out! She was right it was really in my alley ! Southern food with an eclectic vintage designs setting. Double yummm! 

The place really did not disappoint me. My friend really knows me that well. She knows that I am into vintage and a thrift store/ garage sale, i will say "fanatic"  but whoever knows me that well will say a different thing :)

I arrived early that evening and the restaurant is already busy.  They have out door dining , if you want to do an al fresco style this is also your place. That night the outdoor area was packed already with patrons.

As you enter the place, a non working vintage stove will greet you. It holds their menus and knick knacks that shows the restaurant personality. 

A colorful tin tray was glued to the wall that also holds their menu and a little flair of New Orlean adorn the other part of the wall!You got the mardi gras feel right away!

There were Formica tables and chairs that doesn't match but looks so good together. 

Exposed bricks made the place look cozy but yet classy. You can also see old milk bottles in a crate transformed as the restaurant bar chandelier. Love it!

We ended up in a booth. You will notice right away the hand made special menus that are hanged in a line and was hold by a clothes pin. But what stand out to me is the menu that said Popcorn alligator is back.Ooops, I think I am not ready for that yet :)

So we ordered some Jambalaya which consist of everything southern, it means fried :) From the chicken, oyster, cattle fish and more. Bu we did start with some popcorn okra with spicy ranch dressing on the side. It was really good, I recommend it for you to try it when you visit.The best part was the desert .Give me some of that chocolate bread pudding,please! It was best to share it with a friend so you don't feel guilty after the big meal .

Jambalaya to good enough to share. 

Some chocolate bread pudding. It is much sweeter if
you share it with your friend!

 

Popcorn Okra with spicy ranch dressing on the side.

All I can say that I really enjoyed my first official Louisiana experience and it was only a subway away where I lived! 

Do you have a favorite southern food?

Summer Beat in your neighborhood!

Eat meat , drink beer and be merry! A perfect summer celebration. 

Edible queens , a quarterly food magazine who celebrates New yorks food cultures in diverse boroughs is hosting The Summerbeat Eat Meat, Drink Beer! You must be 21 or older to enjoy !

Malaysian inspired Mussels. A taste of the tropics in your kitchen!

Malaysian Mussel 

I saw this recipe while watching Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn in the Hallmark channel. Mussels and cocunut is a staple ingredient in some of the dishes in the Philippines, where i grew up. And watching this episode made me miss home and the memories of my childhood. The only foreign ingredient to me was the red curry paste. Did you know that there are a lot of variety of curry paste out there? Well, thats the first for me :)  So,  I just picked one that said red curry paste in one of those exotic spice stores and started cooking. Soon enough, this dish became a favorite in my kitchen , my daughter loves it. Just make sure that your mussels are really fresh. Now, the curry can really give you a little kick of spice.  I am sharing you this recipe and I hope you enjoy it as we did. Happy cooking!

Malaysian Mussel recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons safflower oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tablespoons)
• 1/2-inch piece ginger, minced (2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste
• 1 cup coconut milk
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds mussels, beards removed and scrubbed clean
• 12 cilantro sprigs, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Stir curry paste into garlic and ginger and continue to cook 1 minute more. Add coconut milk, salt, and pepper to skillet and bring to a boil.
3. Add mussels to skillet, cover, and cook just until mussels open, 2-3 minutes. Transfer mussels to a large serving bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour coconut curry sauce over mussels, garnish with cilantro and lime and serve immediately.