So as I have dined at Vittorio's once before and was definitely blown away by the food, I decided why not go again. There was a restaurant.com gift certificate available, definitely necessary since the restaurant is a bit expensive, and it was my anniversary so a great time to go.
We got there pretty late and were asked to wait for our table. I was confused since it was not packed and also 8pm on a Tuesday, but we were seating in 10 minutes. Turned out they wanted to seat us at the window since they felt it was the nicer area to sit, which was perfectly fine with me. I am the slowest at making decisions about food so I was happy to be a little more secluded with no table next to us so I could really just enjoy my time. The menus came out but we decided we should start with a new bottle of wine for a toast. The wine variety is very large, but also gets expensive quickly, so we chose a moderately priced mine that sounded like something we would really enjoy (I don't recall the exact bottle but it was from Spain).
The waitress came to our table to see if we were ready to order, before the wine came out, but I told her I am the slowest person at ordering so it may take a bit of time. She told us no rush, its not crowded, and take our time which was nice to hear.
Once our wine came out we decided to get an appetizer on the table and went with the special of the day, a cold calamari salad. I have had this many times in Italy and haven't seen it much around home so I really wanted to see the comparison. We were brought out bread, they get it fresh daily from brooklyn and serve it hot out of the oven, so we enjoyed some wine and bread. Bonus points to Vittorios for having the fresh bread!
Our app came out and I still wasn't sure what I wanted for dinner so we just picked and talked for a bit. The cold calamari salad was delicious. Calamari perfectly tender, and the vinegar sauce was perfect. We both were ready to order round two, but decided to wait on a dinner instead. I went with a pear salad but added jumbo grilled shrimp to it. My boyfriend ordered sea scallops. What was a bit ridiculous was when ordering my salad, it is on the appetizer side and for $12, not expensive out all, but I wanted to make sure it was large enough for an entree. She said to add the shrimp would make it so, so I trusted her. She told me, though, the charge per shrimp ordered and I thought that was beyond crazy!! At first she said she believed it was $2 per shrimp, but wanted to check, and came back to tell me it was actually $2.50. I have never, ever seen a restaurant do this. They should really feature more salads with shrimps at a fixed price and quantity.
The food came out and that was when we both were completely disappointed. My salad was a mile high pile of lettuce with a minimal of other ingredients. And the shrimp, definitely not worth $2.50. My boyfriend's scallops were tiny for the price and he said the rest of the meal was sub par. After we ate we both decided we were not going to even bother with dessert or coffee or anything. We just wanted to get out of that restaurant.
So after time two, I have made my final decision. As I knew from time one, the restaurant is over priced. But after time one I was very impressed by the food. Now after the second time, no the food was not horrible but the reputation that make for themselves, charging for individual shrimp, has turned me off completely. I do not plan on returning to this restaurant.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Sante Fe Tequila, Hicksville, NY
I enjoy going out to Mexican restaurants, but I am really picky with where I go since most Mexican food I don't eat. So when this coupon came about on Groupon (25$ for 50$ worth of food) I decided why not look into it. Reviews online noted they made the best frozen margaritas with a large variety so I decided to check out the menu and decide if it was worth trying. The prices were low and variation of the menu was great so I purchased the Groupon and made reservations for that Friday, as reservations were recommended because it is a small restaurant.
After work, I went to the restaurant straight from the train station. The restaurant had a very small front and small parking lot shared with multiple stores. But there was ample parking on the street behind the restaurant, so we really did not have to walk. We entered in the back and saw how small the place really was. It was very narrow and not too long, maybe a total of 9-10 tables. The colorful bar was in the back and the whole restaurant did have a Mexican theme to it. It was not crowded at all, which did make me weary since I heard it is always packed on a Friday night!
When seated it took a while, like really long, to give our drink orders but I did not mind since I was unwinding from work still. Once our drink orders were placed, I ordered a frozen raspberry guavarita ($11) and my boyfriend a coronarita ($12), we took a little bit of time to look at the menu since it is an extensive menu. We decided to order the baked mexican egg rolls as an app and I wanted to wait to order the entree but the server told us they prefer to take the order at once. This was a bit of a turn off because when I go out to eat, I prefer the food to be spaced out and to really enjoy myself. I always feel that ordering apps and entrees together will be served one after another. But the waitress was more than receptive and asked how long between each course would we like to wait, which was accommodating and nice. I told her fifteen minutes and went on ordering entrees, for me the Fajiti Veggies lettuce wrap ($10) and my boyfriend ordered the Costillas de Cerdo (slow roasted baby back ribs) ($16).
First our drinks, the frozen margaritas were really large and delicious, well worth the wait that it took to order and be brought. Our app came out pretty soon with the drinks. The portion was huge, and only for $9. What the were were baked egg rolls filled with smoked mesquite chicken, black beans, roasted corn, chiles poblanos, onion, and Oaxaca cheese with a side of creamy avocado dip. It probably was three egg rolls cut into slices. This was the BEST appetizer I have ever ordered from a Mexican restaurant. They did not even need the dipping sauce at all. The flavor was strong, smoky and delicious. Both me and my boyfriend said we could've just ordered that with another appetizer and been set. We ended up not finished all the pieces, to make sure we had room for our food.
Next we decided to order sangria, ordering a craft of it for $20 since a craft is always more than enough. Now I know I wanted spacing between meals, but boy was it a mistake to ask! It took about half an hour for our entrees to come out after we finished our appetizers! I was fine with that but it was too funny, so I would never recommend asking this restaurant to go slow.
Out came our Sangria followed by our entrees. My entree was two lettuce cups filled with grilled mixed veggies, and additional sauteed onions, mushrooms, and peppers served with pico de gallo, crema, guac, black beans, and shredded cheese. I really enjoyed all the grilled veggies but I was not too much of a fan of the lettuce cups, but that is also my own preference since it was prepped the way it should have been. The portion was huge so I only ate one.
My boyfriends entree was hickory smoked, slow roasted baby back ribs with caribbean seasoning and mango chipotle bbq glaze. It was served with fries, fire grilled corn on the cob with chili-lime butter and mango jicama slaw. There was a lot of ribs and fries for the small price we paid! He said the ribs were tenders and the seasoning was right on. The corn was smoky and the butter was really well seasoned. I ate the slaw since he hates mangoes, and the slaw was amazing as well. He too was not able to finish all his food.
We did not go with dessert since we were both really full, and we left a bit of sangria left since the craft was much bigger than expected, but we both left happy and will definitely return to this small, mexican gem.
I highly recommend all to try Sante Fe Tequila!
After work, I went to the restaurant straight from the train station. The restaurant had a very small front and small parking lot shared with multiple stores. But there was ample parking on the street behind the restaurant, so we really did not have to walk. We entered in the back and saw how small the place really was. It was very narrow and not too long, maybe a total of 9-10 tables. The colorful bar was in the back and the whole restaurant did have a Mexican theme to it. It was not crowded at all, which did make me weary since I heard it is always packed on a Friday night!
When seated it took a while, like really long, to give our drink orders but I did not mind since I was unwinding from work still. Once our drink orders were placed, I ordered a frozen raspberry guavarita ($11) and my boyfriend a coronarita ($12), we took a little bit of time to look at the menu since it is an extensive menu. We decided to order the baked mexican egg rolls as an app and I wanted to wait to order the entree but the server told us they prefer to take the order at once. This was a bit of a turn off because when I go out to eat, I prefer the food to be spaced out and to really enjoy myself. I always feel that ordering apps and entrees together will be served one after another. But the waitress was more than receptive and asked how long between each course would we like to wait, which was accommodating and nice. I told her fifteen minutes and went on ordering entrees, for me the Fajiti Veggies lettuce wrap ($10) and my boyfriend ordered the Costillas de Cerdo (slow roasted baby back ribs) ($16).
First our drinks, the frozen margaritas were really large and delicious, well worth the wait that it took to order and be brought. Our app came out pretty soon with the drinks. The portion was huge, and only for $9. What the were were baked egg rolls filled with smoked mesquite chicken, black beans, roasted corn, chiles poblanos, onion, and Oaxaca cheese with a side of creamy avocado dip. It probably was three egg rolls cut into slices. This was the BEST appetizer I have ever ordered from a Mexican restaurant. They did not even need the dipping sauce at all. The flavor was strong, smoky and delicious. Both me and my boyfriend said we could've just ordered that with another appetizer and been set. We ended up not finished all the pieces, to make sure we had room for our food.
Next we decided to order sangria, ordering a craft of it for $20 since a craft is always more than enough. Now I know I wanted spacing between meals, but boy was it a mistake to ask! It took about half an hour for our entrees to come out after we finished our appetizers! I was fine with that but it was too funny, so I would never recommend asking this restaurant to go slow.
Out came our Sangria followed by our entrees. My entree was two lettuce cups filled with grilled mixed veggies, and additional sauteed onions, mushrooms, and peppers served with pico de gallo, crema, guac, black beans, and shredded cheese. I really enjoyed all the grilled veggies but I was not too much of a fan of the lettuce cups, but that is also my own preference since it was prepped the way it should have been. The portion was huge so I only ate one.
My boyfriends entree was hickory smoked, slow roasted baby back ribs with caribbean seasoning and mango chipotle bbq glaze. It was served with fries, fire grilled corn on the cob with chili-lime butter and mango jicama slaw. There was a lot of ribs and fries for the small price we paid! He said the ribs were tenders and the seasoning was right on. The corn was smoky and the butter was really well seasoned. I ate the slaw since he hates mangoes, and the slaw was amazing as well. He too was not able to finish all his food.
We did not go with dessert since we were both really full, and we left a bit of sangria left since the craft was much bigger than expected, but we both left happy and will definitely return to this small, mexican gem.
I highly recommend all to try Sante Fe Tequila!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Aztec Emperor, Wantagh, NY
I have been wanting to try this Mexican restaurant after hearing only positive things, and I am glad I finally had the chance. I went out to lunch on a sunday with a group of people and was nothing but satisfied with my experience.
We started off by ordering a pitcher of sangria for the table. The sangria was not too sweet and not too fruity, just perfect. We could have easily ordered another! The table wanted to order apps so we went with guacamole and jalapeno poppers. I am not the biggest fan of fried food so I did not eat the poppers but I did try some guac, one of my favorite mexican accompaniments. The guacamole was chunky with enough garlic, but not too over powerful. I would not necessarily recommend someone to order it as an appetizer, there are mexican places that are a much better choice where the guacamole is actually made table side, but the guac was still tasty.
Being lunch, I was not too hungry so I wanted to order a salad. There were two options I was looking at, the house salad and the aztec salad. I was told the house salad had more fixins while the azteca was primarily greens. I went with the house salad; being that it was also only 6.25 I did not expect much. The salad that came out was over sized in a tortilla shell with lots of avocado slices, cheese, tomato, and onions. They also give oil and vinegar, which works perfectly for me. The avocado was fresh and overall the salad was tasty, especially for the price. I have had much better Mexican salads before, but those were all double the price of this one. This was perfect for a lunch.
My boyfriend ordered something that had tortillas wrapped with chorizo in it and he said it was very very good and the sauce on top was delicious. I tried some of his beans and they came out very good, with a bit of mexican cheese melted on top. Others at the table had quesadillas, enchiladas etc and no one had anything negative to say.
Aztec Emperor was very delicious and inexpensive for lunch and I will definitely be back to try it for dinner so I can get a better idea of the inside acoustics of the restaurant as well as the dinner portions and of course, the margaritas!
We started off by ordering a pitcher of sangria for the table. The sangria was not too sweet and not too fruity, just perfect. We could have easily ordered another! The table wanted to order apps so we went with guacamole and jalapeno poppers. I am not the biggest fan of fried food so I did not eat the poppers but I did try some guac, one of my favorite mexican accompaniments. The guacamole was chunky with enough garlic, but not too over powerful. I would not necessarily recommend someone to order it as an appetizer, there are mexican places that are a much better choice where the guacamole is actually made table side, but the guac was still tasty.
Being lunch, I was not too hungry so I wanted to order a salad. There were two options I was looking at, the house salad and the aztec salad. I was told the house salad had more fixins while the azteca was primarily greens. I went with the house salad; being that it was also only 6.25 I did not expect much. The salad that came out was over sized in a tortilla shell with lots of avocado slices, cheese, tomato, and onions. They also give oil and vinegar, which works perfectly for me. The avocado was fresh and overall the salad was tasty, especially for the price. I have had much better Mexican salads before, but those were all double the price of this one. This was perfect for a lunch.
My boyfriend ordered something that had tortillas wrapped with chorizo in it and he said it was very very good and the sauce on top was delicious. I tried some of his beans and they came out very good, with a bit of mexican cheese melted on top. Others at the table had quesadillas, enchiladas etc and no one had anything negative to say.
Aztec Emperor was very delicious and inexpensive for lunch and I will definitely be back to try it for dinner so I can get a better idea of the inside acoustics of the restaurant as well as the dinner portions and of course, the margaritas!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Bond St, New York, NY
It has been awhile since rating a restaurant, since I have been busy with work, but I am going to review a few I have visited in the last month and a half.
First stop Bond St. This Japanese restaurant is located on Bond St in NYC. Hint, know the red dot logo because otherwise you will never find the restaurant!
Entering into Bond St you are greeted by a fairly dark lounge. It is a cool place to hang out and have a drink if waiting for your table, but since it was a week day and 7:30 we had no problem getting in. With our table being ready immediately, we were escorted down the hall and told to take the elevator up to the second floor. It was pretty cool and unique to enter into your dining experience via elevator.
Right off the elevator is the next host who promptly seats you. The inside of Bond St is definitely just eh.. I am not in love with the layout and you really don't feel like your expectations are met after taking an elevator to the private dining floor. The tables were way too close together and we tried to move them but told we weren't allowed to due to reservations.
We decided to order a nice bottle of sake while looking through the menu. The waitress was nice that she let us try a sake before choosing it (especially since the Sakes are so expensive) but she was not the most helpful nor informed on the sake choices.
We wanted to relax take the time with the menus but where given a rushy impression. I am the type of person who orders a couple of apps before really looking at the menu but the waitress said they prefer taking the whole order at once (ugh annoying). She told us that she will space out the order instead for us to accommodate (which in the end the order was spaced out nicely so this I did appreciate).
For an appetizer we shared the Toro Tartar. It was very tasty but the portion size was eh. We also ordered the grilled octopus. That was very good and worth the amount it cost. For an entree we shared two special rolls the jalapeno scallop roll and hot ell dice roll. The hot eel dice roll was out of this world but the other roll we could have done without.
We weren't getting the best vibe from the inside of the restaurant, maybe we just went too early, and the sushi was not really up to the expectation we expected. In the end we will not be returning, and advice, save the special sushi dinner for Nisen in Woodbury, much much more worth it.
First stop Bond St. This Japanese restaurant is located on Bond St in NYC. Hint, know the red dot logo because otherwise you will never find the restaurant!
Entering into Bond St you are greeted by a fairly dark lounge. It is a cool place to hang out and have a drink if waiting for your table, but since it was a week day and 7:30 we had no problem getting in. With our table being ready immediately, we were escorted down the hall and told to take the elevator up to the second floor. It was pretty cool and unique to enter into your dining experience via elevator.
Right off the elevator is the next host who promptly seats you. The inside of Bond St is definitely just eh.. I am not in love with the layout and you really don't feel like your expectations are met after taking an elevator to the private dining floor. The tables were way too close together and we tried to move them but told we weren't allowed to due to reservations.
We decided to order a nice bottle of sake while looking through the menu. The waitress was nice that she let us try a sake before choosing it (especially since the Sakes are so expensive) but she was not the most helpful nor informed on the sake choices.
We wanted to relax take the time with the menus but where given a rushy impression. I am the type of person who orders a couple of apps before really looking at the menu but the waitress said they prefer taking the whole order at once (ugh annoying). She told us that she will space out the order instead for us to accommodate (which in the end the order was spaced out nicely so this I did appreciate).
For an appetizer we shared the Toro Tartar. It was very tasty but the portion size was eh. We also ordered the grilled octopus. That was very good and worth the amount it cost. For an entree we shared two special rolls the jalapeno scallop roll and hot ell dice roll. The hot eel dice roll was out of this world but the other roll we could have done without.
We weren't getting the best vibe from the inside of the restaurant, maybe we just went too early, and the sushi was not really up to the expectation we expected. In the end we will not be returning, and advice, save the special sushi dinner for Nisen in Woodbury, much much more worth it.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Lobster Roll (lunch), Riverhead, NY
After living on LI and going out to Montauk so many times, I have been very behind by not visiting Lunch (or Lobster Roll as its known). I have passed the location out eat many times but usually not at lunch time. I always forgot that there is another location in Riverhead that is much closer to get to.
I decided that I wanted to take a trip to the outlets and to experience having lunch at Lobster Roll. Going out to Riverhead, the perfect itinerary to make is stopping at the outlets, than off to Briermere for a pie and ending you day at Lobster Roll for a bite to eat. When we first got to the restaurant, I really liked how it was in a converted house. We requested to sit outside and were promptly seated on the wood deck. Lobster Roll is a casual hangout with a very beachy, laid back atmosphere.
Our waitress came to the table rather quickly and told us about the specials, including a drink called the Pink Fizzy, a pink lemonade and zinfandel drink topped with seltzer. Of course I was tempted to order it, which I did, and my boyfriend ordered a lobster ale. The service was a bit slow, granted it was not too packed in the restaurant, so that is something they can definitely work on. After our drinks came, I decided to order a crabcake which was actually grilled not fried, very rare to find, and my boyfriend ordered the signature hot lobster roll. The difference between the hot lobster roll and the cold one is that the cold one has mayo mixed in it while the hot is just fresh, steamed lobster.
Our food came promptly, much faster than the drinks. My entree was actually a crabcake sandwich with one medium size crabcake on it, a bit over priced for what you got. It also came on a white bun, something I am not too keen on, with a pickle, coleslaw and kettle chips. I focused on eating the crabcake plain and it was not too bad. I wouldn't really recommend ordering it to most though. Even though it was grilled, a nice alternative, it was missing a lot of crab flavor. I was not too impressed.
My boyfriend's lobster roll was a nice size but very very overpriced, which we didn't find out the price until the bill came ($25!). He got a pickle and coleslaw and he said everything was good, very fresh. But honestly for the price paid, not worth going to Lobster Roll for a lobster roll.
Overall, the atmosphere was nice, I enjoyed eating at the restaurant, but would I return again? Probably not. The food was greatly overpriced and service was below par. Maybe the original one in Amagansett is better? I am not too excited to really try.
I decided that I wanted to take a trip to the outlets and to experience having lunch at Lobster Roll. Going out to Riverhead, the perfect itinerary to make is stopping at the outlets, than off to Briermere for a pie and ending you day at Lobster Roll for a bite to eat. When we first got to the restaurant, I really liked how it was in a converted house. We requested to sit outside and were promptly seated on the wood deck. Lobster Roll is a casual hangout with a very beachy, laid back atmosphere.
Our waitress came to the table rather quickly and told us about the specials, including a drink called the Pink Fizzy, a pink lemonade and zinfandel drink topped with seltzer. Of course I was tempted to order it, which I did, and my boyfriend ordered a lobster ale. The service was a bit slow, granted it was not too packed in the restaurant, so that is something they can definitely work on. After our drinks came, I decided to order a crabcake which was actually grilled not fried, very rare to find, and my boyfriend ordered the signature hot lobster roll. The difference between the hot lobster roll and the cold one is that the cold one has mayo mixed in it while the hot is just fresh, steamed lobster.
Our food came promptly, much faster than the drinks. My entree was actually a crabcake sandwich with one medium size crabcake on it, a bit over priced for what you got. It also came on a white bun, something I am not too keen on, with a pickle, coleslaw and kettle chips. I focused on eating the crabcake plain and it was not too bad. I wouldn't really recommend ordering it to most though. Even though it was grilled, a nice alternative, it was missing a lot of crab flavor. I was not too impressed.
My boyfriend's lobster roll was a nice size but very very overpriced, which we didn't find out the price until the bill came ($25!). He got a pickle and coleslaw and he said everything was good, very fresh. But honestly for the price paid, not worth going to Lobster Roll for a lobster roll.
Overall, the atmosphere was nice, I enjoyed eating at the restaurant, but would I return again? Probably not. The food was greatly overpriced and service was below par. Maybe the original one in Amagansett is better? I am not too excited to really try.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Nisen, Woodbury
So after work, at my old job, one night me and my friend's Dan and Doug decided to go out to eat at Nisen Sushi as a bday/grad/end of work celebration for me, it was about 8:30pm. I went to the one in Commack, mistakingly, and loved the food but did not like the atmosphere (too much like a shopping mall feel) and was excited to try the one in Woodbury since I have heard so many good things.
Walking in, the environment is completely different. The tables are still plenty, with not too much room in between them, but the lighting/atmosphere/people are different. It is much darker, a much more trendy feel, with most people being in the 20s and up. Everyone is dressed city casual and a lot of the inside decor is trendy. I already liked the feel of the Woodbury one more than Commack.
As we sat down we waited quite a bit of time for our drinks order. It was a Thursday and seemed that the place was most crowded Thursday-the weekend. When our drink orders were finally taken, after maybe 20 minutes, I decided to go with the Sake sampler (something I had in Commack). We weren't sure of what to eat so asked for the waiter to come back but he took a bit of time to even bring out the drinks. One thing I would highly recommend to anyone would be to try the sampler. The sake in it is much more friendly to those who drink to much as it is sweeter, but with some increased intensity.
For food we decided to just order apps for the table, and ordered seaweed salad, sesame crusted calamari with sweet chili sauce, toro tartar and chilled kumomoto oysters. Everything was amazing. The seaweed salad had a freshness to it that you look for when ordering it. The calamari was hardly fried and went well with the dipping sauce. The toro tartar was fresh, not fishy, and sliced perfect. The oysters were delicious served with a kick with some jalapeno. After all this food we still definitely needed to order sushi, even though we already ordered more than enough food.
We decided to order a sushi platter, something we were told was recommended for 2-3 people max. Dan, as he does best, ordered more rolls just in case it was not enough, the mango hawaii roll and a classic roll as well i just don't recall which. Our food came out a little quicker than prior service (probably because it was 930 already). To start, the sushi place was definitely enough for more like 3-4 people not 2-3. But the assortment was great and everything so fresh that we didn't care how much we ordered. The mango specialty roll was amazing, I ate almost the whole thing! And the other classic roll was fresh and big. We also ordered 2 more sake samplers for the table, making a perfect end to a great night.
Overall, the food at Nisen is a+++. I would never be nervous to order something different there and you are always provided with quality, but it does match the price don't get me wrong. The service was not the greatest, granted the place was really busy and hard to navigate, but we did go at 830 on Thursday so i am a little surprised they were slow. But I prefer slow restaurant eating and with the people I was with, the service was great. The atmosphere for Woodbury is much better than Commack. In the end I would recommend going to Nisen in Woodbury with friends, boyfriend/girlfriends, even parents and I would say that you would not be making a bad choice.
Walking in, the environment is completely different. The tables are still plenty, with not too much room in between them, but the lighting/atmosphere/people are different. It is much darker, a much more trendy feel, with most people being in the 20s and up. Everyone is dressed city casual and a lot of the inside decor is trendy. I already liked the feel of the Woodbury one more than Commack.
As we sat down we waited quite a bit of time for our drinks order. It was a Thursday and seemed that the place was most crowded Thursday-the weekend. When our drink orders were finally taken, after maybe 20 minutes, I decided to go with the Sake sampler (something I had in Commack). We weren't sure of what to eat so asked for the waiter to come back but he took a bit of time to even bring out the drinks. One thing I would highly recommend to anyone would be to try the sampler. The sake in it is much more friendly to those who drink to much as it is sweeter, but with some increased intensity.
For food we decided to just order apps for the table, and ordered seaweed salad, sesame crusted calamari with sweet chili sauce, toro tartar and chilled kumomoto oysters. Everything was amazing. The seaweed salad had a freshness to it that you look for when ordering it. The calamari was hardly fried and went well with the dipping sauce. The toro tartar was fresh, not fishy, and sliced perfect. The oysters were delicious served with a kick with some jalapeno. After all this food we still definitely needed to order sushi, even though we already ordered more than enough food.
We decided to order a sushi platter, something we were told was recommended for 2-3 people max. Dan, as he does best, ordered more rolls just in case it was not enough, the mango hawaii roll and a classic roll as well i just don't recall which. Our food came out a little quicker than prior service (probably because it was 930 already). To start, the sushi place was definitely enough for more like 3-4 people not 2-3. But the assortment was great and everything so fresh that we didn't care how much we ordered. The mango specialty roll was amazing, I ate almost the whole thing! And the other classic roll was fresh and big. We also ordered 2 more sake samplers for the table, making a perfect end to a great night.
Overall, the food at Nisen is a+++. I would never be nervous to order something different there and you are always provided with quality, but it does match the price don't get me wrong. The service was not the greatest, granted the place was really busy and hard to navigate, but we did go at 830 on Thursday so i am a little surprised they were slow. But I prefer slow restaurant eating and with the people I was with, the service was great. The atmosphere for Woodbury is much better than Commack. In the end I would recommend going to Nisen in Woodbury with friends, boyfriend/girlfriends, even parents and I would say that you would not be making a bad choice.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Mercato, Massapequa, NY
I know that I have not been up to date posting restaurants but I have written all restaurants I ate at the last two months and am planning on posting them now and keeping up to date with it. First stop on the list, Mercato.
I went to Mercato for my friend's bday, the biggest reason is everyone loves their frozen drinks! Getting there, we were seated right away and given a minute to look at menus. I have been here before many times, one of my favorites, but I will comment on the atmosphere anyway. The inside is very trendy casual, with nice decor and lighting and mainly being a place you can go with a group of your friends to enjoy food and just talk. They have a small bar inside, which I have never been to but heard that it gets busy especially when there are drink specials. As always, the waitress took our drinks order very quickly upon sitting down.
I had to order my Italian Love, amaretto peach puree frangelico creation. Everyone was ordering the frozen margaritas/daquiris... they are so so good here and very big sized. We than looked at the menu and this menu is the easiest to highlight. A) Always order a flatbread as the first thing you ever try there. The flatbreads are the best I have ever tasted and the toppings get creative (chicken ranch, Hawaiian..etc) Past the flatbreads B) Panini is a second great option. Everything is great quality with really great choices of fillers. C) If you want a combo of a+b, try a flatzone. Remembers me of a flatbread + panini, the bread not too thick but the fillers are just like as if you were to order a sandwich. D) IF your like me and have had all of that already, go with a salad. They are very large portions and I promise you you will not be able to finish it. Last time I dined there my friend got pasta, papparedelle and mushrooms (something rare since most restaurants do not offer that cut of pasta). She let me try a forkful and I must say, it stood up to the quality of any good italian restaurant. I did not expect that because I would never recommend Mercato for food such as pasta or meat entrees, I would definitely suggest it as a sandwich/pizza type of restaurant but with a bit more class. But for choice E) I would say if you come with an appetite, don't exclude trying one of their entrees!
I decided to order the grilled calamari salad while most others at my party ordered flatbreads, one person ordering penne alla vodka. Our food took a bit to actually come out, which I did not mind because I appreciate a wait but it did get close to the point of being ridiculous. But either way I was with a group of friends I haven't chatted with in awhile so the wait made no difference. Once our food come out, piping hot, everyone was okay with the wait. First comment, wow my salad was big. There was a pile of grilled calamari greater than if you ordered a fried calamari appetizer at an Italian restaurant. The dressing it came with was a honey ginger dressing and alone, that dressing made it the right decision to try the salad. Everyone else loved their flatbreads and the person who ordered the penne even said it was very very good. It is a place like this where you can't go wrong with what you order you will always come out happy.
We did not order dessert this time because it was a bday and we were picking up ice cream cake but one dessert comment, since I have ordered it, is definitely if you have room try it. Me and my friends ordered the peanut butter chocolate fondue last time and I am a bit picky and did not like anything the fondue came with, so I waitress made it her goal to present us with a mix of dippers to satisfy me. She even gave us a scoop of ice cream! It was very good.
My comments about Mercato... a must try. If you want respectful servers (and you don't mind a little slower time to get your food), if you want great drinks (especially frozen ones and a must try Italian Love), if you want great food (especially a menu where no matter what you order you can't go wrong with), and you want a casual fun ambience, just go to Mercato. Whether it's girls night, or dinner with you brothers or sisters, this is the place to try to Massapequa. Enjoy!
I went to Mercato for my friend's bday, the biggest reason is everyone loves their frozen drinks! Getting there, we were seated right away and given a minute to look at menus. I have been here before many times, one of my favorites, but I will comment on the atmosphere anyway. The inside is very trendy casual, with nice decor and lighting and mainly being a place you can go with a group of your friends to enjoy food and just talk. They have a small bar inside, which I have never been to but heard that it gets busy especially when there are drink specials. As always, the waitress took our drinks order very quickly upon sitting down.
I had to order my Italian Love, amaretto peach puree frangelico creation. Everyone was ordering the frozen margaritas/daquiris... they are so so good here and very big sized. We than looked at the menu and this menu is the easiest to highlight. A) Always order a flatbread as the first thing you ever try there. The flatbreads are the best I have ever tasted and the toppings get creative (chicken ranch, Hawaiian..etc) Past the flatbreads B) Panini is a second great option. Everything is great quality with really great choices of fillers. C) If you want a combo of a+b, try a flatzone. Remembers me of a flatbread + panini, the bread not too thick but the fillers are just like as if you were to order a sandwich. D) IF your like me and have had all of that already, go with a salad. They are very large portions and I promise you you will not be able to finish it. Last time I dined there my friend got pasta, papparedelle and mushrooms (something rare since most restaurants do not offer that cut of pasta). She let me try a forkful and I must say, it stood up to the quality of any good italian restaurant. I did not expect that because I would never recommend Mercato for food such as pasta or meat entrees, I would definitely suggest it as a sandwich/pizza type of restaurant but with a bit more class. But for choice E) I would say if you come with an appetite, don't exclude trying one of their entrees!
I decided to order the grilled calamari salad while most others at my party ordered flatbreads, one person ordering penne alla vodka. Our food took a bit to actually come out, which I did not mind because I appreciate a wait but it did get close to the point of being ridiculous. But either way I was with a group of friends I haven't chatted with in awhile so the wait made no difference. Once our food come out, piping hot, everyone was okay with the wait. First comment, wow my salad was big. There was a pile of grilled calamari greater than if you ordered a fried calamari appetizer at an Italian restaurant. The dressing it came with was a honey ginger dressing and alone, that dressing made it the right decision to try the salad. Everyone else loved their flatbreads and the person who ordered the penne even said it was very very good. It is a place like this where you can't go wrong with what you order you will always come out happy.
We did not order dessert this time because it was a bday and we were picking up ice cream cake but one dessert comment, since I have ordered it, is definitely if you have room try it. Me and my friends ordered the peanut butter chocolate fondue last time and I am a bit picky and did not like anything the fondue came with, so I waitress made it her goal to present us with a mix of dippers to satisfy me. She even gave us a scoop of ice cream! It was very good.
My comments about Mercato... a must try. If you want respectful servers (and you don't mind a little slower time to get your food), if you want great drinks (especially frozen ones and a must try Italian Love), if you want great food (especially a menu where no matter what you order you can't go wrong with), and you want a casual fun ambience, just go to Mercato. Whether it's girls night, or dinner with you brothers or sisters, this is the place to try to Massapequa. Enjoy!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
KiKu Massapequa, NY
So Tuesday night I worked from 6-8 and me and my boyfriend decided a sushi night out was necessary. We decided to hit our staple restaurant kiku.
Arriving there was actually more people than I expected, which was fine though because we got the booth we were hoping for. When we sat we had an objective, order hot sake. We placed that order and than began to look at the menu. The reason this was prioritized was because KiKu has the best hot sake you will find, hands down. And it is reasonably priced as well. Looking at the menu we always order one of the sushi combos (labeled A, B, and C). We have only ordered A because it is always more than enough for us. If it was early and we were both not as tired, we may have ventured to a new one but because I really had an objective to get to sleep and wasn't too famished we stuck with A.
The best part of the kiku is that when you order you receive a complementary appetizer. This time was four fried spicy tuna balls, not for me!, and four slices of tuna sashimi. My boyfriend delve in to the spicy tuna and said it was delicious. I had two pieces of the sashimi and even though it was tuna steak, not my favorite choice, I still enjoyed it. As we sipped on our hot sake and tea, they actually use authentic japanese tea something I find hard to find now a days, we ordered the sushi combo A.
When our sushi boat arrived, I love sushi boats!, it was filled with sushi, sashimi and rolls. Digging in to the tuna roll everything tasted good. They sushi was not out of this world like our previous Nisen experience but it was definitely a bang for your buck. The only negative comment I had was that the yellowfish, one of my favorite sashimi pieces, was ice cold meaning frozen not fresh. That was a bit of a disappointment but honestly you get what you pay for. 6 pieces sushi, 12 sashimi and one roll for 23 bucks is a good deal.
After eating as much as we can handle we hang out for a little before the check. It was relaxing to not be rushed out, they never do here, and get unlimited tea (bonus!). This review is short because there is not too much to say about this restaurant other than stress free dining is a plus. Also, if you order a blaze roll they blow torch underneath the sushi! This is a restaurant to go to for a quick, bang for your buck sushi date!
Arriving there was actually more people than I expected, which was fine though because we got the booth we were hoping for. When we sat we had an objective, order hot sake. We placed that order and than began to look at the menu. The reason this was prioritized was because KiKu has the best hot sake you will find, hands down. And it is reasonably priced as well. Looking at the menu we always order one of the sushi combos (labeled A, B, and C). We have only ordered A because it is always more than enough for us. If it was early and we were both not as tired, we may have ventured to a new one but because I really had an objective to get to sleep and wasn't too famished we stuck with A.
The best part of the kiku is that when you order you receive a complementary appetizer. This time was four fried spicy tuna balls, not for me!, and four slices of tuna sashimi. My boyfriend delve in to the spicy tuna and said it was delicious. I had two pieces of the sashimi and even though it was tuna steak, not my favorite choice, I still enjoyed it. As we sipped on our hot sake and tea, they actually use authentic japanese tea something I find hard to find now a days, we ordered the sushi combo A.
When our sushi boat arrived, I love sushi boats!, it was filled with sushi, sashimi and rolls. Digging in to the tuna roll everything tasted good. They sushi was not out of this world like our previous Nisen experience but it was definitely a bang for your buck. The only negative comment I had was that the yellowfish, one of my favorite sashimi pieces, was ice cold meaning frozen not fresh. That was a bit of a disappointment but honestly you get what you pay for. 6 pieces sushi, 12 sashimi and one roll for 23 bucks is a good deal.
After eating as much as we can handle we hang out for a little before the check. It was relaxing to not be rushed out, they never do here, and get unlimited tea (bonus!). This review is short because there is not too much to say about this restaurant other than stress free dining is a plus. Also, if you order a blaze roll they blow torch underneath the sushi! This is a restaurant to go to for a quick, bang for your buck sushi date!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Thom Thom, Wantagh, NY
Saturday night decided I was not much in the mood for cooking so me and my boyfriend were deciding on what restaurant to go out to eat to. We remembered we had a 50$ gift certificate, from restaurant.com, for Thom Thom and decided why not try to get reservations. On opentable the reservation choices were small, 615 or 845, so we tried to call and see if it would be different. We were told the same openings but than after getting off the phone, a 715 became available on opentable and decided it must be a sign. So we made the reservations and ventured off for dinner.
Upon arriving, the dining room was pretty bright, something I was not use to when dining here previously. We were seated right away in the back corner, nice to be away from the main crowd. There were enough people eating but the restaurant was not really packed out at all. We had in mind a sushi dinner, as Thom Thom is a steak, seafood sushi restaurant, and decided to stick to our plan. The one main comment about the food is that the sushi choices are limited but this is not a restaurant one would go to if they are having a sushi crave (try nissen in woodbury or kiku in massapequa).
Our waiter came to the table promptly, asking if we would like to order drinks/needed any suggestions. We were torn between two bottles of pinot noir and our waiter was extremely helpful, being that he worked in a wine distributor for a number of years. We went with the Sean Minor Carneros pinot and than continued to look at the menu. Our waiter brought our wine out pretty quick which was nice to just relax and have a drink before really looking at the menu. One thing to note, as our waiter even told us, they are not looking to rush you in this restaurant at all so you are free to sit back, relax and take your time ordering, something we definitely took advantage of.
The wine was delicious, very cherry taste to it with no harsh tannins at all, a very nice smooth finish. It was a great recommendation and nice to see a restaurant with a knowledgable waitstaff. With the wine came out a bread basket except here, they are little garlic pita triangles, soft and very warm, with a platter of butter, hummus and a cucumber mayo. I love the hummus and was happy to munch on that while looking at the menu. We decided to order one appetizer before looking at anything else, and went with the Ahi Tuna Tartar, the appetizer we like to order at seafood restaurants to test the quality since either it is going to be incredible or horrible, depending on the freshness. After a few minutes the tartar came, with avocado, yuzu and tobiko. The tuna was so fresh and the avocado had a really fresh taste to it, and the sauce that was surrounding the molding was delicious. That was a really great first impression to our dinner date.
With a limited choice in rolls, we decided to order two, one speciality and one classic. The specialty was the rainbow naruto roll, which had tuna, salmon, white tuna, kani kami, avocado, thinly sliced cucumber and mustard soy. We also ordered the bbq eel. When our rolls came out, I was surprised to see the specialty roll was wrapped in the cucumber, not seaweed something different and interesting. My boyfriend got an order of spicy mayo too. The speciality roll was very good, very fresh seafood but it was served a little too cold temperature for me. I did like the variation using the cucumber instead of seaweed it was a nice surprise. The bbq eel roll was just as the other roll, fresh but served a bit too cold. But this is not a sushi restaurant so I knew it was not going to be out of this world.
Finishing off our bottle of wine we both wanted a little something else but decided to go with dessert instead of another roll just because the sushi was decent but not amazing. We ordered the chocolate purse which was a dark chocolate shell with one scoop of vanilla ice cream, one scoop of chocolate ice cream, one scoop of raspberry sorbet with a chocolate drizzle and whipped cream and caramel sauce on the side. Also we ordered a bottle of hana awaka, a sparkling, floral and fruity sake. As our dessert came out it looks great, towered very high with everything. Taking the first bite, everything was delicious. My favorite part was the raspberry sorbet, it was so smooth and refreshing. The sake was very good, this being my first sparkling sake. I think the dessert was a very pleasant ending to our night out.
Overall I would definitely recommend Thom Thom, the tuna tartar appetizer was great, but I would not order sushi. I have had seafood here before and the cooked seafood dinners are excellent, much more worth it. Next time I will stick to exploring the seafood dishes (and definitely would always recommend taking advantage of their great price fix menu!)
Upon arriving, the dining room was pretty bright, something I was not use to when dining here previously. We were seated right away in the back corner, nice to be away from the main crowd. There were enough people eating but the restaurant was not really packed out at all. We had in mind a sushi dinner, as Thom Thom is a steak, seafood sushi restaurant, and decided to stick to our plan. The one main comment about the food is that the sushi choices are limited but this is not a restaurant one would go to if they are having a sushi crave (try nissen in woodbury or kiku in massapequa).
Our waiter came to the table promptly, asking if we would like to order drinks/needed any suggestions. We were torn between two bottles of pinot noir and our waiter was extremely helpful, being that he worked in a wine distributor for a number of years. We went with the Sean Minor Carneros pinot and than continued to look at the menu. Our waiter brought our wine out pretty quick which was nice to just relax and have a drink before really looking at the menu. One thing to note, as our waiter even told us, they are not looking to rush you in this restaurant at all so you are free to sit back, relax and take your time ordering, something we definitely took advantage of.
The wine was delicious, very cherry taste to it with no harsh tannins at all, a very nice smooth finish. It was a great recommendation and nice to see a restaurant with a knowledgable waitstaff. With the wine came out a bread basket except here, they are little garlic pita triangles, soft and very warm, with a platter of butter, hummus and a cucumber mayo. I love the hummus and was happy to munch on that while looking at the menu. We decided to order one appetizer before looking at anything else, and went with the Ahi Tuna Tartar, the appetizer we like to order at seafood restaurants to test the quality since either it is going to be incredible or horrible, depending on the freshness. After a few minutes the tartar came, with avocado, yuzu and tobiko. The tuna was so fresh and the avocado had a really fresh taste to it, and the sauce that was surrounding the molding was delicious. That was a really great first impression to our dinner date.
With a limited choice in rolls, we decided to order two, one speciality and one classic. The specialty was the rainbow naruto roll, which had tuna, salmon, white tuna, kani kami, avocado, thinly sliced cucumber and mustard soy. We also ordered the bbq eel. When our rolls came out, I was surprised to see the specialty roll was wrapped in the cucumber, not seaweed something different and interesting. My boyfriend got an order of spicy mayo too. The speciality roll was very good, very fresh seafood but it was served a little too cold temperature for me. I did like the variation using the cucumber instead of seaweed it was a nice surprise. The bbq eel roll was just as the other roll, fresh but served a bit too cold. But this is not a sushi restaurant so I knew it was not going to be out of this world.
Finishing off our bottle of wine we both wanted a little something else but decided to go with dessert instead of another roll just because the sushi was decent but not amazing. We ordered the chocolate purse which was a dark chocolate shell with one scoop of vanilla ice cream, one scoop of chocolate ice cream, one scoop of raspberry sorbet with a chocolate drizzle and whipped cream and caramel sauce on the side. Also we ordered a bottle of hana awaka, a sparkling, floral and fruity sake. As our dessert came out it looks great, towered very high with everything. Taking the first bite, everything was delicious. My favorite part was the raspberry sorbet, it was so smooth and refreshing. The sake was very good, this being my first sparkling sake. I think the dessert was a very pleasant ending to our night out.
Overall I would definitely recommend Thom Thom, the tuna tartar appetizer was great, but I would not order sushi. I have had seafood here before and the cooked seafood dinners are excellent, much more worth it. Next time I will stick to exploring the seafood dishes (and definitely would always recommend taking advantage of their great price fix menu!)
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Besito, Roslyn, NY
I don't particularly love mexican but when I find a great mexican restaurant, I love going there. That is how it is with South of the Border and one cute little restaurant I dined in in Old Town San Diego, Casa Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant. I have heard much hype about Besito and since last week was restaurant week on LI, decided to give it a try with my boyfriend.
Thursday I had an interview in the city so I took the train straight to the Roslyn station for a 6:45 reservation. We decided on Roslyn because since it was restaurant week, we figured the Huntington location may be a bit crazy and we just wanted a relaxing date night after I ran around in the city. The roads were a bit confusing in the area but we made it to the shopping center Besito is in. They have a cute outdoor patio area for eating but unfortunately it was raining so we headed inside.
The bar in directly in front when you arrive and it is a very nice size with a good vibe. The atmosphere is a little darker, perfect for a date or a night out with the girls or some friends. We were seated immediately in the back left corner, a corner booth. This was probably the best seat in the house for a romantic dinner, away from everything and able to snuggle in the corner. Right away we were brought the menus and some salsa and fresh chips to snack on. The salsa was really good, a nice spicy bite with some jalapeno and the chips were not greasy at all. I saw the great drink selections and had a feeling this was going to be a great experience.
I ordered their signature frozen margarita, the only frozen drink on the menu, while my boyfriend ordered their signature margarita on the rocks. The difference mine had a house tequila and one other flavor while my boyfriend's had patron. Before the drinks arrived I went to the bathroom, which was relatively small with two stalls, but clean.
Returning to the table my margarita was waiting for me. It was definitely really string but tasted really good, perfect for a summer evening. My boyfriends drink was a lot less strong tasting, for me would be more dangerous! Restaurant week is known to have price fixed menus, app, dinner and dessert for 24.95. Besito opens the whole menu for the deal, but a few entrees cost a bit more if ordered. I decided I just wanted the chile rellenos al hongos (something new for me) and didn't want any appetizers so I didn't do the price fixed. The only appetizer that really was appealing was the tableside guac, where they bring out a cart, make the guac in front of you to your flavor preference. But since my boyfriend doesn't like guac, and it was not included in the price fixed, I went with the entree. My boyfriend decided to order for an app the empanadas hongos, entree filete de res al chipotle. I was excited to try my new food.
We had plenty time to actually enjoy our drinks before our food came out, something I prefer at restaurants. I hate the feeling of someone rushing me and at Besito, you do not feel even close to rushed which is relaxing. For foodies and those out there looking to find a restaurant that encourages the appreciation of food, this is your place.
First my boyfriend appetizer came, empanadas filled with wild mushrooms, goat cheese and salsa manzana (a green sauce). He said it was really crispy and cooked perfect. He let me try a little bit of the filling with the salsa and it tasted so so good, getting me excited for my dish since it was filled with similar ingredients.
As the food came out I ordered another frozen margarita. The margarita came out within minutes, which was perfect since I was able to enjoy my food with the drink. So on to my entree. The description is poblano peppers filled with wild mushrooms, baby spinach, goat cheese pine nuts and topped with salsa ranchera. It was topped with a big spoonful of goat cheese. I cut a piece of the pepper and dipped it in the salsa. It just melted in my mouth. The combination of melted goat cheese with everything else was just amazing. I was so pleasantly surprised with ordering something I usually do not.
My boyfriend's entree was grilled beef filet mignon, rajas, queso chihuahua and chipotle quemado salsa. He said the meat was so tender and juicy, and had a nice smoky taste to it. The portion was so big he was not able to finish it all but definitely was enticed to keep eating by just the smell. He still had a dessert coming though and was ready to wait after the quality of the food so far. He ordered a cheese flan with a chocolate fruit sauce, something we both never had. I am not a big flan person but decided tonight was trying new things so why night. It's presentation was very nice on the plant and we both took a small spoon full. It actually was delicious. The cheese was creamy but not over powering, with a nice balance with the sauce. An unexpectedly yummy taste. We hung around a bit after dessert, neither of us able to finish up everything.
Overall I would highly recommend Besito, though it is a little pricier for the normal restaurant. But the food and drinks, service, atmosphere and overall experience make this mexican restaurant worth a little extra splurge to have a nice night out.
Thursday I had an interview in the city so I took the train straight to the Roslyn station for a 6:45 reservation. We decided on Roslyn because since it was restaurant week, we figured the Huntington location may be a bit crazy and we just wanted a relaxing date night after I ran around in the city. The roads were a bit confusing in the area but we made it to the shopping center Besito is in. They have a cute outdoor patio area for eating but unfortunately it was raining so we headed inside.
The bar in directly in front when you arrive and it is a very nice size with a good vibe. The atmosphere is a little darker, perfect for a date or a night out with the girls or some friends. We were seated immediately in the back left corner, a corner booth. This was probably the best seat in the house for a romantic dinner, away from everything and able to snuggle in the corner. Right away we were brought the menus and some salsa and fresh chips to snack on. The salsa was really good, a nice spicy bite with some jalapeno and the chips were not greasy at all. I saw the great drink selections and had a feeling this was going to be a great experience.
I ordered their signature frozen margarita, the only frozen drink on the menu, while my boyfriend ordered their signature margarita on the rocks. The difference mine had a house tequila and one other flavor while my boyfriend's had patron. Before the drinks arrived I went to the bathroom, which was relatively small with two stalls, but clean.
Returning to the table my margarita was waiting for me. It was definitely really string but tasted really good, perfect for a summer evening. My boyfriends drink was a lot less strong tasting, for me would be more dangerous! Restaurant week is known to have price fixed menus, app, dinner and dessert for 24.95. Besito opens the whole menu for the deal, but a few entrees cost a bit more if ordered. I decided I just wanted the chile rellenos al hongos (something new for me) and didn't want any appetizers so I didn't do the price fixed. The only appetizer that really was appealing was the tableside guac, where they bring out a cart, make the guac in front of you to your flavor preference. But since my boyfriend doesn't like guac, and it was not included in the price fixed, I went with the entree. My boyfriend decided to order for an app the empanadas hongos, entree filete de res al chipotle. I was excited to try my new food.
We had plenty time to actually enjoy our drinks before our food came out, something I prefer at restaurants. I hate the feeling of someone rushing me and at Besito, you do not feel even close to rushed which is relaxing. For foodies and those out there looking to find a restaurant that encourages the appreciation of food, this is your place.
First my boyfriend appetizer came, empanadas filled with wild mushrooms, goat cheese and salsa manzana (a green sauce). He said it was really crispy and cooked perfect. He let me try a little bit of the filling with the salsa and it tasted so so good, getting me excited for my dish since it was filled with similar ingredients.
As the food came out I ordered another frozen margarita. The margarita came out within minutes, which was perfect since I was able to enjoy my food with the drink. So on to my entree. The description is poblano peppers filled with wild mushrooms, baby spinach, goat cheese pine nuts and topped with salsa ranchera. It was topped with a big spoonful of goat cheese. I cut a piece of the pepper and dipped it in the salsa. It just melted in my mouth. The combination of melted goat cheese with everything else was just amazing. I was so pleasantly surprised with ordering something I usually do not.
My boyfriend's entree was grilled beef filet mignon, rajas, queso chihuahua and chipotle quemado salsa. He said the meat was so tender and juicy, and had a nice smoky taste to it. The portion was so big he was not able to finish it all but definitely was enticed to keep eating by just the smell. He still had a dessert coming though and was ready to wait after the quality of the food so far. He ordered a cheese flan with a chocolate fruit sauce, something we both never had. I am not a big flan person but decided tonight was trying new things so why night. It's presentation was very nice on the plant and we both took a small spoon full. It actually was delicious. The cheese was creamy but not over powering, with a nice balance with the sauce. An unexpectedly yummy taste. We hung around a bit after dessert, neither of us able to finish up everything.
Overall I would highly recommend Besito, though it is a little pricier for the normal restaurant. But the food and drinks, service, atmosphere and overall experience make this mexican restaurant worth a little extra splurge to have a nice night out.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Rachels, Freeport again!
On the 13th, me and my boyfriend decided to make a trip to Rachels Waterside Grill in freeport, ny. This is more of a staple for us so we did know what to expect. But we ordered different things to change it up.
Upon arriving we decided to get a couple of drinks at the bar and my boyfriend ordered a usual dirty martini while I asked the bartender for something with cherry in it. The bartender was very attentive and even remembered us from last time so was very friendly and decided to make something not on the menu which had pear liqueur, vodka, seltzer and grenadine. I don't remember the name but it was very tasty. Our table was ready within five minutes of arriving but we relaxed for a bit before heading to our table.
We were seated in the screened in porch room, my favorite part of the renovations (very excited for when they open up the porch) When we sat down we were planning on an appetizer but our hearts were set on oysters Rockefeller, which ended up being a special item during the summer. As we snacked on the bread, my favorite the brown with the raisins, we decided to look a the wine list first (my favorite part of the meal). First I asked about their amazing Sangria but still not in season (our waitress said so many people are requesting it they believe it will be back on the menu before memorial day, sooner than usual) We were pleasantly surprised that they just updated the list and all wines were extremely affordable, three pinot noirs were either 24 or 26 dollars, very cheap for pinot! We ended up ordering the 99vines pinot noir, and I would highly suggest it! It was perfectly balanced with a nice red cherry taste.
Instead of appetizers, we realized all entrees came with soups or salads and that would be fine instead of an app. I decided to order something new, the pan eared scallops over balsamic, sundried tomato, fresh mozz and artichoke risotto with a salad and their balsamic dressing, a high reco. My boyfriend ordered the paella and a beef barley soup (the best is the soup that comes with your entree comes with the soups of the day). Our salad and soups came quickly and my boyfriend said the soup was very very good. Afterwards, our entrees came with enough time in between to talk and enjoy our wine. My scallops actually ended up coming out prepared the incorrect way and my boyfriend's paella came out hot and covered. This was good because they were able to take my entree back and had my entree to the table in two minutes (my guess they just grabbed the wrong table's entree). The pan seared scallops were delicious with a minimal amount of grease (the way I prefer). But my risotto just tasted like seasoned colored rice, I was not too found of it. I just ate the artichokes out of it. The fresh mozzarella had more of a polly-o taste to it, but guess shouldn't expect too much since it was not an italian restaurant. The most important part is the seafood at a seafood joint, and the scallops were not chewy at all.
But on the other hand, my boyfriend was sadly disappointed with his meal. The shrimp were cooked well, but he just felt that all his seafood did not have the taste he would expect from a seafood restaurant. He also did not enjoy his rice, but guess that's what you get for ordering a mexican meal at a seafood restaurant. (south of the border in wantagh is where it's at for paella). After finishing up our food we were full, and set on stopping at ralphs for the first time since lent was over!, for dessert so left afterwards.
We did not leave with a negative impression just for the fact we have ordered many amazing things at rachels and it wasn't the food that brought disappointment, it was the fact we chose to order the wrong styled dishes at the restaurant. But after receiving a complimentary bottle of wine certificate for my bday in the mail, we will definitely be back in may!
Upon arriving we decided to get a couple of drinks at the bar and my boyfriend ordered a usual dirty martini while I asked the bartender for something with cherry in it. The bartender was very attentive and even remembered us from last time so was very friendly and decided to make something not on the menu which had pear liqueur, vodka, seltzer and grenadine. I don't remember the name but it was very tasty. Our table was ready within five minutes of arriving but we relaxed for a bit before heading to our table.
We were seated in the screened in porch room, my favorite part of the renovations (very excited for when they open up the porch) When we sat down we were planning on an appetizer but our hearts were set on oysters Rockefeller, which ended up being a special item during the summer. As we snacked on the bread, my favorite the brown with the raisins, we decided to look a the wine list first (my favorite part of the meal). First I asked about their amazing Sangria but still not in season (our waitress said so many people are requesting it they believe it will be back on the menu before memorial day, sooner than usual) We were pleasantly surprised that they just updated the list and all wines were extremely affordable, three pinot noirs were either 24 or 26 dollars, very cheap for pinot! We ended up ordering the 99vines pinot noir, and I would highly suggest it! It was perfectly balanced with a nice red cherry taste.
Instead of appetizers, we realized all entrees came with soups or salads and that would be fine instead of an app. I decided to order something new, the pan eared scallops over balsamic, sundried tomato, fresh mozz and artichoke risotto with a salad and their balsamic dressing, a high reco. My boyfriend ordered the paella and a beef barley soup (the best is the soup that comes with your entree comes with the soups of the day). Our salad and soups came quickly and my boyfriend said the soup was very very good. Afterwards, our entrees came with enough time in between to talk and enjoy our wine. My scallops actually ended up coming out prepared the incorrect way and my boyfriend's paella came out hot and covered. This was good because they were able to take my entree back and had my entree to the table in two minutes (my guess they just grabbed the wrong table's entree). The pan seared scallops were delicious with a minimal amount of grease (the way I prefer). But my risotto just tasted like seasoned colored rice, I was not too found of it. I just ate the artichokes out of it. The fresh mozzarella had more of a polly-o taste to it, but guess shouldn't expect too much since it was not an italian restaurant. The most important part is the seafood at a seafood joint, and the scallops were not chewy at all.
But on the other hand, my boyfriend was sadly disappointed with his meal. The shrimp were cooked well, but he just felt that all his seafood did not have the taste he would expect from a seafood restaurant. He also did not enjoy his rice, but guess that's what you get for ordering a mexican meal at a seafood restaurant. (south of the border in wantagh is where it's at for paella). After finishing up our food we were full, and set on stopping at ralphs for the first time since lent was over!, for dessert so left afterwards.
We did not leave with a negative impression just for the fact we have ordered many amazing things at rachels and it wasn't the food that brought disappointment, it was the fact we chose to order the wrong styled dishes at the restaurant. But after receiving a complimentary bottle of wine certificate for my bday in the mail, we will definitely be back in may!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Nisen Sushi Commack
For date night me and my boyfriend were craving sushi so we decided to use open table and make a reservation for Nisen. Boy did we make a great choice.
We decided on 7pm reservations but arrive at 640 so we had time to drink at the bar since I was told their drinks are great. Arriving at Nisen in Woodbury and seeing we had no reservations, we checked our email confirming my boyfriend made the reservations in Commack instead. We were a bit bummed when they said they had absolutely no tables at 7 and couldn't accommodate our mistake but than again it was our mistake. Our impression of Woodbury was great though. It looks like a hole in the wall sushi take out from the outside but it feels like you are entering a new world when you get past the front doors. So we than bolted to the car and drove as quick as we could to make our 7pm reservations in Commack.
Upon arriving there, we were seated immediately. From the outside, the place once again not too impressive but the inside was trendy and fun, especially the sushi bar and private round tables. We were placed in the general dining area at a table that just seemed like a pizza place table packed with others. There were a bunch of families and children and I was a little bummed since I thought this was going to be a really fancy date night. But I decided to not let that get me down and actually give the place a chance, I mean it really is all about the sushi.
First things first, we took a look at the drink menu. It was really big, a lot of sake choices and wine and we both decided to try the $12 sake flight. They served three shot glasses (maybe a bit more than a generic sized shot glass) full of sake and each had a unique taste. One was more flowery while the other was sweet and toasted and the third was fruity. We both loved all the them and were happy we chose to do it.
We ordered the Spicy squid appetizer which is Japanese squid in a spicy sauce with vegetables. The plate came and we were impressed by the size. There was a lot of squid with corn, green beans and mushrooms. The squid was so tender, not even close to chewy, and the sauce was phenomenal. This already started to make the less romantic atmosphere seem unimportant.
For rolls we ordered two specialty rolls, the monkey jump and Scottish Goat roll. The monkey jump had tuna, mango, avocado, chopped yellow tail and chili padi paste on top (labeled hot hot hot on the menu). The Scottish Goat roll had seared ginger salmon, goat cheese, roasted portobello mushroom, japanese salsa and balsamic mirin glaze. I also ordered a piece of eel while my boyfriend ordered a piece of smoked salmon.
First we both ate our pieces of sushi and they were amazing. My eel was warm and soft, the eel sauce on top delicious. He loved his smoked salmon. Next we had a piece of the monkey jump. Very fresh tasting but not spicy at all. I had to put a bunch of wasabi on it to be up to my spicy expectations. My boyfriend wasn't too crazy about the roll but we expected that since he doesn't like mango or avocado. But surprisingly it was not the mango that bothered him but rather the avocado. That was because the avocado was so fresh that it had a strong taste to it but I loved it. Next we tried the Scottish Goat roll. That roll was just absolutely amazing. We both did not expect that at all but we just sat there feeling like we just ate the most extravagant thing ever. We also both were so happy we decided to stay here and order that, and the surroundings could have been a japanese take out in the back of an alley, it would not have mattered. After these rolls we were satisfied and since it is lent and I gave up ice cream while my boyfriend gave up chocolate, we had to pass on dessert. But we both wished we did not have to.
Overall I would rate this restaurant a perfect 10, and am more than looking forward to eating at the one in Woodbury! I would tell any sushi fan on Long Island, if you appreciate amazing sushi and are looking to eat somewhere that has a unique menu with rolls that will blow you away, visit Nisen, it is really bang for your buck high quality.
We decided on 7pm reservations but arrive at 640 so we had time to drink at the bar since I was told their drinks are great. Arriving at Nisen in Woodbury and seeing we had no reservations, we checked our email confirming my boyfriend made the reservations in Commack instead. We were a bit bummed when they said they had absolutely no tables at 7 and couldn't accommodate our mistake but than again it was our mistake. Our impression of Woodbury was great though. It looks like a hole in the wall sushi take out from the outside but it feels like you are entering a new world when you get past the front doors. So we than bolted to the car and drove as quick as we could to make our 7pm reservations in Commack.
Upon arriving there, we were seated immediately. From the outside, the place once again not too impressive but the inside was trendy and fun, especially the sushi bar and private round tables. We were placed in the general dining area at a table that just seemed like a pizza place table packed with others. There were a bunch of families and children and I was a little bummed since I thought this was going to be a really fancy date night. But I decided to not let that get me down and actually give the place a chance, I mean it really is all about the sushi.
First things first, we took a look at the drink menu. It was really big, a lot of sake choices and wine and we both decided to try the $12 sake flight. They served three shot glasses (maybe a bit more than a generic sized shot glass) full of sake and each had a unique taste. One was more flowery while the other was sweet and toasted and the third was fruity. We both loved all the them and were happy we chose to do it.
We ordered the Spicy squid appetizer which is Japanese squid in a spicy sauce with vegetables. The plate came and we were impressed by the size. There was a lot of squid with corn, green beans and mushrooms. The squid was so tender, not even close to chewy, and the sauce was phenomenal. This already started to make the less romantic atmosphere seem unimportant.
For rolls we ordered two specialty rolls, the monkey jump and Scottish Goat roll. The monkey jump had tuna, mango, avocado, chopped yellow tail and chili padi paste on top (labeled hot hot hot on the menu). The Scottish Goat roll had seared ginger salmon, goat cheese, roasted portobello mushroom, japanese salsa and balsamic mirin glaze. I also ordered a piece of eel while my boyfriend ordered a piece of smoked salmon.
First we both ate our pieces of sushi and they were amazing. My eel was warm and soft, the eel sauce on top delicious. He loved his smoked salmon. Next we had a piece of the monkey jump. Very fresh tasting but not spicy at all. I had to put a bunch of wasabi on it to be up to my spicy expectations. My boyfriend wasn't too crazy about the roll but we expected that since he doesn't like mango or avocado. But surprisingly it was not the mango that bothered him but rather the avocado. That was because the avocado was so fresh that it had a strong taste to it but I loved it. Next we tried the Scottish Goat roll. That roll was just absolutely amazing. We both did not expect that at all but we just sat there feeling like we just ate the most extravagant thing ever. We also both were so happy we decided to stay here and order that, and the surroundings could have been a japanese take out in the back of an alley, it would not have mattered. After these rolls we were satisfied and since it is lent and I gave up ice cream while my boyfriend gave up chocolate, we had to pass on dessert. But we both wished we did not have to.
Overall I would rate this restaurant a perfect 10, and am more than looking forward to eating at the one in Woodbury! I would tell any sushi fan on Long Island, if you appreciate amazing sushi and are looking to eat somewhere that has a unique menu with rolls that will blow you away, visit Nisen, it is really bang for your buck high quality.
Don Juan Massapequa Park NY
So wanted to catch up the blog with two new restaurants, first post Don Juan.
After traveling out to Bay Shore with my boyfriend and his family, we headed back home and stopped at Don Juan for dinner at about 8pm. The wait was minimum half an hour which is pretty long for that late at night around town, but that meant the food had to have been worth it. I have been here once before with my boyfriend and while enjoying it, was not overly impressed.
Once our table was finally set, we were in a booth along the windows, nice location. We decided to order drinks, I went with a frozen banana margarita while my boyfriend and his dad had a black and tan beer and his mom just had seltzer. We wanted to order appetizers to munch on while we looked at the menu since everyone was pretty hungry. Our waiter was very attentive which alleviated any anxiousness from having to stand up waiting for a table. (one negative for don juan, there is no waiting area for patrons and the bar is barely big enough to accommodate four people)
We went with jalapeno poppers {baked which was a bonus} and guacamole. Free chips and salsa came to the table as well. The salsa had a nice smooth consistency and a spicy flavor. The chips were not too oily at all, a plus since a lot of mexican restaurants serve heavily fried chips. I started with one jalapeno popper, something I never had. It was very good, with a soft jalapeno inside with cheese and a nicely baked crust outside. I did not like the creamy dip since it's not really my thing but everyone else said the dip was delicious. Moving on to the guacamole. I personally loved it, it had a very fresh avocado taste, not too over seasoned. Others at the table thought it was just a little too much on the bland side but I thought that was the best part of it.
I settled on ordering a grilled chicken lime salad, my boyfriend and his dad ordered combo plates and his mom ordered the chicken fajiti plate. My salad had a full avocado cut up, lettuce, tomato, grilled chicken and a special lime avocado dressing. Overall it was very light and freshly flavored, but it just was missing a little something. When I went to Texas I ordered a chicken avocado salad at an outdoor texmex restaurant. They actually chopped and mashed everything together, making avocado really the base not lettuce, and that added something that I felt Don Juan's salad was missing. My boyfriends combo platter had a quesadilla, burrito, and I believe tostado. He really loved everything and I tried the cheese quesadilla which was soft and melted, not overly cheesy. I also ate his refried beans, I think my salad with beans would have made a big difference in adding that missing something. My boyfriends dad devoured his combo plate, loving everything on it and my boyfriend's mom really enjoyed her sizzling fajiti. I also ordered a raspberry margarita this time, which was delicious.
After dinner it was very late so we chose not to have dessert with it. But we lingered around for a bit, drinking our drinks and relaxing. I think that Don Juan knows what they are doing when it comes to drinks. The frozen margaritas are a must have, with so many flavor options, and they even have sangria as well. They have a lot of beer and wine choices and most importantly, the margaritas and sangrias come in pitchers for a great price.
I definitely recommend making a trip to Don Juan for primarily drinks and than a little added mexican food.
After traveling out to Bay Shore with my boyfriend and his family, we headed back home and stopped at Don Juan for dinner at about 8pm. The wait was minimum half an hour which is pretty long for that late at night around town, but that meant the food had to have been worth it. I have been here once before with my boyfriend and while enjoying it, was not overly impressed.
Once our table was finally set, we were in a booth along the windows, nice location. We decided to order drinks, I went with a frozen banana margarita while my boyfriend and his dad had a black and tan beer and his mom just had seltzer. We wanted to order appetizers to munch on while we looked at the menu since everyone was pretty hungry. Our waiter was very attentive which alleviated any anxiousness from having to stand up waiting for a table. (one negative for don juan, there is no waiting area for patrons and the bar is barely big enough to accommodate four people)
We went with jalapeno poppers {baked which was a bonus} and guacamole. Free chips and salsa came to the table as well. The salsa had a nice smooth consistency and a spicy flavor. The chips were not too oily at all, a plus since a lot of mexican restaurants serve heavily fried chips. I started with one jalapeno popper, something I never had. It was very good, with a soft jalapeno inside with cheese and a nicely baked crust outside. I did not like the creamy dip since it's not really my thing but everyone else said the dip was delicious. Moving on to the guacamole. I personally loved it, it had a very fresh avocado taste, not too over seasoned. Others at the table thought it was just a little too much on the bland side but I thought that was the best part of it.
I settled on ordering a grilled chicken lime salad, my boyfriend and his dad ordered combo plates and his mom ordered the chicken fajiti plate. My salad had a full avocado cut up, lettuce, tomato, grilled chicken and a special lime avocado dressing. Overall it was very light and freshly flavored, but it just was missing a little something. When I went to Texas I ordered a chicken avocado salad at an outdoor texmex restaurant. They actually chopped and mashed everything together, making avocado really the base not lettuce, and that added something that I felt Don Juan's salad was missing. My boyfriends combo platter had a quesadilla, burrito, and I believe tostado. He really loved everything and I tried the cheese quesadilla which was soft and melted, not overly cheesy. I also ate his refried beans, I think my salad with beans would have made a big difference in adding that missing something. My boyfriends dad devoured his combo plate, loving everything on it and my boyfriend's mom really enjoyed her sizzling fajiti. I also ordered a raspberry margarita this time, which was delicious.
After dinner it was very late so we chose not to have dessert with it. But we lingered around for a bit, drinking our drinks and relaxing. I think that Don Juan knows what they are doing when it comes to drinks. The frozen margaritas are a must have, with so many flavor options, and they even have sangria as well. They have a lot of beer and wine choices and most importantly, the margaritas and sangrias come in pitchers for a great price.
I definitely recommend making a trip to Don Juan for primarily drinks and than a little added mexican food.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Vittorios, Amityville
I have been dying to try Vittorios for over a month now since my friend hyped it up, being one of their regular customers. Finally we picked Friday for me to experience this supposedly unbelievable establishment. And I must say, the wait was definitely worth it. To start of, we arrived and I was a bit nervous because it wasn't busy really. I read reviews that the bar placement, which is as soon as you enter, is inconvenient because of the crowd that gathers at vittorios on the weekend. But, as I was told, last night was not even close to a usual Friday for them (the combo of no meat on Fridays for lent and the night before St Pats did it.) We took a seat at the bar waiting for one more person to arrive and I started with a glass of Riesling. Everyone knew my friend there so we were talked to by our waiter and allowed to ease into our 630 reservation, not sitting down until about 730.
As we sat we wanted to just have our drinks and relax, which the waiter was more than accommodating. He brought out the hot steaming bread, purchased daily from a brick oven place in Brooklyn. The crust was nice and crispy and the inside was warm and soft, perfect. I wanted to let my friend do the ordering so he said we have to, absolutely have to order the tuna tartar appetizer so we ordered two of them. Also, we got mussels luciano, the crab cakes, and fresh mozzarella with roasted red pepper. Oh my god for the tuna tartar, a must have appetizer. It is so fresh and the presentation is really nice. The wine sauce with the mussels was phenomenal, as I soaked it up with the bread. The mussels were not fishy at all. The fresh mozzarella was the way it should be and the crab cakes, which I tend not to order because I do not like them pan seared, were melt in your mouth.
My friend left ordering a nice bottle of wine up to me, with my bit of wine experience. I picked the argyle pinot noir and it was a perfect pick. It had a red cherry taste with a bit of complexity. We relaxed and had the bottle of wine, letting our stomachs digest the redic. amount of appetizers we had. What I really like was that the restaurant knows how to provide appropriate service. After finishing the apps, a bunch of waiters came and cleaned up the table, ensuring there were no crumbs and everyone had their silverware. And even though I was full, I was just too enticed not to try an entree.
I left this choice up to the waiter, who was nice and very receptive of what the customer enjoys. I told him I am not much of a meat person and right off the bat, he said off the menu I would absolutely recommend the striped bass. I never have had striped bass before but he said I could not go wrong. My friend ordered the lobster tail, along with my boyfriend, and someone else tried the spaghetti with fire roasted pepper and prosciutto while the last person ordered garganelli with a veal and sage ragu.
I picked the second bottle of wine to come with our dinner, which was the cab sauv stags leap. Another excellent choice, a bit heavier than the pinot, perfect for dinner.
To start with my food, the tomato brodetto the fish was cooked in was to die for. A generous portion of the bass was on top of a bed of spinach. I was so full but had to soak up as much of the tomato brodetto as I could. My boyfriend and friend's lobster tail was oversized and served with spinach and mashed potatoes. My boyfriend said the sauce was rich, a perfect compliment for lobster, and the lobster was cooked perfect. The spaghetti had a nice spice to it since it was fire roasted sauce, and the garganelli was a nice specialty to have, with a generous portion of veal in the ragu.
After sitting now in the restaurant for 3 hours and digesting everything, of course not finishing our entrees, my friend said we will not leave without ordering dessert. Of course they bring a dessert tray over where you pick what looks the best, and of course nothing looked bad! I left it up to him to order the dessert, and he said we had to order the cheesecake and the chocolate molten cake. I am not a chocolate person but it was dark chocolate heaven when you ate it. And you even have the option of a dollop of peanut butter underneath it. I am not a cheesecake person, but my boyfriend said the cheesecake was smooth, light, and delicious.
We sat a bit after dessert to finish off the wine and ending up leaving the restaurant at 1130, 5 hours after getting there. But those were the best 5 hours I have ever spent at a restaurant. The service made you feel like family and that you were their priority, the way a diner should be treated. I will be returning to try the countless other items on the menu that sound amazing. And, as I was told, the specials of the night are always the best part (mmmm tuna tartar!!)
I highly recommend everyone getting down to Vittorios, use a reservation on the weekend, and taking a step into food heaven!
As we sat we wanted to just have our drinks and relax, which the waiter was more than accommodating. He brought out the hot steaming bread, purchased daily from a brick oven place in Brooklyn. The crust was nice and crispy and the inside was warm and soft, perfect. I wanted to let my friend do the ordering so he said we have to, absolutely have to order the tuna tartar appetizer so we ordered two of them. Also, we got mussels luciano, the crab cakes, and fresh mozzarella with roasted red pepper. Oh my god for the tuna tartar, a must have appetizer. It is so fresh and the presentation is really nice. The wine sauce with the mussels was phenomenal, as I soaked it up with the bread. The mussels were not fishy at all. The fresh mozzarella was the way it should be and the crab cakes, which I tend not to order because I do not like them pan seared, were melt in your mouth.
My friend left ordering a nice bottle of wine up to me, with my bit of wine experience. I picked the argyle pinot noir and it was a perfect pick. It had a red cherry taste with a bit of complexity. We relaxed and had the bottle of wine, letting our stomachs digest the redic. amount of appetizers we had. What I really like was that the restaurant knows how to provide appropriate service. After finishing the apps, a bunch of waiters came and cleaned up the table, ensuring there were no crumbs and everyone had their silverware. And even though I was full, I was just too enticed not to try an entree.
I left this choice up to the waiter, who was nice and very receptive of what the customer enjoys. I told him I am not much of a meat person and right off the bat, he said off the menu I would absolutely recommend the striped bass. I never have had striped bass before but he said I could not go wrong. My friend ordered the lobster tail, along with my boyfriend, and someone else tried the spaghetti with fire roasted pepper and prosciutto while the last person ordered garganelli with a veal and sage ragu.
I picked the second bottle of wine to come with our dinner, which was the cab sauv stags leap. Another excellent choice, a bit heavier than the pinot, perfect for dinner.
To start with my food, the tomato brodetto the fish was cooked in was to die for. A generous portion of the bass was on top of a bed of spinach. I was so full but had to soak up as much of the tomato brodetto as I could. My boyfriend and friend's lobster tail was oversized and served with spinach and mashed potatoes. My boyfriend said the sauce was rich, a perfect compliment for lobster, and the lobster was cooked perfect. The spaghetti had a nice spice to it since it was fire roasted sauce, and the garganelli was a nice specialty to have, with a generous portion of veal in the ragu.
After sitting now in the restaurant for 3 hours and digesting everything, of course not finishing our entrees, my friend said we will not leave without ordering dessert. Of course they bring a dessert tray over where you pick what looks the best, and of course nothing looked bad! I left it up to him to order the dessert, and he said we had to order the cheesecake and the chocolate molten cake. I am not a chocolate person but it was dark chocolate heaven when you ate it. And you even have the option of a dollop of peanut butter underneath it. I am not a cheesecake person, but my boyfriend said the cheesecake was smooth, light, and delicious.
We sat a bit after dessert to finish off the wine and ending up leaving the restaurant at 1130, 5 hours after getting there. But those were the best 5 hours I have ever spent at a restaurant. The service made you feel like family and that you were their priority, the way a diner should be treated. I will be returning to try the countless other items on the menu that sound amazing. And, as I was told, the specials of the night are always the best part (mmmm tuna tartar!!)
I highly recommend everyone getting down to Vittorios, use a reservation on the weekend, and taking a step into food heaven!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Two in one... Sapporo & Rachels Waterside Grill
So so busy with work and interviews but time to update this. Haven't been going out to many restaurants since I have to save money but two that I just did.
So Valentine's Day made a necessary excursion to a restaurant since I don't have my own house so cooking the romantic dinner wasn't happening. Me and my boyfriend wanted to keep it low key since we didn't want to be in a restaurant with price fixed menus swarmed with thousands of couples, being rushed and pushed by the waiting staff, and crammed into an available table. We decided sushi was a necessity, specifically with a love boat in mind, and actually made restaurants at Sapporo in Wantagh on Merrick Road.
This Japanese restaurant has been a usual for me and my boyfriend because of its' traditional atmosphere with a room to sit on the floor, a couple of mid level booths and the regular tables. We have been going to Kiku in Massapequa as a regular sushi place but definitely not for the atmosphere just merely the great quality. But I would say Sapporo's quality is comparable to Kiku, just the prices tend to be a bit more. So we arrived at 7 with reservations for a booth since my bf doesn't like sitting on the floor and we came to Sapporo for the environment, so the regular tables were out of question. But when arriving apparently they didn't really plan it well to have a booth open and were going to just be sat at a table, without even asked. This started off my night with a bad experience but since it was Valentine's Day I kept my cool and my bf wanted me to be happy anyway so he agreed to the floor. It actually worked out though because we were sat in a section a step higher than the other section so it was pretty private, only one other floor seating available. As we sat down, we weren't given/offered water but it was fine because we wanted to order drinks. I had to ask the young girl who sat us for a menu and she came pretty quickly. But for the waitress to come to actually take the drink order didn't really happen.
Another couple was seated about fifteen minutes after us and was served water and also had their drink requests taken immediately. This was a bit irritating but once again it was Valentine's Day and we were doing it low key so no biggy. Finally fifteen minutes after that couple's drinks were given our waitress took our drink order (same waitress as them). We decided we wanted something hot so did a large hot sake but also wanted a bottle of wine and were intrigued by the plum wine. The hot sake was very good so we were definitely happy with the choice. The plum wine was a bit sweet for our liking with dinner but it was something to try and was very good so we couldn't complain. It took a bit of time for the waitress to take our order but she brought own green beans with a soy based sauce on top and it was a nice hold over. All of a sudden we were brought an appetizer. I know we didn't order one and the table next to us did, but at Kiku they serve a free appetizer so I figured maybe it was a Valentine's Day treat. Well halfway through it we could tell the person who served it messed up and it was meant for the other table but oh well.... they served us real slow anyway. And the waitress had the nerve to come over and say it wasn't even for us.
So when we had ordered the menu said soup or salad but the waitress never presented the question, which I really didn't notice. Unfortunately I really like the salad with ginger dressing, but not so much Miso soup. Well the two soups came out and I figured might as well try it. The soup actually was not half bad. It wasn't too salty and I didn't hate the tofu. I was pleasantly surprised. We also ordered the large sushi platter since I had my idea of a love boat Valentine's dinner but this time was unpleasantly surprised. Out came our sushi platter that was smaller than the price charged and on a plain white plate, no presentation or boat. This was another strike on the restaurant, especially since the table sat 15 minutes after us got their food 30 minutes before us.
We were pretty hungry at that point and dug in. Another unpleasant surprise. The sashimi was a bit fishy, and the sashimi octopus was incredibly chewy. Not something I wanted. There were rolls with tempura crunch flakes inside, something me and my boyfriend both hate. I don't like mayonnaise or spicy mayo but at Kiku when we get the spicy tuna roll, there is such a small amount of mayo in it that I don't hate it. Well here it tasted like a teaspoon of mayo in each roll. IT was horrible. My boyfriend, who loves spicy mayo, did not even eat it. This was probably the most disappointing sushi experience we have had in awhile. What made it worse was we had not had sushi in a month and were really looking forward to it. This is big deal for a couple who eats sushi once a week typically.. but got to save money.
We definitely did not want dessert and ran out as fast as possible. But when the bill was bought our waitress said oh and the appetizer was compliments of the chef. Well if you mess up a dish and bring it to someone who didn't order it, you would only hope the restaurant would not charge... thanks for nothing.
Sapporo is somewhere that will have to earn my credibility before even considering returning. It will be Kiku from now on.. stay tuned for the next review :)
So shifting gears a bit from a bad to a great experience we move on to Rachel's Waterside Grill in Freeport. Me, my bf, and my friend from The Netherlands visited this establishment on Sunday, March 4. I needed to bring my friend somewhere good since she never visited LI and only been to NY once. I thought that the Nautical Mile had to be best since it has an awesome view and fresh seafood (she hardly gets fresh seafood back home). She also loved the varietal menu so we ventured out around 7pm.
Getting there there was no one there, well typical for a Sunday during March. I was most excited because they built glass around the patio deck on the water to make it winter accessible with a nice working fireplace. During the summer the glass opens to have the wonderful water view. As we were seated against the water, the waiter asked to take our drinks. We weren't quite ready yet but I did ask if they had their sangria since it is definitely my favorite sangria, but unfortunately only a summer thing (guess I'll have to go back ;) ). My friend went with a glass of sweet white (can't remember which variety), I went with the house cab sauv, and my bf the dirty martini. Our drinks came out with a great bread basket which I was excited since I love their brown bread with raisins. The wine was very good for a house and everyone else liked their drinks as well.
Our waiter let us call him over once we were ready since there really was no one there. I decided to be adventurous and try the ahi tuna served with seaweed salad. I love seaweed salad but never had ahi tuna before. I really like tuna sashimi so decided there couldn't be much harm in trying it. My boyfriend went with a nightly special of a white fish, can't remember the type, served with new potatoes and a thai lemongrass sauce. And my friend decided to get the steamed seafood special. It included clams, scallops, shrimp, and seafood stuffed flounder. We also went with a half dozen baked clams.
The clams came out first and that was in fact a bit of a mistake. They were tiny tiny and overpriced. But I must say they were delicious. During the summer I order the Rockefeller oysters, much better choice and excited to come back for them! Our food came out in a timely manner, giving us time to digest but not get impatient.
First I tried a piece of the tuna, which had a wasabi sauce drizzled on top. I actually ended up hating it! Turns out ahi tuna kinda tastes like steak, something I hate more than anything. I only eat chicken and seafood so that was bit of a disappointment. But the seaweed salad was absolutely delicious, and that is very important to me since last time I got seaweed salad it was from Asian Moon in Massapequa and I got terribly sick from it. My boyfriend tried a piece of the tuna and he loved it (probably because he is steak obsessed). Yet the wasabi dressing was amazing so I asked for more of that it put a lot of it on it so I could eat something.
The special my boyfriend ordered, on the other had, was right up my alley. It was delicious and had a more than perfected thai sauce. The fish was not fishy at all and the potatoes tasted perfectly marinated in the sauce. He let me eat one piece of the fish while he hate the other since the portion was tremendous, as well was mine. Next time I think I will try to get something similar to that, or stick to my favorites such as the stuffed LI flounder or scallops.
My friend loved her over sized, bang for your buck priced seafood platter. And she got mashed potatoes, something she eats almost daily at home but hasn't had in the US. (she was doing an internship from January until March in DC). She was just impressed with the quality and tastiness of the fish, glad to make her happy. I have had that platter many times before and was not surprised by how much she liked it. I was glad she found something enjoyable.
We all were unfortunately too stuffed for dessert and decided to head out afterwards. I easily will say, Rachel's impressed me once again, with the atmosphere and the seafood quality. To go out to eat, not like your dish at all, yet still come out with such a positive experience really defines a restaurant doing it right. And don't get me wrong, my dish was perfectly prepared and acceptable, but I just found out I am not a fan of Ahi Tuna.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
South of the Border Wantagh, NY
So last night me and my boyfriend wanted to go somewhere for some warm food but somewhere that is different and fun. The first thing that came to my mind was pitchers of margarita or sangria will warm up the night. And I couldn't think of a better place to go but South of the Border on Wantagh Avenue in Wantagh, New York.
Pulling up the restaurant looks like a restaurant that belongs on the streets of San Diego. It has a nice clay exterior and is lit up so very inviting. You walk in and the entry way is very small so if anyone else is coming in, it gets a bit cramped and not so inviting to wait. But luckily you are more than welcome to pull a chair to the bar and enjoy a few pre dinner drinks while waiting for a table. We did not need to wait for a table which was good since it was a Saturday night at 7pm, but we also were lucky because it was crowded and after we were seated, a bunch of people came in and had to wait for a table.
So as soon as we sat down, we looked around the inside. Boy is it festive. With fun mexican colors and decorations, this is the type of place to have a fun date night, or a night out with the girls. Our waitress was quick to our table to see if we wanted anything to drink and I asked for the drink menu but she said they didn't have one. So I asked okay do you have pitchers of anything? and she said absolutely! what do you have in mind? This was a big plus since I had a few things on mind and asked about margarita pitchers, sangria pitchers, and if they have frozen drinks... Her answers, yes, yes, and yes! But she did not recommend getting a frozen margarita pitcher since it would definitely melt down as we were drinking it. So I said okay Sangrias, do you have red? and she once again said yes both red and white. I already was falling for this place, good sign when they have everything you want. So we decided to order a pitcher of sangria.
A couple minutes later the waitress brought chips and salsa. I am not the biggest fan of fried chips but I decided to give it a try to taste the salsa. I must say for fried chips, they were certainly not too greasy/oily and I even enjoyed them. And man the salsa was to die for. Looking at the menu I knew I was craving a mexican grilled chicken salad so I was set on that. But it wasn't easy to keep myself from looking at other choices to change my mind to. I did see one thing in particular I knew my boyfriend would be interested in, a paella with mussels shrimp clams lobster and chorizio. He never had it before and decided what the heck lets test it out.
We had a nice gap of time to enjoy our sangria and the dynamics while waiting on our entrees. I did not mind this at all because some restaurants just care about turnover and try to get you out as quick as possible. What was even better was the waitress did not continually ask how we were, especially since we did not have any food yet, so me and my boyfriend actually got to talk and have a nice date night. One negative was that they did not put water on the table and it took a few minutes to flag down our waitress for some water.
Out came our entrees, my boyfriends in a traditional paella pot and my salad a very large portion for not too bad of a price (11.95). The paella had more seafood than I could imagine and was only 23.95 so that was not too bad at all either. He was amazed by the large amount of lobster and all seafood he received and was pleasantly surprised. We were ready to just dig in but everything was nice and hot so that allowed up to pace ourselves. The paella was so good it was hard not to be an animal and eat it non stop.
My salad had a whole avocado, large grilled chicken, some corn, pepper, beans and cheese. It was not the most impressive salad and I probably would order something different next time but it was very fresh and tasty. I would say that it was worth the price though and did satisfy me. The paella was by far the bang for your buck entree and I would highly recommend someone ordering it. And better they do have the paella in size for 2 for around 44. So a good date idea!
The salsa was very spicy and I was a bit buzzed from the entire pitcher of sangria with my bf so I was pretty full and ready to go after finishing eating. One not about the sangria.. IT was amazing! there were oranges and apples in it, we ordered the one with red wine, and it tasted delicious. One note, stir it before pouring because it was not mixed very well. Another thing, a pitcher is way larger than you think and is the perfect size for a party of four! Probably too much for just me and my boyfriend but still so so worth it... Next time I would love to try the frozen margarita and have room for some desserts as well!!
With that being said, overall I would highly recommend South of the Border, whether it is for a date or with friends or even your family. It was a place that is not to be overlooked and if you live in the area, somewhere you have to go to at least once!
Until next time, enjoy eating out on LI!
Pulling up the restaurant looks like a restaurant that belongs on the streets of San Diego. It has a nice clay exterior and is lit up so very inviting. You walk in and the entry way is very small so if anyone else is coming in, it gets a bit cramped and not so inviting to wait. But luckily you are more than welcome to pull a chair to the bar and enjoy a few pre dinner drinks while waiting for a table. We did not need to wait for a table which was good since it was a Saturday night at 7pm, but we also were lucky because it was crowded and after we were seated, a bunch of people came in and had to wait for a table.
So as soon as we sat down, we looked around the inside. Boy is it festive. With fun mexican colors and decorations, this is the type of place to have a fun date night, or a night out with the girls. Our waitress was quick to our table to see if we wanted anything to drink and I asked for the drink menu but she said they didn't have one. So I asked okay do you have pitchers of anything? and she said absolutely! what do you have in mind? This was a big plus since I had a few things on mind and asked about margarita pitchers, sangria pitchers, and if they have frozen drinks... Her answers, yes, yes, and yes! But she did not recommend getting a frozen margarita pitcher since it would definitely melt down as we were drinking it. So I said okay Sangrias, do you have red? and she once again said yes both red and white. I already was falling for this place, good sign when they have everything you want. So we decided to order a pitcher of sangria.
A couple minutes later the waitress brought chips and salsa. I am not the biggest fan of fried chips but I decided to give it a try to taste the salsa. I must say for fried chips, they were certainly not too greasy/oily and I even enjoyed them. And man the salsa was to die for. Looking at the menu I knew I was craving a mexican grilled chicken salad so I was set on that. But it wasn't easy to keep myself from looking at other choices to change my mind to. I did see one thing in particular I knew my boyfriend would be interested in, a paella with mussels shrimp clams lobster and chorizio. He never had it before and decided what the heck lets test it out.
We had a nice gap of time to enjoy our sangria and the dynamics while waiting on our entrees. I did not mind this at all because some restaurants just care about turnover and try to get you out as quick as possible. What was even better was the waitress did not continually ask how we were, especially since we did not have any food yet, so me and my boyfriend actually got to talk and have a nice date night. One negative was that they did not put water on the table and it took a few minutes to flag down our waitress for some water.
Out came our entrees, my boyfriends in a traditional paella pot and my salad a very large portion for not too bad of a price (11.95). The paella had more seafood than I could imagine and was only 23.95 so that was not too bad at all either. He was amazed by the large amount of lobster and all seafood he received and was pleasantly surprised. We were ready to just dig in but everything was nice and hot so that allowed up to pace ourselves. The paella was so good it was hard not to be an animal and eat it non stop.
My salad had a whole avocado, large grilled chicken, some corn, pepper, beans and cheese. It was not the most impressive salad and I probably would order something different next time but it was very fresh and tasty. I would say that it was worth the price though and did satisfy me. The paella was by far the bang for your buck entree and I would highly recommend someone ordering it. And better they do have the paella in size for 2 for around 44. So a good date idea!
The salsa was very spicy and I was a bit buzzed from the entire pitcher of sangria with my bf so I was pretty full and ready to go after finishing eating. One not about the sangria.. IT was amazing! there were oranges and apples in it, we ordered the one with red wine, and it tasted delicious. One note, stir it before pouring because it was not mixed very well. Another thing, a pitcher is way larger than you think and is the perfect size for a party of four! Probably too much for just me and my boyfriend but still so so worth it... Next time I would love to try the frozen margarita and have room for some desserts as well!!
With that being said, overall I would highly recommend South of the Border, whether it is for a date or with friends or even your family. It was a place that is not to be overlooked and if you live in the area, somewhere you have to go to at least once!
Until next time, enjoy eating out on LI!
Restaurants on LI
So I love food and everything about it.. cooking, understanding nutrition, finding out where it comes from, and eating! I am a bit of a restaurant lover and all my friends always ask me for restaurant recommendations or where we should go. One suggested I should blog about where I go since I love always trying new restaurants, no matter where I go.
A bit of background on me. I just graduated from Cornell University in December (an early grad yay!) and now I am searching the job market for my perfect fit. I already did find a position that I was offered but it required me moving which face it, I am a LI girl and my friends and family are too so I was not ready to uproot my life. I just got a new puppy and am pretty tied down to being home to take care of her (not all too bad of a responsibility) but I decided since I am home anyway why not start this blog.
I will add posts when I go to new restaurants, what I ordered, what I liked/didn't like about the atmosphere/food/service etc and hopefully help people find new places to frequent and enjoy.
I hope you like reading my blog!
A bit of background on me. I just graduated from Cornell University in December (an early grad yay!) and now I am searching the job market for my perfect fit. I already did find a position that I was offered but it required me moving which face it, I am a LI girl and my friends and family are too so I was not ready to uproot my life. I just got a new puppy and am pretty tied down to being home to take care of her (not all too bad of a responsibility) but I decided since I am home anyway why not start this blog.
I will add posts when I go to new restaurants, what I ordered, what I liked/didn't like about the atmosphere/food/service etc and hopefully help people find new places to frequent and enjoy.
I hope you like reading my blog!
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