In mi casa, the after-concert feast is a Food Czar tradition, and I bet it's a tradition in your household as well. There's nothing like live music and beer to bring on a serious case of the heart-attack munchies, so we usually follow up with a nice, leisurely meal; that way, we can unwind and swing a lot of cats, so to speak. My lovely wife the Rock Star, her sister the Wild Thing, and myself had just wrapped up Sunday afternoon at the Wildflower festival (for my money, the best festival in the entire Metroplex), and as usual, our thoughts turned to food. Also, I don't know why burgers always seem to hit the spot in times like these, but I guess it's the serious comfort factor. At any rate, since the Wild Thing wanted to dine close to her casa, and since we love her company so much we usually let her pick, we decided on Jake's Hamburgers, and duly made the rather short drive over there posthaste.
Jakes interior is one of those "C" shaped jobs, with tables and booths arranged in a semicircle pattern around a central bar, but since alfresco season is almost over, we decided to dine on their expansive patio. When I check out a new place, I often try the unusual to see what a place has to offer that's unique, but after carefully considering the Jake's Special and the Texas Chili Burger, I opted for the single cheeseburger, substituting chipotle mayo from the daily special for the mustard. Jake's burgers are rather large (that's an understatement) and the bun tops are literally peppered to death with sesame seeds, but it was quite tasty and worthy of award-winning status. Yes, it was cooked too long for me (I'm liking my beef rarer and rarer these days), but it wasn't dry, and I loved the tater tots as well. (French fries are not all they could be in this city because most cooks refuse to blanch them before frying.) The girls ordered the same burgers (with mustard instead of mayo) and quite enjoyed them. (I love to see women who enjoy beef; it means they just don't follow the herd, so to speak. Or maybe they do.) We chatted happily into the night, and enjoyed the fireflies when they came buzzing 'round. Website is http://www.jakesburgers.net/. Start your own post-concert tradition soon, and as always:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
FOOD CZAR REVIEW #49: MATT'S RANCHO MARTINEZ
He started cooking in his family's kitchen as a mere boy. A lifetime of success later, he had prepared meals for Presidents Bush and Johnson, introduced Julia Child to Chicken Fried Steak, was featured on Oprah, and generally advanced the cause of Tex-Mex cuisine by preparing incomparable meals for just plain folks like you and me. Today, Matt Martinez smiles beatifically down from on high as an angel, no doubt paying particular attention to his restaurant pride and joys, Matt's El Rancho in Austin where he invented the classic Bob Armstrong Dip to please a Texas Land Commissioner, and Matt's Rancho Martinez, his Lakewood gem, still going strong after all these years. With his recent passing, my lovely wife The Rock Star and I felt that there was no better way to pay tribute than to enjoy brunch at his place, and so we motored down to Lakewood, the delightfully retro city-within-a-city, one recent windy Sunday.
Atmospherically, old-school Tex-Mex places generally fall into two camps: homey and intimate, like dining in someone's kitchen, or ramshackle and rambling (in a good sense) with multiple dining areas. Matt's Rancho Martinez definitely fits the latter profile and adds the extra touch of fiesta with its large banners on the patio and lots of good-times signage. We were showed to one of the metal tables on said patio and began menu perusal, taking special care to anchor napkins and other blowable things so that they would not escape in the brisk breeze.
As far as our meal selections, what can we say? After all, we were paying tribute to one of the greats, and felt that the most proper way to honor him would be to select his signature dishes. At Matt's, this means starting with a cup of his legendary Bob Armstrong Dip, named for the man who showed up at his door in Austin one day and demanded Matt create a special dish for him on the spot. Rich and creamy and not too thick, loaded with ground chuck, guacamole, sour cream, and lots of queso, Matt's version of the now-ubiquitous chain classic layered dip puts all imitators to shame. We would have loved more, but we had other fish to fry. My bride chose the Monster Chicken Fried Steak Tampequeno Style and was presented with a massive slab of very tender meat covered with zesty tomatillo sauce, Monterey Jack cheese and sour cream, and served with rice and borracho beans. After stealing a bite, I understand why Julia Child raved about it, because Matt's dish would do any truckstop proud. For myself, I knew that his chili rellenos had won numerous honors and made my selection accordingly. Matt uses Anaheim rather than Poblano peppers in his rellenos, because Anaheims are slightly milder and will be more of a canvas for the other ingredients in the dish, rather than letting the pepper take center stage. Stuffed with beef and topped with tomatillo, sour cream, mixed cheeses, raisins, and Texas pecans, this version was a lesson in the values of culinary restraint. In one bite, the nuttiness of the pecans were featured, in the next bite the tomatillo shone, and so on. Uniquely tasty, and probably unlike any other chile relleno you've ever had. After such a repast, we felt that Matt's bracing margaritas were the only dessert we needed, and we indulged happily.
Service was quite accomodating, as our charming waitress was careful to inquire whether I wanted all the goodies on my dish (she reported that many people like the raisins and pecans on their relleno, while others don't so she always asked) and made sure to give my wife the total rundown of all the chicken fried steak possibilities. There are two websites for more info: www.thetexmexchef.com will give you all the details of The Man Himself, while the restaurant-specific URL is www.mattsranchmartinez.com.
In sum, I can think of no nicer way to pay a tribute to Matt Martinez and his Tex-Mex legacy than by visiting Matt's Rancho Martinez in lovely Lakewood. Pay your own tribute yourself soon, and remember:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
Atmospherically, old-school Tex-Mex places generally fall into two camps: homey and intimate, like dining in someone's kitchen, or ramshackle and rambling (in a good sense) with multiple dining areas. Matt's Rancho Martinez definitely fits the latter profile and adds the extra touch of fiesta with its large banners on the patio and lots of good-times signage. We were showed to one of the metal tables on said patio and began menu perusal, taking special care to anchor napkins and other blowable things so that they would not escape in the brisk breeze.
As far as our meal selections, what can we say? After all, we were paying tribute to one of the greats, and felt that the most proper way to honor him would be to select his signature dishes. At Matt's, this means starting with a cup of his legendary Bob Armstrong Dip, named for the man who showed up at his door in Austin one day and demanded Matt create a special dish for him on the spot. Rich and creamy and not too thick, loaded with ground chuck, guacamole, sour cream, and lots of queso, Matt's version of the now-ubiquitous chain classic layered dip puts all imitators to shame. We would have loved more, but we had other fish to fry. My bride chose the Monster Chicken Fried Steak Tampequeno Style and was presented with a massive slab of very tender meat covered with zesty tomatillo sauce, Monterey Jack cheese and sour cream, and served with rice and borracho beans. After stealing a bite, I understand why Julia Child raved about it, because Matt's dish would do any truckstop proud. For myself, I knew that his chili rellenos had won numerous honors and made my selection accordingly. Matt uses Anaheim rather than Poblano peppers in his rellenos, because Anaheims are slightly milder and will be more of a canvas for the other ingredients in the dish, rather than letting the pepper take center stage. Stuffed with beef and topped with tomatillo, sour cream, mixed cheeses, raisins, and Texas pecans, this version was a lesson in the values of culinary restraint. In one bite, the nuttiness of the pecans were featured, in the next bite the tomatillo shone, and so on. Uniquely tasty, and probably unlike any other chile relleno you've ever had. After such a repast, we felt that Matt's bracing margaritas were the only dessert we needed, and we indulged happily.
Service was quite accomodating, as our charming waitress was careful to inquire whether I wanted all the goodies on my dish (she reported that many people like the raisins and pecans on their relleno, while others don't so she always asked) and made sure to give my wife the total rundown of all the chicken fried steak possibilities. There are two websites for more info: www.thetexmexchef.com will give you all the details of The Man Himself, while the restaurant-specific URL is www.mattsranchmartinez.com.
In sum, I can think of no nicer way to pay a tribute to Matt Martinez and his Tex-Mex legacy than by visiting Matt's Rancho Martinez in lovely Lakewood. Pay your own tribute yourself soon, and remember:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Adventures in Tasting #1, Continued: Screen Door Restaurant
If you recall our last installment of this tasting post, my lovely wife The Rock Star and I had just finished discovering the joys of Cruzan Rum with our delightful new friend Andrea. We sampled Cruzan and a name-brand rum straight up, then enjoyed Cruzan cocktails. In our minds, Cruzan was the clear winner, and this was no idle boast, as my lovely bride went to the liquor shoppe just a few days later and bought some for home consumption. Tasting over, we decided to proceed with a proper dinner outdoors on Screen Door's lovely patio, with the stars shining brightly overhead.
Executive sous chef Terrance (he of the streetwise attitude and ever-present fedora), started us off right in the bar with an order of that old Southern classic fried green tomatoes, plus some fried quail. Sadly, the tomatoes were a bit rubbery, although the red pepper jam they were served with was quite good. The Southern fried quail was much more palatable, crispy-crunchy, with savory onion-thyme gravy on the side. A great starter indeed. Once we arrived out of doors, we decided to try yet one more appetizer: Crispy fried oysters and okra with smoked tomato remoulade. Oysters proved every bit as crispy as the quail, and the remoulade added a touch of New Orleans to our Southern feast. Some of the best remoulade I've ever had. The fried okra was, well, fried okra. You either love fried okra, or like me, you try some from time to time and wonder what the fuss is about. Luckily, my wife loves it. When entree time rolled around, she selected the daily special: Roasted spring chicken atop a bed of grits. The chicken was free-range, and you could obviously taste the fresh, roasted flavor, but the grits were a revelation. In my opinion, grits are not usually very tasty because they are ground very coarse and cooked until almost flavorless. Not so these grits. They were smooth and buttery, like polenta (in fact, food-savvy Andrea thought they were polenta), and had melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Andrea decided on the boneless rack of lamb. Very tender and juicy, but once again a sidedish stole the show, in this case a fricassee of black eyed peas, tasso ham, and pearl onion confit. The ham and onion really brought out the flavor of the black eyed peas, showing once and for all that Executive Chef Fitzgerald Dodd really knows how to prepare Southern food, both classic and newfangled. My own meal was chicken-fried veal, which added a nice twist to an old classic. If every chicken-fried steak was this good, it would be the star of every diner in Texas. We finished our lengthy repast (we took over two hours to dine because we were having such a good time) with milk and cookies, and pastry chef Erica Nicholl deserves credit for her inspired pairing of snappy ginger and luscious triple-chocolate cookies with a jug of cold milk. All too soon we took our satisfied leave, and my wife and I can't wait to dine with Andrea again.
Service was (what else?) Southern, down-home and friendly, and Terrance was often on-hand to offer his personal touch. Website is http://www.screendoordallas.com/. In short, Screen Door is a true Southern belle gussied up for today's diners. Try her charms soon, and remember:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
Executive sous chef Terrance (he of the streetwise attitude and ever-present fedora), started us off right in the bar with an order of that old Southern classic fried green tomatoes, plus some fried quail. Sadly, the tomatoes were a bit rubbery, although the red pepper jam they were served with was quite good. The Southern fried quail was much more palatable, crispy-crunchy, with savory onion-thyme gravy on the side. A great starter indeed. Once we arrived out of doors, we decided to try yet one more appetizer: Crispy fried oysters and okra with smoked tomato remoulade. Oysters proved every bit as crispy as the quail, and the remoulade added a touch of New Orleans to our Southern feast. Some of the best remoulade I've ever had. The fried okra was, well, fried okra. You either love fried okra, or like me, you try some from time to time and wonder what the fuss is about. Luckily, my wife loves it. When entree time rolled around, she selected the daily special: Roasted spring chicken atop a bed of grits. The chicken was free-range, and you could obviously taste the fresh, roasted flavor, but the grits were a revelation. In my opinion, grits are not usually very tasty because they are ground very coarse and cooked until almost flavorless. Not so these grits. They were smooth and buttery, like polenta (in fact, food-savvy Andrea thought they were polenta), and had melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Andrea decided on the boneless rack of lamb. Very tender and juicy, but once again a sidedish stole the show, in this case a fricassee of black eyed peas, tasso ham, and pearl onion confit. The ham and onion really brought out the flavor of the black eyed peas, showing once and for all that Executive Chef Fitzgerald Dodd really knows how to prepare Southern food, both classic and newfangled. My own meal was chicken-fried veal, which added a nice twist to an old classic. If every chicken-fried steak was this good, it would be the star of every diner in Texas. We finished our lengthy repast (we took over two hours to dine because we were having such a good time) with milk and cookies, and pastry chef Erica Nicholl deserves credit for her inspired pairing of snappy ginger and luscious triple-chocolate cookies with a jug of cold milk. All too soon we took our satisfied leave, and my wife and I can't wait to dine with Andrea again.
Service was (what else?) Southern, down-home and friendly, and Terrance was often on-hand to offer his personal touch. Website is http://www.screendoordallas.com/. In short, Screen Door is a true Southern belle gussied up for today's diners. Try her charms soon, and remember:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Wine Corner Review #50: Cross Timbers Cabernet Sauvignon
Honestly, in this world the only thing more lovely than visiting a winery on a crisp weekend afternoon is visting a winery located in a historic old farmhouse. In 1874, a gentleman named Dr Dorris moved from Starville Mississippi to Grapevine, Texas and built a family farm. That structure has been recognized as one of the five oldest structures in the city and today houses Cross Timbers winery. Why is it named Cross Timbers? Longtime residents of the metroplex know that Grapevine, Arlington, and the Mid-Cities are located in the Cross Timbers Ecological Region of Texas, while the Grand Prairie region does not encompass the city of Grand Prairie but instead envelopes Fort Worth. Finally, Dallas is the largest city in the Blackland Prairie. If all this ecospeak has you seriously diverted and bored, then please join me in a simple glass of vino such as the Cross Timbers Cabernet Sauvignon.
The robe of the Cross Timbers Cabernet Sauvignon is jeweled midnight onyx. The nose is chock-full of minerals and dusky currants. Black cherries and cassis deliver a swift kick to the palate, and the finish is long and lingering. Consider calling this cab when you are serving steak, game, or lamb shank. Website is www.crosstimberswinery.com, but it contains precious little information about the wines as of this writing. Find your own historic farmhouse soon, and remember:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
The robe of the Cross Timbers Cabernet Sauvignon is jeweled midnight onyx. The nose is chock-full of minerals and dusky currants. Black cherries and cassis deliver a swift kick to the palate, and the finish is long and lingering. Consider calling this cab when you are serving steak, game, or lamb shank. Website is www.crosstimberswinery.com, but it contains precious little information about the wines as of this writing. Find your own historic farmhouse soon, and remember:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Adventures in Tasting #1: Cruzan Rum
When it comes to distilled spirits, over the years I've acted like a most typical man and pretty much stuck to whiskies. Bourbon, Scotch, Canadian, Irish, I've known and loved them all. An occasional gin, rarely vodka (not enough flavor), and more recently mas tequila, por favor. I've also enjoyed the happy flavor of rum, but only when I'm feeling tropical (like when I'm in Hawaii or at Trader Vic's), and have never really considered it as an everyday tipple. So I was rather intrigued when I received an offer to attend a Cruzan rum tasting, and since my lovely wife The Rock Star is always up for adventure, we duly returned our acceptance RSVP, and made our way down the Tollway one recent starry night.
First off, I should say that if you want to attend a rum tasting, it is imperitive that it be conducted by someone as delightful as Andrea Bearbower, the Cruzan representative. Fun-loving, knowledgeable, occasionally tart-tongued (she is from New York, after all), and above all professional, Andrea really knows her stuff and is eager to share it. We met in the bar at the lovely Screen Door restaurant in One Arts Plaza, and it was clear from the opening salvo that, although she was quite earnest in her desire to extol the joys of Cruzan rum, the evening would not proceed without hilarity. She had placed her display box on a nearby settee while we were exchanging preliminary pleasantries, and when she turned back to retrieve it, she discovered the sous-chef Terrance rummaging through it! He apologized profusely, as he thought it might have been a package of grits he was expecting. (I think it speaks well of the street-smart, fedora-wearing Terrance; it shows that the restaurant is his domain, and that any unattended packages must explain their presence fortwith.)
Soon enough, Andrea proceeded to break out her goody box, and the demonstration commenced. We learned about black strap molasses (very dark and bitter, with most of the sugar removed), about hi-test (a rich, caramel-colored syrup distilled from cane molasses that is the secret ingredient in Cruzan Rums) and about fusil oil, which is leftover distillates removed in the refining process. Removing as much fusil oil as possible makes for higher quality, better tasting rum, and Andrea was eager to prove it. At her direction, the bartender poured three shots of regular, brand-name white rum and three shots of Cruzan Estate Light Rum. We first admired the color. While the brand-name rum was almost clear, the Cruzan was the color of California chardonnay, its more caramely appearance indicitave of the sugary goodness therein. Next, we lifted glasses to noses and inhaled. The brand name rum was mostly alcohol on the nose, with touches of butterscotch. The Cruzan showed definite vanilla with a touch of oak. Our tasting confirmed these observations. The brand name rum was rather one-noted, mostly the aforementioned butterscotch, while the Cruzan showed vanilla, oak, caramel, and a surprising topnote of cinammon. Definitely the preferred rum for us, and The Rock Star declared her intention there and then to abandon her beloved Malibu in favor of Cruzan. We then finished off the tasting proper with Cruzan cocktails made with blackberry syrup, spices and pepper. Most delightful.
Tasting over, we moved to Screen Door's outdoor patio where we dined on their simple-but-luxurious, Southern Comfort fare (more on that in a later post), and enjoyed the cool, starry evening and Andrea's company well into the night. We motored home happily, convinced that we had made a new friend, found a new restaurant, and discovered the joys of Cruzan rum all in one fell swoop. Website is www.cruzanrum.com, if you would like more info. Embark on your own spirited adventure soon, and remember:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
First off, I should say that if you want to attend a rum tasting, it is imperitive that it be conducted by someone as delightful as Andrea Bearbower, the Cruzan representative. Fun-loving, knowledgeable, occasionally tart-tongued (she is from New York, after all), and above all professional, Andrea really knows her stuff and is eager to share it. We met in the bar at the lovely Screen Door restaurant in One Arts Plaza, and it was clear from the opening salvo that, although she was quite earnest in her desire to extol the joys of Cruzan rum, the evening would not proceed without hilarity. She had placed her display box on a nearby settee while we were exchanging preliminary pleasantries, and when she turned back to retrieve it, she discovered the sous-chef Terrance rummaging through it! He apologized profusely, as he thought it might have been a package of grits he was expecting. (I think it speaks well of the street-smart, fedora-wearing Terrance; it shows that the restaurant is his domain, and that any unattended packages must explain their presence fortwith.)
Soon enough, Andrea proceeded to break out her goody box, and the demonstration commenced. We learned about black strap molasses (very dark and bitter, with most of the sugar removed), about hi-test (a rich, caramel-colored syrup distilled from cane molasses that is the secret ingredient in Cruzan Rums) and about fusil oil, which is leftover distillates removed in the refining process. Removing as much fusil oil as possible makes for higher quality, better tasting rum, and Andrea was eager to prove it. At her direction, the bartender poured three shots of regular, brand-name white rum and three shots of Cruzan Estate Light Rum. We first admired the color. While the brand-name rum was almost clear, the Cruzan was the color of California chardonnay, its more caramely appearance indicitave of the sugary goodness therein. Next, we lifted glasses to noses and inhaled. The brand name rum was mostly alcohol on the nose, with touches of butterscotch. The Cruzan showed definite vanilla with a touch of oak. Our tasting confirmed these observations. The brand name rum was rather one-noted, mostly the aforementioned butterscotch, while the Cruzan showed vanilla, oak, caramel, and a surprising topnote of cinammon. Definitely the preferred rum for us, and The Rock Star declared her intention there and then to abandon her beloved Malibu in favor of Cruzan. We then finished off the tasting proper with Cruzan cocktails made with blackberry syrup, spices and pepper. Most delightful.
Tasting over, we moved to Screen Door's outdoor patio where we dined on their simple-but-luxurious, Southern Comfort fare (more on that in a later post), and enjoyed the cool, starry evening and Andrea's company well into the night. We motored home happily, convinced that we had made a new friend, found a new restaurant, and discovered the joys of Cruzan rum all in one fell swoop. Website is www.cruzanrum.com, if you would like more info. Embark on your own spirited adventure soon, and remember:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Wine Corner Review #49: Masi Pinot Grigio Verduzzo Masianco
Ready for a shock? What is the world's number one wine producer? France? Australia? The United States? Actually, it may surprise you to know that Italy is number one, giving the definitive boot to the pride of all other winemaking nations. Yet, I know relatively little about Italian wine, and have often wondered why that is the case. Well, this morning it actually hit me: Besides the rather obvious answer that I'm not Italian, I feel the true reason has to do with ignorance of Italy's grape varietals. You see, France, Australia, the US, and other countries generally share the same grapes: Chardonnay, savignon blanc, cabernet, merlot, pinot noir, and shiraz/syrah are usually planted in great quantities in all the top winemaking countries. Not so much in Italy, where the most planted grapes tend to be barbera, sangiovese, nebbiolo, and the delightful little star varietal of this mornings review direct from the Old Country: The Masi Pinot Grigio Verduzzo Masianco.
The robe of the Masi Pinot Grigio Verduzzo Masianco is the pale verdant straw of a perfect Tuscan morning. The nose is definitely floral: wisteria, lavender, and meadow. The crisp acid bite of melons, apples, and grapefruit wash upon the palate, finishing with a nice surprise of minerals. This little vino is just ducky with seafood chowders and bisques, and is just waiting to be invited by a good salad to the ball. Website is www.masiwine.com, and I hope you have better luck getting into it than I did; you might also consider stopping by www.tuscan-wines.com, which will give you a good primer for all Italian varietals, not just those from Tuscany. Expand your Italian horizons soon, and as always:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
The robe of the Masi Pinot Grigio Verduzzo Masianco is the pale verdant straw of a perfect Tuscan morning. The nose is definitely floral: wisteria, lavender, and meadow. The crisp acid bite of melons, apples, and grapefruit wash upon the palate, finishing with a nice surprise of minerals. This little vino is just ducky with seafood chowders and bisques, and is just waiting to be invited by a good salad to the ball. Website is www.masiwine.com, and I hope you have better luck getting into it than I did; you might also consider stopping by www.tuscan-wines.com, which will give you a good primer for all Italian varietals, not just those from Tuscany. Expand your Italian horizons soon, and as always:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
Monday, April 6, 2009
FOOD CZAR REVIEW #48: FINO'S ITALIAN BISTRO
Neighborhood bistro. Two of the loveliest words in the English language. Every neighborhood should have at least one joint to call its own. Cozy, intimate settings. Neighborly welcome. Excellent unpretentious, homey food that would be cheap at twice the price. The type of establishment you should visit at least once a week. In parts of our fair city, such as Oak Lawn or Uptown, there may be several joints on every block. Wherever you happen to dwell, if you are a food lover like myself, you see it as your mission to patronize such an establishment as often as possible, as small places are more dependant on local patronage than their larger counterparts. My lovely wife the Rock Star and myself have taken note of one such establishment that has recently opened in a strip mall near our casa, and determined as always to ferret out the best in food, we made plans accordingly, and so motored over to Fino's Italian Bistro one gentle Sunday eve.
Chef-owner and New York transplant Alfredo Sechi (it's always good to hear that an Italian place is being run by New Yorkers because Italian food is a religion in the Big Apple much as barbecue is in Texas) has indeed created a welcoming environment in his family-run establishment. Wood and marble tables, only about a dozen of them in the entire place, which gives you some idea of its size and capacity. Small prep area in the rear. Tuscan paintings and wall decorations. In short, Finos atmosphere speaks fluent Italian, so if you're from Tuscany or Jersey, you'll feel right at home. We were welcomed effusively, and led to a table near the prep area, where we watched the rest of the tables quickly fill up. Trust me, whenever a restaurant is full at 6:30 PM on a Sunday evening, and has been open only a month with virtually no publicity, it's a sign of good things to come.
First off, let me state that Fino's is BYOB, and that you should definitely take advantage, as it keeps costs down. Plus, you can be sure that you will get just the wine you need to pair with your repast. Scanning the tables, we noted that every one had a bottle on it, save for one family party right next to us. Also, the bottles appeared well-chosen for the cuisine, not a two-buck-chuck in sight. Clearly, we were dealing with serious diners. If you're wise, you'll order salad. Fino's basic tossed salad is only $1.99 and their smart tomato-basil dressing is not to be missed. In many places, you'll pay twice as much for a salad half as good. First success. My bride loves any dish that reminds her of her beloved chicken cordon bleu, so she selected the Chicken Bolognese. Sauteed with prosciuto ham, fresh mozzarella cheese and wine wine with fresh Roma tomatoes, this dish was as light and airy as a spring morning and twice as good. For me, I simply love Italian sausage, and the Orecchietta proved a deft combination of spicy sausage, ear-shaped pasta, broccoli, and zucchini in a tomato sauce with parmesan cheese. The menu advertises this dish as a boss favorite, and I say, Bravo, Boss! Substantial without a trace of heaviness, our entress paired well with the Homestead Syrah we brought, a nice bottle from a Texas winery that deserves attention. Our only quibble for the evening was that no olive oil or butter was provided with the excellent bread, so I would suggest using it to sop up your juices, which was most likely the chef's intention anyway. We polished off our repast with excellent spumoni, and the chocolate, strawberry, and pistachio ice creams lent richness to our finish. We departed as happy as clams in linguini sauce.
Service throughout was personal and caring, never missing a beat. The website is http://www.finositalianbistro.com/, but it's still a work in progress. Instead, merely ask your waiter for a takeout menu. We did and took note that Fino's offers free delivery of orders over $10. Since we had also taken note of the fabulously thin New York style pizzas leaving the kitchen in a steady stream, we most likely will not wait long to take advantage.
If you want first-rate Italian cuisine from genuine New Yorkers without busting your budget, then I would enjoin you to consider Fino's Italian Bistro. Discover your own neighborhood delights soon, and remember:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
Chef-owner and New York transplant Alfredo Sechi (it's always good to hear that an Italian place is being run by New Yorkers because Italian food is a religion in the Big Apple much as barbecue is in Texas) has indeed created a welcoming environment in his family-run establishment. Wood and marble tables, only about a dozen of them in the entire place, which gives you some idea of its size and capacity. Small prep area in the rear. Tuscan paintings and wall decorations. In short, Finos atmosphere speaks fluent Italian, so if you're from Tuscany or Jersey, you'll feel right at home. We were welcomed effusively, and led to a table near the prep area, where we watched the rest of the tables quickly fill up. Trust me, whenever a restaurant is full at 6:30 PM on a Sunday evening, and has been open only a month with virtually no publicity, it's a sign of good things to come.
First off, let me state that Fino's is BYOB, and that you should definitely take advantage, as it keeps costs down. Plus, you can be sure that you will get just the wine you need to pair with your repast. Scanning the tables, we noted that every one had a bottle on it, save for one family party right next to us. Also, the bottles appeared well-chosen for the cuisine, not a two-buck-chuck in sight. Clearly, we were dealing with serious diners. If you're wise, you'll order salad. Fino's basic tossed salad is only $1.99 and their smart tomato-basil dressing is not to be missed. In many places, you'll pay twice as much for a salad half as good. First success. My bride loves any dish that reminds her of her beloved chicken cordon bleu, so she selected the Chicken Bolognese. Sauteed with prosciuto ham, fresh mozzarella cheese and wine wine with fresh Roma tomatoes, this dish was as light and airy as a spring morning and twice as good. For me, I simply love Italian sausage, and the Orecchietta proved a deft combination of spicy sausage, ear-shaped pasta, broccoli, and zucchini in a tomato sauce with parmesan cheese. The menu advertises this dish as a boss favorite, and I say, Bravo, Boss! Substantial without a trace of heaviness, our entress paired well with the Homestead Syrah we brought, a nice bottle from a Texas winery that deserves attention. Our only quibble for the evening was that no olive oil or butter was provided with the excellent bread, so I would suggest using it to sop up your juices, which was most likely the chef's intention anyway. We polished off our repast with excellent spumoni, and the chocolate, strawberry, and pistachio ice creams lent richness to our finish. We departed as happy as clams in linguini sauce.
Service throughout was personal and caring, never missing a beat. The website is http://www.finositalianbistro.com/, but it's still a work in progress. Instead, merely ask your waiter for a takeout menu. We did and took note that Fino's offers free delivery of orders over $10. Since we had also taken note of the fabulously thin New York style pizzas leaving the kitchen in a steady stream, we most likely will not wait long to take advantage.
If you want first-rate Italian cuisine from genuine New Yorkers without busting your budget, then I would enjoin you to consider Fino's Italian Bistro. Discover your own neighborhood delights soon, and remember:
LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!
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