Carol's Cafe, Staten Island (Dongan Hills)

Staten Island may not seem the type of place that would have upscale or higher-end restaurants, but it does indeed have a few here and there mixed in with the chains and cheap eats places. And one that is considered by some to be among the best is a spot in the Dongan Hills section of the borough called Carol's Cafe. This cozy, comfortable spot located in the eastern part of Staten Island features an eclectic mix of Italian, Mediterranean, and New American items. The owner of the restaurant also teaches cooking classes and has a catering business as well.

Carol's Cafe offers a four-course prix fixe menu that is very reasonable in addition to the regular dinner menu. The menu does change depending on the season, but you can expect dishes such as fried calamari, crab cakes, sauteed broccoli rabe, ravioli, spaghetti alla carbonara, penne with sweet sausages and meatballs, beef wellington, rack of lamb, shrimp scampi, and calves liver. The price range is pretty wide, with some items being around $15 and others being $30 or more.

If you have been to Carol's Cafe in the Dongan Hills section of Staten Island, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Carol's Cafe:
Carol's Cafe
1571 Richmond Road
Staten Island, NY, 10304

The phone number is:
(718) 979-5600

And here is the Web site for Carol's Cafe:
http://carolscafe.com/

Salvatore of Soho, Staten Island (Dongan Hills)

While much of the best traditional thin-crust New York-style pizza is found in the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, both Queens and Staten Island have their share as well. And one place near the eastern edge of Staten Island called Salvatore of Soho can claim to be one of the better spots, partly because the owner used to make pizzas at one of the best pizza joints in the entire Northeast (Lombardi's in Manhattan).

To keep with tradition, Salvatore of Soho has a custom-made coal-fired oven in the place which is crucial to making a perfect thin-crust pie. Organic, locally grown ingredients are also used in making pizzas here. In addition to pizza, Salvatore of Soho also offers a variety of entrees, including all kinds of sandwiches, chicken parmigiana, lasagna, baked ziti, sausage and peppers, and eggplant rollatini.

If you have been to Salvatore of Soho in the Dongan Hills section of Staten Island, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Salvatore of Soho:
Salvatore of Soho
1880 Hylan Boulevard
Staten Island, NY, 10305

The phone number is:
(718) 979-7499

And here is the Web site for Salvatore of Soho:
http://www.salvatoreofsoho.com/

Killmeyer's Old Bavaria Inn, Staten Island

Contrary to popular belief, there are many reasons to visit Staten Island. Its tree-shaded streets, open spaces, beautiful waterfront views, and interesting shops and restaurants make it a borough definitely worth checking out. And speaking of restaurants, there is one on the west side of the island (very close to New Jersey as the crow flies) that is a must for lovers of historic dining spots and/or German food. Indeed, Killmeyer's Old Bavaria Inn is a classic old spot with a charming interior and an endless list of beers that would certainly be a hugely popular place if it were located in Manhattan,

Killmeyer's Old Bavaria Inn has an old-world atmosphere with a tin ceiling, old-fashioned hanging lights, and a festive overall feel. There is also an outdoor beer garden for when the weather is warmer. The menu at Killmeyer's Old Bavaria Inn includes such standards as potato pancakes, goulash, sauerbraten, rouladen, wienerschnitzel, and for dessert, apple strudel. And for beers, well, you have literally hundreds from which to choose, including a number of good ones from from Germany.

If you have been to Killmeyer's Old Bavaria Inn in Staten Island, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Killmeyer's Old Bavaria Inn:
Killmeyer's Old Bavaria Inn
4254 Arthur Kill Road
Staten Island, NY, 10309

The phone number is:
(718) 984-1202

And here is the Web site for Killmeyer's Old Bavaria Inn:
http://killmeyers.com/

Cole's Dockside, Staten Island

Even though much of New York City is located on or near the water, it is not as easy as you might think to find a restaurant with good water views, especially if you are looking for a casual, inexpensive place. But there is such a restaurant on the east shore of Staten Island called Cole's Dockside, and its views are indeed quite impressive.

Cole's Dockside which has both indoor and outdoor dining, features seafood dishes in addition to traditional American cuisine and some Italian entrees. The menu includes fried calamari, crab cakes, duck rolls for appetizers, and penne vodka with shrimp, grilled tuna wasabi, Sicilian pork chops, filet mignon, and veal parmigiana for entrees. Prices are pretty reasonable, with most items being under $20 and a few being between $20 and $35.

If you have been to Cole's Dockside in Staten Island, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Cole's Dockside:
Cole's Dockside
369 Cleveland Avenue
Staten Island, NY, 10308

The phone number is:
(718) 948-5588‎

And here is the Web site for Cole's Dockside:
http://www.colesdockside.com/

Lakruwana , Staten Island (Tompkinsville )

Many of the restaurants that we mention within this blog feature cuisines that people might not be familiar with (and hence, are hidden gems in part because of this). And Lakruwana in the Tompkinsville section of Staten Island certainly fits into this category. Lakruwana, which is located on Bay Street (a short distance south of the St. George Terminal where the ferry to Manhattan departs), is a restaurant that features Sri Lankan cuisine, a type of food that is very rare not just in New York City, but in most parts of the United States.

Sri Lankan cuisine is a bit similar to Indian food, but many of the dishes found in Sri Lankan restaurants are much different from what you would find at an Indian dining spot. For instance, Lakruwana features such unique dishes as parippu soup (vegetarian soup with red lentils), fish cutlets (fried fish croquettes with Sri Lankan spices), string hopper kottu (rice flour nets stir-fried with garlic, onions, and chiles), chilaw prawn curry, and deviled chicken stir-fried with green and red pepper, onion, garlic, and ginger.

If you have been to Lakruwana in the Tompkinsville section of Staten Island, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Lakruwana:
Lakruwana
226 Bay Street
Staten Island, NY, 10301

The phone number is:
(718) 420-0027

And here is the Web site for Lakruwana:
http://lakruwana.com/

La Strada, Staten Island

In our last post, we mentioned how the Bronx and Staten Island are in many ways the lesser-known of the five New York boroughs, though to be fair, the Bronx goes get its fair share of visitors. Staten Island, however, does not; it seems in many ways more of a suburb than a part of New York City. Because of this, visitors to the area often miss out on an area that has many points of interest, as well as good shopping and dining. And the dining part is what we focus on here, as we talk about a highly regarded Italian restaurant on Staten Island called La Strada that would probably be a lot more popular if it were in Park Slope or Greenwich Village.

La Strada is a large restaurant that is located in the busy neighborhood of New Dorp (toward the eastern end of the island). Because of the restaurant's impressive size (a rarity in much of New York City), it does much in the way of parties, functions, and catering. The menu at La Strada is varied and extensive, with all kinds of appetizers and salads as well as pasta, chicken, steak, veal, and seafood dishes.

If you have been to La Strada in Staten Island, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for La Strada:
La Strada
139 New Dorp Lane
Staten Island, NY, 10306

The phone number is:
(718) 667-4040

And here is the Web site for La Strada:
http://www.cafelastrada.com/