come dine with me...

Stopped at Tapa's for a very late lunch and it was very successful.
My entrée was Grilled Lamb Patties [$12.95] in a pita with onions. lettuce and tzatziki sauce [also tried the alternate red spicy sauce and it is very good]. The other entrée was Chicken Mykonos: Poached chicken breast combined with feta cheese, fresh
dill and a light cream sauce. Wrapped in filo and baked golden brown [$13.99]. We got the platter version which includes their great Greek salad and Rice Pilaf. A New Castle beer and a Sam Adams Summer filled out the meal.

May 12, 2008
Tonight we traveled to Tapas in West Hartford for their advertised Monday/Tuesday Night Special: Greek Sampler Platter for $12.95.

Started with wine: Campo Rioja and Tiziano Pinot Grigio [$7 and $6.50] and two orders of a special appetizer, Baked Clams [$4.95]. The clam shells were big and stuffed with chopped clams and a good stuffing and served piping hot. Then the Greek house salad with 'almost famous' dressing which is delicious. This Greek salad is about the best you can get [outside of Greece].

Entrées were the Greek Sampler Platter containing a grilled chicken skewer, spanakopita, sliced beef gyro served over rice with tzatziki sauce and toasted pita. What a plate of delicious food for the money.

Dessert: Three coffees and one Bakalava [$3.95] to share.

bloginfo: website
1150 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT phone: 860.521.4609
blognote: good website with menu and 'win dinner for two!'

Labels: Connecticut, Greek, Hartford

Barça is definitely habit-forming! Ate here again this afternoon with Miami guests.
Started with a pitcher of Cava Sangria. Very Good. AND a bottle of vino blanco special Martin Cadoux. Excellent summer wine.
Some tapas: Combinación de Quesos [San Martín and Mahon] and some great meats with good warm bread; Chorizo Asado [why I have not tried this before, I do not know] a piece of chorizo with shrimp and marinated vegetables and excellent; Tres Emapanadas Gambas which blew me away!
Chef Jesús originally from Santiago de Compostela has turned the kitchen around. Service from Sarah [con 'h'] was superb. What better place to spend a tired summer afternoon.


As many of you know, I spent two weeks in Barcelona in September celebrating my birthday. I raved about the food and restaurants there. But if you don't have the time, inclination, or $$ for the €€, stay in Hartford and eat at Barça!
5/17/2008
Ate there this afternoon and it was a great pleasure; I don't even know where to start; the decor, the service, the room, the tableware, the great wine by the glass list and, of course, the food.

Started with a glass of red [$6 but compliments of the party at RealArtWays Creative Thursdays [another story].
Moved on to the Combinacíon de Dos [$9]: Pato al estilo de China [Confit Duck Spring Roll and Pickled Red Cabbage in a Spicy Plum Emulsion] and Ensalada de Coliflor: Fried Cauliflower, Asparagus and Grilled Apricots with Black Olive Vinaigrette. Both were excellent and complimented each other. Also had the Gazpacho Blanco [$5]: White Gazpacho, Cantolonian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Grapes and Crab Meat; this was so good it must be a sin to eat it!

Still ready to sample more, I ordered [on Nicole's suggestion] the Grelos con Gambas [$7] [Garlic Shrimp with Brocolli Rabe au Gratin with Pecorino Romano Cheese]. This very really very really good.

Finished with an espresso cortado [$2].

bloginfo: website Barça
1429 Park Street, Hartford, CT [in the Design Center]
phone: 724-4444
blognote: really great people and Nicole is a terrific waitperson [as is Sarah].

Labels: Hartford, Tapas

After the wedding today, three of us went to Baci Grill to unwind.
We split a Lobster Bisque [$9] as they are still having their Lobster Mania.
Three entrées all the same: Cold Lobster Roll [$14] served with red cabbage slaw and fries.
Three beers: Bass, Sam Adams and a Sam Adams Summer.
This did the trick and we left feeling revived.

Jun18, 2008
Baci Grill was having their Lobster Festival when we arrived tonight so we took advantage of it.

Had the Lobster Tempura [$10] for an appetizer. This consisted of two lobster tempura lollipops with a wasabi sweet/sour dip. Very good.

The other lobster entrée was the Lazy Man Lobster [$29] which turned out to be a very different and pleasing preparation. The stuffing looked like a pancake covering the pieces of lobster. Very rich and well seasoned. The vegetable was Haricots Verts.
One other entrée was the Guinness Skirt Steak [$18.50]; I have had this before and it is always a good choice. It was accompanied with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli.

My entrée was Veal Florentine over Capellini [$22]. The veal was excellent and the spinach very fresh. The sauce, however, lacked any special taste even though its creaminess blended well with the veal.

Click here for website

bloginfo: Baci Grill is located 134 Berlin Road on Route 372 in Cromwell, CT
Telephone 860.613.2224
blognote: Baci is sister restaurant to Tuscany Grill in downtown Middletown

Labels: Connecticut, Cromwell, Italian

Another trip to Plan B today and it was again a plan b; were going to Barça but it didn't work out.

Had a late lunch and started with a half-order of the Blue Chips [$6.99].
Three entrées: Chili Burger [$9.59]; Italian Job [$9.59] which started out as a chicken burger; and the East Coast Burger [$14.79, mine of course] which had lobster in it. All came with fries and we ordered two flights of beer [#2 @$7.25 each]

Friday, April 25th
Another spring break adventure today but the President [and his motorcade] made us to go plan B at Plan B. Anyway, Plan B is a great hamburger café in West Hartford. So, since we couldn't go up Route 91 to Northampton as previously planned we detoured to West Hartford and ate here. Good choice!

We each opted for a Garden Salad [$2.99] with house Champagne Vinaigrette dressing; they were very good.
Two entreés [mine included] were the Burger Flights [$11.99]: one good beef hamburger, one unadorned salmon burger and one chicken pesto cheese burger. They were all excellent but the chickenburger was the winner. The other entree was the Ultimate Cheese burger [$10.59] which had two cheeses in the hamburger mixture and two different cheeses surrounding the burger. It was declared delicious. They all came with good thin fries.

Labels: Connecticut, Hamburgers and such

Attended a 5 hour workshop on Cheese, Wine and Chocolate. This was held at ElderHostel Headquarters in Boston.

Each session had its own presenter; some more successful than others.

CHEESE: David from South End Formaggio gave a very informative talk which included details of cheese production, types of cheese and preparing a cheese platter. We tasted 4 cheeses: Buche Maitre Seguin [Goat's Milk from Poitou, France (***)], Brie de Nangis [Cow's Milk from Isle-de-France, France (0)], Lull's Brook [Cow's Mild from Hartland, Vermont (*)] and Bianco Sardo [Sheep's Milk from Sardinia, Italy (**)].

WINE: This presentation was given by Joyce from Divas Uncorked. This was the least successful presentation. We learned about Wine Varietals, Navigating a Wine List, How to Read a Wine Label, Common Wine Terms. We tasted 5 wines: an Astoria Prosecco [Carpene Malvoti Prosecco de Conegliano (*)], Ku De Ta [Riesling Mosel (too sweet for me)], Divas Uncorked [2005 Chardonnay Mendocino County (0, too metallic)], Rosemount Estate [Shiraz (**)], Delicato [Cabernet Sauvignon (**)].

DINNER: This was not the high point of the evening. The advanced menu had stated Teriyaki Chicken but we had Chicken Kabos, Field Green Salad with Balsamic dressing, very good Carrots and Summer Squash, and a tasty Broccoli Quiche.

CHOCOLATE: This WAS the high point of the event because of its professionalism. Nina was an energetic, enthusiastic and well-informed presenter. Her Power Point presentation and handout were both excellent. We tasted 10 very high quality chocolates. They were Castelain Tradition, Valrhona Chuao [*], Jamieson Robust Dark [one * for texture], Scharffen Berger, Guittard Colombian Varietal Couverture, Balrhona Gran Couva [*], Scharffen Berger Milk Chocolate, Bonnat Surabaya [*], Slitti Lattenero, and my favorite El Rey Icoa White Chocolate [**].

Labels: Boston, Educational, Gourmet

June 7th, 2008
Celebrated an anniversary breakfast here early this morning.
And what a meal it was!

One entrée of the Galway Special [$13] which consisted of two poached eggs on Irish brown bread, homefries and a slab of lox.
Two entrées [one of which was mine] of one of the two morning specials [$16]. It didn't have a name but could be called 'the smooth and the rough.' This was served in two parts: brisket hash [rough cut goodness] with summer squash, fingerling potato and greens; goat cheese and Irish sausage quiche [smooth, smooth] with greens/salsa on the side. It was also accompanied by a morning glory muffin which was really a pinwheel of dough stuffed with macerated fruit. 'Himself' delivered it with the warning that the roll had just come out of the oven and the fruit was very hot.
We added unlimited coffee [and I mean unlimited] to the above for a fabulous feast. O'Rourke's rules the roost!



March 24, 2008
Lunch today here with no trouble getting a table at 1:00.
Started with a cup of Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup [$3.50]; delicious in a cream base not broth as I would have expected. Then had the 'Irish Tribute' which turned out to be even better than described on the daily specials' list. It was Lamb Meatballs over Bangers and Turnip Mash AND Hamhock over Brown Rice all smothered in a Mint Pea Gravy! [$11] and for dessert the Bread Pudding special which had layers of pound cake, scones and coffee cake topped with real whipped cream and raspberry preserve [4.50]. Bernie kept giving us samples of bread, coffee cake and Irish Soda Bread so we were entirely stuffed by the time we waddled back to the car.

February 21, 2008
Ate at the newly renovated O'Rourke's Diner this morning. The lines have been long as everyone is celebrating the reopening; we got a table without too much wait.

Two of us had the 'Dubliner' omelet: corned beef and cheese encased in an eggy omelet. It came with roasted fingerling potatoes with a slice of Irish soda bread slathered with raspberry preserves. Another entrée was a 'Casino' omelet: crab and bacon with potatoes and toast. The last entrée was 'Texas French Toast' [you can guess what that was] and sausages.

GOOD COFFEE! with slices of Lemon Poppy Seed bread on the table to start.

Brian was busy cooking, taking Lemon Poppy Seed bread to those waiting in line, and passing around a huge paddle from an industrial mixer so everyone could 'lick the batter' [almond based something good].

Labels: Breakfast, Comfort Food, Connecticut, Middletown

Second trip to La Piastra today. Got the Curried Chicken Salad [$5.95] and it is very good. The chicken breast meat is quite moist and the amount of curry is good. The addition of currants jazzes it up also.
Also got the Broccoli Rabe with Roasted Garlic [$4.25] and I sizzled it in some lemon infused olive oil and finished it with a splash of white balsamic vinegar. Made me a good lunch!

blognote: They all wear black and for those of you who know me realize this is a good thing.

June 12th - Bought some super 'gourmet to go' takeout at La Piastra in Cromwell.

The Goin' Nutz Over Chicken Salad ~ boneless chicken thighs with toasted walnuts, grapes, celery and our house made tarragon mayo was excellent. It has served as lunch on several occasions. Just add a scoop of this salad and a little hummus and crackers and you have a nice plateful.

Also got the Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad ~ sun-dried tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and feta cheese
tossed in an aioli to take with me as an addition to a dinner out. We all enjoyed it and thought it very fresh. Both were $4.95 for a one pound container.

Read the review from the Hartford Courant here.

Their website is here also. The monthly specials are announced here.

bloginfo: La Piastra is located next to Mortenson's Ice Cream which is behind the Cromwell Stop and Shop. A little hard to find the first time but worth the effort. This is where Cromwell Kitchen was located.
blognote: I intend to try a few more items so keep tuned in!