2 Ballpark Bites: Baseball Season is Here!!!!

0 Birthday meal at Besito

Last Sunday of Presidents day Weekend, I went out to lunch with my family to celebrate my birthday.  Being that Mexican is my favorite cuisine of all-time, I decided upon Besito in Huntington.  I have been to the one in Roslyn before, but my first time here.  The food was DELICIOUS! and the drinks were DOPE!!

2 The Brightest Star In The Brunch...

So it has come to my attention that I've been coming to The Noho Star for YEARS and not once did it dawn on me to write something up about it. How that happened...I have no idea. My sincerest apologies for the disservice. Without further ado...

0 February...

Tis the season of love and affection! Valentine's Day is literally around the corner and half you love birds out there have no idea what to do to WOW that special someone. Can you guess what our suggestions are going to be?

FOOD!!!...obviously!

Over the course of the next few days (leading up to Valentine's Day) we will be providing you with locations and suggestions on how to go about making that day a special one.

The second half of February (after Valentine's Day) we will be focusing on fitness and healthier eating. I know we talk about woofing down burgers and huge sandwiches, but contrary to popular belief there is a healthier side to us. We like to workout and eat not so fattening things too ya know!

Hopefully, you'll find the postings helpful or at the very least entertaining.

Peace, Love, and Grub!

1 Best Burger Hunt NYC - Part 3 (Lucky's Famous Burgers)

I came across Lucky's completely by chance, as I was at work and browsing Seamless trying to figure out my lunch, and stumbled across this burger joint.  I can't give you a review of the place, because well, I didn't go there....but they did come to me....with my food.

0 Best Burger Hunt NYC - Part 2 (The Counter)

After all the talk of burgers on Friday, naturally, I had to get one. So to continue my quest for the best burger in NYC, I landed at a make your own joint called The Counter. I always pass this place on my walk home from work and have been meaning to try it.

2 Get the wings he said.....

Alright, so George, who is also a member of the NomInNY team, told me to go to Virgil's BBQ to get the wings. Told me that they were mindblowing and I would not be disappointed. Being a 30 second walk from work, I said what the hell, it's Friday, why not??  

I didn't even look at the menu, ordered a drink, and told my waiter I'd like the chicken wings please. Now, when I think wings, I think small, bar style wings. No joke, no less than 10 minutes, a HUGE plate of five chicken wings was put in front of me. it was NOT what I expected in the least bit.

Put right in front of me I could smell the rub they used on the wings, which was pretty much a dry rub with spices in it. Really hit the nostrils good though. Wasn't sure how to attack these massive pieces of chicken, so I started with fork and knife. That failed miserably. Just picked it up and went to work. The chicken was tender, juicy, and just flat out delicious!! I demolished each and every piece, and left no prisoners.  

I would absolutely recommend these to anyone. Also, don't let the whole "but it's in Times Square" fear get you down, just suck it up and GO!! You'll thank both of us after you eat them. 

Virgil's Real BBQ

152 West 44th Street

212-921-9494

0 Cinco De Mayo...in the Fall

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, however, I need to stress the fact that I am a HUGE fan of Mexican Food.  I'd say it ranks up there with my all-time favorite food, and YES I could eat it every single day and never grow bored of it.  So I was in the mood for Mexican on Friday, and told my fiance that we were going out to dinner.  We hit up this spot called Cinco De Mayo on Bell Blvd.  This will have been my second time there, and lets say it wasn't the greatest of visits, but wasn't terrible either.

The decor is your basic mom and pop Mexican Restaurant. The lighting is dim, and the tables are small as well.

They start you off with some chips and salsa, which is always a favorite of mine, but it always fills me up because I dig right in and don't know when to stop.  The salsa is a little bit thicker, and has a tiny bit of a kick to it. However, I ordered a Bulldog for my beverage, which if you don't know, is a 21oz margarita with a mini Corona turned upside down in it.  Now you're probably thinking, REALLY? A Corona IN a margarita?? And to you, I say, don't knock it till you try it, because that was one amazing drink.

For appetizer, we went with the always solid house made guacamole, which can be ordered Medium, Hot, Spicy...we went with Hot..  Well, it took them about 15 minutes to bring the Guacamole, and when they did drop it off at the table, it wasn't hot. BUT, we ate it anyways and finished it off completely because it was still very good. The avocado tasted fresh, and though it may not have been hot, it still had a little kick to it. 

For my main meal I went with the chicken burrito. Let me state, this thing was massive, and I finished it all. Also, I was really hungry. It came with a side of sour cream, avocado, and lettuce.  The burrito was filled with shredded chicken, rice, beans, and was topped off with melted cheese and ranchera sauce (also known as enchilada style in my book). The chicken was cooked just right, and flavored with a nice spice as well. The cheese and sauce on top added a nice mixture to it. Also, if you don't like beans, you don't even taste them(or order it without, your choice).

 

Look, Cinco De Mayo is not 5-star Mexican restaurant by any means. However, if you're looking for a good meal, some good drinks, and a good time..stop in and give it a try. However, there are many other places in the LI/Queens/NYC area that blow it out of the water. 

0 Greek food & Beer. In Astoria. Perfection.

A few weeks ago my friend and his wife invited a group of our friends out to dinner and drinks in Astoria. She suggested MP Taverna. I immediately said yes, well a) it was my friends birthday, and b) Michael Pisaklis is a pure genius with the food that is cooked there.

Before I jump into telling you about the food or anything, I want you to get up, call some friends, and go here. Now. I'll wait. Seriously. You'll thank me. 

When you first walk in you're greeted by a modern decor, with a large bar to your left and a line of high-top tables to your right (which I believe sit up to 6). However, if you're looking for table sitting, they have an entire second floor just for you. The lighting is dim, but just enough for a very nice social experience, yet you can have a romantic night with your loved one.

When you get the menu there is A LOT of choices, but it's two sides, food on one side, wine/beer/cocktails on the other. Let's get into the beer selection first.

           

For a restaurant, I was extremely impressed with the craft beer selection they had there. I would come here just for a drink with friends because I liked it so much. Most restaurants don't delve into the smaller breweries, (which is a shame in my opinion) but MP Taverna stays true to it's roots and we kicked off the night with a SingleCut 19-33 Queens Lager.  I'm going to have more on SingleCut brewery towards the end of the post as we finished our night there. However, the Queens Lager a really light lemon finish to it, but not too overwhelming like a Summer Shandy(which in my opinion is terrible).  I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this brew, but it was refreshing, and straight up delicious. Later in the evening I had the chance to indulge in another New York beer from Southmpton Publick House, which was the Double White. This brew was a little bit more citrus in tasting, and tasted more along the lines of a ShockTop, but at 6.6% ABV, it was very tasty.

                                                

Now that I have you thirsty, lets make you hungry.  We started our meal with with two appetizers, the combination dips and pita bread, and the fried calamari.  The combination dips consisted of Yogurt, Chick Pea, and Eggplant.  I'd have to say the Yogurt was my favorite of the three, with the Chick Pea(aka hummus) and Eggplant were tied, as they were equally good.  You get a nice stack of pita bread, cut into triangles, which we went through very fast, and they were ok with giving us another little basket of it.  The Fried Calamari is exactly what it sounds like.  However the best part of this appetizer was the dips.  It wasn't just your ordinary sauce in a jar on the side.  It was a spicy tomato sauce, with red pepper flakes, and had a real nice kick to it. The other dip you got was a yogurt dip, which was the same dip that came with combo. I've never thought of dipping fried calamari in yogurt sauce before, but damn, it was real good. The yogurt dip is basically tzatziki sauce you would find a gyro, which makes sense being that this is a greek restaurant.

     

For main course, if you are a fan of meat, or just an overall awesome main dish...you're in for a treat. With so many options to choose from I went with the Mixed Grill.  It was a combination of Cypriot lamb sausage, Pork tenderloin, chicken, and Greek pork sausage. My mouth is watering thinking of this meal again, it was just so damn delicious. The meat was garnished with onions, peppers, and a cream sauce. To top it off, on the side, were a nice portion of smashed fries.  I'm going to say this now, the way the sausage was cooked, is by far the best I've ever had.  I'm not sure if it's the seasoning, the pan it's cooked in, the oil...whatever they do to make it this good, I tip my cap to you.  The pork tenderloin was very moist, very tender, and cooked to perfection as well.  My only negative comment, was the chicken was cooked a little too long, and that it wasn't as tender as I was hoping.  But, with the chicken being on the bottom of all of the other meats, it was my last hurdle, so not finishing it wasn't the end of the world, due to the fact I was crazy stuffed as it was.  I HIGHLY...no I STRONGLY, suggest you try this dish out when you go visit, you will not be disappointed in the least bit.

             

                

                              

Overall, for the two times I've been there so far, my experience at MP Taverna , has been nothing but satisfied.  Between the service, the food, the atmosphere, I couldn't ask for a better time at a restaurant. Honestly, I really commend Michael Psilakis, and his entire staff, you guys do a wonderful job, and I thank you for that.



SOOOOOO......this is about the time I finish my posts, but I'm squeezing one small little part into it.

After a great dinner, my friends suggested we go to SingleCut Brewery.  I was excited, as I have been wanting to get there since they opened to try out the brews they have.  Now, since I had the 19-33 at dinner, I was more amped up in getting there to see what other delectable beers they have.  It is a small brewery, but it packs a punch.  We walked in and there was live music playing, and it was actually pretty damn good (I only say that because when there's live music playing at places, the bands aren't all that good).  I digress, the brewery has a small bar, with chalkboard menu above it. There are a few long high-top tables that seat at least 12-14 people, and are mostly communal.  They also, have picnic benches setup on the sidewalk right outside as well.  The place has a nice homey feel to it, and most importantly, the beer is phenomenal. I tried about 4 different beers that night, and wound up taking home a 32oz growler of their double IPA as well a pint glass.  Another go to place if you're looking for a good time, and enjoy GOOD beer.

MP Taverna

31-29 Ditmars Boulevard

Astoria, NY 11105

(718) 777-2187

@MPsilakis

SingleCut Brewery

19-33 37th St. 

Astoria, NY 11105

(718) 606-0788

@SingleCutBeer

0 The Cannibal at Madison Square Eats

               

Madison Square Eats is one of my favorite food events of the year. If you're unfamiliar as to what it is, here's a little rundown. Two or three times a year, restaurants, food trucks, and bakeries set up stands in Worth Square (which is located directly across the street from Madison Square Park). Eats is a very busy attraction, so whatever vendor you choose, be prepared to wait a little  

I checked out the list of vendors before I headed over so I went in with a plan of where I was going. After careful consideration, I went with The Cannibal. 

I had never heard of The Cannibal before, but seeing the words "butcher & beer" I was sold. The menu looked amazing, and I had a tough time choosing what I wanted, and ultimately chose the bacon and pork belly grilled cheese. To wash all that goodness down, I went with a delicious Bronx Pale Ale. 

                               

                     

 

I waited about 10 minutes for my sandwich as the small stand was working with a panini grill to make all of the sandwiches, but it was a beautiful day so I didn't mind at all. My sandwich arrived and as I unwrapped it the smell of bacon hit my nose and it was, heavenly.

One look at the sandwich, I knew it was going to be delicious. The Gruyere was oozing out of the sourdough bread like... That first bite was everything I was expecting, between the cheese, bacon, and pork belly, it was pure perfection. The bacon was crispy, pork was tender, cheese was fresh, and the bread had a nice flavor to it. Priced at $10, it is without a doubt, one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've had.  

                                                         

  

Now if you're not hungry, they have plenty of drink choices, from water, soda, beer, and wine. However, if you're going for BBQ, I feel either beer or whiskey should accompany your meal. They had a nice tap and canned selection on hand. The Bronx Pale Ale went well with my sandwich

The service was great and the guy Sil who helped me out was very friendly and helpful with any questions I had. 

The Cannibal also has a restaurant on 29th and Park that I will absolutely be visiting soon to get the full experience. And I would suggest you do the same if you enjoy great food and drinks. 

Also, Check out The Cannibal at the following places for more information:

thecannibalnyc.com

twitter.com/cannibalnyc

0 Hibachi Heaven

Working in New York City has it benefits, as the options for what to eat for lunch are endless.  May it be Chinese, sushi, Italian, American, or whatever your taste buds are craving.  The other alternative to a restaurant is hitting up one of the many food trucks parked around the city serving delicious food, right outside of your office building.  I have been a very big proponent of trying as many food trucks as they usually have great twists on classic favorites.  Today I decided to try out a new one and I indulged in Hibachi Heaven.

Hibachi Heaven is a Japanese Hibachi grill on wheels. It did not disappoint! When you walk up to the truck, you’re met with a menu that isn’t overwhelming. You have 4 options for a meat:  Beef ($9), Chicken ($8), Shrimp ($9), or Tofu ($7),  which you can get a bowl or a wrap. (NOTE: I have only had my food in the bowl, so I can’t really give you a review of the wrap.).  You are then given a choice of fried rice or brown rice and vegetables.  For the last piece of the puzzle, you choose which sauce you want on top, and you are given three choices: Heavenly Ginger Sauce, Yum Yum Sauce, or Wasabi Infused Mayo.  For an additional $2 you can double your meat or make a combo of your choices. 

Today, I decided to go with the beef, vegetables, and Yum Yum Sauce.  Luckily I follow Hibachi Heaven on Twitter and was able to double my beef for free with today’s magic word of “marathon.”  Every day they post a word on their account, and if you say it when ordering, you get a free upgrade of either a combo or double the meat.

The beef was very tender and marinated nicely. It really just melted in your mouth, which you don’t expect when getting beef from a food truck.  All of the meats are grilled right on the truck and always served fresh.  The servings are definitely filling and make for a substantial lunch.

Usually when I order vegetables, I find that they’re either undercooked or overcooked and soggy.  I have to say, Hibachi Heaven nails it. They’re cooked to perfection.  You get a heap of onions, carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms. Great flavor and nice crunch.

As for the sauces, my favorite is the Yum Yum Sauce, which is aptly named! It is a mixture of mayo, garlic, and cajun seasoning.  It adds great flavor to everything but isn’t overwhelming . You get the taste of the sauce, the meat, and the vegetables in every bite.

The service at Hibachi Heaven is excellent. The servers are friendly and quick. When you approach the truck you’re most likely going to see a line of people, but it does move quickly.  You can find out where they are located for the day via Twitter or their Facebook account.

Overall, this is one of the best trucks I’ve had the pleasure of visiting, and would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a change of pace on their lunch break. For the price, it is well worth it if you’re looking for a filling meal.

Twitter: @HibachiHeaven

Facebook: Facebook.com/HibachiHeaven

www.hibachiheaven.com

2 Dinner at the Atlantica Restaurant

Friday night I was treated to a wonderful surprise from my lovely girlfriend with dinner at the Atlantica located inside the Allegria Hotel. The Allegria is an upscale hotel located right in the heart of Long Beach, NY. This was actually my first time down in Long Beach since Superstorm Sandy hit. It was quite startling not seeing the boardwalk, and seeing how much work they're doing to get it back up before the season opens. Much love to the city of Long Beach. 

The decor of the restaurant is beautiful, with an upscale environment, and the service was top notch. We were lucky enough to get seated next to the window, with a beautiful view of the ocean. 

The Menu is constructed of American cuisine with a nice twist on all of the dishes. . The menu has a reasonable amount of choices to it, from pasta to steak to fish. I made a solid choice for appetizer, main course, and Desert. 

The wine selection had many options to choose from including many local vineyards. We decided on the 2011 Paumanok Riesling, priced at $28 for the bottle, $7 for a glass. I'm not a big white wine drinker, but in my opinion, Long Island Rieslings are perfection. It had a nice crisp flavor to it. Enjoyed it throughout the night. 

Kicked off the meal with the Tuna Tartar. It was actually my first time ever having this dish so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It was over guacamole, tortilla chips, pomegranate reduction, and chive oil. The tuna was very good, had a great texture to it, and you could tell it was very fresh. The guacamole on the bottom mixed very nicely, and you could barely tell you were eating Tuna. Mix this with the pomegranate reduction and chive oil on top, and it had a nice little kick to it. The chips were lightly salted, and for anyone who has had Tortilla chips knows that too much salt could ruin the flavor. All in all, It was a great start to the meal, and I would HIGHLY recommend it. Priced at $17 dollars.

Onto the main course! I went with the Marinated Beef Filet Tips With Avocado Aioli on French Baguette, covered with BBQ caramelized onions, pepperjack cheese, and sweet potato fries on the side. Let me start this by saying WOW what a huge and absolutely delicious sandwich this was. The beef was cooked to perfection. When you have a beef tip sandwich most of the time it falls off the bread and makes for a sloppy eating situation, not this one though. Between the pepperjack (which is my all-time favorite cheese), onions, and aioli, the beef stayed together, and made for a mouthwatering bite every single time. The flavors hit your taste buds at once, and all mixed wonderfully. The sweet potato fries were average, and nothing special. Again, HIGHLY recommended! Priced at $25 dollars, it was well worth it. Also, to mention, it was so big I didn't even finish it, and took it home with me. I enjoyed the other half today and was just as delicious cold as it was when I got it hot. 

               

Desert was a Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich with chocolate syrup glazed 

underneath it. I LOVE brownies which is why I chose this. It was an average desert, nothing crazy, Price I believe was $9 dollars. 

                                      

My overall experience at the Allegria was great! My meal was fantastic and if you're looking for a swanky night out, whether on a date, or with a group of friends I would absolutely recommend this restaurant. The views are beautiful as it is located right on the Long Beach Boardwalk and overlooks the Atlantic. If you time it right, you will be able see one of Long Island's always beautiful sunsets. 

Feel free to contact me for any questions you may have in regards to the post. I'm looking forward to sharing more experiences with you. 

You can find me on Twitter and Instagram at @NomInNY