Grand Café... Euro Style
37-01 30th Avenue • Astoria • 718-777-7321
by Teresa Barile

Grand Café bustles with customers, day and night. The secret of this Euro-style café is the wide array of food and drinks, all served in a cool, casual and comfortable setting. You can't miss Grand Café, with its big clock out front signaling that it's time for something delicious and delightful. The décor is sleek and tropical and incorporates lots of textures and colors, from the spectacular bar, which is illuminated by a fish tank, to the cozy lounge area, ideal for intimate conversation.

Relax with one of their specialty drinks such as a peach cosmopolitan, Italian Bellini champagne cocktail or Brazilian caipirinha. The pomegranate mojito was excellent, minty and refreshing. The wine list features vintages from Argentina, France, Italy and Chile, from $22 per bottle. Grand Café's appetizers are so good, you'll want to eat them at any time of day. The crab and shrimp spring rolls are light and crispy, served with a tangy sweet and sour sauce ($9.50 for six). Wasabi shrimp tempura are golden and crispy and the wasabi sauce packs a punch. Buffalo chicken wings come with a spicy sauce and creamy bleu cheese dressing and are perfect for sharing. Crispy calamari rings and hand cut chicken tenders with honey mustard offer plenty to share. The Grand Platter offers a great option for the whole table as it provides a sampling of mozzarella sticks, Buffalo wings, calamari rings, chicken tenders, spring rolls and quesadillas ($18). The Grand Cheese platter is perfect to pair with a nice bottle of wine.

At lunch time or anytime, over a dozen wraps and Panini are available, such as the Mediterranean wrap with grilled chicken, roasted peppers and feta cheese, or the Grand Shrimp Panini with smoky bacon, haloumi cheese and tomato. You can choose your bread such as sourdough,  flat Panini or seven grain and can have your sandwich pressed on the grill for extra flavor and gooey cheese on the inside. The Grand Steak Panini is made with mozzarella cheese and caramelized onions and roasted peppers and all sandwiches are served with your choice of field greens or crispy, shoestring French fries.

The variety and quality of the dinner entrées offers something for everyone, from pasta to fish to poultry and steak. The salmon with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables was a medley of colors, textures and flavors ($17). Subtly caramelized on the outside and juicy on the inside, the salmon was grilled to perfection. The vegetables, a fresh mix of eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper, prepared with just the right amount of oil, were sweet and flavorful. The mashed potatoes, high up on my list of comfort foods, were deliciously creamy. Steak frites, a French bistro classic, was tender, juicy and cooked to my order. The frites were crisp and hot, and the side salad was a fresh spring mix of greens.

Diners queue up for the popular brunch served on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 8am till 4:30pm.

The $11 fixed price includes a brunch cocktail, eggs, omelets, fritattas, pancakes and French toast, salads, their famous burger and more. Grand Café prepares breakfast every morning, so you can stop in on your way to work. The coffee bar mixes up all sorts of hot and cold coffee drinks and a variety of teas. Choose one to go with Grand Café's tender crepes filled with bananas and nutella, fresh fruit or savory ingredients such as ham and cheese. Desserts include Junior's creamy cheesecake, classic créme brulee, European pastries, rice pudding and chocolate soufflé.

Grand Café was conceived two and a half years ago by six friends: Stu, Teddy, Nick, Tony, John and Kirk. I can't wait for warmer weather when the glass doors open to enjoy café life and al fresco dining. A private party room in the back of the café accommodates 55 people and boasts a separate bar, sound system and restrooms for your guests.

Visit Grand Café any time for breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night snack or enjoy a cocktail in the cozy lounge. The food is fresh and inventive and the service is fast and friendly. Grand Café is open seven days a week from 8am until 2am on weeknights and 3:30am on weekends.

www.grandcafelounge.com