NYC Eats: Dinner at Queens Kickshaw

Now that I finally feel settled into my new neighborhood, I figured it was time to start sampling the local cuisines! A friend of mine read about a place that specialized in "fancy grilled cheeses" in the Gothamist--you don't have to do much arm-twisting to convince me that grilled cheese is a fabulous dinner. Throw in a bangin' list of hard ciders? I'm all over it.



The Queens Kickshaw storefront is pretty unobtrusive--if you don't know you're looking for it, it'd be easy to walk right by (as I had done several times before our visit). The decor is deliberately sparse and the lighting is low; the ceiling has an unfinished look that contributes to the quasi-industrial, very hipster-y feel. We walked past the coffee and dessert counter into the back dining area, where we found a four-top wooden table with tall chairs.

The menus are on clipboards--extra cool points, Queens Kickshaw--and feature food items as well as a full list of beers, wines, ciders, and nonalcoholic beverages (they're known for their coffees, too).

My dining partners each ordered a bottle of the Crispin Saint, a Minnesota-produced hard apple cider made with maple syrup. They were kind enough to let me sample, and umm--yum. Sweet and crisp and delicious when served cold. We were a little surprised by the prices--each of their bottles cost $14--but you get a lot for your money. I'd say at least three good-sized glasses of cider came out of just that one bottle. A buzz can be sufficiently attained, if that's your aim. ;)

For my cheesy dinner, I selected the Fontina Val d'Aosta (a picture pre-devouring can be seen at the beginning of this entry)--an open-faced sandwich on focaccia bread that was spread with pesto, layered with mushrooms, and then smothered with plenty of that fontina. And it came with a little side salad topped with pine nuts!

My two friends both ordered the Cheddar and Mozzarella, a good old-fashioned cheese sandwich on brioche bread served with a side of tomato soup. Yes, dipping did ensue. They each raved about the sandwich, one even going so far as to quote Parks and Recreation, saying it was "lit-tra-ly" the best thing she'd ever eaten. High praise if I do say so myself!

These definitely aren't your shoestring budget grilled cheeses--my sandwich was $11, and the cheddar/mozz was $8. The portions were large enough to be considered dinner-sized, though, so I considered the cheesy goodness worthy of the splurge.

The Queens Kickshaw
40-17 Broadway
Astoria, NY 11103