It's been quite a while since
Astoria Cafe and Market opened, but Mr. H and I finally made it there recently.
Its Mediterranean flair is reflected not only on the menu, but also in the small market---focused on olives...
...cheese and meats, dried pastas and beans, sauces...
...wine and more. It's not a huge selection, but you can grab a few items for a meal and pick up wine to-go.
But in the center of the market, there is a large area of open cafe seating.
We shared the
Calamari Frito ($13) with Spanish Calamari Fried Crisp in Peanut Oil, served with Mediterranean Olive Salad and Honey-Harissa Glaze. The glaze and olive salad made it a unique, and tasty (
bit spicy), version, and the portion was generous enough for sharing.
We also shared the
Baked Brie en Croute Belletoile ($14) with Triple Cream Brie Topped with Fig Jam and Fresh Thyme and wrapped in Phyllo and finished with Honey and Crushed Pistachios.
You can never go wrong with baked brie! I loved the crushed pistachios with it.
Then we shared two small plates for the next course.
Sea Scallops ($16) with Seared Maine Diver Sea Scallops with a Saute of Shallots, Pancetta, Honey, Thyme and Apple Cider and served over Creamy White Cheddar Polenta. The polenta and crispy bacon were a great pairing with the scallops!
We also split the
Lamb T-bone ($15) with a Grilled 4 oz. Ohio Domestic Loin Chop with Italian Salsa Verde, Sweet Balsamic Glaze and Truffle-Mascarpone Fingerling Potatoes. The meat was seasoned and cooked perfectly, and I enjoyed the salsa verde with it. The potatoes were a tad under-cooked at times, but the flavor was good.
While we really enjoyed the food, and it's a great menu for sharing a bunch of smaller bites, the atmosphere wasn't what I had hoped. It was bright and loud, with a lot of foot traffic past our table. The service seemed a bit unorganized and hurried, but maybe it was just an off night. I'd like to give brunch a try.
There is a small parking lot down the side street next to the cafe, in case you can't find street parking in front. The menu isn't very family-friendly, in my opinion.
If you've been, what are your thoughts beyond the quality of the food?
Astoria Market and Cafe
5417 Detroit Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 266-0834
I like Astoria's food a lot but agree that the atmosphere is a bit weird. I guess it didn't bother me, though, or felt almost expected, because it has "market" in the name. It feels more like an upscale cafe within a market than an upscale cafe that HAS a market, if that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteTotally get your point! It reminded me of Eataly, but without the grand scale and selection.
DeleteI am intrigued by the calamari frito because it's sometimes hard to find someone doing something different with calamari (and it's a longtime favorite). I'm looking forward to checking this out. It reminds me of a market/cafe (Thyme Market) where my sister lives. If you're ever in Culpeper, Virginia, I recommend it!
ReplyDeleteAlways fun to get travel tips, so thank you!
DeleteI LOVE Astoria - their octopus and bronzino dishes are amazing. It is very crowded in there and certainly not a quiet spot but that has never bothered me. I love seeing so many people from around the neighborhood there!
ReplyDeleteThe crowd was also much older, and almost 100% white, when we were there. Wasn’t what I was expecting. Is that typical in your experience?
DeleteI agree that the atmosphere is a bit off but I really love the food so I’ll definitely go back!
ReplyDeleteThe food was definitely good, so maybe I’ll just try a weekday night or weekend brunch instead.
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