Brick Cafe Review

by Ursula Kizy

Almost every experience I've had at Brick Cafe has left something to be desired in terms of its food -- and it's a restaurant -- so that's sort of a big deal. Unfortunately for me, the place is just so damn cute I haven't been able to resist going back. Queens needs more restaurants like Brick, which is to say, tastefully decorated, rustic (think Tuscan café), cozy, inviting and hip. Wine lists, cleverly presented on wine bottles, set atop the restaurant's wooden tables, consist of relatively affordable wines by the glass. The cocktail list features tasty martini concoctions (at a decent $10 a pop) like the sweet and tart Key Lime martini and the restaurant's signature "Brick" martini, a creamy, smooth mixture of Espresso, Kahlua, Stoli and Irish cream. Pretty decent start. But then there's the food...

It's pretty safe to say that Brick's menu is a little too ambitious for its kitchen. Sumptuous appetizers like prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, topped with crème fraîche and caviar, and daily, homemade paté (well-priced at $9.95 and $6.95, respectively) sound promising. Entrées seem equally impressive with pastas like Peppardelle in brandy cream sauce and salmon ($13.95) and Pan-roasted duck with orange and green peppercorn sauce ($17.95). Such is NOT the case, however.

An order of octopus carpaccio once yielded what tasted like frozen seafood. Its texture, mealy and somewhat watery (however thinly sliced it was), left my date (a Nice Matin sous-chef) with a sour look and a understanding of the mediocre food that yet to arrive. Another time, I was disappointed by an order of tasteless Black Linguini with Shrimp, and a third attempt left me incensed over a Salad Niçoise accompanied by well-done, dry tuna, which came so late that I didn't even bother sending it back to the kitchen.

What infuriated me the most, however, was Brick's "brunch." First off, I think I can speak for everyone when I state that NO ONE likes olive tapenade in the morning. That's what is served with a basket of bread when you're seated. Salty, mashed olives just don't mix well with coffee, and I'm not sure how Brick's been serving it for so long without any sort of intervention taking place. What happened to butter and jam? Moving on. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of breakfast? Eggs, right? Right. If you don't have a hankering for scrambled eggs, though, don't bother coming to Brick for brunch. They don't serve eggs. Not sunny-side up, not over-medium, not poached, nada. Scrambled, that's it. Incredulous, I asked a very reasonable question:

"What the hell?"

"Sorry, the kitchen's just too small."

I'll end the brunch review here for obvious reasons.  

So there you have it: A pretty face with not much to say. The sad part is, I'll probably keep going, and I won't tell you not to go because you can still have a good time, especially if you happen to be in the neighborhood. Keep your dining expectations to a minimum. The menu is great, but the food is mediocre at best.

Bottom Line: Brick Café is that charismatic friend who always ends up sponging off you. You agree to hang out even when you know you're going to get gypped.

Brick Café

Astoria

30-95 33rd St (at 31 st Avenue)
at 31st Ave. 

718-267-2735

Djerdan review

by Ursula Kizy

Head to Djerdan for the food, not the ambiance (unless you like cafeterias).  Check out Brick if you don’t mind a pretty face with not much to say…

Walked into Djerdan at about 9pm and thought, wow, this place could use a dimmer. I felt like confessing to something, but wasn’t quite sure what I’d done.  Because I had heard a lot about this Balkan restaurant from a few people, I assumed it was just that: a restaurant. Actually it’s more of a carry-out joint, with a few begrudging tables, some laminated menus that refuse to stay folded, and lighting bright enough to make anyone want to run for their couch. Luckily, this Bosnian place’s comfort food made up for its stark surroundings.

Djerdan’s menu flaunts Balkan specialties like Burek, Cepavi, stuffed cabbage and goulash. Winter is the perfect time to try this type of cuisine, if you never have. Burekas are phyllo-based pies, usually filled with either meat, cheese for spinach. A friend told me to make sure to get the fresh batch. Take heed, it’s a very valid piece of advice. I ordered on each of the cheese, spinach and meat burek ($4.95 each). The meat version arrived first, a large slice, about the size of a typical piece of stuffed pizza. In place of the bread, however, was layer upon thick layer of pastry, intermingled with bits of seasoned, ground beef. Comfort food indeed. I enjoyed navigating my fork through the maze of pastry, extracting just the right portion of pie to filling. Next came the spinach and cheese burekas. We were waiting for them because they were still in the oven when we ordered: fresh! I could immediately taste the difference, and now completely understood the warning: if the burek’s not just out of the over, WAIT. The spinach and cheese burekas were more delicate, crispier, and just tasted better. Cold phyllo doesn’t work as well.

The Cepavi (pronounced “chepavi”) is much like a Bosnian version of Middle Eastern Kabob. Flavorful, wonderfully seasoned and juicy, cevapi come eight pieces to an order ($8.95).  They come nestled warmly in a large, thick pita, with a side of sliced, white onion and red pepper spread. 
Both burekas  and cepavi were complemented nicely by the roasted red pepper “salad” that we ordered ($4.95). The sweet and smoky red pepper came halved and roasted, steeped in olive oil and coated generously with roughly chopped garlic.  The table, studded with burekas, cepavi and roasted red peppers, didn’t seem so disgruntled at our presence anymore. And over some Turkish coffee and a couple of Djerdan’s amazing desserts, I also noticed that the place had taken on a warm glow…

Next time I’m there I’d love to try their shredded cabbage salad, beef goulash and stuffed green peppers.  The selection of grilled dishes, ranging from grilled veal kabobs to grilled trout, shouldn’t be ignored either.
Bottom Line: Take advantage of Djerdan’s comfort food now, when it’s most fitting – but considering the menu prices range from $1.95 to $18.95 (for a whole pie) for some seriously authentic Balkan cuisine, I’d say it’s worth a trip any time of year.

Djerdan Burek
Astoria
3404 31st Avenue (between 34th and 35th streets)