Max Brenner, New York City

So once again we find ourselves dining at a restaurant that we had never heard of, but then again wifey poo and I don't get into the city as much as we would like to. My wife's dear friend treated us to lunch over the weekend to say "Thank you for helping to make her 40th surprise birthday party so perfect". Oh by the way did we ever mention that not only do we love critiquing food but we also are pretty good with decorating and floral arrangements too. But we will leave that discussion for another time. So off the four of us drove into the city. As soon as we walked into the restaurant we were like a bunch of kids in a chocolate candy shop. The entire restaurant has the aroma of chocolate, it is amazing. Our eyes were wandering all around as the smiles on our faces got bigger and bigger. I was thinking to myself that if Willy Wonka owned a restaurant this is how it would look and smell. The restaurant is known for its desserts, hot chocolate and coffee drinks. We decided to go lightly on lunch because we had seen the some of the desserts other patrons were having and wanted to save some room for the best part of the meal. My wife and I shared the Black and Tan Beer Battered Vidalia Onion Rings with dark chocolate ranch dressing and our friends shared Molly's White Corn Croquettes. The entrees consisted of  American Kobe Beef Hamburgers served with Waffle Fries that are dusted with Chili and Cocoa Powders,  Smoked Turkey Club and Rosemary Infused Waffle filled prosciutto, cheese, tomato and baby greens. Our waiter was so very friendly and helpful with the menu. His suggestions and elaborate explanations on the various dishes served were enlightening. Both appetizers tasted as good as they looked; that is to say they were spectacular. My wife really enjoyed her club sandwich and my friend and his wife had nothing but good things to say about their dishes as well. My Kobe burger was cooked exactly how I ordered my it; Medium Rare. The one thing that I am very finicky about when eating out is that I expect a burger or any other meat not to be served overdone. The seasoning of Chili and Cocoa powders on the Waffle fries could of been a bit more pronounced, never the less they were very good. Now onto the best part the desserts. We shared the Churros Fondue, Illegal Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Pancakes served with a warm white and milk chocolate in a tiny laboratory flask and the Banana Split Waffle. We could not stop indulging in their chocolate so we opted for a Double Espresso, coffee and  Mexican Spicy Hot chocolate. The espresso and coffee come in what is called a Kangaroo Cup. This cup has a rim designed to hold two pieces of chocolate to either eat as is or to drop into the coffee. Well what can we say the desserts were "Mind Blowing". It was the ultimate way to have ended our meals. In conclusion don't go to Max Brenner if you are counting calories but do go if you want to indulge in everything chocolate, this place is awesome!

They earned 5 out of 5 forks.

http://shop.maxbrenner.com/storelocation/index/edit/id/3/

 

 

Red Lobster, Ronkonkoma

 

Well hubby and I said right from the start that we would be blogging about the best, the worst and everything in between. So if you are wondering why Red Lobster, well I will answer that in two words “Endless Shrimp” need I say more. From the very moment my husband saw the commercial on TV he was determined to get there again this year, come hell or high water before the shrimp festival ended. So we got a group of our friends together and feast we did. The one and only reason why I would even entertain the thought of going is for the one thing Red Lobster makes that I can say is amazing. They always make it worth the trip to for their Cheddar Biscuits and I am sure most of our readers will agree with me. I enjoy them so much that for years I wrap some up in a napkin and take them home with me; and that applied to this visit as well. The women at the table ordered from the regular entrees on the menu and on the other hand the men ordered the endless shrimp. Our entrée’s were OK as could be expected. Hubby and his friends said the shrimp were good also. They had choices of fried, teriyaki glazed, scampi, parmesan crusted and shrimp alfredo over linguine. Everyone’s dish also came with a side and a salad. So 2 ½ hours or so later, watching the guys stuff themselves on shrimp we finally ordered coffee and a few desserts and called it a night. I mean really; we had to give other patrons a chance to get a table before the night ended. The restaurant was still filled well after nine pm. As we were leaving we could not get over how many people were still waiting to be seated... its Red lobster… but to each their own I guess. Now for the pictures, can we guess who ate the most shrimp; (twelve plates later) hubby had 128 shrimp and somehow found room for dessert.

The fork rating will not apply; this was a typical visit to Red Lobster. You know what to expect and that is usually what you get. As for us, we always have a good time with our good friends.

The Grill Room, Hauppauge

Sometimes you come across something purely by luck and this holds true for our wonderful dining experience at this restaurant, The Grill Room in Hauppauge. We happen to receive a gift certificate for this unknown gem that we would have never known existed otherwise. It is nestled away in the middle of the industrial park in Hauppauge. This is a very quaint and romantic place serving an American Fusion menu.

By now most of you know that as long as there is Calamari on the menu, wifey poo and I will always try it to taste the chef’s interpretation of it. So needless to say I am sure you can guess what our appetizer was. Crispy Calamari in a Jalapeno Gastrique served with two dipping sauces, a spicy tomato and a sambal. One of the most unique coatings and unlike the name suggests it was not over spicy at all. As a matter of fact we enjoyed this interpretation very much. Our meals consisted of Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Risotto and Spinach complimented with a Buerre Blanc sauce and the Pasta Special which was the Chef’s own spin on Jambalaya. The fresh pasta was half linguine and half squid ink linguine with chorizo, shrimp, scallops and okra. Even though some of these ingredients are commonly found in most Jambalaya recipes, this dish was anything but common. At first I was apprehensive about ordering something with Squid ink because it is usually extremely fishy. For the first time I would have to admit I truly enjoyed the flavor as it complimented the dish perfectly. The wife said the Maryland Crab cakes were "by far some of the best I have eaten". The risotto was perfectly executed and topped with a delicious sautéed spinach and drizzled with Buerre Blanc sauce. The coffee that was very good by the way, came served in a unique metal cup and saucer. Unfortunately that night they ran out of pecan pie so we opted for the Truffle Chocolate Cake. It was light, rich and decadent. We are highly recommending everyone to find their way to this restaurant so you too can share in our “lucky find”.

They get 5 out of 5 forks on this visit.

http://www.thegrillroomrestaurant.com

La Tavola, Sayville

My wife and I have wanted to try La Tavola in Sayville for quite some time and what better way than to celebrate wifey poo’s and my best friends' birthday’s; which happen to be a day apart from one another. We had a good size table including some of our very dear relatives and friends for this occasion. First off we loved the décor of the restaurant where you can sit inside or choose to eat outdoors on their outdoor torch lit patio for all you romantic couples. We have to say right from the start that our waitress Stephanie which our dear friends request all the time when they dine here and understandably so; was one on the friendliest and knowledgeable waitresses you will ever come across in the restaurant business. You can tell that she truly enjoys her job and projects that in her service. Our mouths were drooling well before the food arrived due to her presentation and detailed descriptions. She took the time to explained each special as well as some other dishes that were on their regular menu. They also have, I must say a very unique selection of wines including some that are not often found in most other restaurants. We started with Fried Calamari (as usual), Watermelon Salad, Home Made Mozzarella and Tomato, Crispy Long-Stemmed Artichokes and the Arancini. The main courses consisted of a Tuna (special), Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Gnocchi, Pan Roasted Salmon and Filet Mignon. Everyone enjoyed all of the appetizers, that said if I had to nit pick the calamari could have used a bit of seasoning and the artichokes had an odd taste as if they used a pickled artichokes; just to weird for my personal taste. As you can see from the photo below there is only one arancini on the plate, the order came with five but I did not take the photo while the waitress was still holding the dish. That was my bad; because in about two seconds one was all that was left for the photo. The entrees were all outstanding; well balanced and cooked perfectly. The chef has a great knack for complementing flavors. Let me nit pick one more time on my dish the shrimp fra diavolo, it looks like the chef finished the dish with cream, not what I would have expected in this dish. Aside from that the dish was super spicy and over-all great. Knowing we were celebrating two birthdays, at the end of the meal our waitress Stephanie came over with complimentary after dinner drinks consisting of Moscato and Port wines. These drinks along with some very good coffee rounded out the meal with some tasty deserts. So my wife and I would both agree that La Tavola was a wonderful dining experience but it was the gathering of such wonderful people that put the icing on the cake.

They get 5 out of 5 forks...we'll be back!

http://www.latavolasayville.com/

 

 

George Martin Strip Steak, Great River

Strip Steak is one of four restaurants in the George Martin Restaurant Group. We received a Groupon offer and decided to try this with some friends. Strip Steak is situated in a beautiful old house in the Village of Great River. The inside is exquisitely decorated and the service from the first point of contact was outstanding. The place is a little noisy and the food is served on large plates and the tables are small making it hard to enjoy. However if we were rating this based on hospitality they would certainly get our highest rating, however we are about the food not the ambiance. We started our meal with Chili Pop Shrimp and Crispy Calamari. The entrees consisted of the George Martin Skirt Steak, Berkshire Pork Chop and Cowboy Cut Rib Eye's. The sides are a la cart and we chose Mashed Potato, Creamed Spinach, Pan Toasted Green Beans and the Baked 1 Pound Idaho Potato. Starting with the appetizers we all enjoyed the shrimp that was cooked well and highly seasoned. The calamari on the other hand was over cooked to the point of resembling old rubber bands and tasting just as bad. The menu boasts about the quality and aging of the Black Angus meats they also go on to say they are "lightly seasoned". The Rib Eye's were cooked perfectly but the good news stops there. The seasoning is not light more so it is odd tasting and the "21 day dry aged certified black angus" priced at $45 in no better than a $17 steak at a lower end steak restaurant. The Skirt steak though over seasoned was very good. Finally the Berkshire Pork Chop, like all the other meats this was very over seasoned with cinnamon and other sweet flavors you would expect to find in a desert on so much an entree; however the wife thought it was good. The sides were OK with the exception of the Pan Toasted Green Beans with Bacon and Creamed Spinach which none of us liked. We finished with coffee which was very good and the Hot Chocolate Saucy Cake and a $12 Apple Turnover; both just OK. Even with all that said, I would like some day to return and try the $18 Burger called "1946 Burlesque Burger" we have been told is really good. This visit resulted in a bill for over $300 for our party of four, sorry to say not worth it even with the Groupon credit.

This trip earned 3 out of 5 forks.

http://www.georgemartinsstripsteak.com/

 

Tu Casa, Kew Gardens

Saturday July 28th, my wife and I ventured into Kew Gardens to spend some quality time with my wonderful Brother-in-law and his wife. We spent a good part of the afternoon just chatting and relaxing in their exquisitely decorated apartment.
But suddenly around 4 O'clock the conversation switched from plants and flowers to food and where we where going for dinner. Right then and there I knew my husband’s stomach was starting to grumble. He has a tell tale sign when he is hungry, he becomes less talkative and more fixated on food. So my brother proceeded to take out different menus from local restaurants. We wanted to try something different and the choices in the immediate area were Italian, Pub Food and Peruvian. After looking over the menus we opted for the Peruvian restaurant called Tu Casa.
Our meal started with appetizers consisting of Beef Empanadas, Papa a la Huancaina (consisted of boiled potatoes covered in Peruvian cheese sauce) and Chorizo with fried plantains. We also ordered the Sangria which we enjoyed but have had better elswhere. The main dishes were Pernil con Arroz Moro(shredded slow roasted pork with their take on rice and beans), Entranada (grilled skirt steak w/chimichurri sauce, rice & salad) and a fusion dish of chicken vegetables over linguini in an Asian style sauce. So starting with the Empanadas, the dough they were wrapped in tasted exactly like my mothers Brazilian Pastels. Unfortunately the filling was dry and flavorless. I'm probably the only Italian allergic to cheese, that said I did not have the potato's in cheese but everyone else enjoyed them. The Chorizo and plantains were superb. The Pernil took me back to my mothers style of roasted leg of pork, this was as good as what I would make using my mothers recipe (in other words it was outstanding). The rice that came with it...well let’s just say it was not to my taste although most people seem to love it. The skirt steak was seasoned well however my sister in law ordered it well done and I like it still bleeding. Now for the fusion dish, this was basically chicken lo mein (I should not have veered, lets just leave it at that). Over all I gotta say the Pernil was so good it is worth the trip just for that dish. They get five out of five forks for the Pernil!

They earned three out of five forks on this visit.

                                       

http://tucasarestaurant.com/