0 Adventures in Restaurant Week - Barraca

As stated in a previous post...THIS. IS. SPARTA RESTAURANT WEEK!!! Wouldn't be able to call myself a food lover if I didn't participate now would I? First stop on the RW adventures Barraca!!! 

What is Barraca and what made you come here?

Barraca is a Spanish restaurant specializing in tapas, paellas, and sangrias located in the West Village. What made me come here was that I was looking up places to take someone a few months ago and saw this place. I'm a huge fan of Spanish food and an even bigger fan of the West Village so I was pretty sure I would end up going there. Long story short...I didn't go -_-. Then RW happened and I saw Barraca was on the list. I'd be a fool to not take advantage this time around. So I hit up a friend of mine and we rolled out

Makes sense...so tell me about the place.

Medium sized, exposed brick (which I love), dimly lit, enjoyable tunes, moderate noise level, very mellow vibe. A.K.A. My kind of place. Perfect for clearing your head and grabbing a drink by yourself and also good for entertaining a date. 

Ok. What did you end up ordering?

To start:

• Gambas al ajillo - shrimp in garlic, olive oil, and guindilla pepper
• Croquetas de jamon - cripsy serrano ham croquettas

For an entree:

• Mariscos - paella with shirmp, calamari, cuttlefish, monkfish, string beans, clams, and mussels

Dessert:

• Bomba de chocolate - chocolate mousse, hazelnuts, and caramel
• Banana pudding (which I don't see on their online menu)

Only one entree? Wasn't it 2 of you?

Yeah only one entree. This place serves entrees that are meant for 2 people to share so in efforts to not waste food and money there was only one entree served.

I guess that makes sense. So how was the food?

The food was very good. The shrimp in garlic was EXCELLENT! Plump shrimp sitting in garlic and oil and peppers. May have been my favorite part of the meal. Croquetas were good as well. A little on the salty side, but not enough to make you not want to continue destroying them. The paella was enormous and literally packed with tons and tons of seafood. Every item providing it's own individual flavor which lead to a mega party for my taste buds. The dessert was pretty average. Nothing to really go crazy over.

Wasn't feeling the dessert huh?

I wouldn't say I wasn't feeling it, but there was nothing special about it. I usually don't get dessert when I go to restaurants so if it's not amazing then it's just something sweet on a plate to me. 

I get that. Sooooooo this place specializes in sangria and you didn't try any?

Of course I did. How could I forget about that. Every course was washed down with several glasses of sangria. See below:

• De La Mancha - saffron infused passion fruit, Verdejo white wine, clementine, Don Q Limon Rum. Very bitter taste
• Valencia - Rose, Oleo Succharum "citrus oil", grapefruit juice, vodka ginger. My favorite out of all the ones I've had. Smooth, fairly sweet, love the ginger finish
• Rioja - Rioja red wine, Aperol, guindilla pepper, cherry heering liqueur. My second favorite. Deep red color, rich flavor, little kick.

Nice. Any thing else I need to know? Dislikes? Recommendation?
I really enjoyed my trip to Barraca. Outside of the croquettas being a little salty I have zero compaints about this place. Definitely worth a visit. If you manage to make it there I'd suggest either going with a group or with someone who has a healthy appetite. Since the portions are meant to be shared you don't want to get stuck with a bunch of food that you're trying to force down or lug home.

 

 

 Barraca

81 Greenwich Avenue

(212) 462 - 0080

0 Best Burger Hunt - Part 6 (Cinema Cafe)

When you go to a restaurant, you're looking for something to eat, the words "Possibly the best burger you will ever have" pop out at you.  To that statement I say...Challenge Accepted!

0 Charlie's Bar and Grizzill!

I'm telling you...spontaneous adventures almost always lead to great finds. After the gym last night I was contacted by a friend who was looking to catch up for a bit over some grub and drinks at this spot which I had never heard about. Not having anything planned for the evening I happily accepted the invite. And I must say that I'm glad I did.

0 Valentine's Day Date...

So as much as I may preach against Valentine's Day festivities...I'm guilty of partaking this year. How did I go about choosing where I wanted to go, you ask? Simple! I knew I wanted to go to a place that I haven't been to and that also sold seafood. After some searching around and review reading I was lead to Fish Tag. 

What made you come here as opposed to some place else?

I was looking for a low key, intimate, quiet venue. After doing some research I saw that Fish Tag kept coming up on several lists. Dug a little bit further and decided to take the plunge and bring my talents to Fish Tag. Seafood, never been before, AND I got to take someone who's very special to me. Triple win if you ask me. 

Did all your research pay off?

I'd say it did. The venue was everything I was looking for and expecting. Quiet, visually appealing (exposed brick!...can't go wrong with that), pleasant wait staff, and above everything else I thought the food was pretty good too. 

You say you thought it was good...what about your date?

She enjoyed the food but definitely not as much as I did. Something to keep in mind about this place is that their seafood items are VERY FRESH (which can be a good thing...at least to me it is)! Meaning, if you're not into fishy taste and textures you may wanna avoid here and go to a more generic seafood restaurant. 

Got it...so what did you all get?

To start the Grilled Prawn and Spicy Chilies Bruschetta. VERY TASTY! For entrees we got the: 

- Grilled Striped Bass (she) - fresh bass with a layer of crispy skin on the top, sitting on a bed of rapini, oyster mushrooms, tomatoes confit, and garlic puree 

- and the Grilled Swordfish and Greek Sausage (me) - plump swordfish with 2 strips of Greek sausage, loukaniko, grilled kale, middle eastern spiced bulgur salad

And everything was washed down with 2 glasses of red wine. Overall, a very satisfying meal.

Anything else I should know about? 

Surprisingly they have a huge list of wine and beers. All separated by taste to help those who may not necessarily be fluent in the languages of wine and beer. Lastly, the portions are not that big which may actually be a good thing. However, if you're someone with a rather large appetite you may wanna grab a quick snack before coming here.

Fish Tag

222 West 79th Street

(212) 362-7470(212) 362-7470

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0 BYOBBBQ at the Butcher Bar

I bet you're wondering what the title of the post means? Well if you got confused, it means Butcher Bar is a BBQ restaurant that has a BYOB policy(BYOBBBQ, get it now).  Honestly, was a little skeptical at first, but it turned out awesome.  Actually, everything didn't just turn out awesome, it turned out to be amazing!!  Come along for a journey of fresh cut BBQ and delicious Beer.

2 Best Burger Hunt NYC - Part 1 (Bill's Bar & Burger)

So, I decided that after many discussions with a TON of different people, that everyone has an opinion on what they think the best burger is in NYC.  A lot of people say Five Guys, no shake shack, no 5 napkins...I'm not quite sure if anyone can come to an agreement on the burger situation in NYC.

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 Little Love at Love Lane Kitchen

     

This past Columbus Day my fiancé and I had our engagement pictures out on the North Fork. After a few hours we got hungry, and wasn't a surprise we ended up here. Love Lane Kitchen might be my favorite cafe on all of Long Island. The area it is in is beautiful, the food is fantastic, and the service is just top notch. I have never left disappointed, and I have NEVER left feeling like I didn't just have a great meal. 

It's small, quaint, and comfy cafe located in Mattituck on Love Lane. It sits about 60 people and also has a nice bar area as well. The decor has a small-town, rustic feel to it. 

The menu has many options on it, and a chalkboard full of specials that is always changing. Their drink selection is also very appealing.

For drink selection, I went with my all-time favorite, of a Sixpoint Sweet Action. However, I also went with the the 21st amendment brew free or die IPA. It was my first time trying to 21st amendment IPA, and was pleasantly surprised. Nice taste, good head, not an IPA that's going to blow you away with hops, but there's just enough to know you're drinking a quality brew.

We kicked the night off with the Truffle Fries, which are French fries covered in Parmesan and garlic. We had also asked for the Mac N' Cheese, but they were out of it, and I won't lie, I was a little bummed as I wanted to try that. The fries did not disappoint though. Between the mixture of the Parmesan and garlic, it was perfectly seasoned. My only suggestion for future reference, offer more dipping sauces other than Ketchup. Now, the fries alone were amazing, but I could have went for a little garlic aioli, or maybe some buffalo ranch. 

(Note picture was taken after digging right in, we were hungry)

Now, with many options to choose from, I've only ordered one thing from Love Lane. That is, oh so delicious, lobster roll. Seriously, this thing is massive, and will positively blow your mind. It comes with huge chunks of lobster, flavored with a mayo type dressing that has a real nice flavor, all stuffed into a hoagie roll, which has a little garlic spread on it. The lobster is cooked perfectly, very moist and very tender. On the side, it comes served with a generous amount of Parmesan fries. I walk in each time saying I'll try something new, but, I always end up getting this dish. It's really that good.

Love lane will always be my go to lunch/dinner spot when I am in the area. It is highly recommended if you happen to be out in Mattituck drinking wine, apple/pumpkin picking, or just enjoying a nice day out east. 

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

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