Welcome to a New Astor Room

As we mentioned earlier this week, the We Heart crew was invited to attend the friends and family dinner at The Astor Room. We knew there was a new menu, new chef, and were curious to see what else is new. We had a really nice time, loved mingling with many in the community, and are glad to have had the opportunity to experience a new-yet-old Astoria staple in the local restaurant scene.

A bit about the new Executive Chef, Nathaniel Felder. You may recognize his name in association with Snowdonia, where he is Supervising Chef there (essentially as a consultant). His previous work includes time at Catch in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, and Lavo on E. 58th Street.

After we all arrived we were led to our table. Mackenzi pointed out a couple of the new design elements—a beautiful decorative drop ceiling and new carpeting. Here’s the ceiling with some nice lights attached:

I was pleased to see the original tiles on the walls were kept. The seating in the dining room I believe is the same.

While we were sitting, Judith remarked that the bar area looked like a scene from Season 2 of Orange is the New Black. And she was right! Here’s a clip from that scene, where Larry is on a date with a pediatric neurologist:

We tried a bunch of cocktails, including one of the new offerings, A Cold Day in Maine (Judith). Additionally we tried the Cardamom Mint Sidecar (Mackenzi), the Lilian Gish (Meg), and the Blood and Sand (Emily). All were delicious! Here they are in all their glory (and in order of appearance mentioned above).

As for food, we tried salads, a starter, and mains, and the standouts for us on the salad side were the Grilled Cesar Salad and the Kale Salad. The Kale Salad in particular was nice and tangy with a nice addition of candied nuts. We also loved the Asparagus with Poached Egg, which came with expertly grilled veg, a lovely tart-creamy sauce, and a nice runny egg. Both the perfectly grilled Dorade and the rich and meaty Pork Ribs were also excellent. Nice job on those fries that came with the ribs, too.

We’ve also learned from the Kaufman folks that there will be outdoor seating available, the kind where you are swiped in and then you dine on the Kaufman back lot! The feel is very exclusive, and no doubt it will be a fun aspect of The Astor Room.

The grand re-opening is tonight! We hope you get a chance to check it out, and let us know what you think.

The Astor Room, 34-12 36th St., Astoria, NY 11106, (718) 255-1947, astorroom.com