Dazie's (Sunnyside, NY!)

Queens is an interesting place: almost as culturally diverse as somewhere like, say, the world, it’s got a lot to offer food-wise but you have to be willing to look around a little bit past the generic Chinese places and gimmicky would-be (were they not in Queens) tourist attraction type places.

Let me set the scene. Typical Sunday night: everyone is lazy and secretly convalescing the dread that, yet again, the weekend has come to an end. Nobody is going to cook. After 90 minutes of deliberation, we rule out French—the place I want to try is cash-only. I have $11 in my wallet…

Sarah, from Massachusetts, suggests Sfoglia (Nantucket and the UES…”Sss-vole-yia” or “sa-foge-lia” as Da likes to say is a rustic, charming-enough looking place on the UES…which is not taking reservations until 9:30. Apparently it has a cult following that keeps it booked. It’s 8. We’ve already stalled for an hour, people are getting cranky, hungry and tired. La Taverna (on Manhattan Ave is suggested) and while I’m going to go there “sometime soon,” it just didn’t feel right. What did feel right? Mafia. Standard “family” style Italian place.

So, Google Maps is so handy sometimes. Google Maps plus a dire sense of laze is amazing in its capabilities. And so we stumble upon Dazies. Nestled in the shadows of the 7, Dazie’s is what you’d expect from an Italian restaurant in Queens…except better. Speaking to my grandparent’s generation with its iron sconces, candles and tuxedoed waiters, it’s well above average for traditional Italian-American dining.

Yes, there are a lot of stereotypical things here but there are some really great things too. Roasted eggplant to start is great on bread. Both the stuffed mushrooms and fried calamari are tasty but I always think they’re tasty…Not the best I had but far from the worst. Veal Saltimbocca would have been wonderful—the meat was perfectly cooked and tender—but they finished with too-salty spinach and thick slices of hardboiled egg instead of a fried egg…or no egg.

(Da was hungry.)

White clam sauce over linguine is very good. Well spiced and not creamy or too thick. Filet with a Barolo sauce and sautéed mushrooms is delicious. Really perfectly cooked medium rare (thank god). Gnocchi was also very good if you’re looking for a different pasta dish, came in a fairly light pesto sauce.

Wine list is remarkably inexpensive for New York. And waitstaff is so pleasant that they had my Chinese roommate speaking Italian (really).

So go. They even filmed a scene from 30 Rock here. Right off the 40^th street station on the 7!