Bella Napoli

Bella Napoli is a small Italian Restaurant/ Pizza joint located near the corner of 7^th and 49^th street. It is conveniently located right next to the hotel that I stay at when I visit New York, so need less to say I have eaten there many times, especially on those late drunken nights. I feel like the majority of their business is delivery orders, but they are definitely jam packed during lunch hour.

On a recent night I stopped in late and grabbed a slice of Veggie, which I think was around $5 with tax. Piled high with Spinach, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Onions and Mushrooms, I could only finish half before I was full which meant there would be leftovers for the next morning. It might not be the best piece of Pizza that I have ever had, but it is definitely one that will give you the feel of how New York Pizza should be!

Uno Chicago Grill - Bacon Cheddar Burger

On a recent afternoon I found myself in the I Drive area and as we drove by Uno Chicago Bar and Grill we realized that neither one of us had been there in years and decided to give it a try to see if it was the still good.

As we walked in we realized that it was a very large place with very few people dining in it. I didn’t have the greatest feeling about our choice, but we were already seated and I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt.

From the “Hand Made Burger” section I ordered the Bacon Cheddar Burger – Well Done. When it arrived it actually looked quite good, it was definitely a Homemade Patty, the bacon looked good and the Challah Roll looked fresh and delicious.

Then I bit in to it and realized that it wasn’t well done at all, in fact it was pink and cold.

OK, send it back (which I hate to do, but I did want to enjoy my Burger) The only probably now is that my friend already had his meal and he shouldn’t have to wait for mine to come back out. Then the manager came over for the save and offered me a complimentary soup from the soup bar, then listed the choices for the day.

I helped myself to the Broccoli Cheese Soup while my friend ate his meal, then about the time he was done my Burger came out and this time it was cooked correctly and was actually quite tasty.

My biggest complaint was not that my Burger came out wrong, (It happens) but my portion of the bill was $15 for the Burger and the drink (not including tip), as well as the fact that we were there for over an hour and a half. I feel that although it did end up being a good Burger that you can get just as good a meal somewhere else for much less money, an in half of the time.

As I look at the 10 previous locations of Uno on urbanspoon.com I see that 6 of them are already closed. I wonder if this location will be able to survive.

Tamarind Indian Cuisine

Tamarind Indian Cuisine is located in the K Mart plaza at the intersection of 1792 and Lee road. We arrived right at 11:30am on a Sunday and were the first ones there, but by the time we left the place was full. They must be doing something right!

The ATMOSPHERE… slightly ornate decorations, but still very casual

The SERVICE… courteous and friendly

The FOOD… a wide variety of Indian dishes to chose from. Chicken, Vegetarian, Lamb or Seafood dishes, Naan, Dosa or Tandoor

The people that I was dining with were all Indian and they know what I like so I just let them order. I am not going to pretend to remember what my dish was called, but I can tell you that I loved it.

The fresh, tender Chicken was in a thick, creamy and flavorful tomato-based sauce that had just enough spice. The presentation was nice and I liked all of the side dishes that came with it.

I also tried their Dosa and Naan, which were both very good.

I often crave Indian Food and although I have tried many different restaurants I am often disappointed with either the freshness of ingredients or the lack of flavor, but I must say that Tamarind is one of the best that I have been to on both accounts.

Sea Thai - Yellow Curry Chicken

I have been to SEA Thai (South East Asia Thai) for lunch on several occasions and I usually find it to be flavorful and satisfying.

The ATMOSPHERE… Clean with Nice Décor

The SERVICE… I have always had very friendly, prompt service.

The FOOD… Noodle or Rice Dishes, Curry Dishes, all made with Chicken, Pork, Beef, Tofu, Vegetables, Shrimp or Seafood.

I have found what I like at SEA Thai, and although I have tried and enjoyed several of their dishes I always seem to go back to my standard. 

I start with the Vegetable Spring Rolls (Golden Fried Spring Rolls stuffed with Glass Noodles and assorted minced Vegetables, served with Plum Dipping Sauce - $2.95)

They are crispy and delicate and the Sauce is sweet with a little tang.

Then I get the Yellow Curry Chicken (Thai Spices blended in a Yellow Curry Paste with Potatoes, Carrots, Peas, Onions simmered in Coconut Milk, served with Jasmine Rice - $6.50)

The Coconut Milk gives this dish a sweet flavor and the Chicken pieces and the Vegetables always seem extremely fresh!

If you are like me and dine in the late afternoon be sure to check their hours of operation because I know they close between Lunch and Dinner, also their evening prices are a little higher, but I would assume that Dinner portions are also larger.

Orlando Ale House - Bistro Burger

Orlando Ale House has several locations that I have visited numerous times over the years. The atmosphere is half bar/ half restaurant with a sports bar feel. They have many standout dishes such as their Wings and Zingers, their “Enormous” Chicken Nachos and they probably have the best Onion Rings in town. I was recently there for lunch and decided to try the Bistro Burger (Stacked High with Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Sliced Pickle, and Onion Ring and Bistro Sauce. Served on a Toasted Ciabatta Bun - $8.99) I chose their Kettle Chips as my side. I didn’t have high expectations however at first bite I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was the Burger patty itself thick and juicy, but the Ciabatta Bun was the perfect, hearty way to encase all of the oozing Cheese, crispy Bacon and extremely thick Pickle slices without making a huge mess. I really enjoyed it and now have something else delicious and filling to order when I am at the Ale House.

Eatery - Ricotta Meatloaf

Eatery is a restaurant featuring American Comfort food that is located in West Midtown at 9^th and 53^rd street. I have often walked by it while I was visiting New York City, but I finally had lunch there and am delighted that I did!

The ATMOSPHERE… simple décor, plenty of tables, outdoor seating available for nice weather

The SERVICE… Our server Casey could not have been better! Polite, courteous and helpful.

The FOOD… Soups, Salads, Sandwiches and Entrees, Full Bar

We were greeted and seated and then they brought out their “Chips” which were made with Puffed Rice, Black Sesame Seeds and a little Sugar. They had an interesting taste and texture that was really addicting and different.

After looking at the menu and seeing several things that looked good (including the prices) I was still having trouble making up my mind. Our server Casey directed me in the way of the Ricotta Meatloaf saying that, “I couldn’t go wrong with that choice.” He was right! The Ricotta gave the Meatloaf a light texture, but it also had a heavy flavor, which is exactly how I think Meatloaf should be! It was served on top of Red Bliss Mashed Potatoes, with Pecorino Sauce, Over Dried Grape Tomatoes and Balsamic Reduction ($12.95).

I ate every bite!

My Mom just wanted some vegetables so she had a side order of Asparagus that she thought was fresh, tender and cooked to perfection, as well as an order of their Red Bliss Mashed Potatoes.

My Dad had the Chipotle BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich (with Cheddar Cheese, Apple and Pear Slaw on a Brioche Bun with Sweet Potato Fries). This was one of the featured “lunch specials” so for $10.95 it also included a beverage. I ended up eating about half of his sandwich because it was so good as well as too much for him to finish.

All in all we really enjoyed Eatery. It was such a nice combination of Atmosphere, Service and Food (the key to a great restaurant) and when the total bill (including tip) for three people is less then $45 it is also a great deal!

Sac's Place - Gnocchi Quattro Formaggio

I recently made my first trip to Queens to meet an old friend. She suggested that we go to one of her local (Astoria) favorite restaurants that offered “Italian Home Cooking” and as we walked in to Sac’s Place I understood what she meant.

The ATMOSPHERE… small, clean and quaint, with both indoor and outdoor seating options

The SERVICE… Friendly and efficient

The FOOD… Fresh Ingredients, No Canned Sauces, Hand Made (in house) Pastas, Traditional Italian Dishes!

I let my friend select our appetizer and my entree because I figured that she would know best.

The complimentary Bread Basket they served consisted of pieces of Foccacia and Tomato Foccacia, which was awesome because it gave us an idea of how their Pizza tastes.

We started with the Carciofini Fritti (Baby Artichokes “crispy fried” $11.95) which was fresh and flavorful.

Then my friend and I both ordered the Gnocchi Quattro Formaggio (Pasta made with Potatoes and Semolina with four cheese: Ricotta, Reggiano Parmigiana, Fontina, Gorgonzola $14.95) It was rich and cheesy, so good that I practically liked the bowl when I was done.

My mother ordered the Eggplant Parmigiana (Eggplant baked with marinara sauce and Mozzarella $16.95) and she thought it was the best Eggplant that she had ever had. I had a couple of bites and I have to agree that it was quite good!

And my Dad had the Gamberi Scampi (Shrimp in a Garlic Butter White Wine Sauce $19.95) that he was very happy with.

When it was all said and done the bill (including tip) was $100 even, and there were four of us so it averaged out to be $25 per head, which I thought was not bad considering how fresh and delicious everything was!

Highly recommended!

Ali Baba - Lunch Buffet

Ali Baba House of Kabob in Longwood is a place that I have made several visits to for their delicious Mediterranean buffet.

The ATMOSPHERE… Spacious with plenty of seating, there is a small stage where I would assume they have entertainment at peak times and the place is filled with many different Hookahs for sale.

The SERVICE… Courteous

The FOOD… although I do believe that they have a full menu of Mediterranean cuisine, I have only eaten the lunch buffet. With so many options to chose from I have always been very pleased.

 On my last visit I noticed they had a special Tues – Thurs where the lunch buffet (soda included) was $9.95 from 11am until 2pm. What a great deal!

They offer a variety of Salads

Tasty dips like Hummus and Babaganoush

Roasted Potatoes, Falafel and several different Soups

Rice and Couscous

Kabobs, Chicken and other Meat dishes

And at least two different Mediterranean Desserts

This is one restaurant that I usually like to try a little bit of everything because it all tastes so good, and when I am feeling like eating something of this genre this is one of the first places that come to mind.