52 The Queens Courier • buzz • march 12, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com BY BRADLEY HAWKS It’s Friday at the Falchi Building, and that means a bold new menu of ceviche from the team that opened their stand in the Food Box last month. Mimi and Diego may have been running their lunch counter, Don Tapas, for just a month — and they may have even gotten engaged just two months ago — but their story goes back even further by nearly two and half years. The lovers met while they were line cooks at William Hallet in Astoria, where they worked the brunch shift together for one and a half years. Turns out poaching eggs is a surefire recipe for success. Though the two have amicably parted ways with their former employer, they carry with them much of what they learned. In fact, Diego still cooks for Mario Batali at Casa Mono when he isn’t preparing his own dishes. And the owner of William Hallet was even consulted for a tasting of the new tapas dishes. When it comes to the kitchen, it’s an all around love affair. “Everything we do is made with love,” explains Diego. It’s the kind of love that the customers can taste. Striped bass soaks in a traditional Peruvian salsa creola of cilantro, onions, mandarin and lime. Shrimp and calamari take on ginger, star anise, yuzu and sesame seeds topped with wonton strips in a Japanese- Peruvian fusion known as Nekki. The leftover leche de tigre is just as delicious as the ceviche, so customers are encouraged to shoot the juice when finished. Next is a plate called pan con tamate — literally bread with tomatoes — the first in a series of what Diego refers to as montadito, or a tapas-sized roll Don Tapas Photos by Karen Gordon topped with anything. The next baguette is sliced open and stuffed with homemade meatballs, imported manchego and peppers. My personal favorite is loaded with plump slices of mildly spicy chorizo sausage, caramelized onions and piquillo peppers. The aim of Don Papas is to offer savory morsels, tapas-style, from around the world, and this couple has nailed it. Mimi is from Venezuela, while Diego moved here from Columbia in ’99. The two have gathered a refined collective palate along the way, as well as a respect for fresh, locally sourced goods. “We use only the highest-quality ingredients, and we love to support local businesses,” explains Mimi. The bread is custom baked from Rollo Mio in Maspeth, and the meats come from Despaña in Woodside. “We have a passion for bringing people together to try new and amazing things” — things like their tortilla Española, which is a delicate omelet with garlic, onions and potatoes topped with a smear of aioli dulce made from roasted garlic poached in sweet sherry wine. Everything at Don Tapas is tiny, affordable, and tasty. Now that’s the kind of meal you will want to sink your teeth into. dining out Food Box at The Falchi Building 31-00 47th Ave., Long Island City 347-850-2575 View Over 200 Reviews at queenscourier.com Georgia D D I N I N E E R R & & R R E E S S T T A A U U R R A A N N T T ACT ACT V V Complete Complete Dinner Dinner Served 4 4 to to 10 10 PM PM Monday Monday thru thru Friday Friday Except Except Holidays Holidays Cup of Soup, Salad, Entree, Potato & Vegetable or Spaghetti, Dessert and Coffee, Tea or Soda Cup of Soup, Salad, Entree, Potato & Vegetable or Spaghetti, Dessert and Coffee, Tea or Soda $1995 $2295 ACT 1 Choice of Soup ACT 1 Choice of Soup SOUP DU JOUR - MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER or CHICKEN CONSOMME with Fine Noodles, Matzoh Ball or Rice SOUP DU JOUR - MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER or ACT IIII CHICKEN CONSOMME with Fine Noodles, Matzoh Ball or Rice DINNER SALAD with Choice of Dressing ACT II ACT IIIIII Choice of Entree DINNER SALAD with Choice of Dressing BROILED FILET OF SNAPPER ALMONDINE STUFFED FILET OF ACT III LEMON SOLE FLORENTINE with Choice Spinach of and Entree Feta Cheese BROILED HALIBUT STEAK BROILED FILET OF SNAPPER ALMONDINE STUFFED FILET OF in Lemon Butter Sauce LEMON BROILED SOLE BOSTON FLORENTINE SCROD with in Spinach Lemon and Butter Feta Sauce Cheese BROILED BROILED FRESH HALIBUT BROOK STEAK TROUT in Lemon Butter Sauce in Lemon Butter Sauce CALAMARI FRA DIAVOLO BROILED BOSTON SCROD Calamari and Mussels Served over Linguine in Lemon Butter Sauce CHICKEN PARMIGIANA with Spaghetti BROILED FRESH BROOK TROUT TWO BROILED PORK CHOPS in Lemon Butter Sauce with Applesauce CALAMARI FRA DIAVOLO ROAST YOUNG TOM TURKEY Calamari and Mussels Served over Linguine with Dressing CHICKEN PARMIGIANA ROUMANIAN SLICED STEAK Mushroom Sauce with Spaghetti SMOKED VIRGINIA HAM STEAK TWO BROILED PORK CHOPS BAKED CHICKEN in Light with Mushroom Applesauce Sauce CHICKEN BROCHETTE ROAST YOUNG TOM TURKEY with Onions,with Pepper Dressing and Tomatoes GRILLED CHICKEN SORRENTINO ROUMANIAN SLICED STEAK with Eggplant and Mozzarella Mushroom Sauce BROILED BEEF LIVER with Fried Onions ROAST HALF CHICKEN with Dressing SMOKED VIRGINIA HAM STEAK PENNE CON BROCCOLI E GRILLED CHICKEN BAKED CHICKEN in Mixed Light with Mushroom Garlic and Sauce Oil MOUSSAKA CHICKEN BROCHETTE Eggplant and Chopped Meat, Topped with Bechamel Sauce with ROAST Onions,SIRLOIN Pepper OF and BEEF Tomatoes Au Jus GRILLED CHICKEN SORRENTINO BAKED LASAGNA, WIDE PASTA LAYERED with Ricotta and Mozzarella in a Delicious Meat Sauce with Eggplant and Mozzarella ACT IIV BROILED BEEF LIVER with Fried Onions ROAST HALF CHICKEN with Dressing CHOICE OF DESSERT: Assorted Danish, Apple Turnover, Assorted Pound Cake, Chocolate Pudding, Bread Pudding, Rice Pudding, Jello or Ice Cream PENNE CON BROCCOLI E GRILLED CHICKEN FIINALE Mixed with Garlic and Oil CHOICE OF BEVERAGE: Coffee, Tea, Fresh Brewed Decaf or Soda MOUSSAKA • No Substitutions Eggplant and Chopped Meat, Topped with Bechamel Sauce OUR NEW AND EXCITING MENU AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, OFFERS COCKTAILS, STEAKS, CHOPS, SEAFOOD, PASTA, POULTRY ROAST SIRLOIN OF BEEF Au Jus BAKED All Baking LASAGNA,done on Premises WIDE • Private PASTA Parties LAYERED Available with Ricotta and Mozzarella in a Delicious Meat Sauce 86-55 Queens Blvd. • Elmhurst • 718.651.9000 ACT IV (one block west of Queens Center Mall) CHOICE OF DESSERT: Assorted Danish, Apple Turnover, Assorted Pound Cake, Chocolate Pudding,LARGE Bread FREE Pudding,PARKING Rice Pudding,LOT Jello or Ice Cream FINALE CHOICE OF BEVERAGE: Coffee, Tea, Fresh Brewed Decaf or Soda • No Substitutions OUR NEW AND EXCITING MENU AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, OFFERS COCKTAILS, STEAKS, CHOPS, SEAFOOD, PASTA, POULTRY All Baking done on Premises • Private Parties Available 86-55 Queens Boulevard • Elmhurst • 718-651-9000 (one block west of Queens Center Mall) Large Free Parking Lot Small bites … big flavors
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