Alobar is a unique American restaurant that has the warm, wooden, masculine, rustic look that feels welcoming and the kind of place you want to hang out over drinks at the bar (in nice evenings like when I visited, the entire front wall of the restaurant opens to the street) or have dinner at the dining area.
Chef Greg Profeta is running a pretty tight ship with his crew to cook very delicious food that even has a dish inspired by a Queens neighborhood, Flushing.
We started with drinks Nice Pear ($13) made of a sweet and fruity cocktail made of pear brandy, pear liqueur, and Grand Marnier and blackberry tea ($4), while a good tea, could use some simple syrup or honey to sweeten up just a touch.
The mentioned Flushing ribs ($11) flavored with sambal, lime, and honey and a side of watercress. These ribs were fork tender, finger licking tasty ribs that I would happily eat. A bit on the sweet side because of the honey glazed but it’s very good.
The sangria braised octopus ($14) made with romesco sauce, olive, and almond was a very solid dish. Tender octopus that had a wonderful tartness from the sauce.
The mini pot of maple bacon popcorn ($7) was a fun snack or side. The piping hot and fresh popcorn with a generous topping of sauteed diced bacon with a sticky sweet maple sauce. My dining companion loved this pot and snacked a lot of this popcorn.
The kitchen surprised us with their evening special of green gazpacho with Jonah crab and grape salsa that was refreshing with the acidity of the silky soup and sweetness from the green grapes and crab.
The pork shoulder ravioli with pine nuts and ricotta was pretty good. The ravioli was well done and the ricotta, balsamic, and pine nuts were a great accompaniment to add creaminess and a tiny shot of acidity.
The Long Island duck confit ($25) with brown butter parsnip puree and chard slaw was our favorite dish of the evening. Crispy, succulent duck leg. The parnsip puree was wonderfully nutty, sweet, and has a zingy tartness. I liked the fact there was a generous helping of fresh chard slaw.
The Berkshire Pork Schnitzel ($26) with stone milled grits, asparagus, fennel, and pickled ramps. The portion size is very generous. The schnitzel was properly done with a thinly pounded pork chop and fried to a nice golden brown. The vibrant vegetables that topped the pork was a wonderful foil especially, the acidic pickled ramps. The grits were wonderfully creamy and added substance to the dish.
We somehow managed to make some room for dessert ($8 each). The namesake dessert, The Alobar is their take on a sophisticated s’more. It’s based on a peanut butter cookie topped with a tube of housemade marshmallow that is blowtorched and then glazed in chocolate. It’s delicious.
The strawberry rhubarb cobbler with granola crust and vanilla ice cream is a good, seasonal-inspired dessert but the strawberry-rhubarb filling was too wet. The granola was crisp and provided the textural contrast that was needed.
Overall, it was a very good meal. Service was very cordial and knowledgeable. If you look at their extensive whiskey list and even their interesting whiskey flights, the curious and whiskey lovers would appreciate what they offer. If you’re in the neighborhood, Alobar is a great place to dine in.
To view more photos of this meal, please CLICK HERE or view the gallery below:
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Information:
Alobar
Website
46-42 Vernon Blvd
Long Island City, NY 11101
Telephone: (718) 752-6000
Map
