Last night my brother arrived in NY to do some work out at JFK. I know he likes Greek food and thought I would take him and one of his co-workers up to Astoria to experience a night in Greece while they were here in NY. Thanks to recommendation of my friend Fr. Anastasios, I decided on Aliada located at 29-19 Broadway in Astoria. This place is advertised and Greek and Cyprian food and the Cyprians know how to cook so I was looking forward to the meal.We sat down and my brother's co-worker almost got tricked into the bottle at the table routine but I spoke up quickly and said the tap water will be fine. We did start off with some KEO beer, a very typical pilsner, nothing spectacular but decent.
My brother always has to have Saganaki when we go to a Greek restaurant and last he was no exception. To complete the meza course we also had an order falafal, proving that this restaurant was Cyprian. The Saganaki was one of the better ones I have had, there was thickness while still being hot and not being overly hot so that cheese turns to liquid. I appreciated the authenticity of NOT serving this dish by flaming it table side. The falafal were palatable, they were not the best I have ever had because I have way too many Egyptian friends who are experts at making them, but better then most restaurants. The outside of the falafal was crisp the inside was soft and green (the mark of true falafal) with a good mixture of spice.
Our main entrees arrived, both my brother and his coworker ordered a combination platter of Souvlaki and Gyro with Lemon Potatoes. The potatoes were very typical of most Greek restaurants, crispy on the outside, nice and smooth on the inside but the seasoning at Aliada was par excellence with a perfect balance of salt, pepper and lemon. There is not a whole lot that can be said about the Gyro meat, it all seems to come from the same place and from the same cones. Don't get me wrong, I do like it but this seems to be the same not matter where you.
Tonight I had the Souvlaki sandwich and an order of Grilled Octopus. 
The Octopus was tender and the best I have had outside of Greece. There was no rubberiness that is often found in the dish. My brother's co-worker might have described the texture best when he compared it to a scallop. The marinade was not over powering either, it served as a compliment to a well cooked octopi. 
The Souvlaki at Aliada was superb. It is a hard dish to keep tender while at the same time making sure it is cooked properly and the chef was able to do so with skill. I was able to eat the sandwich with out deconstructing because the pork was too chewy. Quite the opposite here, the pork was tender and succulent and the lettuce, tomato and onion were skillfully chosen to compliment the meal.
Overall a great meal. The damage for three people, with drinks, was $95 without tip. A note on the service, our waiter was fantastic but speed is not on the menu here, nor should it be in an establishment like this. He was very attentive and asked the right questions but he was the only waiter for the entire place and the kitchen is a two man kitchen. Food came out at a good pace and he was able to serve everyone with efficiency. Our dinner took almost two hours but with food and drink and good conversation that is perfect.
