My boyfriend and I recently ate at Mundo and had the most delectably romantic evening I have ever had in Astoria. The ambiance of the place is so warm and cozy and eclectic (with the local art on display and a gorgeous contemporary art chandelier in the center of the ceiling). One of the things that really set this place apart from the very beginning for me is the warmth of the hosts/chefs/owners (Willy and John) and the obvious joy they bring to sharing this food with their guests. Before the dishes had even touched our table, we were enchanted.
The food itself is a blend of Mediterranean, Turkish, South American, Middles Eastern (did I miss anything?) and the mixing of all of these different tastes is accomplished so harmoniously. I really did tear up a bit when I had the 'Red Sonja' appetizer-it was that good. So clean, so well spiced and so exuberant a dish. We followed Willy's advice and tried the Peruvian Causa-such a fresh and cool counterpart to the Red Sonjas; we also had the crab croquettes (yum) and the halloumi cheese wrapped in grape leaves. (I am a sucker for Mediterranean food, and this was so clever and well executed.) For our main course we shared the squid-ink tagliolini with a divine assortment of shrimp, mussels, squid rings and I don't know what else. It was superb, and at this point my sweetie and I were getting absolutely lost in this sensual dining experience. To cap it all, we ordered dessert (which we only do when the evening is so fabulous that it demands dessert) and we went for the pot of Belgian chocolate. It was decadent.
I live here in Astoria and I love visiting the local restaurants and am so excited to find these chic, well-run, intimate, and authentic restaurants with exceptional cuisine in my neighborhood. I think that Mundo is the best of all of these, I hope more restaurants to come take their cues from Willy and John.
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