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.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
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.
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