Plain Jane Food Review

Pie by the Pound

2009-08-09T00:35:00.002-07:00

Pie by the Pound

124 4th Ave

New York, NY 10003

One afternoon I was taking a stroll around Union Square with a friend when we saw a little eatery called Pie by the Pound down the street. By the name I thought I was going to go in for some dessert pie but as we got closer to the eatery there wasn't a sweet aroma filling their air. It was more of a blend of cheese, tomato sauce, and fresh herbs. That could only mean one thing...pizza pies!

This pizzeria is definitely different from the hundreds of others in New York. They have a gourmet twist on NYC pizza. Here at Pie you don't by pizza by the slice you buy it by the pound hence the name. The only other time I have seen pizzerias like this are in good ole Rome. They have sooo many varieties to choose from I went with their sample special. You get to choose any 5 pizzas to sample for $10. Even though I had a choice of 5 samples it was still hard to narrow it down from all the choices they give you. In the end I ended up choosing the mushroom, caprese, 5 cheese, fresh mozzarella, and fresh cubed.

All the pizzas were baked pretty thin so they were all crunchy. The mushroom pie was very yummy. They had a mixture of different kinds of mushrooms but none of the canned stuff. My favorite mushroom that I found in my pizza were chunks of portobello. The caprese slice was everything you would expect from a caprese dish. Fresh mozzarella with tomato and basil. Of course there was no sauce making the pizza extra crunchy. This pie was covered in oregano so you could definitely taste the herby flavor with each bite.

I then went on to try the 5 cheese sample and I have to say that this was my favorite. In it they used provolone, mozzarella, Gorgonzola, and Parmesan cheeses. I couldn't find out what the 5th cheese was. When I asked the person working behind the counter they weren't sure and even doing a search online only gave me 4 out of the 5. There is no sauce in this pizza but the bread and a thick layer of cheese. What made it my favorite from all the samples was the Gorgonzola. It had a really distinct taste that stuck out. If you're not a fan of Gorgonzola then this might not be something you would like because the flavor is very strong. The fresh mozzarella slice was pretty much the same as the caprese. The only difference being instead of having fresh tomato slices like the caprese you have fresh tomato sauce. But both also use mozzarella and basil. Lastly the last slice I tried was the fresh cubed. The fresh cubed was pretty yummy. Basically it's a plain slice that's topped with freshly cubed mozzarella cheese, arugula, garlic, basil and drizzled with olive oil.

After I was done with all my samples I noticed that they had dessert pies as well. I ended up trying on of the dessert pies they offered. Instead of a thick bread the base was thin, crunchy and wafer-like. It was topped with nutella, ricotta, banana, and strawberries. It was so delicious. Nutella and fresh fruit go great anything.

All in all I think Pie by the Pound is a really hip and trendy pizzeria. The vibe you get from just being there is that people go there to eat their pizza in a very relaxing atmosphere. In most places you just buy your slice and leave. Here they have a lot of tables and spaces to sit and hang out with your friends. Or they even have magazines for you to read if you just want to escape from it all. The only thing I would change is to have all the pizzas labeled. They were all on display and I didn't know the difference so I had to ask the person working there about each one I was interested in. One really cool offer they had going on during the time that I ate there was this special called 'The Book Club.' It doesn't have anything to do with actual books but you just pay a $2 fee and you get discounts on all the beer that they have to offer. I looked at the beer list and it was pretty extensive. $2 really isn't much especially if it saves you $1 off each beer you buy. This is a great deal if you work around the area or often come here for happy hour. If you are around the Union Square area I definitely think you should stop by this unique pizzeria and give it a try.

Crumbs Bake Shop 'Round Two'

2009-08-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

Crumbs Bake Shop

Various Locations

It's no surprise I love Crumbs Cupcakes. Every time I stop by one I always get my favorite flavors but for research purposes every round that I feature on my blog will include flavors not yet reviewed. In this round some of the cupcakes I have tried before and some are completely new to my cupcake palette. So lets get to it.

The first cupcake I tried out was the Pistachio. I've had really good pistachio cupcakes from other bakeries but I've never tried it from Crumbs specifically. The foundation was a very yummy vanilla cake. It was both topped and filled with a thick cream cheese frosting and rolled around in chopped pistachios. The frosting was a bit too thick for me but other wise it was pretty good. Next I was trying what is probably Crumbs' most popular cupcake the Red Velvet. It's a red velvet cake topped with a cream cheese frosting, rolled in white sprinkles and a dusting of red velvet crumbs. No filling in this baby. The day I was doing my taste testing I must say that their red velvet was not up to par. The cake was very very dry making it not the best cupcake experience. It was good but it didn't really stand out amongst the other cupcakes in the tasting.

I then moved on to the Heath cupcake. I must say that I absolutely hated this cupcake. I don't think it tasted good at all. The cake itself was sooo dry I couldn't even finish the cupcake. I don't even want to talk about how bad it was. To get my mind of the horrible Heath cupcake I moved onto the Reese's cupcake. I love Reese's peanut butter cups. They are my absolute fave treat. The chocolate cake was pretty rich. It was filled and frosted with a peanut butter butter cream frosting and rolled around in peanut butter and chocolate chips, with peanut butter pieces on topping it off. The frosting wasn't very creamy. It was more on a sticky consistency side.

The last two cupcakes were a first time ever seeing them in Crumbs. First was the Elvis. It was a banana flavored cake topped with peanut butter cream frosting and peanut butter swirls rimmed with peanut butter chips. I know it probably looks really rich and thick but it's not. It was actually quite delicious. The King would be proud. The last Crumbs creation I tried out was the Good Guy. How it got its name no one knows. The Good Guy is made up of funfetti cake with a sticky vanilla filling inside and a creamy vanilla frosting outside. It was then rolled around in colored sprinkles and drizzled with white chocolate. My absolute favorite kinda cake is funfetti. Why it took this long to make it into cupcake form and sold to the masses I have no idea.

Most of the cupcakes I tried on this taste testing were pretty yummy with the exception of the Heath cupcake. But I do have to point out that the cupcakes were not as moist as they usually are when I stop by. With that said I will have to say that my winner for 'Round Two' of the Crumbs taste test is the Good Guy. I love funfetti cake and colored sprinkles. When you put the two together how can anything else compare?

Gin-Sushi

2009-07-05T23:27:00.000-07:00

Gin Sushi

3589 E. Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA 91107

Today I went for brunch with some family friends at this Japanese restaurant in Pasadena called Gin Sushi. They told me how they always frequent this spot because the fish is good and it's pretty affordable. We closed off a section in the back of the restaurant because they were accommodating our big group.

Since it was kinda early I stuck with the lunch menu. They had a menu for the lunch combinations and they also had printed out sushi sheets where you just tally up which and how much sushi you wanted. I went with the chirashi lunch combo, a spicy tuna roll, and a baked scallop volcano roll. I know I played it a little safe today. I was really excited for the volcano roll because I previously had it at another restaurant and it was amazing. Here at Gin Sushi the scallop volcano roll was good but no where near the standard I had previously. I did however get to try a California roll with scallops and lobster over the top and that was deelish. When it arrived at the table it looked like that one roll was a meal for two. You couldn't even see the California roll underneath all the baby scallops. My spicy tuna roll was okay. Nothing different there. The Chirashi that I had was very good. It came with 9 pieces of gigantic sashimi. In other restaurants they would've easily cut that up into 18 pieces of sashimi instead of 9.

I liked Gin Sushi. It's not the best sushi I have ever had but it's pretty acceptable. One thing I do have to point out is how bad the service was. Once we sat down we told the waitress to come back in 5 mins and we would be ready to order. She didn't come back to take the orders until about 20 mins later and we couldn't get the attention of any other waiters. No one ever refilled the waters, and when it was time to go I wanted to take my food with me but there was no wait staff coming by so I could ask for a takeout box. I had to go to the front of the restaurant to get some boxes for our group. Other than that the prices are friendly and the portions are generous.

Sambi of Tokyo

2009-06-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

Sambi of Tokyo

8649 Firestone Blvd

Downey, CA 90241

I'm still new to the city of Los Angeles so I decided I need to get out there and explore. I came across this Japanese restaurant called Sambi of Tokyo. When I walked in it was just gorgeous. All the tables are positioned around this elegant lake-like structure they have set up in the middle. The smaller 2 person tables are directly surrounding it while the booths are on the outskirts. The walls are lined with huge Japanese art and the lights are given off by lanterns.

They have a very big menu and I just had to try a little bit of everything. I started with the sashimi. I had a piece of yellowtail, tuna, albacore tuna, and salmon. Let me tell you these had to be the thickest pieces of sashimi I have ever ate, which I completely loved. I hate when you pay for one piece of Sashimi and you get a flimsy cut of fish and it's totally not worth $3. But here they cut the sashimi in big bite size portions so it is definitely worth the a la carte price.

Next I moved onto the crab cake and salad appetizer. The two huge crab cakes were accompanied by a simply salad. My favorite part was the cremini mushrooms and the homemade ginger dressing. The dressing did not have that manufactured straight from the bottle taste. The crab cakes were were made of jumbo lump crab meat. The crust of the crab cake was very crunchy while the crab meat itself was flakey and delicious. It came with two different kinds of dipping sauces, a sweet and sour sauce which had a good balance of both, and a homemade hot sauce which you only need little dabs of because they packed a lot of kicking power.

I was very excited to try the next dish. Being in a Japanese restaurant and all of course I had to try some sushi. I was lucky enough to try the Live Volcano Roll. It is comprised of scallops and avocado sitting atop a California Roll with a slightly spicy house sauce, wrapped in foil and baked. In short I thought it was AMAZING. I loved how the whole roll was baked and I felt that it brought a whole new element to sushi. Usually people going in expecting a plain roll that you can find in any sushi bar and I feel that with the Live Volcano it is something that is unique to Sambi of Tokyo. I am usually not a fan of California Rolls because it is too basic but this has got to be one of my favorite sushi platters ever.

All the main courses sounded so good I couldn't choose just one, so I went with two. The first main course I went with was a Chilean Sea Bass in a butter sauce. I heard it was one of the most popular dishes. The sea bass came with carrots, broccoli, and sat nicely on a bed of zucchini. The fish was very soft and tender and the butter sauce was not thick. The vegetables were a good way of picking up all the leftover sauce. I also liked how the dish was accompanied with rice. I never feel complete if I don't have a bowl of rice along with my protein. The second main course was a manager's recommendation, it was the seafood in white sauce. This dish contained shrimps, scallops, tuna, crabs, asparagus and mushrooms. The sauce itself was very creamy. The dish reminded me a bit like Seafood Newberg, but much better. It was more a fusion of French and Japanese cuisine. This dish was made up of the best and freshest seafood out there. For me the sauce was the show stopper and the seafood was the added bonus. The sauce was great because you can eat it up in a multitude of different ways. You can have it just as a soup, you can pour it over rice, or you can just dip bread in it all night. Reading off the menu this dish would not have been something I would have normally ordered, but I am very glad it was recommended and it blew me away.

The night was almost over, but you know I can't leave without trying some dessert. I went with the homemade Tiramisu. I liked the presentation of having it arrive in a glass in stead of it being just a slice of cake. After each spoonful it stayed perfectly molded to the glass. I found out they present the Tiramisu in the way they do because they let the cake sit in Kaluha, Creme de Cocoa, and Amaretto, and allow it to soak it all up. This holds true because you can definitely taste the liquor in the soaked up lady fingers. Each bite was very satisfying.

At the end of the night with all the food I ate it was definitely one of those nights where I had to unbuckle my pants. All the food was so yummy. Each dish exceeded my expectations. I think that is great because no one wants a dish where it sounds great on the menu but when you get it in your mouth it's just blasé. Each dish at Sambi of Tokyo had me wanting more

and had me excited for the next dish. I think when you feel like that while

you're at a restaurant then you know they are doing something right.

Gino's Famous Pizza

2009-04-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

Gino's Famous Pizza

8635 Broadway

Elmhurst NY 11373

New York and pizza go hand in hand. Everyone says that best pizza comes from New York, and I believe that to be true. Just which is the best pizzeria in New York? Everyone has their own favorite spot. I'm not disagreeing with anybody's favorites. I think people become attached to certain pizzeria's because of the nostalgic affects. You go to your local pizzeria throughout the years and have certain memories attached and no other pizzerias can compare.

For me my favorite spot in the whole world to grab a slice would have to be Gino's Famous Pizza. I have been going to this quaint little pizzeria for over ten years. You see the same familiar faces behind the counter so you know the pies are made exactly the same every time. Whenever I have a slice from Gino's it's like I'm reliving a part of my own personal history.

Well enough with the nostalgic factor, time to get down to pizza business. The dough is cooked perfectly. With every bite you just hear a crunch. There is a perfect ratio of sauce to cheese. From the tip to the crust every bite is filled with crunchy dough, sweet sauce, and melted cheese. Gino's has the PERFECT slice. Another reason this pizzeria stands out to me is the personal deep dish pies. You get four mini deep dish slices. You can taste the olive the herbs that they massage into the dough. These slices have much more sauce and bigger chunks of cheese.

I think if you happen to be in the Elmhurst area then you definitely need to stop into this pizzeria. Its right next to the Grand Ave train station and the Q58 so you will always find people coming in and out buying up all the slices, so they are constantly making fresh new pies by the minute.

Joe's Pizza

2009-04-20T00:42:00.000-07:00

Joe's Pizza of Bleeker Steet

111 Broadway

Santa Monica, CA 90401

I spent a lovely afternoon at the Santa Monica Pier hanging out with an old friend and meeting some new ones. After a long day of walking and sitting out on the beach I was starving. I was walking up and down the promenade and I came across Joe's Pizza. First thing that came to my mind: Spider-Man pizza. Anyone that is familiar with NYC pizza knows the location of the pizzeria where Spider-Man 2 was filmed. But being that I am in California I thought it was just a coincidence until I looked closely at the sign. Apparently this was an extension of the actual Joe's Pizza back in NY. So I had to go in and get a slice of home.

At first I actually went with a Sicilian slice. It looked pretty yummy from behind the glass. The size was pretty decent. I liked how the slice was very crunchy and the sauce was slightly sweet. However there was not enough cheese on the pizza. I must've had three bites and I was left only with bread.

After my Sicilian I thought I just had to try a plain slice here or I would be thinking about it all the way home. By the way they don't call it a plain in California. They refer to it as a cheese slice, as that was what everyone kept calling it and that's how I was corrected after asking for a plain. So I got a slice off a pie that just literally came out of the oven. This must've been the thinnest slice I have ever had. It was like eating paper. There wasn't enough of anything.

After finishing my slice and my Sicilian I walked out of the pizzeria feeling less than satisfied. I wasn't full and there was no point in getting another slice. The slices are so thin it wouldn't have made a difference. I still would've been hungry. Joe's might have opened up another location in California but it just doesn't have the New York City feel to it.

Crumbs Bake Shop 'Round One'

2009-04-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

Crumbs Bake Shop

Various Locations

I love cupcakes and Crumbs is definitely my favorite cupcake shop. The cupcakes are massive and around 3x the size of a normal cupcake. My Crumbs review will have to be a multi-part series. They have so many different flavors to choose from I couldn't try them all at the same time. I'll just call this posting 'Round One.' On my last visit I was able to try out six cupcakes and these are my thoughts.

I started out with a new one that I've never tried before, fluffernutter. I'm a huge fan of fluffernutter sandwiches but I've never had a cupcake version. I was kind of expecting the peanut butter and marshmallow fluff to be really thick but it mixed together so well that it was really light and airy. The peanut butter flavor was not overpowering at all. It went perfectly with the vanilla cake and white sprinkles.

Next I moved onto the butter pecan cupcake. This cupcake was really simple. The frosting was not really sweet at all, but the caramel filling was really thick and creamy. I think this is a good cupcake for people who don't have much of a sweet tooth. Yes the filling was really thick but it doesn't takeover the cupcake.

Next stop the Artie Lange cupcake, named and designed by Artie Lange himself. It is a vanilla sponge cake, with chocolate butter cream filling, vanilla cream cheese frosting, chocolate fondant, and black and white sprinkles. This cupcake reminded me of a perfect black and white cookie, so I guess you can say its the perfect black and white cupcake. I liked how they went with the chocolate fondant so it wasn't overly frosted.

The cappuccino cupcake was next on my list. This was made up of chocolate cake with chocolate filling, topped with coffee cream cheese frosting, chocolate chips, and dusted with cocoa powder. This cupcake is in a league of its own. It's so thick and rich it over shadows any other cupcakes in the batch. All you need is one and you will be completely stuffed. It's the perfect cupcake to accompany a glass of milk or a cup of Joe.

The cookie dough cupcake was always one of my favorites from Crumbs. It is a vanilla cake with chocolate fudge filling, vanilla cream cheese frosting mixed with cookie dough, and a chocolate chip cookie on top. The only negative thing I have to say about this is that I can't taste the bits of cookie dough in the frosting. Other than that it scrumptious.

Last but not least was the Oreo cupcake. This was a chocolate cake topped with a vanilla cream cheese frosting with crushed Oreos mixed in, and an Oreo cookie sitting pretty on top. This was the only cupcake I had without a filling, I wonder why? Either way it was still really good. Anything with Oreos mixed in is really good!

Crumbs has so many delicious cupcakes I can't wait to try them all. As for this round I would have to say that the winner is the fluffernutter cupcake. If you haven't tried it yet you should give it a shot. It might just become your new favorite Crumbs cupcake as well. =)

Izakaya Ten

2009-04-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

Izakaya Ten

207 10th Ave
New York, NY 10011

I came with a big group of friends and they were able to accommodate such a large party with reservations in advance. They seated us in a separate secluded room in the back of the restaurant. You can tell all the people dining here had just come from a long days work as did my group. However the lighting in the restaurant was almost pitch black. No one in that place looked like they were there on an intimate dinner. You could barely read the menu let alone see your own food.

The food itself came in very small portions and was way over priced. They didn't have the special scallops dish listed on the menu which was pretty annoying. I ended up going with the Tuna Don which was made up of pieces of tuna sashimi and spicy tuna with sushi rice. My food was alright. The spicy tuna was good but the pieces of tuna sashimi were sliced way too thin. (Don't let the picture fool you, it's an illusion.) I am lucky that my meal came included with rice, everyone else had to pay $2.50 for a small bowl of rice. That's a little ridiculous.

I would consider this a one time try. I don't see myself returning or recommending it to anyone. Overall it was ehh. Womp Womp.

Grimaldi's

2009-04-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

Grimaldi's

242-02 61st Ave
Douglaston, NY 11362

Grimaldi's is a really popular coal brick oven pizzeria that started out in Brooklyn and has opened up many locations throughout the years. The one located in Douglaston is fairly new. The whole Douglaston shopping complex is getting a makeover to become more appealing, so they approached Grimaldi's to open up a new location in the plaza.

This location has such a homey feel to it. The wait staff is very friendly, and it seemed like the customers there were regulars. The decor isn't over the top. It feels like you are eating at a friend's house. They also pay tribute to to the original Brooklyn location with a mural of it on the wall.

Choosing the right topping on a pie is crucial. So while I was deciding my fate I started with the Insalata Caprese. It's a simple classic Italian comfort food comprised of mozzarella cheese, tomato, basil, and drizzled with olive old and balsamic vinegar. You can't really go wrong when you put tomatoes and cheese together. It was a good appetizer. The slices of mozzarella and tomatoes were very thick so thats always a plus.

Time to get down to business. After all the time I spent on deciding what toppings to get I decided on going simple on one half and went with mushrooms and on the other half I went with a topping out of the ordinary, roasted red peppers, and concluded my toppings with fresh garlic all around. When the pie finally arrived at my table it looked absolutely mouthwatering. I couldn't contain myself. They did not skimp on the toppings whatsoever. The pizza was soooo good. The crust was thin and crispy and cracker like. The mushroom slices were paper thin just like the crust. Roasted red peppers aren't a topping I would usually get on pizza or that I even see given as a topping normally but it really worked. It wasn't too sweet and it went really well with the sauce and cheese. The chunks of sweet peppers were really thick as well so you get a lot in each bite. The fresh garlic is a must. It gives so much more flavor than just adding garlic powder.

If you have never tried Grimaldi's what are you waiting for? You need to get to one pronto. If you live in Queens you should definitely go to the Douglaston location on Wednesdays because the theatre right next door sells discount movie tickets for just 5 dollars. It would make a perfect dinner and date night. Don't forget folks Grimaldi's is old school so cash only.

Saigon Grill

2009-04-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

Saigon Grill

620 Amsterdam Ave.

New York, NY 10024

I wanted to try out Saigon Grill because I have friends that list this place as their favorite Vietnamese eatery. I haven't had Vietnamese in forever so I was itching to have some good Asian food.

There was just so much to choose from it took me forever to make any decisions. I went with the La Sa Tom soup first. It was a curry shrimp soup with coconut milk, vermicelli noodles, and bean sprouts. I ordered a small and it was huge. This soup was pretty good. The curry flavor was not overpowering and it was balanced out well with the coconut milk. Also they put in a lot of shrimp so that's always a plus.

The appetizers I went with were the Cha Gio Chay (vegetable spring roll) and Chao Tom (sugarcane shrimp). The Cha Gio Chay was my favorite appetizer. Usually when you have anything deep fried it's still oily by the time it is brought out to you, but these spring rolls were not oily at all. The wrap was flaky and crunchy, and all around delicious. The Chao Tom on the other hand it not a favorite of mine. When it was brought out to me it looked like a mini corn dog. I was expecting the dish to be sweet since it came with sugarcane but it wasn't. The whole sugarcane thing did not work for me. I did not get this appetizer. Was I suppose to eat the sugarcane or not? I tried to and it was like chewing on a stick. When I finally asked around I found out I wasn't supposed to. Womp Womp. This appetizer for me was oily and tasteless. Try at your own risk.

I went with the chef's newly invented dish which was crispy shrimp with peach sauce for the main course. I was a little apprehensive since my appetizers were a hit and a miss. After trying the dish I conclude that it was quite appetizing. The breading on the shrimp was quite unique. I would describe it as slightly crunchy, soft, and light. The peach sauce itself was very tasty. It was thick and more on the savory side rather than sweet. Accompanying the dish I got shrimp fried rice. Which was good, but I don't see how any Asian restaurant would be able to mess that one up.

If you are in the mood to try out some cheap Vietnamese food I think this place would be a good fit. I would however consider it a more Americanized version of Vietnamese rather than traditional. So if you are a newbie to Vietnamese cuisine this would be a good place to start. Whatever you order make sure you get a side of Cham sauce. It's a mixture of carrots, fish sauce, brown sugar, and garlic that has been marinated overnight and justs adds extra flavor to every dish. If you don't want to troop it all the way to the Upper West Side they have another location downtown at 93 University Place between 11th & 12th St.

Cavo

2009-04-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

Cavo

4218 31st Ave.

Astoria, NY 11103

I had the pleasure of recently eating at a Greek restaurant in Astoria named Cavo. The restaurant is so huge, but upon talking to the manager he explained how it was a lot smaller when it first opened up and how they have expanded over the years. They have been going for 10 strong years. When you visit the bathroom they have pictures hanging on the walls and you can actually see how the restaurant has grown. The best part of the restaurant is the ambiance. No matter where you are sitting in the restaurant it is just you and whoever you came with. Each table is spaced out nicely so you aren't sharing your conversations with the all the people around you. I think that is so important. I hate when you are trying to have an intimate dinner and you hear exactly what the people next to you are talking about.

I started off my night with the asparagus salad at the recommendation of the waiter. He explained how it was a very popular special that made it to the menu. The salad was a good mix of cold potatoes, asparagus, tomatoes, corn, bibb lettuce and drizzled with a Dijon mustard vinaigrette. This salad was so yummy. I would definitely recommend it as a starter as well. The asparagus was very crunchy. The salad was not overdressed. I wouldn't put these ingredients together to make a salad but it works. It was hearty but really light at the same time. Its a salad that is actually very tasty and yet you still feel healthy eating it.

Next the octopus and lobster roll arrived at my table. The octopus was fresh and incredibly delicious. It had a charcoal flavor that gave it that fresh off the grill taste. The lobster roll was comprised of lobster and sun dried dried tomatoes wrapped in a tortilla, drizzled with a chipotle aoli, and accompanied with a center piece of guacamole and pita bread. I absolutely LOVED this appetizer. It was only a special but I definitely see this one making it to the menu. You can tell the guacamole was homemade. It was so full of flavor. It felt like really fancy finger food. The lobster is what puts this dish in the fine dining category. When you eat here this appetizer is a must try.

While waiting for the entrees to arrive I decided to try out the house sangria. Their sangria has been around since the opening of the restaurant. It's their own secret mixture and I must say I personally really really liked it. I hate when my drinks are too strong to drink with dinner. The sangria at Cavo had an excellent balance of sweetness from the fruits and wine. It was so good I had to get a 2nd and 3rd. But be warned if you are not careful this drink will sneak up on you.

For dinner I went with the Arctic Tuna. It was a thick juicy piece of tuna steak cooked medium rare accompanied with squid and moschofilero (vegetable mixture of white beans, zucchini, and red peppers). This dish used to be only seasonal but now is a permanent fixture on the menu. The outer part of the steak was so flavorful while the inside was chewy. The squid was an unnecessary pleasure. I didn't find the need for it but I'm not complaining. The moschofilero had a very hearty and homemade feel.

For anyone that knows me they know that my favorite dessert is creme brulee so when I saw that on the menu I just had to go with it. Cavo serves a creme brulee with caramelized bananas. The portion for this dessert is huge, one is more than enough for 2 people. Adding bananas is such a simple idea to such a classic dessert but it made a big difference. There were banana chunks in the custard that just added to each yummy bite.

I have to say the service at the restaurant was amazing. The wait staff was very knowledgeable about all the food, as in what was in each dish and how it was prepared. They were very friendly and genuinely interested in making your dining experience more desirable. After each course they cleared the table and wiped it down even after I made a little mess. I went to the bathroom and when I came back my napkin was refolded. They were on top of their game.

Overall I think the dinner was a huge success. All the food was highly enjoyable. On the menu they have a quote "You can fill your stomach anywhere...at Cavo...you can warm you soul." I think they stuck true to it. At the end of the night I didn't leave enjoying just dinner, I left enjoying the whole dining experience.

Bar Celona

2009-03-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

Bar Celona

46 E Colorado Blvd

Pasadena, CA 91105

Last night I had my first dining experience here in Los Angeles. Upon entering I definitely felt the Spanish vibe to it. The brick walling coupled with the dim lighting, red table clothes, and hints of orange gave it a soothing and romantic kind of ambiance.

The menu had so many delicious sounding choices it took me forever to make my first order. I ended up starting out with the shrimp ceviche. For me when I usually have ceviche it is usually still sitting in the citrus acid

when it is brought to out to me. This time however it was different. Instead

of still sitting in acid the shrimp were sitting on top of a bed of lentils.

When I saw it I wasn't sure that it was going to have as much citrus

flavored as I would have liked, but upon tasting the first shrimp it was

bursting with orange, lemon and lime flavor. The bed of lentils it came on

was just as delicious as the shrimps themselves. The lentils had a slight

bite to them. They were not overcooked which gave them great texture.

The transition from the shrimp to the lentils was effortless. The dish was

so well put together.

Now that I was done with my first tapa I wanted to be a bit daring and

went for the warm octopus salad next. This definitely does not fit the

description of a traditional salad. The octopus was accompanied by

fingerling potatoes, apples, and smoked paprika. To sum up this dish in

one word would be original. I have never a salad like it. There were

barely any kinds of greens, and to be quite honest this is my kind of salad.

The octopus was very well cooked. It had the right amount of chewiness

without it becoming overcooked and rubbery. The potatoes and the warm

apples each brought their own unique flavor to the dish, but none of them

overpowered the others. Instead they were perfect compliments to one

another. I must say that this was the stand out tapa of the night.

For my last tapa I tried their mojama (salt cured tuna) with olive oil,

marcona almonds, and apples. I must say that anything cured is quite an

acquired taste because of all the salt. I do think the sweetness of the

apple did bring a good balance to the dish.

Now it was time to go for the main event: Paella. Usually I'm not the

biggest fan of paella because it tends to be a bit dry. I must say however

Bar Celona had me eating my words. When they brought out the dish it

looked so delicious. The colors of the vegetables looked so festive and

just popped against the rice. Upon taking my first bite it brought me

right back to Spain. This is what paella is supposed to taste like. The

rice was so moist and flavorful. The ratio of rice to seafood was very

surprising. Usually I have to dig though the rice looking for a piece of

shellfish but on this platter I was looking for the rice under all the

seafood! This dish literally made me smile while it.

I was so satisfied with all my dishes that for dessert I told the waitress

she could surprise me. I figured if I was this happy with all the other

courses then there was no way this can go wrong. Guess what...I was...

RIGHT! She brought out a chocolate molten cake accompanied by

strawberries, homemade whipped cream, and creme brulee ice cream.

When I took my first piece of cake I expected the melted chocolate to

come oozing out. Instead it was like an explosion. The hot chocolate

with the creme brulee icecream and whipped cream was just like

heaven in your mouth. The secret ingredient had to be the candied

cookie crunches. It just enhanced the dessert in every way possible.

I found myself looking for a hidden piece in each bite.

I think this is such a great restaurant and I highly recommend it for

people. The staff at Bar Celona was completely and utterly attentive

and pleasurable. Since almost all of the dishes are tapas you can order

a bunch of dishes and split them amongst your company. Whether it

be a romantic date or just an intimate gathering I think this restaurant

is a perfect fit.

Cabana Nuevo Latino

2009-03-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

Cabana Nuevo Latino

10710 70th Rd

Forest Hills, NY 11375

This delicious Cuban eatery is definitely a stand-out amongst its surrounding competitors. If you try to go during happy hour or on a Friday or Saturday night, this a warning, be prepared to wait. I must say however that the food is worth it.

The appetizer to get is the Ceviche Mixto. The combination of the scallops, shrimp, and octopus mixed with the lime juice and cilantro is very well done, however the portion can be on the smaller side. The Mariquitas which are basically crispy plantains are very simple yet appetizing.

On to the main course. If you like to take risks with your food then I recommend trying the glazed salmon with mango rice. At first I was a little apprehensive thinking that I was going to have my dinner taste more like a desert. Upon trying the dish I must say that the sweet is very well-balanced with the savory, but I do think that this is an acquired taste and not for everyone. The stand out dish has to be the Camarones Al Ajillo. It consists of shrimp drenched in a garlic and white wine sauce with a bed of yellow rice in the middle. All I have to say is Oh-Em-Gee. That sauce blew me a way, and I think everyone that tries out this restaurant needs to try this dish. To make it even better, every dish is pretty much accompanied by rice and beans, and come on who doesn't love some arroz con frijoles?

While you are waiting for your food to arrive I must say that you have got to try out one of their signature Mojitos. They have so many to choose from. The pomegranate version is my favorite. I love how they all come with sugarcane so you can take a bite out of it and just have a burst of flavor in your mouth.

All and all this restaurant is pretty good and I consider it one the better restaurants located in Forest Hills. If you happen to be in town make sure you stop in, if not for the food than at least for a Mojito.

Tomo Japanese Cafe

2009-03-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

Tomo Japanese Cafe

8914 Queens Blvd

Elmhurst, NY 11373

I have eaten at countless Japanese restaurants over the years and I must say that this place takes the cake. I have also eaten at this particular restaurant countless amounts of times and I have never tried a dish here that I have not been satisfied with.

For appetizers what I would recommend if you are a Japanese newcomer would be the shumai or shrimp tempura. To me these two are like comfort foods of Japanese cuisine. You don't have to be daring or commit much to them because no matter what they will always taste good. If you are however more on the daring side I would suggest any of the tartars. They are so succulent and melt right in your mouth. They sit in a bed of fresh avocado and topped with caviar. This is a definite must try when you are at this restaurant.

The sushi/hand roll combo at this place is pretty good. You get three rolls from a wide variety of choices (mine would be spicy salmon, eel avocado, and shrimp tempura) for 10 dollars. If you want to skip the whole rice thing and just go head first into the raw fish then you definitely need to try the sashimi. The fish is so fresh. My personal favorite is white tuna sashimi, it tastes just like butter.

Now if you aren't into the whole raw fish deal then you have got to go for the Bento Box Dinner. This is precisely what "bang for your buck" means. For 15.50 you picks your choice of entree which is then accompanied with miso soup, salad, shumai, shimp tempura, vegetable tempura, california rolls and rice. If you are on the brink of starvation this meal will definitely bring you back to life.

Of course no Japanese meal would be complete without fried ice cream. A lot of people as it seems haven't heard of this dessert, but it is definitely something you will want again and again once you try it. All it is ice cream incased in a funnel cake like mixture topped with whipped cream. There can be no wrong in this dessert.

Hopefully you will all be able to come across this restaurant after a hard day's shopping at Queens Center Mall or Queens Place. It is definitely a jewel on Queen's Blvd.