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Restaurant
Fast & Delicious Offer Food, History Katia Santana knows an incredible amount about coffee and its long history in Brazil. The charming founder and owner of Brasil Coffee House on Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City set out to create an inviting environment where patrons can enjoy all the rich and wonderful flavors of real Brazilian coffee and pastries, as well as savory meals in the adjoining eatery, Fast & Delicious. No one is more passionate about coffee than Santana and this coffee lover found her account of the history of coffee fascinating. Did you know, for example, that coffee is not indigenous to South America? Its origins are in Ethiopia, where it was drunk, unroasted, as a wine circa 500 A.D. The Turks accidentally roasted the beans in 1100 A.D. for an approximation of the beverage we know today. The French then transported coffee beans to French Guyana, on the northern edge of the South American continent. The precious beans were then given secretly to a Brazilian lieutenant. In 1727, he planted coffee beans in the northern mountains of Brazil, where they have flourished ever since, beginning a long history of Brazil’s relationship with coffee. Today, Brazil supplies 70 percent of all coffee consumed in the world. Coffee lovers owe it to themselves to visit the Brasil Coffee House. The interior is decorated with coffee plants and an enormous mural of a coffee plantation in the mountains. Even the tabletops hold the multi-colored beans, and historical accounts of coffee are part of the decor. But the proof is in the tasting, and some 42,000 pounds of coffee are imported each month and roasted on the premises for the ultimate in a cup of joe. The aroma is absolutely intoxicating and every imaginable form of the magic elixir is available. Try a steaming cup of cafezinho, café au lait, with steamed milk, or café mocha, with a touch of chocolate. Iced coffee drinks, such as white chocolate, caramel macchiato and iced cappuccino will cool you down and soothe your soul in this warm weather. Frappes are my favorite. These frosty, creamy concoctions can make you forget about even the worst day at work. Savor the aroma and texture of a cocomochanut frappe, flavored with real coconut and chocolate. Extreme toffee coffee frappe and chocolate brownie frappe could constitute dessert, but you’ll still want to try the homemade cakes or pastries.
The Brazilian muffins, made with coconut and yucca, are moist, delicious and not overly sweet, making them perfect for breakfast or a snack any time. Creamy cheesecake and vanilla flan are both excellent, as are the tiramisu and chocolate mousse. At lunchtime, Brasil Coffee House offers an array of freshly made sandwiches and salads, as well as savory pastries filled with meat and cheese, which resemble empanadas ($1.85). You’ll also like to snack on the fried yucca. Have a seat in one of the comfortable wicker chairs and curl up with a good book. Everyone is always made to feel very welcome in this tropical oasis in the bustle of the city. For a sit-down lunch or dinner, visit the adjoining restaurant, Fast & Delicious, where chef Paolo roasts the juicy, tasty chicken and sirloin steak. The Brazilian sandwich, tender ground beef in sauce on a French baguette, is a popular lunch choice at just $4.50. Grilled chicken pita is a light and healthy option, as is the grilled vegetable baguette. A number of fresh salads round out the menu. Dinner entrees include a generous portion of churrasco steak grilled on the spot to the diner’s liking and served with two side dishes for just $9.95. Brazilian beef stew and barbecued chicken are displayed each day on a steam table in this spotlessly clean eatery. A whole rotisserie chicken costs only $7.50 and could feed a family of four. Vegetable soup and the chef’s special soup are available every day as well. Sides include white or yellow rice, black beans, grilled vegetables, potatoes au gratin and salad. Fejoada, a Brazilian specialty, is a traditional dish made of beef, pork, sausage and black beans served over rice. This hearty meal is available only on Saturdays and makes weekends a bit more special.
Enjoy lunch or dinner at Fast & Delicious, then sit and relax over a robust cup of coffee at the Brasil Coffee House where fabulous coffee is roasted in front of your eyes, then ground and is available in one-pound bags to enjoy at home as well. The pleasant staff will serve you quickly and let you linger as long as you like while you bask in the soothing atmosphere. You’ll also learn about the history of coffee, which is as rich as a cup of the beverage at Brasil Coffee House. Fast & Delicious also does a brisk take-out and delivery business, with hundreds of local residents stopping by on their way home from work. Commuters coming from the subway down the street know where to get fresh, delicious food at excellent prices. Fast & Delicious will also deliver to home or office. Brasil Coffee House,open 7 days 48-19 Vernon Blvd. at 49th Avenue Long Island City 718-729-5969 Fast & Delicious, closed Sunday 48-19 Vernon Blvd., entrance on 49th Avenue 718-729-9988 |
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