The generosity of the Pre-Opening Media invite to Seasons 52 extended to a guest, so I asked my photographer husband Michael to accompany me on the foodie journey for the day. Upon arrival we were greeted by the cordial staff and were offered champagne to enjoy as we started our tour. The natural lighting along with the foyer chandelier as well as decor and use of space were noted as I visualized meetings and events on the second floor.

Once we arrived back downstairs, we were escorted into the private room for Chef’s Table. We just loved the spice rack on the wall as well as embedded into the table.

So lets get down to business, it was time to formally meet the corporate team Clifford Pleau, Senior Director of Culinary and George Miliotes, Master Sommelier of Seasons 52 as they introduced themselves and directed us to our beautiful dining table.

The name settings were simple but the glassware and table setting were impressive. Clearly we were in store for a grand meal.

Seven courses in all, our meal started with  table talk chatter, greetings from Clifford and George describing our dish and wine pairing as well as live music from a pianist. Billy Joel Italian Restaurant was a perfect tune for the day, celebrating the Long Island based artist in the new Long Island setting.

Our first course, the amuse was Lump Crab and Haas Avocado. A perfect combination of flavor in one bite to kick off the meal. This was paired with the Aveleda Vinho Verde, Portugal 2010 which I happened to like very much. Oh and while we are at our first wine mention, Seasons 52 is named for changing its menu four times a year providing menu selections that are seasonal. The 52 stands for providing 52 wines by the glass with over 100 wines by the bottle.

Quickly moving along we were served the next course Organic Salmon and Lemongrass Sea Scallop Roasted on a Cedar Plank. The Sea Scallops were cooked to perfection and seasoned well. Seasons 52 takes pride in providing great food, packed with flavor that is not drenched in fat and butter. In fact, every course is under 475 calories. This course was paired with a Chardonnay.

So far everything was incredibly visually appealing, but the salad plating was tops! All of the waitstaff came to our plates with the Organic Field Greens with Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, Toasted Pistachios and Truffle Dressing in a cylinder. Clifford wanted a unique presence to the salad and this he greatly achieved. Not only that, the journalist next to us said it best…”This is perhaps the best salad I have ever had”. The flavors came together very well and the truffle dressing brought a big smile to the face. To keep track of my comments and favorites, I gave stars next to the courses. This one came in close to the dessert with a total of four.

Plates are cleared and before we were able to sip another glass of wine, the next entree arrived which I have never had before. Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Garlic, Basil, and Light Tomato Broth. This was a stunning dish. Michael happened to love this one as well as the broth offered such a nice touch as opposed to typical creme based heavy sauces that mask the flavor of the pasta and filling. The basil really woke up the senses and was such a nice accompaniment.

The next dish happened to be paired with my favorite wine of the day, a South African red wine, De Toren Fusion V, Stellenbosch 2009. It had notes of chocolate which I love in a wine and was delightful to sip as the waiters brought the Manchester Farms All Natural Quail, Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Bourbon Chili Glaze. My dish was without the sirloin as I do not eat red meat. I was impressed on the initial invite that they asked to let them know of any restrictions ahead of time. I did, and it was handled with care. The quail was cooked well and the sweet potatoes had a great punch of flavor. I am paraphrasing, as Clifford said during plating, no marshmallows went in there masking the natural delicious flavor of the potato.

The grand finale brought ooos and ahhs across the table as the Mini Indulgences (again under 475 calories) were delivered in a beautiful arrangement. This was my five star course.

Clifford described the challenge of keeping true to the philosophy of the restaurant developing the shot glass indulgence that didn’t break the calorie bank. This was no jello or pudding shot, this was cake and creme and crunch and wow! It was a hard pick, but my husband and I collectively enjoyed the Key Lime Pie, Mocha Macchiato and Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse. I absolutely loved them all however the Mocha Macchiato had such a nice marriage of chocolate and coffee that I can still taste it on the palate as I write this.

Seasons 52 is located in the Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, NY. It debuts March 26th. Be prepared to enjoy wonderful flavors with an enormous choice of wine pairings that will not make you run for the gym. Take it from me, I am currently training for the NYC Triathlon and I am fairly careful with the foods that I consume. Seasons 52 is not your butter and heavy creme kind of restaurant. Herbs like fresh basil complement dishes, delightful and unique from the typical mall food chain experience.

TechMunch's Babette Pepaj and Nichelle Stephens

It might have been a cloudy day outside, but there were plenty of smiles and cheers inside the Astor Wine Center for TechMunch NYC 2011. Babette Pepaj from BakeSpace and Nichelle Stephens from Cupcakes Take the Cake produced a great event packed with educational panel discussions and food glorious food.

TechMunch Panelists Including Marc Matsumoto from No Recipes

I had the pleasure of seeing familiar faces such as Michelle Judd of Taste As You Go and Marc Matsumoto from No Recipes who I met at a previous foodie engagement. But I also met a few folks who I have only communicated with online and finally had a chance to shake hands in person. I also was in the company of an eclectic group of people including an attorney and HBO executive as well as of course food bloggers, all coming together for that special mutual love of food.

Highlight tweet: @constancek Excellent panelists throughout the day here at #TechMunch Valuable takeaways that transfer over to many different industries not only food.

Although being a foodie is a hobby of mine, I found myself picking up tidbits of information that transferred into other business areas. One panel discussed the elevator pitch and I found the singing chef Jackie Gordon hitting this right on the nail.  She said to create curiosity first, as in saying “I am a singing chef”, let them want to hear more and gear/modify the pitch depending on who is in the conversation.

Then there was the food! We kicked things off with the Chobani yogurt sponsored breakfast. I have never had Chobani before, and I have to say I am sold. I already went to my local market and stocked up on some strawberry banana and pomegranate flavored greek style yogurt.  Later on that day we were treated to refreshing and delicious yogurt based smoothies (I am told the recipe is on their website). Being a peanut butter and banana lover, I chose this one over the berry. It was fantastic!

Snack Time! Chobani Yogurt Smoothies

Lunch was sponsored by Tom Colicchio’s sandwich place wichcraft. The assorted sandwiches were displayed so nicely wrapped in the signature logo paper.  I grabbed the pole caught tuna sandwich and continued on my way to some salad, sun chips, a couple of foodie cookies and a Berkley and Jensen Orange drink.

Lunch Time!

The sandwich was lovely packed with the flavor you would expect to receive from a Tom creation. The fennel gave the sandwich a unique flavor and if it wasn’t for the dessert trays, I would have been back to the display table for more.

Wichcraft's Pole Caught Tuna Sandwich

Dessert was provided by Robicelli’s that included cupcakes and whoopie pies. While my partner in crime for the day Peter Davison of Our Man in Shanghai there representing chef David Marteau, enjoyed the Maltz, I enjoyed my foodie cookies from Tasty Morsels and a berry dessert.

Cupcakes and Whoopie Pies!

Foodie Techie Cookies by Tasty Morsels

At the end of the day, there were drinks and more dessert items from Jacques Torres and goodie bags from Driscoll’s Berries. Unfortunately I had to run out pretty early, as my husband pulled up to the curb doing a last minute favor for me and drove into the city because of my winning prize.  I was one of the lucky participants to win a KitchenAid appliance, my pick, the 5 Quart Stand Mixer in Cherry Red!

KitchenAid Giveaways!

First Mix of The Shiny Red Stand Up Mixer by KitchenAid

My husband and I just had to try out the new toy. So for a perfect Sunday Brunch, we made crepes with Driscoll’s Berries and whipped crème!

Crepes Made With My New KitchenAid Toy!

Yesterday was really quite an exciting day and went by so fast.  Kudos to Babette and Nichelle and to all the sponsors and food providers that made the day a remarkable experience.

Thanks to my husband Michael Korol for not only picking me up in the city saving the day, but for editing my foodie images as well.

Four Food Studio for LI Restaurant Week

The line of cars was almost backed up to Route 110 when we arrived at Valet for Four Food Studio. It was a Friday night; right after work and the place was hopping.  The bar was crowded with smiles and laughs while “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” played throughout the restaurant (perhaps in honor of our local American Idol star Pia Toscano, the last song she sang on this season’s stage).  My husband Michael and I were one of the few to sit down a bit early to enjoy a meal in honor of LI Restaurant Week. This was not just eating to stabilize my tapeworm like appetite from training for a triathlon, this became quite an experience. This was our first time in the Melville office populated area restaurant and I really didn’t know what to expect. Certainly from the initial vibe, we were off to a good start.

We were seated in the Autumn section of the restaurant, which was dead center, a great way to experience all in one visit. Maureen our superstar waitress immediately greeted us and educated us on the lay of the land. She mentioned that they try to get most of their food from local markets and farmers, supporting the local community and providing the customer with freshness and flavor. The restaurant architecture concept is based on the four seasons, with 4 separate rooms that represent that season.  We were borderline in the winter section, with big half moon shaped tables and a sleek modern faux fireplace in the middle. The place was pretty groovy, and I mean that as an ultimate compliment. Looking around the perimeter of the place, I notice very high ceilings, a tall beautiful wood wine cellar, funky colors and overall a fun atmosphere. I know, I didn’t even get to one single food item yet.

Enter Winter!

Great Wall of Wine!

I appreciated Four for having a full Restaurant Week menu on their website, which really helped in choosing a place. So I had a pretty good idea what I was going to order beforehand even before I stepped into the place. Maureen encouraged us to try the suggested bottle of wine for the evening Northstar Merlot from Washington state. This was an excellent full body red with depth and cherry notes.

Northstar Merlot

Michael started with the market salad that didn’t look all to exciting on the plate.  For such a bright place, it was a plate of all green. I thought oh boy, that is going to be bland. But no! This salad was packed with flavor and seasoning, the right amount of tangy, sweet and salt. It was really a surprise.

Market Salad

My mozzarella and tomato flatbread was simply wonderful with fresh cheese and pesto sauce that literally tasted like someone picked basil from the backyard an hour prior to serving and stomped on some handpicked olives to make extra virgin olive oil.

Mozzarella and Tomato Flatbread

Maureen came over several times to check in and continued to pour our wine when the glasses started to get low. It was a flawless service that screamed experience and passion for her job and for the people she worked for.  It is not something you see too often, especially on this level.

Maureen Superstar Waitress

Never a Glass Empty

The main dining area became more and more crowded as happy hour came to an end and the happy folks continued to be happy at their seating. A quick glance at other tables I see a peel and eat shrimp plate with a lighted sparkler in the middle as to say, “I don’t care it’s not the 4^th of July, we are going to party like it is!  A couple of tables down I see a big pink ball in the middle of their table with two adults gently peeling pieces and popping it in their mouth with big grins on their faces. Could that be…cotton candy??? My husband concurs, and I am immediately jealous.  No longer are the lobster tamales on my mind, I want to feel like a kid at Disneyland too! They were even getting this on camera.

Smile Your on Camera!

At this point, my husband is trigger happy as the SD card racks up with images, one of his grand steak knife.

I Simply Call it "Steak Knife"

Suppressing those kid in a candy store thoughts for a bit, our entrees arrive hot and gorgeous. My husband ordered the 12 oz rib eye and I the lobster tamales.  His first cut and he was impressed, it appeared cooked to his liking. A bite, yep he was happy. Maureen comes over to see if we were ok and made sure to point out their specialty onion rings that were served with the rib eye. My husband said they were hands down the best onion rings he has ever had. OK, pass one over hubbie. With one bite, I nodded my head in agreement. For someone who doesn’t care for fried foods, this was clearly made with love picked fresh from the garden.

Rib Eye and Primo Onion Rings!

My lobster tamale had a punch of fresh garden flavors of peppers, corn and avocado.  The food stayed true to the story, representing that local fresh taste throughout the experience.

A Bit of Lime for the Lobster Tamales

Dessert was over the top as I was tempted to lick my plate of last little bites of my guiness cake. This was a decadent chocolate cake that was perfect, offering a taste of nice deep savory chocolate in every bite, not too sweet, not too rich. Michael had the cheesecake which he loved as well.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

With almost 100 photos taken and completely satisfied tummies, we were ready for the check from the great night. But wait, not so fast. Four was not done. With a big grin on my face and one more image taken, the cotton candy was delicately placed on our table to put a final stamp of fun to our evening.

It is Cotton Candy!

Four is Pretty in Pink

Thanks to Michael Korol for the images!

Meza Table

When you go to Anise, be prepared to have a full on meal!

I was speechless when our lunch order for two arrived in several trips as my colleague and I looked at each other and said “thank goodness we are hungry!”

Last week it was just around lunch time when a tweet came in from @eastofnyc mentioning the opening of Anise in the town where I work, Great Neck. It could be considered fate as I had tweetdeck minimized on my desktop but this was the tweet that popped up in my preview pane. Now if you also follow my personal blog on posterous, you may know that I am in the midst of training for a triathlon. Some moments in time I am completely ravenous, and this was one of them. I just finished I’ming my colleague that we need to get lunch as we go through our list of per usual. Rugby season just started for him so the both of us were looking for a good hearty yet healthy meal.

We quickly read the East of NYC post and jumped in the car. Anise is a new pan-Mediterranean restaurant, by Chef Michael Ginor (now on ABC TV’s “Neighborhood Eats” with Lauren Glassberg.) Quite honestly, this restaurant is hidden and a ways down from the more popular section of the town of Great Neck. Ginor’s other Great Neck restaurant “Lola” is gaining popularity and located in the heart of the town. In other words, if it wasn’t for this @eastofnyc tweet,  I am not sure when, or if I would ever get there.

The restaurant itself is quaint with a sleek modern look. The two main walls were chalk boards that were used to list specials, as well as wine and beer options. I loved our high wooden table that was located in the sunny window corner. Outside were a few tables, but it’s still chilly here in NY. In a couple more weeks, those two tables are going to be prime real estate.

OK now for the food. Where do I start? We figured that the best way to experience the menu was to choose the “Meza Table”. The description was “Mediterranean Spreads, Cheeses, Soups, Salads and Appetizers”. Sure we are game.

Our waiter was so friendly and took the time to go over all the food items that were on our table:  Hoomos (humus), Warm Feta Cheese Dip, Shoshana Eggplant, Roasted Cauliflower, Falafel, Cheese Cigars, Pastels (Lightly breaded croquet of mashed potatoes and herbs) Green Lentil Salad.

Let me just say that we both really loved everything on our table.  All the food dishes were packed with that unique Mediterranean flavor plus some really great surprises like Jalapeño in the Warm Feta Cheese Dip.

The Hoomoos was spectacular. Again it had a nice kick of flavor with just amount of tahini. It was hard for me to stop dipping the Armenian bread right into this pool of decadence, but I had to move on. So many other things to eat!

Hoomoos

Anise is a “highly recommend” from me and I can’t wait to go back. I am looking forward to a dinner meal paired with a wine or possibly one of their beers. Thanks @eastofnyc and thank you @anise613.

Petite Chicken Meatloaf

Twenty years ago a local friendly diner type place opened up in the Woodbury Commons. A place where I would meet up with friends for lunch or perhaps a light dinner. Nothing fancy, nothing over the top, but reliable and consistent food.

Twenty years later is a rebirth with aesthetic renovations, menu changes and staff changes. A pastry chef comes on board and rocks the house. It is now a beautiful and serene, modern look with a full separate bar area for the Happy Hour folks. It has dim lighting, comfortable seating and in the back is a large open window to the kitchen that displays fresh baskets of breads on the sill. I can’t remember for the life of me how it used to be, and it’s not necessary at all.

The name is the same, but the new Graffiti rocks with Basil infused martinis. Yea baby!

I dined here several weeks ago with friends and shared a meal of the Roast Beet Salad with toasted walnuts and goat cheese as well as the Thyme Scented Yellow Fin Tuna with a delicious creamy white truffle mushroom risotto. The meal was good and quite unexpected. Some places go all out to change the décor but not the food. This appeared to be a complete overhaul.

While tuna and truffle risotto tend to be up there in the favorite category of entrees, the Petite Chicken Meatloaf stuck in my mind as if I was tempted to take it to go and perhaps have it for lunch the next day. After a beautiful cup of herbal tea and shared birthday dessert, I kissed my friends goodbye and said I will be back for more.

The full moon this past Friday, on one of the warmest days we have had in NY for sometime, set the tone for a good evening out. My husband and I left the house without jackets on, giddy with excitement that we didn’t have to wear snow boots or hats or gloves. It was 7pm and it was in the 60s. This winter has been brutal; it’s time to celebrate with a little Spring Fever.

We were seated immediately, but we were lucky. 5-10 minutes later, we would have been waiting. Our waitress Erika greeted us with announcing some specials. I was tempted, but I had a plan for weeks now, I had to stick with the Chicken Meatloaf.

I was all set to order a crisp glass of Savignon Blanc to go with my meal when we both noticed an intriguing drink on the bar menu, a Basil Infused Martini. Hmmm, we both looked at each other and decided to give it a shot. I loved it after my second sip, but it’s not a drink for everyone. Erika came over and asked how we liked our drinks, and my husband Michael was honest as he didn’t care for it too much. Erika graciously allowed us to order something else with no problem. Major points to Graffiti for not forcing us to pay for something when we were adventurously ordering.

Michael ordered the Espresso Chili Rubbed Skirt Steak served with frites and I the Petite Chicken Meatloaf served with maple sweat potatoes and a cranberry compote. I couldn’t resist after taking one bite grabbing the iphone and foodspotting this delicious explosion of Thanksgiving in my mouth. My husband loved his meal and his new martini as the steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly. He thought it was a better steak than what he got at some well known steakhouses in the area. The entrees were terrific, we both resisted not licking the plates and were shocked when none of us saved a bit of a treat for our two Jack Russells at home. Oh well, they will be getting snausages for their evening snack.

About this time, after our meal, the waiter usually comes over and asks us if we would like coffee and dessert and then we smile, nod and say no thank you as we are usually too full. Well, Michael looks at me and says we should order dessert. OK, no argument from me, and thank goodness. Erika’s assistant comes over to let us know of the dessert specials. The first one he says made us stop him right there. Two Cinnamon French Doughnuts served with Chocolate Sauce. Yes, two forks please!

Cinnamon French Doughnuts dipped in chocolate sauce

This pastry was out of this world! They were two fluffy cakes packed with flavor and then the dipped chocolate simply completed the decadence. Erika comes over giddy as can be as she was so happy we ordered the special dessert. She let us know that they just hired a new pastry chef with her first day on Valentine’s Day. She is a keeper folks at Graffiti, don’t let her go!

My last words are simply go check out the new Graffiti and make sure you order dessert. Bon Appetit and thank you to Erika for great service.

Expo Galore at the 2nd Annual Taste for Sight

We just returned from the Bay Shore Lion’s Club 2nd Annual Taste for Sight Wine, Beer and Food Expo.. It was held at Captain Bill’s catering hall Bayview House in Bay Shore and the place was hopping. The expo included twenty-one restaurants, twelve different wine and spirits showcased by West Islip Wine and Liquors, five beer vendors and five dessert shops all from Long Island.

So a quick background on The Lions, the organization was founded in 1917 and is best known for fighting blindness. But they are also involved in raising awareness and funds in different kinds of community projects – including caring for the environment, feeding the hungry and aiding seniors and the disabled.

We were happy to be a part of the day as I walked around and met the different chefs and booth attendants, many with beautifully showcased fare.

Yesterday in Action

Hands down, one of my favorite tastes of the day was a five cheese Lobster Cheesecake served with hardboiled egg and caviar on a cracker. This was simply delectable and easy to eat as there were no tables to lay your plate down. It was the perfect food for the occasion and one that I have never had before. They also had quite an impressive display and were incredibly busy. Their spirits were high and it looked like they were having a good time schmoozing with the attendees as happy faces swarmed their table. “Come here, you must try this” was heard over and over as people pointed to the generous plates of the hors d’oeuvres

Yesterday's Cafe

My husband’s favorite food of the day was the Smoked Baby Back Ribs from Gator Blue (for those of you new to the blog, I do not eat meat or pork, so my husband covers this territory). He said the homemade sauce was delicious and the meat was so juicy and tender that it simply fell of the bone. It was the only food of the day that made him go back for seconds.

Gator's Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Gator Blue in Action

I tasted a few wines but my favorite was Layer Cake’s Cotes Du Rhone, a wine I rarely try so I was glad I was in an adventurous mood. This I paired with a delectable homemade truffle from the local A Fresh Approach- Gourmet Candy Shoppe. I was in heaven.

Layer Cake courtesy of West Islip Wines and Liquors

Chocolate Truffles by Afresh Approach

It wouldn’t be a party without cupcakes, so to end my day divinely I stopped by the Cake by Justine booth to try their mini treats. She had fun flavors like maple bacon and cookies and cream but my favorite was the pink grapefruit. What a fresh, tangy, and fun bite of a tasty treat this was. I loved it. Plus her display was gorgeous with a wedding cake to one side and her mini cupcakes on the other. It was Cupcake War ready!

Cakes by Justine

There were many other foods that made it onto a plate, but some didn’t even make it into my mouth. There seemed to be an interesting dish of parmesan crusted chicken , but I couldn’t cut through it easily as this was a standing room only expo. I wasn’t going to challenge myself too much and risk poking some one’s eye out with a flying piece of chicken. Just something to consider on the vendor side, offer something that is easy to eat!

The day was joyous and fun with tunes including Billy Joel playing in the background. Great day for the Lions and hats off for a great 2nd annual event with best wishes for many more.

Our very first post was last year, November 23rd, just in time for Thanksgiving…

It’s A George Duboeuf Time of Year

So here we are again, in the spirit of tradition and celebration for this special wine.. the 2010 Beaujolais Nouveau.

2010 Beaujolais Nouveu

Over 15 years ago, a friend of mine told me about this special wine as a pairing suggestion for Thanksgiving dinner. Some say it’s immature and in Wikipedia it is written that some wine critics compare drinking the wine to eating cookie dough.

I am not a wine snob. Nor am I a wine critic. However, I do like sharing my stories and thoughts on particular wines, foods and restaurant experiences.

Every third Thursday in November is considered Beaujolais Day as Nouveau makers release their wines to the world. So last Friday, with great anticipation to see the new look and label, I walked into the local store with old memories of years past and picked up the festive red bottle. I got home; ready to taste the year’s harvest, when to my surprise my husband made a roasted chicken with stuffing and gravy. Perfect for a pre –Thanksgiving meal and to properly taste the wine.

We carved the roast and poured the light burgundy colored wine into our glasses. A cheer and a ching ching, a delicate sip and a smile. Another good year for the Beaujolais Nouveau as we celebrated the French wine and all its tradition. Thanks to my friend who shared the secret of this special wine and here is a toast to many more years experiencing the anticipation of seeing the label and sharing the bottle with friends and family.

What is your story?

Playing With Fire: Whining and Dining on the Gold Coast

I didn’t know the Gold Coast could be so entertaining…

From Amazon.com Playing With Fire: Whining & Dining on the Gold Coast is a voyeur’s peek into the crazy world of the restaurant culture. Filled with vignettes of difficult customers, stressed-out cooks, harried wait staff, and the truly disturbed, this book takes an affectionate romp through Tom Schaudel’s restaurants to introduce you to the most memorable cast of characters he’s experienced in his forty years in the business. You’ll meet a ninety-year old-woman who happens to be a serial “bird-flipper,” a woman trying to drag a twenty-foot Christmas tree out the front door undetected, an elderly gentleman walking out with an 8.5″ x 15″ metal clipboard menu holder stuffed down his pants, and a woman who got drunk, passed out, got revived, and aced an intervention, all in under twenty minutes. An absolute must read for “foodies,” these stories and the many others will provide pure entertainment and lots of laughs for a long, long time to come.

Located in a large industrial area, Tom Schaudel’s Coolfish is off the beaten path so you better look out for Michael Drive on route 25 or you may drive in circles for a bit. It has a great open bar area for the after work crowd and it is delicately decorated with fine art and festive seasonal adornments for those who come for the dining experience. That would be my husband Michael and I celebrating our 8th year anniversary. Bonus, this was a week before Long Island Restaurant Week, but they still offered a fantastic menu that was priced as a Stimulus Package Deal which included a house glass of Merlot!

First course, soup!

The waiter let us know the soups of the day were clam chowder and tomato soup. Needless to say I had to ask if the chowder was Manhattan or New England. “Neither” was the response, as Tom created the Long Island Clam Chowder which the waiter clarified to be “white”. Michael went ahead and ordered a bowl of LI chowder, I went with the tomato soup. Both were hearty and delicious!

Extra dish…

Michael went ahead and ordered the PEI mussels as well. We better start training for a marathon with the way he has been ordering, but I really can’t complain. The mussels were outstanding. Perfectly cooked in a blast of flavor that included thai red curry, basil, lime and coconut milk.

Next the entrees…

I have had Chilean sea bass so many times in restaurants and also have cooked it at home. It’s known to be a great easy fish to prepare. This blew me away as it was served with a with lobster fricassee. The flavor of the lobster was in every single bite. Moist and sweet, the fish was easy to eat with just the fork. Michael ordered the grilled sliced steak that was topped with these crunchy onion crisps. He thought it was a good dish with lots of texture as the steak was placed on top of potato mash and asparagus.

Chilean Sea Bass with Lobster Fricassee

Grilled Sliced Steak with Onion Crisps

For dessert, two exquisite dishes…

I ordered the warm pear cobbler with pumpkin gelato and fresh whipped cream (it melted pretty quickly which made for a bit of a messy photo) This was incredible. The warm cobbler was juicy and flavorful and the gelato was a perfect match with the whipped cream topping. Michael ordered one of his favorite desserts, the cheesecake which had a pistachio and macadamia crust. He loved this. It was beautiful presentation as well.

Pear Cobbler with Pumpkin Gelato and Whipped Cream

Cheesecake with a Pistachio-Macadamia Crust

My only comment to the restaurant is a bit insignificant, the small pepper mills and the tiny salt shaker on each table looked a bit out of place. I wonder if that comment will make it to his follow up book?

Pink Prix Fixe Menu During Dine Huntington Week

We watched a couple of large yachts stroll in while the Sunday crowd was just starting to come on in. Waiters and all restaurant staff wore pink ties and little subtle hints of pink were everywhere such as the napkins. It was a duel of occasions, celebrating Dine Huntington week as well as bringing awareness and raising funds for the local Huntington Breast Cancer Coalition. Portion of the proceeds off the pink menu went to this cause. The Pink Prix Fixe menu was divine and nothing short of what you would find on the regular menu.

Studying the Menu

Shrimp and Lobster Wantons

I chose the spicy shrimp sushi roll as my pink appetizer, which was perfect with just a bit of shredded cabbage and a great wasabi kick. I gobbled this up while I was also enjoying the delicate wanton.

My husband and I swapped appetizer bites as I wanted to taste this hot soup. He loved his soup and I did as well. The both of us are known for liking chunky soups, stews and chili type dishes, but this bean puree was lovely and packed with flavor.

Next came the entrée, I had the salmon on top of red lentils and Michael had the pork chop. Great smoke flavor on the salmon and the lentils were flavorful. Michael was floored by the size of this chop and he said it was cooked to perfection.

Salmon on top of Pink Lentils

Pork Chop

In true pink diva fashion, I selected the berries in champagne and crème. Oh this was good. Light and fluffy with a nice hint of sweet and tart. One thing about dining with my husband, he will always order something they are out of, so when we made it through the entrée without a hitch, we were celebrating as we were in the home stretch. But not so fast, the waiter came over and delicately broke the news to us. No more almond cake. Michael happily accepted the substitute of an apple tart which came warm with a nice scoop of ice cream. Pie ala mode..perfect!

Cheers to Prime for serving up a great meal and getting involved helping their local community. Cheers to Dine Huntington for making yet another year of wonderful dining happen.

P.S. Check out my foodspotting of Prime and nom if you think it’s good!

Fun in the Sun with a Delicious Red Velvet Cupcake

My day ended with one of the best Red Velvet Cupcakes I have had from the Torta Fina booth and it was the icing on the cake.

Rotary, yes that sign that you see in local towns, was the host of the day’s celebration to raise funds for the local Babylon club.

200+ guests arrived to a throwdown of a party, hosted by Rotary Babylon President Georgia Wescott and Chris Cunningham. Over 25 local restaurants, catering houses, bakeries, vineyards and spirit companies donated their time and their specialties to help raise money that supports the local community.

Cheers to Rotary!

We arrived and we were greeted by the hostess Georgia Wescott. We each received a tray with a wine glass and I looked at my husband Michael and said…let the games begin. Before I knew it, Michael had a big plate of pulled pork on his plate. I waited on a line for a friendly group of folks at Horace & Sylvia’s Publick House for a scallop with asparagus tapas and a coconut chicken stick. I stuck my tray out and like a piece of art they delicately placed the food on my plate with great sauce toppings.  I sat down with friends but didn’t spend too much time there as I shortly got up for seconds of both the scallop and chicken as I passed others I knew and said, come with me, you must try this.  Another great favorite was the mushroom risotto from Lucy’s, which was plated by the executive chef.

Hubbie Michael indulging in the Red Velvet Cupcake

I had some vino from Martha Clara and Paumanok Vineyards. My husband went to the Tommy Bahama Rum table. Little did I know at that point of the day that I had luck on my side and had won a basket donated by Martha Clara with both a Red Merlot and White Chardonnay with 2 gift glasses, corkscrew, wine crackers and a gift certificate to bring my friends to a private wine tasting. Wonderful!

Paumanok Vineyards in the house

I won!

Rotary has been around for a long time, as their original mission was to help inoculate against polio.  Now local clubs will raise funds and recruit volunteers for the most needed projects in their area.  For example, the supermarket Stop and Shop in Babylon donates bread to local churches and soup kitchens. Rotary members like Michael Simon and Angela Charron help with the logistics 6 days a week, picking up bread from the store and bringing it to where it is needed.  Rotary also supports local food pantries.  With the staggering headlines of poverty reaching levels we haven’t seen since 1993, it is certainly in need. Talking with Megan Auburn, a Babylon Rotary member, she says local churches are desperate for food.  They currently volunteer their time every other week throughout the year collecting canned and non perishable food.

Rotary also supports in ways we don’t automatically think of,  such as in clothing donation like tube socks for men and organizing diaper drives for battered women.   Babylon Rotary also gives out 12 college scholarships a year.  Megan states that at the International level, Rotary also supports water wells for providing fresh water .  Young adults age 18-30 can get involved as well as there is a club known as Rotaract, helping out at functions such as this one as they learn how to participate and fund-raise for the club.

So it was a good day for a great cause that not only brought awareness for me, but I hope I can spread the awareness to many. With the holiday season coming up, we are reminded to donate food.  But perhaps we can do more, throughout the year as it is in need throughout the year.

To find out more about your local club and more about Rotary, their International website is here.

P.S. All of the unserved food for the day was donated to the local soup kitchen.

Partial list of Vendors who donated food for Rotary Babylon:

Argyle Grill & Tavern/Barrique Kitchen and Wine Bar

Armadillo Grill

Babylon Carriage House

Cafe Il Villagio

Coolwater Grill

Francesco’s

The Hook

Horace & Sylvia’s

Irish Coffee Pub

Lucy’s

Post Office Cafe

Lily Flanagan’s

Joe’s Italian Market

Pier 44

Pronto

Babylon Bean

Cold Stone Creamery

Edible Arrangements

Morgan’s Bay Confections

Torta Fina