Tutto Pazzo in Halesite, NY overlooking the Huntington Harbor is the perfect blend of food and location. Today, I stopped in to enjoy a dish off of their lunch special menu. After spending about five minutes choosing and then changing my mind I chose the Caesar Salad and the Lasagna Bolognese. Both were perfect. 

The salad had just enough dressing and shaved cheese complimented by fresh croutons. On many occasions, I've gone into restaurants that offered a soggy salad with stale croutons so Tutto Pazzo's was quite refreshing. The Lasagna of course was a lunch portion which was plenty, but when I finished I really wished I had enough to take home. It was that good. The sauce was fresh, the pasta thoroughly cooked and the meat was very flavorful. I enjoyed it immensely. 

Dessert was also part of the lunch special. It was a house dessert and unfortunately I didn't get the name. But, from what I could tell the delicious concoction was made up of cream, raspeberry sauce, chocolate sauce and a flaky crust. I don't typically like to order dessert, but it was included so I couldn't be rude. Thank God I wasn't. Coming off of the Lasagna, the dessert was the right fit. I left Tutto Pazzo full and happy. This place is not directly in the hustle and bustle of Huntington Village making it a great place to relax, enjoy the view and gorge. I can't wait to go back!

The thing about dining in Manhattan is that you never really know what you're going to get. There are so many restaurants and every one of them has a "thing" that they think separates them from the rest. Whether it's special beverages, desserts or steaks they all have something. Unfortunately, Rosie's had nothing...at least that I tried.

The menu had showed some good options to choose from in both appetizer and entree sections. I decided on the Calamari and the all natural roasted half chicken. I was optimistic because the place leaned towards healthy preparation even including many vegetarian dishes. The calamari was great. It wasn't breaded which suited me perfectly. It was ginger grilled and was accompanied by chunks of pineapple and red peppers. The mix was definitely pleasing. It was also very tender which is how I prefer my calamari. Nothing worse than rubber in your mouth o_o

Following the appetizer was my chicken entree. The chicken looked very very good. Alongside the meat was julienne vegetables and mashed potatoes. I really couldn't wait to dig in. Until I digged in. The chicken although tasty didn't melt in my mouth the way the presentation teased. It tasted like in lieu of being marinated it was doused with sauce and then baked. I tasted my friends pork chop and I suggest getting that and not the chicken. It was definitely more flavorful.  The mashed potatoes were a bit too soft but it's kind of hard to mess them up especially when you can mix them with the sauce from the meat. The veggies I didn't think were cooked in the manner that I prefer but given the unsatisfactory portions that accompanied it, they fit in. 

The only thing I believe that could have salvaged the evening was a cappuccino. They didn't have a machine, so coffee it was. I may be on my own with this review of their food considering the place was packed by the time I left. Although, Mary J. Blige was playing next door at the Beacon so maybe the guests got the same idea as me. At any rate, I mildly recommend this restaurant. It's next door to a well known venue which I think maybe they take for granted given their lackluster food offerings. But, if you want a bite, with friendly service and quick turnaround then Josie's on Amsterdam in Manhattan is the place for you!

My goal in regards to this food blog has typically been to dine at restaurants in and around the Huntington, NY area. Today, I was meeting my younger brother for lunch so we went into Bobbique in Patchogue, NY. 

Bobbique describes themselves as just that. A barbecue spot. They have all of the typical favorites including ribs, brisket and pulled pork as well as the traditional sides of potato salad, cole slaw, mac and cheese and collard greens just to name a few. The food, is pretty good. I had been here on a few other occasions and I've never really been disappointed. 

Today, I chose to order from their featured lunch menu which is 6.95 plus 3.00 for a draft beer. I ordered the pulled pork sliders with cole slaw and macaroni and cheese. I was so excited to dig in that I forgot to take a picture of the initial presentation so what accompanies this post is my nearly finished lunch plate.  The beer that I chose to order was Boulder Beer, an import from Colorado. I asked the waitress for a dark beer other than Guinness. The Boulder Beer draft was a fine choice and pleasing to the palate. 

The macaroni and cheese although tasteful really wasn't the best I've had. It sort of reminded me of Krafts with a little more cheese. Definitely nothing special about it nor the slaw. Someone could have told me the slaw came out of a box and I would've believed them. Although both sides were good, I kind of wish I had gone with a different choice. My brother gobbled up his french fries, I was kind of jealous because they looked so good. I never did ask for one. The sliders made up for slack left behind by the side orders. The thing that stood out for me when it came to the sliders was that I didn't have to add more barbecue sauce. They were perfectly seasoned and marinated. No doctoring needed. 

I definitely recommend Bobbiqe for lunch and even just to get away and watch a game. They have more beers on tap than I've seen in many other similar establishments. They have a good selection of food and for the price it's quite tasty. I'm looking forward to going back and trying out the greens and chicken wings. If  you're  there look for me at the bar during the playoffs for sure. 

I’m stuffed. I’m full. I’m satisfied. Today’s meal at Fado’s in Huntington was so good, I barely left a scrap and the end result is that I will likely not eat dinner tonight. The meal began with a glass of house Rose, which was perfectly dry and not too sweet. It was quickly followed up with a bag of rolls, sweet butter and olives. Yes a bag of rolls. When I went to take one out, it was warm and ready for the butter. I was not disappointed.

Soon after delighting in my wine and bread, my appetizer arrived. I ordered potato skins and that they were. I expected the traditional skins that come filled with potato and topped with cheese, bacon, sour cream and chives. Nope, what I got was just the skins. How awesome and seemingly healthy I thought. I immediately decided that I would attempt to make a similar dish at home, the next time the opportunity presents itself. The skins were so tasty. They were salty but not overwhelmingly. The seasoning helped to melt the skins in my mouth. The skins were accompanied by Kaper Aioli sauce that complemented it in all the right ways.

By the time I swallowed up my skins, I couldn’t begin to imagine what my main entrée would taste like. I ordered North Atlantic Salmon Filet with sliced avocado’s and cabbage rice. The avocado’s were sprinkled with olive oil and feta cheese, a combination I had never had before but willing and eagerly bit into. It was great and definitely not enough. The cabbage rice was seasoned well and it was plentiful. Oftentimes when a restaurant serves rice, it’s not enough to compliment the meat, but with Fado they adhered to their own rules and provided the perfect amount. My salmon although a small portion was fantastic. The seasoning went well with both side items and the consistency was perfected by the chef. I was very pleased with my main entree. I had to also, take a moment to taste my friends dish. She ordered the Pan Seared Chicken Breast. The breast was marinated in a creamy and spicy piri piri, blend and It was so good, that I nearly wished I had ordered that instead. But after another bite into my salmon I was quite satisfied with my choice. 

Fado, as described by the couple sitting next to me is an “authentic unpretentious and delightful” restaurant. I cannot wait to return again in the near future. If this restaurant comes anywhere close to what is offered in Portugal than I have to give them an A. The ambience, the service and the food all combined to make an excellent dining experience. Go there!                                   

When I write I often find myself wanting to be provocative or dramatic in what I'm sharing. I always go into a restaurant with high hopes yet the writer in me hopes that there's something sorta negative to write about in order to make my piece more interesting. This afternoon was no exception when I went into Almarco in Huntington Village. 

I can't lie, the twelve dollar lunch offering was an immediate eye grabber. Little did I imagine the greatness that those 12 bucks plus tax and tip would give me. After spending a few moments perusing the menu, I decided on the stuffed shells which accompanied a salad and dessert. First to arrive though was a warm bread basket and dipping oil which always does me in. The bread was soft, fresh and so damn tasty. As I patiently waited, I stared out the window taking in the pleasant view that greeted me on the outside all the while bopping my head to smooth jazz that played indoors. Shortly, thereafter my meal arrived. 

Served side by side, my salad and pasta looked amazing. The salad was flavorful and fresh. I honestly was tempted to order another full order. After quickly gobbling the salad up, I began cutting into the stuffed shells. They were a bit cooler in temperature than I liked but I tossed that up to me eating my salad first and letting the pasta sit a bit. The three shells were not perfectly cooked but they were okay and I was fine with them. The sauce was a bit runny but packed lots of flavor. Mixed with the thick consistency of the ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, the marriage was a decent one. All in all I was quite pleased.

After eating my entree, I was presented with dessert, which was a doughnut with a sweet creamy topping and a cherry. DELICIOUS. The presentation of the doughnut had me at first sight so bad that I forgot to take a picture and ended up taking one once I was nearly done eating it as evidenced in the photo above. 

I highly recommend Almarco. If not for the food, definitely for the pricing. It's nice to see local restaurants thrive and offer better quality ingredients and menu options than the traditional chains found throughout the island. Stop by there on your next visit, the staff will not disappoint you either :-)