Drina Daisy, Astoria

What a find! Who would have thought that this rainy former logging town at the mouth of the Columbia River, populated largely by Norwegians and Finns, would have a Bosnian restaurant run by an authentic Bosnian chef who had run a restaurant back in the Old Country? The interior is comfortable and cozy with lovely orchids scattered around, and the waiter (who I believe is the owner and/or the husband of the chef) was friendly and very helpful in helping us select our dishes. The cuisine was similar to Hungarian with more of a lamb focus (they roast a whole lamb almost every day). We had an appetizer of slices beef sausage and strips of smoked beef, served with ajvar (a delicious condiment made of mild red peppers and eggplant, we always have a jar in the fridge), cheese, and fresh and pickled vegetables. As an entree I had the gulys - similar to Hungarian gulyas/goulash, a stew of tender beef in a gravy flavored with paprika, but with a lot of thyme also, served with mixed vegetables and fruit. Extremely rich and flavorful, the thyme adding an unusual herby note to a dish which is often merely spicy. Sara had slices roasted lamb, similar to high-quality Turkish doner kebapi, perfectly cooked and served with more ajvar, veg and fruit. Drina Daisy has an impressive list of beers and wines from the Balkans and Eastern and Central Europe: I had a bottle of Niksicko Pils, and excellent, subtly-flavored pilsener from Montenegro, and Sara had a glass of Hungarian Kadarka, a rich red varietal wine which is a major component of the famous Bull's Blood. We finished off with Turkish coffee, served in miniature cezves for us to pour ourselves, and a tasty, nutty baklava. And all this, appetizer, entrees, drinks, coffee, and dessert for two, came to only $56, a very moderate price for a meal this good. We'll definitely be back!