Sundays with Dad + Station LIC

This is my dad.

Before I told him to stop making his serious face.

At least it wasn't his duck face.

My dad likes to make duck lips when he poses for pictures.

I have no idea why.

Maybe it's his inner teen.

That's more like it, Dad!

My papa is a hoot.

And if you meet him, you'd think so, too.

When I was in college, all my friends loved him and when he came up to visit me, he'd take all my friends out.

That's probably why they loved him.

We'd go to Bertucci's in town and take over their long table because there'd be more than 10 of us.

Wow, I had a lot of friends back then.

Now I'm a hermit.

My dad, though, is not.

He's really sociable and charming and funny.

I think my sister got all those genes.

Dammit.

Anyway, my dad and I have been eating our way through Long Island City on Sundays.

So, over Labor Day Weekend, we went to Station LIC, a cool little bar restaurant that I'd gone to with my friends a couple of weeks before.

I enjoyed it so much that I decided to take my dad there.

The space is cozy and there are huge windows on two sides of the restaurant so that light, wonderful light streams in during the day time.

And, because the windows are treated, you get all that light without losing your privacy. I love it!

Fun fact: This bar is the same space where Tom Cruise's 1988 movie Cocktail was shot.

No Tom Cruise but the bar is just as enticing.

Now, onto the food!

My dad had the salmon on risotto:

Isn't it pretty?

I flirted with the idea of getting the Ponzi Burger again since it was so yummy the last time I had it with my friends:

But, I had a craving for something more decadent.

And, boy was it good.

The Cubano Mac n' Cheese is creamy, without being overpowering, and has chunks of pork and ham in it.

Yummmmm, is all I can say.

I asked my dad about his salmon.

He said it was good but the portion was too small.

Then he preceded to tell me how he went to Red Lobster with my aunt and cousin out in Long Island last week.

And, the salmon was bigger there.

Much better in his opinion.

Oh, Dad.

Bigger does not always mean better.

Well.

Anyway, during the outing with my friends, one of them had the Round Trip Chicken and another ordered the Chicken Pot Pie. Both gave me positive verdicts so I might just have to go back to Station to try them! I know I definitely want to try their brunch.

I enjoyed Station very much and I highly recommend it if you're ever in Long Island City. Just hop on the 7 train and get off at Vernon Blvd.-Jackson Ave. The restaurant is right next to the train station.

Literally.