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Eat in Astoria, the nabe’s first restaurant week, begins today. That means nine days of eating gloriously on the cheap. From Greek standbys to mole tacos to Nutella lava cake, there’s plenty of grub to go around. To get in on the deals, sign up for the event’s free “Foodie Pass” at EatInAstoria.com and flash it at any of the 18 participating eateries. Here’s a taste of the week’s best bargains:
De Mole
Sip a free glass of vino or indulge in a gratis sweet treat—once you’ve spent $15 on eats like the carne asada burrito and house-made guac. 42-40 30th Ave at 43rd St, Astoria (718-777-1655, demolenyc.com)
Thirsty Koala
This all-natural Aussie will give you a free dessert with any entrée order—try their ginger-beer battered mahi and chips with thai basil yogurt with a super decadent yet light pavlova (fluffy, crisp meringue smothered in fresh cream and fruit). 35-12 Ditmars Blvd between 35th and 36th Sts, Astoria (718-626-5430, thethirstykoala.com)
Pachanga Patterson
For $30, this cantina will load you up with gazpacho, tacos—like the cochinita pibil filled with pork, achiote, cabbage and honey ajo aioli—dessert and a complimentary margarita to wash it all down. 33-17 31st Ave between 33rd and 34th Sts, Astoria (718-554-0525, pachangapatterson.com)
The Sparrow Tavern
Order anything on the menu and get 15 percent off your bill, which means you’ll have enough dough to order a few extra specials like the chicken mole tacos with avocado and the slow-roasted porchetta over market greens. 24-01 29th St at 24th Ave (718-606-2260, thesparrowtavern.com)
La Rioja
Sit down to a three-course, $25 prix fixe meal featuring hearty mains like paella de carne and creamy flan for dessert. 33-05 Broadway between 33rd and 34th Sts, Astoria (718-932-0101, lariojany.com)
Marketa
This New American spot has three courses for $25 with options like lobster mac and cheese and the Marketa Burger, which is topped in caramelized onions, bacon jam and a fried egg. But the sweet prize here is the Nutella lava cake. 37-17 30th Ave at 38th St, Astoria (347-813-4437, marketanewyorkcity.com)
Kopiaste Taverna
At this Greek locale, sip a free glass of red or white when you order the Cyprus Meze, a combination of 18 Cypriot delicacies like tzatskiki, beet salad, leaf-wrapped rice, and chicken and pork kebobs. It might sound like a lot, but the tasting platter is for two and goes for $22 per person. 23-15 31st St between 23rd Rd and 23rd Ave, Astoria (718-932-3220, kopiastetaverna.com)
Written by Ashley Cox