Estiatorio Ammos – New York, NY

I recently had dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant in New York called Estiatorio Ammos.

Everything on the menu is supposed to be extremely fresh. This includes the fresh fish that are flown in daily. I was greeted by a few of these fish when I walked in and saw them on ice.

The atmosphere inside the restaurant was electric. The place was packed, every table was full. I loved the décor on the walls. It was unique.

Appetizers were the first thing I ordered. I made sure to pick some items that would be good to share around the table. First up was the Octapodi. This was fresh octopus that was grilled up with fennel, onions, and roasted red peppers.  This mixture was then tossed with a balsamic emulsion. I have not been a huge fan of octopus in the past. However, I was willing to give it another chance. I am so glad that I did. The octopus was extremely tender and the texture and taste of it was truly like chicken.

The next appetizer was the Keftedes. These were ground sirloin meatballs that were stuffed with feta cheese and parsley. The meatballs were topped with a tomato and basil sauce. The meat was moist and full of flavor. The feta cheese gave the meatballs a tangy taste rather than a creaminess.

Out next was the Greek salad which was perfect for sharing. They used Horiatiki beef steak tomatoes, Kalamata olives, onions, cucumbers, and tri-colored peppers. They sprinkled freshly made feta cheese on top and then drizzled extra virgin olive oil on everything.

This was a very fresh salad and there was not a single piece of lettuce. I loved how juicy the tomatoes were. They were sweet and mixed with the feta cheese it created the perfect pairing.

Along with the salad came some fresh made garlic bread with olives on the side. The olives were not pitted so you need to be careful when you take a bite. The garlic bread was very crispy and had a great buttery taste.

For the main dishes we decided to order a fish and a meat to share family style around the table. The whole fish we chose was the Fogri. This is a firm, mild white snapper that comes form the Greek Islands. The chef grilled this fish perfectly with lemon and capers. The chef also de-boned the fish to make it easier to eat.

The fish was light and flakey. The acid from the lemon and the saltiness from the capers complemented the sweetness of the fish.

For the meat, we chose the Brizola. This is a 24oz bone in ribeye that was wet aged. Wet aged means it was marinated in a bag. After grilling it up they drizzled a fine herbed butter on top.

The meat was cooked to a nice medium. It allowed the meat to still be juicy. It was tender but still slightly fatty. The butter added a rich flavor to the meat.

We had to order sides separately but were still able to share them. The roasted lemon potatoes were fantastic. I could not really taste the lemon, but they did have a savory flavor with a little hint of sweetness.

The Brussels sprouts were another must try side. They were sautéed with cured bacon. Then they were flambeed in a white wine sauce. I have never had Brussels sprouts prepared this way. It gave the spouts a nice subtle smoky taste.

The best part about sharing the main dishes was that it left plenty of room for dessert. We ordered two to share around the table.

The Baklava was layers and layers of phyllo dough that were filled with a mixed nut filling. Then the entire thing was dipped in a honey syrup. The nut mixture was extremely sweet and full of nutty flavor. They also served a homemade fig ice cream on the side. The flavor was also sweet, but the fig taste was subtle.

The second dessert was the Karidopita. This was a walnut cake that was dipped in a honey cinnamon syrup. They served vanilla ice cream along with it. The flavor of the cake had a great cinnamon taste from the syrup. It reminded me of a spice cake you would get at the holidays. It was the perfect accompaniment for a cup of coffee or a cappuccino.

The food was fantastic at Estiatorio Ammos. If you like Mediterranean food I would highly recommend you check them out. Visit their website at www.ammosny.com

Enjoy!

T

Happy New Year 2020

Bandar – San Diego, CA

I have been to many types of restaurants in my travels. However, I have never had Persian food. I was thrilled that I was going to be able to try something completely new. Bandar is located in the Gas Lamp District of San Diego. They have been serving their homemade Persian recipes for over 20 years.

The restaurant was beautifully decorated. It created a romantic feel.

  

They proudly displayed all the awards they have won. This included awards for their famous chicken.

We had a huge group for dinner the night I visited. They did a fantastic job at accommodating us.

The table started off with an assortment of dip appetizers. It was perfect for sharing.

This assortment included:

  1. Feta and Olives. The feta was extremely fresh. It was slightly sour and had a bite when eaten with the salty olives.
  2. Hummus. This was a classic pureed garbanzo bean and tahini (ground sesame seeds). This too was made fresh; I could tell by the texture. It went well with the fresh pita bread slices that were at the table.
  3. Must-O Khiyar (cucumber dip). This was homemade yogurt and chopped up cucumber. This dip was so light and refreshing. It is the perfect kind of dip to serve at a picnic or cookout in the summer.
  4. Kashk-O Bademjan (eggplant). The eggplant was sautéed in garlic and onion which created a savory flavor. The eggplant was tender and soaked up the essence of the garlic. This was my favorite of the four dips.

For dinner the menu offered so many choices from beef, chicken, lamb, vegetarian, and gluten free. Everything sounded great. I decided to try their chicken since it has won so many awards. Now that I had pin-pointed that I wanted chicken, it was time to decided which chicken dish to choose. I went for the Albalu Polo. This included their charbroiled chicken tenderloin and black cherry rice.

To start off, the portions on every dinner they served were huge. I am not exaggerating. It was the first thing everyone said when their plates came out. One person could not eat everything that came on the plate. I would highly recommend you share with someone.

The chicken was great. I could taste the saffron that they used as a marinade. It was not an overpowering spice. Somehow the chicken came out in balls. I have no clue how they did that. The moisture stayed in the meat so each bite was juicy.

The rice was out of this world. They used two types of rice, a long grain and a rice that almost felt like a skinny noodle. Mixed in with the rice were black cherries. They were chopped in half so that the cherry juice could mix throughout the rice. It was both sweet and tart at the same time. It added additional texture. I loved this rice; it was such a unique way to prepare something that could have been very plain. I could see myself eating this just as a meal.

This wonderful dinner was a perfect example of why people should venture out of their food comfort zone. Had I not ventured out I would never gotten to enjoy these Persian dishes. Check out the awards and menus at http://www.bandarrestaurant.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

Merry Christmas

Edgewater Grill – San Diego, CA

San Diego has so many restaurants. However, not all of them are along the water. Edgewater Grill lives up to it’s name. It is located right along the harbor.

I had a wonderful view, on a clear sunny day. As I sat there, I watched sail boats go back and forth. It really made me wish I was on one of them.

 

To enjoy the sunny day, I started off with an American Mule. It was American vodka and ginger beer. They served it in a copper mug to help keep it extra cold.

For lunch I wanted something light. The fish tacos looked like they would hit the spot. I had my choice of how I wanted my fish prepared. I got my Mahi-Mahi blackened for a little extra flavor.

The taco was loaded with shredded cabbage, large chunks of avocado, fresh pico de gallo, and bell peppers. The drizzled across the ingredients was a creamy yogurt sauce. Plus it came with a side of French fries.

The taco was so packed I needed to eat some of the fish and avocado by themselves in order to be able to pick up the taco. The corn tortilla shell they used was very fresh and had a great corn flavor. Even though the taco was stuffed they were not heavy or make me feel overly full.

If you want a nice relaxing spot for lunch then head over to Edgewater Grill.

  

http://www.edgewatergrill.com/

Enjoy!

T

Currant – San Diego, CA

When I travel for work I really like it when the people I am visiting select the restaurant to eat at. Usually they select a place they really enjoy so I am pretty much guaranteed a good meal. That’s what my experience was at Currant in San Diego.

Since it was San Diego, the restaurant had their doors and windows open so diners could enjoy the cool breeze from outside.

  

We had a table that was off on its own, it felt very private. We had a wonderful waiter who took care of our every need. They had many dishes on the menu that sounded delicious, including several of the daily specials.

While the crab cake sandwich sounded good, I could not stop thinking about the Primavera Risotto. I sounded so good I figured I would be mad at myself for not trying it.

The risotto was made with Arborio rice. It was combined with asparagus, carrots, cherry tomatoes (cut in half), tons of parmesan cheese, and cream to make the sauce.

This was the first time I ever had a risotto with this many vegetables. And to tell the truth, this was the best risotto I have ever had. It was extremely rich and creamy. Though it was rich, it was not an overpowering flavor. It was not the kind of risotto that after a few bites you would be full. I truly could not stop eating it.  Thank goodness it was a lunch size portion.

The flavor of the parmesan cheese shined through. The tomatoes added a slightly sour taste but it was minimal. The carrots added crunch. There was arugula on top that was slightly wilted because of the heat. It added a bitter, herby accent to the few bites I ate it with. And to my surprise, there was one beet in the center of the bowl. I did not see it until I started moving the risotto around. The cream sauce started turning purple. It just added color, it did not affect the taste.

The table also shared the thyme French fries. They were shoestring fries that were very crispy. It was a great thing to munch on while we waited for our food. Though they were cooked with thyme, I did not think there was enough on the fries. They could have added more for extra flavor.

Their dessert menu was extremely tempting. I was intrigued to try the Butterscotch Gooey Butter Cake. The waiter did say it was a popular dessert.

The butter cake was a heavy. The flavor reminded me of a sugar cookie. The cake was topped with a butterscotch icing. It was very sweet, and along with the cake, this dessert was over the top. I really enjoyed it but there was no way I could eat the whole thing myself. I would recommend sharing it.

The cake also came with a side of homemade caramel ice cream. It was topped with a rum anglaise. The ice cream was extremely creamy. It would be perfect on its own as a dessert. It also tasted great when combined with the cake.

When looking at the photo I took, you probably noticed a chocolate dipped biscotti. This came with another dessert but they did not want it. I decided to enjoy it along with my cappuccino. They make a really great cappuccino if you need a little caffeine boost.

So if you find yourself in San Diego, I would recommend you check out Currant. Visit their website to see all they have to offer. http://www.currantrestaurant.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

Havana NY – New York, NY

There are so many choices of cuisine in New York City. I usually get sushi or Italian when I visit. This most recent visit I wanted to try something different. I went for Cuban food at Havana NY.

It was a smaller restaurant on the inside. Lucky for me I made a reservation earlier in the day, so my table was ready when I arrived.

I started off by ordering the Blanco Sangria. This was a white wine sangria mixed with fresh apples and oranges. It was the right amount of sweetness.

I ordered a small bowl of the Sopa De Pollo. This was a fresh chicken soup with lots of vegetables and noodles. It had a real comforting feeling.

For my dinner I ordered the Lechon Con Mojo. This was a slow roasted pork that was so tender it shredded with just a fork. The pork was marinated in a mojo sauce that added a ton of flavor. The sauce brought out the essences of different citrus juices and garlic.

The pork was accompanied by yellow rice and red beans. The yellow rice had a subtle taste and went well with the savory flavor of the beans. It was a light side dish that went perfectly with the pork.

I did save room for dessert. I went for the Churros Con Chocolate. These were homemade churros that were still warm when they came to the table. The pieces were dusted with cinnamon and sugar. They had a nice crispy crunch on the outside bur still soft on the inside. A chocolate sauce came on the side for dipping. I ate a few pieces with the chocolate. It added even more sweetness to the churro. It was an awesome dessert. It would be perfect for sharing.

I really enjoy my meal at Havana NY. The staff was very friendly and made me feel welcomed. If you are looking for some delicious Cuban food in New York check them out. www.havanany.com

Enjoy!

T

The Rag Trader – New York, NY

There was a great bar and restaurant that I came across in New York called The Rag Trader.

It has a speak-easy feel on the inside. Their bar is beautiful with mirrors and trinkets to look at.

I started off with a Rose sangria. It was a blend of rose wine, elderflower, peach schnapps, orange liqueur, and ginger syrup. The drink was sweet and refreshing. There were chunks of granny smith apples in the sangria that added a sour accent and a crunch.

I ordered a few appetizers to have for my dinner. I figured it would be nice to try a couple of things without getting too much food.

I started with the Sriracha deviled eggs. The filling was smooth and creamy. I expected these to be spicy but there were not spicy at all. They placed crispy shallots on top that added a crunch and extra flavor.

The stuffed squash blossoms were a nice surprise on the menu. It has been a few years since I have gotten to enjoy these. These delicate blossoms were stuffed with ricotta cheese which made them extremely creamy. There was a buttermilk dressing on the plate that added a slight sour taste. They sprinkled lemon zest on top that added a hint of acidic tang.

The last thing that I ordered were the fried chicken sliders. It was the perfect portion size with two mini sandwiches. The little pieces of chicken were extremely crispy. There was a sriracha aioli on top that added a creamy texture but no heat. They included a red slaw on top that added a sour taste and crunch. It was a great complement to the chicken.

This was a great place for cocktails and some small bites. There were a few other dishes on the menu that I would want to try on my next visit.

Check them out at www.ragtraderny.com

Enjoy!

T

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