Boat Basin Cafe – New York, NY

I was meeting a friend of mine in New York for dinner and she made the recommendation to try Boat Basin Cafe. It is located near Riverside Park on the Upper West Side.

     

It is not an easy place to get to if you are not familiar with the area. It is actually underneath the road on 79th Street.

     

Once I found it I was impressed by its view of the Hudson River looking into New Jersey. An interesting fact about the Marina by the restaurant, it is where they shot some scenes from the movie You Got Mail with Tom Hanks.

     

It was time to order a cocktail. They are suppose to have a great rose sangria but they had run out for the day. So I went for a red sangria instead. It was good, nothing too special about it; it had a nice spice flavor to it.

One of the specials for the day were Aranchini. These Sicilian rice balls were loaded with fresh ground meat, peas, and carrots that were tossed in a pasta sauce. Then the mixture was covered with tender rice, breaded, and deep fried.

There was a generous amount of Parmesan cheese on top. They put the pasta sauce on the side which was good. It allowed the aranchini to stay crispy. I simply dipped each bite in the sauce before I ate it. The inside meat filling was very flavorful and it was accented with the taste of the pasta sauce.

I also shared the chicken nachos with my friend. The portion size was huge so it is definitely a must share. The nachos were loaded with creamy queso, fresh pico de gallo, and cilantro. The chicken was chopped up well so that it was easy to pick up with the chips.

It was a perfect night to have dinner outside. Not only was the view of the sunset wonderful but I had awesome company. We also visited at the perfect time because Boat Basin Cafe is only open seasonally. So if you are in the city before it gets too cold check them out.

www.boatbasincafe.com

Enjoy!

T

Croton – New York, NY

Sometime restaurants in NYC can be misleading in their size. I experienced this first hand. I walked into Croton for dinner and noticed that the restaurant itself was small inside (typical for a New York place). But to my surprise, they had a basement area which is where they offered their weekly happy hour.

     

I had to go hang out at the basement bar. I ordered a red sangria since it was there on happy hour special (which is lucky for me since those are one of my favorites). There was a hint of spice to the sangria. It was just missing the accent of fruit.

They had an eclectic offering of food to choose from. I ordered the Scotch Eggs. It had been a long time since I got to enjoy this dish.

These hard boiled eggs were covered with a thin layer of seasoned sausage. They had a thin layer of breading as well. This allowed the outside to be crunchy. They were cooked perfectly because the sausage was still moist and the egg was soft. They served a chipotle aioli on the side but it tasted more like a mustard. It tasted really good with the sausage and egg.

I also got to try the Croquette. The mashed potatoes had prosciutto mixed within. Then they were lightly breaded and fried.

There was a crunch from the breading but the mashed potatoes were creamy and soft. There was also an extremely sweet taste to the potatoes. The prosciutto did not add much saltiness.

Who could pass up Truffle Fries? I couldn’t! The table next to me ordered them and they smelt so good when they came out. So I ordered them. They were actually garlic truffle fries. The garlic aroma complemented the earthy smell of the truffles.

These dishes I ordered were small so I saved room for dessert. I went for the apple tart with cinnamon ice cream.

The tart pastry was crispy on the outside and gooey inside with sweet, tender apples. The cinnamon ice cream was full on cinnamon flavor. It had a natural taste to it, not that artificial cinnamon taste. The ice cream was tremendously creamy. The taste made it the perfect fall dessert.

I am so glad I checked out the unexpected basement at Croton. They had some great munchies and of course happy hour drinks. Check them out at www.crotonnyc.com

Enjoy!

T

Dos Caminos – New York, NY

If you are in the area of Madison Park in NYC and you are looking for a quick place to get lunch, check out Dos Caminos.

They have a really fun look inside with colorful wall art; beautiful wooden chandeliers, plus a fully stocked bar for many cocktail options.

     

     

The first thing I started with was the fresh made guacamole. This  is one of the things Dos Caminos is known for. The fresh avocados are mashed in a molcajete (a mortar and pestle made of stone). Then fresh, chopped onions and fresh cilantro are added. The guacamole was extremely creamy and still had a few chunks of avocado throughout. The tomatoes added a little sweetness from the juice. The fresh cilantro added a little peppery spice. It was perfectly paired with tortilla chips.

To also go along with the chips they offered three kinds of salsa.

(1) Green Chili – this was my favorite. It had a slight tangy taste.

(2) Roasted Pepper – I could taste the smokiness from the peppers actually being roasted.

(3) Tomato – this would be considered a more traditional salsa except it was on the runny side and there were no chunks of tomato; it had the consistency of a juice.

I ordered the Sopa de Tortilla for my lunch. This soup was made with a spicy roasted tomato broth that was creamy and thick. It was loaded with grilled chicken, pasilla negro chiles, avocado, and queso menonita.

It was topped off with crunchy strips of tortillas. The soup had a great flavor with only a slight amount of heat. I wish a little more of the chicken was included. It was very tender.

I saw on the menu that one of the sides they offered was Mexican Street corn. They offered it on or off the cob. I went for it off the cob. I figured it would be easier to eat. The corn was sweet, which was complemented by the tangy mayo/sour cream sauce. The coija cheese was sprinkled on top of the corn. This too added a slight tangy flavor.

Dos Caminos was a nice place to grab lunch. I would be interested to see what their dinner menu looked like. Visit their website at www.doscaminos.com

Enjoy!

T

Trademark – New York, NY

Once again I found myself visiting New York City.  What I love most about New York is the food scene. There are so many kinds of restaurants, from the hole in the wall neighborhood bars to high end, reservations required a year in advance, restaurants. There is something for everyone.

Not far from my hotel was a cute bar/restaurant called Trademark. You are greeted by a doorway full of ivy.

When you walk through the door there is a small bar and counter which I could only assume was for take out orders or quick bites.

As I walked further into the restaurant I was memorized by all the decorations along the walls. There were different types of candles and candle holders that had the romantic lighting reflecting across all the mirrors.

They also had this beautiful white subway tiles lining the walls and ceiling. The crisp white color glowed at the reflection of the lights and candles.

     

They even had these strange little wooden statues hanging on the wall.

They were offering a few specials on the menu the night I was there. Their meat and cheese tray sounded like a great starter. They offered fresh made slices of pepperoni and salami. They toasted up some crispy and buttery crostini. They offered an assortment of different olives (be careful – they were not pitted) and sweet white raisins (these complemented the salty meat). The star of this tray was the fresh made mozzarella cheese. The cheese was soft and creamy. There was a slight saltiness to the cheese, but it was not overwhelming.  It was also delicious with the sweet white raisins.

For my dinner I ordered the Rigatoni Bolognese. They offered two portion sizes. I went for the smaller portion. The tender pasta was tossed in the meaty Bolognese sauce that had a rich, hearty taste. They sprinkled fresh grana padano cheese over the paste. Grana padano is very similar to Parmigiano Reggiano.

Right in the center of this pasta was a dollop of fresh, soft Ricotta cheese. The smooth texture of the cheese mixed perfectly with the meat sauce to create an even creamier sauce for the pasta. It was rich in taste but because I got the smaller portion I was able to each the entire bowl of pasta without feeling overly full.

The food was so fresh at Trademark I enjoyed both things I ordered. They had a few other menu items that sounded wonderful, I would want to head back to try them. See what they are all about on their website www.trademarktaste.com

Enjoy!

T

TooJay’s – Lake Mary, FL

I love deli’s that offer a variety of soups and sandwiches. I have visited so many throughout all of my travels. I had never heard of TooJay’s before but a friend highly recommended them. Sure enough they had all the classics on the menu from potato knishes to pastrami sandwiches.

     

I started with a cup of the homemade matzo ball soup. It was raining outside so I thought this would be perfect comfort food. The matzo ball was light and fluffy. It had herbs mixed throughout which is not normally something I see. It added an extra savory flavor. The fresh chicken broth was loaded with carrots and onions. It was the best way to start the meal on this dreary day.

For my lunch I ordered the ultimate comfort food — Shepherd’s Pie. This delicious dish came out in a personal size casserole dish. They used fresh ground beef that was tossed in a great savory brown gravy. It was loaded with corn, peas, and carrots.

Naturally it was topped with creamy mashed potatoes. What made this Shepherd’s Pie stand out was that they melted Muenster cheese on top of the potatoes. It added extra creaminess. It was filling and amazing.

Now a visit to a deli would not be complete without a stop at the dessert counter. They had two cases full of fresh baked goods. There was everything from cakes and pastries to cookies.

     

Since I was full from my lunch I could not eat any dessert right there. But I did make sure to buy something for later. They had just brought out a whole tray of fresh black and white cookies.

I decided to but a whole container to take home. These were soft cake like cookies that were loaded with a sweet, hard coasting of white icing and a soft layer of creamy chocolate icing. They were perfect and you cannot eat just one.

     

I really enjoyed TooJay’s and glad I was introduced to them. They have a few other things I wanted to try on the menu including the stuffed cabbage. They have a couple of other locations around Florida so check them out at www.toojays.com

Enjoy!

T

Stonewood Grill – Ormond Beach, FL

When visiting the beach on the East Coast of Florida, fresh seafood is a must have. I was recently there with some friends from work and we decided to check out Stonewood Grill in Ormond Beach.

They are in a perfect location, just across the street from the beach. When I got out of the car I could feel the ocean breeze. They have great outside seating. It would have been perfect if it was not raining that day.

Since I was there with a group, we all decided that we would order a few appetizers to share. While we were all trying to agree on what to order, our waitress brought out a basket of fresh breads. This basket was not filled with ordinary bread, they had cranberry rolls and fresh baked pretzel bread.

As soon as I laid eyes on the pretzel bread I knew I needed to grab it quickly while it was still hot. It was lightly covered in salt. The pretzel dough was super soft and very sweet. I could have eaten an entire basket of just this. The only other item that would have made this outstanding would have been beer cheese for dipping.

The first appetizer to come out were the Bleu Cheese Chips.  These were homemade, fresh cut potato chips. These were just like the ones my dad would make when I was younger. On top of these chips were bleu cheese crumbles; a balsamic vinegar reduction that drizzled across the chips. There was also a bleu cheese aioli that was poured on top.

There were a few accents of Rosemary and Thyme. Those were just for appearances because it did not add anything to the taste.  The tanginess of the balsamic and the bleu cheese kind of canceled each other out. Not one overpowered the other. The bleu cheese aioli kept everything calm. The chips added great crunch.

The other appetizer we got was the BLT & E Crab Stack. This was basically a salad that was piled up into cylindrical layers of color.

There were layers of lettuce, ripe tomato slices, hard boiled egg slices, chopped up bacon, and topped off with layers of tender lump crab meat. Drizzled all over the layers was a homemade remoulade, basil pesto, and a balsamic vinegar reduction.  This was an amazing salad. It ended up being a little harder to share. We had to cut the lettuce and tomato in order for everyone to have a little. This would have been perfect for one person to order as a salad prior to their meal. There was no need to have to share it.

For my main dish I ordered the Ginger Lime Salmon. This fresh filet of salmon was covered in a ginger lime marinade and then grilled over oak wood. The salmon was placed on top of a fresh Asian slaw.

The crispy slaw was made up of cabbage, carrots, and snap peas and then covered in a sesame ginger dressing. The dressing was full of flavor and I just wish they added more to the plate.

The salmon was cooked perfectly. The skin was crispy and took on the flavor from the grill. The fish was flaky and moist. It tasted great with the bite from the ginger.

It was time for dessert. We all agreed to get a few to share around the table. The Pumpkin Cheesecake was a sleeper. I did not expect this to taste so good. I figured it would be overly seasoned like other pumpkin items out there. The cheesecake was super creamy and the pumpkin added a flavor just like pumpkin pie.

The Lemoncello Cake was another amazing choice. The white cake was fluffy and soft. There was sweet cream in between each layer of the cake. On the top was a layer of lemon pudding. The lemon added the right amount of tartness that was calmed by the sweetness of the cream.

The last dessert we ordered was the Chocolate Bread Pudding. Chocolate was mixed throughout to create a chocolate bread. Then it was baked and covered with an amazing vanilla sauce. It was served with a deliciously creamy vanilla ice cream. They also accented it with a chocolate wafer-like cookie.

All of these desserts were amazing. Actually everything about the meal was amazing. They have 9 locations across the State of Florida, so I would recommend seeing if there is one near you. See their menu at www.stonewoodgrill.com

Enjoy!

T

Agave – Ormond Beach, FL

For over 12 years Agave has been serving up authentic Mexican dishes for the Ormond Beach area. While visiting the area I was able to check them out for lunch.

Stepping inside the restaurant the first thing I noticed was how colorful and cheerful everything was. I figured that the feeling should easily translate into an enjoyable.

     

They had a pretty large selection on the menu. I enjoyed the chips and fresh made salsa as I decided what to order.

I ended up ordering a bowl of the Sopa Maya. This was not a typical tortilla soup that I normally find on Mexican menus. This great salty broth was loaded with shredded chicken that was seasoned with what I thought was a mole sauce.

Along with the chicken, this soup was filled with rice, zucchini, yellow squash, avocado, and pico de gallo. They even included some red onion for added sweetness. The soup was extremely hearty but it did not overly fill me up. Towards the end of the bowl I caught a little of the spice that must have settled at the bottom of the bowl.

I also ordered a side of the Mexican rice. I was not sure if the soup would be enough to eat. I love Mexican rice and I knew this would be a good pairing with the soup. It had a savory taste with a slight amount of heat from the little red pepper that was mixed throughout.

Agave was a quick place to grab lunch and enjoy some great food. Check out their menu at www.agavefreshmexormond.com

Enjoy!

T

 

Oma’s Pizza – Bradenton Beach, FL

I recently found an amazing family owned Italian restaurant in Bradenton Beach called Oma’s Pizza.

It is a small place right across the street from the beach. I was excited to check them out with my parents.

There were so many wonderful items on the menu that we wanted to try. I was afraid our eyes would be bigger than our stomachs. So we ordered everything in stages to make sure we still had room and did not waste food.

We started off with the cheese garlic bread. This was a step above regular garlic bread. The fresh made loaf of bread was sliced in half and smothered with garlic butter. Then layers of mozzarella cheese were placed on top. They ran it through the oven to melt the cheese. It looked so delicious.

When I took a piece, the cheese was still so hit it created those cheese strings that I had to scoop up with my fingers. The combination of garlic, butter, and cheese were a perfect marriage.

I also dipped a few bites in the homemade pasta sauce that came on the side. The sauce was sweet and balanced the saltiness from the cheese. This was the perfect starter, but make sure to share it because it can easily fill up one person.

The other dish that was perfect for sharing was the fried eggplant. The eggplant was thinly sliced and breaded with Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. It was deep fried until the breading was nice and crispy. Then their homemade marinara sauce was poured on top of the slices.

Everything about this dish was perfect. The eggplant was cooked perfectly. It was tender on the inside and the right amount if crispy on the outside. They also used the right amount of sauce so that it did not make the eggplant soggy. This sauce also was slightly sweet that paired well with the saltiness of the eggplant. This sauce was also different from the pasta sauce with the garlic bread because it had chunks of tomatoes mixed in.

We ordered a Sicilian pizza to share. Their Sicilian is a thick crust and only comes in a 16″x 16″ size. It is a lot of pizza. For those not familiar with Sicilian pizza, it is cooked in a square or rectangular baking pan, rather than a round pizza pan.

We went simple and just ordered cheese. The dough was sweet and fluffy. It really soaked in the sweetness from the red sauce they used. The cheese added creaminess but not the typical saltiness. A slice of this pizza will fill you up fast.

I did order one last thing for myself. Whenever I go to Italian restaurants I always make sure I order the house-made meatballs. I kept that tradition alive at Oma’s as well. They offered a small side of meatballs (it came with two).

The meatballs were seasoned perfectly. They were tender and moist. The meat just melted in my mouth when I took a bite. These meatballs were served in the same pasta sauce that came with the bread. This sauce was so versatile. The sweet taste went so well with the seasoned meat.

We were so full after everything we ordered that we did not leave room for dessert. I would definitely go back to try one of their ice cream truffles.

I highly recommend Oma’s Pizza. The food is amazing. The staff is extremely friendly and they make you feel like you are family. Check out their menu at www.omaspizza.com

Enjoy!

T