60 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • JUNE 27, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
dining out
Trattoria Ora: A hidden Astoria gem
BY DANIELLE BRODY
BORO Magazine
Special to The Courier
For the past fi ve or six years, Ramo Besi
would walk by the vacant storefront on a
corner in his neighborhood and tell his
wife, Mimi, “I’m going to watch this. I’m
going to make something.”
Th e couple, who has lived in Astoria
with their family for more than two
decades, already owned Dolcino, a
Northern Italian restaurant in Manhattan.
Ramo Besi said he’s had success there and
wanted to try the concept in Astoria.
“We have always wanted to open something
close to home,” he said. “Th is neighborhood
is up-and-coming and has a lot
of good people.”
About 2 1/2 years ago, they took the leap
and rented out the empty space. Fittingly,
they named the restaurant Trattoria Ora,
which roughly means time to eat.
Th e restaurant needed to be completely
built up and designed from scratch.
Th e aesthetic is upscale, yet comfortable.
Mimi Besi said that she and her husband
disagreed over whether to have white
tablecloths, but that she’d wanted to bring
back tradition to dining. Even so, it is not
meant to be a fancy place, she said.
Details include an exposed brick wall,
which Ramo Besi said is original, a dark
wood bar and chairs, and soft wood
fl oors. Th e size of the space is “not too
big or too small,” he said, and the decorative
elements — chandeliers, mirrors and
clocks — make you feel like you are in a
friend’s large living room.
Trattoria serves dishes from “all over”
Italy, and doesn’t have a regional focus
like the Manhattan restaurant does —
although he borrowed some of Dolcino’s
top sellers, like ravioli funghetto, for the
new restaurant.
Th e menu has a selection of pastas,
risottos, seafood, chicken, steak and more.
Th e only thing missing is pizza. Ramo
Besi said he made that decision because
he serves pizza at his other restaurant,
Mela Pizza House on Newton Ave.
I started with what awaited me on the
table: a small assortment of sharp cheeses,
Trattoria Ora
18-01 Astoria Blvd., Astoria
718-433-9680
trattoriaora.com
INSTAGRAM: @trattoriaora
bread, olives and fresh olive oil. Th ey
were probably meant for at least two diners,
but I made a dent in the delicious
starter.
I quickly moved on when the fi rst appetizer
— fresh mozzarella on thick, juicy
tomato slices with a bright green garnish
— arrived.
Th e grilled portobello mushrooms with
balsamic and garlic were next, and had a
nice tang that contrasted the cool cheese
dish. Other popular starters are the roasted
beet salad and fried calamari, Ramo
Besi said.
Next was the ravioli funghetto, the
number one selling pasta dish. It looked
like a major indulgence, but it was creamy
without being too heavy, with the mushroom
blend and truffl e oil adding balance
and taste. When I cut it in half, I
got a nice surprise: an herby, bright green
interior.
Th e lamb chops, another popular
entree, were perfectly cooked and tender
inside, with a garlic dressing for a fl avorful
kick. Th ey went along well with not
only the side of vegetables, but also the
warm grilled asparagus with melted parmesan
appetizer.
Trattoria off ers homemade desserts,
so I had a hard time choosing among
options like ricotta cheesecake, tartufo
and lemon sorbet. I had a classic — tiramisu,
which looked as good as it tasted,
with thick layers of a light whipped
cream with a subtle but satisfying coff ee
fl avor, garnished with a chocolate drizzle
and berries.
Although Mimi Besi calls the restaurant
a “hidden gem,” customers from
Queens, Long Island and Manhattan have
visited. Trattoria is less than a 10-minute
walk from the ferry, making it an easy
dinner destination when you step off the
East River ride.
Photos via Instagram/@trattoriaora
RICHER’S BAKERY & CAFÉ
249-14 Horace Harding Blvd. Little Neck
718 (Exit 32 off LIE Service Road)
631-7004
OPEN 4TH OF JULY
6AM-4PM
ENJOY BREAKFAST
& LUNCH EVERYDAY
LARGE VARIETY OF ICED COFFEE & TEA
OUTDOOR CAFE
PLENTY OF SEATS
PLENTY OF FREE PARKING
& SANDWICHES
/WWW.QNS.COM
/trattoriaora.com