For quite some time I've been hearing about a restaurant in Farmingdale called Hush. Full disclosure, I've never been a fan of Farmingdale but I also haven't been there in quite some time. I gotta say, I've been missing out. Farmingdale has come a long way!! Hush has a great location on Main street surrounded by small shops, cafe's and local eateries. It's a standout though. Between the inviting music that spills out on the sidewalk and the stomach growling aroma I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. 

Choosing to go with a grilled cheese and short rib sandwich I knew I'd be delighted. I was. The cheese included, white cheddar, fontina and ghouda and yes it was good ugh!! The short string fries only added to the pleasure that was my meal. The short ribs although not a surprise definitely surprised my tastebuds with how great it was and how well it complimented the cheese. Great combo. 

But, as good as my meal was I was disappointed. Why? Because after trying my mothers Turkey Club Burger, I knew I had made the wrong decision. Her burger was decadence personified. The combo of meat, lettuce, bacon and cranberry mayo was perfect. PERFECT I tell you. So good, that I'm sitting here thinking I should drive back out there and get it to go..!! The bun was warm and soft and the meat was seasoned so well. I can't wait to go back to this cooking channel stand out and try the dinner options. Head over there while the weather is still beautiful and dine outside. If you're lucky Luther Vandross will pop up on the music rotation and you'll be humming and chewing in pure glee!! 

Went into Storyville in Huntington Village. Hurricane Katrina has been on my mind a lot lately because of the ten year anniversary news coverage. I can't believe that Hurricane hit that long ago. It seems like just yesterday. I've never been to New Orleans and so for now, this is the closest I'm gonna come to it. 
Storyville named after the town which was considered the red light district in New Orleans tries it's best to provide its customers with authentic Louisiana dishes. I've been there before and I've tried their jambalaya as well as their catfish and greens. On this particular occasion, I chose to go with the pulled pork sliders, mac and cheese, fries and beignets for dessert. I was quite pleased. 

The sliders were very tasty. Covered by a brioche bun the sauce was plentiful, the meat was tender and the sliders were filling. I thoroughly enjoyed them. Along with the mac and cheese which was soooo cheesy, I almost asked for the recipe, I was very pleased with my lunch. Although, I chose to not get authentic New Orleans cuisine I have to say, the atmosphere made me feel like I was there. 

I did however decide to get the beignets which did not disappoint. How do you go wrong with fried dough covered in powdered sugar? They must be eating them in Heaven right? Sipping my cappuccino which was a bit light but good nonetheless, I have to say overall my experience was a good one. Storyville has been around for a few years in its location next to Finleys and although the location isn't the greatest, I'm quite sure that the word of mouth will keep them cooking and pleasing for years to come. If you're thinking of Katrina during these few days and months of Hurricane season, stop by Storyville and then make a donation to Habitat for Humanity  to aid the still rebuilding gulf coast.  

Meehans has been a Huntington Village staple for many years. I've had plenty of drinks during happy hour with my friends there but never really sat down and had a proper meal. I decided to do just that with my friend. The only problem was that at that particular moment nothing appealed to me other than a salad. Of course they had the normal bar and lunch options from burger to wings but it was the salad that kept calling out my name. So salad it was. I chose the Waldorf salad and it DID NOT disappoint. Consisting of grapes, apples, walnuts and Gorgonzola just to name a few that salad was fresh and refreshing. Many times, when I've chosen to get a salad, I'm presented with wilted lettuce and stale fixings. Every item in my salad was great. The only issue that I had was that it wasn't enough. 

I looked over at my friends meal and as much as I wanted to dig in and steal a fry and a bite I resisted. She ordered the Cuban Sandwich and by the looks of it, It must of have tasted great. When I asked her how it was she raved. Filled with pulled pork, ham and swiss, the sandwich according to her pleased her palate and filled her stomach. The ciabatta bread was a bit hearty so she left a bit of that on the plate but the combination of meat and veggies was satisfying. I'll definitely have to try it on my next visit to Meehans. Yes, I will be returning. As I mentioned earlier, Meehans offers many different items on their menu. The idea of trying their Poached Pear Salad or even their Crab Cake Sandwich brings joy to my stomach. Looking forward to my next visit. I can't imagine that I'll be disappointed. You don't last in the village as long as Meehans has without providing your customers with delicious food, ambiance and service. Meehans provides all three. 

Fan of Almarco in Huntington Village? How about Juniors Pizza in Halesite? Well if you love Italian food like I do, you'll LOVE the food from the brand new eatery Etalia with ties to the aforementioned restaurants. I've dined there on three occassions and each time I left satisfied and desiring more. 

Al the owner and Vinny the manager have always greeted me warmly which has never gone unnoticed. That complimented with the finely prepared dishes have made Etalia my new go to spot. The first time I went I had Penne Ala Vodka that looked and ultimately tasted so good that I completely forgot to take a before picture. So, I ended up taking a picture of my nearly empty plate. I'm not a fan of mushrooms, which is why the picture to left shows mushrooms in sauce. However I do like the flavor they add to dishes so I didn't mine them.

On my next visit I ordered baked rigatoni and chicken noodle soup from their 9.99 menu. I was in heaven. The soup was absolutely the best soup I've ever had. The chicken was plentiful as well as flavorful. Mixed in were various tender veggies, spices and of course noodles. They definitley know how to make homemade soup. That will be my go to take out dish especially during the colder months. Following the soup I had the baked rigatoni. It was baked with the perfect blend of cheese and sauce. They did not skimp out as so many other restaurants tend to do. I ate half of my large portion and for the rest of the day looked forward to eating the other half for dinner. Heated up at night, the dish again filled me with delight.

Today, I went back for a couple of slices of pizza. Pizza is pizza right? NO! If you've been to Juniors in Halesite then you know the difference between good pizza, average pizza and bad pizza. Like it's sister restaurant, Eatalia has really good Pizza and I'll leave it at that. Run, to this new restaurant located at 34 New in Huntington. From the minute you walk in, you'll feel welcomed and when you leave you'll feel absolutely content. And trust me when I say, your palate and your belly will be happy :-)

Decided on Mexican today and went into Pancho Villa’s a Town of Huntington favorite located in the village. I’ve been there before but it had been some time and the memory of how their food tasted seemed to escape me. They offer a very price conscious 10.95 lunch menu that includes rice, beans and the choice of a side salad or soup. There were many different items to choose from and after ruminating over dish after dish, I decided on the Enchiladas Suiza along with the side salad.

The salad was fresh. I kind of wish that I had chosen to get it without the oil and vinegar as I had requested. Eating it without dressing would have been just fine. There have been so many times that i've ordered a salad and discovered  stale croutons, brown rice and limp cucummbers. None of that was found in my salad. Everything tasted like it was fresh out of the dirt. I'm not kidding. I can only imagine what the soup tasted like, i'll have to save that for next time. 

When it came to my entree, I chose to have my Enchiladas filled with chicken and I was not disappointed. The chicken was tender and cooked alongside peppers and onions making it so very flavorful. Topping the Enchiladas were sour cream, melted cheese and a green tomato sauce. Before even taking a bite the aroma and the freshness of the dish had me sold. The rice was fresh and cooked perfectly. The beans when I mixed them with the rice melted in my mouth and I was truly delighted. Eating all of the trappings on my plate made me want to make plans to have dinner there with my friends in the near future. (If you're reading this friends that means YOU)!!

Pancho Villas is one of the few restaurants in Huntington Village that has had staying power. Their food is the clear reason why. Eating there reminded me of how important quality, appearance and taste are when it comes to Mexican food. I can be a snob especially when I visit a country and then come back to the states to try our version of their food. Having been to Mexico, I can honestly say, that whether they were located in Huntington or Mexico the food is prepared with the same kind of care. I was definitely pleased. 

Fat Fish in Bayshore is the perfect restaurant for having a drink on the water. The drink I chose was called the Carribbean. It consisted of Malibu Rum, Watermelon, Orange Juice, splash of lemonade and  fresh lemon juice. It was the perfect drink for outdoor dining on the water. Quite refreshing!!  Unfortunately, that's where the delight for the most part pretty much ended. I have patronized that establishment over the years on numerous occasions and I've never really been disappointed. I couldn't say the same this time around. Prior to eating my entree, I chowed down on the mussels in a garlic sauce. It's pretty hard to ruin mussels and Fat Fish did not fail. Accompanied by warm bread, the Mussels were fresh and the sauce was flavorful. After finishing them, I was so looking forward to my entree. 

I decided to try out one of their many Panini's as opposed to their highly publicized tapas. I chose the Italiano which consisted of parma ham, soppressato, pepperoni, mozzarella, arugula and balsamic grilled sourdough bread. Presented alongside a a mixed leaf salad I took one bite of my panini and immediately had wished that I had just ordered the salad. The Panini, was only lightly pressed and the bread was so thick that it was hard to enjoy the fillings. The fillings were great together but because it was a light offering I mostly ate bread. I was very disappointed. I ended up only eating half of the sandwich. After the meal, I ordered a cappuccino and to my dismay it arrived lukewarm. It seemed as though the afternoon simply could not be salvaged. 

The only thing going for Fat Fish is the view. The food, doesn't stand out and is over priced for the quality. I wish I could get my money back but oh well. Of course I intend to go back, I am as one might surmise a glutton for punishment. Not too mention, there are only a few restaurants actually on the water along the South Shore of Long Island. Maybe after my next visit, I'll make an amendment to this and highlight some good dishes. 

Going to Besito in Huntington Village is always filled with excitement. It's not the food per se but rather the ambiance. Whenever I write food reviews I try to focus on the food and not really write about what the restaurant look likes and the atmosphere. This review won't be much different except for one instance. Every time I've thought about going into Besito it's been because of how good their beverages were, their guacamole was and the ambiance was. Never was it really the entree's.  So today I decided against the Guacamole and a drink and opted for water and the meal. 

I decided to stay within my weekly budget and ordered the Queso Quesadilla. The dish was accompanied by salsa, sour cream and a light green sauce all great for dipping. In addition, the meal came with rice and beans. All in all, I was pleased with my 9.00 dish. The Quesadilla was perfect. It was tasty, baked well and had the perfect amount of cheese. I really didn't need to dip it but by doing so it added a wonderful flavor to an already appetizing dish. Adding the rice and beans in my opinion would have only made it that much more appealing. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The rice was under cooked and at times crunchy. The ends of the Quesadilla and the rice should not have been in a competition for crunchiest bite. But, the rice was indeed not cooked. Even by placing the beans on top as a way of softening and blending them I still would sometimes crunch on my rice. I've had rice there before but this was definitely a first. The beans were cooked well and made up for were it's counterpart failed.

At the end of the day, my meal was pretty good. Besito although a chain never comes off that way. The service culminated with the atmosphere and menu choices definitely pleased this hometown girl.  I'm willing to give them another chance in the rice department and if that fails I'll definitely order my guacamole and margarita.