Il Bambino

Saturday I embarked on my second trip to Il Bamino in Astoria, NY. I would come here on multiple occasions during the week if parking weren't such a b*tch. Seriously, Astoria, when are you going to get your act together and give us some mother effing parking lots? Ones that are actually LARGE.

Anyway, the first time I discovered this place was with my younger sister for her birthday brunch. We enjoyed a three cheese cheese plate, a smoked tomato bisque, and two paninis. Ho -ly-shit, everything blew my mind!

The second time was no different, except we dragged our dear mother with us to get her out of the house! The three of us ordered some beers, a smoked bacon and goat cheese crostini, a smoked tomato bisque (this is a holy dish), and again, a panini for each of us.

The Cheese

I don't believe someone when they tell me they don't like cheese. I feel this urge to slap them in their mouth. Cheese is heaven on earth to me and it can only make a meal better in my eyes. "No more cheese. That's enough." - said no one EVER.

At Il Bambino, you can order a variety of three cheeses for $12, which is a good price. Shared between two people, they give you enough cheese, some toast points to eat with it, and a nice big dollop of fig spread (don't pass on it - sweet and salty are a heavenly matrimony). We tried boucheron, which was a type of soft goat cheese-like cheese, garrotxa, which was a harder, more aged and sharper cheese, and taleggio, which is a slightly sweeter cheese than the rest with a soft texture. They were all phenomenal, especially with fig spread! TOO GOOD.

Smoked Tomato Bisque

I had to grab the waiter's attention to tell him that this soup had just changed my life. There wasn't an ounce of sarcasm in what I said. HOW DO I MAKE THIS SOUP? Because I MUST find out. I can't even find the words. Salty. Tomato. Cheesy. Flavorful. I can't. It's impossible and you really just need to go on a Wednesday or Saturday (the only days they serve this soup) to try it. It comes with deliciously olive oil topped focaccia bread - perfect for dipping!

Here I am clearly enjoying this pot of wonderment.

Smoked Bacon and Goat Cheese Crostini

The paninis are the bomb-diggety, but don't pass on the wonderful crostinis! They're just big enough for two people to share as a comfortable app. There are so many to choose from and each sounds better than the one before! We decided on this one because it has bacon in the name. It also comes with spicy mayonnaise drizzled on it, which my sister and I have a weakness for. Spicy mayo is gold.

And when you're all stuffed till the brim with delicious Italian cheeses and meats, you can settle your sweet tooth with delicious hot beverages and homemade brownies. See our Nutella Hot Chocolate above! Smooth, creamy, and worth the calories!

You will have to wait, but the wait is worth it, I promise you. Whether you're going for brunch, lunch, dinner, what have you, this place gets pretty crowded with its popularity. The waiters are friendly though, so you don't mind waiting.

Bon Gabbétit!