Texas Taco

So in my last post, I mentioned we went on a drive up north and found the Round Tuit restaurant. What I didn't mention is that we also stopped off at Texas Taco on the way home for, yes, a taco. Steve has a thing about the place. Every time he drives by there, he has to stop in and get one even if he's just eaten. And we had both just eaten. He usually gets a fiesta pup which is a sabrett hotdog with chili, cheese and onions on a steamed bun. The tacos (as well as the burritos) are either beef or bean, shredded cheese, lettuce, onions and a bit of hot sauce. (There isn't much more than guacamole and stuff on the menu.) And at $2 each, even if they were terrible, it isn't a huge loss. The first time I had a taco there, and speaking just about the food, well...I was disappointed. To me, it tasted as though she opened up an Ortega taco kit. I later read that it was her grandmother's recipe. A texan thing. When I tasted it this time around, I have to say that the flavors were a little more diffused than what I remembered. And it wasn't an Ortega mix (I think).

I could understand the attraction to the place. From the outside to the inside, it's hard to miss this place. I've posted a link to an article with pics. The pics don't even show how vivid some of the colors are and the crazy things on her lawn. And on the inside, there was a general strange, dark feel to the place. (And do take a trip to the bathroom. Yes, do.) She has a strange collection of weird goods with mismatched tables and chairs to go along with it. The last time we went, I was sitting at the table (right next to the real life hot dog cart she stands behind) that had purple frillies hanging over the sides and onto my lap. Speaking of purple, there is a good deal of it on Rosemary Jamison, the owner. Her eye area is penciled in an exaggerated fashion. And she used to have purple hair, but this past weekend, it was just dark. And yes, with the crazy, purple eye make up. If you read up on her, she has had quite an interesting life and met many famous people. She plays a mix of alternative, funk and punk. WXCI 91.7 (Western Connecticut State University "Wescon") was on the radio playing "Now I want to be your dog" by the Stooges. So if you got a few bucks in your pocket, stop by Texas Taco just to see Rosemary and her place. Just a note: She no longer allows you to photograph the inside of her restaurant. So grab an eye full & a cheap snack and Eat Something Good!

http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=18&RefID=18

Roadfood.com is a great site. I suggest you peruse it at your leisure. You may just salivate.

Texas Taco
2588 Route 22
Patterson, NY

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Round Tuit Restaurant

Yesterday, we were bored and didn't have anything pressing so we decided to go for a drive. We contemplated taking the motorcycle, but I wasn't up for it. Anyhow, we decided to take a drive up Route 22. We had to get through street closures and detours just to get out of our town because they were having a St. Patrick's Day parade. Steve was unhappy with that. Nonetheless, we got through it. We drove far up north and entered another county. There were lotsa farms; lotsa cows. We'd noticed the restaurant on the way up. It looked like a single-level, dark green house-like structure. There was a sign out front saying they served breakfast all day long. It was an unattractive sign. The kind where you can change the letters around and not custom-made. It was sort of cheesy. I was unimpressed by its appearance and decided it was a dive. I believed it even more when this very leathery, older gentleman wearing plaid came out just as we were about to go in. And on the inside - Surprise, surprise but it wasn't a dive at all. It was lighter green on the inside and cute. They had hand-written specials up on the wall and signs about yogurt, eggs and milk being from local cows. It was like a little country kitchen on a medium budget.

After reading a review about this place after the fact, I realized that I should've ordered breakfast. One reviewer had the blueberry pancakes and said it was overflowing with blueberries. Steve commented that the place looked like it'd be swarming with farmers and workers coming in for a hearty breakfast early in the morning. We just had cheeseburgers (made with white american) and what they called camp fries. It's fries with cheese and gravy. Again, the cheese they used is white american and the fries were made there. The fries were brown and very soft. It was pretty to look at and surprising that it came from this little place. They were sorta fancy looking. To drink, I had a large diet coke and it was a large diet coke. Steve had a cup of coffee. For dessert, we grabbed a chocolate milkshake and oatmeal raisin cookies on the way out.

Steve loved the burgers. I thought they were just your average little 1/4 lb burgers but Steve said I had too high of an expectation. But I'd eat one again because it was well-cooked, not dry and hot off the griddle. Steve wanted to order more and said he's going to order 2 or 3 next time. The camp fries were okay. They were on the limp side with not one bit of crisp and I wasn't liking that. Again, they used white american cheese. I'd only had cheese fries with either mozzarella cheese or that fake, yellow cheese sauce. I'm good with either. The white american didn't taste bad, it just wasn't what I was expecting. (I know yellow american cheese tastes the same or does it? If it does, psychologically, it would've tasted better to me if it were yellow.) The gravy was decent and I took that as a good sign. Steve liked it. He also liked the coffee. He said it was way better than diner coffee. I tasted it and I'd have to agree. The milkshake was a little thin. I didn't like that so much but the flavor was good. The oatmeal raisin cookies were very, very good. I believe they were freshly baked. They put a hint of coconut in them and I thought that complimented the soft, chewy cookie a great deal. All in all, the experience was positive. On the way out, a couple in a big truck pulled into the parking lot. They were wearing cowboy hats and lookin' mighty farm'ish. And there was this little black & white cow baby (more like teenager) tied to its home on the property. I wanted to go pet it but I didn't. Anyway, we'll definitely go back there and try breakfast one day. Perhaps on the motorcycle this summer. Take a trip, explore, discover and of course, Eat Something Good!

Round Tuit Restaurant
5523 Route 22
Millerton, NY 12546

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Dish Gourmet Eatery

Steve's mom treated us to birthday lunch. They're only two days apart. I would've never noticed the eatery tucked in the back had she not pointed it out. It was a little place with only five tables. They had several more chairs at the open counter. The menu was quite surprising. The chef, supposedly a female graduate of a culinary school, created the menu. I'm usually not keen on tons of strange ingredients making up a meal; I'm more of a down home girl. Anyway, her creations, combinations, sounded very interesting. There's was one ingredient in particular that appealed to me. Clementine oil. I've never heard of it, nor have I had it. The closest thing I can think of is orange flower water. *shrug*

Here's what I ordered. To start, I had a spinach-asparagus-lemon soup. It was bright green. Like an algae green. It was pureed smooth like a split pea but it had little bits of what I concluded were the shreds that came off of a stalk of asparagus. The bottom part. The woodsy part you are supposed to discard. Later it occurred to me that it may have been lemon grass. I will never know. Steve's mom had them strain the soup at my suggestion. The woman has no qualms about using the staff fully. I sorta with I could be more like that. I suppose, at times, I am. Regarding the soup. Needless to say that it wasn't the best soup I've had. It would've been okay had the asparagus shreds thing not happened. Still though, I must admit. I didn't love the flavor of the lemon in it. I think they used some sort of lemon oil which sat atop the soup. I expected a little hint of sour from the lemon but didn't get any of that at all. What I got was a very fresh, lemon zest ee kinda taste. Yeah, I was neither expecting it nor did I love the combo. Also, it needed quite a bit of salt. The soup sorta tasted 'green' like its color.

For the main entree, I had the hanger steak. I was a little surprised and disappointed by the cut of meat. They look like sirloin steak tips to me. It was one fat, 4-5" piece served with oven-fried potato wedges with the skin on. They used little potatoes. And a pretty good salad of mixed baby greens, a vinaigrette, half grape tomatoes and capers. It may have just been a lemon and oil dressing without vinegar.

The hanger steak. I did a little research on the hanger steak and they looked like steak tips to me although I couldn't find anything that said for certain that they are one and the same. So what seemed like steak tips, well, I eat them. I like them. But I don't love them. And it occurred to me that what I was expecting was a beautiful and flavorful flat-iron steak. I wish they offered that instead. The potatoes were beautiful. I didn't even use ketchup. (By the way, this place is sorta retarded in that they don't just bring out a bottle of ketchup. They give you a small, measured amount in a ramekin. That's how they served it to Steve for his cheeseburger.) The salad was light in flavor but a little heavy on the oil. It wasn't a "heavy" oil like extra virgin olive oil tho.

So, I didn't love this experience but I'm glad that I had it. I'm still up for going back and trying some more items on the menu. Oh for dessert, Steve and I both had a chocolate dream cup cake. The frosting was piled high. Steve's mom suggested that it may be chocolate mousse, but when I asked the waitress, she said she thought it was butter cream. Either way, it was delicious next to the dark chocolate cake part. My conclusion. I must learn to try new and very different things because it ups my chances to Eat Something Good!

Dish Gourmet Eatery
947 S Lake Blvd
Mahopac, NY 10541

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Zuppa Restaurant & Lounge

Last night, Steve and I went to a family gathering. It wine mine and my brother's wife's family. We all had a great time. I was so happy to be there. It's one of the best family gatherings I've ever been to. Anyway, Zuppa is the restaurant we met at last year. It's located in Yonkers, NY. Not too far from where my parents live along the Hudson River. I reviewed this place once before and I commented that the food was good but they gave you mouse portions. All that still applies.

I started out with a beet salad. It was delicious. And very pretty to look at. I took a pic of it with my new digital camera that my brother and sister-in-law generously got for me for my birthday. It was specifically intended to enhance my blogs with pics. To continue with the food. The bottom layer consisted of thinly sliced, beautifully colored beets. They were perfectly cooked and a little sweet but not too much. On top of that, there were a small ball of mixed greens with a few crumbles of goat cheese. It was dressed in a light vinaigrette. I think I tasted a hint, just a hint of sesame oil. Leaning up on one side, there were thinly slice apples that'd been slightly grilled. The combination of all these flavors were tremendous. I thoroughly enjoyed my little salad.

For the main course, I had Costola. Beef short ribs, Kobe beef short ribs, that'd been braised. It was boneless. It was served on a thin layer of of a delicious creamy polenta. It didn't have a strong taste. They called it polenta bianca. I suppose that means they used white coarse corn meal. Anyway, I'd wished that they'd spoon on a few more tablespoons cause I was really enjoying it. It complemented the amazingly tender and flavorful short ribs. The top of the short ribs were slightly dry as if it'd been browned. It was delicious. The menu also stated that there was eggplant 'argo dolce' in it. I suppose dolce meaning sweet (which I missed on the menu) were pleasant. I actually thought they were vidalia onions. I found that they were a little too sweet and would have actually preferred a little caramelized onion instead.

For dessert I wanted to get the the chocolate "fuso" molten chocolate cake with vanilla gelato. I've only had it at chain restaurants like Chili's and believe you me, I have no complaints whatsoever about that. Anyway, Oh wait. I had a glass of red wine that I allowed the waiter to pick out for me. It was very nice. It had a nice clean taste. No tannins and had just the slightest touch of sweetness. I shouldn't really say that because it wasn't sweet like a German Riesling is. It just didn't have that earthy taste that I don't enjoy in wines.

All in all, I hope all of you had a wonderful christmas and got a chance to Eat Something Good!

Zuppa Restaurant & Lounge
59 Main St
Yonkers, NY 10701

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Salinger's Farm Market & Bakery

We went to Salinger's Orchards in Brewster, NY yesterday. That's where we got our Thanksgiving pies from. We got a sweets craving and we happen to be in the area. To get there, you have to go through this quiet little neighborhood that presents on a small, windy road. You follow that little road for a few minutes til you see the farm market building. It really feels like you're in the country. The store features mostly baked goods, confections, fresh cider, jams, jellies etc...It's not a big store but not too small either. I think it's a mom & pop operation and that makes Steve happy. (Me, too.)

We each had a cider doughnut. They're on the small side. A good size and well-browned on the outside. His was sugared; mine plain. Next we split this apple-filled stick. It's like a puff pastry with just a little bit of apple filling - like a sauce with a bit of apple pieces - and well cooked. They're about six inches long and over an inch wide. It had little slits spanning its whole length. Next. We split an apple turnover that was more of the same but in that familiar puffy triangular shape and this oatmeal bar with coconut frosting. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, we grabbed a brownie on the way out cause it was near the cash register. We're so bad.

The donuts were okay. Steve really loves them. He says they're best when they're fresh & hot. The apple stick. Oh my god. They were very light but not too airy. It gave you something to bite into and chew a little. They were soooo good. So much so that later in the day, Steve mentioned that I'd eaten more than my half of it. *giggle* Ooopsie. I seldom do that. I usually give him just a bit more than me because as he says, he's bigger. *giggle* For the apple turnover, I ate more than my share on that one too :) Later we split an oatmeal bar with coconut frosting. It was cakey with a slight crunch, very slight and light, to the frosting part. It was pretty good. The brownie was a pretty color and had a nice texture to look at. It was cake-like and not very chewy. I like my brownies a little denser, well cooked, and with a rich, decadent dark chocolate flavor. Hmmm...Am I forgetting something? Oh yeah, Eat Something Good!

Salingers Orchard Inc
230 Guinea Road
Brewster, NY 10509

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Wendy's Double Stack

I kept seeing those commercials for Wendy's double stack. I wanted to try one right away but for some reason I never got around to it. Well, as we were running errands the other day, we happen to pass one by. Neither of us had had breakfast so we were starving. I suggested we try the double stacks and went through the drive-thru. We each had one double stack, large fries and diet coke to share. The double stack was two square beef patties with american cheese, raw onion, ketchup and pickle chips. It was nice and hot and juicy. I liked the topping combination. Usually when I have burgers at home I just use a little sliced onion with ketchup. I never put pickles on it. I don't know why. It's most likely because I don't want to deal with pickles and having the smell of it on your fingers. Anyhow, if you're starved and eating on a budget and are not vegetarian or at all health conscious, then I recommend the double stack. Yeah, Eat Something Good!

Wendy's
1894 Route 6
Carmel, NY

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Gino's Trattoria

We had a great dinner last night. It was almost perfect except the waitress could've been a little more attentive. Usually, service at Gino's (not Gigi's Pizza we always go to) is very good. Adults, not teenagers. Anyway, I wrote a review about Gino's a while back. A couple of years ago. Definitely over one. (I think.) Anyway, in the review I described my favorite dish there: Veal Francais. Most chicken francais are in a light chicken stock/lemon sauce. I assumed the veal would be the same. Nope. The sauce is an orange ee/brown with bits of cooked herbs in it. Perhaps parsley. They give three (somewhat small) thin pieces of veal (lighyly battered, perhaps just in egg). And a side of pasta. I got linguine with tomato sauce. Oh, and to start we had salads (mine with italian; his with bleu cheese) and bread that included a good crusty, hearty italian bread and long sticks of focaccia flavored with rosemary. We also had an appetizer. Fried calamari that came with a thick, chunky, deep red, herbed tomato sauce for dipping. The calamari were all just small rings, about the size of a quarter. No tentacles, my fave. Oh well. Steve had one of his standbys. Chicken Gorgonzola with peas. He had a side of linguini as well but he got his on his plate with the cream sauce. I had mine on the side. They give you the option.

I loved my veal dish. I've had it many times before. We used to go to Gino's quite regularly. They've recently started delivering and I think they'll make a killing. Their pizza is quite good as well. The pasta, salad, and bread were all good. Nothing special. The fried calamari. I thought it could've been fried a little longer. They were a very light color and I would've preferred a golden color with a little crisp or crunch to it. Steve thought they were delicious. He loved them just the way they were. I tried some of Steve's chicken dish and it was rich and delicious. Very smooth and creamy. It wasn't a strong gorgonzola flavor. I didn't see any blue veins in it. But it definitely did something nice to the sauce. We didn't have dessert cause we were too full. Steve even had to take his belt off when we got home. Hehehe. Okay, well. You guys are the best! I love the comments - I read them all. Eat Something Good!

Gino's Pizzeria (Trattoria)
597 Route 6
Mahopac, NY 10541

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Nathan's

The other day, we went to Nathan's to play video games. The one in Yonkers has an arcade. It's great. It's so loud in there. Anyway, we didn't eat there but it planted the seed. So yesterday, we had an early dinner at a different Nathan's but still a Nathan's. I had two hot dogs. One with mustard and sauerkraut. The other with just mustard. Steve had one with mustard & sauerkraut and one chili cheese dog. We both had fries and sodas to drink. Diet for me. *laugh* Anyway, it was a nice treat. Oh, I almost forgot. The one we go to is also has an Arthur Treacher's (sp?) there. We split a fish sandwich. I forgot what was on it. Like lettuce and tartar sauce, I think. It was good. The fish had a crunch to it unlike McDonald's filet-o-fish. Later on, I got the donut urge again and we stopped by Dunkin Donuts for a powdered jelly donut. Mmmm. I just wish they weren't like a cagillion calories. Ah well. Can't win em all. Eat Something Good!

Nathan's Famous
Cortlandt Town Center
3139 E. Main Street,
Mohegan Lake,NY

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Beef Patty Melt

We went to one of our regular'ish diners, Central Plaza Diner in Yonkers, NY. Anyway, we thought we'd have a nice repeat of the other day's meal - beef patty melts. (We had a surprisingly yummy one at IHOP.) Burger, swiss, fried onions on grilled rye. We had them with a side of fries, cole slaw, and a pickle. The patty melt at this diner was...a disappointment. I wanted to punch the chef a little. The onions. They were these big, diced chunks. Too big and they ruined the sandwich. Also they weren't cooked enough. I like to see a nice brown color on some pieces. Thin slices. With good carmelization going on. That's how I'd make it. Oh, we started off with a side of okay mozzarella sticks with a thin tomato sauce for dipping. Alrighty folks, Eat Something Good!

Central Plaza Diner
1686 Central Park Ave
Yonkers, NY 10710

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Cracker Barrel

As a pre-dinner snack, we stopped off at Dunkin' donuts. I was so psyched because I was completely in the mood for a jelly donut. Powdered. It was great. Only thing is, half of it landed on my fleece and on my jeans. Yes, the danger with eating jelly donuts is the possible gob factor messing you up. And it did me. I still have a very visible stain on my jeans. I think it was strawberry jelly. Anyway, I saw Hunt's ketchup packages for the first time there. I thought it was cool. I hope Hunt's makes a bigger name for itself in ketchup. I want to see Heinz' sweat a little. And, for no reason.

Cracker Barrel. We were starving. It was past 9p. I flipped through the menu and nothing was popping out at me. So when it came time to order, I just asked Steve to order me what he was having. He had one of their combination meals. Breakfast meal. Chicken fried steak with white gravy, biscuits, hash browns (shredded), over easy eggs, and grits. Steve also had a side of mac n cheese, I passed.

The meal was sufficient. Didn't win any culinary awards, but it was good. I decided that I don't love chicken fried steak. Steve does. That's why I started ordering them. But maybe it's just Cracker Barrel's that I don't love. It's very crunchy on the outside with tender'ish meat on the inside. It's like a cube steak texture. And the gravy. Too much but too little. Meaning. They give you a lot of it but it's like missing necessary flavor. There's a little smokiness to it from I suppose bacon but it's not a well, developed flavor. It's a little pasty. The hash brown potatoes weren't too bad. They were eh. I gave one of my eggs to Steve. And the rest of my hash browns. I was eating my grits plain whereas Steve makes his like his dad used to - butter, salt & pepper. It's good. He's made it for me at home that way before. But last night, I was needing at least one thing on my plate not to be heavily seasoned. The iced tea, unsweetened, was refreshing but could've been colder and with more ice.

We were too full for dessert. We usually split a short stack. And they give you warmed syrup and stuff. Yum. I like their pancakes cause they're literally fried. You can see and taste the diffference. When I first started out making pancakes, I used a little butter in the pan and produced a similar product. I started doing it dry after my grandmother gave me a mini lesson on how to flip pancakes. I love watching the bubbles forming along the edges and that immediate rise that hits when it's flipped over with some gusto. I think most diners prep it dry so when I get Cracker Barrel pancakes, they're extra yummy and good.

We hit the candy store afterwards. They have a great little shop. We went to the one in Fishkill, NY. In the spirit of halloween, we got tons of candy. We split this thing called a Pecan roll. Nougat rolled in pecans. It's light and sweet and pretty darn good. Steve was psyched cause we found him baked beans. Boston baked beans. I've had them before but I didn't think it was anything special. I found BB Bats. They updated the packaging but I always have trouble believing that they still exist whenever I stumble across some. I remember pulling my teeth out with these things. They are so sticky and so chewy. I split one with Sid last night. I know I shouldn't be giving him this junk. But as I say to Steve when he complains. I tell him, just as I expand his culinary horizons, I want to do the same for Sid. So he gets a taste of what I'm having. A little taste. Even if it's bad. Except for obvious things like chocolate and onions. Alrighty. I'm rambling! Oh we also had those orange jelly candies rolled in granulated sugar. (The ones that look like an orange segment.) And jelly belly jelly beans. I didn't love those. Too many different flavors combining weirdly in my mouth. Treat yourself right, Happy Halloween and Eat Something Good!

Cracker Barrel
4 Merritt Blvd
Fishkill, NY 12524

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China Garden

We ordered chinese food last night. And we got it delivered. Totally easy night. I got something I haven't had in a couple of years. General Tsao's Chicken with brown rice and an egg roll. Steve had the shrimp chow mein with white rice and fried noodles. And a shrimp roll. Oh, we both got soups as well. He got wonton; I got hot and sour.

Whenever we went out for chinese, my father would start by pointing to each of us and asking if we wanted soup. There was no question as to what kind of soup it was because he always ordered the same thing. Hot & sour. Anyway, mine wasn't great last night. The best parts were the pieces of pork. I actually ate the soup after I'd eaten everything else.

The General's chicken. Eh. I should've ordered something else. The pieces of chicken were like overfried and dried out. Some pieces were okay but a lot wasn't. The itty bitty pieces were alright because they were crispy. The sauce was a little spicier than I remember it being. I always picture a sweet kinda sauce. The egg roll was good. I only wished it were a little bigger and had more filling. I'm pretty sure Steve enjoyed his meal. He's ordered it twice before and didn't complain about it. I reminded him of that last night while he was having trouble figuring out what to get. My fortune was retarded. The cookie was good. I washed all this muck down with diet coke. Ah...Eat Something Good!

China Garden
980 S Lake Blvd
Mahopac, NY 10541

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McDonald's Hashbrowns

I have a friend. He eats more McDonald's than anyone I know. Most days he goes there for breakfast and then may have lunch or dinner there later in the day. He goes there so much that he gets special orders from there. Like if he's having a sausage mcmuffin with egg, he'll ask for the folded omlette instead of the regular eggs it normally comes with. Lately he's been eating big mac's like crazy trying to collect monopoly game pieces. He's too funny.

Anyway, about Mcdonald's hashbrowns. Steve encouraged me to put my hash brown directly on my egg mcmuffin or sausage mcmuffin with egg. Those are my two favorites. It changes the sandwich experience and adds something to it. So now in delis, we order bacon, egg & cheese sandwiches (on rolls) with a hashbrown on it. We had one yesterday from the Corner Store Deli. (It's not actually on a corner but a side street.) It was pretty darn good. I actually like the hashbrowns form McDonald's better. Steve and I had the exact same sandwich! Sometimes Steve gets good ideas. The only thing that never won me over was tuna noodle casserole. I've acquired a taste for most other things. Okay folks, it's time for me to go and Eat Something Good!

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Chan's Garden

Last night we had to go to the laundromat to dry our clothes. Yes, the dryer is still broken. Anyway, we decided to grab some cheap chinese food while we waited. This take out place opened up several years ago. I remember they were renovating for quite some time. When they finally opened, cars were swarmed in the parking lot. It seems as though we weren't the only ones curious about it. So we got food. We didn't love it so we never ordered from there again. We get delivery from the one across town that we have better luck with.

So last night we had a fried food feast. I had an eggroll and four chicken wings with pork fried rice. Steve had a shrimp roll, fried shrimp and french fries. I thought it was pretty good. The wings were very plain which I liked. And the egg roll was really good. It was what a cheap eggroll should be. Crispy, super hot and the last few bites should be a little greasy. That's how me and Steve like them. I didn't try one of his shrimps though I should have. It looked like they used medium-sized ones. The breading was dark brown. The fries were crinkle cut and good. My fried rice wasn't at all greasy. Not even at the bottom. It surprised me. All in all, the dinner was okay. It fed our starving bellies. Later guys. Eat Something Good!

Chan's Garden
54 Secor Rd
Mahopac, NY 10541

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Epstein's

You won't find real butter or cheese for that burger here, but you definitely won't miss it. Last night we were lured into Epstein's (kosher restaurant) for a simple hot dog. When the hostess seated us, I changed my mind about the hot dog and went for something I've enjoyed in the past. I had a hot open faced beef brisket sandwich with brown gravy and french fries. After Steve heard my order, he changed his mind on his own order and got what I got.

Whenever you go to Epstein's, they bring you pickles (2 kinds: one very garlicky and one salty and without much of a vinegar zing), fresh cole slaw (it's very slightly sweet and creamy like it'd just been made), and mini latkes (potato pancakes). These, usually good, weren't so good last night but we ate them anyways.

The beef brisket. Steve loved it. I thought it was pretty good but it could've used more gravy. And I thought the meat was just slighty dry. Steve said that's how it's supposed to be - that I was thinking about roast beef instead. *shrug* All I know is that I can't even come close to calling it succulent. Oh, the sandwich was served open on rye.

The fries. Love them. Many of the fries, medium cut (a little bigger than the size of Wendy's fries) lack crispiness. But that's the great part about it. They're still awesome. Every once in a while you get a fry with a little crisp and it's like rewarding to eat. The fries are dense and meaty but not too meaty.

To drink, I had what I always get here. One can of Dr. Brown's diet cream soda. Yum! Steve got Dr. Brown's celery soda. I have no idea how he can drink the stuff. It's ucky. It may, however, be interesting to make a fizzy bloody mary with it.

For dessert, we got a small container of assorted rugeluch (sp?). They were not dry but not as moist as some are. I wonder if they're moist because they don't bake them enough. I don't know. These were pretty good. I enjoyed them. Ok guys, do like I do and Eat something good!

Epstein's Kosher Delicatessen
387 N Central Ave
Hartsdale, NY 10530

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the Blazer Pub

We drove for 45 minutes last night for a part for the pellet stove when there was a place 15 minutes away. Steve tries to be loyal to small, mom & pop businesses. He dislikes the large, mile a minute talking, sale, sale, sales people. Anyway, we got the part and decided to grab a bite as it was getting late. We had dinner after 9p.

This pub serves great burgers. They're often rated one of the best burgers in the area. I got one with swiss and bacon. Steve ordered the Blazer burger which came with lettuce, tomato, bacon, american cheese and fried onions. They put a good amount of fried onions on it so he gave me some. It was too much for one burger. Their onions were nicely fried with some "burnt" pieces. The burger was a little hard to eat. The meat patty itself is about an inch thick. And then with the stuff on top, it gets even taller. I must note that when it first appeared, it looked a little small. But when I picked it up and saw how thick it was and how heavy it was - I new I'd be sated. The fries, (which you have to order separately) are different from your typical fries. These were obviously hand cut wedges (and unevenly cut I might add.) They fry them beyond golden brown. It's a darker brown. They have a little crispiness to them on the outside. On the inside, it's a dense, meaty potato. This is one of those places that charges for each little item separately. There's a charge for lettuce and tomato even. And cole slaw which typically comes with a burger at a diner. But it's okay simply because this is a place that only does burgers and sandwiches and appetizers that include yummy buffalo wings.

We started with them. Steve wasn't loving the idea but I pressed on cause I really wanted them. And I thought they were delicious. The wings were good sized. Steve thought they were way big. I didn't think so. The buffalo sauce had just the right amount of heat for me. Not too hot but definitely not mild. Steve liked them but he didn't think they were anything to write home about. I have to admit that my taste buds are a little off these days as I'm feeling under the weather. Anyway, I washed the meal down with some diet coke (no beer for us last night) and I was content. I want you guys to feel content today so Eat something good!

The Blazer Pub
Route 22
Purdys, NY 10578

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IHOP

Yes the International House of Pancakes. That is where we had dinner last night. It'd been like over a year. Maybe more. I almost always get the same thing when I go there. The breakfast sampler. Two eggs, two bacon strip, two sausage links, two pieces of ham, 2 hashbrowns and two fluffy buttermilk pancakes. That's what Steve had. I strayed from the norm and got an actual non breakfast item. I don't know where this choice came from but I ordered a patty melt. Ya know, a burger with american cheese and fried onions grilled on rye. The last time I had one was over two years ago. For Steve's breakfast sampler, they usually give you hashbrowns - the kind McDonald's has, but this time they gave him the shredded kind. I like them but only when they're well done. And that was the problem with it, Steve always likes his home fries/ hash browns well done. My patty melt was very good. I was sorta surprised with it being IHOP and all. Steve loved it. I gave him some. The fries were good too.

For dessert, we had crepes. I had a strawberry crepe with cream cheese - it came with whipped cream on top too. Steve had an apple cinnamon crepe. They were both pretty good but I liked mine better because, as with my cheesecakes, I like strawberries with crepes. I like savory crepes as well. But they never seem to fill me up. Reminder: Eat Something Good!

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Mohegan Diner

Early on in my relationship with Steve, we frequented the Mohegan diner. We had to drive a little further than the diner closer to us, but the Mohegan's food is much better. I remember blogging about how diner prices are rising but portions getting a little smaller. Steve and I were nearly shocked when we saw the prices of even appetizers. Like up to and over $10.

The food. We were going to get our Mediterranean salad with steak. We've had it many times in our past failed attempts to eat healthier. I know, red meat - not healthy. We were just glad it had something green in it. Hehehe. Anyway, the best part is the taramasalata. I'd never had it before: I'd never heard of it before. Fortunately Steve's Greek side came in handy and he knew what it was. It's like fish eggs, perhaps salmon based on its color mixed into a very smooth, creamy and fluffy mashed potato. It's texture is so light that I didn't even think potatoes were involved at all. I kept thinking that it was some sort of whipped dairy product. Yeah.

When the waitress came to take our order one of my default choices came out of my mouth. I ordered the Kos Island wrap which is a hot wrap with grilled, marinated chicken, feta cheese and spinach. I had it once before and had a positive experience so out of my mouth it came when pressed. I got french fries for it. It didn't come with fries. Tell me how crazy that is in a diner not to serve fries with sandwich type things. Their fries were good. Steak cut wedges with the skin on. Steve commented that they didn't give me very many fries but I actually couldn't finish them. Steve even had some. Steve, planning on ordering that salad, decided to change his mind after he'd heard my order and got a regular stand by meal. I can't tell you how many times he's ordered a cheeseburger (no fries) and 2 eggs over with well done home fries and toast. He said the home fries were good. I could see the golden brown crust on the top layer of fries. His burger looked even a little too medium for me. Nearly rare. That was weird because after we'd ordered Steve realized she didn't ask him how he'd like his burger done. And we had a conversation about how it doesn't matter what you say cause it always comes out well done. I offered to give my half wrap to Steve and that I'd eat the burger because he gets upset if things aren't cooked enough. He's not a well done guy. He's a medium to medium well guy. I'm a medium girl myself (occasionally medium rare). He didn't say anything to me regarding the offer and happily tore into his burger. I think that meant he was liking it. To imagine, I wanted an appetizer before this meal too. We passed only because they were ridiculously expensive. And I had intentions to eat strawberry cheesecake for dessert.

Well, I was so full that I passed on dessert. Then Steve convinced me to get it so we could split it but he wanted chocolate cheesecake. I wasn't keen on the idea for some reason. I feared it wouldn't be chocolately enough. Diner desserts are usually just okay. Then we agreed on getting a plain slice. When the waitress came back, he ordered cheesecake...with strawberries! :) That made me so happy and Steve and I inhaled it. We needed that blast of sweet. We had dinner past 9p and I hadn't eaten anything all day. I think I just made the kcal cut off. Phew. Have a nice Saturday and Eat something good!

Mohegan Diner
1888 E Main St
Mohegan Lake, NY 10547

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Frankie & Augie'z Pizza

Steve's friend raved to him about a new ristorante & pizzeria in town. It's called Frankie and Augie'z. It's right near the Pork Store where I get nice raviolis sometimes. Anyway, we felt like we were cheating on Gigi's (our favorite pizzeria). And we were especially because the pizza slices, meatball calzone and pepperoni roll were, gasp, ok I won't say it but I'll say that they were definitely with a capital "D" - on par with Gigi's. The old man from there would probably get really upset if he knew we'd betrayed him.

The slice, not as thin as G's, and not quite that thin at all was great. It was crunchy, crispy and the dough had a good, pleasing strong flavor. The calzone. The meatballs are thicker and better quality. They're also substantially bigger. And Steve says this place uses the kinda mozzarella he likes. It's pretty gooey and thick'ish. Ya know how some pizza cheeses are too soft meaning not gooey. You don't get that satisfying pull. And they tend to be less flavorful as well. Except for a little salt, I thought the calzone was pretty darn good. And I took one bite of my pepperoni roll. (Cause I was stuffed - they have "heftier" slices.) It was good and used about the same amount of pepperoni G's uses. Their sauce. It's awesome. Steve says it tasted like ours. Now I don't know if ours is quite as good but let's use the phrase again, it's on par. How hope you have a positive pizza experience today. Eat Something Good!


Frankie & Augie'z Ristorante and Pizzeria
3673 Hill Blvd
Jefferson Valley, NY 10535

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China Garden

We ordered chinese food last night. I had the shrimp lo mein with brown rice and an egg roll. Steve had the shrimp chow mein with pork fried rice and an eggroll. It was all decent. Steve didn't gripe about how much he dislikes chinese food after he'd eaten it. That's the usual course of events. He'll want it, eat it then complain about how much he dislikes it. We don't love chinese food. We prefer vietnamese, korean or thai and I'm sure there are others. I like to have it once in a while. I get cravings. Oh, we shared an order of steamed dumplings and we both liked them a lot. Even Sid. He was being so bad while we ate on the couch in the living room on our tv tables. Usually, he'll try for a few seconds and the give up right away and lay down. Last night, he was unstoppable. I don't know how many times we had to shoo him away. Then finally, after I'd finished eating, I gave Sid the rest of my lo mein with brown rice. I thought he was satisfied afterwards as he'd just eaten his regular dinner (dry food) less then a half-hour beforehand. But no, while we weren't paying attention, he went for the last dumpling. Bad boy. I took it away from him and yelled at him. Steve wanted me to throw it out but I couldn't. It seemed like such a waste. So, I made him wait several minutes then I gave it to him like it was the most special treat in the world. He took his time to eat it. He savored it. He really likes them. I spoil him sometimes. It actually feels good to do so even though I know it's not good practice to spoil your dog. Anyway, I'm going to attempt to not eat much today. My weight loss efforts have come to a halt and though, I haven't gained weight, I'm having trouble continuing on the path. Topic switch. Linux. So far, everything I usually use (which isn't much) - I use firefox for the internet and a new IM client called Pidgen (instead of AIM which I was using). It's compatible with Aim, Adium (for macs) and a few others. Using linux, and with Steve's input, I'm noticing that there are so many things including widgets availabe. For instance, I have a virtual flower on my desktop that I have to water everyday for it to grow. No growth so far - forgot to water it yesterday. The only thing we can't figure out is how to get my game word racer going. Steve has been working on it. So, I do notice that things load faster. I was having a lot of trouble going from page to page, link to link. Linux is much better for that. I like Linux. It's not too different for my regular usage - which again - is primarily the internet. I haven't messed around with other applications as much. But it's not too difficult (even for me) to figure out how stuff works. Aside from the fonts changing and giving it a new face, everything I'm used to seems similar enough for me to handle. Okay, that's the word on my puting stuff. Have a nice day and Eat something good!

China Garden
980 S Lake Blvd
Mahopac, NY 10541

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Bagel Place

I met Steve for lunch today because I happen to be in the area. We went to the bagel place and I got chicken salad on an everything bagel. Sigh. I was disappointed. The chicken salad was ok. It was plain with a little celery. Similar to the way Steve would make it. The bagel. It was very dense throughout and the crust didn't have that little crispiness it did last time. And I should not have gotten the sandwich on an everything bagel. One of the seeds or maybe the garlic didn't blend well with the chicken salad. It tasted like dirt. I mean, fresh soil - earth. Fortunately for me Steve wasn't that hungry and I ended up eating half of his panini. Grilled chicken, tomatoes, roasted red peppers and pesto dressing. It was pretty good. Steve gets it all the time. I thought it needed a little salt. We split some chips and I had a Tropicana orange pineapple juice to drink. That didn't go well with the sandwich either. I brought home a chocolate muffin. Ok, I did take a little nibble of it and I was satisfied. It's good enough for me.

Bagel Emporium of Tarrytown
350 S Broadway
Tarrytown, NY 10591

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