Astoria, Brunch, Guest Bloggers, Lucy Eats Alone
Apr 18, 2013

Lucy Eats Alone and Hearts It Hot and Spicy

In this installment of Lucy Eats Alone, she enjoys a hot and spicy meal at Mojave, including neon green chips, a tuna cruda appetizer, and chicken tacos. Not to mention the eavesdropping.

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Lucy sent her latest missive our way regarding her recent hot and spicy meal at Mojave. We love how it all ends, too. -Meg

mojave-exterior-astoria-queens

I had heard that there was a new chef at Mojave, and that both the brunch menu and dinner menu changed. I tried the brunch menu a couple times last week and very much enjoyed the smoked salmon and eggs and my Bloody Mary. Importantly, they also kept the coffee coming.

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The new dinner menu has a selection of cocktails, and I am fond of the Hot and Spicy – jalapeño infused tequila, patron citron and line juice topped with a slice of fresh jalapeño. They also have a tequila menu – which I dare not delve into. My drink arrived with some chips and salsa.

green-chips-mojave-astoria-queens

Several of the chips are an unnerving, otherworldly shade of green. I’m not quite sure what to make of them.

The menu is fairly diverse, with many fish and vegetarian options, as well as the expected – tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, and the like. I know from previous visits that the servings here are large. Often just an appetizer is enough for dinner for me, but since I’m checking out the new menu I decide to go all in.

tuna-cruda-mojave-astoria-queens

The Tuna Cruda appetizer with avocado and roasted corn is actually more avocado than tuna but that’s fine. It’s fresh with no one ingredient overpowering the others. It’s lovely with the chips. I foresee this as a sweltering August dinner option.

chicken-tacos-mojave-astoria-queens

The chicken tacos I ordered come with rice but given the chips and tuna, I had it swapped for a side of spinach. The tacos are surprisingly good and arrive as advertised and not slathered in cheese or sauce.  What makes me equally happy is that they also provide an array of hot sauces.

One thing you can say about Mojave’s decor is they, too, went all in. It sports every Tex-Mex design element – a massive skull, Hopi themed wall hangings, and fake adobe walls. But  make no mistake, once it’s warm out I absolutely love their back patio. In fact, I love it so much that last summer I read my Sunday papers there quite frequently.

The crowd here is diverse – families, dates, old, young. I hear at least four different languages (and no Greek).  In short, it’s all of Astoria. Tonight, my eavesdropping will be targeted on the blind date to my right – they met online and its super awkward – and on the lesbian couple who are either about to start throwing things or having sex I can’t tell which. Either way it promises to be hot and spicy. I’m having another drink and settling in to watch.

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