The Brick Cafe

            

December 5, 2008

The Brick Cafe

30-95 33rd Street

Astoria, NY 11102

The Setup: My mom, my sister and I went to NYC for the weekend to visit my brother and his girlfriend. We spent most of the first day of our trip in Manhattan visiting the Met and of course, finishing up some Christmas shopping! We left the house around 10:30 AM and after having only a light lunch at The Met, we had all worked up pretty hefty appetites by the time we got back to my brother's apartment in Queens around 6:00 PM. My brother and his girlfriend had already picked a place for us to have dinner: The Brick Cafe. 

The Experience: The Brick Cafe is a local restaurant in Astoria that my brother and his girlfriend like to frequent. Our party of 5 arrived around 6:30 PM on Friday night and although the restaurant had a good crowd, we were able to get a table right away.  The decor in The Brick Cafe is very rustic and homey and its menu, which is Italian inspired, has the same feel. Cold anitpasto, caprese salad and lobster ravioli are just a few of the menu selections. The only negative I have about our experience was the fact that our table was directly next to the door, which meant that every time someone came in or out of the restaurant, we got quite a draft! Although a little uncomfortable, it wasn't enough to spoil our dinner and once our drinks arrived we warmed right up!

The Food: Five of us went out to dinner - My mom, my sister, my brother and his girlfriend, and me. We each ordered a drink -

Mom and George - Blue Moon ($2.50 each)

Alex - Absolute Martini ($9.00)

Kate - Glass of Pinot Grigio ($6.00)

Me - Glass of Chianti ($7.00)

On my brother's recommendation, we got one appetizer to share - the Cheese Plate ($12.00). The cheese plate consisted of brie, goat cheese, manchego and smoked gouda, and was accompanied by grapes and a fig jam. We also had plenty of complimentary warm bread and olive tapenade which they were happy to refill for us once we had devoured the first basket!

For our meals -

Mom ordered one of the daily specials, lobster ravioli ($18.00). The portion looked small compared to everyone else's, but Mom said it filled her up and was delicious!

George also went with a daily special - the shrimp rissoto with champagne sauce ($17.00). The portion was large enough for him to have leftovers!

Kate decided on the Penne alla Vodka ($13.00). It was a simple dish which she enjoyed. Kate also had leftovers, which she happily ate for breakfast the next morning!

Alex had the disappointing dish of the night - Black linguine with shrimp, clams and mussels ($17.00). The seafood, especially the mussels, were extremely fishy tasting and inedible for her. She was able to eat around them, but even one bad mussel is definitely enough to ruin a whole meal. 

Lastly is my pick - The homemade gnocchi with pesto sauce ( $16.00). This pasta came with a choice of sauces and if I could do it over again I would have chosen the gorgonzola cheese sauce over the pesto. It's not that I didn't enjoy the pesto, but in hindsight, the gorgonzola would have been a better accompaniment to the gnocchi. 

(Note: I also had leftovers of my meal, which I took home and ate as a late night snack the next day. I have to admit - it was better the second time around! After sitting in the 'fridge overnight, the pesto gave the gnocchi a much more intense flavor than it had at the restaurant).

The Verdict: A. With the exception of the mussels from my sister's meal, we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at The Brick Cafe. The cheese plate was a great way to start off the meal, and they did have a nice dessert selection -- had we saved the appetite for it! I would definitely go to this restaurant again next time I visit Astoria - if for no other reason than to try that gorgonzola sauce that I should have chosen the first time! But there is another reason:  We took our time eating, drinking, and enjoying each other's company without ever feeling rushed or hurried along like you can feel in some restaurants. The Brick Cafe lent itself perfectly to our relaxing, cozy family dinner in the city. 

(Photo courtesy of www. brickcafe.com)

Ken Stewart's Grille

October 3, 2008                                            

Ken Stewart's Grille

1970 West Market St.

Akron, OH 44312

The Setup: It was my Step-Sister's birthday and my Mom and Step-Dad wanted to take her somewhere special. Now, I love my hometown but as far as upscale restaurants go, Akron's choices are somewhat limited. Ken Stewart's Grille is probably the most well known of the "fancy" restaurants, and has been a west Akron staple since 1990. Before opening Ken Stewart's Grille, Ken Stewart himself began his journey into the restaurant business working at The Brown Derby (also an Akron staple) under Gus Girves - a start which would put anyone in a great position to succeed in the business! After celebrating 11 successful years of Ken Stewart's Grille, Stewart opened a second Akron restaurant - Ken Stewart's Lodge. Today, however, I am reviewing the original Ken Stewart's Grille.

The Experience: Like I said before, Ken Stewart's Grille is an Akron staple. We had a 5:30 reservation on a Friday night which is a great time to go if you want to avoid the crowds. When we arrived there were only 3 to 4 other tables occupied, but by the time we left at 7:00 it was packed. Making a reservation is a must! Our waitress was great, and very knowledgeable about all of the daily specials. Not only did they have dinner specials, but appetizer specials as well. The atmosphere in Ken Stewart's is unique. The walls are filled with western style paintings, most of which depict the same cartoonish cowboy character in different settings. Not my personal taste, but somehow it works within the space. The only annoying thing about our dining experience was the fact that the lights kept dimming and raising periodically throughout the night. 

The Food: Between the four of us - my Mom, Step-Dad, Step-Sister and myself - we ordered 3 appetizers: Fried Pickles with Chipotle Aiole, Baked Brie with Raspberry and Apricot Preserves and King Crab Leg Cocktail (see photo above for the presentation of the King Crab). We all thoroughly enjoyed each of the appetizers and were surprised at how fresh the crab legs were and how much meat was actually in them! 

As an entree, Tara went with the Seared Sea Scallops which were too fishy tasting for any of our liking, and a disappointment in comparison with the crab legs. 

Mom and Gene opted for the Sliced 32 oz. Porterhouse for Two. Not only did it fill them up with some to spare, but they were even able to take home the bone in a true "doggy bag" to our miniature schnauzer Maggie! 

As for me, I started with a glass of Ruffino Chiante ($7.95). For my entree I went with an appetizer - 2 bone Lamb Rack with Arugula and a South American Pepper Sauce (market price $18.95) and a side dish of a Stuffed Potato ($6.95). I have to say my favorite part of the meal was the potato! It was rich and creamy, and had amazing flavor. The lamb was tender and cooked perfectly, but it lacked the flavor I had hoped for.  Also, in my opinion it was way overpriced for the portion!

The Verdict: B-  Getting dressed up and spending a nice evening out with the family was definitely a nice treat! The service at Ken Stewart's was great, as was most of the food. I'm not a person who has a problem paying a high price for food in a nice restaurant when I know I'm getting exceptional quality and a fitting portion, but I don't think the prices at Ken Stewart's fit those guidelines at all (with the exception of the Porterhouse for Two). At the end of the day, though, we Akronites love our food and we love our city, and that means we will continue to support Ken Stewart's and our other local restaurants -- when our pocketbooks allow!

Pylos

September 26, 2008

Pylos Restaurant                                    

128 E. 7th Street        

New York, NY 10009

The Setup: Greg and I are always in search of great Greek food. On our first trip together to New York City 2 years ago, we found a place called Pylos and we loved it! Boasting a consulting chef who divides her time between New York City and her own cooking school in Greece, this restaurant has a lot to live up to! On our most recent trip to NYC last weekend, we found ourselves once again in the mood for Greek food and decided to revisit Pylos.

The Experience: Pylos is an authentic yet modern Greek restaurant located in the heart of the East Village. We arrived around 6:00 PM and even though there were only 4 other people in the restaurant, we were told that we could have a table as long as were done by 7:30. Although I understand that they have previous reservations, the way it was put to us was a little rude. Once we were seated, the waiter brought us out pita bread and hummus which we ate up pretty quickly without remembering we still had 2 appetizers plus dinner coming! My only gripe about the service was that the man refilling the water hardly let you take 2 sips of your drink before he was back at your side, jug in hand. In the hour we were at the restaurant I would guess he filled our water 7 to 8 times - and each time our glasses were never under half full. Some call this efficient - I call it obsessive. 

The Food: After the complimentary pita bread and hummus, Greg and I decided on 2 appetizers: Anginares Moussaka (artichoke moussaka) - $11 and Kalamarakia Tyganita (lightly breaded and fried calamari) - $10. We also ordered 2 glasses of a Greek cabernet called Vatistas - $9 per glass. For our main dishes, Greg went with "Garides Kai Hteniame Saltsa Ouzo Serverismena Me Hilopites" - or - shrimp and scallops in an ouzo tomato sauce with pasta ($25) and I went with my all time favorite food - Greek or otherwise - Pastitsio, which is a baked pasta dish layered with ground beef and spices, and then topped with a bechamel sauce ($17).

The Verdict: A+ With food this good, I can definitely overlook a slightly rude hostess and way overzealous water replenisher! Pylos offers authentic Greek cooking at its best, along with a few modern takes on Greek classics such as the artichoke moussaka, which is normally made with eggplant. The calamari could have used some kind of sauce, but that's a minor criticism when you take the caliber of the rest of the meal into consideration. **Insider's Tip** - No matter how many cars are parked on the street directly across from the restaurant - it's still NOT o.k. to park there! (Unless you're willing to pay the $65 parking ticket) 

(photo courtesy of www.pylosrestaurant.com)

Maggie Brown

September 26, 2008

Maggie Brown Restaurant

455 Myrtle Ave.                  

Brooklyn, NY 11205

The Setup: It was a rainy Saturday morning and Greg and I were in the city to check out an apartment. We had a 1:00 appointment time (supposedly) which gave us just enough time to stop for brunch before heading to Bushwick Ave. After driving through Brooklyn for a little while, Greg remembered a place called Maggie Brown which he had been to once before for breakfast. Having decided against taking the train for the day, we somehow lucked out and found a parking space directly across the street from the restaurant.

The Experience: Maggie Brown is a quaint restaurant in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn. At 12:30 on a Saturday afternoon, the place was packed with hipsters! Instead of waiting on a table we decided to have a seat at the bar since we were super hungry. The bartender (and possibly owner?) was both attentive and efficient. She took our order promptly and we waited happily with our coffee and tea.

The Food: Although Maggie Brown has a varied menu ranging from burgers that looked delicious to salads that would please vegetarians and carnivores alike, Greg and I both opted for breakfast. Greg decided on The Maggie Brown ($8) which is scrambled eggs with cheddar, horseradish and chives, while I went for the Buttermilk Pancakes ($8.50). The portions on both dishes were very generous -- 3 huge pancakes with mine, and with Greg's - hash browns, toast and even a small salad along with his eggs. Neither of us could quite clean our plates, but I did help out by stealing some of Greg's hash browns!

The Verdict: B  Maggie Brown is a place I would definitely visit again, although next time I would opt for something more special than just pancakes. Greg really enjoyed his breakfast, but I have to say that I've had better pancakes. Also - at least 4 other people who arrived and ordered after we did seemed to get their food before us. All in all though, I did enjoy the atmosphere of the restaurant and would probably make Maggie Brown a staple if I lived in the neighborhood. **Insider's Tip** - ask for a side of raspberry butter with your toast or pancakes. They don't bring it to you automatically but it was definitely worth asking for!

Giordano's Pizza

September 13 2007 

Giordano's

Prudential Plaza

135 E. Lake St.

Chicago, IL 

The Setup: It's impossible to visit Chicago without stopping for a slice or four of famous Chicago pizza. (Ok, I'm sure it's possible for some people but for me, a trip to Chicago means a trip to the pizza parlor!) Up until this past weekend the only Chicago pizza I'd had the privilege of trying was Uno's. Although my first experience with Uno's was at the original restaurant in Chicago (and was mighty tasty), knowing that I can now go to Cleveland and get the same thing has taken a certain something away from the Chicago deep-dish experience that Uno provides. 

The Experience: My most recent trip to Chicago was for my friend's bachelorette party. It gave me the opportunity to hang out with a true Chicagoan and experience a brand new (to me) pizza sensation: Giordano's stuffed pizza! Giordano's has been a Chicago staple since 1974. Myself, along with the Bride-to-be, M.O.H and another fellow bridesmaid made our way to the Giordano's at Prudential Plaza. We arrived around 6:00 PM and although the restaurant was crowded, once we put our name in our wait was no more than 15 minutes. Perfect timing actually, as it gave us just enough time to look over the menu and decide on our meal. 

The Food: Between the four of us, we ordered one large Stuffed Pizza with pepperoni and mushrooms ($21.75). We also ordered a Greek Salad ($7.75), a Chopped Salad ($7.75) and washed it all down with a bottle of Pinot Grigio (you'll have to give me a pass on this one - I can't remember the name of the bottle but I believe it was around $25.00).

The Verdict: A+  Our food arrived in about 45 minutes which was exactly what we were told to anticipate (you can't rush great food)! Plus, 45 minutes gave us just enough time to catch up on some wedding plan finalizations! The salads were delicious and each came with 4 pieces of seasoned, crunchy on the outside-soft in the center bread (Yum)! My only gripe about the Greek salad were the anchovies. Being Greek myself, that was the first time I've had anchovies in my Greek salad and I have to say it was not a nice addition. That's not to say that other Greek restaurants don't use anchovies - just none that I have experienced. But they were easy to eat around and didn't really create a problem. 

As for the pizza - delicious! The slices were so big that we each were only able to polish off one slice which left exactly one more piece for each of us to devour later, after a few hours of bachelorette fun! (And devour them we did)! All in all, Giordano's was great. Not only did it taste great, it was also filling and very affordable for the portions you get. I would definitely recommend Giordano's to anyone visiting Chicago (If you haven't already beat me there)!