Blend LIC

This is a start of a series of reviews for local LIC foodies. It will begin with a tour of LIC’s best (I hope) and most affordable weekday lunch spots at a $10 value.  The target audience is people, like myself, that either work in the area, work from home or just want to get out enjoy a walk around the neighborhood and have a great meal in LIC. My goal is to find a fun, affordable and most importantly delicious meal. To find restaurants that are not just hit or miss, but something you will remember, recommend, and come back to again with friends. This week we started out right!

I went for a walk up and down Vernon Blvd, checking out the menus off the stands and chalkboards on the street for a Monday afternoon special. I had remembered that my wife and I stopped by the Blend Food Truck outside MoMoPS1 over the summer, on a Saturday leaving the ‘warm up’ event and really enjoyed the fresh made tacos with authentic tortillas. So, when I walked by their sign advertising ‘lunch specials for $7.95’, I said to myself this is a win/win scenario.

I sat down around 12:30-1 pm pleased it was not packed, but definitely more popular then others spots I walked by. I immediately noticed a diverse crowd. In the back were few parents with their kids. I sat near the front, where there were a few full tables of people on a business lunch. Then there was me by myself, just wanting to sit down, enjoy the ambience, perhaps watch a soccer game on T.V and have a good cheap meal. Blend is a Latin tapas restaurant. They call themselves a fusion restaurant. Yet when you see the picture of the food and look around at other dishes, I would say more simple authentic Latin food. Definitely a good meal, but nothing unique I wouldn’t expect anything on the menu to blow you away or have you thinking ‘what’s that I have never tried that before’. Anyway, I ended up ordering the most expensive lunch special on the menu. Before you think anything of it, it was $7.95 +$1. Churrasco – Grilled Skirt Steak ordered medium rare and was cooked to perfection. All lunch specials are served w/ rice, beans and fried sweet plantains, very generous portions. The rice and beans were what you expect plain, simple rice and beans. Plantains were actually better than I’ve had other places, the thick cut ends up making the plantains fluffier and they were not over cooked so came out perfect.

If you check in on Foursquare you get 10% discount just show you server your phone .In the end my total bill was, $8.95+tax – 10% off = total $8.77 before tip. You can order food to go so for under $10 purposes it met the cut off. Total bill in the end including tip was $10.77 for an overall tasty meal. I will definitely remember my meal, recommend it to you and come back w/ friends and that was the goal. I hope you try and tell us all about your time and if I was able to convince you to give it a try.

Blend provides plenty of affordable lunch options.

·      Entrée specials for 7.95 w/ served w/ rice, beans and fried sweet plantains

·      Sandwiches for $6.95 served w/ French fries, sweet potato fries or salad.

·      Tapas they call Tapatizers ranging from $3-$7

·      Salads ranging from $5-$8 add chicken $2, avocado $3, or shrimp $3

·      Empanadas $3 each or Empanada sampler special for $10

·      All sides $3 each check the downloadable PDF menu online