Elite Event at Mezze Place

Might as well write this late review since I’m on a roll…
Definitely a more intimate event (i.e. Elites ONLY). There was a disclaimer on the event description (Mezze Place be tiny).
However, the event definitely lived up to the adage that big things come in small packages, and this event delivered! The appetizers were spot on, with the standouts being the falafel and the sausages. When the beer dried out, nothing wrong with a glass of red.
I arrived a bit late and didn’t see any familiar faces, but most of you I ended up talking to made my night! And again, this QYE definitely has me wanting to come back to Mezze, should be a nice place to take a lady friend or what have you.

Getting Mezze’d up is a lot of fun!
Jando is easily still the best Community Manager ever. Whether the events are big or small, the events are always fun and entertaining.
Great group of people — as always! Catherine J, Evan R, Rich W, Baramee C, Jamel O, Helen L, Sally W, Anderson C, Amy S, Tony Z, Richard W, Kate P, Michael L, Suanne L, Wahed K, and Christopher C. Hopefully, I didn’t forget anyone else.
Food was delicious! There’s currently a Groupon deal —
ENJOY!

I know I’m over a month late with this review, but it was always on my to-​do. Work has just been doing me in! Anyway, with a bit of time to breathe, here I am.
The space for this event was super tiny, but it squeezed in a good crowd. I initially thought the space was twice its size, but that was just our own reflection in the mirror. «Syke!» Good to know I wasn’t the only Unilocaler that got fooled.
While still recovering from Unilocal’s Winter Break in AC, I was actually pretty glad that only wine and beer was being served. No, I would not have been able to resist if liquor was being served. No, my body would not have been able to handle it. No, I would not have stopped. Unilocal Life!
Had a blast in this intimate gathering of Elites-​only. Good food. Fun Unilocalers. Friendly staff. Excited owner. Easy location. Lovely.

I guess I forgot to write a review?
First off the staff was amazing, I cut my finger and they cleaned me up and put a band-​aid on me. They did a great job and always had hot food coming out of the kitchen.
Jando picked a great place, it was cute and cozy and we all had a great time.
The highlight was the sausages, all of them were just great.
Thanks to Mezze Place and Unilocal Queens for this awesome night.

Yay to the first Queens Unilocal Elite event!
I was lucky enough to secure a last-​minute spot to this event, and thank goodness (goodness = Jando) I did! The food was delicious (falafel sliders + «spring rolls» + «crabcakes”(?) = yummy), the drinks always flowing (4 glasses of wine + 2 beers = too much drinking for a weeknight?), and it was great seeing some familiar faces and meeting new ones! The place itself is very quaint but intimate, hidden from the street but a true gem of the neighborhood. The service was very friendly and treated everyone like family, which is the atmosphere they want to convey with their small establishment. I will certainly be back one day to try their actual menu!

Jando and the Queens Elite crew really know how to bring it, especially in tiny restaurants with no plus ones.
I had a fantastic time at this event. Between the food and the people, it couldn’t have been better. My favorites were the feta and zucchini fritters (not gonna lie, I snatched up a few of those fork-​borne appetizers as they walked past), the spanakopita, and the falafel sliders. The sausage kabobs had a nice spicy kick to them.
I was super impressed by the service. I almost didn’t get a chance to sample the spanakopita, but the owner came to the rescue… I was getting my third (or fourth? fifth?) drink when I told her and the other server that I loved all of the food. They asked if I sampled everything, and when I said I saw spanakopita but didn’t get a bite, the owner disappeared into the kitchen only to come back with a lone piece. I was so grateful and happy (especially because it was delicious).
It was nice to catch up with old Elite friends and make some new ones… looking forward to seeing everyone at the next event!
PS — Thank you Nelson for posting a photo of me: P

I love the Queens community. We all gathered up at Mezze Place and got cozy with the warmth of the staff, atmosphere and other Queens Eliters. The community of the Queens Unilocal Elite events is awesome. The venue was very inviting.
I can’t drink according to my doctor anymore. But Mezze Place had the most incredible Turkish Sarikiz strawberry soda. Awesome!
I tried a few of the hors d’oeuvres. The Red Lentil appetizer and fried fritter with zucchini was yummy!
The highlight for me at all Queens Elite Events was the chance I got to talk to the rest of the Unilocal community, old and new members.
Thanks Jando for throwing the best bashes ever! It’s always a treat to hear your wonderful accents, I need more of it. Cracks me up! I love it!

Thanks to Jando for putting together another intimate yet STELLAR event. Biased on Queens? Nope, we RUN this Sh-​t.
At first glance on might not have stumble upon what is an EXCELLENT date spot just off Broadway Avenue in Astoria. Conveniently enough is a municipal parking lot directly next door just in case you drove here… or not as it is within walking distance of the N and Q train.
They not only hosted us with booze — Wines and assortment of beers (I went with Sam Adams because well just BECAUSE)
They served us —
Marseille Cigars — These baby Mediterranean spring rolls were pretty good. Full of flavor when it first hits your taste buds and trickles off for a finish.
Falafel Burger — Albeit I did not get to try these BECAUSE THEY WERE SO DAMN GOOD, supposedly. But upon asking trusted Unilocalers it was described as being «squishier» than a normal burger. I would say a little more tender but I digress. And the outer buns had a distinctive crunch. You all know how I love CRUNCHINESS by now.
Chicken Sausage — Who doesn’t love chicken on a stick? Sh-​t, chicken anything is AWESOME. It was tender, hotter than I would have imagined (yes I did the foolish thing of NOT checking the temperature on this bad boy before eating it whole. This is that blonde moment everybody loves yet I’m not blonde), and serves well as an appetizer.
Lamb Sausage — This was definintely good. I definitely burnt my tongue on this one as I didn’t learn my lesson with the chicken sausage state previously. The hot oil litereally scolded me as I chomped this whole. It was superiorly tender than most of the lamb I’ve had in recent memory without lacking in flavor.
Red Lentil Kofte — get your health on! Simple, delightful, and you can tell your spouse you ate your greens today.
AND more food but I wasn’t going to Strahan someone for a platter. lol
The company itself was noteworthy as I’ve seen some familiar people that I have not seen in a while (Jando, Jocy, Nelson, Denise [didn’t recognize her until too late, next time you the first person I greet]) And met some new peeps (Amarylis [friends list before meet, GOOD TIMES], Daphne, and a few names I need to search on Unilocal)
The host graciously thanked us for coming out to his humble hubbub but really we should AND are the gracious ones for partaking in his cooking.
GOOD TIMES baby, GOOD TIMES.

I came here for a Unilocal event. It was pretty awesome. It’s an extremely small side-​of-​the-​road kind of place, but well worth the visit. They were trying for the «I’m having you over for some tapas in my living room» feel and that’s what it’s like… in a good way without the awkward conversation. The owners are amazing and very kind and friendly. There’s a great mural on the wall.
The food:
spring rolls — yum
falafel sliders — yum, but i could do without
lamb sausage delicious, delicious, delicious (spicy)
chicken sausage — great alternative to the lamb (non-​spicy), delicious
lentil dumplings — yum, with a squeeze of lemon
You really can’t go wrong with anything they have to offer here.

This is what is great about Unilocal Elite event, getting in invited to unique restaurant they I would have never notice and sampling most of their delicious food !
This night we visited Mezze Place in Astoria. Such a cozy warm restaurant on the side street from the busy crowded Broadway.
At Mezze served delicious modern Mediterranean food and had a large selection variety of vegetarian dishes.
My favorite was the Red Lentil Kofte and the vegetable Shawarma Wrap!
The staff & owner are very friendly and accommodating.
I love there SARIKIZ strawberry soda also!
Great event Jando!

Right in the heart of Astoria lies Mezze Place, and having an elite event at this venue felt like what Queens is all about. An eclectic variety of the Mediterarian, as is Queens to the world.
Having an elite event in such a small space was awkward for about 3 minutes, then I wanted to make friends with everyone in the room. So it actually turned out to be very comfortable.
I enjoyed the sausage kabobs the best, they had a chorizo taste to them and were packed with flavor. Everything else was delicate and tasty too. I love the art on the side of the building, I’m not sure if the restaurant is responsible for it, but it adds so much character to the neighborhood.
It was great meeting so many nice Queens Unilocalers at this event. I was glad I could make it out to this one.

Unilocal never ceases to amaze me.
I thoroughly enjoyed this Unilocal event.
The Queens crew knows how to relax, unwind, & mingle with ease.
The space was small. Mad small. But somehow, it worked. It was intimate and everyone got along. Great appetizers & the wine/​beer selection was enough.
There was a secret soda society in the mix, which was great to be a part of :)
Jando is a cool dude too. Mucho props to him and Mezze Place for the great event.

Mezze is a small place.
The people that work there were very attentive to us. The event had a rather large group for the space, but it worked pretty well.
I was sitting in a corner talking. I was not drinking. Someone came over, asked me what I’d like, discussed my tastes, and gave me a glass of wine. It was a perfect choice. They also refilled my glass when I was empty later.
The food was very good. The mini falafel sliders were good. The Spanakopita were very tasty. The Red Lentil Kofte was pretty good, and something new for me. The lettuce wrap for the Red Lentil Kofte was cool. The flavors in the short rib in the Marseille Cigars were very pronounced and it was in essence, a turbo charged spring roll. The Spicy lamb sausage was spicy. Sounds commonsensical, but at face value, there was no way to expect them to be that way. Not bad.
Overall, it was a good experience and it is nice to have another wine bar with decent foods in Astoria. Jando did a nice job at putting together an intimate gathering.

Solid food. Awesome time. Jando does it again. I was really glad to go to this elite event because I walk by here all the time but never really notice Mezze Place since it’s on the side of the street just off of Broadway.
The food was really good: my favorite was the red lentil wrap in lettuce followed by the beef pastry (sort of like a spring roll, but better). The place was small and cozy and everyone had a good time. It seems to me that this place would make for a good date spot given its size.

Getting «mezze’d» up at Mezze Place was truly a pleasure!
The beer, the food, I mean it’s always awesome right? At first, I thought I wasn’t going to like much because of the vegetarian/​vegan theme. But I was pleasantly surprised! The mini falafel sliders and spinach triangles (not the name on their menu I’m sure) were my favorite!
Service was fantastic as everyone was super friendly and I couldn’t believe the servers were the owners! Kudos!
The small space was actually fun– it was way more encouraging to talk to each other!
All in all, Jando is the man and I look forward to these events like crazy.
Also big ups to Nelson for working hard and making us look beautiful!

QYE are the best! Can I say that? Yes, yes I can.
A huge thanks to Jando, team, and Mezza Place for putting on a wonderful event. The wine was a flowin’ and the Hors d’oeuvres were on point. I particularly liked that before it got crazy busy, a staff member picked out a wine to my taste. Thank you for the extra effort! The food, I remember the spinach pastry being awesome and the merguez with Tahini on point.
QYE always has super chill peeps. I love that! We are adding onto our Bay Area contingent as well! Go 49’ers & Go Giants! I like that the QYE always have pride in their hood. And I like that our CM also gives these inspirational speeches at QYE events. LOL
I also learned about towel dances, met one whole Manhattanite that came out to our hood, and met some QYE who I was already friends with (on Unilocal) before the event! Can’t wait to see you guys around at Unilocal Drinks!

Once more Jando has put together an amazing event in Queens! Only for your events, do I travel all the way from Manhattan to Queens and back.
When I first walked into Mezze Place I noted how it was a small space with a very intimate feel. From the get the staff was amazing at greeting and serving every Unilocaler with a beer or wine once inside. Kudos to them for keeping the energy up, being attentive, and smiling throughout the entire event! Some even jumped into pictures with some of us Unilocalers.
Some of the Mediterranean dishes featured that night were:
1. Red Lentil Kofte: It was a red lentil mash shaped in a ball resting on a lettuce wrap. There were lemons slices on the tray. According to one of the servers, you should squeeze a bit of lemon before eating. It was such a light, but filling bite. One of my favorites of the night.
2. Falafel Sliders: Mini-​falafel sliders with a tahini sauce, which they prepared themselves at Mezze. The sauce I could’ve done without. It made the slider that much more drier than it needed to be. Had to wash this down with some beverages of course.
3. Marseille Cigars: I could only describe this as a spring roll’s Mediterranean cousin stuffed with short ribs, mushrooms, and herbs. Delicious!
4. Zuchinni Croquettes: This looked like a small green coin, but was packed with a ton of flavors. I only got one bite of this, but one bite was all I needed to know I would go back for more.
Amazing event, great food, good company, and good wine, all make for an awesome night. Thanks Jando once again!

I noticed a trend in the Queens YEEs. They seem to be getting closer and closer to my apt. Jando, you are killing me with these 4 minute walks.
At first I had my reservations about Mezze Place. They are listed as vegetarian/​vegan and I am a meat lover. Thankfully it’s more like vegetarian friendly, just as much as it is carnivore friendly.
They are relatively new in the Astoria food scene, having taken over the space over from Mundo’s. The squash court sized room was quickly filled up by a group of intrepid Unilocalers. We were well rewarded as the food was mostly off the hook. They served us food they have on the actual menu so it was a good indication of their quality. We tried:
1)Red lentil kofte: It was pretty good — the flavor was light but squeezing in a good amount of lemon gave it a good citrusy taste. It had red lentils, tomato and lettuce wrap so it was super healthy as well.
2)Zucchini croquettes: Made with feta, herbs and Greek yogurt dressing. The flavors burst in my mouth when I bit into it. So good! Unfortunately I only got to have one.
3)Marseille cigars: The skin was made from some kind of thin filo dough and stuffed with mushroom, herbs and ribs. I really liked how crunchy this was and the harissa dressing was awesome too.
4)Merguez: The first serving of the merguez was phenomenal. Juicy, soft and had a good kick to them. The ones they brought out later were a little drier probably because they were being kept hot and got a little overcooked in the process.
5) Chicken sausage with black olives: When I think of sausage, chicken and black olives aren’t usually the first two things that comes to my mind but they do them here and they do them well.
6) Mini spanakopita: Not sure if that’s what they were calling these little gems but they were delish!
7) Falafel sliders: A bit dry but I still enjoyed them. They were one of the last things to come out so I think they might have gotten overcooked but at that point I was feeling the wine so it mattered little.
I think that covers all the food. Many Unilocal events are followed by most Unilocalers going out to eat immediately afterwards. We love to eat don’t we? But it wasn’t the case for most people last night. The food was definitely the star of the show though I did enjoy my Malbec too. At some point I was trying to force myself to stop eating but one of the waitresses came out with more mini spanakopitas. I immediately caved. My last act of the night was to go home and immediately buy a Groupon for this place. Get’em while they last people!
Jando, you never cease to surprise me with your events and you have done it again with Mezze place. Since we are on this path of having these events closer and closer to my place, you should hit me up. I know a place that’s literally two minutes from my apt. ;-)

Unilocal’s mezz-​ing with me! What a cool intimate event with a great local business. The food was tasty and just the right portions. We sampled zucchini croquettes, red lentil lettuce wraps, short rib cigars, kebabs, falafel pita «sliders», and spinach burek. The service was even better — all smiles, helpful (they were super thorough about informing Nick B. about foods that he might be allergic to), and the staff were really fun to hang out with. Yoav, the owner, was super cool — I was lame and asked if he carried soda. He looks at me for a second and then whips out a strawberry soda that I can’t pronounce but was super tasty. I know it wasn’t on the menu for tonight, but his hospitality went a long way!
If you were a fan of Mundo, you should definitely try Mezze. Its still the cozy neighborhood restaurant but I think they’ve tweaked things for the better. Great to see you all!

I tip my hat to Jando as he yet again put on a simply awesome event. I often find myself waiting in anticipation for the next event month after month and Jando never seems to disappoint.
This event should have been called «Big things in Small places» because Mezze Place is tiny! They are however doing big things in this place. The phrase «good things in small packages» come to mind though when looking back on last night.
First off the staff was awesome! They really made us feel at home with the great wine selections and endless supply of great food. They also took the time to explain what each dish was and the girls even put up with Nelson’s never ending quest for the «perfect shot» of the food. (You’re the best Nelson!)
The seemingly endless supply of food included:
Falafel sliders that I first thought were meat sliders and even though I’m a carnivore at heart I must say they were good if not a tad too dry.
Red lentil Kofte with lettuce that was super delicious, especially with a little lemon on top,
Spinach Bureke that was light and flaky and one of my favorites there that night.
Lamb Merguez that was really really good. Nice and juicy with great kick to it.
Chicken sausage with black olives that was also good. I didn’t think I’d like it but they were made so well you never guess they were chicken.
and my two favorite things were
Marseille Cigars that were filled with short rib… need I say more?
and my absolute favorite was the Zucchini Croquettes. These things were the star of the show. If I could have eaten a whole tray I would have (but that wouldn’t be polite now would it)
I really enjoyed this place and will most definitely be back to sample some of the other goodies on their wonderful menu.
And like I said in the beginning I tip my hat to Jando for once again putting on a great Elite event. I can’t wait for the next one!