Harry's Pizza

Didn't want to brave the crowds and wanted a good lunch so went to Harry's Pizza. Ordered a large arugula and prosciutto with asiago cheese to go. It was ready on time and delicious and hot. The mound of greens made up for not having a salad while the combination of the meat and cheese ruled! It is the nicest place around and makes having a real good meal so easy.

aVERT BRASSERIE

Couldn't afford to fly to Paris for the weekend, so had lunch at a'VERT Brasserie today. Four of us in a booth in the back, just the right atmosphere. The food was very good but we all ordered a lot alike. A Croque Monsieur and a Croque Madame both with those delicious frites. A Salade Niçoise and an app of Escargots looked good but my special of the day was the best. It was a Short Rib Dip...sumptuous short rib perfectly cooked over French bread covered with cheese and overflowing with sautéed mushrooms. I had a glass of Pinot Noir which complemented the dish, yum. For desserts there were two Creme Brulée and two Salted Caramel Sundaes with Caramel Sauce and Espresso sprinkles. So rich, so right, so me! A French press completed this course and we all left so satisfied and walked LaSalle Road in joy on this sunny day.

POND HOUSE CAFE

Autumn on a rainy afternoon...no leaf peeping, no drive through the woods and no brisk dry air but then there's brunch at the Pond House Café!

Started with a hot Ginger Tea that brought the zip back to the table. Went on to a favorite of Pond House Benedict. This culinary corsage arrived in a plain white [tilted] bowl looking almost too

pretty to eat. The arugula nest at the bottom was piled high with a potato pancake disk, superbly seasoned crab cake and  two perfectly cooked-to-order poached eggs with a sweet syrupy Hollandaise resting regally atop. No room for dessert but a second Ginger Tea finished the day's repast.

PRAI KITCHEN

 Ended up at Prai Kitchen after attempting to have lunch at the Artisan in the Delamar Hotel and with no parking in their lot and no valet parking for lunch guests went here. What a great surprise that was. Really thought I was back in Bangkok. Always order some variant of Pad See Ew the first time I eat at a Thai restaurant. Their Duck Pad C U [as stated on the menu] is the best. Thought since it was on on the lunch menu there wouldn't be a lot of duck...no way...it was filled with succulent duck! The noodles were excellent and the choice of vegetables was perfect. The included salad was very fresh and the peanut dressing was right on. Will definitely go back for the Tamarind Duck.

blognote: great service

Max Burger

 Went to see the Yard Goats play the Flying Squirrels with tickets compliments of brother-in-law. Took my neighbor who needed Handicapped Parking but there was no parking available at all nearby. The answers [all polite from Police and Stadium Workers] were all with don't have any handicapped parking available. They did head us to a private lot several blocks away with a line of at least a hundred people waiting to use the pay kiosk. So we took off for 'better or worse'.

Turned out so much better at Max Burger! They had a cozy air-conditioned booth inside and a nice parking spot outside and a super friendly member of the waitstaff to assist us. She ordered her favorite: Cheeseburger grilled medium-rare with lettuce and tomato, cheddar cheese and a spot of mayo. She was delighted!

As my grandmother used to say: I had my face all made out for a hot dog and that is what I ordered. It was simply wonderful. The bun was toasted, the dog grilled so right and the three sauces: garlic aioli, tomato jam and great mustard. The french fries were hot and tasty and the iced tea calmed things down.

So glad we stopped here and made up for a disappointing trip to the 'old ball game'!

Arethusa in West Hartford

Finally found Arethusa in West Hartford Center; actually I drove around the rear parking lot while my eating companion ran in and bought some ice cream to go. That was a success in both maneuvering the parking situation and getting some real good dessert. Ate the Chocolate Chocolate Chip and Raspberry selections on the porch. What a night!  

Caribe Restaurant

 Who hasn't had a good meal at the Prospect Restaurant? Well, I found the alternative for a great meal in the old setting. Just had lunch today at Caribe and it sure is special!

We were out for a drive on the first day of Spring and so was everyone else and they were all hungry. Dropped in here and it was empty at first and then people started to arrive. What a joy to have Dominican food. My many memories of  Santo Domingo came flooding back with this version of mofongo. It was smooth and covered with sautéed roast pork. You could have the pork chop version but with my left arm in a cast due to a fractured femur this was the perfect choice. Opt for the sautéed onions as they are terrific. The 'orange juice and milk' is to die for like a batida without all the extra ice.

Great service, clean room with a sophisticated dark gray theme. I will be back very SOON with no cast to impede my ordering.

Taco Tuesday

Have seen the ad for MAX'S OYSTER BAR 'Taco Tuesday' and have been intrigued at the idea. I decided to take advantage of my good friends love of good food and invited myself to her house to share the dinner for two. Turned out to have been a very good decision. The ordering was simple but the pick-up was a bit more complicated due to my inept following for directions. After entering the Brace Road parking lot behind the Max establishment by going in the exit instead of the entrance I could not find where to pick up the food. Calling the restaurant I found that there were several [well marked] slots for three restaurant pick up duties and pulled into one. Not calling the restaurant to let them know I was there I spoke to a server outside finishing up her delivery. She immediately sensed my 'lost cause' persona, ran in and picked up my 5pm order.

After that misplaced choreography things went remarkably well! I had chosen the brisket, the chicken and the shrimp for my fillings of soft tacos and they were all delicious. The shrimp was especially tasty. There were two containers of salsa [good] and guacamole [boring] along with a box of excellent crispy black beans and rice. A good meal was had by all [of the two of us].

ZAYTOONS

Excellent take-out dinner from Zaytoon's which is a place I have been ready to visit for a while. Since it was close to our dining porch and the fact that I have heard good comments on the food, that was my choice and a good one. Tried another Moroccan Lamb Tangine and really enjoyed. The vegetable were very recognizable in size and taste and made it very family style. The included toasted couscous was excellent. There was a choice of a side and I chose the Fattoush. The fresh salad greens, herbs and pita chips added to the tangine. Also ordered the Lebanese Salad plate which included a starring baba ganoush, some hummous that rocked and good felafel with tightly rolled grape leaf bites. What a great way to enjoy the solitude of a porch side evening!

Pachanga

Finally got to eat something from Pachanga! Actually I had tasted their empanadas at an opening at St. Joseph's College months ago. Now I was able to sample two of their most favorite fillings: Milonga and Criolla. I liked both of them as they fill up the empanada and are not skimpy. The outer shells are very tasty and each is crimped differently so as to identify them. The Milonga was filled with chicken, veggies, cranberries and spice however they chicken was the main taste. The Criolla had beef, onions, peppers, egg, spices and olives and again the main taste was the beef and I found an olive which I love. They did travel nicely in their box with a small container of sauce. Very successful dinner!

blognote: Closed Sunday and Monday

Uncle Chow

After a matinée at Theater Works we set off for our usual 'let's get something to eat after the play' encounter. We chose Uncle Chow [originally Mr. Chow] in West Hartford. This was a great choice. The restaurant is modern Chinese with good seating, great artwork and especially an intriguing menu. We split and appetizer of Peking Duck buns [3 to an order perfect for the 3 of us] and they certainly exceeded my expectations. I did get a bit heavy on the Hoisin sauce [see photo] but it was a delicious bite or two. The menu is extensive but I found the Twice Cooked Pork to be a different choice from the sometimes tired menus of other Chinese establishments. I went with the spicy version and it was just perfectly prepared. The white rice is the kind that I love with that bit of stickiness that proves its real. Will definitely go back. 

blognote: great service

bloginfo: website for take-out eat-in order

Ice Cream...

The best [and only in my opinion] place to stop for ice cream when you are in those environs is A.C. Peterson's in West Hartford. It's right next to Playhouse on Park which makes the right place for pre and post theater delights. Their sundaes are memorable!

This time I had the mini sundae of Butter Pecan ice cream with Peanut Butter topping and [real] whipped cream. It was delicious!

blognote: Could not find a working website.

Bombay Olive

Early dinner at Bombay Olive, a favorite, turned out to be a special meal. I had the Lamb Addas Polow which comes over fluffy rice studded with almonds, golden raisins, dates and lentils. The lamb was tenderly and the smoky taste from the grill perfumed the grilled vegetables. The onions were especially delicious. The sauce was perfect and the naan was helpful in scooping up the meal. My dining partner had the Chicken Korma cooked in a sauce with just the right amount of saffron. We split a Mango Lassi which is the cool drink you need with this kind of meal. We will return [carrying the 15% off coupon for the purchase of two entrées].

blognote: Check if your dish comes with an order of Naan before ordering one. We ended up with two which was a lot but it got taken home!

Frida's

Ate at the new Frida's this afternoon [located in the old Tapas building] with a room full of people. Place was full by 4:30pm on a Tuesday night. Many diners seemed to be Mexican and were there to celebrate the opening of a new eatery!

Although very popular at the moment, I found the food to be very standard and lacking in flavor while seeming quite mass-produced. The chips and salsa were fine with a homemade flavor to the salsa. The beer, Dos Equis, wasn't cold enough and served in an uncooled mug. The side order of guacamole was pretty good. The sopes were too thick and doughy so probably not grilled enough. The fried chorizo crumble was good but the lettuce had seen better days while the refried beans were uninspired. Service was excellent. 

Vinted Wine Bar & Kitchen

Had a very belated Birthday lunch at Vinted where I had been to Happy Hour several. Lunch menu was very interesting. Had the Short Rib Macaroni and Cheese. This was outstanding and just about the best ever. Started with Blistered Shishito Peppers which were also quite good. The Beignets at the end of the meal are not to be missed with their trio of dipping sauces: chocolate, strawberry and caramel. We were the only ones there so many people were missing a great place for lunch.

Prospect Café

Had a nice dinner with a friend this evening at the Prospect Café after a gallery opening. The specials looked good but wanted something a little lighter. After two weeks in Paris I needed to slow down. The Black and Bleu Salad with the Diver Scallops surely fit the bill. The presentation was very nice and did showcase the blackberries and the blackberry vinaigrette. The [5] scallops were done perfectly with a bit of crust and tender inside. The addition of the candied pecans also helped immensely as did the 'tender' pour of a Sauvignon Blanc.

blognote: There always seems to be available parking in the lot adjacent to the restaurant...a necessity for me.

Balos Estiatorio

Had an interesting lunch today at Balos Estiatorio with the West Hartford Restaurant week. The place is gorgeous and we sat out on the patio on a beautifully sunny day. The menu had an offering of stuffed eggplant that we were both looking to order. Had a nice glass of white sangria and an appetizer of grilled calamari. This was super. The bread and dip were good and the service was excellent. The trouble started when we heard that the kitchen had just received its order for the day. The eggplant hadn't been started and would take about 45 minutes to complete. We had plenty of time and the sunshine setting was wonderful. An order of sun-dried hummus helped fill in the time and my stomach. After asking about the eggplant our server said it would be at least another 45 minutes. She offered anything off the regular luncheon menu as an alternative. I ordered the Pastitio and it was very good and possibly the best I have had. We were just upset about the fact that the eggplant was still on the menu and the kitchen would expect anyone to wait an hour and a half for its preparation.

Harry's Pizza at Bishop's Corner

Gotten pizza many times from Harry's at Bishop's Corner and usually it's pretty terrific. The seasonal offering this time was a whopper but a little too much 'whop'. It had potatoes, sausage, caramelized onions, broccoli rabe and gorgonzola cheese. Seemed more fitting for a cool autumn day but I did enjoy some of it. 'Shoud'a had a Margarita [Pizza]!' 

The Wise Old Dog Wine Tasting Dinner

Park and Oak hosted a Summer Wine Tasting Dinner and we had an excellent meal with terrific wines. Started with a Reception Cocktail featuring Aperol, Pamplemousse and Prosecco to accompany a duo of crispy Arancini balls swimming in a luxurous tomato sauce. Course One was a Crispy Green Tomato with a dollop of cotija paired with a Zonin Soave Classico 2017. Liked the wine better than the tomato. Poached Shrimp with a dill aioli with a Ca'Bolani  Sauvignon 2017 rocked the palate and made a great penultimate treat to this dinner. Ending with slice of Roasted Breast of Duck with a matchstick pile of green apple and studded with dried cranberries Sangiovese le Focaie 2015, we were in a blissful state of culinary perfection.

Fried Green Tomato

Roasted Breast of Duck

Poached Shrimp.

Bombay Olive

My old standard for Indian food...Bombay Olive always come through with menu variety, taste and service. After splitting a large Taj Mahal beer we ordered Lamb Saag [me], Lang Korma [her] and to share a serving of Naan and Raita.