64 The Queens Courier • valentine’s day • FEBRUARY 6, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com dining out Photo by Bradley Hawks A new party at Pachanga Patterson BY BRADLEY HAWKS Pachanga Patterson Peyton Powell recently took over as executive chef in the kitchen at Astoria’s Pachanga Patterson, the third restaurant of the Mexican trio that also includes Vesta in Astoria and Venturo in Sunnyside. Powell had been the executive sous chef at Casa Mono since 2009 and also worked at DB Bistro Moderne, as well as Daniel. Powell met the owners of Pachanga by eating at Vesta and seeing them around Astoria, where he has been living 33-17 31st Avenue Astoria, NY 11106 718-554-0525 pachangapatterson.com View Over 200 Reviews at queenscourier.com for the last four years. “I loved what they were doing in the neighborhood, and wanted to be a part of it,” explains the chef. Previously, Pachanga focused on serving “family meals,” incorporating nontraditional ingredients into classic Mexican recipes. A family meal, in the restaurant industry, is a staff meal served before a shift. While tacos stuffed with duck remain, the theme has moved from fusion to classic Mexican. “What I’m trying to do at Pachanga is not strictly Oaxacan,” says Powell, “even though it’s my favorite region of Mexico, foodwise. I want to incorporate traditional Mexican flavors and ingredients influenced by my background, in a local, seasonal, and comfortable environment.” The result is some of the most delicious Mexican food in the entire city. A surprisingly light queso fundido arrives in a shallow clay dish, studded with hen of the woods mushrooms, tiny diced cubes of butternut squash, and pumpkin seeds. Quacamole is served in the classic style, or can be ordered jazzed up with pomegranate seeds, queso fresco, and chipotle pepper oil, making it sweet and spicy. Cabernet colored beets are delicately charred on the grill, and served with pickled apples, crushed peanuts, and hibiscus. Grilled octopus is stewed with cannellini beans and jalapeno oil, giving just the right spark of heat to remarkably tender tentacles. If you order the fideos con mariscos, do not plan on sharing even a single bite, as these head-on prawns are sweet and tender, swimming with mussels in a pot of broken capellini, stewed with cactus paddles in a habanero aioli. From the land, never has pork belly been executed to such deliciousness, glazed with tamarind and served with crunchy chicharrones and tangy tangerines. “Pachanga” can loosely be translated as “street party,” which means there are plenty of unique cocktails to sip. Drinks range from a Coriander en Fuego to a Cactus Cooler, made from organic prickly pear puree, blended with tequila blanco. From appetizers to dessert, Pachanga Patterson is hitting it out of the park. Chef Powell is dishing out some pretty remarkable dishes worthy of at least a visit, if not two… or 20. If only all Mexican food could taste this fantastic. OPEN 7 DAYS 6AM-MIDNITE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE Happy Valentine’s Day COMPLETE DINNER INCLUDES Choice of appetizer, cup of soup or salad, relish tray, entrée, pot and veg, pasta or rice, Wishing Challah bread You and rolls,Happy Coffee or Tea Holidays! and Dessert CHOICE OF APPETIZERS SPINACH PIE (inc.) Announcing Our Maine Lobster Fest Served 12 noon-10pm 7 days a week MOZZARELLA STICKS (+5.95) FRUIT SALAD COCKTAIL SUPREME (inc.) BAKED STUFFED CLAMS (+6.95) CHOICE OF SOUPS NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER CHICKEN CONSOMME with RICE, NOODLE or MATZOOH BALLS CHICKEN & SHRIMP FRANCAISE boneless chicken breast and (2) jumbo shrimp sautéed in white wine butter and lemon sauce over linguini $27.95 ROAST PRIME RIB OF BEEF AU JUS with potato and vegetable $29.95 POLLO GIARDINO sautéed chicken breast in garlic with broccoli and light tomato sauce over penne pasta $27.95 $19.95 SEAFOOD FRA DIAVLO lobster tail, shrimp, scallops, calamari, mussels, and clams with 1¼fresh lb.over linguini in herbs Maine $36.95 Lobster a spicy tomato sauce Corn on the cob, baked potato, choice of soup or salad FRIED SEAFOOD COMBINATION (Manhattan shrimp, scallop,or New fi England let of sole Clam and Chowder) crabcake with potato and vegetable PORK MEDALLIONS or Enjoy $38.95 VERACRUZ our Tender pork,Full mushroom,Course pepper,Dinners onions in a light red wine sauce, served $19.95 with jalapenos and rice $27.95 BROILED FILET MIGNON with mushroom caps, potato and vegetable $33.95 SHRIMP Served & CRAB 4 p.m. - 10 CASINO p.m. Mon-Fri, except holidays Jumbo Includes:shrimp Cup and of Crab Soup,claws Entree,in Potato a Casino and sauce Vegetable over rice $or 29.95 Pasta, Dessert & Coffee, Tea or Soda VEGETABLES BROILED BLUEFISH SCAMPI Broiled Bluefi sh in a garlic scampi sauce, served with rice and vegetable Sweet Corn, Sweet Peas, CALAMARI FRA Broccoli DIAVOLO Spears,calamari Creamed and mussels served Spinach,over linguine two broiled Glazed pork chops Baby with applesauce Belgian Carrots, Green Beans POTATOES CHICKEN CORDON BLEU Baked,with Mashed penne pasta Potato,in light mushroom cream sauce BROILED ROUMANIAN STEAK TIPS with rice French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries FREE DELIVERY
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