Entries Tagged as 'Restaurants'

Cape May, NJ Restaurant Recommendations

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 Frank and I thoroughly enjoyed our week in Cape May. Although we made good use of the kitchen in our condotel, we did manage to eat out several times: we found ourselves returning to our perennial favorites to dine. Most restaurants lived up to our fond food memories, and some fell a bit short. Here’s a list of the places we  dined at, replete with highlights….and lowlights. With a nod to Roger Ebert, I’ll go with the thumbs up/thumbs down method of recommendation.

George’s Place

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Located at Beach and Perry Sts., in the heart of Cape May is George’s. Since 1968, George’s has been feeding Cape May locals and tourists. Second generation runs the restaurant daily, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with an emphasis on Greek cuisine and seafood.

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 The interior boasts comfortable booths, muted pastel colors and charming black and white photos of Chef Karapanagiotis and his adorable children. With one center aisle, you can always see the flaming cheese when you hear “Ooopah!” coming from the pick up counter.

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On our dinner visit, I ordered a lamb dish. 5 lamb rib chops were moist and delicious, and were accompanied by orzo, tatziki sauce, a dolmade, several kalamata olives and a large Greek salad with feta. The dish was a generous meal for $15. I can’t even buy all of those ingredients for $15 here! 2 thumbs up.

Frank ordered the Greco Chicken, two grilled chicken breasts with roasted red peppers and melted feta cheese on top. While the dish was good, it paled in comparison to the amazing lamb. 1 thumb up.

Frank and I enjoyed breakfast before our trip back home. Although I felt notes of melancholy as I people watched out the window next to our table, I thoroughly enjoyed the homemade cream chipped beef; a George’s Place staple since its opening. A generous amount of chipped beef in a creamy bechamel sauce covered 2 slices of white toast and were accompanied by shredded hash brown, made golden on the griddle. Two thumbs up.

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Frank ordered a breakfast quesadilla which was filled with egg, sausage, onions, bell peppers and cheese. Lightly grilled, it came with salsa and sour cream. I manages to snag 2 big bites of this dish, and the flavors of the generous filling were delectable. This is a meal that will fuel you up for the better part of the day.

Two thumbs way up.

The Cove

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Ah, The Cove. Somehow, despite so many visits to Cape May all of my life, I have never managed to eat at The Cove. Located at the western-most end of Beach Avenue across from the ocean and next to sand dunes, The Cove serves up no-frills food in a no-frills setting. At this restaurant, you don’t look at what’s inside–it’s the view that is money here.

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Frank and I ate breakfast at The Cove, and ordered chocolate chip pancakes and french toast. We each had a side of sausage links. The pancakes, usually a gut-busting breakfast, were 3 medium-sized, flat pancakes with mini chocolate chips inside. Frank proclaimed them “ordinary” and noted that he could make a better pancake at home (and he does).

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My french toast (again, usually a large meal) consisted of 4 wedges of white bread…like Wonder bread. Like Frank’s pancakes, he does a better job of making them at home in the manner that befits french toast using Challah bread.

The sausage links were definitely the highlight, nicely browned and dipped in ketchup.

Considering we paid the same amount for breakfast at George’s Place, I recommend skipping The Cove in favor of the fresh, generous dishes at George’s. Too bad, because the location and service were terrific, and watching early morning sufers was fun.

One thumb up for the experience, and one thumb down for the food.

Gecko’s

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Located on Perry Street, behind the Washington Street Mall, Gecko’s has been serving up Sante Fe, Mexican and Native American cuisine for several years now. The secluded outdoor deck is delightful at any time of the day, and is particularly romantic in the coolness of the evening when lit by candlelight and torches. Neighborhood cats are frequent visitors, blithely walking by diners in hopes of a morsel of chicken, or rabbit. Who could resist this little fellow’s punim?

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Gecko’s has repeatedly been voted “Best Mexican/Southwestern” by NJ and Philadelphia magazine for a good reason: Chef Randy Bithell. Chef Bithell makes authentic dishes and sauces, such as the rich roasted tomato cascabel sauce that covers Chilis Rellenos Camerones.

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On our dinner visit, Frank and I split an appetizer of quesadilla. The quesadilla was filled with homemade chorizo, bell peppers, onion and cheese, and came with a fire-roasted salsa, guacamole and sour cream. This dish was delicious, particularly the chorizo. It easily could be an entree.

Next came the gratis house salad-a nice touch and a really terrific salad that I look forward to eating every time we visit Gecko’s. Describes as “Gathered field greens, tossed with our branded onion dressing and garnished with fresh tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, onions, roasted corn, and feta cheese”, this is a serious salad. Come to think of it, I wonder if they sell their salad dressing. I’ll have to look into that.

For my main, I ordered the Chile Rubbed Rib Eye, which came with a latke-like potato pancake and roasted green beans and beets. The generous steak was cooked medium-rare, as ordered and sliced like butter. The spice rub, achiote and ancho chili powder, was a perfect foil for the cranberry and sour cherry ancho sauce.

Frank ordered the Manchamanteles, which is Spanish for “tablecloth stainer”. The dish is Oaxaca mole stewed chicken with sweet potatoes, pineapple and plantains. The chicken was unctuous and moist, and the mole-lip smacking good.

After the quesadilla and salad, we ended up packing half of our entrees to enjoy for dinner a couple of days later.

On a separate visit, Frank and I popped in for dessert and coffee. I ordered a Key Lime “Taco” which was a thin cookie tuile, shaped like a taco shell. It contained a mouse-like key lime filling and was topped with toasted coconut. The flavor was nice and tart.

Frank ordered a chocolate mousse, which was deep in flavor, however, dense in texture. It was the only miss out of all that we enjoyed at Gecko’s. Still, two thumbs way up.

The Mad Batter

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The Mad Batter, with its yellow striped awning, is an iconic figure on historic Jackson Street in Cape May. Located in the Caroll Villa Bed and Breakfast, The Mad Batter has been a tourist favorite for many years. Offering breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, The Mad Batter has 3 dining venues; the outdoor covered porch (in season), a skylight-lit dining room and glass-enclosed garden terrace.

Frank and I were joined by my in-laws for an afternoon. We dropped by The Mad Batter and were immediately seated at a 4 top on the porch, which was enclosed in plastic to ward off the chill in the air. Our table shared an appetizer of PEI mussels and chorizo in a white wine and garlic broth. What the dish had in flavor, it lacked in quantity-there were only about a dozen mussels in the oversized dish and worse, no bread accompanied it for sopping, arguably the best part of the dish. When we managed to flag down our server (who never checked back with us), we were told that they only had kaiser rolls, which we opted for in lieu of nothing.

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For our entrees, we ordered crab cake sandwiches with fries, and a hamburger with fries. The crabcakes were described as “Our championship super lump crabcake on a Kaiser roll with remoulade ” but were indeed not lump crab, more likely backfin as evidenced by its stringy appearance. The taste was quite good, however and the remoulade sauce was a tasty condiment. The kaiser roll in which the crabcake was served was too much bread, and all three of us who ordered the sandwich wound up pulling bread off and eating the crabcakes plain. Frank had the hamburger which was cooked to well done, past the medium that it was ordered.

At $100 for 4 of us to eat lunch, including an appetizer, a soup and 4 sandwiches, I give the Mad Batter 2 thumbs down for lunch, and a big “thank you” to my in-laws for picking up the tab!

The Lobster House

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The Lobster House has been a welcoming presence as one drives over the causeway bridge and enters the town of Cape May. A working fishing dock, restaurant and market, The Lobster House remains one of the most popular dining destinations in town. Wait times for dinner can exceed an hour from 5 p.m. on.

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My recommendation is to skip the restaurant all together, and head to the Raw Bar in back. Situated on the dock of the bay, The Raw Bar features indoor and outdoor seating, as well as permanently docked Schooner American, on which you can enjoy libations and small plates.

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With good prices and fresh ingredients, The Raw Bar is a great way to satisfy a yearning for seafood. Pick and Peel Shrimp were firm and succulent, accompanied by lemon and a mild cocktail sauce. Clams Casino features 6 clams, stuffed with seasoned breading and topped with bacon. The Cream of Crab Soup is the best on the island and comes with a dusting of Old Bay Seasoning, and a shot or two of sherry.

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One of the best reasons to eat at The Lobster House is, of course, the lobster. Fairly prices, the lobster come just cooked and split in half with cracked claws for easy eating. The baked potato and fresh corn on the cob are a nice touch, but really, the lobster is the star of the plate. Drawn butter and lemons set off the ocean-laden taste of the meat from these sea crustaceans.

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It’s simply lobster heaven. My lobster, at $26.50, was 2 lbs. and as i mentioned before, came with a baked potato and corn. Two thumbs way up for freshness, value, generous condiments and a terrific view that can’t be beat.

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Bonus-I’ll bet you’re from Philadelphia or NJ if you know what these are. OTC’s, or Original Trenton Crackers. These cracker meal balls are served with horseradish that’ll put hair on your chest and give your sinuses a really good cleaning.

Cape May Fish Market

The Cape May Fish Market is a new restaurant on the Washington Street Mall, which opened a mere two months ago. My impression is that it fancies itself as The Lobster House on the Mall, which you can easily walk to. I won’t take up too much space about this place, other than to say that the Cream of Crab Soup was quite good, but without a liquor license, there was no sherry which in my opinion, is a necessary condiment for this soup.

For my main, I ordered a turkey club sandwich which was in a word-skimpy. Skimpy on the turkey, skimpy on the bacon and most offensively, skimpy on the mayonnaise. It came with a small bag of chips, and by small, I mean about 6-7 chips.

Frank’s shrimp dish had 6 or 7 medium shrimp and fries for a whopping $17.

Two thumbs down. Even attentive service and copious soft drink refills can’t make up for poor, overpriced food.

Cape May Bakers

A husband and wife team have been baking in this West Cape May location for over 20 years. I wanted to pick up bread for our dinner the same day, and found the basil bread to be fresh and earthy. The bread also made great toast for a savory breakfast.

We also enjoyed the cannoli here, made with cream cheese instead of ricotta. Apparently, using cream cheese is a South Jersey thing, and at times exasperates the visitors from New York City!

Two thumbs up.

A La Minute Update: Change Are In The Wind For King Street’s Restaurant Row

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So, a few weeks ago I was walking with Tucker in Old Town Alexandria and I passed by 100 King restaurant. Seemingly ever trying to define their style and niche, the menu had once again changed. 100 King (named for it’s location) opened in 2006, bringing the large corner building back to life after being shuttered for 6 years with the departure of another restaurant- The Alamo.

Inititally featuring Mediteranean inspired fare, 100 King served mezze (small plates like tapas) on the chic first floor, and the cavernous second floor catered to guests who wanted more relaxed dining and entree options. However, changes in the kitchen brought changes in the menu and French cuisine dotted the menu selections. Now, while strolling by, I noted further menu modification-this time, steaks are prominently featured.

And, now I know why. 100 King is becoming 100 Prime; a reflection of the high end beef (and seafood) they will offer. In January, they became one of the area’s first Certified Angus Beef houses.

100 King’s real estate investor and owner, Peter Malios, faced foreclosure on it’s 3.6 million dollar BB&T bank note, on March 6. On behalf of Malios, and 100 King, LLC, Malios filed a bankruptcy petition with the Alexandria Circuit Court with a plan to transfer ownership to Stephen Tedeschi, a principal in New York’s One Group, which owns high end restaurants in New York, and Los Angeles.

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Across the street, Franco Landini, of Landini Bros. restaurant is purchasing neighboring The Fish Market. Fish Market owner, Glenda Giovanni, is looking forward to retiring after 32 years in business. Giovanni’s late husband, “Mr. Ray” started in the restaurant business in the early 1970′s, as a chef at then The Gaslight restaurant, now 100 King. Currently, a sizable number of their employees have over 20 years employment with the Giovanni’s. Whether or not there will be any significant changes to the  menu at The Fish Market is speculative at this point.

Fontaine Caffe & Creperie- S. Royal St. In Old Town Alexandria

fontaine-interior-collage.jpgWhile Washington D.C. is often referred to as Paris on the Potomac, Alexandria has one more reason to draw Francophiles to the other side of the river. Passing by (the space formerly occupied by The Tea Cosy And British Connection )on a recent chilly evening, I noticed Fontaine Caffe & Creperie had begun to serve their promised sweet and savory crepes in the days prior to the grand opening on Feb. 5th. From the street, I noticed a wood beamed ceiling with small chandeliers illuminating a front dining room, painted in a playful yet warm blue color. Diners inside were tucked into their bistro chairs, chatting intimitely over the small cafe tables while sipping coffee from cafe cups. As I mentioned in a previous post, the menu is filled with food that would transport anyone to a sidewalk cafe in Paris, and I planned to visit soon after their grand opening.

Frank and I visited for brunch on Sunday. Entering into Fontaine, I looked through the glass topped and eponymously embossed wall which separates the entrance from the dining area (a fabulous idea considering the chill I got dining near the door at Jackson 20), to see the Blue Room, with mirrors on one wall and French inspired artwork on the other. We were warmly greeted right away and asked if we wanted our coats hung on the wall by Sunyi, half of the duo behind the new eatery. Sunyi’s sister, Chef Kyong Yi is the owner and chef at Fontaine. Chef Yi, who started cooking for her family at age 12, graduated from the California Culinary Academy of San Fransisco in 1995. She has previously worked at highly regarded D.C. restaurants such as Galileo, Teatro Goldini and The Ritz-Carlton.

crepe-collage2.jpgFrom the brunch menu, I orderd the Tuscan crepe-filled with Italian sausage, tomatoes, canellini beans, sauted bell pepper and onions. In a word-delicious. The fennel laden sweet sausage was remarkable to Frank and me- who hail from Northern NJ and Philadlephia, PA respectively- where Italian sausage tastes just like this. Cannelini beans were tender and made even better from steeping with the tomatoes, bell peppers and sausage juices. Salad, included with the savory crepes, consisted of mixed greens dressed lightly with a simple vinaigrette. I enjoyed my salad more and more as I ate because the vinaigrette warmed up a bit and wilted the lettuce as the salad sat next to my crepe.

Frank ordered the Moroccan crepe- filled with spinach and feta cheese and topped with a mint-yogurt sauce. Frank’s crepe came enclosed like an envelope with a balsamic reduction drizzled on top. The crepe was densely packed with feta and spinach and based on how quickly Frank ate it, I’d say he really enjoyed his crepe too. I did get a bite offered to me to sample, and would highly recommend this one.

While we were waiting for our crepes, Frank enjoyed a strong but not bitter coffee. Refills were offered throughout our meal. I ordered the French Cider which came surprisingly in a cafe cup too. The cider was nicely sour which offset the sweetness of the apples. It had low carbonation compared to regular sparkling cider (not a bad thing-I thought it would be more like a sparkling wine). I’d also like to point out that each table has salt and pepper shakers-I find that to be a nice homey touch that says “I want you to enjoy yourself-season your dish as you like it”.

After our savory crepes, Frank and I split a lemon cream crepe which was served with fresh strawberries and blueberries and given a healthy dusting of powdered sugar before it arrived at our table. Creamy light yellow and slightly tart lemon filling oozed out of the crepe and short of licking the plate, we obviously loved it.

After our meal I excused myself to the restrooms in back, and got a chance to see the back room, or Gold Room. Intimate and cozy with a window looking in back of the building, I saw Chef Yi serving and chatting up the smiling customers herself . Bar seating (4-5 seats) is also available in the back of the Blue Room. Stocked with wines, French Cider and a huge coffee machine, the bar was tended by Sunyi who was serving a patron and handling beverage service.

Speaking of wines, there was a fairly extensive list of wines on the back of the menu, priced from the mid $20′s to the mid $40′s.

Feeling sated but not too full, we left really happy with our food and service. We felt comfortable and welcome. Fontaine’s stated mission is “to ensure that each and every customer will return, again and again”. Mission accomplished.

Fontainne Caffe & Creperie

119 S. Royal St.
Alexandria, VA 2231
(703) 535-8151
http://fontainecaffe.com/index.html

Valentino’s Pizzeria And Restaurant-Alexandria, VA

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Recently, Frank and I took a trip to Valentino’s New York Style Pizzeria and Restaurant in search of delicious pizza by the slice. Pizza by the slice is not all that common in the DC area-not that there isn’t good pizza-there is. The recent surge in boutique pizzerias has added another dimension to the dining scene-but at a much higher price point. What is lacking is the neighborhood pizza joint. A pizza joint is where you go when you want a quick, cheap and informal bite to eat in a no frills atmospher (read: frescoed walls and “Old Blue Eyes” velveting the airwaves) that lets the pizza do all the talking. And when the owner hails from Queens, I’m going to listen!

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Valentino’s is such a place with it’s large counter where a panoply of pizza pans showcase at least a dozen pies ranging from classic NY style to buffalo chicken. The menu also offers traditional Italian-American favorites such as pasta e fagiole (pasta and bean soup), calzones, a littany of subs, baked ziti, lasagna, ravioli and manicotti. Veal and chicken parmesan as well as veal pizziola remind me of the little independant-red checkered tablecloth places I grew up eating at in Philadelphia. It was a great family meal out-which was a real treat back then.

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Frank and I ordered the NY and Sicilain style pizza. Our slices were heated up in the large pizza ovens and in about 5-6 minutes, we brought our slices to a table. Each table is stocked with grated parmesan, garlic powder and oregano- the essential trinity and I use them all.

Our NY style slice was delicious. A thin layer of slightly sweet red sauce sat below gooey melted mozzarella. The dough was blistered only a bit-I could stand for more. Each slice folded perfectly and reminded me of strolling the boardwalks in NJ with a slice in hand.

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The Sicilain slice had thicker dough and was dressed mainly with cheese and a little red sauce below- both melding with the dough. Fresh tomatoes and red onions dotted the top and oregano was baked right in. If you’re a fan of Sicilian style pizza, I’d recommend this. Personally, I’m a thin crust girl.

Valentino’s has dine in, carry out and delivery available. I only wish it were closer to home, as my best option for pizza delivery is Domino’s-I’m a closeted fan who is fascinated with the “pizza tracker” and adores their chicken kickers. Just don’t tell anyone…..

Valentino’s New York Style Pizzeria & Restaurant
4813 Beauregard St.
Alexandria, VA
(703) 354-8383

Neighborhood Restaurant Group and Fresh Farm Markets Team Up To Bring A Fresh Farm Dinner Series-Dining Farm to Fork

 fresh-farm-markets.jpgI know many Houndstooth Gourmet readers enjoy local ingredients and seasonal cooking as much as I do, which is why I’m excited about a dining event series which I discovered when reading The List Are You On It (registration required).  The series joins the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG), local farmers  and you-to dine together. This is an excellent opportunity to support our local farmers and restaurants who support sustainable growing, humane farming and quality food.

Vermillion, Rustico, Evening Star Cafe and Tallulah will all be offering “Farm to Fork” dinners- kicking off with Rustico on Slater’s Lane in Alexandria. The four course dinner with one seating at 7pm on Feb. 6th, offers a delicious sounding menu crafted by Executive Chef Frank Morales. Featured farmers, who will talk about their products ,will include Babes in the Wood, Tree and Leaf and Firefly Farms.

Executive Chef Frank Morales will speak about how local farm products and relationships with farmers influence his cooking and menu choices.

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First Course

Cauliflower Bisque with Preserved Fruit and Hearth Roasted Ciabatta

Second Course

Roasted Butternut Squash, Firefly Goat Cheese with Apple Butter Bernaise Relish

Third Course

Roasted Pork Loin Canneloni, Winter Cabbage and Glazed Carrrots and Rosemary Honey

Fourth Course

Pumpkin Creme Donut with Heavy Seas- Peg Leg Imperial Stout Hot Chocolate

$49pp + $15pp optional beer pairing. Tax and gratuity not included.

Babes in the Wood raises their pigs on 75 acres of pasture and woods in Dillwyn,VA. The pigs are given freedom to forage and roam in a low stress environment, and are not raised with antibiotics or hormones. According to Babes in the Wood, this gives their pork a distinctive flavor which superceeds intensively produced pork.

goat.jpgFirefly Farms from Maryland’s Allegheny Plateau is a familiar site at the Dupont Farmers Market. They make artisinal cheeses such as chevre, bouche noir, blue and most recently, New French-a St. Andre style cheese.

rustico-dinner.gifTree and Leaf Farm, also a staple at the Fresh Farm Market, sustainably farms vegetables, herbs and flowers in Virginia’s Loudoun County. In addition to bringing their vegetables and herbs to our farmers markets, Tree and Leaf has a 21 week CSA which serves Loudoun County and the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington D.C.