Ovelia
Astoria, NY 11103
Phone: (718) 721-7217
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- 34th Street
- Directions:
- N, W at 34th Street
- Hours:
- Sun-Wed 11:30am-11pm, Thu-Sat 11:30 am-12am
Editorial Review for Ovelia – by Justin Hartung
The Scene
Greek restaurants in Astoria aren't usually known for their sense of style, but this corner spot is doing its best to change that. Earthy elements like naturally finished wood chairs, bright green plants and local artwork flow together with more industrial touches--slate colored walls, a bar twinkling with multicolored lights and a few lamps that look like design-school application projects. Facing a cutout onto the street, bar seats are perfect for enjoying sidewalk-theater.
The Food
Sleek, white dishware upholds the modern aesthetic, although the food it transports is pleasantly traditional. House-made pork sausages make a nibble-worthy share, but otherwise tasty octopus suffers from uneven grilling. However, it's the garlicky eggplant dip and tangy tsatsiki that will set diners scrambling for the last piece of pita. Other dishes worth scrambling for: fragrant ground beef and lamb kebabs, chubby shrimp wrapped in eggplant, and loukoumathes, fried clouds of dough drizzled with honey.
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Insider Tips
What to DrinkA $30 bottle of the medium-bodied Tsantalis Syrah pairs especially well with the meat dishes, while the cocktail list includes a few not-to-sweet gems like the refreshing, cucumber-enhanced Agouri Saketini ($8).
Outdoor SeatingIn addition to the sidewalk seating out front, there are some stools alongside the cutout perfect for an afternoon drink and a snack.
BrunchThe brunch menu ($11-$13) offers unique dishes like sandwiches made with tiropita (self-rising bread), and all dishes come with a bloody mary or mimosa.
User Reviews for Ovelia
07/08/2008 Posted by mckinley30
Tried out this new-ish Astoria spot for brunch on July 4. Sat on the sidewalk -- comfy chairs. $14 gets you a meal plus a drink (mimosa or bloody mary) plus juice or coffee. The Bloody Marys were nice & spicy. The Ovelia Omelette was not your typical omelette (eggplant, walnut, & peppers were placed on top of the egg, not mixed in -- still tasty). My mom ordered one of their tiropita sandwiches (chicken, halloumi, tomato) -- looked delicious. The homemade sausage got good reviews, and I liked their option of braised fruit in lieu of home fries. Coffee was disappointing - more bodega than cafe, but I would definitely go back to this place for brunch or a drink. Service was nice and low-key -- didn't feel bothered.
Pros: tasty bloody mary, value
Cons: mediocre coffee
05/16/2008 Posted by dtron
I have been to Ovelia quite a lot actually, my wife and I live on the block and go there for brunch at least once or twice a month, and I have also gone for dinner and lunch as well. We were always attracted to the ambiance, decor, roominess of it all, but I have to say as of late, it has just been downright dissapointing. I understand every restaraunt goes through growing pains, and we all have "off" nights, but my latest dining experience was the icing on the cake. I brought my wife and sister for lunch. My sister told the waitress that she is a vegetarian, and she replied "Oh that's too bad" as if my sister had done something wrong. Whether or not she meant to, she came off as very rude and disrespectful. Furthermore, of all the food we ordered, the pita was the only part we enjoyed. The shrimp in my wife's salad was extremely overcooked and lacked flavor, actually it tasted to me like it was frozen at one point - BIG no no. I ordered the portobello burger thinking I was getting a lighter meal, but the bread was so hard I couldn't even bite into it, and there was so much goat cheese on it, it was just... overkill. I guess it did end up being a light lunch because the grilled vegetables and side salad were the only edible parts of the meal. Finally, we ordered a frozen cheesecake for dessert. Frozen is an understatement, a chainsaw wouldn't have been able to cut that thing. The bits that we were able to chisel off with a steak knife tasted so strongly of freezerburn, the three of us couldn't even finish half. At the end we just paid the check, and decided that the next time we wanted lunch, we'd take the walk down to cafe bar instead.
Pros: It looks nice, is never too crowded
Cons: Food was disgusting
