CAFE MOSCAT

Cafe Moscat is an Israeli style, dairy restaurant located at 179-07 Union Tpk, in the Fresh Meadows area of Queens. Hashgacha is by the Queens Vaad. 718 591 4050

Let us begin by saying that we like the food at Moscat. We have been about five times, so it is safe to say that we like the food. It is always fresh and tasty. And the place is always crowded, so others like the food too. But, they do have their off days……….

The wait staff is almost entirely made up of Israelis. As a result, if you do not speak Hebrew, you may find that understanding your waitress’s English is a tad difficult. On top of that, the wait staff feels free to comment on your slowness to give them an order or on just about anything else, either.

Service is terrible. Five times we’ve been there and not once have we had conscientious service. Meal delivery times range from the seldom quick to the interminably long. On the other hand, the wait staff has obviously been instructed to push anything but water, so they are real quick to bring soda and iced tea. Apparently the wait staff all share tables, so one person may take your order and another will bring it and still another will ask you what you want for dessert. It does make it hard to figure out whom to address when you want something.

Tables are crammed together and we do mean crammed. Simply put, they have too many tables for the size of the room. It is not at unusual for a person to have to ask people at other tables to get up so that the person can get out, say, to wash or something minor like that! On top of that, the tables are not very big, so putting four people at a table (one on each side) means that the table top will barely accomodate everyone’s drinks once the dinner plates arrive.

Crying children are a common theme at the Cafe. No matter what time we have been there, we have been blessed with the sound of SCREAMING infants and children. The last time we were there, when we exited to the street, we all commented on how quiet it was outside, on the street, in a busy business area no less! Conversation was almost impossible on our last visit as there were three screaming infants and lots of happy and noisy Jews!!

We made the mistake of going during the Nine Days- after all it is a dairy restaurant. Half the known Jewish world was there. Ok, we expected that. We did not expect the treatment we got, however.

The first thing the waitress asked us was what we wanted to drink. We all ordered sodas, but one of us also asked for a glass of ice water. The ice water never came! As the waitress took our drink order, we asked to have fried mozzarella sticks brought as an appetizer. We told the waitress to bring the drinks and order the cheese and that then we would give her our dinner order. The drinks arrived within two minutes. The cheese sticks were MIA. Finally, the waitress brought three dinners and the cheese sticks. Of course, there was not enough room on the table for everything at once, so she put the cheese sticks in front of one of us and placed his dinner off to the side. Makes sense, yes????

For the first time since we have had them there, the cheese sticks were tasteless. Bland and heavy with crumbs, the cheese itself was terrible. The dipping sauce was a very watery pasta sauce. Not salsa. Not a thick pasta sauce. Just some soupy and very bland liquid.

Pasta Alfredo arrived in a cream of mushroom sauce. We sent it back. It was received with a very angry comment by one of the wait staff. When we commented that we have NEVER seen Alfredo sauce with mushrooms, they shrugged and said that was how they make it. That the person who ordered it said he was allergic to mushrooms did not seem to molify them.

One of our party also sent back her pasta Alfredo and ordered soup instead. It took twenty minutes for her soup to arrive. Was the kitchen trying to make a point? Meanwhile, we had our dinner (the omelot sandwich) and were enjoying it.

So, this all begs the question of why do we go there? We do like the food. As a dining experience it leaves much to be desired, however. There have been other times when we have had to remind them to bring a special drink or even the coffee (not getting coffee for more than five minutes after ordering it is absurd). We suppose that the reason we go is that it is an easy place to grab a light bite. Just not when you are in a rush. Nor is it the place to go for a calm, quiet meal. Babies do not belong in restaurants. Hire a babysitter and leave the little screamers home. Do all of a favor!

Bottom line? Do not go to Moscat for dinner or late night. The food is good, but the over all experience is terrible. Try lunch instead.