NYC - Jimbo's Greek Restaurant - Menu Tasting

Jimbo's Greek Restaurant and Bar - 3005 Astoria Blvd, NYC, 11102

On The Chopping Board (OTCB) was invited to dine at Jimbo's Greek Restaurant and Bar in Astoria, Queens. All food and beverages were provided free of charge.

For those of you unaware, Astoria, Queens in New York City (NYC) is a suburb rich in Greek history, with a number of Greek migrants calling Astoria home in the 1960's. A few weeks prior to this visit, I was in Astoria visiting friends and noticed a large number of Greek establishments present and was excited at what Jimbo's had to offer.

The restaurant has a large dining area with a space where live bands play on particular nights of the week. We are greeted by our server for the night who provides us with an extensive menu and lets us choose our own dishes. A friend and I opt for a few entrees, main and dessert. 

The extensive bar

Trio of Dips ($13)

To start off the night, we order the trio of dips (Kria Pikilia). A typical starter that I (and many of my friends) like to order at Greek restaurants. Dips start at $5 per option, however if you opt for the three, the total is $13. We opt for the Taramosalata (Caviar, virgin olive oil and lemon), the Skordalia (mash potato, garlic and virgin olive oil) and the Melitzanosalata (eggplant, roasted bell peppers, herbs and spices). The Taramosalata had a nice lemon zing with a savoury flavour from the caviar, a favourite of the table. The Skordalia was smooth and had a nice balance of garlic which was not overpowering to the palate. The Melitzanosalata was a little bland and did not have any strong standout flavours. All dips were served with a warm soft pita bread.

Saganaki ($10)

The Saganaki (Brandy flamed Kefalorgaviera cheese finished with lemon), has a nice outer crust with a gooey inside. The combination of salty and tangy is always a winner and Saganaki is something I order regularly when it's on the menu.

Horiatiki (S - $7, L - $12)

The Horiatiki salad contains tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives and feta cheese. The tomatoes were sweet, the cucumber fresh and crunchy, with the olives and feta adding salty elements to this dish. The combination of flavours and textures made it a nice accompaniment to the rest of our meal.

Keftedes ($10)

The Keftedes were seasoned meatballs with fresh herbs. The meatballs were firm and crunchy on the outside whilst the insides were nicely seasoned and not at all dry. The squeeze of lemon added that much needed acidity, which made these a very moorish dish.

Arni Youvesti ($15)

....and opened

After trying the various starters on offer, we moved to the main. This was the Arni Youvesti (Lamb baked in tomato sauce with herbs and orzo). Being from Australia, I have had a lot of Greek food, however this dish was not something that I was familiar with. The dish reminds me of homestyle cooking using a one pot approach where the meat, sauce and pasta (orzo), have been combined for easy serving. This is further validated by the cuts of meat that are used in this dish - not your best cuts, but the slow cooking method applied means that the meat just melts in your mouth. A very flavourful and hearty homestyle dish.

Galaktobouriko ($4)

Finally, to finish the meal, we have the Galaktobouriko (Baked Greek custard cream in filo pastry, with honey syrup). At first glance, the dish looks very heavy, however the custard is light and airy and overall, the dish is not overly sweet. A great way to end the meal.

One of the things that my friend and I commented on during our visit to Jimbo's, related to the cost of the dishes (quite decent) and the serving sizes (very large). We speak to Jimbo and mention this to him and he comments that he wants to make sure that his patrons come hungry, leave full and get value for money... and this is exactly what we got.

If you are ever in Astoria and are wanting to try some Greek, give Jimbo's a go.