Dee’s 107-23 Metropolitan Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375 opened their original location in 1993. It’s near my parent’s house so we’ve passed it countless times, yet never tried it until recently, after they moved a few blocks and re-opened bigger, with an expanded menu. It jumps back and forth between Italian, American, and Mediterranean, and with an ample amount of space, it’s a good safe place to go with large groups. Everyone will find something satisfactory, but know one will be particularly impressed.
We shared a Mediterranean Mix, basically a plate with some standard hummus, beans that tasted like some jarred beans in red sauce, and a respectable caponata. The focaccia (their pizza dough with some seasoning) was served warm but several minutes before the spreads/salads came.
They have some interesting pizza toppings, like the one Lon ordered with Armenian cured meats. The cumin was overwhelming, even for someone who considers cumin her favorite spice (yup, I do), and it distracts too much from the pizza.
The Classico Margarita, a puffy thin crust with sweet sauce with fresh mozzarella, isn’t memorable, but fine for $9.
My parents ordered pastas. The Linguini by the Sea (with shrimp, clams, mussels, and calamari) is as good as you’d expect for $15. You get what you pay for.
The Linguini and Baby Clams would have been impressive with all those juicy little clams, had the pasta not been so soup-y. (It’s pretty noticeable in the picture.)
The weak selection of teas seemed to embarrass our waitress, and the overall experience was mediocre if you’re really looking for great food. It’s just not a destination spot, but good light (thank goodness!), big tables with space between them, good prices and sharable portion sizes, and the relaxed atmosphere, make it a choice for families.
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The Pizza crust looks just WOW!
The light was a welcome change.