Patricia's of Tremont
by Nicole Vacca
The House Salad
Finding an Italian restaurant in the Bronx is like finding puppies in a pet shop—there are so many, and it's difficult to decide which one is worth a chance. However, if you happen to be in the Throg's Neck area, one restaurant that is worth checking out is Patricia's of Tremont, located at 3883 East Tremont Avenue. (If you don't want to make the trek to Throg's Neck, Patricia's is the cousin restaurant of Grandpa Tony's (AKA Nonno Tony's) Restaurant located at 554 W 235th St. here in Riverdale. The menus are nearly identical.)
The night I visited Patricia's was a very busy night, and even with our 5:30 PM appointment, my party and I still had to wait to be seated as the waiters frenetically cleared and rearranged tables that were used for a baby shower. This behavior is not typical of Patricia's, but it does show that the popular restaurant will not rush out any lingering customers, even if other people are waiting to be seated. After about 15 minutes, the hostess finally directed us to a table, plopped down our rolled silverware and appetizer plates, and handed us our menus. We then had to wait another ten minutes for a basket of Patricia's fresh focaccia bread and the garlic, pepper, and olive oil dipping sauce that accompanies it. Upon receiving the bread basket, we realized we still did not have anything to drink.
The wait staff was less than stellar, as our waiter asked what we wanted to drink but then disappeared, and about ten minutes later another waiter brought us our drinks. However, whatever the wait staff lacked was made up for by the restaurant's manager, Joey. Joey came over to the table and took our orders. He felt so apologetic that he also brought four complimentary slices of Patricia's famous thin crust brick oven pizza to our table. Throughout the night, Joey could be seen walking from table to table, greeting guests—or, as my mother would say, schmoozing.
Patricia's does not really have major ambience. The back half of the restaurant looks well designed—the brick oven is displayed behind the cash register, there is a wall lined with a wine rack, and the party room has a sign reading “bella cucina” over it. That said, the front half of the restaurant, where the guests actually sit, is a bit lackluster. The tables do have red and white plaid tablecloths, evocative of an old-school Italian restaurant, but the walls are bare. Also, the door to the restaurant is right in the middle of the store-front, and my party and I were sitting in the center of the seating area, so any time the door opened, we felt the draught.
While service and setting are both important, you do not go to a restaurant to merely sit—you go to eat. If you came to eat, Patricia's will definitely satisfy. As previously mentioned, the bread with the garlic and olive oil dipping sauce is addictive, if only a little spicy. If you come to the restaurant with a friend or two, you will probably finish most of the bread by the time your salad arrives.
The house salad was a nice mix of raddichio, arugula and endive served with the “house dressing,” which tasted like a creamy vinaigrette. It's not a heavy salad, which is good because you will need room for the main course.
I ordered chicken parmigiana with a potato croquette. The presentation was a bit lackluster, as it was just one huge cutlet in the middle of a white plate. The taste was what really made the dish. The tomato sauce used was slightly tangy yet savory, and the mozzarella was fine—nothing out of the ordinary. Chicken parmigiana is a safety dish. The potato croquette is also a side that is hard to mess up--if a restaurant has terrible potato croquettes, something's wrong. Of course, Patricia's has the potato croquette down to a science. Also, I did sample my sister's rigatoni masaniello with basil, and this dish had a very distinct taste. The basil was present but not overpowering, and the ricotta cheese meshes nicely with the tomato sauce.
The desserts at Patricia's are to die for. I ordered a cannoli, and unlike most cannolis, this was freshly filled upon order. The shell was crisp and flaky, not rubbery and damp like the usual bakery fare. The cannoli cream had the perfect consistency—it was not hardened on the edges and it was not runny, either. My mom ordered Patricia's specialty dessert, which is a flaky pastry filled with warm nutella and dusted with powered sugar, served with whipped cream on the side. This is a deep fried pastry, so the shell does look and taste like it was fried in some kind of oil. However, if you're a nutella fan, this is a dessert you will want to try.
Overall, Patricia's is a nice place to go for the food, but the atmosphere and service do have room for improvement. In their defense, Patricia's of Tremont is located on East Tremont Avenue, which is a busy main street in Throg's Neck, so the restaurant gets a lot of traffic, especially on the weekend. Hopefully Nonno Tony's has better service!
Look/atmosphere – 2 cutlets
Food – 4 cutlets
Service – 2 cutlets
Overall – 3 cutlets
The night I visited Patricia's was a very busy night, and even with our 5:30 PM appointment, my party and I still had to wait to be seated as the waiters frenetically cleared and rearranged tables that were used for a baby shower. This behavior is not typical of Patricia's, but it does show that the popular restaurant will not rush out any lingering customers, even if other people are waiting to be seated. After about 15 minutes, the hostess finally directed us to a table, plopped down our rolled silverware and appetizer plates, and handed us our menus. We then had to wait another ten minutes for a basket of Patricia's fresh focaccia bread and the garlic, pepper, and olive oil dipping sauce that accompanies it. Upon receiving the bread basket, we realized we still did not have anything to drink.
The wait staff was less than stellar, as our waiter asked what we wanted to drink but then disappeared, and about ten minutes later another waiter brought us our drinks. However, whatever the wait staff lacked was made up for by the restaurant's manager, Joey. Joey came over to the table and took our orders. He felt so apologetic that he also brought four complimentary slices of Patricia's famous thin crust brick oven pizza to our table. Throughout the night, Joey could be seen walking from table to table, greeting guests—or, as my mother would say, schmoozing.
Patricia's does not really have major ambience. The back half of the restaurant looks well designed—the brick oven is displayed behind the cash register, there is a wall lined with a wine rack, and the party room has a sign reading “bella cucina” over it. That said, the front half of the restaurant, where the guests actually sit, is a bit lackluster. The tables do have red and white plaid tablecloths, evocative of an old-school Italian restaurant, but the walls are bare. Also, the door to the restaurant is right in the middle of the store-front, and my party and I were sitting in the center of the seating area, so any time the door opened, we felt the draught.
While service and setting are both important, you do not go to a restaurant to merely sit—you go to eat. If you came to eat, Patricia's will definitely satisfy. As previously mentioned, the bread with the garlic and olive oil dipping sauce is addictive, if only a little spicy. If you come to the restaurant with a friend or two, you will probably finish most of the bread by the time your salad arrives.
The house salad was a nice mix of raddichio, arugula and endive served with the “house dressing,” which tasted like a creamy vinaigrette. It's not a heavy salad, which is good because you will need room for the main course.
I ordered chicken parmigiana with a potato croquette. The presentation was a bit lackluster, as it was just one huge cutlet in the middle of a white plate. The taste was what really made the dish. The tomato sauce used was slightly tangy yet savory, and the mozzarella was fine—nothing out of the ordinary. Chicken parmigiana is a safety dish. The potato croquette is also a side that is hard to mess up--if a restaurant has terrible potato croquettes, something's wrong. Of course, Patricia's has the potato croquette down to a science. Also, I did sample my sister's rigatoni masaniello with basil, and this dish had a very distinct taste. The basil was present but not overpowering, and the ricotta cheese meshes nicely with the tomato sauce.
The desserts at Patricia's are to die for. I ordered a cannoli, and unlike most cannolis, this was freshly filled upon order. The shell was crisp and flaky, not rubbery and damp like the usual bakery fare. The cannoli cream had the perfect consistency—it was not hardened on the edges and it was not runny, either. My mom ordered Patricia's specialty dessert, which is a flaky pastry filled with warm nutella and dusted with powered sugar, served with whipped cream on the side. This is a deep fried pastry, so the shell does look and taste like it was fried in some kind of oil. However, if you're a nutella fan, this is a dessert you will want to try.
Overall, Patricia's is a nice place to go for the food, but the atmosphere and service do have room for improvement. In their defense, Patricia's of Tremont is located on East Tremont Avenue, which is a busy main street in Throg's Neck, so the restaurant gets a lot of traffic, especially on the weekend. Hopefully Nonno Tony's has better service!
Look/atmosphere – 2 cutlets
Food – 4 cutlets
Service – 2 cutlets
Overall – 3 cutlets
YO-BURGER!
By: Cornelia Batu
A quick bite shack just opened on Riverdale Ave, as many Riverdalians flock to try out the fast service burger and frozen yogurt mom and pop style restaurant.
The overall look and feel of Yo-Burger is simplistic and modern. The floor has white tiles but the area can get a little crowded especially on the weekend. Although there are two or three tables which allow small groups to sit together, one may feel a little cluster phobic sitting on stools which are closely knit together.
Everything is a-la-carte and self pick-up, a burger, some fries, and water cost about $10 which isn't bad when compared to city prices. Toppings for your yogurt are available and plentiful and all of them are free! The burger itself wasn't bad, it had a juicy, tender flavor served on a potato bun. A single burger is enough to curb your appetite, but if you're hungrier than you thought, double burgers are available.
The french fries were a bit on the soggy side but the yogurt made-up for this small glitch. Fresh fruit toppings, chocolate, and other sauces are available for adding a kick to you frozen yogurt. The only drawback is that you pay for the frozen yogurt and the toppings by weight, the strawberry and vanilla mix came out to about $4.50 for a an apple sized serving.
Yo-Burger also has a variety of shakes which can be made from 6 different types of flavors. The vanilla shake tends to taste more chalky so try and steer clear of single flavor shakes.
A fun fact for people to know is that the owners of Yo-Burger also own the corner pizza store Salvatore's which many college students tend to visit for their famous brick oven pizza.
"One of the reasons why I decided to open a small burger shack is because Riverdale needs gourmet food with cheaper prices and faster service. Salvatore's is a typical home style Italian restaurant while Yo-Burger is more of a chill spot where college students can grab something fresh and fast and get on with their hectic days", says the owner Tony Lucaj while flipping his gold watch back and forth n his wrist as if trying to show how successful he during a period of recession for many other restaurant owners.
So if you're looking to just kick back with some friends and enjoy high end fast food that doesn't taste like cheap McDonalds or breaks you're bank, Yo-Burger is the place to go.
Look/Atmosphere - 3 burgers
Food - 4 burgers
Service - 3 1/2 burgers
Total : 3 1/2 burgers
By: Cornelia Batu
A quick bite shack just opened on Riverdale Ave, as many Riverdalians flock to try out the fast service burger and frozen yogurt mom and pop style restaurant.
The overall look and feel of Yo-Burger is simplistic and modern. The floor has white tiles but the area can get a little crowded especially on the weekend. Although there are two or three tables which allow small groups to sit together, one may feel a little cluster phobic sitting on stools which are closely knit together.
Everything is a-la-carte and self pick-up, a burger, some fries, and water cost about $10 which isn't bad when compared to city prices. Toppings for your yogurt are available and plentiful and all of them are free! The burger itself wasn't bad, it had a juicy, tender flavor served on a potato bun. A single burger is enough to curb your appetite, but if you're hungrier than you thought, double burgers are available.
The french fries were a bit on the soggy side but the yogurt made-up for this small glitch. Fresh fruit toppings, chocolate, and other sauces are available for adding a kick to you frozen yogurt. The only drawback is that you pay for the frozen yogurt and the toppings by weight, the strawberry and vanilla mix came out to about $4.50 for a an apple sized serving.
Yo-Burger also has a variety of shakes which can be made from 6 different types of flavors. The vanilla shake tends to taste more chalky so try and steer clear of single flavor shakes.
A fun fact for people to know is that the owners of Yo-Burger also own the corner pizza store Salvatore's which many college students tend to visit for their famous brick oven pizza.
"One of the reasons why I decided to open a small burger shack is because Riverdale needs gourmet food with cheaper prices and faster service. Salvatore's is a typical home style Italian restaurant while Yo-Burger is more of a chill spot where college students can grab something fresh and fast and get on with their hectic days", says the owner Tony Lucaj while flipping his gold watch back and forth n his wrist as if trying to show how successful he during a period of recession for many other restaurant owners.
So if you're looking to just kick back with some friends and enjoy high end fast food that doesn't taste like cheap McDonalds or breaks you're bank, Yo-Burger is the place to go.
Look/Atmosphere - 3 burgers
Food - 4 burgers
Service - 3 1/2 burgers
Total : 3 1/2 burgers
The Riverdale Garden Review
By: Nicole Bullard
From their online website to being seated inside, everything seems to be as this four star restaurant promises.
Located on Manhattan College Parkway, the Riverdale Garden’s outward appearance attracts anyone passing by. Squeezed between two apartment buildings, this cozy place provides a quiet atmosphere in the bustling city of the Bronx.
“The Riverdale Garden has a great, sophisticated atmosphere,” Kathryn Shelley said.
But appearance is not everything. Seated at a long table with five other people, we scanned the menu. The type of food that the restaurant offers is a mix of “international plates with a focus on seasonal flavors.” The entrees were high priced, but their dishes were unique and had a different take on even the most common dishes.
“Even though the food was good,” Shelley said, “it’s not a place to go if you haven’t previewed the menu and found something you want, they don’t have your everyday choices.”
When the first set of dishes arrived to the table, all those who ordered their burger were served. The dish was beautifully presented and the burger was very unique. On it was veal and Andouille Sausage, Pancetta, Bason, Gruyere chees, homemade onion ring, spicy Creole, mustard, lettuce, tomato and brioche with sweet potato fries.
15 minutes later, the set of plate arrived at the table.
“The food was good, but the staff was not attentive” Richard Roman said. “It was unprofessional that half the table was served and half was left waiting for a good 15 minutes. The atmosphere, though, was comfortable and relaxing.”
At a table across the room, a couple, who had been seated in the restaurant before us, had asked for the check after only having drinks, telling the waiter that they did not have the time to wait.
Despite the slow service, The Riverdale Garden offers a relaxing atmosphere and a different variety of food. But it is not the restaurant for anyone who isn’t willing to take a risk, or who is on a tight budget or in a hurry.
Located on Manhattan College Parkway, the Riverdale Garden’s outward appearance attracts anyone passing by. Squeezed between two apartment buildings, this cozy place provides a quiet atmosphere in the bustling city of the Bronx.
“The Riverdale Garden has a great, sophisticated atmosphere,” Kathryn Shelley said.
But appearance is not everything. Seated at a long table with five other people, we scanned the menu. The type of food that the restaurant offers is a mix of “international plates with a focus on seasonal flavors.” The entrees were high priced, but their dishes were unique and had a different take on even the most common dishes.
“Even though the food was good,” Shelley said, “it’s not a place to go if you haven’t previewed the menu and found something you want, they don’t have your everyday choices.”
When the first set of dishes arrived to the table, all those who ordered their burger were served. The dish was beautifully presented and the burger was very unique. On it was veal and Andouille Sausage, Pancetta, Bason, Gruyere chees, homemade onion ring, spicy Creole, mustard, lettuce, tomato and brioche with sweet potato fries.
15 minutes later, the set of plate arrived at the table.
“The food was good, but the staff was not attentive” Richard Roman said. “It was unprofessional that half the table was served and half was left waiting for a good 15 minutes. The atmosphere, though, was comfortable and relaxing.”
At a table across the room, a couple, who had been seated in the restaurant before us, had asked for the check after only having drinks, telling the waiter that they did not have the time to wait.
Despite the slow service, The Riverdale Garden offers a relaxing atmosphere and a different variety of food. But it is not the restaurant for anyone who isn’t willing to take a risk, or who is on a tight budget or in a hurry.
Salvatore's Of Soho
By: Gabrielle Gonnella
Living in NYC, we are a little spoiled when it comes to eating authentic Italian food. More specifically in the Bronx, we have the well known Arthur Avenue, which is said to be the “original Little Italy”. Here in Riverdale, we have our own tastes of Italia, Salvatore’s of Soho. Sal’s as the locals call it, is located on the corner of 238th street and Riverdale Avenue. No matter what time of the day, you can always find families, couples, and student’s experiencing the fine dining that Sal’s has to offer. For as picky as I am when it comes to good Italian food, I was very impressed with the experience I had.
Although the restaurant may be tight on space, it certainly helps with creating a family environment. Not to sound cliche when it comes to an Italian meal, but when you dine there, you feel like you are part of the family. Between the decor, staff, and costumer’s, Sal’s truly is a taste of Italy. Not to mention, the addition of the BYOB, made for an even greater experience.
As I sat amongst my friend’s with a bottle of wine, I looked through what seemed like an endless menu. While debating on whether I was craving some pizza, pasta, or a meat entree, I was overwhelmed with the intense smells coming from around me. After much debate, I decided to go with the classic Chicken Parmesan, while splitting a plate of Fried Calamari with the group. Looking around at everyone’s mouth watering plate, I was hoping my stomach would react the same as how my eye’s did.
As the plate was placed in front of me, I immediately was loving what I was seeing. Served on a decorative plate, a rather large piece of Chick Parm smothered in Mozzarella cheese was waiting for me, accompanied by a mound of Spaghetti and red sauce. Even though no sauce can compare to Grandma’s, I was pleased with how textured and rich the “gravy” tasted. Plus, the consistency of the Calamari was just right, where as sometimes, the taste can be a little on the tough side. The addition of lemon, and marina sauce, really made for a happy stomach.
Overall, I had a very well rounded experience. I was served on time and consistently, the food was cooked to perfection, and I felt as though I was dining with a room full of my friend’s and family. Considering everything, I would give Salvatore’s of Soho a 4 and a half out of 5 cannoli’s. If you are like me and away from your Grandma’s home cooking, Sal’s is the next best thing to perfection.
Food: 4 cannoli’s
Appearance of the restaurant: 4 cannoli’s
Appearance of food: 4 cannoli’s
Service and Atmosphere: 5 cannoli’s
Overall: 4 and a half cannoli’s
Although the restaurant may be tight on space, it certainly helps with creating a family environment. Not to sound cliche when it comes to an Italian meal, but when you dine there, you feel like you are part of the family. Between the decor, staff, and costumer’s, Sal’s truly is a taste of Italy. Not to mention, the addition of the BYOB, made for an even greater experience.
As I sat amongst my friend’s with a bottle of wine, I looked through what seemed like an endless menu. While debating on whether I was craving some pizza, pasta, or a meat entree, I was overwhelmed with the intense smells coming from around me. After much debate, I decided to go with the classic Chicken Parmesan, while splitting a plate of Fried Calamari with the group. Looking around at everyone’s mouth watering plate, I was hoping my stomach would react the same as how my eye’s did.
As the plate was placed in front of me, I immediately was loving what I was seeing. Served on a decorative plate, a rather large piece of Chick Parm smothered in Mozzarella cheese was waiting for me, accompanied by a mound of Spaghetti and red sauce. Even though no sauce can compare to Grandma’s, I was pleased with how textured and rich the “gravy” tasted. Plus, the consistency of the Calamari was just right, where as sometimes, the taste can be a little on the tough side. The addition of lemon, and marina sauce, really made for a happy stomach.
Overall, I had a very well rounded experience. I was served on time and consistently, the food was cooked to perfection, and I felt as though I was dining with a room full of my friend’s and family. Considering everything, I would give Salvatore’s of Soho a 4 and a half out of 5 cannoli’s. If you are like me and away from your Grandma’s home cooking, Sal’s is the next best thing to perfection.
Food: 4 cannoli’s
Appearance of the restaurant: 4 cannoli’s
Appearance of food: 4 cannoli’s
Service and Atmosphere: 5 cannoli’s
Overall: 4 and a half cannoli’s
Riverdale City Grill
By: Lauren Spinella
Looking for a good spot to hang out and watch the game? Walk to 3541 Riverdale Avenue. The Riverdale City Grill is a restaurant/sports bar with a college-like atmosphere. It is open 7 days a week from 11:30am to 4:00am but the kitchen closes at 10:00pm. The menu mainly consists of burgers, sandwiches, paninis, and a “make your own” salad option. Every Monday through Friday they have a happy hour (4pm-7pm), which consists of cheap cocktails and beer, and 35 cent wings! Enjoy watching your favorite sports teams on one of their 6 big screen plasma televisions.
For an appetizer my friends and I split the River City Nachos, which were, to say the least, amazing. It consisted of soft nacho chips covered in chili, hot peppers, and melted cheese. For our entrées, I chose the make your own salad option which was surprisingly really good. You can choose which type of lettuce you’d like, 4 ingredients such as carrots, olives, etc., meat and cheese, and finally a dressing. They give you a pretty wide variety of options. It’s served in a big bowl with pita bread on the side. One of my friends chose the turkey club, which wasn’t so great. It was dry and the bread was beyond toasted and near impossible to bite into. If you’d like to order it, I’d suggest asking for the bread untoasted. Another one of my friends ordered the chicken fajita panini, and really enjoyed it. This time the bread was normal and it consisted of chicken, peppers, cheese and onions. It is one dish I would definitely recommend.
The service was very efficient. Our waiter was constantly checking up on us, making sure our drinks were full and our meals were to our liking. Having gone mid-morning, there wasn't too many people there so we were seated right away and the wait for our food was very short.
One downside is its price. It’s not overly expensive; however it’s not exactly cheap. For four of us, the bill came to around $54. Given that we all had sodas and got an appetizer, it’s still a little on the pricey side. I’d say the best time to go is during their happy hour for the cheap drinks and wings, but leave your credit cards and debit cards at home because this restaurant is cash only!
Overall, the atmosphere of the restaurant is very welcoming and exciting. I think that it would be better for nightlife and going to watch the big game rather than going for lunch or dinner. I have had better food, but I would strongly suggest going there if you’re in the mood for a salad or to watch sports. Go out and try the Riverdale City Grill for yourself!
Food: 3.5 stars
Appearance of Restaurant: 4 stars
Appearance of Food: 5 stars
Atmosphere and Service: 5 stars
For an appetizer my friends and I split the River City Nachos, which were, to say the least, amazing. It consisted of soft nacho chips covered in chili, hot peppers, and melted cheese. For our entrées, I chose the make your own salad option which was surprisingly really good. You can choose which type of lettuce you’d like, 4 ingredients such as carrots, olives, etc., meat and cheese, and finally a dressing. They give you a pretty wide variety of options. It’s served in a big bowl with pita bread on the side. One of my friends chose the turkey club, which wasn’t so great. It was dry and the bread was beyond toasted and near impossible to bite into. If you’d like to order it, I’d suggest asking for the bread untoasted. Another one of my friends ordered the chicken fajita panini, and really enjoyed it. This time the bread was normal and it consisted of chicken, peppers, cheese and onions. It is one dish I would definitely recommend.
The service was very efficient. Our waiter was constantly checking up on us, making sure our drinks were full and our meals were to our liking. Having gone mid-morning, there wasn't too many people there so we were seated right away and the wait for our food was very short.
One downside is its price. It’s not overly expensive; however it’s not exactly cheap. For four of us, the bill came to around $54. Given that we all had sodas and got an appetizer, it’s still a little on the pricey side. I’d say the best time to go is during their happy hour for the cheap drinks and wings, but leave your credit cards and debit cards at home because this restaurant is cash only!
Overall, the atmosphere of the restaurant is very welcoming and exciting. I think that it would be better for nightlife and going to watch the big game rather than going for lunch or dinner. I have had better food, but I would strongly suggest going there if you’re in the mood for a salad or to watch sports. Go out and try the Riverdale City Grill for yourself!
Food: 3.5 stars
Appearance of Restaurant: 4 stars
Appearance of Food: 5 stars
Atmosphere and Service: 5 stars
KAPPOCK CAFE & WINE BAR
Spinach Wrap & Salmon Delight
By: Cornelia Batu
The Kappock Cafe and Wine Bar is located within Riverdale's hidden crescent. Knolls Crescent is near the 10, 20, and BxM1 & 2 bus stations. Although the atmosphere sucks and the locals eating there are 80 year olds the food is not as bad!
The Kappock Cafe is more of a diner than a wine bar because it only serves 4 kinds of red wine and 4 kinds of white wine. An expert wine taster might hint that the "wine bar" isn't fully equip to be called so. The food on the other hand is not typical fast diner food because as you can tell from the left hand picture, the chef likes to add a little flare.
"I add little hearts or star shaped figures on the plates to make them look more lively. People here tend to be boring and dull and why not try to put a smile on one's face with a cute, little, unexpected design?" says Luis Cabrera the restaurants main lunch time chef.
The Salmon spinach wrap is out of this world. Inside one can find blue cheese, avocado, romaine lettuce, tomato, a hint of red onion finely chopped, honey mustard dressing, & crispy grilled salmon. Can you say heaven???
Like any other diner the Kappock Cafe offers a variety of drinks such as fresh milkshakes and typical canned sodas. This meal (including french fries or sweet potato fries and a soda) costs about $12 and change.
The main thing the owners need to work on is variety, because some locals complain that their menu hasn't changed since they opened 8 years ago and the overall appearance of the place. The chairs and booths have a vomit purple color which makes it unpleasant to sit down and try to have a bite to eat. It catches one eye from the moment the person walks in. The lights are dimmed to low making it hard to read or write. The wine list needs an upgrading if the restaurant wants to keep its reputation of being a wine bar and most importantly the lights overhead need to be cleaned of dust.
Food: 5 glasses of wine
Appearance of Restaurant: 3 glasses of wine
Appearance of Food: 5 glasses of wine
Service: 4 glasses of wine
Atmosphere: 2 glasses of wine
Overall: 3 1/2 glasses of wine
By: Cornelia Batu
The Kappock Cafe and Wine Bar is located within Riverdale's hidden crescent. Knolls Crescent is near the 10, 20, and BxM1 & 2 bus stations. Although the atmosphere sucks and the locals eating there are 80 year olds the food is not as bad!
The Kappock Cafe is more of a diner than a wine bar because it only serves 4 kinds of red wine and 4 kinds of white wine. An expert wine taster might hint that the "wine bar" isn't fully equip to be called so. The food on the other hand is not typical fast diner food because as you can tell from the left hand picture, the chef likes to add a little flare.
"I add little hearts or star shaped figures on the plates to make them look more lively. People here tend to be boring and dull and why not try to put a smile on one's face with a cute, little, unexpected design?" says Luis Cabrera the restaurants main lunch time chef.
The Salmon spinach wrap is out of this world. Inside one can find blue cheese, avocado, romaine lettuce, tomato, a hint of red onion finely chopped, honey mustard dressing, & crispy grilled salmon. Can you say heaven???
Like any other diner the Kappock Cafe offers a variety of drinks such as fresh milkshakes and typical canned sodas. This meal (including french fries or sweet potato fries and a soda) costs about $12 and change.
The main thing the owners need to work on is variety, because some locals complain that their menu hasn't changed since they opened 8 years ago and the overall appearance of the place. The chairs and booths have a vomit purple color which makes it unpleasant to sit down and try to have a bite to eat. It catches one eye from the moment the person walks in. The lights are dimmed to low making it hard to read or write. The wine list needs an upgrading if the restaurant wants to keep its reputation of being a wine bar and most importantly the lights overhead need to be cleaned of dust.
Food: 5 glasses of wine
Appearance of Restaurant: 3 glasses of wine
Appearance of Food: 5 glasses of wine
Service: 4 glasses of wine
Atmosphere: 2 glasses of wine
Overall: 3 1/2 glasses of wine
PALOMBO BAKERY
By: Gabrielle Gonnella
Palombo Bakery is located in the heart of Riverdale Avenue, by the corner of 236th street. It is a very casual place, where you will find families and couples sharing coffee together. Besides serving, what I hear, are some of the best cannoli’s, they prepare a variety of fresh sandwiches, coffee blends and, of course, pastries. From my experience, this bakery is a great place for a quick caffeine or sweet fix, but not somewhere where you would go if you want to find authentic Italian pastries.
Like any other good bakery, I was greeted inside with a display of hundreds of incredible looking cookies. Unfortunately, they did not taste as good as they appeared. The cannoli taste like the shell had just come out of the freezer and the filling was a little on the hard side. Plus, it was served to me rolling around on a small white plastic plate. I was not expecting to be served with anything too expensive, but it would have been nice not to have to fetch my cannoli from rolling off of my plastic plate.
I will admit that my sandwich was a much better decision than my cannoli. Since everything appeared to be fresh, I decided to go with a mozzarella, roasted red peppers, lettuce and balsamic vinegar on foccaca bread. Although, once again, placed on a white plastic plate that it barely fit on, everything was fresh and made for a pretty good sandwich. I would not name this my favorite sandwich, but it did satisfy me for the amount I was paying. In total, a small cannoli and a sandwich cost me just under $9, which, in NYC, is a pretty good deal.
Besides the average tasting food, what really caught my attention was the interior decorations around the bakery. Cathedral ceilings painted with clouds and blue skies, along with a spiral staircase to an upstairs seating area, really made for a comfortable dining experience. It really did set the mood for a place where the residents can come and have a great experience, even if the pastries are not anything extraordinary. As for the overall rating, I would have to give this bakery 3 out of 5 cannoli’s. Even though the cannoli shell was a little on the hard side, the fresh sandwich made up for it and the service was great. I definitely would recommend this place for the employees and the decorations of the bakery, but I certainly would not name this as one of my favorite bakeries. In my opinion, Palombo’s is just another average bakery in NYC.
Food: 3 cannoli’s
Appearance of bakery: 4 cannoli’s
Appearance of food: 2 and a half cannoli’s
Service and Atmosphere: 4 cannoli’s
Overall: 3 cannoli’s
Like any other good bakery, I was greeted inside with a display of hundreds of incredible looking cookies. Unfortunately, they did not taste as good as they appeared. The cannoli taste like the shell had just come out of the freezer and the filling was a little on the hard side. Plus, it was served to me rolling around on a small white plastic plate. I was not expecting to be served with anything too expensive, but it would have been nice not to have to fetch my cannoli from rolling off of my plastic plate.
I will admit that my sandwich was a much better decision than my cannoli. Since everything appeared to be fresh, I decided to go with a mozzarella, roasted red peppers, lettuce and balsamic vinegar on foccaca bread. Although, once again, placed on a white plastic plate that it barely fit on, everything was fresh and made for a pretty good sandwich. I would not name this my favorite sandwich, but it did satisfy me for the amount I was paying. In total, a small cannoli and a sandwich cost me just under $9, which, in NYC, is a pretty good deal.
Besides the average tasting food, what really caught my attention was the interior decorations around the bakery. Cathedral ceilings painted with clouds and blue skies, along with a spiral staircase to an upstairs seating area, really made for a comfortable dining experience. It really did set the mood for a place where the residents can come and have a great experience, even if the pastries are not anything extraordinary. As for the overall rating, I would have to give this bakery 3 out of 5 cannoli’s. Even though the cannoli shell was a little on the hard side, the fresh sandwich made up for it and the service was great. I definitely would recommend this place for the employees and the decorations of the bakery, but I certainly would not name this as one of my favorite bakeries. In my opinion, Palombo’s is just another average bakery in NYC.
Food: 3 cannoli’s
Appearance of bakery: 4 cannoli’s
Appearance of food: 2 and a half cannoli’s
Service and Atmosphere: 4 cannoli’s
Overall: 3 cannoli’s
PEARL
By: Lauren Callahan
Notoriously known as Chinawine to Manhattan College students, Pearl the Chinese restaurant on the corner of 96th and Lexington is worth the half an hour subway ride. Calling to make a reservation is a must on the weekends because of the amount of college kids from Columbia and Manhattan that dine at Chinawine before hitting the town. From the street, Pearl’s boisterous, loud atmosphere cannot be heard. However, once inside the sound of college kids singing happy birthday or chanting, “Olay, olay, olay, olay!” ricochets off each wall. The lighting is dim, but that is not to say they are hiding their elegantly decorated dining room. After being seated, a waitress IDs the students and once she gets the go ahead starts bringing over an unlimited supply of white wine. The purpose of Pearl is to eat as well as enjoy wine with good friends.
The food is not anything out of the ordinary American-Chinese food. Many students order the chicken and broccoli, which incorporates a satisfying blend of salty and crunchy. Towards the middle of diner, the line to get into Pearl is halfway out the door and the waiters begin to cut the amount of wine they give to each table. This may be the only negative aspect of Pearl. Because so many people have caught on to Chinawine fever the service has become worse as the waiters try to rush students out. This never seems to bother many though because after a great entrée and cheap wine at Chinawine, students can be seen crawling to each bar before they head uptown on the 1 train.
Food: 3 egg rolls
Appearance of Restaurant: 4 egg rolls
Appearance of Food: 4 egg rolls
Service: and Atmosphere: 4 egg rolls
Overall: 3.75 egg rolls
The food is not anything out of the ordinary American-Chinese food. Many students order the chicken and broccoli, which incorporates a satisfying blend of salty and crunchy. Towards the middle of diner, the line to get into Pearl is halfway out the door and the waiters begin to cut the amount of wine they give to each table. This may be the only negative aspect of Pearl. Because so many people have caught on to Chinawine fever the service has become worse as the waiters try to rush students out. This never seems to bother many though because after a great entrée and cheap wine at Chinawine, students can be seen crawling to each bar before they head uptown on the 1 train.
Food: 3 egg rolls
Appearance of Restaurant: 4 egg rolls
Appearance of Food: 4 egg rolls
Service: and Atmosphere: 4 egg rolls
Overall: 3.75 egg rolls