Queens Tribune

159-13 Cross Bay Blvd.
(718) 835-4458
Cuisine: Italian
Parking: Lot, Valet in summer
Delivery: No
Take-out: Yes
Credit Cards: All major

Old Time Vincent’s in Howard Beach has been a staple on Cross Bay Boulevard for as long as anyone in the neighborhood can remember. It’s a pit stop on the way to or from the Rockaways, and it’s known throughout southern Queens for its great service, delicious seafood, and above all, the sumptuous sauces. That reputation is well deserved, and while some people may think of Vincent’s as a “clam bar,” the delights on the menu make it so much more than that.

The best place to start, both with a meal and with a review, is the sauces. Vincent’s has more than 20 original sauces, all prepared entirely on the premises, with fresh ingredients. It’s an eight-hour process, just making it, and the flavor comes out in spades. Whether it’s the vodka sauce, the spicy marinara, or the more unique broccoli sauce – slow simmered broccoli with garlic and oil – every choice is delicious.

As an appetizer, the baked mussels are incredible, perfectly prepared and made to order; they’re an inexpensive choice as well. Zuppa de mussels and zuppa de clams are other fantastic starter dishes, combining the seafood that Vincent’s has mastered with the sauces that they make their trademark. Fortunately, these dishes leave you with plenty of leftover sauce for dipping – bread, mozzarella sticks, you name it, if there was nothing else in the entire place you could dip your napkin and eat it, the sauce is that good.

Lobster ravioli made an appearance as well, under both a cream sauce and a vodka sauce, and both made quite an impression.

When it comes time for the main event, entrée choices abound, with nary a weak link on the menu. The shrimp ball, a breaded seafood concoction swimming in sauce and drizzled lightly with parmesan cheese, is a unique and delicious entry.

The Chicken Vinchaise in a white wine and butter sauce is light despite being covered in mozzarella. It is another fantastic choice, paired with green beans that add texture to the dish.

Vincent’s World Famous Potato Pie is well known in Howard Beach, and one bite says all you need to know about it; simple, but elegant, a great side dish.

After all that, you will be having some dessert, won’t you? Vincent’s offers a number of sweet treats, again made from scratch on the premises. If you didn’t save room, you can take one with you, but trust me, you don’t want to miss the Tiramisu.

There’s one thing you can count on at Vincent’s, and that’s old world flavor in a new school environment. With a flexible menu, a full bar, and a come-as-you-are-and-enjoy attitude, you can’t beat Vincent’s – in Howard Beach or anywhere else.