Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Clinton Hall – New York, NY

I was told about a great burger place in New York called Clinton Hall. So, the last time I was in the city I visited their newest location on 36th Street.

As soon as I walked through the door I knew this would be a fun place. They had games throughout like giant chess and connect four. They also had tons of board games you could borrow and play at the table.

If you like beer, then Clinton Hall is the right place for you. They have a full assortment of beers on tap.

I started off with the Waffle Fries. These crispy fries were covered in a melted cheese sauce. They sprinkled scallions and jalapenos on top. I ate a few jalapenos with the cheese, but they ended up being too spicy.

The cheese sauce was very creamy. The salty taste was perfect on the waffle fries and there was no other salt needed.

I ordered the CH Classic. This was their traditional burger. The beef patty was extra juicy and tender. They cooked it to a perfect medium. I got American cheese on top. This added a nice creaminess. The lettuce and tomato added freshness.

The burger also came with their CH sauce on the bun. This was almost like a thousand island dressing. It added a nice sweet taste to the burger.

Clinton hall was a great place for a burger and for watching football. They had huge televisions throughout the restaurant.

Check out one of their locations at www.clintonhallny.com

Enjoy!

T

Casa Nonna – New York, NY – Visit #2

I was so excited to make a second visit to Casa Nonna in New York City. I loved my meal the last time I went. I could not wait to try something new on the menu.

Similar to the last visit, I arrived at the restaurant earlier than everyone else in my group. So, I headed over to the bar for a cocktail. I ordered an Aperol Spritzer. This blended prosecco, aperol, and seltzer water. It was semi-sweet with lots of bubbles.

To munch on they gave me some of their homemade flatbread. I remembered these and they were delicious. These were crispy like crackers and topped with spices and parmesan cheese that was melted and crispy as well.

Once the rest of my group arrived we got seated at a cozy booth.  This was nicer than a table because it allowed for easier dinner conversation.

We ordered several appetizers to share around the table. The fried calamari were a must. I remember I had this before and really liked it. The tender calamari were breaded and fried until crispy. They also included julienne vegetables, that consisted of red peppers and pepperoncini peppers. I liked the tangy flavor that the peppers added to the taste of the calamari.

Out next was the Mozzarella in Carrozza. This fresh made cheese came with fresh heirloom cherry tomatoes and a basil pesto. The cheese was extremely creamy and sweet. The basil pesto added an herby taste that really paired well with the tomatoes.

The last appetizer was the Bruschetta. Now they offer three different kinds. We went for the Sicilian Eggplant Caponata, which is a marinated mixture of eggplant, ricotta cheese blended with herbs, and chopped up squash. This entire mixture was then topped with a drizzle of balsamic and piled high onto some toasted baguette pieces. There was such a sweet taste to the eggplant mixture. The balsamic added a slight tartness but it was very mild. The baguette pieces added a nice crunch to each bite.

I was excited to try my dinner. This time I ordered the Pici Alla Toscana. It was a twisted pasta that was covered in a Tuscan beef-pork ragu. The rich, creamy aroma of the pasta smelled wonderful as soon as my waiter placed the bowl in front of me.

There was an overall creamy texture to the sauce. It had a full savory flavor. The pasta was tender even though the noodles were slightly thick. The portion was the right size because it was rich. If it was any larger I would not have been able to finish it.

The last time I ate at Casa Nonna I was not able to try any of their desserts. I made sure I ordered a cannoli this visit. It came out in a beautiful presentation on the plate. There were fresh berries on the plate and the cannoli was gently placed on top. It was dusted with powered sugar.

Each end of the cannoli was covered in chopped up pistachios. I really liked the salty and crunchy element it added. The cream was very smooth and creamy. It filled the entire shell, which had a slight cinnamon taste.

I once again enjoyed my entire meal at Casa Nonna. It is definitely a place I would keep going back to. Check them out at www.casanonna.com

Enjoy!

T

Denino’s South Pizzeria – Brick, NJ

New Jersey has a ton of Italian restaurants all over the place. While I was visiting Brick, NJ I stopped into one of those Italian restaurants called Denino’s South Pizzeria.

I could smell the pizza and pasta as soon as I walked in. I saw on the chalkboard of specials that they had Italian wedding soup that day. I knew I would be ordering that. It was a nice large bowl. It was filled with spinach, meatballs, carrots, and onions. The chicken broth had a pleasant saltiness that paired well with the earthy taste of the spinach. The meatballs were tender and absorbed the flavor of the soup.

I shared the homemade rice ball. There was no way I could eat one on my own because they were just too big.

They were crispy on the outside. On the inside was the tender, cheesy rice with a center that was loaded with meat and peas. I drizzled some of the pasta sauce that came on the side. That added extra flavor and moisture. The rice was soft, and I really like all the cheese they mixed in. The meat was tender, and the peas added a slight hint of sweetness.

The meatball sandwich was much larger than I was expecting. These large meatballs were covered in sauce and mozzarella cheese. They were then stuffed into a fresh made hoagie roll. I had to cut this sandwich in half in order to be able to pick it up.

The meatballs were dense but still moist. They were full of flavor from all the Italian seasoning that was mixed in. The cheese added a creamy element. The bread soaked up the sauce from the meatballs. This sandwich filled me up quickly.

This was a great place for lunch. They have a pretty extensive menu. Check them out at www.deninosbricknj.com

Enjoy!

T

Wharfside – Point Pleasant, NJ – Visit #2

I was looking forward to my second visit to the seafood restaurant Wharfside in point Pleasant, NJ. It was a nice evening along the water.

I ordered a sangria to start the evening. It was made with a dry red wine but the fruit and liquor they put in the wine helped make it sweeter.

The meal started off with several appetizers for the table. The tuna bites were the first thing out. The fresh tuna was blacked and served with soy sauce and wasabi. The tuna was seared on the outside and still pink on the inside. It tasted awesome with the soy sauce. The wasabi added a little heat.

The calamari were the second appetizer out. It had a great crispy breading on the outside. The calamari were extremely tender. The marinara sauce that they served on the side was the perfect accent.

The stuffed mushrooms were spectacular. They had a really crispy batter on the outside that created a great crunch and sealed in the heat. The inside of the mushrooms were stuffed with a crabmeat stuffing. This filling was delicious. The sweetness of the crab meat paired well with the earthy flavor from the mushrooms.

My meal came with a bowl of soup. I made sure to have the Manhattan clam chowder. The vegetable-based broth had the perfect amount of seasoning. They loaded the chowder up with fresh vegetables and lots of tender clams. It is the ultimate seaside soup.

I also got to try the clams casino. These fresh clams came out in their shells. They were baked with onions, peppers, and bacon. These clams were also very tender. The bacon gave them a salty and smoky taste.

It was now time for the main dishes to come out. I got the Canadian salmon. It was grilled up and topped with a caramelized rum glaze. The glaze accented the flakey salmon with an awesome sweetness.

They served a mashed sweet potato as a side dish. The combination of the rum glaze and the sweet potatoes was perfect. It was a sweet tasting side and the potatoes were so creamy.

If all this food wasn’t enough, a dessert came with my dinner. I got the homemade rum raisin ice cream. The ice cream was super creamy. It had a slight rum taste to it. There were a ton of raisins mixed throughout. It was the perfect end to the meal.

I am so glad I got to go back to Wharfside. The food was great and I did not leave hungry. Check them out at www.wharfsidenj.com

Enjoy!

T

Happy Thanksgiving

The Terrace Grille – Lakeland, FL

Lakeland is located in Central Florida in between Tampa and Orlando. It is home to many lakes, hence the name. Downtown you will find Lake Mirror, breweries, cigar bars, food trucks, craft shops, and so many other great things to see and do.

The Terrace Hotel is one of those places that is a must visit in downtown Lakeland. It is a hotel from 1924 that has been restored to its former glory.

   

Located inside the hotel is the Terrace Grille. They serve a nice Sunday brunch.

  

Naturally I started off with a mimosa. If you have read my blog before, anytime I have brunch, having a mimosa is a must.

There were several items on the menu that peaked my interest, including a quiche. I was feeling like pancakes so I ordered their classic breakfast because it came with pancakes.

I got my eggs scrambled with a side of crispy bacon. The pancakes were the perfect petite size. I tried them before I put maple syrup on them. They were very sweet. I have never tasted a batter like this before. Adding butter to them put a salty complement to the taste. I put a little maple syrup  on some bites to add even more sweetness.

This was a really nice place to have brunch with friends. Whether you are staying at the hotel or not, the Terrace Grille is a great spot to get a bite to eat.

Check them out at http://www.terracehotel.com/

Enjoy!

T

The Whole Enchilada – Winter Garden, FL

The town of Winter Garden has a cute downtown main street. There are several places to sit in Centennial Park and enjoy music or people watching. There are walking and biking trails, and several shops and restaurants.

It was around lunch time and I went to check out The Whole Enchilada.

The restaurant has a walk-up counter to order. Then they bring the food to your table. It is a great set up. It really allows for customers to come and go quickly.

I placed my order and headed over to their salsa bar. They have four different salsas ro choose from. I made sure I tried all of them with my chips.

  • Smooth Pico – a mild salsa full of chopped up tomatoes and onions with cilantro
  • Verde – a green salsa with a tangy flavor
  • Roasted Tomato – crushed tomatoes with a smoky taste
  • Mango Salsa – sweet flavor with chunks of fresh mango. This was my favorite.

The chips and queso were the perfect starter. The queso was creamy with no spice at all. I did combine a little of the pico with the queso to add some texture.

The tacos I ordered were brought to the table. I ordered the Hasselhoff. These are classic tacos filled with ground beef and topped with jack and cheddar cheeses. I got them in a crunchy shell, but a soft shell is also an option.

The beef on the taco needed a little extra seasoning. I added the mango salsa to them as well as some of the queso. This created a combination of sweet and salty.

The Whole Enchilada was a great place for lunch. They have a nice roof top bar and seating area that is perfect for a nice summer evening.

Check them out at www.TWEFreshmex.com

Enjoy!

T

Donovan’s – San Diego, CA

I love a good steakhouse. When visiting San Diego, I was lucky to get to visit Donovan’s Steakhouse. They are a high-end restaurant known naturally for their steaks.

When I walked in, I headed straight to the bar where I got to enjoy a fun cocktail.

I ordered the Orange Mark. It was a blend of green mark Russian vodka, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and San Pellegrino blood orange.

This drink was sweet and smooth. I loved the orange flavor. It was not overpowering, yet still refreshing. It went down very easy.

After pre-dinner cocktails, we headed over to our table. To my surprise when I opened my menu it lit up. It was the coolest thing and it was really necessary because the restaurant was dark inside.

The table started with a giant seafood tower. The presentation was spectacular. It came with raw oysters, crab legs, jumbo shrimp, and lobster tails. I tried everything except the raw oysters.

The crab meat was sweet and did not need any sauces to be enjoyed. The shrimp were so big I needed to cut them in half in order to dip them in the cocktail sauce. For the lobster, normally I would want my lobster hot and with melted butter. But this lobster tail was cold. I really enjoyed it cold. The sweet taste came out more because it was cold. The meat was also very tender. I did eat a few pieces with cocktail sauce for a little bite of horseradish.

Not long after finishing the fresh seafood, the steaks came out. I ordered an 8oz filet mignon. Rather than a plain, medium filet changed it up and got it Oscar style.

By ordering the filet this way, I got Alaskan king crab meat on top and then it was covered with a house made béarnaise sauce. It was extremely over the top. it was really tasty but in the end I think the crab and sauce actually took away from the flavor of the steak. Plus it cost a lot extra to do it this way and it was not worth the price.

Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the steak after I took some of the béarnaise sauce off. There was a nice salty, grilled taste. It was a perfect medium too.

I also enjoyed a glass of red wine with the steak. It helped enhance the flavors of the meat.

On the side I got two pieces of asparagus. It was grilled up and also had a slight salty taste. I really wish I had gotten a few more pieces.

Along with the steak I got a classic baked potato. I made sure they put butter and bacon on it. The butter made the potato creamy and the bacon added crunch.

The table also ordered a side of creamed spinach to share. I had a little taste of it. It reminded me of a spinach dip that you would eat with tortilla chips while watching football. It was good but I was starting to get full and wanted to save room for dessert.

Speaking of dessert, I shared the fresh made crème brulee. It came with fresh strawberries on top. It was the perfect sixe for sharing.

The sugar was caramelized to perfection. It had a slight saltiness to it and added great crunch to the cream when eaten together. The cream filling itself was sweet and smooth. I am so glad I ended my meal with this dessert. The sweetness helped balance out the saltiness of the steak.

If you are looking for a wonderful steak while in San Diego, then check out Donovan’s. They are a little pricy so check out their menu first at www.donovanssteakhouse.com

Enjoy!

T

 

 

 

Break Awayz – Flagler Beach, FL

When visiting a town or city I have never been to sometimes it is a challenge to know where the good hang outs and restaurants are. I find that asking the locals is a great way to start. But there is something even better to try, ask a local bartender. Why? They will know the hot spots that stay open late. Bartenders and kitchen staff from other restaurants want to go out and party too, unfortunately they have to wait till their places close. I have discovered tons of places that stay open late just to make sure they can serve their peers.

That is the exact reason that I went to Break Awayz. My bartender at Tortugas recommended this restaurant. She said she goes here all the time after work.

  

What people love about Break Awayz is the huge assortment of beer and wine options plus their food selection. So I pulled a seat up to the bar and started looking over their beers. I wanted a beer that was more on the lighter side that had a fruity taste. That is exactly what I found in the Watermelon Dorado Ballast Povant. I could smell the watermelon when I held the glass to my nose. And sure enough, this beer was full of watermelon flavor. It was a sweet taste that was very refreshing.

Now it was time for food. There were a few things that caught my attention – tacos, hummus dip, and several tuna dishes.

I settled on the Ahi tuna plate. It was a huge tuna that was seared perfectly on the outside and a soft pink on the inside. They sprinkled sesame seeds on the outside that added crunch. As soon as I took a bite I could taste the flavor of the sesame oil that they cooked the tuna in. It added a nutty flavor to the fish. It was amazing.

It also came with a side of freshly steamed Jasmine rice and a seaweed salad. The seaweed was chilled and it had a sweet taste not salty. It paired well with the sesame accents from the tuna.

This stop to Break Awayz was the perfect ending to a fun night. If you are looking for a great spot you need to visit. Check them out at http://www.break-awayz.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

 

Tortugas – Flagler Beach, FL

When people think about Florida beaches I am sure that Daytona Beach is top of mind. However, about 30 minutes north is a small community called Flagler Beach. This beach was named after Henry Flagler who was an oil tycoon and a Florida railroad developer. Do not think that this is a quiet beach town because there are several hot spots that I found on my most recent visit.

One of those spots was Tortugas. Located right across the street from the beautiful Atlantic Ocean sits this two story restaurant.

This place was hopping with a live music and tons of fire pits to keep yourself warm from the ocean breeze.

  

The music the band was playing was energizing and it got me in the mood for a fun cocktail. I went for a “Painkiller”. It was rum mixed with orange and pineapple juices plus fresh coconut cream. It was not overly sweet which surprised me. The refreshing taste paired well with the salty ocean breeze.

I was not super hungry when I got there but I did want to try something off their menu. I went for the conch chowder. It was a big bowl filled with a tomato based broth and fresh vegetables, including big chunks of potato. The chowder was loaded with pieces of fresh conch. It was very hearty and filling.

If you are looking for a fun beach bar for during the day or at night, Tortugas is the spot. With their live music and fun drinks you can easily spend all day there.

Check out their seafood menu at http://www.tortugasflorida.com/

Enjoy!

T