La Terrazza from the Queens Tribune
"The first La Terrazza Traditional Italian Restaurant was a lot closer to Italy than the one now located on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills."
"The name means terrace in Italian and appropriately enough, the restaurant has outdoor seating. Inside, one sits at round tables draped in white table cloths, topped with green bottles of Pellegrino. Fans spin overhead and bright paintings of Italian landscapes – Venetian canals, Tuscan hillsides, Roman boulevards – hang on the walls."
"The atmosphere works for either a romantic date or a family meal. A pianist arrives in the evening for what (manager, Sam) Multani calls 'light music'."
"Many of the diners stop in on their way to or from the movie theater next door."
"On game nights, the flat screen TV above the full bar may be on, but at a moderate volume."
"...the calamari, which is served fried with marinara sauce. Other traditional appetizers include Vongole Oreganata (baked clams) and a very affordable Bruschetta ($4.95)."
"La Terrazza specializes in Chicken Rollatina – rolled chicken breast, stuffed with fresh mozzarella and prosciutto sautéed in a mushroom sauce. There are also the usual suspects: Marsala and Parmigiana – all served with bread and your choice of salad or pasta."
" There’s a wide array of fish – everything from Filet of Sole and Shrimp Francese (dipped in egg, sautéed with lemon butter and white wine sauce) to Calamari Ripiene, squid stuffed with rice, scallions and crab meat served with a light tomato sauce."
" Pork Chops are served “La Terrazza Style” with figs and roasted golden delicious apples. The restaurant uses apples in the Insalata Milanese as well, which is comprised of arugula, mixed peanuts and goat cheese in a vinaigrette dressing. The arugula comes chopped, the mixed peanuts compliment the sliced apples and the goat cheese is plentiful."
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La Terrazza has more than 20 pasta dishes not including the “Pastas al Forno,” or baked pastas.
Desserts are primarily cold; tartufo, spumoni and sorbet are featured. Order a coffee, and the minute you’ve taken your last sip, a waiter dressed in vest and tie is there, ready to refill."
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La Terrazza may offer a typical Italian menu, but it boasts some solid deals. The lunch special is $12.95 for an appetizer, entrée and beverage. The Sunday brunch is $15.95 and the Tuesday all-you-can -at Buffet is $17.95. The prix-fixe menu – available on Monday and Wednesday – includes appetizer, entrée, coffee and dessert or wine for $19.95. The wine list is extensive and bottles under $30 are on hand. "
excerpt by Juliet Werner, Queens Tribune
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La Terrazza from Newsday
"La Terrazza is ideal before or after the movies. And, given what's playing, maybe during the feature presentation, too.
It's a friendly, attractive corner spot for familiar Italian dishes. You'll feel instantly comfortable unless the weekend, showtime rush is in full frenzy.
When the weather allows, La Terrazza also has several tables with plastic chairs for alfresco dining, allowing views of traffic-dodging and related adventures on Queens Boulevard, as well as the Greenpoint Savings Bank.
You'll have to fantasize about the Spanish Steps. But, except for some art that resembles painted mirrors, the interior is pleasantly countrified. The dining room is a restrained affair, in earth tones, with enough space between diners to preclude the common elbow-to-elbow experience.
Besides, you won't want to let anyone near your stuffed artichoke, a plump, big-hearted version with capers and chopped black olives poking through the well-seasoned bread crumbs. The bread basket may empty as you soak up the juices. That applies to the red-tinted minestrone, too.
The house's stuffed mushrooms are moist and ample, solo or as part of the hot antipasto. That opener also boasts flavorful eggplant rollatine. But the baked clams oreganata are on the chewy side.
Salads are tasty alternatives. The tricolor is a chopped union, finished with a lemony vinaigrette; likewise, the combo of chopped arugula, tomatoes, onions and Boston lettuce. More ambitious: the Casa Bianca, a flavorful shell made with Parmesan, holding endive, mushrooms, mozzarella and baby shrimp.
Pizzas are the char-grilled sort, with crusts similar to toasted pita bread. The union of arugula and fresh tomato under a mozzarella coverlet; and the vegetable pizza with mozzarella stand out.
Pastas are recommended, either as main or middle course, or as an appetizer. Rigatoni alla primavera has a springtime taste, with plenty of vegetables, tossed with garlic and olive oil. So spaghetti with roasted peppers and eggplant, in a modest tomato sauce.
Linguine alla carbonara is very creamy and rich, with a touch of smokiness from the bacon. Take a southerly turn with penne alla Caprese, with fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil.
La Terrazza also is at ease with satisfying baked pastas. The meat-filled lasagna could take care of your lunch and your dinner. Spinach lasagna, layered with vegetables, is an option for lighter appetites. Of course, there's manicotti, this rendition with spinach and ricotta; stuffed shells; and the mainstay, baked ziti.
But osso buco, while sizable, is a bit fatty. And the underseasoned vegetable sauce covers it like a winter blanket. The veal is accompanied by a molded turret of rice. Veal alla pizzaiola also disappoints, bland in a watery red sauce. Consider the veal La Terrazza, medallions sauteed with sun-dried tomatoes and portobello mushrooms.
The grilled filet mignon, on arugula salad, is a straightforward, reliable selection. Tender pork chops receive a sweet accent from roasted apples and dried figs.
Red snapper itself is fine, a saute perched atop spinach and spiked with capers. But the pale artichoke hearts on top of it all are pretty bland, and the expected ginger sauce is barely discernible. For more zestiness: salmon alla Livornese, with rings of black olive.
Desserts range from routine cheesecakes and a creamy flan to assorted mousses and sorbets. Just be sure you haven't overloaded on Raisinets. "
review by Peter M. Gianotti, Newsday
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La Terrazza from the Queens Tribune
"If pasta is your passion and marinara is a must, then the warm and friendly atmosphere of La Terrazza is the place for you.
The quaint, cozy and candlelit restaurant offers a wide variety of pasta dishes, from rich and delicious traditional favorites like Fettucine Alfredo ($10.95) or Lasagna di Carne ($11.95) to specialty dishes like Fettucini di Carciofi ($10.95), which is artichoke pasta with artichoke hearts and pesto sauce, and Raviolli di Salmone ($15.95), which is salmon-filled ravioli with salmon cream sauce.
The pasta is always aldente, and with 25 choices on the menu to choose from, there’s something for everyone. My companion and I opted for a small taste of several dishes, including the Pasta e Broccoli ($10.25) with garlic and oil, the Dolce Vida ($11.95), which featured spaghetti, roasted peppers, and eggplant with fresh tomato sauce, the Penne alla Capresse ( $11.25) with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, and the Linguine alla Vongole ($14.95), which is linguini and clams with either white or red sauce.
All of the pasta was perfectly portioned, seasoned and cooked, with zesty sauce and fresh ingredients. The mozzarella in the penne caprese melted in our mouths, the clams in the linguini were flavorful, and the garlic and oil in the pasta with broccoli was perfectly mixed and not overpowering. The Dolce Vida was a unique and wonderful combination with chunky vegetables that added a burst of flavor with every bite.
After we sampled the pasta, we struggled to choose between the Stuffed Artichoke appetizer ($10.95) with breadcrumbs and anchovies or the Mussels all Posilillpo ($7.95) in a spicy red sauce, but we finally elected to stay healthy and try a Casa Bianca ($8.95), one of the many fresh and crisp salads on the menu. It included the delicious combination of endive, mushrooms, mozzarella, and baby shrimp served in a creative parmesan cheese basket, and was the perfect way to clear our pallets before trying two entrees.
Although Chicken Francheise ($14.95), Chicken Marsala ($14.95), Broiled Lobster Tails ($24.95) and Grilled Filet Mignon over Arugula Salad ($24.95) are always tempting, we sampled mini-portions of the Chicken Rollatina ($15.95), chicken breast stuffed with fresh mozzarella and prosciutto in a mushroom sauce, and Veal a “La Terrazza” ($16.95), veal medallions sautéed with Portobello mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes.
The meat in both meals was fork-tender, with sweet wine sauces that were light and complemented the rich ingredients well.
Although we wanted to taste one of the fish dishes, like Red Snapper Americana ($19.95) sautéed with spinach, artichoke, capers and ginger sauce, or Shrimp Oreganatta ($16.95), with breadcrumbs and Italian seasonings, we skipped right to the Tiramisu, coffee and perfectly layered cappuccino, ending the meal with a sweet smile.
Add a full wine list, competitive prices and a catering delivery menu, and you have an establishment that could rival any of grandma’s Sunday dinners. This Queens Boulevard gem should not be missed by any fan of Italian cooking."
review by Angela Montefinise, Queens Tribune