So Saturday night, Steve and I went out with a few friends of ours. We met up with one of them who was performing in a play downtown so we found ourselves on 8th and West 15th. Right around the corner we found a place called Chelsea Ristorante. We were immediately seated and our waiter was so warm and inviting. No sooner did we sit down, they brought out garlicky focaccia and bread with little bowls of balsamic vinegar and EVOO. The focaccia was amazing.
The ambiance was very nice. Low lighting and warm tones on the wall created a very relaxed romantic feel. They had a full bar and a brick oven pizza station in the back that was exposed.
Once our waiter discovered that Steve speaks some italian, he began speaking italian to all of us, mixed in with a few english words in response to our blank stares as he was speaking to us. It was almost theatrical, our waiters entertaining skills. He made us laugh, but also knew when to back away so that we could enjoy each others company.
The food and drink were fantastic. I got my signature dirty martini to start and then switched to wine during the meal. Even though there was about 9 of us, we were all served at the same time. Steve and I started out with a baked clam dish that was awesome. For dinner, I got a rigatoni dish with broccoli rabe and sausage. I forget what Steve got, but everyone was thoroughly impressed with their dishes. The waiter made clear to us, that pretty much any of the dishes on the menu could be made with whatever sauce was preferred. I thought that was pretty neat. For dessert we shared a few different things ranging from cheesecake, tiramisu, and homemade peach ice cream in a carved out peach!
Steve and I are definitely going back for more. It was an awesome experience, with a decently priced menu with entree dishes ranging from $14 to $20. The service alone was fantastic. A great place to go with friends, or to just have a romantic night out. A + for this one.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Old Friends
While down the shore this weekend, we were invited to a BBQ with some friends of ours who live in the area, Nicole and Pete. Steve grew up with Nicole and I first met them at their wedding, about 6 months after Steve and I started dating. So fast forward two years later and here we are. They had recently bought a house, which was nice, roomy and perfect for their needs. Plus they were 5 minutes from the shore!!!!! It's so beautiful down there. No one knows that about Jersey. We'd live there full time if we could figure out how to make a living down there.
Food was great, conversation was fantastic and it was so great just to sit back and talk about life. People come in and out of your life all of the time, but it seems the friendships that last are the ones where you just pick up where you left off last, no matter how much time has gone by. It also helps when you are going through similar experiences too. Steve and Nicole definitely seem to have that kind of friendship.
The older I get, the more I realize who I want in my life and what I value in the friendships that I have. There are friends that are so dear to me, that I don't talk to a whole lot, mainly because I'm just not a phone person and who has the time to just chit chat for hours, but when we see each other, it's fantastic and we literally start back where we left off. You can tell if you are aware enough, the friendships that will last a lifetime. They are special and I am very grateful for them.
Food was great, conversation was fantastic and it was so great just to sit back and talk about life. People come in and out of your life all of the time, but it seems the friendships that last are the ones where you just pick up where you left off last, no matter how much time has gone by. It also helps when you are going through similar experiences too. Steve and Nicole definitely seem to have that kind of friendship.
The older I get, the more I realize who I want in my life and what I value in the friendships that I have. There are friends that are so dear to me, that I don't talk to a whole lot, mainly because I'm just not a phone person and who has the time to just chit chat for hours, but when we see each other, it's fantastic and we literally start back where we left off. You can tell if you are aware enough, the friendships that will last a lifetime. They are special and I am very grateful for them.
Frankies
This past weekend, Steve and I went down the shore to spend the weekend just relaxing and going with the flow. So Saturday night, we went to a local restaurant in point pleasant called Frankies. Now, it's nothing crazy, but the ambiance is fun, it's always crowded and the food is good. Portions are big and the seafood is always fresh. They have killer burgers too that they cook up for you right in the bar area if your sitting there. Steve's parents were also down the shore, so we were there with them and another couple who are friends of the family, Joe and Maria.
While having dinner, I came to find out that Joe was a musician who ended up choosing the financial career path but still lived and breathed music at home. It was so refreshing talking to him about music and what drives us to write that it made me realize I don't surround myself with enough musicians to remind me how much I love doing what I do on a regular basis. I've been so caught up trying to figure out my other career path, while abandoning myself musically. I was so thankful for that conversation because it made me realize all of this. We went home and I told Steve that I need to get back into the groove. Go to open mic nights, reconnect with my Berklee peeps and just do it. So, i'll keep you posted on how that goes.
Back to Frankies...So I got a veggie shrimp primavera which was great. Portions were huge so I literally only ate a corner of my bowl. Steve got some clams on the half shell to start and the flounder for dinner. He liked it a lot and even attacked the leftovers the next morning for breakfast. Joe got a steak and ordered it rare. However, it came out still mooing. So he sent it back to cook a little more. Entrees are reasonably priced and so are the drinks. Wine menu is decent, nothing spectacular, but enjoyable. They always have Yuengling on tap which is my favorite beach beer ever!!!
We topped the night off with ice cream from Hoffmans.....Another beach tradition. It's a great ice cream shop, where they make their own and have a million different flavors. I got peanut butter crunch which was peanut butter chunks in vanilla ice cream with chocolate covered peanuts. Steve wanted to gag of course (he has a severe dislike of peanuts, though not allergic). We had to wait in line for a few minutes even in April. It's amazing how busy the area gets especially after memorial day weekend. We then went home and had grand plans of grabbing a night cap at the Tiki bar on the boardwalk, but fell asleep on the couch instead......
While having dinner, I came to find out that Joe was a musician who ended up choosing the financial career path but still lived and breathed music at home. It was so refreshing talking to him about music and what drives us to write that it made me realize I don't surround myself with enough musicians to remind me how much I love doing what I do on a regular basis. I've been so caught up trying to figure out my other career path, while abandoning myself musically. I was so thankful for that conversation because it made me realize all of this. We went home and I told Steve that I need to get back into the groove. Go to open mic nights, reconnect with my Berklee peeps and just do it. So, i'll keep you posted on how that goes.
Back to Frankies...So I got a veggie shrimp primavera which was great. Portions were huge so I literally only ate a corner of my bowl. Steve got some clams on the half shell to start and the flounder for dinner. He liked it a lot and even attacked the leftovers the next morning for breakfast. Joe got a steak and ordered it rare. However, it came out still mooing. So he sent it back to cook a little more. Entrees are reasonably priced and so are the drinks. Wine menu is decent, nothing spectacular, but enjoyable. They always have Yuengling on tap which is my favorite beach beer ever!!!
We topped the night off with ice cream from Hoffmans.....Another beach tradition. It's a great ice cream shop, where they make their own and have a million different flavors. I got peanut butter crunch which was peanut butter chunks in vanilla ice cream with chocolate covered peanuts. Steve wanted to gag of course (he has a severe dislike of peanuts, though not allergic). We had to wait in line for a few minutes even in April. It's amazing how busy the area gets especially after memorial day weekend. We then went home and had grand plans of grabbing a night cap at the Tiki bar on the boardwalk, but fell asleep on the couch instead......
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Craft Bar - Thumbs Up
Saturday night my sister was in town for the toy show so I decided to make reservations at Craft Bar on 19th and Broadway downtown. I have a coworker who couldn't say enough great things about this place and it's sister restaurant "The Craft" so I wanted to check it for myself.
What i've realized recently is that the further downtown you go, the more hidden restaurants and clubs are for some reason. You kind of have to know where you are going in order to spot these places. As we drove into the area, the only way you could tell that you were passing by a club was the fact that there were bouncers outside. No signage, no windows, just your average looking skyscraper office building. On our way there we also passed what looked like a bar full of 1920's chandeliers. It looked very funky and very cool and will definitely check that out one of these days as soon as I figure out what it's called.
So once we got there and checked our coats, we actually had to wait a good 20 minutes for our table even though we made the reservations ahead of time. The ambiance was very chic New York style, very busy, a lot of 20 to 40 something year olds. We got a drink at the bar while we waited which was on the pricier side of things but I suppose that was to be expected.
The menu was very european in that it had a lot of rabbit dishes, various pig and beef parts that aren't normally on a menu. Many of the dishes were also really interesting in terms of what was in them. A broad range of ingredients ranging from healthy things like mustard greens to fried pigs skin.
Our waitress was great, very informative, attentive and well spoken. We decided to get the fried pigs skin ad mushroom and fontina cheese bruschetta for an appetizer which were both great but I soon realized that there's not much to fried pigs skin. I think they even have that as a popular snack in a bag that you can by at any grocery store. So I felt like it was more expensive than it needed to be. The bruschetta was great though.
For dinner I had a bucatini pasta with mustard greens, pancetta and roasted tomatoes that was delicioso! Steve ordered a barley soup again which he loved and then the veal ricotta meatballs which came highly recommended. Brooke got the hanger steak and I forget what her coworker ordered. All the dishes were perfectly seasoned and everyone enjoyed them. For desert we got some chocolate ice cream to share.
The bill was hefty but expected and I would definitely go back because of their really interesting menu and emphasis on promoting local farms and local and organic ingredients. It had an element of transparency in that it listed exactly where they source all of their ingredients from which I thought was awesome! Definitely recommend if your in the mood to experience New York at it's best and willing to drop some dough.
What i've realized recently is that the further downtown you go, the more hidden restaurants and clubs are for some reason. You kind of have to know where you are going in order to spot these places. As we drove into the area, the only way you could tell that you were passing by a club was the fact that there were bouncers outside. No signage, no windows, just your average looking skyscraper office building. On our way there we also passed what looked like a bar full of 1920's chandeliers. It looked very funky and very cool and will definitely check that out one of these days as soon as I figure out what it's called.
So once we got there and checked our coats, we actually had to wait a good 20 minutes for our table even though we made the reservations ahead of time. The ambiance was very chic New York style, very busy, a lot of 20 to 40 something year olds. We got a drink at the bar while we waited which was on the pricier side of things but I suppose that was to be expected.
The menu was very european in that it had a lot of rabbit dishes, various pig and beef parts that aren't normally on a menu. Many of the dishes were also really interesting in terms of what was in them. A broad range of ingredients ranging from healthy things like mustard greens to fried pigs skin.
Our waitress was great, very informative, attentive and well spoken. We decided to get the fried pigs skin ad mushroom and fontina cheese bruschetta for an appetizer which were both great but I soon realized that there's not much to fried pigs skin. I think they even have that as a popular snack in a bag that you can by at any grocery store. So I felt like it was more expensive than it needed to be. The bruschetta was great though.
For dinner I had a bucatini pasta with mustard greens, pancetta and roasted tomatoes that was delicioso! Steve ordered a barley soup again which he loved and then the veal ricotta meatballs which came highly recommended. Brooke got the hanger steak and I forget what her coworker ordered. All the dishes were perfectly seasoned and everyone enjoyed them. For desert we got some chocolate ice cream to share.
The bill was hefty but expected and I would definitely go back because of their really interesting menu and emphasis on promoting local farms and local and organic ingredients. It had an element of transparency in that it listed exactly where they source all of their ingredients from which I thought was awesome! Definitely recommend if your in the mood to experience New York at it's best and willing to drop some dough.
Trattoria Dopo Teatro - Thumbs Down
So friday night, while we were walking the streets of manhatten to find a place to eat we came across a gentleman standing outside of an italian bistro called Trattoria Dopo Teatro on 44th and 7th in midtown. After chatting with him for a minute, he convinced us that this was the place to eat. Afterwards we were going to see American Idiot on broadway so we decided to stay close by for dinner, plus it had a pre-theater dinner special. Ambiance was nice, very european, but without having reservations we had a table near the door which would get rather cold every time the door was opened. We were served right away, but had about 4 different waiters throughout the experience. The ambiance somehow didn't quite fit the general attitude of everyone. Waiters were very casual, more like you would find at a family dining style restuarant, but the prices didn't reflect family dining.
Our prefix dinner was $24.50 each but add two drinks each to that and it boosted our bill up by $40 bucks, so that wasn't too great. The meal itself was just ok. Nothing bad but nothing great. I had a ziti dish with marinara with a salad to start and Steve had tillapia with a barley soup to start. Portions were also small, just as they would be in a higher end restaurant, but like I said earlier, the service didn't reflect that of a higher end restaurant. None of the dishes were packed with flavor. All in all, wouldn't go back even though it was super conveniently close to where we wanted to be. There are plenty of restaurants in the area that would give you more for the price you pay.
Our prefix dinner was $24.50 each but add two drinks each to that and it boosted our bill up by $40 bucks, so that wasn't too great. The meal itself was just ok. Nothing bad but nothing great. I had a ziti dish with marinara with a salad to start and Steve had tillapia with a barley soup to start. Portions were also small, just as they would be in a higher end restaurant, but like I said earlier, the service didn't reflect that of a higher end restaurant. None of the dishes were packed with flavor. All in all, wouldn't go back even though it was super conveniently close to where we wanted to be. There are plenty of restaurants in the area that would give you more for the price you pay.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Introduction
So here's the deal. Time and time again I eat out at a restaurant or experience an amazing bottle of wine, but often times will not save the bottle or remember the name and it's lost forever. Now in Boston, where I lived for years, I wined and dined myself all through the city with family and friends, remembering the favorites and forgetting the "not so much" places. After many a discussion of who should move where, my boyfriend and I decided that I would have more opportunity for my music here in NYC (even though I didn't give it much of a shot in Boston). So long story short, I recently relocated to NJ to live with him and we ended up right across the river from NYC.
We try to stick to a budget and go out once a week to the restaurant of our choice. The problem I've recently encountered is that NYC is HUGE! There are a million restaurants and every time I step off the ferry in midtown, I'm awed by the enormity of it all. So far we've eaten at some really great places, but I don't really remember what section of town they were in or what street they were on. NYC is still so new to me and I feel like it will take eons to feel like I know it all. So this is why I started a blog. To document my experiences wining and dining in NYC and occasionally NJ.
I consider myself one who has great taste and love to share my findings with the world. I'm not a writer, in case you couldn't tell yet, but rather a musician who has a serious passion for good food. As a result, I've worked for many years at Whole Foods Market, where I can share my passion for amazing food without having to deal with the crazy hours of a chef's life.
Tonight we are going to a broadway musical. Don't know where we'll end up for dinner yet, but I can guarantee it will be reasonably priced and in the theater district. I'll let you know how it goes.
We try to stick to a budget and go out once a week to the restaurant of our choice. The problem I've recently encountered is that NYC is HUGE! There are a million restaurants and every time I step off the ferry in midtown, I'm awed by the enormity of it all. So far we've eaten at some really great places, but I don't really remember what section of town they were in or what street they were on. NYC is still so new to me and I feel like it will take eons to feel like I know it all. So this is why I started a blog. To document my experiences wining and dining in NYC and occasionally NJ.
I consider myself one who has great taste and love to share my findings with the world. I'm not a writer, in case you couldn't tell yet, but rather a musician who has a serious passion for good food. As a result, I've worked for many years at Whole Foods Market, where I can share my passion for amazing food without having to deal with the crazy hours of a chef's life.
Tonight we are going to a broadway musical. Don't know where we'll end up for dinner yet, but I can guarantee it will be reasonably priced and in the theater district. I'll let you know how it goes.
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