I was craving pizza. I'm not a huge pizza fan. I was thinking of having Difara's Pizza but I didn't want to wait five hours while Dom made a pie. I could have gone to my local pizzeria Totonno’s, which is known for its coal brick oven pizza but I was sick of their attitude. Their pizza is over-rated, over-priced and was a tourist trap. There was still L&B Pizza but that place slipped off my radar. So I quickly messaged my friend on blackberry messenger and asked his opinion on a good pizza spot. He mentioned Patsy's a/k/a Grimaldi's.
I haven't had Grimaldi’s Pizza in about 12 years. I remember the pizza was great. I remember when I was younger my father calling me to tell me he was bringing home pizza that he got under the Brooklyn Bridge. He also told me that I better eat it because he waited on-line for an hour to get it. I was also threatened with a telephone cord but I'll leave that for another story. After telling my friend this story and waiting for him to finish hysterically laughing we got into the car and drove to Downtown Brooklyn.
Grimaldi’s is a coal brick oven pizzeria, which is located on Old Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn a/k/a DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Brooklyn Overpass). Parking was easy to find but probably because it was a weekday. As my friend and I walked up to Grimaldi’s, we were relieved to see there was no line and were told there was a five-minute wait for a table.
We were sat down at a small cramped table close to the door. The placed was packed. An older gentleman came over to my friend and asked if we wanted to move to a bigger table but as we looked over it seemed all the tables were the same size. I am guessing we were getting the VIP treatment because my friend and I carry heavy Brooklyn accents. This guy looked like he had Brooklyn tattooed all over his heart. A waiter quickly came over to take our order. We went with one white pie, one red pie and two cokes.
As I looked around I noticed the walls decorated with Frank Sinatra paraphernalia. There were signed pictures and movie posters. I also noticed all the tourists eating their pizza with knifes and forks while clinching to their Frommer’s Brooklyn Edition Guide Books. There were also a lot of hipsters and it reminded me how much Brooklyn has changed and how I'm starting to feel like a tourist in my own borough but the pizza came and I snapped out of it.
The white pie came out first. A thin crusted pie with fresh mozzarella, garlic, olive oil and black pepper. I took my first bite to try and deconstruct the slice. A thin layer of fresh mozzarella, slight hint of garlic and olive oil on a thin sliced piece of heaven. Now this was a white pie. I hate those nasty white pies that have clumps of ricotta cheese. I guess that's what I should expect from a generic pizzeria.
As my friend and I polished off the white pie our red pie had arrived. If this red pie is anything like the white pie, I'm going substitute this pizza with porn. I guess I'm giving up porn. This slice was amazing. A small layer of sauce which had a hint of subtle sweetness while giving off a minor garlic taste. The crust was thin but not really crunchy and not burnt. Totonno’s serves the same type of pie but Totonno’s pizza always has that burnt nasty charcoal taste to it.
My pizza urge was satisfied and I was a happy camper. The pizza was great and I couldn't understand why I neglected this place for so long. The bill came out to $42 with tip. The pizza was $14 each for a large pie. I highly recommended this place if you're a fan of Totonno’s Pizza in Coney Island.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Jakes BBQ
Another meal, another review, another BBQ joint. Yes, I will admit I am a barbeque fiend. My last BBQ experience wasn't the greatest. So I decided to start hunting down a new place. A few months back, my friend and I were checking out the menu for Jake's BBQ in Carroll Gardens but for some reason we thought it was only take out. After speaking to a few people, we found out it is a sit down place but most of their business comes from take out orders.
I spent the week glazing over the Jake’s menu. I noticed Jake’s serves corn bread and biscuits. Any place that serves both is a place I would like to visit. I asked my friends if they would like to go and check this place out. So on a boring Friday night we rolled out to hipster land better know as Carroll Gardens. It is located on Columbia street a hop away from the Brooklyn / Queens Expressway. Jake’s was easy to access with tons of street parking. After parking my car and walking down to Jake’s, I couldn't believe how much this neighborhood has changed. It went from a desolate shit hole area, to restaurants, bars and shops. I am always in the market to check out a new restaurant. I quickly grabbed my blackberry and jotted a few places down. There were so many restaurants, that I would never be able to remember them all.
I walked into Jake's to get a table and the place was packed. The smell of smoked BBQ hit my nose and alerted my brain that my mouth should start salivating. As I wiped my mouth, I asked the waitress if there was a table available. There was a 10-minute wait. After 10 minutes, we sat down and were given menus. I didn't need the menu. I already had the menu memorized. My biggest dilemma was should I order the corn bread or biscuits. I asked my friend for his opinion and he made a good point. He said if I was eating fried chicken, which Jake's also serves, I should go with biscuits but since we're eating BBQ then cornbread is the way to go.
We started off with the BBQ sampler, 6 buffalo wings, 3 chicken tenders, 3 mozzarella sticks and 3 fried shrimp. For my dinner, I went with the assortment of BBQ meats. Pulled pork, smoked brisket and half a slab of baby back ribs, which came with two sides. I got the mac-n-cheese, coleslaw and cornbread. My friend ordered the same dish but he got coleslaw instead of onion rings. My other friend got a pulled pork sandwich with steak fries.
As I waited for our appetizer to arrive, I noticed Jake’s kitchen was bigger then the dining area. I also noticed this place took a lot of take out orders. In the 15 minutes we were sitting about 7 different people came in and out with insulated delivery bags and a few people picking up their take-out. I was surprised this place was so busy being we were in the land of the hipsters and a lot of hipsters are vegetarians. Our appetizers arrived and I started off with the shrimp. The jumbo shrimp was lightly breaded and fried. Very tender and a bit dry but still good. I reached over for a chicken tender, which looked like an ordinary chicken tender but it was juicy, tender and flavorful. The mozzarella sticks were where like the type that you would get at White Castle and the buffalo wings were fried and just tossed in a hot sauce.
Our main courses arrived and holy shit the plate huge. A 12" inch plate full of meaty goodness that would have any BBQ fan feel as if they were in heaven. As I took a sniff of my food to get my pallet fired up, the utter smell of smokiness came off the meat and a smile from ear to ear appeared on my face. Before I could dig in, my side dishes arrived. I was shocked to see the portion size of the side dishes. I couldn't believe the portion of onion rings my friend got. Kansas style BBQ is served with the sauce on the side. I took a few bites of each of the meats and I came to this conclusion for all three. The brisket, pulled pork and ribs were terrific. A nice Smokey taste which didn't over power the taste of the meat. Jake's makes their own BBQ sauce which was a perfect balance of flavors of sweet and savory. The mac-n-cheese was creamy and the coleslaw was out of this world. The cornbread was piping hot and delicious. I asked my friends what they thought about their dishes and they all agreed the food was terrific. My friend who ordered the same dish as me agreed this place blew out Wildwood BBQ. Wildwood is a different type of BBQ. It seemed corporate and like the food was cooked on an assembly line. Jake’s tastes like they chop up the cow and pigs in the back. I was stuffed. I started to do a Google search for a flat bed truck, because that was the only way I was getting out of my seat. We skipped dessert.
Lately I've been having less then great food. My friend and I went to the San Genaro Feast and I got a sausage and peppers sandwich from a street booth. It was the worst sandwich I ever ate at a feast. Even Nathan’s in Coney Island has altered their taste to satisfy tourists. This blog isn't my only gig. I wake up everyday at 5:30 a.m. I'm in charge of million dollar construction projects. I deal with deadlines and conflicting personalities between my co-workers. I like to treat myself to a nice meal after a stressful week. Lately, I have been having poor quality food. Culinary horror shows From Wildwood BBQ to Nove Italiano to Bella Luna. Finally a good meal! Jake’s was really fucking good! Our bill came out to $105 with the tip which broken down between 3 people is $35 a person. So not only is Jake's good but it's also cheap. I highly recommended Jake's and I give them a 4 out of 4.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
I spent the week glazing over the Jake’s menu. I noticed Jake’s serves corn bread and biscuits. Any place that serves both is a place I would like to visit. I asked my friends if they would like to go and check this place out. So on a boring Friday night we rolled out to hipster land better know as Carroll Gardens. It is located on Columbia street a hop away from the Brooklyn / Queens Expressway. Jake’s was easy to access with tons of street parking. After parking my car and walking down to Jake’s, I couldn't believe how much this neighborhood has changed. It went from a desolate shit hole area, to restaurants, bars and shops. I am always in the market to check out a new restaurant. I quickly grabbed my blackberry and jotted a few places down. There were so many restaurants, that I would never be able to remember them all.
I walked into Jake's to get a table and the place was packed. The smell of smoked BBQ hit my nose and alerted my brain that my mouth should start salivating. As I wiped my mouth, I asked the waitress if there was a table available. There was a 10-minute wait. After 10 minutes, we sat down and were given menus. I didn't need the menu. I already had the menu memorized. My biggest dilemma was should I order the corn bread or biscuits. I asked my friend for his opinion and he made a good point. He said if I was eating fried chicken, which Jake's also serves, I should go with biscuits but since we're eating BBQ then cornbread is the way to go.
We started off with the BBQ sampler, 6 buffalo wings, 3 chicken tenders, 3 mozzarella sticks and 3 fried shrimp. For my dinner, I went with the assortment of BBQ meats. Pulled pork, smoked brisket and half a slab of baby back ribs, which came with two sides. I got the mac-n-cheese, coleslaw and cornbread. My friend ordered the same dish but he got coleslaw instead of onion rings. My other friend got a pulled pork sandwich with steak fries.
As I waited for our appetizer to arrive, I noticed Jake’s kitchen was bigger then the dining area. I also noticed this place took a lot of take out orders. In the 15 minutes we were sitting about 7 different people came in and out with insulated delivery bags and a few people picking up their take-out. I was surprised this place was so busy being we were in the land of the hipsters and a lot of hipsters are vegetarians. Our appetizers arrived and I started off with the shrimp. The jumbo shrimp was lightly breaded and fried. Very tender and a bit dry but still good. I reached over for a chicken tender, which looked like an ordinary chicken tender but it was juicy, tender and flavorful. The mozzarella sticks were where like the type that you would get at White Castle and the buffalo wings were fried and just tossed in a hot sauce.
Our main courses arrived and holy shit the plate huge. A 12" inch plate full of meaty goodness that would have any BBQ fan feel as if they were in heaven. As I took a sniff of my food to get my pallet fired up, the utter smell of smokiness came off the meat and a smile from ear to ear appeared on my face. Before I could dig in, my side dishes arrived. I was shocked to see the portion size of the side dishes. I couldn't believe the portion of onion rings my friend got. Kansas style BBQ is served with the sauce on the side. I took a few bites of each of the meats and I came to this conclusion for all three. The brisket, pulled pork and ribs were terrific. A nice Smokey taste which didn't over power the taste of the meat. Jake's makes their own BBQ sauce which was a perfect balance of flavors of sweet and savory. The mac-n-cheese was creamy and the coleslaw was out of this world. The cornbread was piping hot and delicious. I asked my friends what they thought about their dishes and they all agreed the food was terrific. My friend who ordered the same dish as me agreed this place blew out Wildwood BBQ. Wildwood is a different type of BBQ. It seemed corporate and like the food was cooked on an assembly line. Jake’s tastes like they chop up the cow and pigs in the back. I was stuffed. I started to do a Google search for a flat bed truck, because that was the only way I was getting out of my seat. We skipped dessert.
Lately I've been having less then great food. My friend and I went to the San Genaro Feast and I got a sausage and peppers sandwich from a street booth. It was the worst sandwich I ever ate at a feast. Even Nathan’s in Coney Island has altered their taste to satisfy tourists. This blog isn't my only gig. I wake up everyday at 5:30 a.m. I'm in charge of million dollar construction projects. I deal with deadlines and conflicting personalities between my co-workers. I like to treat myself to a nice meal after a stressful week. Lately, I have been having poor quality food. Culinary horror shows From Wildwood BBQ to Nove Italiano to Bella Luna. Finally a good meal! Jake’s was really fucking good! Our bill came out to $105 with the tip which broken down between 3 people is $35 a person. So not only is Jake's good but it's also cheap. I highly recommended Jake's and I give them a 4 out of 4.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Bella Luna
It was a rainy Saturday night and I wasn't in the mood for take-out or to cook. I couldn't handle another night of mental anguish of Chinese food and a bootleg movie. While in Las Vegas, a friend of mine mentioned we should hit up a local Italian place called Gino's located in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn so my friend and I decided to go there. When we got there, we could not find parking so we decided to go somewhere else. One thing I've learned is to never make a decision on an empty stomach.
While driving back to my neighborhood we saw an Italian place located on the corner of 11th Avenue and 86th st called Bella Luna. I must have passed by this restaurant a million times and never went in. Bella Luna is a hybrid. Part restaurant, part pizzeria and part bar. My friend and I decided to give it a try. How bad could it be?
After waiting about 5 minutes to be seated, a hostess came up to us and asked how big our party was. Keep in mind there were approximately 12 people in the restaurant. We were seated near the open windows. The rain cleared out and it started to become a nice night. My seat faced the Verrazzano Bridge. Our menus were handed to us and after waiting about another 10 minutes the waiter came over to take our order.
We started with fried calamari and mozzarella corza as our appetizers. I ordered the frutti de mar and my friend ordered the lamb chops as entrees. About 10 minutes after placing my order, I realized we didn't get bread or water. I was starving at this point and was ready to eat the gum that was stuck under the table. I mean isn't it common to get bread and a few glasses of water on the table when you go to a restaurant? Even prisoners in jail get bread and water. So far, I was not impressed with the service. I hoped the food was better.
About 15 minutes later, our appetizers arrived and still no bread. The calamari was fresh from the bag. Does anyone make their own calamari anymore? Is it that difficult of a task? The calamari was greasy, tasteless and over battered. The sauce was salty and watery. The mozzarella corza wasn't any better. The mozzarella was not fresh. I felt as if I was eating an egg and cheese sandwich. The bad taste basically took over the entire dish.
As they cleared away our dishes, I mentioned to my friend we should of walked 8 blocks and went Gino's. I gave him my thoughts about this restaurant and he agreed. Our entrée's came out and still no bread or water. We had a bottle of Pellegrino on the table, which we used to wash down the awful appetizers. My frutti de mar was a rather simple dish. Shrimp, clams, mussels and squid served with red sauce over a bed of pasta. The shrimp were dry and there were very few. A few of my mussels didn't open so those were basically thrown to the side. The squid was rubbery. The pasta was cooked al dente and the sauce was decent but had an over powering taste of red wine. I asked my friend about his dish and he said we should have gone to Gino's. I also would like to add that we weren't offered any fresh grated cheese or black pepper. At this point, I didn't care anyway. I knew I would never return to this restaurant ever again and would only recommend it to a sworn enemy.
Whenever I eat Italian food I can never finish a dish. This time I had room for dessert. I was in the mood for a nice slice of cheesecake. We asked the waiter what types of cheesecakes they had to offer and a bell went off when I heard apple crumb cheesecake. That combination could be served to me on a dirty paper plate in the fiery pits of hell and it should be good. So I ordered a slice. Finally this place has something good. I was telling my friend how good the cheesecake was and he said its good because they don't bake it themselves. And on that note Bella Luna is awful. The next day I asked around a few of my friends and they said they wouldn't even use the toilet in that place. I do not recommended Bella Luna even in desperate times. Bad food, bad service but a nice view of the Verrazzano Bridge.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
While driving back to my neighborhood we saw an Italian place located on the corner of 11th Avenue and 86th st called Bella Luna. I must have passed by this restaurant a million times and never went in. Bella Luna is a hybrid. Part restaurant, part pizzeria and part bar. My friend and I decided to give it a try. How bad could it be?
After waiting about 5 minutes to be seated, a hostess came up to us and asked how big our party was. Keep in mind there were approximately 12 people in the restaurant. We were seated near the open windows. The rain cleared out and it started to become a nice night. My seat faced the Verrazzano Bridge. Our menus were handed to us and after waiting about another 10 minutes the waiter came over to take our order.
We started with fried calamari and mozzarella corza as our appetizers. I ordered the frutti de mar and my friend ordered the lamb chops as entrees. About 10 minutes after placing my order, I realized we didn't get bread or water. I was starving at this point and was ready to eat the gum that was stuck under the table. I mean isn't it common to get bread and a few glasses of water on the table when you go to a restaurant? Even prisoners in jail get bread and water. So far, I was not impressed with the service. I hoped the food was better.
About 15 minutes later, our appetizers arrived and still no bread. The calamari was fresh from the bag. Does anyone make their own calamari anymore? Is it that difficult of a task? The calamari was greasy, tasteless and over battered. The sauce was salty and watery. The mozzarella corza wasn't any better. The mozzarella was not fresh. I felt as if I was eating an egg and cheese sandwich. The bad taste basically took over the entire dish.
As they cleared away our dishes, I mentioned to my friend we should of walked 8 blocks and went Gino's. I gave him my thoughts about this restaurant and he agreed. Our entrée's came out and still no bread or water. We had a bottle of Pellegrino on the table, which we used to wash down the awful appetizers. My frutti de mar was a rather simple dish. Shrimp, clams, mussels and squid served with red sauce over a bed of pasta. The shrimp were dry and there were very few. A few of my mussels didn't open so those were basically thrown to the side. The squid was rubbery. The pasta was cooked al dente and the sauce was decent but had an over powering taste of red wine. I asked my friend about his dish and he said we should have gone to Gino's. I also would like to add that we weren't offered any fresh grated cheese or black pepper. At this point, I didn't care anyway. I knew I would never return to this restaurant ever again and would only recommend it to a sworn enemy.
Whenever I eat Italian food I can never finish a dish. This time I had room for dessert. I was in the mood for a nice slice of cheesecake. We asked the waiter what types of cheesecakes they had to offer and a bell went off when I heard apple crumb cheesecake. That combination could be served to me on a dirty paper plate in the fiery pits of hell and it should be good. So I ordered a slice. Finally this place has something good. I was telling my friend how good the cheesecake was and he said its good because they don't bake it themselves. And on that note Bella Luna is awful. The next day I asked around a few of my friends and they said they wouldn't even use the toilet in that place. I do not recommended Bella Luna even in desperate times. Bad food, bad service but a nice view of the Verrazzano Bridge.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The Palm steak house
It was my friends and I last night in Las Vegas. After 6 nights of hard partying, we decided to take it easy our last night. We were thinking of getting a few lap dances at Spearmint Rhino and were deciding on what steakhouse to dine at. After all, what is a trip to Vegas without a trip to the local strip club! A few days earlier, my friends and I were at the Forum Mall at Caesar’s Palace, when a familiar smell hit my nose, steak. My friends and I followed the waft to The Palm Steakhouse. Yes, the same Palm Steakhouse in New York City. I wanted to try something different but my friend brought up a good point. He said we must have walked past 50 steakhouses and none of them had a delicious smell like this floating out of it. He was right and I was in the mood for a real steak. Not a prissy filet mignon sliced and stacked with goat cheese and micro greens served over a bed of risotto with decorative sauces around it made from plastic squeeze bottles.
The Palm Steakhouse is located in the Forum shops at Caesar’s Palace. The décor is the same as the one in Manhattan, dark cherry wood with green accent seating. The bar has two LCD televisions and there is seating outside of the restaurant. My friends and I decided to eat outside and watch all the girls walking by while eating our half cooked slabs of meat. The waiter brought over bread and menus. My friends started off with a ceaser salad and sesame seed seared ahi tuna. The lump crabmeat cocktail was calling my name but I decided to go with the shrimp cocktail. We all ordered the 16 oz New York strip cooked medium, along with the creamed corn and the three-cheese potato au gratin and a glass of Melleni Chianti Classico from 2003. Yes, I know a cabernet goes better with steak but I haven't had this wine in a long time and was in a sick mood for it.
While waiting, my friends and I were talking about all the crap we ate all week and a heated discussion went down between my two friends. They argued that the wings at Hooters are better in Vegas then they are in New York. Yes, my friend you read correctly Hooters! A man can’t live on beluga caviar and Kobe beef alone. Our appetizers arrived. Four simple jumbo shrimp, served over a bed of lettuce with a little cup of ketchup and hors radish to mix the cocktail sauce to your taste. A ceaser salad, mixed with croutons and ceaser dressing and tuna lightly seared served over seaweed salad. The shrimp was tender and cold. The ceaser salad was a salty but good. The tuna was cooked perfectly. Lightly seared on the outside and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
While waiting for our steaks our plans changed. Spearmint Rhino was out and we decided to go to Club Pure for the last night. It was close to the Palm Steakhouse so it was convenient. One last drunken night in a club was needed. Besides winter is on its way. In New York we board up the windows and hide until the sun shines again.
Ours steak arrived exactly how I wanted. My 16 oz steak was cooked halfway and served on a plain white dish with creamed corn and three cheese potatoes. No squeeze bottles, stacks, foams or fancy square dishes with separate compartments. I usually pick up my dish to smell the food to get my palette going but the smell coming off the steak was strong and it was good. I cut into my steak and it was cooked to perfection. It was pink almost ¾ of the way starting from the middle. I took my first bite and the meat melted into my mouth. The steak was simply seasoned with salt, pepper and a hint of butter. The creamed corn was fresh shucked and swimming in a butter cream sauce. The potatoes were cooked to perfection, well done, with a crust from the cheese on top. Everything was delicious. Also, the wine complemented my steak very well.
I was crying as I took the last bites of the steak. Mostly, because it was so delicious but also because the steak shared the dreaded name of the city I had to return to tomorrow afternoon. Back to reality, bills, work, deadlines and dating (ick). How can something so good be so bad? I was stuffed. We cleared every plate in front of us. We were offered dessert but we declined. I don't think any of us could eat another bite. This had to be the best meal I have had in Las Vegas this vacation. Which really doesn't say much because I was eating like a truck driver for the past week. The bill came to be $300 with tip for 3 people. I give Palm Steakhouse a 3 out of 4 and I highly recommend visiting this place if you are ever in Las Vegas.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
The Palm Steakhouse is located in the Forum shops at Caesar’s Palace. The décor is the same as the one in Manhattan, dark cherry wood with green accent seating. The bar has two LCD televisions and there is seating outside of the restaurant. My friends and I decided to eat outside and watch all the girls walking by while eating our half cooked slabs of meat. The waiter brought over bread and menus. My friends started off with a ceaser salad and sesame seed seared ahi tuna. The lump crabmeat cocktail was calling my name but I decided to go with the shrimp cocktail. We all ordered the 16 oz New York strip cooked medium, along with the creamed corn and the three-cheese potato au gratin and a glass of Melleni Chianti Classico from 2003. Yes, I know a cabernet goes better with steak but I haven't had this wine in a long time and was in a sick mood for it.
While waiting, my friends and I were talking about all the crap we ate all week and a heated discussion went down between my two friends. They argued that the wings at Hooters are better in Vegas then they are in New York. Yes, my friend you read correctly Hooters! A man can’t live on beluga caviar and Kobe beef alone. Our appetizers arrived. Four simple jumbo shrimp, served over a bed of lettuce with a little cup of ketchup and hors radish to mix the cocktail sauce to your taste. A ceaser salad, mixed with croutons and ceaser dressing and tuna lightly seared served over seaweed salad. The shrimp was tender and cold. The ceaser salad was a salty but good. The tuna was cooked perfectly. Lightly seared on the outside and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
While waiting for our steaks our plans changed. Spearmint Rhino was out and we decided to go to Club Pure for the last night. It was close to the Palm Steakhouse so it was convenient. One last drunken night in a club was needed. Besides winter is on its way. In New York we board up the windows and hide until the sun shines again.
Ours steak arrived exactly how I wanted. My 16 oz steak was cooked halfway and served on a plain white dish with creamed corn and three cheese potatoes. No squeeze bottles, stacks, foams or fancy square dishes with separate compartments. I usually pick up my dish to smell the food to get my palette going but the smell coming off the steak was strong and it was good. I cut into my steak and it was cooked to perfection. It was pink almost ¾ of the way starting from the middle. I took my first bite and the meat melted into my mouth. The steak was simply seasoned with salt, pepper and a hint of butter. The creamed corn was fresh shucked and swimming in a butter cream sauce. The potatoes were cooked to perfection, well done, with a crust from the cheese on top. Everything was delicious. Also, the wine complemented my steak very well.
I was crying as I took the last bites of the steak. Mostly, because it was so delicious but also because the steak shared the dreaded name of the city I had to return to tomorrow afternoon. Back to reality, bills, work, deadlines and dating (ick). How can something so good be so bad? I was stuffed. We cleared every plate in front of us. We were offered dessert but we declined. I don't think any of us could eat another bite. This had to be the best meal I have had in Las Vegas this vacation. Which really doesn't say much because I was eating like a truck driver for the past week. The bill came to be $300 with tip for 3 people. I give Palm Steakhouse a 3 out of 4 and I highly recommend visiting this place if you are ever in Las Vegas.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Nove Italiano
My vacation has finally arrived. I made a list of places I wanted to eat at while staying at the MGM Hotel in Las Vegas. With places like Nobhill, Shibuya, Craft Steak and Sea Blue, just a few steps away from the craps table, I was a happy camper. Unfortunately, I didn't get to dine at any of them. Spending days by the pool and nights drinking over-priced vodka with the girls from Deal or No Deal and Mike Tyson, didn’t give me as much time to have nice dinners. Except for two nights, which you will read about in my next two postings.
My friend invited me to go to dinner at Nove Italiano, with a girl he met and her friend. It is a contemporary Italian joint at the top of the new Playboy Fantasy tower at the Palms Resort and Casino. Contemporary Italian? Was this going to be a Fiamma Osteria nightmare all over again? Before giving my friend an answer, I checked out the menu on my Blackberry and I wasn't really impressed. However, the magic words were said, "they are paying". I'm far from cheap but there was no way in hell, I was spending $500 on dinner on two girls I hardly knew.
I go over to the Palms and met up with my friend. Walked over to the extremely good-looking hostess and was quickly shoveled into the elevator. While going up in the elevator all I could think about was how good looking the hostess was. Being I was in the Playboy fantasy tower, I had a mini daydream of Playboy bunnies serving me endless filet mignon with wasabi lobster mashed potatoes and opus one. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Nove, watch your step” and poof girls, meat and wine were gone.
Nove was decorated in a modern Italian style. Shrubs cut out to resemble figures of people, Swarovski chandeliers, and plasma screens in wooden frames that flashed dynamic art. There were no Playboy bunnies but it didn't matter. I was with good company and the best part is we got a booth. A booth is like a vacation for your ass. Our waiter comes over and hands us our menu and takes our drink orders. Now this waiter was interesting, not only did he start off by hitting on one of the girls at our table, he also looked like one of the flying Ando's brothers from that episode of Seinfeld, when they thought Jerry’s jacket was stolen from the fryers club.
Scanning through the menu, I wasn't impressed. Another Fiamma Osteria on my hands, minus the bad date. I started off with grilled prawns served over grilled green chili and the ahi tuna for my entrée. The tuna was a pink and black peppercorn crusted heirloom with tomato vinaigrette. Our waiter informed one of the ladies sitting with us that there was a special dish that wasn't on the menu, a Tuscan lobster. It was only made special for "special" people. So for the rest of the night, I kept telling this girl how she should take our waiter in the bathroom so we can get a free dinner. Or at least they can get a free dinner.
I got a glass of wine, which was good but when I asked for the name of the wine the waiter refused to tell me what it was. This waiter was a character so I didn't mind his stupidity. One thing I didn’t like was that the wine was served in a stem-less wine glass. How am I going to open up my wine without using the stem to swirl it around? Are they kidding me? I wasn't grabbing the glass and swirling it around like a glass of chocolate milk. If any wine aficionado saw me do that I would be banished from the wine community. I asked for a glass with a stem and was told they don't have any. Décor just got a minus one.
My appetizer had arrived. Grilled shelled prawns. I hate to wrestle with seafood like lobster, crabs, etc. The prawns were very dry and had a weird taste to them. I tried the other appetizers around the table that my friends had ordered, calamari with banana peppers and lemon. It sucked, the calamari tasted like they were fresh from the bag. I also tried the Sicilian crab cakes with tomato, baccala, and garlic aioli. Yet, another bad dish for Nove. So far the nine group, has struck out with my palette.
Our entrée's arrived and I was happy I went with a basic dish. My ahi tuna was good. I didn’t have much more to say about it. Our new friends ordered the ahi tuna and the Tuscan lobster. I was offered to try the lobster. Actually it was more like shoved onto my plate and I was forced to eat it. Yes she was a little pushy, but in a funny kind of way. Any girl who forces me to eat a lobster tail is okay in my book. The lobster was a hit. It was a succulent lobster tail, in a spicy tomato sauce. It was really hard to deconstruct the dish because I was trying to pay attention to people talk. Apparently this lobster dish was only given to VIP’s. My friend went with the grilled lamb chops and said he didn't like them at all. He's a fussy eater so I couldn't really speak more on the dish.
I won't waste your time with the dessert. There is nothing interesting to discuss. Nove Italiano is a thumbs down my friends. In my opinion, I think Italian food should remain rustic. Or maybe it is because I live in Brooklyn, the Mecca of rustic Italian food. When I think Italian, I think of dishes like penne alla vodka and fra diavolo. Yes, I am a metropolitan type of person when it comes to food but so far every modern Italian place I've dined at was a bad experience. The bill came out to $590 for four of us that included the tip and tax. Nove Italiano is a strike out. It is probably worse then Fiamma Osteria.
Here's a picture of Iron Mike. His table was next to our's at Pure. Unfortunately the night we had a table next to the models from deal or no deal we had no camera and my blackberry was dead.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
My friend invited me to go to dinner at Nove Italiano, with a girl he met and her friend. It is a contemporary Italian joint at the top of the new Playboy Fantasy tower at the Palms Resort and Casino. Contemporary Italian? Was this going to be a Fiamma Osteria nightmare all over again? Before giving my friend an answer, I checked out the menu on my Blackberry and I wasn't really impressed. However, the magic words were said, "they are paying". I'm far from cheap but there was no way in hell, I was spending $500 on dinner on two girls I hardly knew.
I go over to the Palms and met up with my friend. Walked over to the extremely good-looking hostess and was quickly shoveled into the elevator. While going up in the elevator all I could think about was how good looking the hostess was. Being I was in the Playboy fantasy tower, I had a mini daydream of Playboy bunnies serving me endless filet mignon with wasabi lobster mashed potatoes and opus one. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Nove, watch your step” and poof girls, meat and wine were gone.
Nove was decorated in a modern Italian style. Shrubs cut out to resemble figures of people, Swarovski chandeliers, and plasma screens in wooden frames that flashed dynamic art. There were no Playboy bunnies but it didn't matter. I was with good company and the best part is we got a booth. A booth is like a vacation for your ass. Our waiter comes over and hands us our menu and takes our drink orders. Now this waiter was interesting, not only did he start off by hitting on one of the girls at our table, he also looked like one of the flying Ando's brothers from that episode of Seinfeld, when they thought Jerry’s jacket was stolen from the fryers club.
Scanning through the menu, I wasn't impressed. Another Fiamma Osteria on my hands, minus the bad date. I started off with grilled prawns served over grilled green chili and the ahi tuna for my entrée. The tuna was a pink and black peppercorn crusted heirloom with tomato vinaigrette. Our waiter informed one of the ladies sitting with us that there was a special dish that wasn't on the menu, a Tuscan lobster. It was only made special for "special" people. So for the rest of the night, I kept telling this girl how she should take our waiter in the bathroom so we can get a free dinner. Or at least they can get a free dinner.
I got a glass of wine, which was good but when I asked for the name of the wine the waiter refused to tell me what it was. This waiter was a character so I didn't mind his stupidity. One thing I didn’t like was that the wine was served in a stem-less wine glass. How am I going to open up my wine without using the stem to swirl it around? Are they kidding me? I wasn't grabbing the glass and swirling it around like a glass of chocolate milk. If any wine aficionado saw me do that I would be banished from the wine community. I asked for a glass with a stem and was told they don't have any. Décor just got a minus one.
My appetizer had arrived. Grilled shelled prawns. I hate to wrestle with seafood like lobster, crabs, etc. The prawns were very dry and had a weird taste to them. I tried the other appetizers around the table that my friends had ordered, calamari with banana peppers and lemon. It sucked, the calamari tasted like they were fresh from the bag. I also tried the Sicilian crab cakes with tomato, baccala, and garlic aioli. Yet, another bad dish for Nove. So far the nine group, has struck out with my palette.
Our entrée's arrived and I was happy I went with a basic dish. My ahi tuna was good. I didn’t have much more to say about it. Our new friends ordered the ahi tuna and the Tuscan lobster. I was offered to try the lobster. Actually it was more like shoved onto my plate and I was forced to eat it. Yes she was a little pushy, but in a funny kind of way. Any girl who forces me to eat a lobster tail is okay in my book. The lobster was a hit. It was a succulent lobster tail, in a spicy tomato sauce. It was really hard to deconstruct the dish because I was trying to pay attention to people talk. Apparently this lobster dish was only given to VIP’s. My friend went with the grilled lamb chops and said he didn't like them at all. He's a fussy eater so I couldn't really speak more on the dish.
I won't waste your time with the dessert. There is nothing interesting to discuss. Nove Italiano is a thumbs down my friends. In my opinion, I think Italian food should remain rustic. Or maybe it is because I live in Brooklyn, the Mecca of rustic Italian food. When I think Italian, I think of dishes like penne alla vodka and fra diavolo. Yes, I am a metropolitan type of person when it comes to food but so far every modern Italian place I've dined at was a bad experience. The bill came out to $590 for four of us that included the tip and tax. Nove Italiano is a strike out. It is probably worse then Fiamma Osteria.
Here's a picture of Iron Mike. His table was next to our's at Pure. Unfortunately the night we had a table next to the models from deal or no deal we had no camera and my blackberry was dead.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
Monday, September 15, 2008
Wildwood Barbeque
On the hunt for a good barbeque joint in New York, I stumbled upon Wildwood Barbeque, while reading New York Magazine. Wildwood Barbeque is another mutation from the B.R. restaurant conglomerate. B.R has a sack full of great restaurants such as Dos Caminos and Blue Water Grill also located in New York. I figured how bad could Wildwood Barbeque be?
It was a great summer night and after looking at the Wildwood Barbeque menu online for some time, my friend and I decided to go eat there and see the movie Pineapple Express. Wildwood Barbeque is located on Park Avenue South between 17th and 18th Street in Gramercy Park. After parking my car, we walked past Angelo Maxies and almost got sidetracked. I had to remind my friend we had a plan to eat barbeque food.
Wildwood Barbeque takes reservations but my friend and I decided to go without a reservation. When I entered the restaurant, I noticed the chic contemporary decor. We were told there would be a wait of 10 minutes, so I started to analyze the restaurant. Being born and raised in Brooklyn, we were both far from barbeque aficionados but we both know the difference between good and bad barbeque. Although I tend to watch television shows that specialize in various genres of food especially barbeque foods, I have never actually been in a true Southern barbeque spot. My analyzation of Wildwood was that of a rustic hole in the wall decorated by a gay man. Chairs that did not match jelly jars for drinking glasses and chalk boards with the “specials” of the day written on them.
Our hostess then announced that our table was ready. A small table for two cramped into a corner near the register. On the table there were a rack of sauces. Wildwood Classic Barbeque Sauce, Big Lou's Secret Raspberry Chipolte Barbeque Sauce and Dirty Dicks Hot Pepper Sauce a/k/a “dicks oral abuse”. Oral abuse? That reminded me of this girl I went on a date with once. Our waiter came over and asked if we would like to start off with some drinks. The gazebo sour caught my eye. Sazerac rye, chamomile and green tea. While waiting for the drink, I had a dilemma on my hands. Do I go with the ribs or do I go with the wild park brisket sandwich?
My gazebo sour was brought over to me and now it was crunch time. After discussing what I should order with my friend, we both decided to split a rack of ribs for appetizers and we would each order the park brisket sandwich. The park brisket consisted of sliced brisket, onion rings, coleslaw, melted provolone on a sesame seed bun and served with potato chips and an order of mac-n-cheese on the side. One thing I despise is bad service and our waiter is a prime example of it. He had an attitude like he had better things to do then take our order. It took him about 2 hours to get us our drink refills. I understand restaurants get busy, but our waiter was making this a bad experience.
Our rack of ribs arrived and we only received half the order! What a jackass this waiter is. I notice they are already glazed with barbeque sauce. From what I've seen and read, there is a big controversy between dry served ribs and glazed. Honestly, I don't give a shit, if it's good then its good! I took a few bites of the ribs before I could actually get all the flavors going. The ribs were glazed in Wildwood’s Raspberry Chipolte Barbeque Sauce. The ribs were tender. They were not falling off the bone; however, at first the sauce was sweet and gradually gave it a nice spicy kick as it hit my pallet. I have to admit these ribs did beat out the other places I've been to for barbeque food.
Our sandwiches arrived served on what seemed like a McDonald’s Big Mac bun. I looked at the sandwich and was kind of skeptical about it. The bun itself just made it less desirable. I felt as if I was going to bite into nasty Big Mac with slow cooked brisket, homemade slaw,provolone, and onion rings. I felt like I was looking at a Honda civic with a Ferrari engine. I took a few bites and the sandwich tasted worse then it looked. The provolone with the coleslaw threw off the entire balance of the sandwich. So I figured let me take off the provolone. No difference. I scraped off the coleslaw and added a little of Big Lou’s Barbeque Sauce. Still, no difference! Even worse, the brisket was dry and flavorless. I guess that is why they added the strong taste of provolone to it. The salt and vinegar chips that were served with the sandwich weren't that great either. I was never a big fan of salt and vinegar chips. However, the mac-n-cheese was excellent. The aged chedar gave the mac-n-cheese a nice flavor. My biggest problem with dish was the really small portion.
My friend and I named our waiter the “slug”. He finally came over to clear away our dishes and asked if we wanted dessert. Being that I was still on my diet and trying to lose a few pounds before my vacation, I decided to skip dessert. My wonderful friend decided to order a slice of carrot cake. I have despised carrot cake since I was younger. My friend told me the carrot cake was good and that I should try a piece. To my surprise it was actually good. It tasted fresh, but like I said I’m not a fan of carrot cake and had nothing to compare it to.
I was disappointed with the service and my sandwich at Wildwood Barbeque. However, my drink, the ribs and the mac-n-cheese were excellent and I would recommend going there to get these things. I rate Wildwood Barbeque a 2 out of 4. The bill came out to $90 for two people including the tip.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
It was a great summer night and after looking at the Wildwood Barbeque menu online for some time, my friend and I decided to go eat there and see the movie Pineapple Express. Wildwood Barbeque is located on Park Avenue South between 17th and 18th Street in Gramercy Park. After parking my car, we walked past Angelo Maxies and almost got sidetracked. I had to remind my friend we had a plan to eat barbeque food.
Wildwood Barbeque takes reservations but my friend and I decided to go without a reservation. When I entered the restaurant, I noticed the chic contemporary decor. We were told there would be a wait of 10 minutes, so I started to analyze the restaurant. Being born and raised in Brooklyn, we were both far from barbeque aficionados but we both know the difference between good and bad barbeque. Although I tend to watch television shows that specialize in various genres of food especially barbeque foods, I have never actually been in a true Southern barbeque spot. My analyzation of Wildwood was that of a rustic hole in the wall decorated by a gay man. Chairs that did not match jelly jars for drinking glasses and chalk boards with the “specials” of the day written on them.
Our hostess then announced that our table was ready. A small table for two cramped into a corner near the register. On the table there were a rack of sauces. Wildwood Classic Barbeque Sauce, Big Lou's Secret Raspberry Chipolte Barbeque Sauce and Dirty Dicks Hot Pepper Sauce a/k/a “dicks oral abuse”. Oral abuse? That reminded me of this girl I went on a date with once. Our waiter came over and asked if we would like to start off with some drinks. The gazebo sour caught my eye. Sazerac rye, chamomile and green tea. While waiting for the drink, I had a dilemma on my hands. Do I go with the ribs or do I go with the wild park brisket sandwich?
My gazebo sour was brought over to me and now it was crunch time. After discussing what I should order with my friend, we both decided to split a rack of ribs for appetizers and we would each order the park brisket sandwich. The park brisket consisted of sliced brisket, onion rings, coleslaw, melted provolone on a sesame seed bun and served with potato chips and an order of mac-n-cheese on the side. One thing I despise is bad service and our waiter is a prime example of it. He had an attitude like he had better things to do then take our order. It took him about 2 hours to get us our drink refills. I understand restaurants get busy, but our waiter was making this a bad experience.
Our rack of ribs arrived and we only received half the order! What a jackass this waiter is. I notice they are already glazed with barbeque sauce. From what I've seen and read, there is a big controversy between dry served ribs and glazed. Honestly, I don't give a shit, if it's good then its good! I took a few bites of the ribs before I could actually get all the flavors going. The ribs were glazed in Wildwood’s Raspberry Chipolte Barbeque Sauce. The ribs were tender. They were not falling off the bone; however, at first the sauce was sweet and gradually gave it a nice spicy kick as it hit my pallet. I have to admit these ribs did beat out the other places I've been to for barbeque food.
Our sandwiches arrived served on what seemed like a McDonald’s Big Mac bun. I looked at the sandwich and was kind of skeptical about it. The bun itself just made it less desirable. I felt as if I was going to bite into nasty Big Mac with slow cooked brisket, homemade slaw,provolone, and onion rings. I felt like I was looking at a Honda civic with a Ferrari engine. I took a few bites and the sandwich tasted worse then it looked. The provolone with the coleslaw threw off the entire balance of the sandwich. So I figured let me take off the provolone. No difference. I scraped off the coleslaw and added a little of Big Lou’s Barbeque Sauce. Still, no difference! Even worse, the brisket was dry and flavorless. I guess that is why they added the strong taste of provolone to it. The salt and vinegar chips that were served with the sandwich weren't that great either. I was never a big fan of salt and vinegar chips. However, the mac-n-cheese was excellent. The aged chedar gave the mac-n-cheese a nice flavor. My biggest problem with dish was the really small portion.
My friend and I named our waiter the “slug”. He finally came over to clear away our dishes and asked if we wanted dessert. Being that I was still on my diet and trying to lose a few pounds before my vacation, I decided to skip dessert. My wonderful friend decided to order a slice of carrot cake. I have despised carrot cake since I was younger. My friend told me the carrot cake was good and that I should try a piece. To my surprise it was actually good. It tasted fresh, but like I said I’m not a fan of carrot cake and had nothing to compare it to.
I was disappointed with the service and my sandwich at Wildwood Barbeque. However, my drink, the ribs and the mac-n-cheese were excellent and I would recommend going there to get these things. I rate Wildwood Barbeque a 2 out of 4. The bill came out to $90 for two people including the tip.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
Friday, September 12, 2008
101
It was a beautiful Friday night. My friends and I decided to go have a few drinks and dinner at 101 in Bay Ridge, located on the corner of 101st Street and 4th Avenue. The menu is a mixture of traditional American and Italian food, catering to Brooklyn's guido chic (fake tans, rolex's and $80k cars owned by people who still live at home). When you are in 101, you feel as though you are in a sports bar, not restaurant. There are a variety of 42 inch LCD televisions and 90 inch projection screens. The air conditioner was pumping inside but my friend and I opted to sit outside and enjoy the blistering heat.
A hostess shows us to our table. I got stuck sitting in the chair with the view of a 101st Street instead of 4th Avenue, where all the "action" happens. I had two bottles of Pellegrino Water and a Jack and Coke. As always, I am indecisive about what to order as I'm scanning through the menu. The menu has a variety of fish, pasta, sandwich and meat dishes. I have been to 101 several times and my favorite dish on the menu is the grilled chicken sandwich. I also like the penne vodka but because I am on a health kick, I decided to order the grilled chicken sandwich and cheat with the coconut shrimp.
The service at 101 is always good but it was slow this time. I didn't mind because I was with good friends, the weather was great and I was about to enjoy good food or so I thought. My coconut shrimp arrived. At first glance my shrimp looked to be over cooked. To my surprise, the shrimp was perfect! It was crunchy, moist and the honey mustard sauce was a nice compliment to the shrimp. One thing I have to say is that I did not taste any coconut. It might have been due to the sweetness of the honey mustard sauce. So I tried one without the sauce and the shrimp tasted bland. My friends ordered the calamari for two. The calamari tasted like it was from "the frozen bag kind". However, I didn't expect much from the calamari. After all, if I want good and fresh calamari, I go to Rocco's or Casa Calamari also located in Brooklyn.
My chicken sandwich consists of grilled chicken breast, fresh mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, onions and lemon pesto sauce, which is served on a lightly toasted pocketless pita. It came with fresh cut fries on the side. Yes, I know I said I was on a health kick but a few fries wont kill me. Or will they? As I take a few bites of my sandwich and try to deconstruct the taste of my dish, I observe that the chicken was moist but tasteless. The lemon pesto sauce tasted more like mayonnaise. I felt like I was eating a veggie sandwich with mayonnaise from Subway. The fries were rather greasy and bland. My friend ordered the same dish and agreed the sandwich was bland. So I knew I wasn't going crazy.
Fried shrimp, french fries?? I ride my bike 10 miles a day, go to the gym 5 days a week, so I figure I deserve some dessert. I'm not really big on sweets but my weakness is anything apple (i.e. apple pie, apple strudel, etc...). So I ordered the baked apple crisp. Crushed oatmeal cookies, apples, baked and topped with ice cream and whip cream. Good thing I did those 5 miles on the elliptical machine that day.
Another disappointment, the crushed oatmeal cookie topping was burned and the ice cream had ice crystals in it. I took a few bites and just couldn't finish eating it. The food at 101 has a good consistency. Maybe it wasn't the right night for the grilled chicken sandwich or apple crisp. Maybe the cook preparing my dish was tired that night. Who knows! The bill came out to $145 for a party of 4 people. I recommended 101 and give it a rating of 2 out of 4.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
A hostess shows us to our table. I got stuck sitting in the chair with the view of a 101st Street instead of 4th Avenue, where all the "action" happens. I had two bottles of Pellegrino Water and a Jack and Coke. As always, I am indecisive about what to order as I'm scanning through the menu. The menu has a variety of fish, pasta, sandwich and meat dishes. I have been to 101 several times and my favorite dish on the menu is the grilled chicken sandwich. I also like the penne vodka but because I am on a health kick, I decided to order the grilled chicken sandwich and cheat with the coconut shrimp.
The service at 101 is always good but it was slow this time. I didn't mind because I was with good friends, the weather was great and I was about to enjoy good food or so I thought. My coconut shrimp arrived. At first glance my shrimp looked to be over cooked. To my surprise, the shrimp was perfect! It was crunchy, moist and the honey mustard sauce was a nice compliment to the shrimp. One thing I have to say is that I did not taste any coconut. It might have been due to the sweetness of the honey mustard sauce. So I tried one without the sauce and the shrimp tasted bland. My friends ordered the calamari for two. The calamari tasted like it was from "the frozen bag kind". However, I didn't expect much from the calamari. After all, if I want good and fresh calamari, I go to Rocco's or Casa Calamari also located in Brooklyn.
My chicken sandwich consists of grilled chicken breast, fresh mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, onions and lemon pesto sauce, which is served on a lightly toasted pocketless pita. It came with fresh cut fries on the side. Yes, I know I said I was on a health kick but a few fries wont kill me. Or will they? As I take a few bites of my sandwich and try to deconstruct the taste of my dish, I observe that the chicken was moist but tasteless. The lemon pesto sauce tasted more like mayonnaise. I felt like I was eating a veggie sandwich with mayonnaise from Subway. The fries were rather greasy and bland. My friend ordered the same dish and agreed the sandwich was bland. So I knew I wasn't going crazy.
Fried shrimp, french fries?? I ride my bike 10 miles a day, go to the gym 5 days a week, so I figure I deserve some dessert. I'm not really big on sweets but my weakness is anything apple (i.e. apple pie, apple strudel, etc...). So I ordered the baked apple crisp. Crushed oatmeal cookies, apples, baked and topped with ice cream and whip cream. Good thing I did those 5 miles on the elliptical machine that day.
Another disappointment, the crushed oatmeal cookie topping was burned and the ice cream had ice crystals in it. I took a few bites and just couldn't finish eating it. The food at 101 has a good consistency. Maybe it wasn't the right night for the grilled chicken sandwich or apple crisp. Maybe the cook preparing my dish was tired that night. Who knows! The bill came out to $145 for a party of 4 people. I recommended 101 and give it a rating of 2 out of 4.
Edited by Maria Orrijola
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