Barcelona - Muddled Drink Class - July 24, 2012

Before I even begin to write about our fantastic experience in the “Cocktail Classroom,” I want to send a shout out to Summer Street in Stamford, CT. This little stretch of road is home to so many restaurants that are worth a look. Fortunately, to entertain ourselves before class, we could grab gorditas and mojitos at bartaco right next door.

The class was held in a private room. Gretchen Thomas was her usual great combination of charisma and knowledge. The first cocktail demo was Caipirinha (made in the classic style). The class was interactive – having three volunteers work on each drink. The Aye Cukarumba was very crisp tasting, as long as you like the taste of cucumber. It was a refreshing second drink. We closed with the Hot Dahlia. The habanero-infused tequila added so much spice that it was an interesting close to the night. The drink was spicy and flavorful.

Aye Cukarumba

Chef Scott Quis took us on a tour of Brazil/Portugal with the food accompaniments. The Conch Ceviche was very tasty. Honestly, I added a bit of salt, but that was my personal preference. The Marinated Shrimp was excellent. I liked the flavor, since I like cilantro. The Churrasquinho was extremely tender and flavorful. The Tapioca Olinda was an amazing surprise. I was not expecting a chorizo/cheese final course. This was fantastic. The cough was very tasty and the filling was cooked perfectly. It also paired well with the spicy Hot Dahlia! It is important to note that some of the courses are shared with your neighbors.

Overall, I would highly recommend the class. Gretchen is extremely knowledgeable and gives the class an opportunity to ask questions. The bar staff (at the actual bar and Olivia in the room) were helpful and exhibited skill. The food was very tasty and the cocktails gave us an opportunity to explore flavors that we wouldn't normally opt for at the restaurant.

www.barcelonawinebar.com/stamford.htm

Stamford, CT

MP Taverna, July 18, 2012

So, it was a Wednesday and we wanted a place with a good vibe to grab a good meal. None of us had ever eaten at MP Taverna, but we had heard good things and decided to try it. It has a convenient location near the Irvington train station on the river side. The exterior has a clean, crisp appearance. The outside seating area was not being used because of the weather.

Upon entering the restaurant, we were greeted with a gush of cold air and a pleasant hostess. She seemed a bit bombarded at the time we came in (about 7:30). Several groups came in at once and the area became crowded. We were seated within five minutes of arrival and managed to get a booth. The restaurant area itself has very high, wood ceilings. The booth was very comfortable – enough room, good seats. Our waiter, Roger, introduced himself and was very friendly. The décor was understated while being unified.

For starters, we were with the Spicy Pork Ribs and the Combination Dips. The ribs were well cooked and had a great flavor but were not very spicy. The accompanying smashed fries were perfect. The yogurt and chick pea dips were great. The eggplant could have used a bit more flavor – maybe a spice?

We were a party of four this particular evening and, for entrees, our companions had the Lamb Shank and the Gray Sole with MP salad. They were both happy with their meals. The lamb was extremely tender and fell off the bone. The sole was lightly seasoned, but well done. Chris had the Hanger Steak (medium rare) and Greek Sausage. The sausage was fantastic and the steak was perfectly cooked. And, yes, the smashed fries made their reappearance. I had the Roasted Lemon Chicken, which was well cooked, as were the fingerling potatoes. I wasn’t expecting the whole cloves of garlic. Since I love garlic, this was good for me, but I can see how other people wouldn’t be as pleasantly surprised.

Left column - Lamb, Steak, Sole | Right - Chicken

For dessert, we had the brownie with sesame ice cream. The two flavors really complimented each other and the brownie’s cake was moist and not too dense. It was a nice closing to a very flavorful meal.

Overall, the food is well prepared and presented. I would recommend this place to friends, as long as they check out the menu first. This is not your typical Greek with common options. It is more upscale than the typical gyro joint.


michaelpsilakis.com/mp-taverna/
Dobbs Ferry, NY

Sharpe Hill Vineyard, July 6, 2012

Wine at lunch

So, we had some time to kill and figured that this would be our only opportunity to head to Pomfret (and we were glad that we did).

Upon driving up to the property, you are greeted with a very interesting fence that would clearly ward off intruders. The property is stunning and really makes a perfect backdrop for a lovely day if wining.  Entering the tasting area, we were told that we had lucked into a lunch seating and could split our tasting around the meal. The staff was knowledgeable and the outside bar/tasting set-up was nice.  They watched the time for us (helpful) and we made our 12:30 seating.

Shrimp Creole at Sharpe Hill Vineyard

For lunch, Chris had the Shrimp Creole and I had the Chicken with Herbs de Provence. Chris enjoyed his shrimp and they had a bit of heat to them, which is nice. The chicken was beautifully seasoned and all of the herbs (including some flowers) that were on the plate are edible. Our waitress was attentive and nice. Her engagement level was fine by certainly paled in comparison to out taster/bartender. To complement our meal, we opted for a bottle of Ballet of Angels, which was lovely. The temperature was perfect and we ended up buying two bottles for home.

After the meal, we continued our tasting. The whole place was nicely appointed. The bathroom was very kitschy and shouldn’t be missed. Reservations are highly recommended and often require a deposit. This is a nice place to go for a quiet meal or an afternoon out with friends. The seatings are timed by the restaurant, so you never feel rushed out. Overall, the food and wine are both tasty. You can easily make a day out of the trip.

Melon snack at Sharpe Hill Vineyards

sharpehill.com

Pomfret, CT

Part of the CT Wine Trail

Heritage Trail Vineyards, July 5, 2012

Heritage Trail Wine

“Why is everything here called Heritage?”….wait, that was last time.

Okay, the wine is satisfactory. I am never compelled to buy (or drink) a bottle but the trip is still worthwhile. I enjoy the full pairing where I get to enjoy a variety of cheeses and accoutrements, as well as a taste of the wines. The pizza is very tasty and the staff is always enjoyable.

I believe that we come here just as much for the snacks as we do the wine, which is fine. It is a casual eatery that also serves wine – enjoy it for what it is!

Heritage Trail Vineyards, Dining Room

www.heritagetrail.com

Lisbon, CT

Part of the CT Wine Trail

Ballo, July 5, 2012

While in the casino area, there are many options for dinner. We wanted to try something new and were looking for a nice restaurant. We ended up choosing Ballo at Mohegan Sun. because of pleasant aesthetic and accessible menu.

We were greeted by a nice hostess who gave us options on whether we wanted to sit on the inside or on the “patio”. We opted to go inside. There were some crumbs on my chair, but one quick brush of my hand remedied the situation. Our waitress greeted us pretty quickly and took our drink orders. I had the Toscarita, while Chris had the Sangiovese(s). The waitress was very nice and was able to provide a knowledgeable assessment of both Sangiovese options.

Tagliatelle with Lobster at Ballo

There were several appetizer type foods that interested us and we went with the arancini. There was some good flavor, but they had a bit of a fishy undertone that I didn’t like. We opted for pizza and pasta. For the pizza, we had the carne (and wow, it was carne). There was zero skimping on the meat and (not as though I can believe I am saying it) it was almost too much. The flavors were almost competing with each other. I would suggest a little less meat to make a clean layer as opposed to a pile. For pasta, we went with the tagliatelle with a lobster tail on top.   The fra diavolo had a nice heat to it and the lobster was perfectly cooked, if a bit scary looking.

Overall, the meal went well. The ambience was very nice. The wait staff was knowledgeable and pleasant.

Carne Pizza at Ballo

Arancini at Ballo

www.balloitalian.com

Mohegan Sun Casino

Uncasville, CT

NY Times Review

Westchester Burger Company, June 29, 2012

Just the five of us…

So, we went to the Westchester Burger Company in White Plains. This place is good for a group, including those that include kids. The tables are pretty spacious and comfortably sat five. The plate that greeted me had ketchup on it, which did not make me happy, but I never used that plate so I could overlook it.

Chris had a Captain Lawrence Freshchester and I had Strawberry-Basil Lemonade (with vodka). My drink was very tasty and refreshing. It could have used a bit more lemon flavor in my opinion, but it was very good and showed me not to be afraid of basil in drinks. There were no complaints concerning the sodas (and that is actually impressive since fountain soda can taste less than great).

For meals, the chicken nuggets were enjoyed by the youngest. Two people had the Graziella Burger and like them fine. The presentation of the French fries was cute (in a little metal fryer basket). Chris had the Hangover and said his egg was well-cooked. The onion rings were a nice complement to the food and the sauce had a nice spice. I had the Southwestern. It was very good, especially for a turkey burger. I have found that some places have a tough time seasoning without over-seasoning and they did a really good job.

Our waiter was attentive without being overly present. The support staff did well to clear plates, etc… If you are looking for a good, social place to eat regular burger faire – this could be a place for you. It is a chain restaurant with locations in Mt. Kisco, Rye and White Plains. They also have an extensive shake and dessert menu that we did not partake in.

Overall, the food was better than expected and the service was good. The ketchup in the plate certainly gave me pause, but everything else was very clean. The bathroom is a must see, well the sink area is a must see...

www.westchesterburger.com

White Plains, NY

Buddha, June 28, 2012

A giant Buddha welcomes you as you walk into the restaurant and it is oddly not over the top, even though it is huge. The regular tables are separated from the hibachi tables by a large wall. The bar is also right in the front of the restaurant. It is a very clean and organized layout that suits the restaurant well as it seems, just like the giant Buddha, everything fits together well.

The hostess greeted us and she was very welcoming. Although we were the only hibachi table at the time, she wasn’t annoyed or put off by us coming in on a relatively quiet Thursday night. We sat down and met our waiter so quickly that we hadn’t even chosen our drinks. The kids, we went with my niece and nephew, had the Japanese sodas and Chris had a Kirin Light and I had a Mai Tai. (These are quickly becoming my favorite drink for the summer.)

Hibachi is hibachi. There are just slight variations on what you are going to get. We started with the soup and salad. I would put their soup on the better end of the spectrum and the salad was fine. The ginger dressing had a good consistency, but could’ve used a bit more spice (?). Their dipping sauces are flavorful. I like the ginger sauce so much that I go for two of them. The mustard almost has a bit of a sweet taste, which makes it tasty, but not spicy.

The cook was very entertaining and had decent accuracy as he launched zucchini at our mouths. Even though we were only a group of four, he did a great job of engaging us. The wait staff was attentive and pleasant. The volcano is definitely my nephew’s favorite point and his eyes lit up brilliantly. The portions were large even for a hibachi restaurant. Everything had a good flavor and was certainly above average as far as hibachi places in Westchester are concerned.

Anyone going to a hibachi place knows what they are going to get and you can only hope that you are there on a good night were the food is tasty. This particular evening, we were all very lucky to enjoy an entertaining show, as well as good drinks and food.

Buddha (no website)

(914) 481-4651

Rye, NY

Tarry Lodge Westport, June 17, 2012

Pizza, Pizza!

So, we have enjoyed the Tarry Lodge in Port Chester several times and this would be our first visit to the one in Westport, CT. The design of the restaurant was very similar to Port Chester. The overall color scheme and décor were the same, with this one being significantly smaller. There are two bars here – one is a pizza bar. The menu has some variations with an emphasis on pizza. The hostess was nice and gave a solid first impression.

We were sat next to a large, open window. We had a good view of the place. To start, our companions had the Tricolore Salad, which they loved and we had the Crostini Toscana. Chris liked it. I found it a bit bland. I would have preferred it be served warm and possibly with some fresh ground pepper. The bread was very tasty and the accompanying vegetables helped the flavor.

For our main course, we went for two pizzas and pasta. For the pizzas, we knew we would be eating the Prosciutto and Arugula (as we have loved it in Port Chester). We asked the waiter about the Burrata with Pancetta and Chili oil and he claimed it wasn’t spicy. I am not sure if he has ever eaten it, but there was certainly heat. Even with the heat, I did really enjoy the Burrata pizza and hope that it will make it to the Port Chester menu. For the pasta, we went with the Spaghetti alla Carbonara, which is possibly the best carbonara I have ever eaten and I love carbonara.

For dessert, we went for the Panacotta, Tiramisu and the Maple Mascarpone Cheesecake. The tiramisu was very good and had distinct notes of both rum and coffee. The entire desert went over well, as did the coffee.

The food was very good, but the service was lacking. Our waiter seemed very distracted and we rarely saw him, even though there were questions. If the waiter support staff is going to have to field questions, they need more vigorous training. The “back-waiter” was excellent and made sure that we had a constant supply of water and bread, even though he had a hiccup with the timing of utensils and whatnot. I feel that the Tarry Lodge in Port Chester is significantly better than the Westport location as far as service is concerned. The service was certainly a disappointment at this establishment. The food, however, was very tasty and as long as you can overlook being potentially overlooked, it can be worth the trip.

Tarry Lodge Westport

Westport, CT